Input=Output

9-30-2009
Input = Output

It can be said of just about anything; what comes in will reflect what comes out. If we eat bad foods, we won’t be in good shape. If we expose ourselves to sinful entertainment, those thoughts and ideas will probably be reflected in our behavior and speech. If kids are raised improperly in the home, we usually see bad behavior in other surroundings as a result. If we feed our minds the right food, our behavior will be pure as well.

Matthew 12:33-37 says, 33"Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."

It’s very evident what one fills their minds with by looking at their behavior and what comes out of their mouths. If you fill your minds with Godly things, you will think in Godly ways, thus your speech will reflect what you’ve consumed. Never underestimate the effect music, movies, and other forms of communication and entertainment have on you. We need to avoid certain things if we desire to be Godly people. We must feed our hearts with purity and love, so that we may respond with purity and love in all we do. By doing this, you will know whom to avoid and whom to hang out with. You will be able to recognize the difference between good and evil, and respond in Godly ways at all times.

Application:
1. Read Matthew 12:33-37
2. What do you subject yourself to? Are they positive influences in your life?