February 25, 2026 (10 months until Christmas)

How do you begin your day?

If you begin your day by checking your phone, you are likely being told to pay attention to a pile of notifications designed to steal your time and heart by making it sound as if they have information you cannot live without. If your habit is to scroll through a bunch of these notifications, have you ever asked yourself why you do that? Do you really have to do what they want you to do? Related to that, have you ever asked yourself if this really is the best way to begin your day?

Let’s think about this. News feeds do not exist to give you information. News feeds exist to give you information so they will make a profit. In order to make money, they have to get you and as many others as possible to click their sites. Good news does not get attention like bad news. Therefore, much of the news industry is built on endlessly feeding you bad news designed to hook you, work you up so they can feed you more bad news and keep you scrolling their site.

Before you know it, you’ve given 30 minutes to much worthless information that has unsettled your soul, distorted your view of the world, contributed to anxiety and likely generated some anger. It is common knowledge that so many people live with a sense of being offended just below the surface and any little thing becomes another eruption. If you live with a sense of anxiety, is it possible that you have allowed influences in this world to disciple your thinking?

“Do not be conformed to this world.”

(Romans 12:2a)

Your world is preaching to you all the time. Your world is seeking to mold your mind according to its values and emotions. But that does not mean that you have to give yourself to it. So, here is my challenge. Try this for a week.

Do not look at your phone until you have spent some time reading your Bible.

“…but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2b)

We need God’s Word to frame our thinking and refresh our souls. We need the hope and strength of God’s promises to help us face the day and have wisdom to navigate the challenges that come our way. We need the assurance of God’s plan to calm our hearts and remind us that He is over all. So, got it? One week. No Bible? No phone. Do not look at your phone until you have spent some time reading your Bible. You might want to consider stopping some of the notifications. After all, how many times do you need to know that it just might snow ¼” sometime tomorrow?

Grace and peace,

Bob

Sunday’s Text: Luke 17:20-37