WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MAY 9, 2022 Â
TOPIC: STOP FEEDING ON TRASH
BY T. O. BANSO
“A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash” (Proverbs 15:14 New Living Translation).
Somebody can be dying because of a lack of food to eat. It is also possible for somebody to be dying because he is eating the wrong kinds of food. One could die of starvation as much as one could die of eating the wrong kinds of food.
Some people are illiterate, and, therefore, might be ignorant of the right information. Conversely, others could be literate but are feeding on the wrong information. Yet, there are people who feed on the right information, not trash. You cannot be feeding on trash and hope to be healthy, whether mentally, physically, emotionally, or spiritually. “A wise person is hungry for truth, while the fool feeds on trash” (Proverbs 15:14 New Living Translation).
Trash is anything worthless, useless, foolish, or of very poor quality. It is any information that will not benefit you but will harm you. New King James Version renders Proverbs 15:14 thus: “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.” What are you feeding on? Trash or good food?  Are you seeking knowledge or feeding on foolishness?
Talking about spiritual food, the Bible tells believers to, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, so that they may grow thereby (1 Peter 2:2). A new baby that is being fed with trash (spoilt or contaminated food) or junk food has no hope of survival. Parents ensure that they feed their new babies with food that is proper for their age (milk) and will make them grow well and be healthy. They don’t feed them unhealthy food.
As babies grow in Christ, God expects them to be fed with strong meat or solid food of the Word of God (Hebrews 5:14). As a Christian, you cannot grow spiritually if you’re feeding on trash or junk – worthless, useless, and foolish information. Even if we look at it physically, someone cannot be a responsible citizen or live a meaningful life if he feeds on destructive and unhelpful information or materials. These are materials that don’t add value to one’s life; they’re unprofitable or unbeneficial.
Materials that are trash or junk don’t make you a better person or improve your life. Such materials could be teaching you the wrong values and influencing your life negatively. What good are you doing to your life feeding on such books, magazines, radio and television programmes, videos, and other media of information that are harmful to your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being? For example, some people have developed perverted minds because of their addiction to pornographic materials. Others have cultivated violent behaviour.
Proverbs 18:15 says, “The heart of the prudent acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge” (New King James Version). However, prudent or intelligent people are wise enough to be discriminatory in the type of knowledge they seek and acquire. They don’t eat just anything because they are hungry! They are wise enough to eat what will make them healthy. They won’t eat anything toxic, poisonous, or contaminated.
Social media is neutral – it is neither good nor bad. It depends on the use you put it to. It’s like a marketplace – people come to sell and buy all manners of things. So much junk is being posted every second on social media. You determine what to post, forward, or share, and what you read, watch, or listen to. Yet, there are so many edifying and useful materials on social media.
What do you access on the internet? What radio and television programmes do you listen to and watch, respectively? What video games do you play? Are you sure they are not trash? Do you derive positive benefits from them or do they harm you?
It is your fault if you disseminate or feed on trash on social media or in conventional media. You cannot be healthy if you’re feeding on trash, meditating on junk, believing rubbish, and allowing useless materials to shape your conduct and life. There are good, educative, informative, and entertaining materials – written, audio, and video. But there are also unedifying ones forbidden by the Word of God and, sometimes, prohibited by the law. Be selective; don’t feed on trash.
Be hungry for knowledge, but don’t feed on trash. Fools feed on trash. Don’t be one. The main course (meal) of a child of God is the Word of God. Quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4). Feed on the Word of God. Eat it as a matter of priority and let it determine other things you eat.
Eat the scroll – the Word of God (Ezekiel 3:1-3). It will give you life. Let every other thing you feed on, in terms of knowledge, not be things the Word of God condemns. Don’t feed on anything the Word of God forbids. Refrain from feeding on anything that will give you wrong or ungodly values. Don’t sow a bad seed into your heart. “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23 New King James Version). Jesus says from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,  thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man (Mark 7:21-23; Matthew 15:19-20).
Stop feeding on trash. Don’t expose your mind to information that is contrary to the Word of God or information on what the Bible forbids. Feed on the Word of God, Bible-based materials, and information that the Word of God is not against. Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things (Philippians 4:8).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, forgive me for the trash I have consumed in the past, which has made me unhealthy – spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. Holy Spirit, help me to be hungry for truth, and no more feed on trash. I receive your help to discipline myself not to feed on unedifying and unprofitable materials. I pray for deliverance for everyone that is in the bondage of addiction to unedifying materials. Let them be set free in Jesus’ name.
(For over 800 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
  
  
  
  
