I’ve reached a point whereby I hate watching and reading the news. It’s all so bad and disturbing, but I insist on being well informed and slog through countless media sources day after day. I’ve reached a point that I don’t just look at it in the mornings, but almost hourly throughout the day. The news is never good and that means my mind is constantly filled with bad things.
I had dinner with a man the other night who moved to Ecuador for three years and during that time he quit reading the three different newspapers he used to read every day, and he quit watching television – period. He said it made him much happier to think of other things. That is one option that I suppose I should consider.
Adding to my dilemma is researching child rape and human slavery which occurs right here in the United States in every county and nearly every city and of course abroad. It’s heartbreaking and depressing. Day after day watching all those terrible videos of children survivors and seeing the worst evil in all creation manifest itself against innocent young children in the most horrific ways takes its toll. I can’t sleep much and when I do, I have dark dreams.
And then there is prison ministry. Periodically I go into prisons to offer my testimony to some of the worst and evil members of society. I hear their gruesome stories and see their tortured existence and it’s heartbreaking. Those who have turned to Jesus and want to change their lives are still incarcerated with legions of evil men and women who are trying their utmost to corrupt them and my heart goes out to them.
Additionally, there are all those desperate people who seek me out to counsel their children who have gone astray, or those who are already in rehab facilities. Many are addicted to heroin and other drugs, or they are severe alcoholics and their situations are grave. I try my best to offer sound godly advice, but often it is not heeded and it is devastating to see them relapse and end up overdosing, committing suicide, or ending up incarcerated.
Dealing with these serious problems is difficult. I feel like something must give in order to preserve my own sanity. I don’t want Satan in my mind or my life. I only want the pure love of Christ and the good and noble things that He represents. I’m reminded of Phil. 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think on these things.
The key to enjoying the peace that only comes from God according to the Apostle Paul seems to be to guard our hearts and minds with Jesus Christ and to THINK on those things that He represents; thing that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.
The solution seems clear, and sounds easy enough – right?
I should just quit doing those things that are filling my mind with evil things and thereby causing me so much consternation.
Well . . .
It is interesting that when I wrote my autobiography, Miracle on Luckie Street I experienced very similar feelings. I was living in the Florida Keys and as I wrote day after day I would be listening to the same dark music of the 60’s that I listened to when I was prowling the mean streets of New Orleans and other cities as a drug addict criminal. I relived that evil life and revisited those terrible things that I saw and did and writing that book brought it all back. I began feeling miserable again and talking in street language and thinking like I did when I was far from the Lord. It was hard on me and my wife because it affected me deeply.
That is all true, however, it is not lost on me that once completed my book has given and continues to give hope to countless people and has already reached thousands for Christ.
In a similar vein exposing how Satan controls powerful men and women who are intent on ruining our society to the forefront and publicizing it so good people who are unaware what is going on will learn who is behind it can prompt them to speak out and/or make better choices when choosing leaders when voting.
Likewise informing good people with the facts concerning heartless men who are snatching innocent children right off the streets of America to force them into human slavery for sexual purpose with men old enough to be their fathers and grandfathers to satisfy their unnatural lusts just might save countless lives and spare a torturous existence for hundreds of thousands of little boys and girls.
Giving hope to prisoners and people in rehab facilities and countless other venues all are worthy things. Should this effort be abandoned?
But what about the toll on me and my family?
I need prayer and lots of it. I plead with you to intercede for me and pray that I can continue this important work. I need Christ to strengthen me. Somehow, I must think of those things that are of God and not dwell on the antithesis of it. Spiritual warfare is waged in the mind and I must fill my mind with the things of Christ and keep uppermost in my thoughts always, that the outcome of the war has already been determined and Christ and His church will triumph. I will be there walking on the streets of gold, but for now there is work to be done . . .
I often look at this anonymous poem which I altered a little to encourage myself. I hope it will likewise encourage you as we both read it today.
DON’T QUIT
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit—
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.
When you are worried and full of doubt,
just remember that Success is failure turned inside out—
So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit, —
It’s when things seem worst that you mustn’t quit.
Phil 4:11
I know how to live humbly, and I know how to abound. I am accustomed to any and every situation — to being filled and being hungry, to having plenty and having need. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength . . .
May 15 2017 – Click here to listen