“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8 NLT)
“I will set no worthless thing before my eyes. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.” (Psalm 101:3 BSB)
“And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had spied out unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of great stature.” (Numbers 13:32 ASV)
I remember years ago watching an interview with Kenneth Copeland in which he was asked, “How do you stay so positive and always seem to be living by faith?” Ken’s answer has stuck with me all these years. He basically said, “I turned off my TV, stopped reading the daily newspaper, and refuse to listen to negative reports.” He went on to say, “I think it’s interesting that a whole bunch of world shaking events have come and gone without me even knowing it and my life and ministry are blessed more than ever.”
Watching main stream media, and believing everything I read on social media, is like drinking booze. First it relaxes my senses (which seems like a good thing). Then I get a buzz (which feels good). Next comes intoxication and distortion of reality (which is dangerous). Finally it leaves me with a hangover (which feels terrible) and makes me wonder why I ever touched the stuff in the first place (and yet I am willing to do it time after time). The voices of this world (and sadly some voices within the Church) are filled with misinformation, manipulation, “fake news,” and agenda driven negative (evil) reports. These reports add no positive value to my life, and yet I listen to them time after time after time.
I have known for years that the media purposely stacks reports of tragic, controversial, and shocking events in order to gain an audience. Violence and devastation catch people’s attention. Add to the negative slant, the obvious political motivation that now drives the media, and I have a constant bombardment of what the Bible calls an “evil report.” When they purposely report a natural disaster in China, follow it with an epidemic outbreak in Africa, then a school shooting in Texas, and a tragic death in Michigan, they paint a picture of a world out of control. Even though all of these events represent far less than 1% of the population, it feels like everyone is in danger. Don’t even get me started on social media.
Jesus talked about “wars and rumors of war.” While there have always been, and always will be wars, the thing that is unique to our world today is the magnification of “rumors of wars.” With the rapid increase in technology, and worldwide communication, I am now aware of things happening in every area of the earth. Due to the negative slant, these “rumors” have created a worldview in many that is far more negative than reality. If I am not careful I will swallow this false narrative hook, line, and sinker. This is enhanced by an end time theology that interprets certain passages of scripture that appear to paint a doom and gloom picture of world conditions to be my only alternative for the world. When I focus all of my attention on the doom and gloom passages I tend to completely overlook the passages that speak of the positive impact of the Gospel on the world. I build an expectation that the closer I get to Jesus return, the weaker the Gospel becomes, and the less hope I have for reawakening, revival, reformation, and restoration.
For me, the time to turn off the “world news,” and turn on the “Good News,” is long overdue. The time to stop being brainwashed by the “evil reports,” and have my mind renewed by the “Good News,” has come. It is time to “fix my thoughts on what is true.” The Gospel has not lost its power to save, heal, redeem, restore, deliver, and set free! The Kingdom of Darkness is NOT more powerful than the Kingdom of Light! God is still on His throne, the Holy Spirit is still alive, active, and powerful, and Jesus is still the King of King and Lord of Lords!
While there are passages of Scripture that point out the escalation of sin, and the impact that it will have as I get closer to the return of Christ, there are many passages that promise before He returns the whole Earth will be filled with God’s Glory. There are “latter rains” in which the Holy Spirit floods the Earth with His presence and power. There is an “End Time Harvest” in which more people will be saved, healed, and delivered than ever before. Jesus, the Groom, is returning for a prepared Bride without spot or wrinkle. He is returning for a Bride that is adorned, not scorned. I am to be storming, and obliterating, the Gates of Hell, not hiding out, and holding on, until I am bailed out.
I am staying with…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 150: “I have chosen to unplug from ‘World News’ and plug into ‘Good News’ (it makes a world of difference).”