Junk Food

II Timothy 4: 3-5
You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food--catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you--keep your eye on what you're doing, accept the hard times along with the good, keep the Message alive, do a thorough job as God's servant.

You know how you feel when you have had too much junk food; you're sluggish, still hungry for something nourishing, but too full to eat it. That's what happens when we read or listen to spiritual junk food. We are still hungry, not satisfied. Some of it sounds good at the beginning, just like the junk food tastes good, but when it is tested, it doesn't fill us up. It doesn't provide us with the strength we need when we are challenged.
I have known some Christians who will not read anything except the Bible, but I'm not one of them. I have learned so much from reading Christian authors like Billy Graham, Rick Warren, Beth Moore, and Max Lucado, among others. They have insight that I don't have and experiences that I haven't had, so I can stand on their shoulders and learn from their experience. The danger comes when we are not discriminating in choosing the authors we read. We can get some wacky theories if we are not careful. My barometer for choosing is their use of scripture. If what they write doesn't line up with the Bible, it is junk food for the soul. It will leave you wanting meat and potatoes.