“Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23
“As we use our power of choice to turn our minds to God, we have greater contact with God throughout our day, developing a conversational relationship with him. We bring the reality of God into our lives by making contact with him through our minds, and then our actions are based on the understanding that results from the fullness of that contact.” ~ Dallas Willard (1)
“The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” - (Gen. 6:5 NET)
” People had taken their God-given capacities and used them to devise evil.” (2)
We find a sobering warning in Romans 1:28:
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
An individual or society as a whole can turn to evil as a result of rejecting the revelation God gives. The mind is the target of both physical and spiritual enemies. When boundaries God has established for our benefit and flourishing are ignored, chaos ensues. God destroyed the earth once with a flood. The next time it will be by fire. And God will give us the new heavens and a new earth with no more sin, sickness, death, or war.
“But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” ~ 2 Peter 3:7 ESV
“But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” ~ 2 Peter 3:13 ESV
The most important job a follower of Jesus has is to guard their heart. A heart full of anger, pride, envy, lust, etc., will eventually act on these impulses. Indwelling sin is part of the human condition. Jesus said, “Without me ye can do nothing (John 15:5 KJV). Sin dwells in our bodies, but those who learn to watch over their minds experience an increase of freedom in their lives. The Holy Spirit was sent to give us power to testify to the resurrection of Jesus with our words and our lives.
A.I., social media platforms, and news media outlets disseminate propaganda to foster division in our society.
Some argue that PSYOPs are aimed at the United States by foreign powers or elites that seek to cause armed conflict in the U.S. I believe that is true. Even so, ‘doom scrolling’ on the internet is causing high levels of anxiety in our population. Below is the definition of PSYOP from Wikipedia.
“Psychological operations (PSYOP) are military operations designed to influence the beliefs, emotions, and behaviors of foreign governments, organizations, and populations to achieve U.S. objectives. They involve the strategic dissemination of information to persuade or manipulate target audiences, often during both peacetime and conflict.” (3)
I've been shocked to see how many people celebrate the death or wish death upon those they disagree with. This is the result of dehumanizing them. The leader of this PSYOP is Satan himself.
The enlightenment didn’t erase the reality of the spiritual world. Satan is real; he’s called ‘the god of this world.’ He’s not God’s equal but a lesser adversary who controls those who reject the Son of God.
I’m not trying to be harsh. We all need the grace and mercy of God. But Jesus claimed to be God, and I believe him. His Resurrection proves it.
How do we survive in such a toxic society? I think the answer is to “... seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness…”
To seek God’s righteousness is to seek his character. This type of lifestyle requires us to sell out to Jesus.
Only a close relationship with God will sustain us in these times of uncertainty. Reality is hard to discern, and we desperately need discernment.
Your friend on Facebook who disagrees with you is not your real enemy. Now is the time to rid ourselves of the toxicity of our society by learning to trust in and rely on our Savior, the Prince of Peace.
Make contact with your Creator. Watch over your heart.
1. Dallas Willard, The Scandal of the Kingdom, page 48 Kindle
2. Bible Gateway
3. Wikipedia
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