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KEEPING A SOUND MIND IN A SICK WORLD I don't have time for typing up the entire sermon, but I preached a while back on keeping a sound mind and not going nuts like so many others are doing. The first text is Isaiah 1:1-9: "The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: THE WHOLE HEAD IS SICK, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is NO SOUNDNESS in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should have been like unto Gomorrah."The second text is II Timothy 1:7:"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a SOUND MIND."Much like the sick heads and sick hearts of Isaiah's day, the world has clearly gone nuts, and many of the brethren have joined their ranks and already moved to the funny farm, figuratively speaking. Their testimonies are shot, and they might or might not ever recover.Then there's the "very small remnant" that Isaiah mentioned, faithful believers that had not yet gone crazy with sin and foolishness, but there was always a risk. And there's a risk today. Having and keeping the "sound mind" that Paul spoke of is not automatic. We must work at keeping and growing our righteous sanity, else we will lose it and become largely irrelevant for the cause of Christ.Here are a few tips on how YOU can stay out of the devil's crazy house and continually strive as a serious and productive believer in the Lord in these sick and crazy Laodicean times . . .1. STAY IN A GOOD CHURCH. Hebrews 10:25. No matter what happens throughout the week, God's people can always sharpen, strengthen and encourage one another in a good, Bible-believing church.2. KEEP YOUR EYES ON GOD. Hebrews 12:2. The crazy world and the crazy brethren will drive YOU crazy, if you let them. Ignore them and remember Who you serve and Who you will give account to one day.3. KNOW GOD'S WORD. Matthew 22:29. Sound doctrine will yield a sound mind. Read the Book and continually learn and grow in sound Bible doctrine.4. AVOID IDIOTS. Proverbs 13:20. They will destroy themselves, and they will destroy you, spiritually speaking, if you keep company with them. Avoid people who can't stick to solid and provable Bible truth, but are always tickling ears with wild and crazy teachings. Find some wise and seasoned brethren and learn from them, but avoid the idiots.5. BE YOURSELF. Matthew 5:16. Let YOUR light shine, and don't waste precious time trying to copy other people.6. IGNORE MOST CRITICS. Ecclesiastes 11:4. The devil will always stir up some wind and clouds to discourage you. Check yourself with the word of God, your best critic, and press onward.7. DON'T SEEK TO PLEASE PEOPLE. Galatians 1:10. Seek to please and glorify God only, and the right people will also be pleased, while the wrong people will be very displeased. That's perfectly normal and good. Seek to please God, not people.8. DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF. Matthew 23:24. Too many people waste time majoring in the minors. Stay focused on the primary doctrines and duties, not getting detoured by irrelevant details and technicalities. You don't have time for straining gnats and chasing fleas.9. KEEP A SENSE OF HUMOR. Proverbs 17:22. Never become so dry and serious that you can't relax and laugh, at others and at yourself. None of us bat a thousand, so learn to smile and laugh and take much with a grain of salt. As a mentally-challenged friend of mine once said, "We all got somethin' wrong with us."10. KEEP HELPING OTHERS. Romans 14:19. It doesn't matter that you win an argument or receive recognition or praise. It matters that you edify the saints and evangelize the sinners. If you're doing that to the best of your ability, then you are a good soldier for Jesus Christ. Rest in that and never move from it. A great many people never help anyone but themselves. Be different, and never let the sun go down before you have fulfilled your ministry of "helps" for that day. No matter what others think or say, and no matter how often you fail, always enjoy the personal satisfaction of knowing that you are continually justifying your existence by helping people in the name of Jesus Christ.Friend, you don't have to become a castaway. You can keep your sanity and be a fruitful follower of the Lord, but it won't happen automatically. You must consciously labor to stay out of the nuthouse and off of the funny farm, else the devil will take you captive, just as he has so many others. His agents are everywhere, especially on social media, and you could be his next victim. Get a sound mind, guard it with your life, and use it for the glory of God. Thanks for reading.