August 29, 1999 Humble Messenger
A Sound Mind - Joe Fitch
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love
and of a sound mind"(2 Tim.1:7).
Age creeps up ever so quietly; time passes without notice. Where did the years go?
The mirror, at first, reveals little wrinkles around the eyes--and then they spread
everywhere! Wrinkles are a sure reminder that age is setting in. A turn of the head shows
gray hair--what there is left of it. There are the aching joints; they never used to ache.
Add near impossible tasks which were no problem yesteryear. Oh, I can still do most all
tasks--just not as often--or as well--or as long--or as quickly--and I hurt a lot more the
next day. Sure enough, old age leaves its mark. In some measure this is troubling, but it
must be expected. There is no choice but to accept it--gracefully, I hope. I have even
learned to laugh about it.
One day I notice a fellow who also has wrinkles, gray hair and bald spots, but there is
something else. His eyes have no sparkle. He seems unaware of the things around him. His
mind is gone! Now that is really sad! ÷ and it really worries me! "Šthere
go I?" It haunts me when I search for a name that just will not come to me. Or I
find a study note in the clutter on my desk. "Now that sounds really good! I
never knew that." Then I notice it is in my own handwriting! I used to know what
sermons I preached and where. I now worry about embarrassing reruns. Although there is
likely no real worry. Most of those who heard it the first time have gray hair and will
not remember either! Well, as scary as that is, there is little to do about it except
dread the possibility--which I do. In fact, of all the things I can imagine, this is just
about the most dreadful ---including death. I would surely rather die than live without my
mind. That sign on someone's wall now has a sinister rather than humorous meaning: "Of
all the things I have lost, I miss my mind most."
Yet there is something far worse than this dreaded senility. "Sound"
means "healthy" and that involves more than just being able to reason and
remember. Many bright people do not have a sound mind.
A sound mind includes right values. A brilliant fellow sacrifices all to make lots of
money or to hold some high job. He loses his family, deserts the Lord, wrecks his
health--all for that job and money. Is that a sound mind? Another really smart fellow
walks away from God and sacrifices heaven for a few occasional minutes of immoral
pleasure. "He just went crazy " says an amazed friend. Real close! He
lost his sound mind. Everyone recognizes it--except him. Still another is so selfishly
oriented that he ignores brethren --and insults the Lord (Mt. 25:31-f). He surely lost his
sound mind. The focus of love--as well as reason--diagnoses soundness of mind. Have you
lost your sense of values?--and thus, your sound mind?
A sound mind also requires right attitudes. No matter how smart, the malicious man does
not have a sound mind. Hatred of men is not sound minded. Contentiousness --the love of
fighting--is not a sound mind. Such attitudes are often excused--even glorified, but that
is perverted reasoning. Meanness, hatred, and contentiousness are opposite to kindness,
compassion, and a forgiving spirit--necessary ingredients of a sound mind. Smart brethren
with such mean attitudes have lost their sound mind, and it is really sad ÷far sadder
than memory loss.
A sound--healthy--mind also needs faith. Worry and fretting are like sand in the mental
machinery. Ask any mental health professional if worry is detrimental to mental health.
Many mental and physical disorders are directly traced to inordinate worry. More
importantly, ask Jesus about worry(Mt.6:25-f). Faith in God--not worry--marks a sound
mind. And faith in God displaces worry. As faith increases worry diminishes; full faith
eliminates worry. Faith connects to God who is greater than our worst concern. Ask Jesus
about the consequences of the worries of this world. The gospel seed found willing hearts
but eventually the cares of the world destroyed them(Mt.13:7, 22). They died spiritually.
From what? An unsound mind! Is an unsound mind killing you?
You get old no matter what--unless you die young--or unless the Lord comes first. Old age
brings disabilities which will likely eventually include diminished mental capacities, but
do not volunteer early for an unsound mind.
"He who gives an answer before he hears, It is folly and shame to him." . . . "The first to plead his case seems just, until another comes and examines him." Pro.18:13,17, NASB.
News of Interest
We rejoice with Amy Osteen and her family in her obedience to the gospel of
Christ. She was baptized into Christ last Sunday morning about 9 a.m. . . . The doctors
believe they removed all the cancer from Robin (Hall) Jenkins and she will not need
chemotherapy . . . New reports in foyer: Carlos Capelli; James Wilson; Steve
Rudd; Jim McDonald (on the relief effort for the brethren in the Philippines) .
. . Some haved expressed a desire to send a card to Andrea Osteen. Her mailing
address is: 7614 Feliciana, Spring, TX 77379. A good "thinking of you card" or
something along that line would be good. Please be judicious . . . Kris Emerson
will be preaching this evening . . . Glenn Bogs new email address: cbell@dcnet2000.com.
For thought (and application) . . .
"A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any
iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a
matter shall be confirmed." Deu.19:15, NASB.
"...take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses
every fact may be confirmed." Matt. 18:16, NASB.
"If I alone bear witness of Myself, My testimony is not true." John 5:31
[Footnote: "I.e. admissible as legal evidence."] NASB.
Compare also: Jn. 8:17; 2 Co. 13:1; 1 Tim. 5:19.
Transportation for Zelma Bobbitt
‹ August ‹
Sun., 29, am - pm - Hurst
‹ September ‹
Wed., 1, pm - Michael Gove
Sun., 5, am - pm -
Wed., 8, pm - Schindler
Sun., 12, am - pm -
Wed., 15, pm - Eddie Crain
Sun., 19, am - pm -
Wed., 22, pm - Rocky Rodriguez
Sun., 26, am - pm -
Wed., 29, pm - Eddie Crain
SCHEDULED TO SERVE
Wednesday, Sep. 1
Song Leader: David Osteen
Sunday AM, Sep. 5
Announcements: Tod Aldridge
Song Leader: Boyd Hurst
First Prayer: Doug Bernard
Lord's Table:
Bread: Mike Head
Fruit of the Vine: Johnathan Bernard
Contribution: Billy Lovell
Assistant: Wallace Ottersbach
Closing Prayer: Glenn Bogs
Sunday PM, Sep. 5
Song Leader: David Osteen
First Prayer: Jim Crain
Lord's Table:
Bread: Rocky Rodriguez
Fruit of the Vine: John Lowrance
Contribution: Jeff Bogs
Closing Prayer: Bill Faulkner