tainted: recognizing, understanding and repairing the filters of life

7/28/2019 Tainted: Recognizing, Understanding and Repairing the Filters of Life

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Tainted

Recognizing,

Understanding,and Repairingthe Filters of Life

Chris MacKinnon


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Tainted: Recognizing, understanding, and repairing the filters of life

Copyright 2011 Chris MacKinnon, touchtheskye.org

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a

retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording, or any other except for brief quotations, without the prior

written permission of the publisher.

Cover photo istockphoto.com/Albilda

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English

Standard Version (ESV). Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good

News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are from The Amplified Bible, Old Testament

copyright 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. The Amplified Bible, New

Testament copyright 1954, 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by

permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version

(Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference

Bible, Copyright 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture quotations noted NCV are from The Holy Bible, The New Century

Version. Copyright 1987, 1988, 1991. Used by permission of Word Publishing

Scripture quotations noted NLT are from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation,

copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,

Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.


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table of contents

1. Living on Autopilot 52. Filters 93. How it Works 144. Life Happens 185. Been There, Done That 226. Choices that Last 277. Tainted 348. Ground Rules 399. Taking Action 4410.Ananias 51

Conclusion 56


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5

one

Living on Autopilot

What made you decide to purchase or borrow this

book? Was it the title? Maybe the cover is flashy and got

your attention. Did you read the back of the cover, or

maybe these first few pages? For whatever reason, you

decided this book was worth the time to read it.

Hopefully you havent changed your mind.

The simple task of choosing a book in a bookstore or

library belies a process that revolutionizes our lives. It

occurs each time we face a decision, think a thought,

move in action, and experience daily life.

Youre likely thinking that there cannot possibly be

any process that your mind or heart goes through each

time life happens. It would take too much time. And how

could it happen without you taking notice?

The first part of the answer would be that it is, for


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T A I N T E D

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the most part, subconscious. It happens when you arent

aware of it. Secondly, it only takes the blink of an eye

from start to finish. And that might be stretching its

length.

Daily Routines

We already know that our minds work faster than

we can sometimes think. For instance, Im typing at

about 50 words per minute. My brain processes each

word as I think it, sends signals through several feet of

nerves and moves muscles and tendons to type on the

keyboard what I am thinking in my head, and I have to

keep on eye on the screen to make sure it is coming out

correctly.

Sure, I had to train myself where to find the keys

that are needed to complete each word, but it all

happens faster than I can think it. The word is usually

half on the screen before I finish thinking it in my head.

When you pulled yourself out of bed and dressed this

morning, did you sit down with a checklist to put on your

socks, button your shirt or zip your pants or skirt?

(Maybe if we did, there would be fewer chances for

leaving our zippers undone.) No, you followed your

routine. You may have even watched the morning news,

spoken with your spouse or ran to the other side of the


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Living on Autopilot

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house for a belt as you got dressed.

These are some of the normal processes we follow

each day: eating meals, dressing, washing in the shower

or tub, brushing your teeth.

We dont have the time to sit down and think deeply

about these daily tasks of life. Instead we let our

routines guide us on autopilot. Rarely does it come back

to cause trouble later on (except in the case of thosezippers). We are content to allow these automatic

processes to continue day after day.

Not Paying Attention

Of course, there are those times when we engage our

autopilot without even noticing. In those situations, if

left to our absent-mindedness, the results could be

deadly.

I like driving. When Im alone in the car, I turn on

my radio, pray, think, and enjoy the ride. At least one of

those in flight activities has a tendency to put me on

autopilot.

Thinking.

Yes, I can chew gum and walk at the same time. I

can talk on the phone and continue my work on

something around house. Well, most of the time.

But I like to think. On those occasions when my


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brain gets in gear, I dont see the road, I dont hear the

radio, and hopefully my wife isnt in the car trying to

keep a conversation going.

When Im on autopilot in the car, I drive several

miles with no recollection of what happened in the

meantime. I dont wake with a start, having fallen

asleep at the wheel. Thats a completely different feeling.

I just suddenly become aware that the last landmark orturn I remember had to be ten or fifteen minutes ago,

based on what is in front of me when I come to.

If I were to fall asleep at the wheel, or fail to come

out of my deep-thought-induced coma, I could easily

cause bodily harm to myself or, God forbid, someone

else. It is at those times that I understand why we prayfor traveling mercies when we start off on longer trips.

Even this pales in comparison to the dangers that

await us when we allow this phantom process to

continue unchecked in our lives. It doesnt always hurt

us immediately, but it sets the stage for what will or will

not occur in our lives.

Have I got your attention? Are you interested in

what could possibly have so much control in your life,

when you dont even know it is there? Lets take a look.


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two

Filters

What have the last twenty-four hours brought you?

You woke up, maybe after working a night shift or

just before heading out to your work day. Did you get a

chance to eat breakfast before you went out the door this

morning?

If you joined the majority at work this morning, what

was your commute like? Did you take the bus or train?

Public transportation can be easier on the wallet, but

when we are told about its positive points, the unique

smells and wait times are often overlooked.

Maybe you braved the roads to work today. How was

rush hour this morning? Did you lose your temper at all?

What about that maroon sedan driving ten miles per

hour under the speed limit. Did she get to you this

morning?


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Do you like to start your day in silence, or with the

radio or television going? Did you catch up on politics?

How about sports or entertainment news? I wonder if

your spouse remembered to put the coffee creamer back

in the fridge this morning.

Sounds like youve already had a full day, and were

just getting started.

Ignorance is Bliss

How many times did you stop and consider all of the

ins and outs, all of the implications for your present and

future, of each experience that life dropped in your lap

this morning? You didnt? Not once? Why do you think

that is?

Sure, you may have chosen which pants went with

what tie, or which blouse would bring out your eyes, but

did you really think very hard about it? Or think back to

that little sedan that cut you off this morning. Did you

consider what her situation might be today, or just that

she dared to get in your way when you had your own

place to be this morning?

If we stopped and analyzed every possible outcome or

reason for each circumstance of life, we would be locked

in inactivity. There just wouldnt be enough time in the

day. By the time youre supposed to be finished with a


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Filters

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stack of paperwork for the project due at the end of the

week, youd still be stuck processing the third story on

the early news show.

What we need, what we have, is a system to help us

determine what requires our attention and our action.

We dont have to turn it on, it is always there. It works

every time some stimulus enters our life.

There is a subconscious filter system through whichevery moment of your day is processed. Each thought,

action, word and experience is pushed through,

analyzed, sifted, and sorted before it is deposited in your

heart and mind.

You Already Use Them

Filters are nothing new to us. They are all around us,

and we use them in various parts of our physical lives.

Odds are fairly high that you benefited from the use

of one in the first fifteen minutes of your day today.

Every cup of coffee is made by pushing water past little

granules of ground up coffee beans, kept out of your mug

by a filter.

Houses are built with filters in the heating and

cooling systems. They keep allergens, bacteria, mold and

dust particles from circulating throughout your house.

In an age of pet allergies, food allergies, asthma and


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other health concerns, we are glad for the filtration

systems in our homes.

If you drove a vehicle this morning, you should be a

fan of filters. Your fuel passed through a filter. Oil to

keep your engine running smoothly made use of a filter.

Our vehicles, like us, need air to breathe. A clogged air

filter will cause problems in your cars engine.

Maybe you picked up a bottle of your favorite brandof spring water instead of coffee this morning. Did you

take a look at how many times the manufacturer filters

that water? It rarely comes straight from the source to

the bottle. Who knows what kind of extra minerals and

nutrients might be in the bottle otherwise?

Disposable or Irreplaceable

Filters are all around us, but their value is often

understated. My work experience includes time in the

hotel service. Coffee filters are thrown away throughout

the day as the front desk keeps fresh java available for

guests. In our cars we throw away and replace our oil

and air filters with each oil change.

As you read the first pages of this book there is a

good chance that you may understand the concept of a

filter in your life, but because of your previous

experience with filters, you consider it unnecessary


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Filters

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information.

Just like the filters in your vehicle, they are small

and seemingly insignificant. Sure, they help; but do you

really pay attention to them? Isnt that the job of your

local service station?

But you cannot switch out the processes of your mind

like you can a number four cone filter in your twelve-cup

coffee pot. Due to its important place in our lives and thefact that it cannot really be replaced, it becomes

extremely important for us to take note of the filter that

is working in our lives.


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three

How it Works

What does it mean to process our thoughts, actions

and life experiences through a filter?

As you go through life, this filter helps you decide the

potential of each action and event. It determines

whether something is good or bad. It serves as a quick-

read lie detector telling you what is true or false. Space

is reserved in your brain for memorable experiences

while forgettable ones are pushed out.

Consider the use of filters in the various arenas of

your life. Some are used to help us flavor or color

elements of our lives. Coffee wouldnt be so tasty if it

came with a cup full of grounds. On the other hand, to

run water over coffee beans doesnt result in very savory

stuff, either. We need that filter to help get the parts

that we want while holding off the stuff we dont.


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How it Works

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An air filter in our home heating and cooling system

works the same way. Air is pushed through the filter,

while allergens, dust, bacteria, and a host of other

impurities are caught by little fibers, keeping them out

of our lungs.

Other filters are used to sort and organize various

items into manageable bites and piles. A coin sorter is a

filter that works in this way. Some of us separate ourrecyclables, collecting paper, glass, cans, and plastic,

each in their own container.

We dont usually even notice the results of our

filtering process. We are too busy living life to take in

the analysis of it. But what we also fail to notice is how

each filtered event or action piles up in the variouscollecting points of our hearts and minds.

Take a Tour

We just mentioned the coin sorter as an example of a

filter. Have you ever stopped to think of how a coin

sorter works? It pushes coins through a system of holes,

sized from smaller to larger, each one made just a little

larger than each coin it wants to sort. Each time a coin

passes over a hole made for a smaller coin, it is sped

along to the next size. Lets use a nickel as an example

and follow its route through the sorter.


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Our shiny little Thomas Jefferson easily passes over

the holes made to catch dimes and pennies. Its not even

close. So it runs smoothly along, but the margin gets

smaller each time.

By this point if a handful of mixed coins were

dropped into the sorter, only the nickels and quarters

would remain. As the next hole approaches, our nickel is

speeding along without a care, but that hole was madejust for him.

It falls through the hole and drops into a receptacle

where he finds a stack of other Jeffersonian friends. As

the nickel drops, the quarters continue past overhead, on

to the final leg of the sorting machines track.

Size Matters

We mentioned bottled water in an earlier chapter.

Companies like to inform the public how many times

their water is filtered before bottling and distribution. In

these cases it is safe to assume that they use a series of

filters that become finer and harder to pass through

with each step of filtration.

What are the chances that the water would be more

purified from step to step if the company only used

identical filters each time it was filtered? Would it

contain fewer particles after five runs than it did with


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How it Works

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the first one? It isnt likely that anything new would be

caught as the process continued.

What if the filters were finer in each round of

filtration, making allowance for smaller particles with

each passing of the water? Now the water will contain

fewer contaminants as it completes each part of the

process.

Danger Ahead

That all seems basic enough, doesnt it? You might be

thinking, Youre talking about coins and water. But

how does that apply to me?

The experiences, actions and thoughts of life run

through our own internal filters just like the coins and

the water. Are you curious enough to find out what that

looks like?

Before we look at an example, I want to offer a quick

note of warning. So far this has been really basic, but

now were going to start getting personal. Take a

moment to prepare yourself. The next few chapters may

get messy.


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four

Life Happens

One of the ways filters work is to sort the input that

comes into our lives. It starts off broad and basic, then it

analyzes in greater detail at each step of the process.

Here is a very personal example that parents with

school-aged children will understand. Im not saying it

has worked just like this in my house, but I wont lie to

you and say it hasnt, either. Heres a glance at the

practical side of what this discussion is about.

The alarm goes off and you drag yourself out of bed.

You dont have anywhere to go, but your kids do. Today

is a school day, and the next thing to do is drag them off

to bed.

The next twenty minutes is filled with piles of

clothes to put on, breakfast, teeth brushing, hair


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Life Happens

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brushing, and maybe you were able to put on a pot of

coffee for yourself.

Did you ask your kids what they wanted for

breakfast? If you did, you may have realized that they

each wanted something different. Some of us might have

made that move yesterday, so today we decide to give

them each a bowl of cereal instead of opening that can of

worms. Your filter is already showing signs of wakingup.

As your eldest child is getting her shoes and coat on,

she informs you that you didnt fill out the permission

slip needed for the field trip her class is taking today.

Its the first time you have heard about this trip, not to

mention the required permission slip. Did I mention thatshes had it in her book bag for a week? And, oh yeah, it

costs fifteen dollars.

How do you think this revelation is filtered when it

hits your system? Lets take another imaginary trip

through this filter we have talked so much about.

The first step is the Conscious-Unconscious Filter.

Here your brain determines whether this stimulus

requires immediate action, or if it is something you can

chew on and come back to later. It heard need and

today and partnered them with the shrill panic in your

childs voice. This is something to deal with right away.


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If you are like me, your filter might malfunction here

first thing in the morning, but youll quickly catch up.

Next your daughters request is on the fast track to

the Family Filter. She has a speed pass through the toll

booth that decides between family, work, church, and

personal items. There doesnt seem to be any detour or

pile up here today.

As we come up to the Details and Options Filter,several gates line up one after another. Each one asks a

question to help you along. Can I just keep her home

today? Where is this trip to? Do we have to pay the full

fifteen dollars? Can we afford fifteen dollars? Do I even

have fifteen dollars in the house? Does she really want to

go? Will she benefit personally or academically from thistrip? Is this something that we as parents want her

exposed to? Cant I just keep her home?

The Reaction Filter determines how you will respond

to the request. Are you going to be rational or impulsive?

Will you be calm and cool, or is your cool headed out

the window?Finally, the Action Filter provides what your next

step is. It helps determine what you are going to do to

resolve the issue . . . before the school bus arrives.


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Reality Check

What do you think? Does that sound far-fetched?

Which sections does your system tend to work overtime

on, or to skip entirely? And just how long do you think it

took a loaded request from an eight-year-old to work its

way through your series of filters? A blink of an eye? A

half-second maybe?

How much do you think filters impact your life now?

Hopefully you are coming to see that they are quite vital

to our daily lives. They process in a flash what I took

twenty minutes to think about and write out by hand.

We cannot live without our filter systems. Neither

can we trust them all of the time. Unfortunately, like all

of the other filters discussed this far, the filter in our

heart and mind can run into trouble, causing problems

in precious areas of our lives.


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five

Been There, Done That

Before we take a look at what it means to be

tainted we should find out why our filters are in the

shape they are in. Why do we process life the way we do?

Where did that programming come from?

If you are reading this book in a public setting, take

a look around you. How many of those standing in the

same coffee shop, riding the same bus, who are sharing

what seems to be the same experience as you at this

moment, have shared every moment of your life?

The answer should be obvious: none of them. Only

you have enjoyed (or not) each of the moments of your

life. Every thought and action, vacation to work day,

learned behavior or skill, has piled on top of the other to

build the man or woman that you are today. For better

or worse, only you are you.


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Logically, then, your filter is shaped specifically for

you, by you. Chances are you have not shaped it

deliberately, taking stock of each notch and thread, each

level of filtration. Still, it is true that your life has

shaped your individual filter.

There are five primary influencers when it comes to

the shaping of our filters. In this chapter we will discuss

the first two. These involve what happens to and aroundus on a basic level. The other three relate to our personal

choices and habits, and are covered in the next chapter.

Personal Experience

Maybe it sounds a bit too elementary, but our filters

are influenced by our personal experience.

Each situation you face in life will be duplicated.

Some of these will reappear infrequently, others on a

daily basis. How each experience affects you and how

you respond to it will be part of the filtering process each

time that situation returns.

What does it mean that each situation will reappear?

The details are not always the same, but the daily ins

and outs of life are repeated time and again.

Every day that you go to work, you have to decide

whether or not you will do what is asked of you. Will you

strive for excellence today, or will you take a short cut?


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With each decision, you set a precedent for the next

occurrence of the question. Eventually your responses

will be programmed by the actions of your past. As you

choose to cut corners, youll spend less time debating the

issue when faced with the same situation.

Think about some of the experiences in your life that

you face on a regular basis.

On weeknights you have to choose between stayinglate to finish a project at work or spending a couple of

hours with your children before they have to be in bed.

You could be saving for a family vacation this

summer, but instead you purchase a high definition,

widescreen LCD television with a Dolby surround sound

system and a Blu-Ray player.What? Youre not worried about that vacation? Oh,

youre going to put it on the other credit card. Play now,

pay later, right?

What about some of the more churchy applications?

Like how on Sunday mornings you have to decide if you

really want to get up and go to church.Are you going to listen to what the pastor says this

time, or are you just going to doodle on the back of an

offering envelope?

The last time you told that altar worker what was

going on in your life she managed to have it spread all

around town before the evening service. Should you


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really go and ask her to pray for you again?

Our personal experience colors our filter before

anything else. It sets precedents and prepares our

system for the routine of life.

Experiences of Others

Because God designed the heart of man for

community and connection, we are affected by the

happenings in the lives of others. Each life in your

sphere of influence serves to shape your personal filter.

If you think you are immune to the lives of others, I

would ask you to consider how often we ask for input.

When was the last time you asked a friend what book or

movie they recently enjoyed? Have you ever looked to a

friend for a restaurant recommendation? Maybe you

recently enjoyed a night out for dinner and asked the

person across the table, What are you having?

We also tend to offer our experiences to others. We

tell our friends good times we had at the movies, or at an

amusement park. Were also quick to share when we run

across a bad experience, such as poor service at the fast

food place or the auto mechanic.

It is said that our culture has lost the ability to

blush. Some of my friends find out how quickly they can

bring up a subject that makes me uncomfortable. You


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have probably heard the acronym TMI, which stands

for Too Much Information. Sometimes we really dont

need to know the details of what is going on in the lives

around us.

When we are with each other we talk, we share, and

we disperse the details of our lives. As we do so we are

depositing into each others hearts. We should be careful

what we receive from others, and what we are willing toshare.

Isnt it interesting that for all of the recurring

situations of life that come our way, we often fall into

the same traps and fail to learn from our mistakes? If

weve really been there, done that, why dont our lives

show an impact from the experience? Maybe the answer

lies in a few other programming issues we have to

wrestle with.


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six

Choices that Last

In the Garden of Eden, Adam was told not to eat the

fruit from a certain tree or he would die. When it came

to decide whether or not he would obey that command,

he relied on information other than the word of God. Eve

had tasted of the fruit, yet she stood alive before him. He

processed the directive of God through a filter formed

around someone elses experience.

Our filters are colored by our own experiences, as

well as those of the people we allow to speak into our

lives. These are not the only influencers we have,

though. There are three others that are based on the

direction we choose for our lives.

The power of each of these influencers is a result of

some other choice made in our lives. We have chosen a

path for ourselves through each of these choices,


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therefore the landscape of life we travel through is based

on that path.

When you live in Minnesota but have to travel to

somewhere in New England like Boston, you quickly

find yourself in the middle of the debate of whether it is

faster to drive a route that goes under the Great Lakes

or over them via Canada.

If you choose to take the southern route, you drivethrough Chicago, but quickly realize that a lot of your

trip will be across the flat lands of Illinois, Indiana and

Ohio. If you go north, youll mostly travel through

woodland, with the opportunity to see some of the larger

cities of Canada, and the beauty of Niagara Falls. At

some point youll probably think, Why not fly instead?Since the time difference is often considered a

minimal factor, the choice really depends on your

preference. What are your goals? Do you want to avoid

customs and the possible difficulty of traveling through

the French province of Quebec? Are you afraid of the

potential to fall asleep and drift off somewhere in themiddle of Ohio?

It isnt that one is necessarily better than the other,

but that once you have made up your mind, you are

stuck with what each road will bring you. It is the

same with these three influencers.

You have chosen a path. In some cases your choice


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should be obvious if you are choosing to live a life based

on Scripture and in the footsteps of Christ. Those

situations have definitive wrongs and rights. In others it

will be a matter of preference, dream and desire. There

may not be a right option, but whichever you choose will

shape your life and mind.

BeliefsWhat we choose to believe will have enormous

impact on how we view the world around us. These

beliefs are both religious and social. Sometimes they

work together, other times they are opposed.

Those who believe in God live differently from those

who do not. You also have beliefs about how God reacts

to the actions of your life. Is He present in your life or

absent? Does He act in love or wrath, or a combination of

the two?

If you believe in one true God, that Jesus is His Son,

and that there is no other name under heaven by which

we can be saved (Acts 4:12), you will interpret and react

differently to the happenings of this world than many

adherents of other religions.

When you believe that this is your only life for which

you will be rewarded or judged, that you will not be

reincarnated or absorbed into a universal power or


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simply cease to exist, you will live differently from those

who believe in the other.

If you believe you should love your neighbor, you will

not respond in kind when he backs over your mailbox.

When you understand that you are the light of the

world, you will discuss issues from an angle that may be

contrary to those in your workplace. You will give to the

poor and volunteer for housing projects. You may evenparticipate in missionary work.

You choose your beliefs. Once you have done so, they

guide you through the decisions of your life.

Knowledge and Training

Our interpretation of life is influenced by what we

know and understand. That knowledge does not have to

be formal training, such as college or university. It could

just be the books, magazines and newspapers you read.

It is the input we receive from news media and peers.

We also rely on our formal training. Those who are

trained as electricians will make different decisions than

those who are guessing about how to rewire a socket or

add a light switch to a room. A professional carpenter

will build a kitchen island in a way unlike a guy with my

skills who has an idea and tries to make it work with

screws, MDF, and a table saw.


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There are some professionals that have a difficult

time separating how they work from how they live at

home. Is it because they do not know the difference? No,

the problem arises from believing (there it is again) that

training can be so easily turned off. Your mind works as

it is trained to work.

You do not change minds when you change out of

your work clothes into your comfortable ones. Yourknowledge and training will continue to influence your

filter, even with everything that occurs in your home.

Entertainment

Have you ever considered that the entertainment

that you view, hear, read or participate in as training for

your mind? The United States government has. There

was concern whether watching the hit television series

24 was causing military personnel to take risks or use

unnecessary force because they might be trying to act

like the main character, Jack Bauer.

When you watch television and see real people in

real life situations, you program your mind to respond in

kind.

As a husband, when you are working late with a

female coworker and the situation takes a dangerous

turn, your mind will search for programming on how to


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deal with that situation. Wives, when you are at the gym

and a young, fit man walks by, you will consider all of

the options that are pre-recorded in your brain.

So, heres the big question for you: What training has

the entertainment in your life given your mind for lifes

situations?

Ask your spouse to sit with you through your favorite

television show. Let them borrow your mp3 player forthe day. Will they approve of your daily programming?

Do you want their brain to write those responses into

the pages of their subconscious manual?

Consider one more analogy. Imagine you live in one

of the southern states, and you just bought a nice car.

You have a garage to protect your vehicle from hail

storms, windblown branches and the fading rays of the

sun. Living in one of the larger cities, you save gas and

mileage by making use of mass transit.

One day your company calls and says they are

transferring you to Maine. While you were hoping for a

closer opportunity, you know that this move will launch

your career to the next level. Youll be on the fast track

to senior leadership in your company. You take the

transfer to Maine with high hopes.


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Choices that Last

33

Your work and family lives are catapulted by the

move. You have fewer business trips across the country,

youre making more money while getting home earlier,

and every project you put your hands to comes out far

above all expectations. However, your car has not fared

so well.

Youre adding mileage with every day since there is

no mass transit in this town. In the winter you have tobuy studded winter tires to survive the snow covered

roads. Of course, the salt helps, but now its eating at the

body of the car. Potholes and frost heaves mean you

have to replace shocks and struts, maybe a tie-rod end.

And then you find yourself wondering, What is a tie-rod

end? Ive never heard of that before. You must bemaking that up.

We make choices every day that effect our present

and our future. Will I believe in God and the Bible?

What will I do with my life? How far do I want to go in

this company? How much time will I spend with my

family? What will I watch or listen to?Our choices are not split-second occurrences that

self-destruct and have no shelf life. They live on, long

after the moment. They affect our tomorrows and color

the lens through which we see our lives and the world

around us.


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seven

Tainted

Your filter is always at work. As we said early on, we

need them to work, because we couldnt possibly process

everything in our lives without them.

In many of these situations, our daily experiences,

work and training, or our entertainment, we rely on our

filters to hold back evil and harmful elements while

letting the good through. We must be careful to note that

when our filters are constantly bombarded with

darkness and are not given a chance to be repaired or

cleansed, they will break, leak, and allow those things in

that we hoped would be kept out.

Why is this discussion about filters so important? It

is because our systems are tainted. We have allowed the

filters of our minds to fall into disrepair. As a result they

run amuck. We no longer hear or experience life as it


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Tainted

35

truly is. Our clogged and tainted filters bend and twist

every word, every deed, and every circumstance that

comes our way.

Emotional Apocalypse

With a tainted filter, our existence goes from being

joyous, abundant, and life-giving, to stressed-out,

destructive, solitary, and filled with confusion.

Our trusted friends sound like they are attacking us.

The pastor always preaches against us. Scripture is

irrelevant, mostly because we dont agree with what it

sounds like it is saying to us. God seems distant because

all of the avenues He is using to reach us are covered in

a fog that leaves the obvious hidden from us.

As our minds play tricks on us, hearing incorrectly

and interpreting wrongly, we lash out. We can no longer

be rational, for we live too far beyond the logical.

Everyday life falls into emotional apocalypse. Our guns

are locked and loaded. They stand by with a hair trigger,

and God help the one that sets them off.

Relationships lie in ruin. Fellowships are shattered

to pieces. Family members duck and hide. Close friends

pull back and wonder what is going on.

Not only does life not make sense to us, but those

used to our company, familiar with who we really are,


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T A I N T E D

36

fail to recognize us. Were not the same person anymore,

and it is plain to everyone, everyone but ourselves.

Renovations Needed

Our filters are tainted simply by use. If they were

never used, they would always be crisp and clean. But

they are used, every moment of every day. They cannot

help but be stained, clogged or even torn in places.

Like a used coffee filter, if they are not replaced they

are susceptible to grime, festering rottenness, and

failure to filter anything properly.

Unlike a coffee filter, though, the filter of our minds

cannot be replaced. There is no slot in the top of our

heads that might allow us to pull out a used filter and

put in a new one.

So how do we change our filter? How do we start

living free with something new and fresh instead of in

bondage to the stained and mired? Scripture tells us to

renew our minds.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed

by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may

discern what is the will of God, what is good and

acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:2


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The Greek word translated here as renewal

actually means to renovate.

My wife and I are fans of a few home improvement

television programs. As a result of watching these

shows, I have learned to appreciate the distinction

between renewal and renovation.

When you renew something, you give it a facelift.

You repurpose it. You take the same structure and form,and you make it look like new. We put a new paint color

in our living rooms. Add some paint and new hardware

to kitchen cabinets. Maybe spray paint your old lamp

stands and put a new, more modern shade on them. Put

new sealant on your blacktop driveway.

But when you renovate something you start bytearing out the old, maybe move some stuff around, and

then rebuild with new materials. You start fresh and

clean.

Your goal may be to totally restructure the living

spaces of your home. Tear off that 3 foot by 8 foot deck

and add a two-tiered outdoor living room with a fire pitand outdoor kitchen. Rip out this wall so our living

room, dining room and kitchen become one large space

for entertaining.

Our internal filters dont just need a washing with a

power-hose. They require something more foundational.

They need to be rebuilt with new material.


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38

If your plumbing pops a leak, you cant just cover it

over with duct tape and hope it will go away. I know

from personal experience. Tape does not stick when it

gets wet.

When you have holes in your window screens, you

dont just cover them up with duct tape. Eventually that

tape is going to get wet and peel off, and youll still have

a hole there. Mosquitoes and other insects have a way offinding those little holes, making you wish you had fixed

it right the first time.

You need to repair your window or your sliding door

with all new screen material. For a leaky pipe you need

to get a pipe cutter, a small torch and some solder, and

refit the area with new pipe.The filters in our minds need more than a steam

clean or a fresh coat of paint. They need to be renovated.

They need to go through a deeper, more intense process

to come fresh and clean.


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eight

Ground Rules

So, here we are. We are blessed by God with a

system that keeps us running through our day, free from

having to consciously filter all of the situations and

actions of life. But we cannot trust it, cannot fail to

check it or leave it poorly maintained, because if we do

we will run around with a tainted and faulty system

that leads us into trouble. Now what do we do?

Its time to get our hands dirty. We have to make a

plan and prepare ourselves for a journey that never

ends.

Lets begin by looking at a few ground rules that Ive

taken note of while watching do-it-yourself television,

that affect the most basic projects to full size flips.


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40

Be There

Renovating our filter is not automatic. It does not

have a set-it-and-forget-it feature. Getting it done right

will involve your conscious, concentrated effort.

You cannot take a vacation from your efforts. While

time and strategic choices will allow you to ease back

once in awhile, you cannot check out for any length of

time. You have to be there.

Take Charge

Our hearts and minds are both selfish and lazy.

Selfishness leads us to feel or understand in a way that

seems deserved, appropriate or beneficial. We have wishlists for our homes, vehicles, careers, bank accounts, and

relationships. We dont usually evaluate those lists to

see if they are truly right or not. Instead we take the

stance of, Thats how I feel about it, thats what I want

and its good for me, so it is going to be that way.

Be careful not to let your heart and mind run awayon their own agendas. We must evaluate all of our

feelings, emotions and thoughts in light of Scripture and

Gods working in our lives.

Paul gave us a guideline to help us take charge of

ourselves.


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Ground Rules

41

You say, Im allowed to do anything but not

everything is good for you. You say, I am allowed to

do anything but not everything is beneficial.

1 Corinthians 10:23 NLT

Let me teach you a word I learned in my teenage

years: fickle. When I got to know a pretty girl, I had a

tendency to like her. What teenage boy doesnt have

that problem?

My buddies told me I was fickle, fickle as a pickle

actually, which means that in my heart I constantly

bounced back and forth from one girl to another.

Our hearts and minds are fickle. We need to take

charge and make them obey as God has directed us.

Take Advice from the Pros

I am a very novice renovator. My wife still cringes

when I want or need to get near electricity. Ive never

hurt myself, but I think she has more faith in the clumsy

side of me than the thinking side of me.

Growing up, when I used to help my Dad with new

projects, I learned a valuable lesson. When I dont know

how to do something, grab someone who knows what

theyre doing to help out.

I am friends with a bunch of great people, but there

are only a few I would call to help and guide me,


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42

whether with home repairs or car repairs.

One television show we watch has a host who checks

in about halfway through the project to see how the

group in charge of renovations is faring. She is a pro, an

expert, who made a living successfully doing what they

are trying to do, usually for the first time.

Now, if it were you and she came in and gave some

suggestions, how likely would you dismiss her thoughts?How often do you think these first-timers follow her

suggestions? Unfortunately for them, they are usually so

determined on their own path that they ignore her.

What pros have you added to your life? Have you

given them a voice to speak into you, or do you really

just hope that they will approve of your own ideas?

It is sometimes difficult to be objective about

ourselves when someone from the outside looks in. It is

easier to throw up our defenses, justify our actions and

decisions, and continue down the path we have made for

ourselves.

Part of this is a failure to recognize that we are one

member of many that make up the Body of Christ. The

rest of the Body is there for us, just as much as we are

therefor them.


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Ground Rules

43

Who are the professionals that we have to allow to

influence our lives? The writers of Scripture are always

a great starting point. There are also many believers

that have gone before us, who walked similar roads and

faced the same struggles of life. No, they didnt have cell

phones and the internet; but they still had to learn to

ignore distraction, set priorities and safeguard their

hearts from traps of sin in their own time.We also have pastors, leaders, mentors, authors,

musicians, and many others who speak into our lives all

of the time. In many cases it is just a matter of tuning

ourselves to the right frequency to hear what they are

saying, and then to take action.

I often tell people that I read and listen to keypersons, not because I dont want to figure out some

lessons for myself, but in order to get a head start. Why

waste time reinventing the wheel when I can begin with

something all ready to go? Then I can focus my energies

on taking it to the next level.

Christianity is not meant to be an individual activity.We are given to each other, parts of the whole. Learn

from the pros, and save yourself some heartache and

trouble.


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nine

Taking Action

Do you feel like you have a handle on this filters

thing? Do you believe that there is something in your

heart and mind, a filter that processes every input and

activity of your daily life? Is it plain how that filter gets

tainted and that there are some serious dangers from

walking around with a stained and broken down system?

Have you have committed to be there as a conscious

part of what is going on? Are you are dedicated to taking

charge over your own heart and mind, and are you open

to the advice of the pros? Its time to unveil the hard

part.

Taking action is always the difficult part. It is where

we prove, time and again, the words of Jesus: The spirit

indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).


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Taking Action

45

There are three key steps that will help us renew

and renovate our minds.

Discipline

No, I dont mean to flog yourself with a long, twisted

whip; nor am I asking you to ground yourself to your

room or from the television. The first step to restoring

our filter to its clean and clear state is to take part in the

spiritual disciplines.

Discipline is always the first step, because if we are

not actively pursuing discipleship in Christ, we are

allowing the world to be the primary influence of our

lives, and we forget the voice of God.

John wrote to Christians when he said:

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If

anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in

him. For all that is in the world the desires of the

flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in

possessions is not from the Father but is from the

world.

1 John 2:15-16

What are some spiritual disciplines? Some of them

would be prayer, worship, service, reading or studying or

memorizing the Scriptures, meditation, celebration,

confession, and submission. There are many resources


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46

that will help you understand and learn how to utilize

the various disciplines.

Here is a truth that should relieve your heart a bit:

You are not meant to master all of the spiritual

disciplines. You may only make use of a few on a regular

basis, and they may not be the same as your spouse, best

friend, spiritual mentor, or your pastor.

Spiritual disciplines are not a checklist to spiritualgreatness or maturity. They are markers on a map that

leads to Christ.

Your map may look different than mine. You may

take regular circles around the discipline of celebration

while I fall back on the discipline of solitude. The path

can be different as long as we are following genuinemarkers that lead us to Christ.

There are seasons in our lives when we will need a

different discipline than we did last season. Not having

to make use of the various disciplines every day doesnt

mean that we can shelve the rest of them and never go

back to them. Chances are that we will need each one atleast once in our lives. Besides, how will you know which

ones are most effective for you personally if you havent

tried them all?

Like a new recruit is prepared and trained in boot

camp with daily disciplines, our minds are trained and

programmed through spiritual discipline. Discipline is


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Taking Action

47

always the first step. It leads us to the next.

Diligence

Do you know what it means to be diligent? Websters

Dictionary defines being diligent as characterized by

steady, earnest, and energetic effort.

The Christian life does not happen by accident. It

cannot. We live for Christ on purpose, or not at all. We

have to consciously choose to think differently, to follow

the model of Christ and the prescription of Scripture.

What are some examples of areas of our life that

require diligence? They are elements of the Christian life

that are not always easy or desirable. These elements

are things like forgiveness, trust, loving kindness,

following relational guidelines, maintaining our personal

boundaries and convictions. Listen to how Paul directed

Timothy to live:

But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue

righteousness, godli-ness, faith, love, steadfastness,gentle-ness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold

of the eternal life to which you were called and about

which you made the good confession in the presence of

many witnesses.

1 Timothy 6:11-12

Paul also gave us direction when he gave us a list of


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48

things to spend our time thinking about:

Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are

good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that

are true and honorable and right and pure and

beautiful and respected.

Philippians 4:8 NCV

In another place he said to bring into captivity every

thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5,

KJV).

We are called to an active, diligent Christianity, not

one that is passive, waiting to see what happens.

Watchfulness

The idea of keeping watch sounds a lot like diligence,

or at least a slice of it. However the necessity of being

watchful pulls it to a higher priority.

One of the reasons our filters are tainted is because

we often open ourselves to input that we shouldnt. We

have come to rely on our filters to keep out the bad andlet through the good.

While this is the basic purpose of our filters, we

cannot expect them to do all of the work for us. Doing so

overworks our filters, causing them to breakdown

sooner.

Sometimes we ask them to filter things that they


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Taking Action

49

shouldnt have to worry about. For example, when we

are called in Scripture to excellence, holiness and to

follow the example of Jesus Christ, we should

understand that some things arent worth the trouble of

being around, which would save our filters a lot of work.

We have come to think of ourselves as kings and

queens. We live in a spiritual fortress. All around us our

enemy lurks and wishes he could get in at us, but we aresafe behind gated walls and deep trenches. We pray for

Gods angels to encamp around us and provide us with

His supernatural protection.

Do you know what happens to kings and queens

locked behind stone and steel gates? They get slow and

lazy. They stop hunting, readying themselves for battleor going out to war, protecting the people around them,

or even enjoying the countryside despite the dangerous

animals and bandits around.

We should instead think of ourselves as watching

guardsmen at the gates of our hearts.

In the New Testament we are told to watch againsttemptation, evil, and even over our own souls. Jesus and

Paul encourage us to guard ourselves. And we are told

hold on or hold fast to our faith, the Word of God, good

things, and hope.

Beyond our diligence, always active and pursuing,

we must be watchful. When we have our eyes and ears


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50

open to what the Spirit is saying and doing, we become

accustomed to His voice and moving in our lives. Like

Jesus said, we will come to recognize the Shepherds

voice.

Then we can also be aware of those things that are

not the Spirit that call to us, those things that lurk in

the shadows. Peter, speaking as one who had fallen into

a trap himself, wrote:

that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a

lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to

seize upon and devour.

1 Peter 5:8 AMP

When we are watchful, we can help our filters stay

pure and clean. Instead of expecting our filters to keep

us save from harm, we can be aware of danger, turn

away from it and start walking down a better path.

Take action. Be watchful, aware of all that is going

on around and within you. Be diligent, not lazy or

passive. Live a life of discipline, training your filter,

heart and mind.


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51

ten

Ananias

Are you looking for a biblical example of a filter at

work? Lets take a look at a New Testament believer, full

of the Holy Spirit, who heard the voice of God, and

almost missed out on an important task because of a

crack in his filter system.

Ananias story is found in Acts 9. Before reading

about Ananias, we find the amazing story of when the

glorified, risen Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus. Saul

was a man who was jailing and signing off on the

execution of Jews who came to believe in Jesus as the

Messiah, the Christ. He was on his way to Damascus,

with documents giving him the authority to jail more

followers of Christ. On the road, he was knocked off his

donkey by a bright light and a voice from Heaven.

Saul encountered the living Jesus whose people he


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52

was jailing and having executed. At the sight and sound

of the second person of the Trinity, Sauls only questions

were Who are You, Lord? and Lord, what do You want

me to do? Sauls life was turned upside down.

Not only was his mission changed by his encounter

with Jesus, but Saul faced another problem when he got

up off the ground. He couldnt see. So those with him led

him into the city of Damascus.What must have been shortly after His appearance

to Saul, Jesus appeared to Ananias in a vision. Ananias,

get up and head down to Straight Street. When you get

to Judas house, there is a man in there I need you to go

see. You may have heard of him? His name is Saul. Hes

seen a vision, too, and that vision was of you praying forhim to see again.

Then Ananias had a little discussion with the risen

Lord. He had, in fact, heard about this Saul guy, and

what hed heard wasnt too good. Yet the Lord convinced

Ananias to go, and in doing so, Saul received his sight.

About Ananias

We start reading about Ananias, and we can see that

he was a pretty good guy. The text tells us that he was a

disciple, so we can assume that he was a believer who

followed and served Jesus Christ. Based on his fear of


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Ananias

53

Saul, he was likely a converted Jew who believed Jesus

was the Messiah.

We can also assume he was a spiritual man. When

Jesus appeared to him in a vision, he doesnt suffer from

any first encounter issues of fear or amazement. It

seemed completely normal for him to have a vision of the

glorified Son of God. Either he had enjoyed such visions

in the past, or he really knew the voice of God.Sounds like he was a great believer who has his head

on straight, doesnt he? Tainted filters can appear

anywhere, though. Even someone who hears from God

and sounds super-spiritual can have one.

What Spills Out

Have you heard about the concept that our hearts

are usually secret, like a darkened cup containing an

unknown liquid? When that cup gets bumped around,

what is inside of it spills out. In the same way, what is in

our heart spills out when our lives get tossed around a

bit.

Ananias heart was bumped by the direction of the

Lord to go and pray for this man Saul, a known hater of

believing Jews. We can see Ananias heart by the

difference in his two responses to the word of Jesus.

When the Lord first spoke to Ananias, he said, Here


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54

I am, Lord. It sounds like the story of Samuel, who

heard God calling him in the night. He knew the voice of

the Lord, and was willing to do something for Gods

glory.

After all, Ananias was in spiritual mode. He was at

prayer, speaking and listening to God. Who wouldnt be

eager to hear the voice of God in such a setting?

Then Ananias received his bump. When Jesus gavehim direction to minister to Saul, he hesitated. Its as if

he said, Wait a minute, Lord. Something caused

Ananias to change his response from Im ready to I

dont think so.

All previous input regarding Saul had tainted his

filter to the point that, even when the risen Lordappeared to him, to consider meeting and helping Saul

was out of the question. This spiritual, dedicated and

discipled man of God struggled with following obvious

direction from Gods own mouth.

Holding Us Back

Imagine if Saul had not received his sight. In that

time it would be quite difficult to travel the world, speak

to people and know their culture, plant churches, or to

write and sign letters such as Paul did. He might have

found himself locked away in a home with no Kingdom


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Ananias

55

impact at all.

Our broken filters have the ability to hold us back in

such a way that the world misses out on our

contributions. Ananias filter didnt just affect his own

life, it could have had tremendous affect on Sauls life,

and all who have known God or known God better

through his lifes work. Over the course of almost two

thousand years, that is a lot of people.What are our filters holding us back from? What

relationships lie broken that should be strong and

thriving? What work lies undone because we didnt

understand its importance or the significance of our part

in it?

Like Ananias, we need to allow the words of God topenetrate our filter and lead us into truth. Regardless of

how it sounds or feels or seems like it will ruin our lives,

we must obey Gods direction.

Ananias is an example to us that our minds, our

filters, can be renewed. He took the words of Christ and

allowed his filter to be cleansed. We must believe that ifwe are obedient, our Lord will take care of the rest.


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Conclusion

All of the groundwork is now set and ready. It is time

to get our hands dirty. It is time to take action.

There is a lot at stake here. The influence of your

filter reaches far beyond how I will respond to my

daughters field trip revelation at 7:30 in the morning.

Every connection, every interaction I have in this life

will be colored by my filter.

I am convinced that if we can understand how

important this concept is, it will revolutionize our lives.

So many questions and difficult situations can be

answered by taking the time to renovate and maintain

our filters.

Relationships will become more open and intimate

because we will not be hiding behind walls of protection

or holding hair-trigger weapons of defense. God will be


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Conclusion

57

able to speak to us because we will recognize the

genuineness of His word in our lives. We will no longer

be suspicious of friends, family members, pastors and

leaders, but we will invite them to become vital elements

of our lives.

You may be wondering, Is it worth it? It looks like

so much effort, so much trouble. Why would you ask

such a silly question? It is always worth it. It is not

always easy or pleasant, but it is worth every ounce of

trouble and energy.

Dont give up now. You stand at the edge of a new

life, free and clear. You will be able to see, understand,

hear, know and be known as everything was originally

intended. No more guessing. No more confusion.

Start your journey. Take that tainted filter of yours,

renovate it and keeping it clear and primed for use.


58/58

Other Resources Available From

Touch The SkyeWorship TheoryLaying a foundation for corporateand individual worship

Take a step in making this vital element

of the spiritual life thrive in your own.

Learn what God desires from us in

worship, how it affects us personally,

and what it really means to live a life of

worship.

Available in paperback and Amazon

Kindle format.

The Story of Christmas

Most of us are familiar with the

Christmas story, but the birth of Jesus is

just one slice of larger story.

Delve into the setup for the greatest

story on Earth, from before the birth of

Christ to His work for us on the Cross.

Available in paperback.

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