Biblical Therapy

Is Christian Therapy Biblical?

2009-12-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

Prov 11:14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Prov 12:25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad.

Prov 16:24 Pleasant words are a honeycomb , Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Matt 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

2 Cor 1:4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

1 Tim 4:10-11 For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things.

Biblical Therapy involves counseling (Prov 11:14), encouragement (Prov 12:25), edification (Prov 16:25), helping and healing (Matt 10:8), admonishing (Col 3:16), comforting (2 Cor 1:4), and teaching (1 Tim 4:10-11). That’s what we do in Christian therapy. And “.. the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

In the Matthew 10:8 verse, the english word is "heal." The Greek word is “Therapeuo,” which means “ to serve, do service, to heal, cure, restore to health.” Jesus is asking His disciples to go out and “serve, do service, heal, cure, and restore to health” His children who are sick. Even if the Greek word wasn’t almost the exact spelling of the word “Therapist,” the definition of it clearly describes what we do. The work "sick" can mean mental and emotional illnesses just as appropriately as it does physical illnesses. This verse is a command directly from Jesus.

Christians are saved in a moment in time. They profess their faith in Christ, receive forgiveness through the blood of Christ's sacrifice, and are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. We call that salvation. At that point, the process of sanctification begins. The process of sanctification, the learning process of growing as a Christ-follower, is a life-long process, and although the goal is for a Christ-follower is to learn to go to God and find His healing directly and personally, many of our brothers and sisters have never been taught how to do that, and suffer profoundly as a result. They know that they should, but they don't know where to go in the Bible, and they don't know how to go to God. A Christian Therapist can show a client how to find their way through God’s Word so they can find the healing God wants for his hurting children.

The above verses make it very clear that God intends for us, the body of Christ who have learned how to be healed by His word, to be a part of the way by which He brings peace and healing to His people. It is my fervent belief that Christian Therapy qualifies, and fits into God’s plan. I am honored to be a part of that plan.

Sue

Making Peace with Your Pain

2009-12-15T09:20:00.016-05:00

1) "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." (Col 4:2-6)

2) "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have it's perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)

3) "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor 4:16-18)

4) "Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, [e.g., his being 'caught up to the third heaven' - v 2] for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me - to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with my weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor 12:7-10)

5) "I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (Phil 4:12-13)

6) "...others [Old Testament prophets] were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised [e.g.,, the coming Messiah],..."

7) "you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:5) and "The house [e.g., the Temple], while it was being built, was built of stone prepared at the quarry, and there was neither hammer nor axe nor any iron tool heard in the house while it was being built." (1 Kings 6:7)

"Pain is not the problem - pain without purpose is the problem." Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life.

As you can see in items 1-5 above, Paul was very clear in his mind that his pain had purpose. Look again at the first verse. Paul wrote Colossians from prison. If I had been in prison, I'd have asked for prayer to be released soon. Not Paul. Paul asked for prayer that he might use his circumstance to further the Gospel. Paul was single-minded in his life-purpose. Preach the Gospel - period. And he knew that he could preach it from prison just as well as he could preach it anywhere else, so whether in prison or out of prison, his purpose is not thwarted.

So, how do we translate that to our lives? How can I take my life-circumstance and make it about God, to God, for God, and therefore give it purpose? It's not like I've dedicated my life to going around preaching the Gospel like Paul did. It's not like I'm being persecuted for my faith like Paul was.

You may have heard it said, "You're the only book of the Bible some people will ever read." Your difficult life circumstances - whatever they are - are your greatest opportunity for a testimony to the power of God. Not His power to deliver you from your circumstances - His power to help you through them.

People are always watching Christians. The unbelieving world is waiting to jump on us for hypocrisy the way a trap-door spider waits for its prey. When our life is easy and wonderful, we talk about "God's blessings." Satan loves that, and he encourages it. Satan knows that there will come a day when our life isn't so easy, and is far from wonderful. That's when he starts to whisper in our ears. "So what's going on? Is God abandoning you? Your God isn't so faithful after all, is He?" and our faith starts to crumble. Or he says, "See, you really aren't that good of a Christian after all. If you were, God would keep blessing you. You're a loser, a failure as a Christian, and God is punishing you by withdrawing the blessings."

Ouch. The enemy is always watching for an opportunity to pounce on our witness.

But look at item 6 about the Old Testament prophets. As a mental health therapist, I can tell you that I've had many, many clients who have bought into the lie from Satan that our earthly comfort is a blessing from God as a reward for good behavior, and that the earthly difficulties are an indication of God's displeasure with us. If that was true, how do you explain this passage? I don't know about you, but as difficult as my life has been on occasion, it's not even in the same ballpark as these guys. And yet, look at what God says about them - "the world was not worthy of them." Their worth was so far above those they were preaching to, the world didn't deserve their presence. They were too good. These are the best of the best in God's eyes. And yet, look at their lives. Not only did they suffer terribly, they never even got to see the fulfillment of the promise they were preaching about. But Scripture says that their lives were about us. Their suffering was not because of displeasure from God. Far from it. It was for our sakes, and for God's glory.

Now, look at item 7 about the stones. That seems a little out of place in this list of verses, doesn't it? It's not. Consider this: If you went to Israel now, the only part of the Temple still standing is the western wall, the portion they call "The Wailing Wall." That part of the wall didn't come down in 70 A.D. when the Romans demolished the Temple. To this day, if you stand in front of that wall, you cannot put so much as even the thinnest credit card between the stones that make up that wall. They fit so well together that no mortar was needed. Each stone, some weighing as much as 500-600 tons, is an exact perfect match for the one below it, above it, and next to it on each side. This perfect match was created at the quarry, before the stone was transported to the building site.

So what's that got to do with me and my circumstances? It's a perfect picture of our lives as Christians. Paul said that each of us is a living stone in the temple being built by God. Each of us is in the process of being hammered, chiseled, cut and hacked to be exactly what God needs us to be in the great spiritual house He is building. The "New Jerusalem" is a Biblical term for heaven. At this point, we are outside of the proverbial "city walls," being chiseled to fit exactly where God is going to be placing us when we get to "The New Jerusalem" and even now in the earthly "Spiritual House" God is building with us. I'm sure if you could have talked to the stones in King Herod's day, they would have told you they didn't like the chiseling process, either. But once it was done and the Temple was built, it was a miracle of workmanship and screamed the glory of God to all who laid their eyes on it. If the stones could talk, they would tell you that the chiseling process, painful though it was, was an unspeakable privilege given the outcome. What a privilege it is to be chosen to be one of those stones. What a beautiful picture. What a beautiful purpose for my pain.

Remember that people are always watching. When you are in the middle of easy street, it's easy to praise God and be joy-filled. Nobody is impressed by that. It's only when the chiseling process starts that we truly have the opportunity to show them who our God really is. Praise Him in your pain, and you are, by definition, preaching the Gospel to a lost and dying world - just like Paul.

So, there it is. How do we turn our painful circumstances into glory for God? By remembering what Paul and James said above: let the purpose of your pain be to show them God's power - not to break you free from prison, but to give you strength and courage and joy through it. When they come to you and say, "I don't get it. With what you're going through, how can you be so peaceful!?", tell them. They will want what you have.

Sure, pray to be relieved of your pain. Paul did, and so did Jesus. But in the end, praise God regardless, and let those who are watching see God's love and power to bring you peace and contentment through your pain. There's eternal purpose in that.

May the glory of the Lord rest with you through all things,

Sue

Index of Posts

2005-08-16T06:25:00.004-05:00

Introduction to Biblical Therapy - Please read this first

The Bible and Divorce - Does divorce create adultery?
The Bible Applies to Everybody But Me - An essay on Self-worth
Christian Giving - Treasure or Trap? - What exactly are 'blessings?'
Depression - Medication - Should you or should you not?
Depression - Sin or Circumstance - How much control do I have over my depression?
Depression - The Way Out - How do I receive the abundant joy God has promised me?
The Devil, Your Adversary - The devil and your mental health.
Do You Wish to Get Well? - What bad habits are you holding on to?
Envy vs Coveting - What's the difference? Why do I care?
For That Special Child - To those who love the Mentally Retarded
Forgiveness - How to forgive when you REALLY don't want to
Fruit of the Spirit - What it (not they) really is
God - The Cosmic Kill-Joy - How to read the Bible and love God
The Gospel of Jesus Christ - How are we saved?
Is God Punishing Me? - Is it Punishment or Discipline or what? When will it end?
Greek or English? - Do you really need the Greek to get it?
Jesus Crucified - Why do I care?
Jesus - God of Dead Things - What needs resurrection in your life?
Jesus my Friend - God loves me, but does He like me?
Jesus False Prophet - Do you believe Jesus is dead? Ponder this.
Jesus in the Old Testament - The ultimate "treasure hunt."
Jesus, You let us down! - Unfulfilled expectations.
Judging others - A Mental Health perspective.
Making Peace with Your Pain - Finding purpose in daily living.
Memorizing Scripture and Self-Esteem - What "Esteem" does God want you to have? (Check out the Scientific American article on The Myth of Self-Esteem here).
My Struggles Are About Him - Max Lucado
Nuggets and Pearls - Single verses that can change your life
Who Are You? - How do you see youself? Who do you see yourself to be?
Why Do We Worship God? - The Mental Health of Worship
Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering? - God tells you why

The Bible Applies to Everyone But Me

2009-04-28T09:22:00.035-05:00

Eph 2:10 – For we are His workmanship ([literally ‘poetry’], created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

1 Cor 4:3 – But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.

As a mental health therapist, I deal a great deal with low self-esteem. In my early days in the mental health world, I was a patient, and not a therapist. My therapist told me that she knew what my problem was. She said, “You have low self-esteem.”

Well, at the time, I was a senior executive of a software firm with many people working for me and a great deal of responsibility. I often gave talks to large numbers of people, held my head high with a big salary and a big company car and the whole bag. To look at me, the last thing you would have assumed was that I had a low self-esteem. In my mind, I was the epitome of high self-esteem.

However, after having given her that resume, she still insisted that I had low self-esteem. To humor her (since I was paying her those big bucks), I asked for her advice about it. “Don’t just preach at me,” I said, “Give me some practical guidance as to how to handle my so-called ‘low self-esteem’.” She said, “Oh, you’d love it if I could give you that one-two-three step by step approach to solving your self-esteem problem,” to which I replied, “I don’t care if you give me the long, drawn-out painful version. If I have a low self-esteem problem, give me something practical I can do.“ As much as I loved her and considered her to be a very good therapist, she couldn’t, so I had to go on a quest.

What I found out was this: Self-esteem isn’t one thing, it’s two: self-confidence, of which I had boat-loads, and self-worth.

Uh oh. There it was. As a matter of fact, what I realized was that the very reason I had boat-loads of self-confidence was because I was trying, subconsciously, to overcome my low self-worth with works. I was trying to perform my way into personal value. Since it was impossible, but I didn’t have any other options at the time, I became obsessed with being good at what I did. I was the quintessential perfectionist.

So I went on a relentless pursuit to improve my sense of self-worth (without relying on my works), and I began my recovery from perfectionism. I actually succeeded in that area and started to see my value as a person, and my self-worth improved. This was in the 1990’s.

Then in 2001, I gave my life to Christ and started reading the Bible. One day, it jumped off the page at me that my pursuit of “self-esteem” was all about me, and that’s the antithesis of what God wants for me. God did not create us to have good self-esteem. Paul, in the second verse at the top of this essay, said, “I don’t care what you think, and I don’t even care what I think. I only care what God thinks.” My work on my self-worth was all about what I think about myself, and not what God thought about me. Back to square one.

So I had to give that some serious thought. After some serious prayer and more study, I changed my entire perspective about self-esteem. I am no longer worried about that, because it’s not what God wants for us. What He wants is “God esteem,” which is made up of God-confidence and God-worth.

I could write a whole essay just on God-confidence alone, but suffice it to say that God-confidence says, “I don’t need confidence in myself. I only need to know that God knows what He wants me to do, and as my ‘boss,’ He is imminently qualified to decide what talents, personality, and spiritual gifts I need to perform that job. If I’ve tried and I’m simply never going to be good at something, then that’s my way of knowing that God doesn’t want me doing that thing. If He wants me doing it, then He will equip me to do a good job.” My confidence is no longer in myself, but in God alone. I simply trust Him to make me good at the “good works” He wants me to do. It’s not about me in any way, and I don’t get the credit or the glory. I also don’t get neurotic about what I can’t do. It’s total freedom from perfectionism, low self-confidence, and pride.

So what about God-worth? Scripture says that God created you to spend eternity with Him, and then, being fully aware of your weaknesses (“the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak”) and propensity to be rebellious and disobedient, He came to earth as a man, suffered, and died on the cross to ensure that you had a way. The Bible says that you are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” that He “knit you together in your mother’s womb,” and that you are a child of the King of the universe, a prince or princess for all of eternity. It says that He gave you life, and then He created a job specifically for you to perform while you’re here on earth – and He created that job before the foundation of the world just for you. It says that He gave you all the blessings and skills and personality and spiritual gifts and nature and experiences and everything else you need to be exactly the right person to perform that job. He had you in mind when He created the universe, and He had you in mind when He was hanging on the cross. He has you in mind now, He will help you complete the job He has for you, and He will bring you to Him when He returns to be your eternal bridegroom.

So how much more worth can you have? If you have low self-worth after that supreme evidence to the contrary, you are saying what the title of this essay says: “The Bible (and all of it’s love and proclamations and promises) apply to everybody else but me.”

You can’t imagine how many times I’ve heard that in therapy with people. It’s endemic in the Christian community. So where does that come from, and what do we do about it? Well, it comes from a childhood where we were told, over and over and over again, that we don’t count, we’re too much trouble, we’re not important in the family structure. In this family, we have no worth. We are taught to believe that about ourselves, and it simply follows us into adulthood, and we pin it on God.

But now, as Christians, we read in Scripture that we do have worth and that God loves us, and we’re confused and we’re hurt. We don’t believe it, and we don’t receive it. But why? Why do we refuse the greatest deal on the planet? Because it doesn’t fit with the truth that we already believe about ourselves. It’s our deep, dark secret. Everybody else has worth in God’s eyes, but not me. It says, “Because of the kind of person I am and what I’ve done in my life, I am not worthy of God’s love. Everybody else is, but I’m not.”

The problem is that you’re right, except for the “everybody else is” part. Based solely on the kind of people we are and what we’ve done in our lives, none of us are worthy of God’s love. We can’t be. There’s nothing about any of us that is, or ever could be, worthy of God’s love based on who we are.

Here’s the secret that God is screaming at us. God loves us - absolutely and abundantly – because of who He is, and not who we are. He is pure love, and He loves us because we are His creation. You can't earn or lose it no matter what you do. GOD IS LOVE and He created us so He could fully express that love! Your family said you're not worthy, and then withheld their love from you. God says you're not worthy, and then dies on the cross to make you worthy, not because of anything you've done, but because He wants to spend eternity with you. You're not worthy in and of yourself, but through His blood, you are imminently worthy because He is! His blood has completely erased your lack of worth, so in God’s eyes, you couldn’t be more valuable to Him than you are right now, regardless of who you are or what you’ve done.

Ok, so let’s say you accept that intellectually, but for some reason, you still feel like it doesn’t apply to you. You just can’t seem to shake that, “it’s for everybody else, but not for me” feeling in spite of the evidence. Let’s look at that a little deeper. Right now, think of another person you know to whom the promises and love of God don’t apply. I’ve asked that question many times in therapy, and I always get the same answer: There isn’t anyone. I’m it. I’m the only one for whom the Bible doesn’t fully apply.

So, what does that say? It says, “The Bible’s promises are for everyone but me. I am uniquely the only person on the planet who is not qualified for the promises and attention of God. I am all alone, spiritually destitute, singled out for my exclusion of the promises and proclamations of God.” That’s what low God-esteem is, right?

To really dissect it, that statement says, “Jesus’ blood wasn’t enough for me. He didn’t really wash me clean of my unworthiness. His blood doesn’t completely cover my lack of worth. He didn’t completely atone for my sins. In spite of His death, and in spite of His promises, they still don’t apply to me.”

Remember above when I said that low-self esteem is all about self? Here it is: Paradoxically, low self-esteem is pride. I know we’ve been taught that low self-esteem is all about self-deprecation and self-criticism, but as a Christian, it’s not. Please bear with me and I think I can help you see what I mean.

To really understand, you'll have to completely change your definition of what pride is and see it God's way. Humility, the opposite of pride, says, “I am totally dependent on God, I am totally obedient to God, and I compare myself to only God, and not other people.” That’s what we mean by ‘surrender.’ Pride is when I am relying on myself, that I'm doing and thinking what I think is best, and my self-comparison is to other people. Even if I think I’m a failure, even if I make terrible judgments, and even if I see myself as less-than other people, I’m still all about self. My judgment about what I do or think is superior to God’s.

Please understand that this is not a criticism and isn’t meant to make you feel even worse about yourself. It is meant to set you free through your complete surrender to God, including even the way you see yourself. Stop trying to rely on yourself and who you are for value, as if you have any hope of doing so. You don’t, just like everyone else, and to think you should be able to (even if you’re very clear you can’t), has pride as it’s source.

Try to think of it this way: Low self-esteem says, “What I think of myself is more important to me that what God thinks of me. I know what the Bible says about me, but I know better than God what I’m worth. God is simply wrong about me. He made a mistake with me. I’m different from everybody else on the planet. I’m unique in my lack of worth.”

No, you’re not. Stop relying on yourself and start relying on God. Blindly, with complete surrender, let God’s opinion of you be all that matters. God’s ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Dump the distorted view of yourself that you received from your family, and let God’s view of you sink in.

Because of the shed blood of Christ, you are as worthy as the love of God is wide, and there’s nothing you can do about it. Just receive it, be at peace, and get to work – not to earn His love, but because you already have it.

Here's your homework assignment: When you feel yourself sinking into self-recrimination, get into the Word immediately. Memorize scriptures that remind you of how God feels about you. Find a Christian song that, if it were true about you (and it is!), would change your whole world. Then, when you feel the self-condemnation creeping in, start singing it, out loud, and let it be a shout to the enemy that he's wrong about you and that you won't let him win. Out-shout the enemy with God's words, and let them change your heart.

God’s love for us is about His boundless ability to love. The more you see it that way, the more you will love Him back and stop focusing on yourself and your lack of worth. Just let His love wash over you. He is blessed and filled with joy when you do, and He will pour that joy into your heart. Let the angels in heaven rejoice. Surrender to it. Stop rejecting it. Just let it happen.

May the love of God fill your hearts to overflowing , and may Christ Jesus be centered in your every thought.

Sue McHenry

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

2005-08-11T05:03:00.001-05:00

I need to deviate from my Mental Health theme for a moment and talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe that's the ultimate source of all true mental health, and I would be amiss if I didn't address it and dispel some myths.

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast
Titus 3:4-7 But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Galatians 2:16 ..knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified.
Romans 10:9 ..if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

It breaks my heart to hear people say "I'm a good person," or "I hope I'm good enough to get into Heaven, " or "I go to church, I teach Sunday school, and I tithe and give generously." I'm so sorry, folks, but it's not about that, and if that's what you're 'hoping' on, you're doomed (see Galatians 5). If your works are your ticket to Heaven, God requires perfect obedience. You'll never be good enough. He requires absolute, total, life-long perfection in obedience. Never a single lie, white or otherwise. Never a single piece of gum stolen. Never a single evil thought. Nothing, ever. It says that over and over in the Bible. Throughout the Old Testament, the Jews sacrificed animals to pay the penalty for their sins (the perfect picture of the future Messiah), and the animals were required to be "without defect" (Leviticus 1:3 and others) "Be perfect as I am perfect" (Matthew 5:48). These are God's way of telling us what He requires. You can't pay your own penalty for your sin because you're not perfect - you're not a "lamb without defect." I've never met anyone who describes themselves as perfect. We can't be. Nobody is. If it were up to our own efforts, we'd all be without hope.

But God knew that and gave us a way out.

It's not a religion; It's a relationship with Christ - a wonderful, glorious relationship with Jesus that transforms a life full of useless pain and misery and striving to "do good" to one of purpose and hope.

The Gospel, which translated means "The Good News," is that we don't have to be perfect if we put our faith in Jesus Christ. He was perfect for us - the Sacrificial Lamb provided by God, without defect - to pay the price in our place so we wouldn't have to. If you put your faith and trust in Him instead of your own works, then Jesus' Holy Spirit lives in you, and when God sees you, He sees Jesus instead of you. He sees that perfection that He requires. He no longer sees the mistakes (or even intentional things) you've done or are still doing. He sees His beloved Son. That's the magic of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Our "works" are borne out of our love-affair with Jesus - they're not our way to Heaven.

Another myth is that "believing" in Jesus is what's required. Please don't be offended by this, but Satan believes in Jesus. James 2:19 says .."the demons also believe, and shudder." Satan knows more than anyone that Jesus is the Son of God, the resurrected Messiah. He's met Him face-to-face in the physical and spiritual world. He knows that he knows that he knows who Jesus is. There must be a difference between our belief and his.

When the Bible talks about believing in Jesus, the Greek word literally means to "totally trust as if dependent upon; to turn your ship in that direction." In the same context, you might "believe in" a loving parent, a great coach, a best friend whom you know will "be there" for you. It doesn't mean you believe that they exist - of course they exist. It means to put your eggs in that basket. You become vulnerable to them. They have the potential to hurt you, but you know they won't. You know they'll be there if you need them. You "Believe" (capital B) in them.

I heard a story once that illustrates that point. A man had ridden a bicycle balanced on a rope over the Grand Canyon many times and people had watched him do it. They loved the spectacle of it. He was standing on the side, ready to go again, and people were all excited. He looked at the crowd and said, "Do you believe I can do this?" They all cried "Yes! Go!" and clapped. He said, "Are you sure?" as if to taunt them and spin them up. Again they cried "Yes, do it!" and applauded again. And then he said, "So who will get on my shoulders?"

Will you get on Jesus' shoulders and let Him carry you through life? That's the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you will get on His shoulders and Believe in Him, then you will spend life on earth as well as eternity in the company of the Creator of the universe. That's the Good News of Jesus Christ. That's as good as it gets, and it's a fabulous ride.

If you're ready to do this, look to Him and pray this prayer from your heart, and know that you mean it from the depths of your soul.

"Dear Jesus, I know I've sinned against you, and I'm sorry. Please forgive me for being disobedient and rebellious, for doing things my way and thinking I could earn my way into Heaven. I thankfully receive Your sacrifice on the cross as the complete and absolute atonement for my sinful past. Please come into my life and take it over. I give it to you. I trust you, and I want to be yours."

If you prayed that prayer and truly meant it, then welcome to the Kingdom of God, Christian. You've just made a decision that will secure your place in eternity and will transform your life on Earth. Please tell a fellow Christian of your decision, and try to get into a loving, Bible-believing and Jesus-loving church. And please leave me a comment so I can pray for you.

If you can't pray that prayer yet but would like to believe, then pray the "skeptics" prayer.

"Ok, Jesus, I'm not sure I believe in You at all, and it almost feels silly to be praying, but if you're there, please let me know. I'm open to the possibility, but I'm just not ready to jump in. If you're there, give me the faith to believe in You."

If you prayed that prayer, then I know that God will be faithful and will let you know He's there. When that happens, then come back here and pray the first prayer and join the Kingdom of God. I rejoice in your openness.

God bless you all, and peace.

February 2009 update:
Read what the Pope says about 'salvation by faith alone' here.

Christian Giving - Treasure or Trap?

2007-12-22T22:36:00.001-05:00

[Excerpt from 'Therapy with God' book by Susan Henderson McHenry]

Matthew 6:21 -- “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be
also.”
Acts 20:35 -- “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

There are three main Christian concepts that deal with Treasure: the treasure itself, giving, and the blessing you receive when you give. We need to address all three for any of them to make sense. Initially, it may seem that this has little to do with mental health, but in fact, it is a very serious mental health issue.

Many people in the Christian community have the wrong perspective when they hear or use the word ‘treasure.’ Their hearts are more bent toward the worldly definition, which then distorts what they believe about giving and blessing. This has caused a great deal of bondage, self-recrimination, and even depression as their distorted Christian perspective draws them farther and farther away from God. In this section, I try to make some clear distinctions between the way the world sees these issues, and the way God does. When you understand the difference, you will be empowered to make Godly decisions about your own giving, and to filter the worldly messages out of what you hear. Worldly giving is bondage, Godly giving is freedom.

** Treasure **

So what exactly is ‘treasure?’ This is the definition on http://bible.crosswalk.com:

1. the place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up

a. a casket, coffer, or other receptacle, in which valuables are kept

b. a treasury

c. storehouse, repository, magazine

2. the things laid up in a treasury, collected treasures

Treasure means either the place in which precious things are kept, or the precious
things themselves. Giving your ‘treasure’ means giving something you see as precious. Giving whatever you happen to have lying around, or giving money you don’t need, doesn’t qualify. If it isn’t a sacrifice, if it isn’t precious to you, then it isn’t a ‘treasure.’

As a real-world example, many people give away tons of old clothes. They go through their closets and bring out stuff they haven’t worn in the past year, throw it all in a bag and take it to the local charity. That’s a wonderful thing to do and we should certainly do that because many people benefit from it. Just remember that if it’s stuff you don’t need and wouldn’t use anyway, it doesn’t qualify as ‘treasure.’ On the other hand, say you take the time to sort through it and carefully wash and fold each item because you want them to be nice and fresh and welcoming to their new owners. If your time is precious to you and you gave this time as a ‘gift’ to the recipient and as a sacrifice to Jesus, then this could qualify as ‘treasure.’

King David gives us a visual example. He had been instructed by a prophet to build an altar to God and offer a sacrifice on it. He went to buy a threshing floor so as to comply, and the gentleman who owned the threshing floor knew King David and offered to give it to him free of charge. King David refused, saying, “I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing” (2 Samuel 24:24). God was pleased with David’s sacrifice and prayer, and a “great plague was held back from Israel” (v 25).

‘Treasure’ has to be something of value to you. The degree to which something is valuable to you is the degree to which you are giving something of value to Jesus, because that is the degree to which you are clearing away the clutter in your heart and making room for Him.

** Giving **

So, what about the ‘giving’ part? What does God have to say about the giving itself? Plenty. Let’s review just a few:

Luke 14:11-14 -- Jesus said, “‘For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’ And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’”

Matthew 6:3-4 "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

Luke 11:41 "But give that which is within as charity, and then all things are clean for you.” This means that if you give a gift from your heart (that which is within), something of material value to you, then you are in a right relationship with God regarding your stuff versus your love for Him, and you will be ‘clean,’ or pure, on the inside as well as the outside (all things).”

So according to Jesus, a ‘Godly gift’, so to speak, is one that is:

1. of great personal value,

2. done with no expectation of anything in return,

3. performed in secret, and

4. given from the heart.

Ok, so a gift of no personal sacrifice with strings attached is clearly not a gift at all. Given. But what does that have to do with mental health?

When you give with an expectation of getting something back, it’s no longer a gift -- it’s an investment for some kind of return, or a purchase of some kind of product. In addition to not satisfying Jesus’ criteria as a ‘gift,’ there is a great risk in this kind of giving; you open yourself up to being dissatisfied with the other guys’ part of the deal. What if you didn’t get the reaction you had expected, even the simplest appreciation or thanks? How would your ‘giving’ make you feel then?

Test your heart: Have you ever let anyone in front of you in traffic and had them not wave at you in thanks? What was your internal reaction to that?

Now let’s crank up the heat a little: What if the person from whom you expected this reaction was God? What if God didn’t live up to His part of the bargain? Might you feel cheated by God? Betrayed, maybe? “But they promised that if I give ‘to God’ (through them), God would bless me. They even had Scripture to back it up. Am I out of line expecting that He’ll come through?”

Be very careful here. If your heart is wrong and He doesn’t ‘come through,’ your isappointment can make you pull away from Him. You start to question God and feel let down by Him. You come to see Him as a God that doesn’t provide or live up to His promises. Or you blame yourself as not being a good enough Christian. Your thoughts spiral downward. You don’t understand. You’re hurt. You feel anger, loneliness, fear, coveting, then the guilt and shame. You could spiral right into rejecting God altogether, seeing him as irrelevant in your life. You either see Him as unfaithful, or you turn the arrow on yourself and believe that you can never live up to His standard of ‘righteousness’, so why bother trying. Satan has won. I’ve seen this in therapy with my clients, and it’s an extremely serious, life-changing mental health issue.

“Wow - that’s pretty harsh, and pretty frightening! So, what do we do?” As always, look to Jesus for the answer:

John 15:13 -- “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus showed us the greatest love, and the greatest gift there is. He set the standard. He gave the greatest gift through the greatest love.

So how did Jesus’ death define for us the perfect, Holy gift? Let’s check it against the above Scriptures: First, He gave a treasure of great, unspeakable value - His very life. Second, He did it with no expectation of any personal return. His death was for our salvation - not His. Third, it was done in secret. Oh sure, plenty of people saw Him die, but how many of them realized He did it voluntarily - for them? Not even the disciples understood until after the resurrection. And fourth, it was from the heart. He did it out of His unfathomable love for God, and for us.

** Blessing **

So if we’re not to expect anything in return, then what does it mean to be ‘blessed?’

Great question. Scripture absolutely promises that when you give, you will be blessed far more than you gave. But what does it mean by ‘bless?’

After doing some research in my reference books and on the internet, I found what I believe to be a God-driven definition of the word blessing (quoting Rick Calvert):

In the Bible the biblical use of the word 'makarioi' took on a spiritual significance where one is "blessed" or "happy" if he exemplifies the quality of God by seeking His approval founded in righteousness. One's blessedness therefore, rests ultimately on his love to God and his personal communion with the Father in heaven. In the New Testament this word is probably more correctly translated "blessed" because the definition of "happy" is connected with luck, hap from the verb "happen." Happiness can come from without, and can be dependent on circumstances; whereas, blessedness spews forth from the soul of man. It is fed by an inward fountain of joy, which no outward circumstances can seriously affect. Blessedness is therefore higher than happiness for it consists of standing in a right relation to God, and so realizing the true purpose of man's being. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus taught that one can only be "blessed" if he humbles himself before God with a pure heart, having sorrow for sin, a meekness of character, and seeking God's approval by hungering and thirsting after righteousness. According to Christ, the blessed life can be enjoyed even by those who are unhappy or suffering, a paradox which the carnal man cannot understand. [Bold mine] This was a foreign concept to the Greeks, who taught the blessed life was only possible for a select few and disqualified any who were ever a slave, diseased, poor, or died at a tender age, but, Jesus taught blessedness with God is possible for all humanity no matter your circumstances or station in life.26 (Rick Calvert, http://www.studylight.org/col/ds/)

So, we can see that being ‘blessed’ is,

- Having the favor of God,

- Having a fullness in God,

- Being a partaker in God’s nature through faith in Christ,

- Having God’s kingdom within your heart,

- Living in the world yet being independent of the world,

- Getting satisfaction from God and not from favorable circumstances.

To summarize, a blessing in this context could be defined as, “deep, inner contentment, peace, complete satisfaction, and fullness in God.” There’s no mention of material or earthly gain of any kind in this list. As a matter of fact, the last two items eliminate that possibility completely.

The blessings that Jesus promises when we give according to that Godly standard are internal and Spiritual. The Apostle Paul said:

2 Corinthians 9:7 -- “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

The word “cheerful” literally means, “hilarious” in the Greek. God loves a hilarious giver. One of my favorite church experiences was a few years ago at First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Maryland. My husband and I were visiting that Sunday. When Pastor Jenkins said, “Ok, it’s time for the tithes and offerings,” the congregation of hundreds erupted in applause and cheered. I was stunned, and my heart sang. They tell me they do that every week. Now, that’s a heart given over to God, and hilarious giving in action.

“But before, you said that ‘Godly giving’ was anonymous. Does that mean that whenever I give, I have to give anonymously to get the blessings?” Scripture tells us that God sees our hearts and our motives (Jeremiah 17:9-10, Psalms 44:21). Are we giving for our own glory, fame, popularity? Are we trying to impress people? Are we doing it with expectations - even gratitude or recognition? Or are we doing it as a cheerful giver with a pure heart and no expectation of a return of any kind? God will know, and it will certainly matter to Him. It just makes sense that you will be given credit for your gift to the extent that your giving is pure.

However, Jesus’ said something we need to reflect on:

Matthew 6:2 -- "So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

So, is He saying that if our giving is not ‘in secret’ that God will give us no credit at all? I can’t answer that with certainty, but one thing is very clear based on the above verse: If you do receive a reward on earth, regardless of how small it is, you can be guaranteed it will negatively affect your reward in heaven to some degree or another. If you want to maximize your blessing to God and your reward in heaven, make your gifts anonymous - just a secret between you and Jesus - as often as you can, with no expectation of any kind. If anonymity is not possible, then just remember to deflect the ‘thanks’ to God. As I said in the section called “Freedom from Expectations,” if you can eliminate the expectations from your giving, then you are totally free to enjoy the very act of giving itself.

Do you feel the freedom and the joy in that? Doesn’t that feel like mental health?

- Prosperity preaching and ‘give to get’

“So then why do we hear so many Christian messages that tell us if we give, we’ll be ‘blessed’ by God financially? They tell us that we will be repaid by God ‘a hundred-fold,’ and that ‘We can’t out-give God.’ Why are they trying to convince us that we’ll receive material and financial blessings if all of this is true?” Some people call that “Prosperity Preaching.” I call it, “give to get.”

Christians have always known that when you give to God, He will bless you for your act of love. I believe that at some point, this positive message of ‘give to God to be blessed by God’ was hijacked by Satan and turned bad. It became a trap for good Christian people to fall into and become imprisoned by Satan’s lie.

I can’t read their hearts as to why some of them say what they do, but I do believe that most pastors are wonderful, Godly people. I trust that they believe they are providing Godly teachings that are appropriate, sanctioned, and uplifting for their congregations. I’m sure they work very hard to be good shepherds, and I’m confident that if they believed they had a flaw in their teachings, a hole in their fence enabling their sheep to go astray, they would take the steps to fix the hole.

But the message of prosperity is still being spread. Why is that? I don’t know, but it is possible that they have simply bought into the lie and haven’t thought it all the way through. Or it could be that they mean the word ‘blessing’ to mean exactly what this section is saying it means, but they don’t realize that the colloquial use of the term is distorting the way their message is being heard. For them, they would just need to clarify what they mean by the word ‘blessing,’ and their problem would be solved.

One of the problems I have witnessed, though, is that even when the “give to get” message is just a subtle part of an otherwise wonderful sermon, its infiltration can be enough to shift our God-filled Spirits over towards a competing material worldly desire: God called it ‘coveting.’ The seed is planted that there is something material we can get out of this deal. An otherwise great worship experience can lay the fodder which Satan uses to attack the Holy Spirit in us and chip away at our relationship with God. Without any malice on the part of the preacher, it can lead us astray. We need to be very discerning with what we hear, regardless of the source.

I also believe that tragically, there are far too many preachers looking out for their own interests and are trying to line their own pockets. What seems to come across with some of them is a belief that unless you have some material motivation for giving, you simply won’t give. You need to be under compulsion. The common misuse of the words ‘treasure,’ ‘gift,’ and ‘blessing’ seem to be pervasive within the highly available public Christian media, and these new definitions are forming roots in our tender souls. It is Satan’s message, and it is being preached from the pulpit. They capitalize on their belief that you want to be wealthy so badly that you will be willing to ‘play the lottery’ with God in the hope that He will ‘bless’ you. They’re the ones getting wealthy - on your back.

Disclaimer: If you believe this section in any way disagrees with or violates the teachings you hear from your pastor, or if it confuses you in any way, please take it to him, and humbly ask him about it. I am not a shepherd - I am a sheep like you. Have him explain to you where he disagrees, so you’ll know. As always, I want to prayerfully point you to your pastor, to Jesus, and to your Bible. [See my permission to copy at the end of this section.]

So the issue here is material wealth and prosperity. Satan seldom lies outright - he just takes a truth and twists it a little. So with that in mind, what does Jesus say about all of that? Let His words set you free from this bondage:

Luke 8:11-15 -- Jesus said, “The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity” (v 14).

- We would certainly all agree that worries can choke the fruit out of us, but look at the other two: riches and pleasures. These are things the world tells us are good things. These are the things we spend our entire lives searching for and working for. And if you listen to some preachers, these are the things that God will give you if you give generously to them. So we’re supposed to give to get the very things God says will choke the fruit out of us? Does that make sense? Not to me.

Matthew 6:19-21 -- Jesus also said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

- So again He is telling us not to focus on what we have on earth, but rather on what we’re putting away for eternity.

Matthew 19:26 -- Jesus said, “…it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (v 24).

- This is not to say it is impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God because nothing is impossible with God (v 26). The point here is that people are prone to love their wealth above all things, and once they have it, they tend to hold on to it with both hands. In this verse, Jesus had just invited a rich man to sell all his possessions and give to the poor and come, follow Him. He could not, and “…he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property” (v 22). God won’t force us to give it up, and many just won’t. That’s why it is so hard for them to enter the Kingdom of God. Their wealth becomes for them a snare and a stumbling block. Interesting that Jesus didn’t say, “Sell your possessions and bring all your money and come, follow me.” Hmm…

Matthew 25:34-40 -- Jesus said if you give to the poor, you visit the sick, you invite in the stranger, “to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

- If you give to others in need, you are giving to Him. Giving is the key -- not getting. I agree that you have to receive it before you can give it, but the focus is still on the giving, not the receiving. That’s not the message of the ‘give to get’ sermons

Luke 12:16-21 -- And He told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, `What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?' Then he said, `This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ‘Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.’ But God said to him, `You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

- What good did all of his wealth do? His priorities were all wrong, and it was all a waste. His wealth became a stumbling block that distracted Him from things of God. We need to be very careful we do not stumble with our wealth.

Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 -- All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind [bold mine] and there was no profit under the sun.

- If God meant the word ‘blessing’ to mean material wealth as a source of satisfaction and happiness, even in the Old Testament, then why did He inspire Solomon to write Ecclesiastes and call all his wealth “vanity of vanities,” which means “a total and absolute waste.” In the end of his diatribe about his wasted life, King Solomon said, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments…” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). After all his wealth and misery, he finally got it right in the end.

None of that sounds like ‘give to get’ to me at all. I see the focus in all of these passages as eternal rather than temporal, internal rather than external,. I believe that many of the sermons we hear are perverting the use of the word ‘blessing’ and we need to be very, very careful not to let ourselves fall into that trap. When you hear them preach, just stay very cautious when they start talking about money. Be very discerning, and keep in mind how Jesus described the words ‘gift, ‘treasure,’ and ‘blessing’ in the passages above. If you choose to give to them, give it as a true gift, and understand with eyes wide open that any blessings you can expect from God are internal and eternal.

So what’s wrong with God wanting to give to us materially? Can’t He do that if He wants to? Of course He can, and He does. Jesus isn’t anti-wealth, or anti-poverty for that matter. One’s financial position only seems to matter to Him to the extent that it helps or hinders a person’s ability to give their life and their heart to Him, or to the extent that it affects a believer’s witness. Some Christians are able to successfully enslave their entrusted wealth and have it serve God’s purposes beautifully. For others, though, our quest for daily wealth is a minefield into which we need to tread very carefully. Pride is a serious problem for our sinful flesh as it is, and if the prosperity message is correct, that puts those who have more wealth than others in grave danger of becoming prideful. “We have more than they do, that must mean we’re more favored by God than they are. We must be better Christians than they are, and are in the will of God better than them.” The risks are enormous. He is not opposed to wealth, but He is opposed to what it can do to us. God loves us all equally with that agape, unconditional love, and will provide what we need to accomplish His purpose when we are ready to serve Him. Having wealth, or not having it, is perfectly congruent with being a wonderful, loving Christian. It just doesn’t happen to be the blessings we get for giving. They are simply two unrelated issues.

I heard it once said, “Money makes a wonderful slave, but a tyrant of a slave-master.”

** Treasure Therapy **

Ok, then, let’s bring this all home. This section is about “Treasure Therapy,” so to speak. With all of the above, how do I turn my ‘Treasure’ into a form of mental health therapy for myself?

Try this: The next time you go to a sandwich shop, look around, and see who is eating alone. Tell the server you want to pay for their lunch, but you don’t want them to know who did it. This is just a secret between you and Jesus. See if your feet don’t leave the ground when you walk out of the restaurant.

Or answer one of those radio solicitations that ask you to give them your credit card number and they’ll send 100 Bibles to Africa.

Or give anonymously to one of the ministries in your church. Don’t even tell the pastoral staff. Have a good laugh about it with Jesus, and feel your heart sing.

Give to your church fundraisers, give to the local nursing home, or give to the high school football team, it doesn’t matter. Remember that what you’re giving isn’t necessarily just money, although that is certainly on the list of things to give. Give whatever is precious to you: money, personal possessions, time, whatever. Give it away so it doesn’t take the place of Christ in your heart. Hold on to it with a very light grip. Always be ready to give if the Lord should ask you to do so.

Give hilariously, knowing that your rewards will be straight from Jesus directly into the treasure-chest in your heart. With those blessings from God, you can then overflow them onto others and change their lives. Share your faith in God. Share your love for Him and give other people the gift of your peace and your contentment with the life God has given you regardless of your circumstances. Overflow your love for Him onto others and give them your peace. Watch your inner peace and glow draw people to you, and thus to God, and watch His Kingdom grow before your very eyes. Feel your heart sing, and feel yourself drawing into the presence of God.

Release yourself from the bondage of expecting some financial or material gain from your giving. Let your giving build your character and the place for God in your heart; tell the devil to take a hike. Give from your heart with the intention of blessing God, and you can be assured that the blessings of God’s fullness and approval will come back to you, just as He promised, a 'hundredfold.’ You truly can’t out-give God. Feel the freedom and the joy in that.

And consider this for a moment: When you think the word ‘treasure,’ teach yourself not to think of ‘material’ possession, anyway. The real treasure is Jesus Christ, Himself. When we are filled with Him, we can then offer Him to the world. He is the ultimate fulfillment of our desires for more treasure and more blessings. If you treasure Him above all else, then you will be filled and completely satisfied in Him, you will feel the full blessings He wants to give to you, and you will have abundant treasure to share with others as well.

The ‘blessings’ of giving do not come from external material and financial returns that you get as a payback for giving. The true blessings are the inner change in your heart from the mere satisfaction of showing Him your love, and from receiving from Him His salvation, His favor, His love returned, and His Kingdom into your heart. These blessings are yours, regardless of your financial circumstance.

If you have fallen victim to the prosperity preaching and the ‘give to get’ message, then set yourself free and pray this prayer from your heart:

“Father, please forgive me for expecting You to ‘repay’ me for my gifts. Your Son’s sacrifice on the cross is all the gift from You I will ever need. Help me undo the messages that I have heard, and help me be one who gives from my heart sacrificially and joyfully as unto You, Lord, and cleanse my heart of all expectation of a return, except for those things that come from You directly: your fullness and peace on earth, and your eternal rewards at the resurrection.”

Jesus wants to set you free.

Reflect on this final point: The bigger a part God has in your life, the more you think about Him, pray to Him, worship Him, give to Him, and love and obey Him, then the more you will have His presence permeate through you, and the bigger the place will be that He will be occupying in your heart. As others see His light in you, and experience His love through your sacrificial gifts to them, they will want what you have, and you will have an opportunity to lead them into the Kingdom of God. This is truly what God meant by, “laying up treasures in heaven.”

The more you give with the heart of God, the more God will fill your heart.

Now go with God, and bless and be blessed.

[Therapy with God Copyright 2007 © susan henderson mchenry. http://www.therapywithgod.com/. The 'Treasures' section of this chapter may be reproduced in whole only (not in part) under the following provisions: 1) This copyright statement must be
included, and 2) the 'Treasure' content may not be changed in any way.]

Jesus in the Old Testament

2006-04-28T07:08:00.001-05:00

I recently sent an e-mail to my step-son, and I thought I'd share it with you. He does not share our faith (yet!)

Hey there,

I was just reading my Bible and a conversation you and I had once came to my mind. I remember telling you that every story in the Old Testament was about Jesus, and in fact, you can preach Jesus from every verse. You were skeptical, and we never got back to it. Something just popped into my head that I thought you might find interesting in your relaxed moments. I know you don't read the Bible a whole lot, but I know you read it some, so when you do, I have a couple of things you might find it fun to look for - kind of like a 'treasure hunt' from the old children's games.

One of the things about the Old Testament that Christians love is that it's filled with representations about the person and life of Jesus that show Him consistently throughout the entire Israeli history. In each story, there's what I call "The message behind the message." The fun is in figuring out what the underlying message is. To do that, you have to understand a little of the symbology of the Bible. For instance:

Moses was told by God to put a bronze snake on a standard in the wilderness so that when the people were bitten by poisonous snakes they could just "look" to the snake and they would be saved from the effects of the poison. They didn't have to do anything to be freed from the effects of the poison. No medicine, no sucking the venom out, no praying or kneeling or dancing around or anything. Just 'look.' Seems pretty arbitrary. Why a snake? Why just 'look'? Why not pray? Why not go down on your knees in worship? If I'd been writing the story, I don't know what I'd have come up with, but I can tell you it wouldn't have been that.

But the whole point of this story is to illustrate the concept of "salvation by grace" as it's represented in the New Testament. The snakes represent sin - both the ones that are biting the Israelites and are killing them, and the one on the pole. The poison represents the effects of the sin on us personally. The pole itself represents the "tree of Calvary," or the cross. The New Testament tells us that "Jesus became sin for us," so the snake on the standard is a perfect representation of Jesus on the cross. The idea of "looking" to the snake is the idea that all we have to do is "look" to the savior and we'll be saved from the sin that is killing us. We don't have to work for our place in heaven - we just have to trust that He's there, and 'look' to Him and believe that He'll save us from the poison in our lives, and we'll be healed. Saved by grace (the unmerited favor and love of God) and not works.

Throughout the Old Testament, there are symbols and stories like that that point directly to the New Testament concepts that Jesus brought to us. Here's a list of some of them. Be on the lookout for them as you read the Old Testament. This is why I have so much fun reading the Bible, and why I can't hardly put it down. Every day is a fantastic treasure hunt for me - to find the symbols and the "message behind the message" and learn something new about Jesus.

Snakes or serpents - sin

Blood sacrifices - Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross

Lambs or anything 'innocent' that is without blemish or defect - Jesus Himself, representing his "without sin" nature - the only way He could be used to atone for us.

The colors red or scarlet - Jesus' blood, shed to protect and save us. (See the story of Rahab the Harlot and the "scarlet thread." She actually became an ancestor of Jesus')

Egypt - The World without the influence of Christ (the sinful world), or sin itself.

Oil - The Holy Spirit (Christians believe that when we accept Jesus as our "snake on the standard," that His Spirit literally enters our bodies and serves to guide us and is a mediator and communicator between us and God. He also gives us understanding about who God is and how to interpret the Bible.)

Light (such as a lighted candle or lamp, or fire where the light is highlighted as opposed to the heat or destructive properties) - represents the "light of the World" - Jesus himself.

Bread - represents the provision of God to take care of His people as He promised.

Thickets or thorns - The crown of thorns. See the story where Abraham took Isaac to the mountain to sacrifice him. God substituted a Ram whose horns were stuck in the thorns. A perfect picture of Jesus as the sacrifice with His crown of thorns.

Broken earthen vessels - Represents us (Christians) as we are 'broken' in our journey to learn more about Him and to trust Him. It's the 'breaking' that allows us to show the light of Jesus to the world (see the story of Gideon and the power of the light). When we continue to love Him and trust Him and remain joyful in spite of our brokenness, then people see it and are drawn to it. Without being broken, we have no light to offer that the world doesn't already have.

Kinsman Redeemer - Jesus, as our closest relative, "purchased" us back from Satan. See the story of Ruth for the concept of the kinsman redeemer.

Crosses - The physical formation of the tabernacle's and the Temple's elements form a cross. The physical representation of the tribes around the tabernacle in the wilderness formed a cross. The blood on the doorposts of the Israelites homes prior to the "Passover" formed two crosses. These were all way before the Romans invented the concept of the cross as a means of execution. See the story of Balaam and Balak (the one with the talking donkey). As Balaam looked down from the mountain and tried to curse the Israelites and could only bless them, he was looking at this cross formation from the high mountain.

Trees - The cross.

Incense or fragrances of any kind - prayer.

Water - The Word of God - Scripture itself. "The washing of the water of the Word" is a concept where we are cleansed internally by reading, understanding and incorporating into our lives the Biblical concepts. Or sometimes it represents the saving nature of Jesus as when the Israelites were miraculously saved by the water coming out of the rock. We sort of see that as one and the same, since John chapter 1 calls Jesus "The Word."

Rocks - Jesus Himself.

Anyway, I there's a lot more (the Jewish marriage customs, for instance), but that's a good list to start with. As you come across these elements in the stories you read, substitute the meanings and representations above, and see if you don't see what I mean when I say that every story is about Jesus. And the bigger messages and lessons are always consistent. Once you start seeing it this way, you can really start to see the threads and patterns throughout the entire Old Testament. That's when it becomes clear that the Bible's not 66 books - it's one book with one plot and one Main Character. The rest are just sub-plots and illustrations.

I hope you have fun with this. Share your thoughts with me.

Love - Sue

In response to the question about resources with more information, my primary sources are the Matthew Henry Commentary, and my personal favorite, Jon Courson's Commentaries (New Testament and two volumes of the Old Testament) available on http://www.joncourson.com.

Jesus Crucified

2006-09-30T16:51:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 53:10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him

I've started teaching Sunday School to the teenagers at my church, and I was sitting down pondering my next lesson during a week-long solo retreat to the mountains of Virginia. The phrase "They won't care what you know until they know that you care" kept ringing through my head. So how exactly do I get a bunch of teenagers to "know that I care" with only one hour per week to interact with them, and I'm teaching that entire hour? As I was rolling that question around in my head, I felt the Lord say in my heart, "Child, it's not you that they should know cares - it's Me."

Of course! I must decrease and You much increase! That's my standard prayer before I teach. "Lord, please just move me out of the way and you take over."

A new direction, and a new question. How do I get them to really know - at the core level - that He cares so they care what He says.

After some reflection and prayer, I decided to start with the crucifixion. If they really understood what He went through for them, then maybe they'd get it. So I went on-line and Googled "Roman Scourging" and "Roman Crucifixion" and read all about that.

I'd seen the Mel Gibson movie. I'd even gone to a sermon where they described the crucifixion from a medical perspective. But I was not prepared for what I saw and what I read. I was overwhelmed. I had to stop work for a while, and it was extremely clear to me that I could absolutely not read any of that to a bunch of high school kids I barely knew. I couldn't do to them what I had just done to myself. It was just too much reality for a bunch of young minds. It was almost too much for mine.

Note: If you think you can handle it, go do that now. The rest of this paper will mean a great deal more to you.

After I was able to regroup, I thought "I know the Bible addresses this in a little more acceptable fashion, so I'll use that." So I went to the standard sections. Psalm 22 first, then Isaiah 53, and Matthew 26 where Jesus told Peter to put away his sword because the Scriptures had to be fulfilled.

Jesus clearly knew what was about to happen to him because He knew the Scriptures. Let's look at what He must have had rolling around in His head. David wrote these prophetic words a thousand years before Christ.

Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning

He knew that God was going to leave Him for a while. He knew why. He knew that He was going to "become sin" for us, to take on our iniquity and as a result, the Father would have to turn His face away. His anxiety over it caused Him to sweat blood. He knew this from the time He was a small child.

2 O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest. 3 Yet You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. 4 In You our fathers trusted; They trusted and You delivered them. 5 To You they cried out and were delivered; In You they trusted and were not disappointed. 6 But I am a worm and not a man, A reproach of men and despised by the people. 7 All who see me sneer at me; They separate (mock) with the lip, they wag the head, saying, 8 "Commit yourself to the LORD; let Him deliver him; Let Him rescue him, because He delights in him." 9 Yet You are He who brought me forth from the womb; You made me trust when upon my mother's breasts. 10 Upon You I was cast from birth; You have been my God from my mother's womb.

Note this: In His anguish, Jesus, through the mouth of David, gave Himself encouragement by remembering who God really is at a time of His greatest need. No matter what your trials, remember to remind yourself how God has been there for you in the past. Jesus knew it would give Him strength, so did David, and so can you.

11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near; For there is none to help. 12 Many bulls have surrounded me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. 13 They open wide their mouth at me, As a ravening and a roaring lion. 14 I am poured out like water, And all my bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It is melted within me. 15 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And my tongue cleaves to my jaws; And You lay me in the dust of death. 16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet. 17 I can count all my bones. They look, they stare at me; 18 They divide my garments among them, And for my clothing they cast lots. 19 But You, O LORD, be not far off; O You my help, hasten to my assistance. 20 Deliver my soul from the sword, My only life from the power of the dog. 21 Save me from the lion's mouth; From the horns of the wild oxen You answer me.

This is the gut-wrenching part. Jesus would have had this memorized as He told Peter to put away his sword. "...poured out like water," "all my bones are out of joint," "My heart is like wax, it is melted within me," "my tongue cleaves to my jaws" ("I thirst"), "They pierced my hands and my feet," I can count all my bones," "They divide my garments among them" ("Father, forgive them...").

Clearly He knew what awaited Him, and He told Peter "do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?" (Mat 26:51) I'm doing this because I want to, Peter.

Unfathomable. Beyond comprehension. If you only knew that much, you'd know He cares. But there's more. So much more...

Let's turn now to Isaiah. The book of Isaiah was written approximately 700 years prior to Christ's arrival on Earth. Isaiah speaks as if He knew Christ personally, and was writing about what happened to Him - not what was going to happen. Note the past tense.

Isaiah 53:
1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. 3 He was despised and forsaken by men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men would hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

All those wonderful calendars and pictures that show Jesus as this tall, slender, fabulous-looking guy with the piercing eyes? Well the eyes, maybe, but the rest of the image is a total lie. Isaiah tells us He was so unattractive to look at, and so despised as a man, that if it had been anyone but Jesus, people would tend to hide their face from Him. He had the option of looking however he wanted, and He chose that so people who were not blessed with physical attraction or other qualities that draw people to them could identify with Him. That's the heart of a man who cares.

4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.
6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due?
9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

Again, gut-wrenching. He was pierced, crushed, chastened, oppressed, afflicted, judged, cut off, buried. He took our strokes for us. Yet He took it all without uttering a word. He knew what was coming, all right. He knew it all along. That's the heart of a man who cares. But there's more.

10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.

Ok. Now wait. "Pleased?" Somehow that doesn't ring right. Willing, maybe, but "pleased?" I had to look that one up in the Hebrew dictionary. Brace yourself.

A verb meaning to delight in, to have pleasure, to have favor, to be pleased. Shechem took delight in Dinah; King Ahasuerus also took delight in Esther. This word describes Solomon’s pleasure in building the Temple. The Lord is described as taking pleasure in His people Israel. He is also pleased with those who practice justice and righteousness.

Delight? Pleasure? Favor? No, no, no. Please don't ask me to believe that God was pleased with all this?! How can that be?! What am I supposed to do with that?!

This was just too much to handle. The tears began to flow. I don't understand, God! Help me understand!

He said, Child, without this sacrifice, without this shedding of blood, without this ending to the story, there can be no beginning of the next story. Don't forget Who died that day. Jesus the man said "if You can take this cup from me," but God the Son said "I am pleased." Why? Because it was the beginning of eternity with you, child. Once that had been accomplished, you were sealed in Us. No one could take you out of Our hand. It was finished.

In every sense of the word, I was pleased to do it. Because...

11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

God interceded for me and for you. He poured Himself out, bore my sins, your sins, and suffered so we could spend eternity with Him. Each and every individual one of us. Not as a "group" - but as individuals. For me and for you personally.

That's a Lord who cares more than I can comprehend. I'll never understand the depth of that love this side of eternity. But I know one thing...

I want to know what He has to say.

Meet Him in the pages of His book. Love Him back by spending time with Him there. Talk to Him as a friend as you contemplate His Word. Drink deeply of His love...

God bless you all, each and every one of His chosen children and my family in Christ.

Sue

Jesus, You let us down!

2006-05-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!" Luke 19:41-42a

The Greek word for "wept" is "klaio." It means "To weep, wail, lament, implying not only the shedding of tears, but also every external expression of grief" (Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament, page 864, Strong's number 2799). Jesus was grieving, not for what He knew was coming for Him, but what He knew was coming for them. He goes on to explain their destruction.

And yet just a few verses before that, they were proclaiming "Blessed is the King Who comes in the name of the Lord; Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (Luke 19:38) and then a couple of verses later,

"...all the people were hanging on to every word He said." Luke 19:48

Why was He weeping? It would have looked to an objective bystander that everyone loved Him. But He knew that within the week, it was going to be "Crucify, crucify Him!" (Luke 23:21)

What happened between chapter 19 and chapter 23?

He didn't live up to their expectations.

"Blessed is the King..." They wanted Him to be King. They thought they were watching the new King enter Jerusalem on that donkey. They thought He had finally decided to overthrow the Romans. He was truly going to rescue them from the Romans. Their captivity, as when Moses rescued them from the Egyptians, was almost over.

Imagine their horror as He was arrested, tied up, and beaten almost to the point of death. Imagine how their hopes of freedom from the Romans began to whither away, dissolved in tears and disappointment. "But this was supposed to be the new Moses!" they must have thought. How can this be happening!? Who is going to save us now!?

Barabbas! Yes, just last week Barabbas was causing an insurrection against the Romans! He must be the one to save us! RELEASE HIM!

But Jesus knew they had it all wrong. "If you had known in this day, even you, the things which make for peace!" He said. Yes, the real peace that Jesus offered and Barabbas didn't. But they didn't see it. He disappointed them. He let them down.

He didn't live up to their expectations.

And their reaction to those dashed hopes, like ours, was first denial, then horror, then anger.

"Crucify Him! If He can't be our King, if He's so weak that you can do this to Him, if He can't save Himself - then how is He going to save us!? Barabbas has a better chance, so let Barabbas go and Crucify Him!

Just like us. That's what we do when we suffer loss. We grieve, and it often looks like that. Denial first, then profound sadness or horror, and often we get angry.

But we were talking about expectations and hopes being dashed. When did we start talking about loss?

Unfulfilled expectations represent a terrible loss to us. Unrealized dreams is a profound loss. People letting us down means we had expectations they did not fulfil. It's a loss, and sometimes a profound one. We don't see our reaction as grief, so we think our anger is justified because they didn't do what they were supposed to do. We say "Crucify them!," and we then proceed to do just that with our hearts, and with our words.

But what was the real problem with the Israelites that day? Their expectations were all wrong. They thought one thing, but Jesus offered another. And they got angry.

How often do you get angry when someone doesn't live up to your expectations? If you're like the rest of us, probably pretty often.

Check yourselves when you get angry. Is it possible that your anger is more about your own flawed or misplaced expectations than it is their failure? Check your heart. Jesus said, "Blessed is he who is not offended by Me." (Mat 11:6)

I'd like to offer, "Blessed is he who is not offended."

The Greek word for "offended" is "skandalon." (ibid, page 1292, Strong's 4625) It refers to that little trigger on an animal trap that, when they touch it, the trap closes and they're caged. It refers specifically to the conduct of the person thus trapped. Our propensity to have that "righteous indignation," that offense, cages us. Satan loves it, and will set up the trap for us as often as he can, because it ruins our witness and our testimony. Don't ever forget that people are watching.

When people let you down, when they don't live up to your expectations, check yourself. Is it their failure, or your expectations that might be the problem? Does your anger solve the problem, or make it worse?

Find your humility, see yourself as the sinner that you are, understand that people are truly flawed and we all fall into that category. When you feel that anger coming on, don't say "I thank You that I'm not like other people," but say "God be merciful to me, the sinner!" (Luke 18:11 & 13).

I pray your heart, like the heart of our Lord, finds grace and humility in an eternal perspective (2 Cor 4:17-18). Let the offenses come as opportunities to be a witness. Let your testimony show that Jesus is in you, even in the face of dashed expectations.

Jesus didn't let them down at all. He offered them the peace they really sought. The peace that would have transformed their lives. They just missed it.

God bless you, and may the peace that surpasses understanding fill your heart.

Sue

God - The Cosmic Kill-Joy

2005-10-12T06:23:00.000-05:00

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10

The Bible is a book of rules and do's and don'ts I need to learn to be Godly. When I sit down in the morning to read my bible, the time period we call "devotions," it's a duty and an obligation I have as a Christian, and when I don't feel like getting up early to do it, I feel guilty. I need to learn the rules. I hate rules. As a matter of fact, I think God is the ultimate Cosmic Kill-Joy.

Not! Anyone who's read anything I've written knows that couldn't be farther from the truth. Many people, however, do believe that, and you might be one of them. I'd like to shout from the rooftops that you're missing the greatest opportunity for joy there is. Learn to love the Bible, and you'll learn to love the Lord. Learn to love the Lord, and you'll learn to love your life.

Imagine you're walking down a beautiful country lane, and there's a fabulous field of flowers next to you. All you want to do it go into that field, lay down in it, and enjoy the solitude and peace. Then you see a sign, and it say's "Do Not Go Into the Field! Land Mines from World War II!"

Would you say "Somebody's just trying to ruin my fun. Somebody's just trying to run my life and take away all my joy."? Of course not! You'd be thanking the person who cared enough about you to take the time to put the sign out. And you'd be thanking God for letting you see the sign before you set foot in the field, potentially blowing yourself to bits. You may even see the sign as an act of love.

When I first became a Christian, I saw the Bible as an interesting history book that had some pretty good precepts with which I should learn to live my life. I'd heard people refer to it as having been written by inspiration from God - the "Word of God" they called it - but I didn't know what that meant particularly, and I didn't particularly believe it anyway. I read it with interest, but not passion.

I decided to read the entire thing once before I started studying anything. I blasted through it in seven months. I was ravenous - not so much because I wanted to know what God wanted to say to me, but because I felt like I was playing catch-up. I was 47 years old at the time, and I didn't have a moment to lose.

I'm not exactly sure when it happened, but at some point about half-way through, I came to realize that THIS WAS THE WORD OF GOD!! There was NO WAY a bunch of gray-haired old guys, spread out over 1,500 years of time could have written this book. It's not 66 books at all. Somehow, it's one book with 66 parts. Only God could have done that. I didn't quite get it all yet, but I knew that was true.

So the transformation began. It was now a wonderful history book with life precepts written by God. Hmm. Progress, but not quite there...

Then I started to notice a pattern. These things really started to show up in my life. God talks about gossips, and I couldn't believe how many there were lurking around every corner. I even found myself getting sucked into it sometimes. I hated myself for it, and wanted to stop. We were hurting people. God was right about that. Gossip is bad.

God talks about "course jesting," and says not to do it. I realized that that was one of the primary forms of humor in some of my friends and family, and it was generally hurtful. God knew that and said not to do it.

I started to realize that a lot of what God said not to do hurt people if you did it. So, what about the other things? Why does he say those things?

I divided God's admonitions into two categories: 1) Don't do these because they're harmful, and 2) Do do these because they're really good for you.

I started to trust Him, and the Bible became a Guide-Book, rather than a rule-book. Huge difference. I was growing.

Then I noticed another pattern. There were promises and comforts. It started to sound like the kind of thing my best friend would tell me when I didn't feel good: Encouragements, words of love and affirmation. I was His child, friend, bride.

To the grief stricken: "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you'" (Heb. 13:5 NIV).
To the guilt ridden: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1 NIV).
To the jobless: "In all things God works for the good of those who love him" (Rom. 8:28 NIV).
To those who feel beyond God's grace: "Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16 NIV).
(from Max Lucado's latest e-mail letter)

He LOVES ME! Wow! That really hit me! This is not a rule book, or even a guide-book. It's a LOVE LETTER written to help me (not just "us" notice - me!) know Him intimately, and to Live Life Abundantly! God is a lover. Jesus is my bride-groom. Unbelievable. When you're in love, what do you want to do with your lover? You want to be with them always. You relish their breath on your face and the touch of their fingertips on your arm. You think of them constantly. You can't get enough.

That's who Jesus is for us. He's our lover. When you understand that, you won't be able to get enough. The Bible becomes the window into the room where HE lives! You want to press your face against the window in the hope of getting a glimpse of Him. And then you realize: You can have Him sitting on the couch with you every morining. He'll walk with you all day. He'll caress you to sleep at night. He'll never leave you nor forsake you.

Then as I spent time in study with Him, He revealed to me that the Bible is a book with a single plot, and that plot is Jesus! From the first "In the Beginning God" to the last "Amen," every single word is about Jesus! Every story, every character, every precept and do and don't is about Jesus. The historical accounts and stories are just sub-plots. If you get caught up in them as individual events in and of themselves - or even as mere accounts of the history of Israel - you'll miss the true magic of the Bible. They're all about Him!! Every one! Unbelievable... (Listen or read some of Jon Courson's stuff on Searchlight, and you'll see what I mean).

The Bible exploded in it's power and passion for me. I became revenous. Every day was a treasure hunt. What's God got for me today?! I couldn't (and can't) wait.

My time in the morning is now the best part of my day. Just me and the Lord, communing, conversing, loving each other in the privacy of our thoughts together. Sharing secrets. Two lovers in a blessed moment of quiet togetherness. It's never long enough. It always ends too soon.

Learn to see Jesus in there. Learn to be hungry for who He is and to visit with Him there, not just to learn what He wants you to do. You'll learn to love your Bible and your devotion time. It'll transform from being an obligation to a delight, and eventually to a passion. It'll become your joy that spreads throughout your day and transforms your life because you love Him and "delight to do His will" (Psalm 40:8) - not because you have to follow the rules.

The Bible is a love letter by the Creator of the universe Who knows you and loves you and wants you to know and love Him back.

Relish it. Swim in it. Be loved through it in a way you could never have imagined, and watch Him change your heart.

May God's peace and joy wrap you in His love every morning,

Sue

Greek or English?

2006-03-20T07:47:00.000-05:00

There is a lot of discussion on the internet about whether or not you need to study Greek to really understand the Bible. I'd like to humbly weigh in on the subject with my understanding of the issue.

I love the Greek. I think that when you begin to understand how the Greeks thought and how they use words, the Bible becomes more and more exciting. However, I do not believe you must study Greek to study the Bible. Consider this:

You're on a boat, and you're out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The sun is beginning to rise and the rays are sparkling on the surface of the ocean like diamonds. It's getting warmer and warmer, the view is spectacular, pouring into your soul and giving you a sense of awe and wonder that only God can give with His splendor and creation. It's beautiful - and it's right - and it warms and nourishes you.

Now see yourself with diving gear on and jumping overboard. What was once a two-dimensional flat surface - as wonderful and beautiful as it was - is now a three-dimensional wonder to explore. No limits. All of the depth and mystery and beauty of the ocean has now come alive for you. There are new creatures and caves to explore and discover. New treasures to bring back to the surface to share with others. You've just entered a new world.

If you chose to stay on the surface, it's still right, it's still valid, and it will warm and nourish you. It's not wrong, and you won't be led astray with the English. If you never read the first word of Greek, you can come to know Jesus, honor Him and love Him the way He wants, and be obedient to the commands He's set before us. But to understand it through the Greek is a thrill and a privilege. Each day is a treasure hunt as I look into the words that the original authors used to describe their new world and their Lord. It answers questions that can be answered in no other way - not questions pertaining to salvation, mind you. Those are clear, unequivocal, and unambiguous. But questions of nuance, questions of subtlety.

You may not be into subtlety and nuance. You may not be into treasure hunts. If that's you, then that's okay. Make sure you know your position with the Master, but you can know that without the Greek. If you're saved, you're saved, and no Greek is going to make you any more or less saved.

But if you're an adventurer, a hunter, an explorer - then look into the Greek. Don your diving gear and jump in. You won't regret it.

When you read the Word of God, work hard, learn hard, change hard, and always remember to have a blast!

God bless you as you take in His Word!

Sue

(Author's disclaimer: Admittedly, this example is a little too simplistic because there is a tremendous amount of depth that can be gleaned from the English. It was meant as an easy-to-understand illustration of the difference between Greek and English - not as an indication that the English is shallow or two-dimensional, which is decidedly not the case. Thanks for giving me the grace of license.)

Reviews and Links

2006-03-08T23:17:00.000-05:00

I have been invited to put a book review on my site, and after having read the book, I have decided to do so. As a matter of fact, this post is the beginning of a "Reviews and Links" post that I will use to redirect people to sites, books, articles, etc, that I believe fit into the Biblical Therapy model and theme, and that I believe exemplify the message I'm trying to get across to my readers. I will be posting them in alphabetical order initially, but as the list grows, I will have to organize them differently. I'm going to play that by ear.

I will be making no money whatsoever for these reviews or endorsements. My willingness to post items here is strictly for the benefit of those who are led to this page. Here goes...

Total Heart Health for Women by Ed & Jo Beth Young, Michael Duncan, M.D., and Richard Leachman, M.D. - This is a wonderful little book, easy to read, a good book for beginners in either physical or spiritual 'heart health' issues. Written by a Pastor and his wife, as well as two heart doctors, it gently goes back and forth between your physical heart, discussing food and exercise, and your spiritual heart, helping you learn how to connect with God through prayer, bible reading, fellowship, and service. The discussions about food and exercise are comprehensive, and yet "bottom shelf" explanations of how food works in your body, including body mass index, basic metabolism rate, calories, good and bad fats, good and bad carbs, basic nutrition facts, the new glycemic index issues, and even gives a beginning meal plan. The material is easy to understand and easy to apply to your life. They also give an explanation of different kinds of exercise, how it affects different parts of your body, and how you can incorporate it into your life for maximum benefit. Finally, it gives the reader a 90-day challenge to change their lives. Since so much of emotional and mental health is wrapped up in physical and spirital health, I heartily endorse this book, and encourage my readers to buy it, read it, and 'take it to heart.' If you do, your lives will absolutely be transformed. God bless, Sue

Jesus - False Prophet

2006-03-08T23:18:00.000-05:00

It's Saturday.
And Peter said to John, "Hey John, we've had a tough couple of days, but we need to move on now. Listen. I have an idea. You've always been ambitious, and you know I am. I know the timing isn't the best, but we don't have any time to lose. Let's make some use of what's just happened. Let's start a new religion!"
John replied, "What are you talking about, Peter? I'm still in shock here, and you're talking fantasy! Besides, aren't you busy enough with your fishing? You have a family to support and I need to take care of Mary. We need to get back to work."
Peter insisted, "No, no. Wait. I've been thinking about this. Jesus is dead, that's true, and it's awful. But that doesn't mean his ideas have to die with him. Everybody heard him say he was going to die and be raised again in three days. We can go steal his body from the tomb, take it out of Jerusalem, and bury him where nobody would ever find him. We can overcome the guards. They're a bunch of wimps, and they'll be way too embarrassed to say a bunch of fishermen overtook them, so they'll just lie and say they fell asleep or something. We'll take his body, then when the women go to anoint his body on Sunday, they'll find him gone, and word will get out that he's "risen." We can fan that flame, and a whole new religion will take off - and we'll be in charge! After all, we were his closest friends, so nobody would ever argue with our leadership. What'd ya think?"
John pondered Peter's idea. "Well, there was a time when he was pretty popular. He had a lot of followers, and they thought his ideas were pretty good. Actually, it might work."
Peter smiled, and John reflected. "But what about that commandment about loving and worshipping only God? If our new religion is going to be based on Jesus' teachings, won't we have to worship him or something? We'll have to make him out to be the real Son of God, right? We both know he wasn't, because, well, the real Son of God wouldn't have died, but won't we have to say that he was?"
Peter, getting more excited, said "Well, of course. The people will need to be convinced that he really WAS the Son of God. As a matter of fact, let's up the ante some. Let's say that he was actually God himself! God incarnate! Wow, that's fabulous! The people will eat it up!"
John was getting frightened. "Are you out of your mind?! That's blasphemy! If we say that, we'll burn in hell! This is nothing to play around with, Simon. And not only that, but everyone we were able to convince would burn in hell, too! You and I would be personally responsible for all of those lost souls! God would have a special place in hell just for us! Besides, who would ever follow a leader that said 'Love your enemies,' or 'Turn the other cheek,' or even 'If they steal your coat, give them your cloak, too?' That stuff's nuts. Nobody would fall in line with that! And the whole concept of salvation by grace. Who would ever buy that? People have been raised from the beginning of time believing that you have to earn what you get. Why would they ever follow a leader who said that all of the old rules have gone by the wayside now, and we have a whole new set of rules? Salvation by grace - crazy." John shook his head.
Peter lowers his voice. He speaks slowly and deliberately. "John," he said. "Listen to me. The people need something to hold on to. The Romans aren't letting up, and as much as we hoped Jesus was going to be our savior from them, he wasn't. He turned out to be a fraud. We need to accept that, but we don't need to throw the entire three and a half years away! Why make the people pay for his lies? They need encouragement. They need to feel like there's hope. We have the power to make that hope real for them."
John thought to himself. Worship a false prophet. Or worse, a false God. An idol in every sense of the word.
"I don't know." John said finally. "Are you really ready to give up the true faith in God that you were raised in? The one that was the source of your hope for your entire life? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? You know the history of our people. We have a long history of following false gods, Baal and such. You want to create another false god? Another idol-worshipping people of God? That's what it will be, you know. Just idol-worship."
Peter looked at him intently. "You in or not?"
John sighed. "Well, I can't have you running off doing this by yourself. I guess I'm in. We'll need help, though. We'll have to convince the other nine, and tomorrow's Sunday, so we'll have to do it quickly. If he's going to 'raise from the dead,' it has to be tomorrow, so we'll have to steal the body tonight. But I guess that's doable. But this is the important part. We'll have to all swear that we'll never, ever tell the truth no matter what. If even one of us buckles under the pressure, the whole thing will crumble around us. And it could get pretty sticky. The Romans have a reputation for crucifying their enemies and doing all sorts of horrible things to them. And they're going to consider us their enemies. You've thought of that?"
"Look John. The people need it, and we'll be world-class leaders. It's a little risky, sure. But isn't it worth it in the end?"
"I guess so." John replied.

Pretty ridiculous? Is your skin crawling? If you have any doubt that Jesus was exactly who He said He was, then you give the above scenario real credibility.

Jesus was Who He said He was. He was the Son of God. He IS the Son of God. He is God. How else do you explain Christianity itself? How else do you explain that twelve men, and a whole lot more in those days, gave their lives to Him? They not only gave their occupational and family lives, but they gave their physical lives in horrifying ways, one by one over a period of many years as those remaining watched, imagining their own horrific demise. To believe that Jesus is still dead, then you have to believe that twelve men gave their lives to a cause they knew was a lie, condemning themselves to a life of torture and poverty, and to an eternity in hell for their trouble. Plenty of people throughout the history of the world have died for a cause - for a leader they believed in. You could explain all of the Christian martyrs that way from the second century on. But none of them died for a cause they knew was a lie. We'll die for a belief, but not if we know it's a lie.

If it had been a lie, they'd have all known it. And nobody - not one of the twelve, in spite of eleven horrible, vicious deaths - changed their story. Think about that.

Nuggets and Pearls

2005-08-16T06:20:00.000-05:00

Single verses that can change your life: It is my intention with this section to give short sections of Scripture that I have found to be particularly useful in dealing with everyday stuff. These are great memory verses. I will be updating this section regularly, so come back here often for whatever is new. God Bless...
..........................................................

Luke 8:14 The seed which fell amongh the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
	Two out of the three things that "choke the fruit out of us" are viewed by society, and oftentimes us, as being positive. Are your riches and pleasures choking the Christian life out of you?

Proverbs 16:5 Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord
	Hate the sin and love the sinner? That's not what this says. If you're proud in heart, you - not your pride - are an abomination to Him. Check your pride at the door. Purpose to be aware of it every time it rears its ugly head and make those thoughts obedient to Christ. Die to self, and make other's more important than yourself, and win the favor of the God of the Universe.

Psalms 18:24-26 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes. With the kind You show Yourself kind; With the blameless You show Yourself blameless; With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself astute [lit: twisted].
	Are you kind? God will be kind to you. Are you blameless? He will be blameless with you. How do you want God to regard and treat you? Be that person to others.

Proverbs 10:19 When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
	Do you use too many words? Do your words edify or cut down? Do your words praise or complain? God says the more words you use, the more likely it is that He will not be glorified through them. Watch your words. Remember, you'll be held accountable for every one of them.

1 Timothy 6:6,8 "But godliness is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment... If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content."
	There it is. The secret of Christ's "abundant" life. When you are content with what God has provided, you are living the abundant life in Christ. Is that true of you?

1 Peter 4:12 "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation."
	Peter says that your trial is for your testing. He says that if you share the suffering of Christ, rejoice, because your suffering has purpose in the Kingdom of God, as did Christ's. Find joy in that.

Matthew 15:11 "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."
	Does what comes out of your mouth glorify God and edify you and others? If you want to cleanse yourself from defilement, guard what comes out of your mouth. Be alert.

Genesis 3:11 And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, " The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
	Blame-shifting. Eve blamed the serpent. Adam blamed Eve, and even God - "That woman YOU GAVE ME!". Do you blame-shift? It's in us. Be alert to it. Catch yourself. Take responsibility.

Micah 7:18b "He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love."
	God will not stay angry at you forever no matter what you've done, because loving is far more delightful than anger. Know it and live it. Give up the anger and grudges and delight in the freedom of love.

Matthew 10:39 "For he who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it."
	Are you in the process of finding your life on your own strength or losing it to Christ's will?

2 Corinthians 4:17 "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal."
	Now check out what Paul viewed as 'momentary light affliction' in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28.

The Bible and Divorce

2006-02-14T11:47:00.000-05:00

"It was said, `WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE'; but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. Matthew 5:31-32

That's pretty harsh. If your wife has not committed adultery and you divorce her anyway, and then she remarries, she and whoever she marries is committing adultery by getting married, and you've done it ("makes her commit adultery"). If she has committed adultery, then she's done it to herself. But in either case, she and her new husband are committing adultery if they get married after a divorce. Is that what He's saying here? You may not interpret it that way, but a lot of people and churches do. Let's explore.

First, we need to see what the King James Version says:

It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. Matthew 5:31-32 (KJV)

Let's see what the new translation "God's Word" says:

"It has also been said, 'Whoever divorces his wife must give her a written notice.' But I can guarantee that any man who divorces his wife for any reason other than unfaithfulness makes her look as though she has committed adultery. Whoever marries a woman divorced in this way makes himself look as though he has committed adultery. Matthew 5:31-32 (God's Word translation)

Those three translations are just different enough to be significant. You see, the words "put away" in the Greek don't mean "divorce." That's the key to understanding this verse. The Greek word for "divorce" is "Apostasion," but the Greek word for "put away" is "Apoluo." It essentially means "kick out" in this context. Indulge me with the following definitions:

Greek word "Apoluo" (Strong's 630)

to set free
to let go, dismiss, (to detain no longer)
a petitioner to whom liberty to depart is given by a decisive answer
to bid depart, send away
to let go free, release
a captive i.e. to loose his bonds and bid him depart, to give him liberty to depart
to acquit one accused of a crime and set him at liberty
indulgently to grant a prisoner leave to depart
to release a debtor, i.e. not to press one's claim against him, to remit his debt
used of divorce, to dismiss from the house, to repudiate. The wife of a Greek or Roman may divorce her husband.
to send one's self away, to depart

Greek word "Apostasion" (Strong's 647)

To depart or stand away from. A departure, a divorce or dismissal of a woman from her husband, the deed or instrument of such divorce. In Mark 10:4, this is a reference to the document spoken about in Deut 24:1-2 which the dismissing husband was required to give to an innocent, dismissed wife in whom the husband was finding a pretext for dismissal. It is equivalent to a certificate of innocence because the husband who was instructed to issue it in divorcing his guiltless wife and sending her away from his house was, in fact, the guilty person. If a woman had committed fornication, she would have been dismissed and never permitted to remarry as this woman was: "and when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife" (Deut 24:2). In fact, the guilty dismissed spouse (see Deut 22:20-24) was to be stoned to death, which was rarely, if ever, practiced. the teaching of our Lord was that, although contrary to god's will and purpose, if a man decided to put away his wife or a wife her husband (Mark 10:12), the innocent spouse was to be given a bill of divorcement or a certificate of innocence which would free him or her of the stigma of being considered as having committed adultery. the word "divorce" as understood in our modern society and which is issued by a judge without reference to the guilt or innocence of either party, does not have its real equivalent in the OT or NT the "apostasion," then, was supposed to be given by a guilty husband to an innocent wife, or vice versa (Mark 10:12) whom he or she wanted to dismiss, since it was through such a certificate of innocence that the dismissed one had the possibility of remarrying. the teaching of our Lord in Matt 5:32; 19:3-12; Mark 10:2-12, is that a woman dismissed without a bill of divorcement carries the stigma of adultery, and if someone marries her, that stigma passes on to him. Ref: Zodhiates: The Complete Wordstudy Dictionary: New Testament .

Here is an example of such an "Instrument of Divorcement."

On the fourth day of the week, on the eleventh day of the month Cisleu, in the year five thousand four hundred and fifty four, from the creation of the world; according to the computation which we follow here, in the city of Amsterdam, which is called Amstelredam; situated by the sea side, called Taya, and by the river Amstel; I Abraham, the son of Benjamin, surnamed Wolphius, the priest; and at this time dwelling in the city of Amsterdam, which is called Amstelredam, which is situated by the sea side, called Taya, and by the river Amstel; or if I have any other name, or surname, or my parents, or my place, or the place of my parents; by my own free will, without any compulsion, I put away, dismiss, and divorce thee, my wife Rebecca, the daughter of Jonas the Levite; who at this time abides in the city of Amsterdam, called Amstelredam, situated by the sea side, called Taya, and by the river Amstel; or if thou hast any other name, or surname, or thy parents, or thy place, or the place of thy parents, who wast heretofore my wife; but now I put thee away, dismiss, and divorce thee; so that thou art in thine own hands, and hast power over thyself, to go and marry any other man, whom thou pleasest: and let no man hinder thee in my name, from this day forward, and for ever; and lo! thou art free to any man. Let this be to thee, from me, a bill of divorce, an instrument of dismission, and a letter of forsaking, according to the law of Moses and Israel.'' From John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, Matthew 5:31".

The key seems to be this: If you "put away" or "send away" a woman without an "Instrument of Divorcement," you're essentially saying "She's guilty of adultery, and I'm sending her away because I don't want to stay married to a woman with no character." The kindness here if she really is guilty is that you're not having her stoned to death (Deut 22:20-24).

But if you really want to be kind, then you give her an "Instrument of Divorcement," which says "She's innocent of any wrongdoing. I'm the guilty party, and since she's innocent, I want her to be able to have a happy life with a new husband, even though I no longer want to be married to her."

Remember when Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant (Mat 1:19)? He knew he'd not been the one to make her pregnant, so the only assumption he could make was that she had committed adultery. He could have had her stoned to death under Moses' law. Since he couldn't be married to an unrighteous woman, he could not follow through with his own marriage of her. However, since he truly loved her and wanted to declare her "innocent," he was willing to quietly give her a bill of divorcement, or a "declaration of innocence," so she could marry someone else, possibly the man she committed adultery with, and live happily. It truly was a huge kindness on his part.

Oftentimes, it takes a lot more English words than our modern translations allow to fully explain the meaning behind the Greek. Let me take the liberty of re-writing the English translations thus (I am NOT re-writing God's Word, but explaining the Greek as I read it):

It has been said that whoever kicks his wife out of his house, let him give her a document legally declaring her innocence. But I say unto you that whoever kicks his wife out without that document declaring her innocence puts her in a position of committing adultery if she remarries, because she's legally still married to you. And not only that, whoever marries her after that is also committing adultery for the same reason. If she really has committed adultery, then you don't need to give her that document declaring her innocence. She's "made her own bed." If that's not the case, though, and you're just sending her away because you simply don't want to be married to her any more, then don't make it look like she's committed adultery on you. Give her the "instrument of innocence" to release her completely, give notice to the public that she's innocent of any crime, and let her remarry legally and with a clear conscience.

The reverse is also true regarding wives divorcing husbands.(Mark 10:12)

The way I read the Greek is that Jesus was answering the question about the legitimate cause of divorce, and how God wanted His people to deal with it. There was a controversy at the time between the schools of Hillell and Shammai: Hillell allowing it upon any frivolous cause; and Shammai, only on account of adultery. Jesus was saying that divorce, for any reason, is against God's purpose (Matt. 19:3-9;Rom. 7:1-3; 1 Cor. 7:10-17), but if you do divorce, give the "put away" spouse the opportunity to remarry by declaring their innocence in the matter. If they actually did commit adultery, then you're not required to declare them innocent, and an "instrument of divorcement" isn't necessary. The price they must pay for their infidelity is a life unmarried.

Ok, one more comment about that, though. I'm definitely getting into deeper waters here, but I'd also like to remind the readers of the following: Jesus was addressing the Old Testament laws of Moses here. He wasn't risen yet.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, " Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool. Isaiah 1:18

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Cor 5:17

Paul knew we still have the sin nature, and he gave us the recipe for dealing with it as children of the Risen Christ. Read Romans chapters 7 and 8 for the full essence of it.

I'm not condoning divorce (Mat 19:6), and I'm certainly not excusing adultery. Neither reflect the heart of God. What I'm saying here is that Jesus has given us a better way of dealing with it that doesn't include unforgiveness, condemnation, and a life alone. I believe our modern translations miss the point.

I pray that these thoughts will ring true.

God Bless, and as always, I welcome different perspectives.

Sue

Is God Punishing Me?

2006-02-05T08:59:00.000-05:00

Note: If you doubt your security in the Kingdom of God, please refer to my post The Gospel of Jesus Christ for assurance.

I'm in the process of putting together another post called "Is God Punishing me." I'm going to deviate a little from my normal mode by posting some thoughts as I go, while I write. I do this because this is a very difficult and touchy topic, and in line with the tenets of my profession, I want to "do no harm" first and foremost, so I'll be going slowly and carefully.

Given that, I invite you to post your thoughts or suggestions on the topic, and I'll consider and reflect on them as I write. My basic theory is that God doesn't punish those who are His in His Son. Correct? Chastise? Yes. But punish? No.

The problem I have is that God is the same now as He was in the Old Testament, and the English translation of the OT Hebrew uses the word "punish" repeatedly referring to the Hebrews - God's very people. But what I'm trying to discern is if the intent of this punishment was the same as we interpret the word "punish" today, or if God had something different in mind for His people. I think He did.

At this point, I want to post some definitions. I'm going to be using these definitions as I study the bible to determine where each of them applies as God dealt with the Isrealites, how He dealt with the first century folks, and how He's dealing with us now.

This is a huge topic, and I will not do it justice here. My intent is to give people who feel like they are being "punished" for their sins something to chew on that might lighten their load, give them more hope that God is looking out for them, and that in reality, "there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus" (Rom 8:1). If I'm talking to you and you're truly a believer, I believe that you're not being "punished" in the current definition of the word, but that God - as always - has your best interest in mind. He's with you and loves you in your time of tribulation. That's the case I will be trying to build.

My sources are: Webster's New World Dictionary (1991), and Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary (1996).

Punish: 1. to cause to undergo pain, loss, or suffering for a crime or wrongdoing; 2. to impose a penalty on a wrongdoer for an offense; 3. to treat harshly or injuriously (punishing rays of sun). Implies the infliction of some penalty on a wrongdoer and generally connotes retribution rather than correction (to punish a murderer by hanging).

Discipline suggests punishment that is intended to control or to establish habits of self-control.

Correct suggests punishment for the purpose of overcoming faults.

Chastise implies usually corporal punishment and connotes both retribution and correction.

Castigate now implies punishment by severe public criticism or sensure.

Chasten implies the infliction of tribulation in order to make obedient, meek, etc. and is used especially in a theological sense.

(The above are from Webster's)

Vine's breaks it down by the Greek word that is translated in the New Testament as "Punish" or "Punishment."

Kolazo (Strong's 2849)- primarily denotes "to curtail, prune, dock"; then, "to check, restrain, punish";

Timoreo - (5097) - Primarily, "to help," then, "to avenge" (from time "value, honor," and ouros, "a guardian"), i.e., "to help" by redressing injuries.

Ekdikesis (1557) - "punishment", "vengeance".

Epitimia (2009) -Originally it signified the enjoyment of the rights and privileges of citizenship; then it became used of the estimate fixed by a judge on the infringement of such rights, and hence, in general, an "penalty."

Kolasis (2851) - "punishment" describing a process, not merely the effect; this kind of fear is expelled by perfect love; where God's love is being perfected in us, it gives no room for the fear of meeting with His reprobation; the "punishment" referred to here is the immediate consequence of the sense of sin, not a holy awe but a slavish fear, the negation of the enjoyment of love.

Dike (1349) "justice," or "the execution of a sentence," is translated "punishment" in Jude 7.

Timoria (5098) - primarily "help", denotes "vengeance, punishment."

I don't fully understand each of these definitions yet. I've just put them here directly from the sources to begin the process of formulating my (and hopefully,your) thoughts.

This is the definition I found in the Zodhiates "Complete Word Study Dictionary - Old Testament". It's the Hebrew word translated as "punish" more than any other Hebrew word.

Paqad (6485) - A verb meaning to attend, to visit, and to search out. The word refers to someone (usually God) paying attentioin to persons, either to do them good (Gen. 50:24, 25; ex. 3:16; 1 Sam. 2:21; Jer. 23:2); or to bring punishment or harm (Ex. 20:5; Isa. 10:12; Jer.23:2). The word also means, usually in a causative form, to appoint over or to commit to, that is, to cause people to attend to something placed under their care (Gen.39:4, 5; Josh. 10:18; Isa.62:6). The passive causative form means to deposit, that is, to cause something to be attended to (Lev. 6:4[5:23]). The word also means to number or to be numbered, which is an activity requireing attention. This meaning occurs over ninety times in the book of Numbers. The word can also mean (usually in a passive form) lacking or missing, as if a quantity was numbered less than an original amount (Judg. 21:3; 1 Sam. 20:18; 1 Kgs. 20:39).

I grew up believing that the opposite of the word love is hate. Over the last many years, I've come to learn that that's not true. The opposite of love is disinterest. It says "I don't care enough about you to give you the time and energy it would take to hate you. You're not worth the effort." That's the complete and utter lack of love. That's the worst it can get.

Read that definition again. The word "punish" only shows up once in the definition, and that's only one of two options when God is paying attention to someone. The rest of it has a very positive connotation.

I'm not done yet with my research, but what that definition shows me is, If you're feeling "punished," then God is really paying attention to you. When He "punished" the Isrealites, He was right there, attending to them, visiting them, searching them out. Even when He was exacting "punishment" on them, He was loving them in a most profound way.

Then the sons of Israel again did evil in the sight of the LORD, served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the sons of Ammon, and the gods of the Philistines; thus they forsook the LORD and did not serve Him. The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and into the hands of the sons of Ammon. They afflicted and crushed the sons of Israel that year; for eighteen years they afflicted all the sons of Israel who were beyond the Jordan in Gilead in the land of the Amorites. The sons of Ammon crossed the Jordan to fight also against Judah, Benjamin, and the house of Ephraim, so that Israel was greatly distressed.

Then the sons of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, "We have sinned against You, for indeed, we have forsaken our God and served the Baals." The LORD said to the sons of Israel, "Did I not deliver you from the Egyptians, the Amorites, the sons of Ammon, and the Philistines? Also when the Sidonians, the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, you cried out to Me, and I delivered you from their hands. Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will no longer deliver you. Go and cry out to the gods which you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress." The sons of Israel said to the LORD, "We have sinned, do to us whatever seems good to You; only please deliver us this day." So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD; and He could bear the misery of Israel no longer (italics mine). Judges 10:6-16

God was mad at Israel. They'd sinned and sinned and sinned, wontonly, purposely, and God's anger "burned against them" He delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for 18 years. But note that it was only after that 18 years that the Israelites cried out to the LORD. It says "Then...". "Then" they cried out. After the 18 years! Then they turned back to Him and put away their false gods - but only after the 18 years in captivity. And He could bear their misery no longer.

Wow. I can feel His pain at watching His children suffer - even though they deserved it and they asked for it! He was hurting! For 18 years watching them suffer, He was hurting too! Waiting for them to cry out to Him! Like the prodigal father (Luke 15), though, He didn't deliver them from their poor decisions. He just suffered - tough love - as He waited and watched them, waiting for them to understand that they had done this to themselves. Then He allowed them to feel the consequences of their decision as they fought their way out of the mess they'd created.

But don't you think for a second that He wasn't there with them, "attending" to them, the whole way. Once He felt like they'd learned their lesson...

The LORD, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israel possessed all the land of the Amorites, the inhabitants of that country. Judges 11:21

The interesting thing about all of this is that although God was hurting for their pain, and He had decided to turn it all around, the Isrealites still had to deal with being lilberated. They still had the consequences of their sin to deal with. Although God had responded to their cries, He didn't miraculously deliver them. They had to work at it.

Why? God knows that idol-worship is the worst thing we can do to ourselves, and He needs us to understand that when we do it, there will be consequences, and He is going to allow us - as any loving parent would - to experience those consequences to help us learn how bad our idols are for us. They will destroy us, and that's what He really wants us delivered from.

So what idols do we have today? We're not talking little wood and plastic statues sitting in the corner now. We're talking modern day idols. Things like money, power, popularity, substances, our work, our religiosity, our spouses...

...our own children. That's right - our children can become an idol we dedicate our lives to. Be very careful that God is your God, and that you don't make your children your gods.

Jesus said that we are to hate our mother and father and brothers and sisters and even ourselves if we are to be His disciples (Luke 14:26). Does He really mean we are to actually "hate" all of these people? Of course not. He's making this a contrast to the love we should feel toward Him. As compared to our love for Him, we are to hate everyone and everything else on the face of the planet. Anything short of that is idol-worship. God must be your one-and-only God.

Sin destroys. Idol-worship destroys. The enemy, who wants you to believe that it's all about your own personal happiness, will tempt you with all manner of idols in this lifetime. But God knows that our idols will crush us and make us lose sight of Him. And when that happens, we're lost. Like Peter, who was walking on water miraculously, when he turned and looked back at the winds and the boat, sank. He took his eyes off of Jesus and put them back on the world.

One of the most dramatic illustrations in the bible of the effect the enemy can have on us is when Jesus allowed "Legion" to enter the pigs. No sooner had they departed the man and entered the pigs, the pigs went plummeting down the hill to their deaths. "Choked" the bible calls it in the Greek. Why did Jesus allow this? Because He needed to illustrate in a profound and graphic way the effect the devil can have on us. We feel sorry for the pigs. Nobody forgets that they died horrible deaths. What they often don't see, however, is that when we allow ourselves to be influenced by the devil, we are the pigs!

God will allow us to live through the consequences of our poor decisions and idol-worship to heighten our awareness, and boost our motivation to steer clear of idols, even if He is suffering with us, even if He is no longer angry at us. A strong and loving parent will do that.

Punishment, as the world sees it, is for the satisfaction of the punisher, not the redemption of the offender. Do you believe that's God's heart? I don't. Not on your life.

More as I study more... Please leave comments.

Jesus my Friend

2005-12-22T10:16:00.000-05:00

for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. John 16:27

God loves me because I first loved Jesus? But that's not what 1 John says..? 1 John 4:19 says "We love, because He first loved us." That's what I always learned in Sunday school. We love God because He first loved us and sent His son to die on the cross for us to save us from our sins. Without that first act of love, we would be incapable of loving Him.

So which is it? What's the "cause and effect" of my love for God and His love for me?

This is one place where the Greek translations are critical. You'll never understand it in the English. Let's first do some definitions.

The Greeks have several different words for the word "love." Since our vocabulary is limited, we're stuck with "love," and it just doesn't quite explain it. The two Greek words we're concerned with here are Agapeo (pronounced uh-gawp-AY-oh) and Phileo (pronounced phil-LAY-oh). There's actually an Agape too, (pronounced uh-GAWP-ay). Agapeo is the verb ("Agapeo your neighbors"), and Agape is the noun ("..the Agape of God.") Enough about that.

Agapeo (the verb) is defined by Zodhiates (The Complete Word Study Dictionary for the New Testament) as "To esteem, to love, indicating a direction of the will and finding one's joy in something or someone." A lot has been written about Agape love, but suffice it to say that it's an act of the will, not a feeling. It's that sacrificial love one feels toward another, where the object of the love's interests are more important to the lover than his own. Jesus willingly came to Earth to make Himself a sacrifice for our sakes. That's the ultimate in Agape love - to give up one's life for another (John 15:13). We agape God out of obedience because He's commanded us to, and because we have such a deep and profound appreciation for the sacrifice He's made for us - we just can't help ourselves, and it brings us joy to do so. Jesus is our example of sacrificial agape love - to make personal sacrifices for what's in the best interest of the other. We could discuss that at great length, but I have a different point to make.

Phileo, on the other hand, is "brotherly love." Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was named after this concept, "The City of Brotherly Love." Phileo implies that you enjoy someone's company, you have common goals and interests, you like each other intensely and seek time with each other. God says we have to love our enemies. This word love is agapeo. We have to love them, but God never commands us to "like," or phileo love, our enemies. "Love" and "like" are different, and one doesn't imply the other. We can hang our hats on our Father's agape love, but do we also have phileo love with Him? Does He like us? Let's see...

Go back and re-read the flagship verse at the top of the page. The Father loves you because you first loved Jesus, and we love God because He first loved us. Both are true if you insert the Greek. We agapeo God because He first agapeo us. But the Father phileo us if we first phileo His son. If. Cause and effect. God promises to agapeo us, and we can rest on that. But does He promise to phileo us? No, He doesn't. He promises to phileo us if and only if we first phileo His son. Loving Jesus with that sacrificial act of the will is a requirement for salvation, but what about phileo? Is that required?

If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. 1 Corinthians 16:22

The love Paul is referring to is Phileo. If anyone does not phileo (enjoy the company of) the Lord, he is to be accursed. The word "accursed" in the Greek is the word "Anathema." It means "To give up to destruction for the benefit of God. To excommunicate from the church and from fellowship." The word "be" is an imperative in the Greek - in other words, a command. Let's reword this: "If anyone does not enjoy the company of the Lord, have things in common with Him, have common goals with Him, then he will suffer condemnation, sin, misery, and rejection from fellowship."

Does that mean that if you don't also phileo the Lord, you're not saved? I read every commentary on that I could find, and I couldn't find a single one that said that that was so. They all agreed that we are saved by agapeo loving God and Christ. We can do that and still not phileo love Him. Paul is saying that if we don't also phileo love Christ, though, our lives will be a mess, and we'll be missing out on the very best Christianity we could get. The word "anathema" in the Greek means either "temporal, earthly condemnation" or "eternal condemnation" about equally in its the bible usage. Since this is the only place in the entire bible that relates phileo love to condemnation, it has to mean the earthly kind. God would never have allowed such a huge, eternity-altering command to be in only one place in the bible. It's a warning for how we live our lives on Earth - not a warning about our eternal destination.

Assuming you're really saved (see Gospel of Jesus Christ for assurance), so you can be saved, but not phileo the Lord, then. What does that mean? It means you're going to Heaven, but you don't enjoy His company, you don't have common goals, you don't see things the way He does, you don't have those "feelings" associated with your love for Him. It probably means you really struggle with all sorts of sin and misery, and wonder why "as a Christian" you're not living the victorious Christian life. You probably question your salvation sometimes.

What it really means is that you're missing out on the friendship of God.

Do you want to be a friend of God? Do you want to have those "feelings" associated with your love of God? What do you do when you want to have a relationship with someone? What's the first thing you have to do to determine if you can like someone, or even phileo them? You have to get to know them.

You can't like someone you don't know.

Your agape love for God will come with obedience, and there's a joy in knowing you're going to spend eternity with Him. But there's also a joy of friendship He offers us that requires we come to know Him for who He really is. How do we do that?

Look for Him in the pages of your bible, listen to every sermon you can get your hands on, and have frequent conversations with Him throughout the day. As you read, listen, and pray daily (I stress that part), don't just look for instructions as to how to live your life, but look deeper for an understanding of who He is. Try to learn about His character and personality just like you would any new friend. Come to know how He thinks, what's important to Him, how He handles different situations, seek Him, and keep on seeking. As you learn more and more about who He really is, you'll find your phileo love growing and growing, and your joy in being one of His children will grow and grow, and you'll reach the heights of Christian victory as your perspective of life on Earth radically changes. Things that used to be important will no longer be important as you realign your thinking to His in that phileo friendship bond. That's true freedom in Christ.

He's revealed Himself to us so we can get to know Him, and we can't phileo love Him without knowing Him. But if you do, you'll find that Christian victory you seek.

Dive into the bible as if your life depends on it. Look for Him there. Love Him through its glorious pages.

Guess what gang? We can truly be FRIENDS with Christ, and with God. He will phileo us if we phileo His Son. John 16 says that. I can't hardly fathom that, but I can tell you I want it.

Friends with God. Him enjoying your company. Him wanting to be with you. Him wanting to be with you. Close your eyes and let that wash over you. It's there for the taking. Phileo His son, and you'll have it. You're no more saved, but you'll no longer be "anathema," or condemned on Earth. True victory is there, and it comes with friendship with God.

Agapeo the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, and phileo His Son and let Him phileo you back, and you'll truly be in the Promised Land, the Kingdom of Heaven, on Earth.

Sue

Introduction to the Biblical Therapy Blog

2005-07-21T15:53:00.000-05:00

I am a licensed mental health therapist, as well as a dedicated Christian. As a Christian Therapist, I am hoping to post some of my thoughts and results of study here to both edify anyone interested, as well as invite thoughts and criticisms by the readers. My ultimate goal is, as always, to glorify and serve God and Jesus Christ, and I pray that nothing I say here will dishonor or do any disservice to my Lord. A secondary goal is to get feedback of some of my thoughts in a forum that is totally open and honest, where I know that hurting my feelings will not be a limiting factor in the dialogue, in the hope that it will enhance and strengthen my ability to serve my clients in a more biblical and helpful way.

I will not spend much time here with specifics, but I want to state that the foundation of my therapy is the Holy Bible as studied by the Evangelical Christian community. My Bible-of-choice is the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Where my quotes come from some other source, I will specify.

I believe that the Holy Bible is, in addition to many other things, the literal inspired word of God and as such, is the best Mental Health textbook on the face of the planet. No other book offers the ultimate joy, peace, relief from and answers to life's difficulties as does this holy book. As a result, my posts here will tend to be topical, pointing the reader to those passages of the bible where they can see where God has addressed the issue. Although my high-level emphasis will be topical, my lower-level emphasis is highly contextual and exegetical. I will be publishing my thoughts with all of the depth into the Greek and Hebrew language and culture I believe is necessary to fully explain what I believe is God's intention for our lives.

Please understand that this is a blog. Do not take anything I say as "Gospel." Be a good Berean and look it all up and decide for yourself if I'm right and if it's helpful to you in your situation. Whether it is or not, please post the results of your own studying and any additional thoughts you might have. I invite you the keep me honest and informed.

I also wanted to add that my postings are offered with the assumption that the reader is a born-again Christian who believes that God has the answers if you just know where to look. My prayer is to help you find those answers.

God bless, and happy studying!

BTW - If you believe you might need therapy, please do so. Never, ever, use what I say here as a substitute of any kind for true face-to-face therapy, or as a replacement for what your therapist tells you. There is no substitute for a personal, therapeutic relationship.

Also BTW - It is not my intention on this site to enter into dialogue relating to the existence of God, the inspired nature of the Bible, nor the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are many sites relating to apologetics, and I invite anyone interested in that topic to visit them.

Index to Posts

For That Special Child - To those who love the Mentally Retarded

2005-12-08T08:13:00.000-05:00

I don't know where this came from, but I received it in an e-mail a couple of years ago. I just re-read it, and wanted to post it as-is for your encouragement. Oh, that we could all be this handicapped. God bless...

God Lives Under The Bed

My brother Kevin thinks God lives
under his bed. At least that's
what
I heard him say one night.
He was praying out loud in his dark
bedroom, and I stopped outside
his
closed door to listen. "Are you
there, God?"
he said. "Where are
you? Oh, I see. Under the bed." I
giggled
softly and tiptoed off
to
my own room.
Kevin's unique perspectives are
often a source of amusement. But
that
night something else lingered long
after the humor. I realized for
the first time the very different
world Kevin lives in.
He was born 30 years ago, mentally
disabled as a result of
difficulties during labor. Apart
from his size (he's 6-foot-2),
there
are few ways in which he is an
adult. He reasons and communicates
with the capabilities of a
7-year-old, and he always will. He will
probably always believe that God
lives under his bed, that Santa
Claus
is the one who fills the space under
our tree every Christmas, and
that airplanes stay up in the sky
because angels carry them.
I remember wondering if Kevin
realizes he is different. Is he ever
dissatisfied with his
monotonous life?
Up before dawn each day, off to work
at a workshop for the
disabled,
home to walk our cocker spaniel,
return to eat his favorite
macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and
later to bed.
The only variation in the entire
scheme are laundry, when he hovers
excitedly over the washing
machine
like a mother with her newborn
child. He does not seem
dissatisfied.
He lopes out to the bus every morning
at 7:05, eager for a day of simple
work. He wrings his hands
excitedly while the water
boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice
a
week to gather our
dirty
laundry for his next day's
laundry chores.
And Saturdays-oh, the bliss of
Saturdays! That's the day my Dad
takes
Kevin to the airport to have a soft
drink, watch the planes land, and
speculate loudly on the
destination
of each passenger inside. "That
one's goin' to Chi-car-go!" Kevin
shouts as he claps his hands.
His anticipation is so great he can
hardly sleep on Friday nights.
And so goes his world of daily
rituals
and weekend field trips. He doesn't
know what it means to be
discontent. His life is simple. He
will never know the
entanglements
of wealth of power, and he does not
care what brand of clothing he
wears or what kind of food he
eats.
His needs have always been met, and
he never worries that one day
they
may not be.
His hands are diligent. Kevin is
never so happy as when he is
working.
When he unloads the dishwasher or
vacuums the carpet, his heart is
completely in it. He does not shrink
from a job when it is begun,
and
he does not leave a job until it is
finished. But when his tasks
are
done, Kevin knows how to relax. He
is not obsessed with his work
or
the work of others. His heart is
pure. He still believes everyone
tells the truth,
promises must be kept, and when you
are wrong, you apologize
instead
of argue. Free from pride and
unconcerned with appearances, Kevin
is
not afraid to cry when he is hurt,
angry or sorry. He is always
transparent, always sincere. And he
trusts God.
Not confined by intellectual
reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he
comes as a child. Kevin seems to
know God - to really be friends
with
Him in a way that is difficult for an "educated"
person to grasp.
God seems like his closest companion.
In my moments of doubt and
frustrations with my Christianity, I
envy
the security Kevin has in his simple
faith. It is then that I am
most
willing to admit that he has some
divine knowledge that rises above
my
mortal questions. It is then I
realize that perhaps he is not the
one
with the handicap - I am.
My obligations, my fear, my pride,
my
circumstances - they all
become
disabilities when I do not trust them
to God's care. Who knows if Kevin
comprehends things I can never
learn?
After all, he has spent his whole
life in that kind of innocence,
praying after dark and soaking up
the goodness and love of God.
And
one day, when the mysteries of
heaven are opened, and we are all
amazed at how close God really is to
our hearts, I'll realize that
God
heard the simple prayers of a boy
who believed that God lived under
his bed. Kevin won't be
surprised at all!
When you receive this, say a prayer.
Prayer is one of the best
free
gifts we receive. There is no cost,
but a lot of rewards.
FRIENDS ARE ANGELS WHO LIFT US TO
OUR FEET WHEN OUR WINGS HAVE
TROUBLE
REMEMBERING HOW TO FLY

Envy vs Coveting

2005-12-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. Mark 15:10

Jesus had just been delivered to Pilate. Pilate had examined Him, deemed Him innocent of any charges worthy of punishment of any kind, let alone crucifixion, and had tried to let Him go because he knew their "charge" was envy. When Pilate asked them what he should do with Him, they cried "Crucify Him!"

Envy. It cost Jesus His life, and drove them to brutality and torture bordering on insanity.

The Greek word translated here as "envy" is "phthoinos." The definition is "Envy, jealousy, pain felt and malignaty conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness. It is incapable of good and always is used with an evil meaning." Conversely, the Greek word translated in the New Testament as covet is defined as "to turn upon a thing, to have a desire for, long for, to desire, to lust after, covet, of those who seek things forbidden." The definition of the Hebrew word translated as "covet" in the Old Testament is "to desire, covet, take pleasure in, delight in, to desire, to be desirable, to delight greatly, desire greatly, desirableness, preciousness."

Note that with envy, you may or may not be talking about stuff. In our flagship verse, Pilate knew their envy was about who Jesus is, not about what He possesses. They envy His greatness, His peace, His joy, His obvious relationship with the Father. They had Him crucified because of what He possessed, all right, but not because of His possessions. Before Jesus came, they were the Top Dogs in the park. They now knew this was no longer the case. They envied His greatness. They envied His powers of healing and other miracles. They didn't deny them (see Matthew 27:41-42)- they envied them with evil intent.

When we covet, we want something "greatly." However, note that the word covet does not imply that you harbor any mal-intent toward your neighbor who has what you want. You don't wish him ill-will, and you don't wish he didn't have it. You just wish you did. Fairly benign, it would seem.

So if the word "envy" has evil intent and the word "covet" does not, why did God use the word "covet" in the Ten Commandments rather than the word "envy?"

I submit it is because the focus of the word "envy" is the other person. The focus of the word "covet," however, is God. To covet something says that God's provision for me and his decisions on my behalf are insufficient. His judgment is lacking, or He's not paying attention. To covet is to disagree with God about what you should have, and God cares more about your relationship with Him than He does your relationship with others. He wants you to trust Him

For this you know with certainty, that no immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater (underline mine), has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Ephesians 5:5

So you're saying that if I want something badly that I don't have, I'm an idolater?? No, I'm not. Paul is. And therefore, God is. And you don't even have to harbor any ill-will toward those who have what you don't.

Idolatry. Hmm... So if I greatly want something I don't have, I'm actually disobeying two of the Ten Commandments? It would seem that way. But there's more...

...by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 2 Peter 2:19b

Paul refers to himself repeatedly as a "bond-servant of Christ." His focus on Jesus is absolute for a very good reason.

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 6:24

Coveting says "What I have isn't good enough, and I want more, or I want something else." Getting stuff becomes increasingly important, and it never seems to be enough. Mammon was the name of the god of money, and coveting can become an act of Mammon worship. It can become an idol, slowly replacing God as the focus of your life, and you can't serve two masters. Mammon-worship replaces God-worship. A billionaire was asked "How much money will be enough?" He responded "Just a little more."

The examples God used in the Ten Commandments were all material or otherwise personal possessions, and that's the point. The fact that someone else has what I want is not the point. My wanting it is the point. How do I know that? Because the Hebrew and the Greek words selected by God say so.

For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. Philippians 3:18-19

Other translations say "Their god is their stomach," or "Their god is their belly." In other words, their god is their lust for anything of this earth. Paul called it idolatry. What's your god? What do you greatly want that God hasn't provided?

But what's this all got to do with Mental Health?

..for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18b

But godliness is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. 1 Timothy 6:6-8

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:2, 4

Eternity. Contentment. Joy. Hope. Godly riches. Glory in Christ.

If you had these things deep in your heart, do you think your mood would lift? Do you think you'd be happier? Whenever you covet, you rob yourself of these blessings from God. When you covet, you take your eyes off of things above, and put them on things of the earth. Envy then adds to coveting the destruction of relationships and internal pain that comes with evil intent. It gets worse and worse. God wants to relieve you from all of that discontentment, to nip it in the bud, and to protect you from the slippery slope into envy. Worship Him only, throw off the needs of this world, crave things eternal rather than things temporal, and the blessings of God will pour over you like a waterfall.

Love your neighbor. Love that he has what he has as his provision from God, and love what you have as yours, regardless of the apparent disparity. Stop wanting what they have. Stop wanting what you don't have. Stop disagreeing with God as to whether or not you should have it, and you'll finally understand the contentment that God is talking about in 1 Timothy 6.

Rest in the provision of God. Keep your eyes on things above. Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and the blessings of God (whether they be material, spiritual, in relationships, in ministry opportunities, in good health or a whole raft of others) will pour out of heaven as a flood-gate. If you feel yourself greatly desirous of something you don't have, remember that God is all you really need, and anything else He provides to you is a blessing and a gift to be honored as such, appreciated, and humbled by.

Revel in Him and Him alone, and you'll find your joy.

May all the blessings of God enrich your life.

Sue

My Struggles are About Him

2005-09-28T09:30:00.000-05:00

The following is a letter I received as an e-mail subscription from Max Lucado. It was so good, I decided to post it as-is.

If you'd like to sign up for your own e-mails from him and others, go here.

Sept. 28, 2005

My Struggles Are About Him
by Max Lucado

What about your struggles? Is there any chance, any possibility, that you have been selected to struggle for God's glory? Have you "been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29)?

Here is a clue. Do your prayers seem to be unanswered? What you request and what you receive aren't matching up? Don't think God is not listening. Indeed he is. He may have higher plans.

Here is another. Are people strengthened by your struggles? A friend of mine can answer yes. His cancer was consuming more than his body; it was eating away at his faith. Unanswered petitions perplexed him. Well-meaning Christians confused him. "If you have faith," they said, "you will be healed."

No healing came. Just more chemo, nausea, and questions. He assumed the fault was a small faith. I suggested another answer. "It's not about you," I told him. "Your hospital room is a showcase for your Maker. Your faith in the face of suffering cranks up the volume of God's song."

Oh, that you could have seen the relief on his face. To know that he hadn't failed God and God hadn't failed him-this made all the difference. Seeing his sickness in the scope of God's sovereign plan gave his condition a sense of dignity. He accepted his cancer as an assignment from heaven: a missionary to the cancer ward.

A week later I saw him again. "I reflected God," he said, smiling through a thin face, "to the nurse, the doctors, my friends. Who knows who needed to see God, but I did my best to make him seen."

Bingo. His cancer paraded the power of Jesus down the Main Street of his world.God will use whatever he wants to display his glory. Heavens and stars. History and nations. People and problems.

Rather than begrudge your problem, explore it. Ponder it. And most of all, use it. Use it to the glory of God.

Through your problems and mine, may God be seen.

Max Lucado

Why Do We Worship God?

2005-09-21T07:54:00.000-05:00

Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, `YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'" Matthew 4:10

If I said to you, "You must worship me!", what would you think? You'd think that I had an ego problem, a self-esteem problem, or both, and that I needed outside affirmation to feel good about myself. So why don't we think those things of God when He says it?

Well, to be honest, when I was a new Christian, I wasn't sure. It puzzled me. I asked Pastors and other people I trusted, and the kinds of answers I got were "Because He's worthy, " and "Because He made us to worship something, and He wants it to be Him," and the like. I agreed with all of those things, but it seemed like something was still missing. Those answers just weren't the entire picture.

So I pondered on the character of God over the next few months to try to figure out why He is so intensely interested in us actively, consciously worshipping Him.

But first I had to figure out what the word "worship" means?

Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Present my body as a living sacrifice. Hmm... How do I do that? Lots of ways. Listen...

Read the Word daily
Serve in the church ministries
Serve in community outreach
Give up unholy things

So that's worship? Well, no, not really. Those are "acts" of worship. They are actions you can take that demonstrate externally that you're in an active , internal state of worship. The problem is, you can do those things even if you don't believe in God. So what else is there?

Pray withouth ceasing
Trust Him in bad times

Ok, that's getting a little closer. Those things are hard to do if you're an unbeliever. But it's still not enough. There must be more

And then I saw a picture on the internet that explained everything.

It was the unlikely Harry Potter that showed me why God wants us to worship Him. One of the new books had just been released and a few kids had it in their hands. They all had these huge smiles on their faces, two were screaming with their faces to the ceiling, and a couple of them had the Harry Potter glasses and clothes on. They were in active worship of Harry Potter!

1 John 3:2 We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

We become what we worship.

Ever see a teenager idolize a rock group? They have pictures on their walls, they dress like them, they learn to talk like them, they think about them constantly. That's our picture of worship. If you're truly worshipping God, then your whole focus is on Him. I want to be like Him, I have pictures on my walls and a cross around my neck that bring me warmth as they remind me of Him in the hectic distractions of my day, and I take the time to stop and talk to Him or visit Him in His Word as often as my schedule will allow.

As we spend time on Him and His Word as an act of worship, we grow closer to Him, and we strive to become more like Him.

So that answered that question, but like the irritating little kid tugging on your sleeve, I still wanted to know "Why?" Why does God want us to be like Him? Why can't I just continue to be like me and love Him from there? And what's it got to do with Mental Health?

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Worship is a blast! Reflect back on the Harry Potter fans. Not only were they trying to look like him, but they were having a blast doing it. You can enjoy worshipping God in a way the world will never understand.

John Piper said, "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him." God loves a joyful Christian.

He speaks to us through His Word. As you focus your attention on Him (which is a direct result of worship) rather than the surrounding world, you'll spend more time in His Word. His Holy Spirit will change you on the inside as you submit to Him and allow your heart to respond to His. If you have the heart of God, then as the world comes down on you, you'll be protected against it.

And you can face anything with God's joy. So worship brings joy and peace.

But I had one more question. Ok, God wants me to worship Him so I'll become like Him, and as I do that, I'll have peace and joy in my heart. But I don't believe that God's purpose for my life was to bring me joy. That doesn't seem right. So how does my worshipping Him, which I admit will bring me joy, serve God's purpose for me in my life?

Phillipians 3:13-14 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

What is the "upward call" that Paul is talking about?

1 Cor 9:22-23 ...I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

The upward call is to save some.

But how does my worshipping God "save some?"

People are watching. Forget what lies behind. Let it go - the good stuff and the bad. Today, forget yesterday. Tomorrow, forget today. Put your focus on things above. Press on to what lies ahead. As you worship Him, you'll come to know Him and naturally become more like Him. As you become more like Him, you'll handle life differently than the world.

This is the key to genuine joy - As a worshipping Christian, every ordeal becomes an opportunity from God to show the world that Jesus is real, and He's different.

1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation.

As you face life's ordeals with genuine joy - even rejoicing, the people who see the joy of Christ shining through you will be drawn to it like moths to the porch light. When I was seeking, I was a very happy person from the world's perspective. But as I observe Christians handling life, I could see a supernatural joy in them I didn't understand. I didn't understand it - but I wanted it. As "happy" as I was, it was clear to me that they had something I didn't have, and theirs' was better

Worship brings joy, even in the face of life's trials. And that joy brings skeptics and unbelievers to the light. The smile on your face, the grace with which you face trials, showing love to the unlovable, are magnets that people can't resist. They can reject your doctrine and your preaching, but they can't deny your joy. You have something they don't have, and they can't help but want it.

And how do you get it? By worshipping God with all your heart. That's the key, and that's why it's so important to God.

Read the Word daily, exercise your Spiritual gifts in the church, serve in outreach, pray without ceasing, love the unlovable, present your bodies a living sacrifice and become like Him, and have a blast doing it. People are watching and will be drawn.

God doesn't have an ego problem. He doesn't need our worship. We do. We need it to find His joy. And we need it to draw unbelievers to His side. Go worship God and save some, and find the greatest joy on the face of the planet.

Grace and Peace in His Joy, Sue

Possible Future Posts

2005-08-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

Anger - Defense or Offense

Anxiety - Pain in Advance

Wives, be subject...

Sex Abuse - How to deal with History

Self Abuse - How to deal with the Present

Please e-mail or post other ideas or requests.

Depression - The Way Out

2005-09-05T09:19:00.000-05:00

Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Let's talk about what Depression is not. Depression is not just a state of being extremely sad because you have something to be extremely sad about. Being sad because someone in your life has died is not necessarily depression. It may be grief, and that's normal. Being sad because you lost your job or are getting a divorce or have experienced other losses is not depression. It's grief, and it's normal. It becomes depression if it continues on for a long period of time and has other, life-affecting symptoms that go along with it. (We get to that in a moment.)

(Concerning depression medication, please read my post on this topic called Depression - Medication.)

Science is fairly clear that there are two kinds of depression: familial (possibly chemical) and conditional. There are people who were born with what seems like a genetic predisposition to be more depressed than others. They can usually see depression and other kinds of mental illness in their family tree, and their state of mental health is all-too-familiar to them. People like this tend to be somewhat more negative in general, and are affected more quickly and more deeply by life's difficult moments than people who do not have this predisposition. (Please understand, however, that this is not an irrevocable condition. If this applies to you, you have not been sentenced to a life of depression. There are things you can do, and we will address those here.) There are also those who are more balanced by nature, and if they are depressed, it is because of their circumstances and how they have processed those circumstances internally.

Both types of depression feel the same to the depressed person. You may be sad a great deal, but you may not be, too, so don't let that fool you. (Go here for the diagnostic criteria for "Major Depressive Episodes.") Often, depression looks like you just don't care any more. The things that used to be fun aren't fun any more. You may have experienced a significant weight loss or gain, and your eating patterns may have shifted dramatically. You may have experienced a significant loss of energy, and your sleep patterns may have changed dramatically. You may have trouble concentrating and you may feel overwhelmed with worthlessness and inappropriate guilt. You may even be having unusual thoughts about death and dying, and may actually be thinking the world or your family would be better off without you. You'd probably not have all of these symptoms, but you'll have several. If you have most of them, you have a very serious depression, and you need professional help immediately. Search for licensed Christian Therapists in your area, and get help. The American Association of Christian Counselors web site has a "Find a Counselor" link that might help, and New Life Ministries has a "Christian Counselors" link, as well.

IMPORTANT: If you have imminent thoughts of suicide, especially if you are thinking about how you might go about it, you must get help immediately! These thoughts spiral downward quickly, so don't delay. If you can't get in touch with a professional immediately, then go to the emergency room in your local hospital. They will assess your level of safely and help you get stabilized until you can see someone for more longer-term help.

If you believe you are one of those who might be depressed by nature, then understand first and foremost, that your depression may be biological, but far more important than that is that your depression represents a range of emotions that are still affected by your environment. When things are going well for you, your experience of depression is far less than when they are going badly. You may go into a deeper depression than someone not predisposed, and you may go into it more quickly and with less provocation, but it is still a range. How you experience your depression still has a great deal to do with how you process your life experiences.

So as I address this issue, understand that I am addressing both types of depression. When I use the term "depression," I am talking about the combination of those symptoms as listed above that have caused a life-changing reaction as a result of how you process your circumstances. It's the processing that we will be addressing here.

I entitled this post "The Way Out." That was an intentional play on words, because, as is always the case, Jesus is The Way Out.

Ok, that's a nice thought, but how on earth can it be that simple?

Depression is all about meaning. The meaning you give your history, and the meaning you give your life.

The processing that I was talking about is essentially the meaning you've given to your life experiences. For instance, if a child is harshly disciplined out of anger and without love to the point of it being abusive, then very often, that child will justify their parents actions by saying to themselves, "My dad is a strong and protective dad." You have to believe that as a child, otherwise you're very life is at risk, and that's way too big. "My dad loves me." Again, you have to and will believe that because as a child, you are wired to attach to your parents - or to someone - and to not do that is not an option for you. So you attach - regardless of how that person treats you. "My dad is a strong, protective, loving father." That's the only choice you have as a child.

So how do you explain to yourself that you're being beaten mercilessly on a regular basis? You say "It's my fault. I'm a bad person. I'm a bad child. I deserve to be beaten, otherwise, my strong, loving, protective father wouldn't do it."

So the message is planted. The meaning is given. The heart speaks. I'm a bad person. I deserve to be treated badly. I'm unworthy. If my own father thought I deserved to be treated this way, then how can I expect anyone else to treat me any better. I have no value. My life has no value. And depression is the only option. You can apply this same thought-process to any circumstance that did not lift you up and help you see yourself as God sees you.

So how do you undo the depression? You undo the meaning. Jesus said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life..." I will show you how.

The word JOY is an acronym. It stands for Jesus-Others-You. If you want the joy that God has in store for you, then you must put Jesus first in your life. Focus on Him.

Colossians 1:1-4 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

The Greek words "keep seeking" implies an on-going, repetitive action. Keep on keeping on seeking and seeking and seeking. Get into the Word on a daily (or more!) basis. Get into a good Bible-believing church. Involve yourself in classes and Sunday School. Focus focus focus on Jesus.

Ok, then. So I go to Bible studies. So what? I'm miserable! I could memorize the entire New Testament, but how is that going to help me with my depression? What am I supposed to learn?

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

Beloved, you are a child of the living King of the Universe. You're a Prince or Princess. What are you supposed to learn? That.

God values you above all things.

Matthew 10:29-31 "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

If you were the only person on the face of the planet 2,000 years ago, He'd have died for you. Let that wash over you. Let it sink into the marrow of your bones. Read it again. Close your eyes and meditate on it. Pray about it. Stop right now and pray.

Even if you don't believe it, or it seems to have no meaning to you beyond the words on a page, pray anyway. Do it until the fog passes away. Repeat it to yourself. "I'm a Prince/Princess of the God of the Universe. He loves me. In His eyes, I'm worthy. I'm valuable. He died for me. He died for me!

Romans 5:7-8 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

For you. When you were still a sinner, Christ died for you. Unworthy? Hardly. Value-less? Not on your life. The people who planted that message are just flawed, fallen sinners like you. They don't really know you - not like He does. He died for you, by choice. Would they? When the devil tries to tell you that applies to everybody else, but not you, say "Get behind me, Satan!" Rebuke him and receive the love God has for you, and you alone.

Read the Word of God and learn to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And then remember that you're His child. His beloved. His chosen one. What more value do you need? (To further emphasize this concept, you might want to read the post on Self-esteem.)

But if God loves me so much, why did these things happen to me and why do I feel this way? All suffering has purpose aned meaning. Your suffering was horrible and tragic, but it wasn't without meaning. To understand this, please reflect on the flagship verse at the top of this post. Understand that God cries with us in our hard times, but there's purpose in it. He wants us to grow so we might better serve Him. If this is still a difficult concept for you, please read the post on Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?)

Ok. Put the focus on Jesus. Read the Word. My suffering had meaning. Go to Church and Bible study. Got it. I feel better, but I wouldn't say I'm "joy-filled." Am I doing something wrong?

No. That's only step one. There's a step two.

Please take a moment and read "The Parable of the Five Talents".

...enter into the joy... ...enter into the joy... Read that again and again until the word "JOY" becomes real to you. Jesus is telling you exactly how to enter into that JOY. The first step is Jesus. We've just been over that. The second step is "Others." This parable tells you how to put the focus on others, now that you have your focus on Him.

Each of us has a Spiritual Gift - a "talent" - that God wants us to use in His service and for the ministry of the body. Even you. Please stop now and read 1 Peter 4:10, Acts 2:38, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 7:7. Don't skip these readings. They're critical to your recovery.

Convinced yet? Every single one of us who has the Holy Spirit in us has at least one gift from God. That means you. You may have 10 talents, you may have five, and you may only have one. But Jesus expects you to use it in His service, however many or few He gave you. Your gifts are not about you, remember. They're about Him, and they're about others.

What is your Spiritual Gift? What "talent" has God given you - big or small - that He wants you to use to increase and serve His Kingdom?

If you don't know, talk to your Pastor about it. Tell him you'd like to do a study on that to find out how God wants you to serve the body of Christ on Earth. There are great books and websites, too, that could help you. Avail yourself of them, and learn who you are in the body of Christ.

Enter into the life Jesus has bestowed upon you through the power of your gift from Him, and He promises you will enter into His JOY! No more depression. No more purposelessness. Nothing but value imputed to you by Him as you serve Him according to His will in your life and with the gift He gave you. There is no greater joy than that. Swim in it.

The trick is this: Fall madly in love with Jesus and then serve Him according to His will.

JOY. Jesus first through His Word, then Others through the exercise of the Spiritual Gift He's given you through His Holy Spirit. Then, and only then, will You enter into the real joy and freedom from depression He has promised you. That's a promise from God, and He's good for it. Trust Him.

God Bless you all as you escape the condemnation of the enemy and enter into the Joy of Christ.

Sue

P.S. I don't want to minimize the role sin plays in your depression. If you haven't already, please review my post called "Depression - Sin or Circumstance. God bless.

Katrina

2005-09-04T16:12:00.000-05:00

I feel a need to post my horror at the tragedy we're dealing with as a nation in the south. On a personal note, I have much family in the direct line of fire, so this has affected me in a terribly personal way. Three of my family members' homes are completely gone, along with most of their personal possessions, and two others had major damage to theirs'. But that's the good news. In addition to that, we have three family members, ages 6, 8, and 15, along with their mother and half-brother, missing in New Orleans. I share this with my readers because I consider you friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. I am asking for prayer that my family members, as well as everyone in that area, can put their lives back together again, and especially that the ones lost in New Orleans are found safe. God bless you all.