Philippians 4:6-9, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
I receive quite a few emails and messages from people through my social media ministry. As such I see trends in people. A lot of believers struggle with mental problems, which are caused by themselves, from choosing to think negatively all the time.
I have several web visitors who email me to vent. Their emails are filled with wrath, bitterness, blaming others, angry at God, resentful of their less than ideal upbringing, complaining that there are no good churches in their area where they live, et cetera. Anyone who has written to me over the years, and knows my personality, knows that I love helping others. I take the time to respond with lengthy replies, sharing sermons and Biblical resources to help people. I do this in love for God, truth and people. I sincerely just want to be a blessing for Jesus Christ.
But I have a handful of troubled web visitors who are self-destructive in their thinking. They are constantly negative, complaining all the time, seeing everything in a negative light, confident that they are beyond hope spiritually. I am always patient at first, giving them the benefit of the doubt that they just need a loving friend who will not condemn them, but just listen with a caring and understanding soul. But after I have interacted with someone for a period of time, usually a few months, then I need to exert some tough love to help them.
Today I needed to do that. A young man has been writing to me for a couple years. We have exchanged hundreds of emails. He tells me that demons are afflicting him. Despite all the sermons, books and Bible resources I have shared with him about God's plan of salvation, he still says he cannot settle the matter. He thinks he may not be saved, because of sinful bad habits that he struggles with. I have tried and tried to help him, explaining that the sins in our life have absolutely nothing to do with God's free gift of eternal life.
So today I need to tell him that I cannot help him, nor can anyone else, until he changes his negative attitude. Everything I say to try to help him is countered with anger, excuses, blaming others and a spirit of defeat and doom! Everything in life is a mindset. I cried because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet. The Bible says we are what we think! Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.” NO ONE can help someone who is constantly negative, angry at the world and possesses a critical spirit.
It is not a mere coincidence that the Word of God mentions thought control alongside prayer in our text passage. Here it is again:
Philippians 4:6-9, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
You see, it is counterproductive to pray about things to avoid worrying about them, if you're just going to turn around and complain about everything with a critical spirit. Philippians 4:6 teaches us as believers not to worry (anxiety, to be careful); but rather, to in every thing by prayer and supplication let our requests be made known unto God. Verse 7 says that by taking matters to God in prayer, then we can claim the blessed peace of God which passeth all understanding. Prayer works because God is real and He cares (1st Peter 5:7). I am 100% against praying as a mere therapy, mental relaxation or form of contemplative meditation. That is new age and paganism. We should pray without ceasing because our risen Savior lives!
I wrote this blog to remind you dear reader to guard your thought life, it is priceless. My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 16:32, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Be careful about hanging around negative people, because attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching? Sadly, I loath when some people contact me, because I know it is all going to be negative.
To be honest, I quickly skim through such emails and don't allow them to waste my time. Proverbs 14:7, “Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.” You just cannot help some people, until they first come to their senses and want to help themselves. The Bible tells us that the wayward Prodigal Son eventually hit rock bottom in life, and only then in the hog pen (literally) does the Bible says that “he came to himself,” and he said, “How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” (Luke 15:17). Sin always takes you to the hog pen of life, straight to the bottom!
Negative thinking is like a cancer, which once it starts spreads slowly until it corrupts the entire body. Philippians 4:8 teaches for God's saints to THINK ON THESE THINGS! What things? Things that are of good report, lovely things, good things, pure things, truthful things, et cetera. You can call this brainwashing if you dare, but it is just good common sense. What a person fills their mind day-by-day with will affect their feelings, their day, their mental stability, their walk with God, everything.
That is why I am 100% against the Devil's public school system, which is nothing less than indoctrination centers for government propaganda. Those poor impressionable children's minds are subjected to all manner of Satanic evolution, worldly philosophies, secular entertainment and culture, humanism, communism, historical lies, sex perversion and new age religion. A nation can survive foreign attacks, but it cannot survive its fools within. As a people we are destroying ourselves! The American newsmedia is absolutely negative, which Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) properly called: “Manure Spreaders!”
As I drive around the small city of Pensacola (population 52,000 people), I see negative attorney billboards everywhere. One billboard says: “Lawyer Up!” In other words, the lawyer wants you to pay him monthly before you need a lawyer, so it won't cost you as much if and when you do down the road (God forbid). I really detest lawyers! I saw another attorney billboard this week which read: “Call me when you meet an irresponsible driver.” Pensacola is full of a bunch of ambulance-chasing greedy lawyers! Evidently they are hard-up for business. Such “sue thy neighbour” type of ambush advertising undermines the health of the community.
Whether it be in your own personal mind, your local church, your home, or community, negative thinking is destructive. I decided many years ago that God is a very good God. So I don't ever need to make that decision again. Some people love God one day, but hate Him the next. We are so fickle as Americans, loving God when things are going well, but then we curse and blame God in anger when things don't go as planned. How ungrateful! I decided years ago to just believe the Holy Scriptures that say God is just (1st John 1:9), God is faithful (1st Corinthians 1:9), God is good (Psalms 145:9), God is love (1st John 4:8) and God cares about me (1st Peter 5:7). Everything that God does is right (Job 9:3).
Guard your mind dear friend. Avoid negative influences around you. There is nothing worse than a critical person who thinks the world is against them. The proper mindset of a believer is one of “HAVE FAITH IN GOD” (Mark 11:22b). Jesus said that! Everywhere that our beloved Savior went, He told people to HAVE FAITH IN GOD!!! John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” If you are older like me, age 55, then you remember “Glum” from the popular cartoon, The Adventures Of Gulliver...
Glum: “We'll Never Make It, We're Doomed!!!”
A lot of believers won't talk that way in public around other people, but they think that way in their personal life in secret, and it cripples their life. Depression is ugly! I have battled personal depression for decades. I have constant chronic neck pain which stifles my ambition, overshadows my day, ruins many moments and makes it difficult to interact with people. Thankfully, Jesus uses my weakness to show forth His strength, by His grace. 2nd Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” As believers we don't grow in strength, we grow in God's grace (Galatians 2:20). GOD IS SO GOOD!!!
But despite my pain and oft depression, I haven't lost my faith in God. I haven't lost my joy in the Lord. I still rejoice daily that my name is written in Heaven in the Lamb's Book of Life. I wrote this blog to encourage others to LIVE ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE!!! That is Biblical by the way. Colossians 3:1-3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Every redeemed child of God ought to live ABOVE THE CLOUDS, setting our mind and heart upon the things of Heaven, and not upon this earth. That is why when I go places (whether it be to the doctor, the grocery store, church or wherever) I have God's shine on my face. I am an adopted child of the great eternal King of kings and Lord of lords!!!
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