 |
|
| |
Colossians 1:3-8
We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying for you always.
In 19th-century England, debtors' prison housed those unfortuante souls who couldn't pay their bills. New prisoners were escorted to the "chummage," a prison dormitory. Since the people were not there for violent crimes, a spirit of trust and camaraderie soon developed. They played games together and had plenty to eat. Some were even allowed private rooms.
In time, the prisoners began to refer to each other as "chums." Later, the word caught on outside the prison walls and took on the meaning of "a cordial friend."
Deep bonds of friendship also take place in Christian ministry. Those who worked alongside Paul were not strangers to persecution and imprisonment. But a common mission created a deep sense of connectedness. In his letter to Colosse, Paul called Epaphras a "fellow servant" (1:7). The term can be paraphrases as "together slave" or "one who serves the same master with another."
When believers live under the lordship of Christ, they can see their lives intertwined in service. By serving as slaves to Christ, a spiritual camaraderie results that transcends being "chums." And that special relationship will continue on into eternity! - Dennis Fisher
Working together with others,
Serving the Lord day or night,
Telling the story of Jesus
Promises endless delight.
- Hess
|
| |
| |
Is there such a thing as a Christian with Depression?The answer is yes. But...there is
Hope in Sight! Since I suffer from depression myself, I wanted to write about Christians and depression. First of all, let me assure you...if you are a Christian that does not necessarily mean that you are immune to depression. After all, you are still 100% human, If anything, the very life of a Christian is often in a lot of turmoil. If you don't believe me, then read the story of King David, who went through a LOT of depressing times in his life...including the deaths of his son by Bathseba, and the death of his second son Absalom.
David wrote about his depression in Psalms 31:10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed. Of course, David wasn't the only one who suffered from depression, there are many other men in the Bible who suffered from depression: Abraham witnessed "a deep sleep; and behold, horror and great darkness fell upon him." (Genesis 15:12) Jonah cried from inside the belly of the whale: "I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction,
And He answered me. "Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.'
The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.
"When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; Job, with the loss of nearly every possession he had, including most of his family, was a man who was deep in depression. The prophet Elijah, like King David, ran for his life at the threat of death. He even asked the Lord to end his life so that he would not suffer anymore. King Saul, who was the anointed king to lead Israel before his own fall, suffered bouts of depression: But the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul, and a distressing spirit from the Lord troubled him. (1 Samuel 16:14) Jeremiah, the prophet suffered severe depression from both the harsh messages of the Lord that he had to give, and also the reaction of his fellow men whom he had to deliver the messages to. (Book of Jeremiah) Many times, because of what our well-meaning Christian peers tell us, we tend to think that depression comes only from our own sins that we have not repented of, and turned away from. This is not entirely true, and cannot be entirely backed up by scripture. Too many of the saints of both the Old, and New Testament suffered from depression from situations that were not their fault at all. Both Jesus (Matthew 26:39, 42) and the apostle Paul suffered from persecution and imprisonment, but also from depression. Paul described his emotional state, through his letters to the various churches, as sorrowful. (Just look at all the responsibilities that this Elder had to carry). Jesus himself ask God to "let this cup pass from me", (Matthew 26:39) Of course, depression can result because of a lot of things: death, marital and family problems, financial problem, health…the list goes on. The important thing to remember is that in many cases, we cannot control the causes of depression, nor can we control the effect that depression has on us. What we can control is the outcome of the depression. Human beings are a resilient creation. We can withstand almost everything that is thrown at us. Spiritually we learn, after some time, to counter-attack the enemies barrage of punches at us. For a new Christian, there may be joy in knowing that we have received salvation and forgiveness of sins. But as we grow older and wiser, we realize that joy comes with a cost; because as we grow spiritually stronger, the enemy will find us a complete threat; and start hitting us where it hurts the most; hitting us with everything he's got. Getting back to Job for a moment, we noticed that God allowed the enemy to pretty much wipe away every part of Job's reason for living. But Job, like Abraham, trusted in God. We don't know how long Job suffered, but in the end, the Lord restored everything that he had lost, and added more. Now, for a true Christian, losing all their possessions would mean nothing, Possessions can be replaced. It's the family that can never be replaced. That's where I believe that we, as individuals seeking after God, have an edge. Because we know, that however deep we go into our depression, we will always be a part of God's family. Each of us has a guarantee from the Lord that He "will never leave us, nor forsake us. Believe me, when we are at the bottom of the well of misery and depression (that is not due to our sins), and calling out to God for either an escape, or even relief, God will hear you! God may even hear us if we are unsaved, and calling out to Him with true broken hearts, and an desperate plea for help. God never resists the truly humble, and in fact, He will exalt the humble in due time. What about the Christian who is on, or wishes to use Medication?Let's get one thing straight…medication is never bad for you. If it were, the doctors would not prescribe it for you. I'm not a doctor, but I can tell you this: if life, or the situations that you face have got you so down that you just can't function, then medication may be an answer for you. Jesus himself said "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." So we see that Jesus does not condemn the sick for seeking out a physician. The Greeks were a major influence on the population in Jesus' time, so their use of herbs and natural substances were a normal case. Jesus Himself "spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay," Then he instructed the man to go wash himself. The man came back seeing.Jesus is saying to those who are sick to seek a physician; if you are seeking anyone outside of Jesus or a certified physician, then you are not truly sick.If you are a Christian who is on any type of antidepressant drug, I urge you to continue taking them. If you are just starting on antidepressants, then don't stop taking them. The doctor prescribed them to you because of signs of depression that he has noted. Stay on schedule with your dosages, and don't expect them to start working right away, give them time to "kick" in.If you really desire not to take prescription medication, then, with your doctor's guidance you may look at other non-prescription alternative. Your local vitamin supply store is a good source for these alternatives. With either course of action you won't feel any differences in your body, except maybe for an urge to sleep more, but those will wear off once you get used to the medication. You will feel a lot better in the end, and you will thank GOD for the blessing! : )A List of SymptomsIf you have any of the symptoms below for a consistent amount of time, please see a physician. Persistent sad or "empty" mood Loss of pleasure in ordinary activities, including sex Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down" Sleep disturbances (insomnia, early morning wakening, or oversleeping) Eating disturbances (loss of appetite and weight, or weight gain) Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts Irritability Excessive crying Cronic aches and pains that don't respond to treatment
Lastly, above all, remember that God loves you, and He knows what you are going through. He hasn't given up on you, so don't give up on Him : )
|
| |
| |
Excellent message! Thanks Bill!
Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. - Mark 10:43-45 The first word of the Lord' s Prayer - "Our" (Matthew 6:9) - determines the very nature of the Christian faith. Suppose it had been "My". That would have changed the whole nature of the Christian religion. Instead of our faith being "our"-centered it would have been "my"-centered - and that would have started us off wrong. In the field of prayer, as in many other fields, to start wrong is to finish wrong. The word "our" involves a shifting of emphasis from me to the Father and to my brothers and sisters in the kingdom. It implies a renunciation - a renunciation of myself. We see something similar in the first words of the Beatitudes: "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (the renounced in spirit), "because the kingdom of heaven is theirs" (Matthew 5:3). All the resources of God' s kingdom belong to those who are renounced in spirit. So, in the first word of the Lord' s Prayer, we find an implied demand that we adopt an attitude of self-surrender - to the Father and to His interests and the interests of others in His kingdom. If we do this, then everything opens to us. If not, then everything is closed. The rest of the Lord' s Prayer has no meaning and dies if the "our" is not alive. Furthermore, this "our" must stretch beyond our own fellowship, local church, or denomination to include the whole family of God - everywhere. We will never get very far in prayer unless we come to it prepared to sacrifice self-interest and willing to merge into God' s greater plan for the whole. Daily Prayer O Father, cleanse my heart from any limitations I might have in relation to the word "our." Help me to make it a true "our" with everybody included - those I like and those I don' t like. For Jesus' sake. Amen.
|
| |
| |
I like this so much, I decided to post it : )
-by Bryan Hupperts.
A senior pastor was sent a challenge to play a game of chess.
The anonymous note said, "Victorious One: You are an undisputed
Grandmaster. You've beaten your fellow servants frequently. You
played against other senior pastors and won. Now, come beat me."
Game day came and the senior pastor found himself seated
across a chess board from none other than Satan himself. In this
knockout tournament, the pastor drew white winning the right to
begin first. The devil grabbed the white piece from him and said
arrogantly, "I always move first."
Each set up their pieces and began to formulate strategy. The
senior pastor was nervous but confident and declared to the
enemy, "I will win. I have the mind of Christ." Then the devil smiled
a devilish smile and said, glancing at the senior pastor's side of
the board, "I cannot outwit the mind of Christ but you I will easily beat."
The first match was on. Satan played with cunning and strategy
and it became quickly clear the senior pastor was outgunned.
Satan moved a pawn in gambit striking from the flank and taking
an unguarded rook. Loss piled upon loss. No matter how valiantly
he tried to respond, no matter if his moves were rooted in sacrifice
or power, the senior pastor blundered. Every move he made
seemed to benefit the adversary.
The chessboard carnage was brutal and the senior pastor was
finally humbled to desperate prayer. The devil laughed as he cried
out, "Lord, I need wisdom. I have your mind yet I am being
outplayed, outmaneuvered, and beaten at every turn. Why, Lord?
Why?"
They played to endgame and the dreaded word was pronounced:
checkmate.
The stunned senior pastor watched his king fall as he listened to
the enemy's taunts and, though he felt he had failed God, he
humbled himself further crying out all the more for wisdom. How
do you beat a master tactician and swindler like the devil? When
the 2 minute warning sounded, he began to reset his side of the
board for the next round. He was weighed down by a sickening
dread when suddenly the Holy Spirit of God came upon him and
said: "Review the board."
The senior pastor looked at the enemy's pieces: pawns aligned on
the front row with rooks, knights, bishops, queen and king in the
back. Everything was in perfect military precision waiting for the
strategic battle to commence.
The senior pastor then looked at his side of the board. He had the
same pieces: pawns, rooks, knights, bishops, queen and king.
He noticed, as if for the first time, that things were askew.
Mentally reviewing the rules of engagement, he realized he had
placed a pawn where a rook should be, a knight in the place of a
bishop and, as he thought back on the failures of the first round,
he saw that even the queen was occasionally out of place taking
over the king's role. These foolish blunders were done at his
command.
And the senior pastor had an epiphany. He had all the right pieces
but many were serving in the wrong place on the board in roles
they were not empowered to play. "I have played like a fool," he
said aloud. "I am only a servant and not the Master of the game."
He began to rearrange the board setting the pieces, kingside and
queenside, into their rightful places. And the chessboard
transformed into a battlefield.
The devil looked at the repositioned board in alarm. His eyes
narrowed and he said slyly, "Perhaps, senior pastor, your first
strategy was right. Move those pieces any way you wish. After all,
you're in charge, right? I must have gotten lucky the first round;
that's all it was, just dumb luck. You've played your brothers in
Christ and beaten them all."
The pastor knew his cagey opponent was only seeking for an
opportunity to devour him again, and replied, "I did beat my fellow
servants and I was wrong to do so. Today, I repent. Devil, you did
not defeat the mind of Christ. You only defeated me. I see now it
is not mine to tell a piece how to serve not is it mine to dictate
anyone's destiny or calling. My role is to help all to work together
in their unique giftings for the advancement the kingdom of God."
The devil's face went ashen and he said, tempting the pastor to
pride, "You are the Grandmaster, the senior pastor. You decide
what people should do and be!"
The servant pastor smiled humbly as he placed the last pawn in
correct position. "It occurs to me now that to have the mind of
Christ in operation in my life and ministry, He must be the senior
pastor and I must be the undershepherd. I will rely on his leadings
to beat you. And, as you yourself so wisely said, you cannot beat
the mind of Christ."
The devil began to panic and said, "No, go back to your nepotism.
Your church has always been run like a family business with you,
your family, and your friends in charge. This could go badly for you.
You will no longer be the senior pastor. Why give up your power?"
And the undershepherd servant pastor said meekly, "Christ alone
is the senior pastor and it was never mine to dictate who serves
where or how. Each piece must move in the light it is called to just
as He himself is in the light. It is his kingdom, not mine."
He continued, "The board was out of order. I was out of order.
Christ is now our Senior Pastor and divine order has been
re-established. I neither submitted myself to God nor did I resist
you at first play which gave you first-move advantage. I will not be
so foolish again. And now," he said, redirecting his attention to
the strategically placed pieces on the board, "let us pray for
guidance as we play for victory. Christ himself will lead us as our
senior pastor and Grandmaster!"
This match was to be played to sudden death. The devil raged for
he now knew his time was short. And the battle was on.
|
| |
| |
In the Bible, there is a story about a man and two women. Now, normally, in the world, this story could go either way...a worldly man would think...Hmmm, sounds good to me. While the two women could either agree, or disagree. Today in some parts of America, there are men who are married to more than one woman, and of course, this leads to all kinds of objections from those on the outside, and sometimes, though not always, it leads to jealousy from the inside also.
This was the case in between Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. The bible tells us that Sarah had a problem...basically she couldn't have children. God heard her plea, but Sarah represented the typical Christian...she wanted it, and she wanted it NOW! So Sarah grabbed her servant, Hagar, and said "Look, the Lord is not blessing me right now, so I I want you to go and have sex with my husband, because I want it all, and I want it now!"
What happens next may sound familiar, because the same thing happens in our time. Hagar does what her boss wants her to...she goes and lies down with the bosses husband, and does indeed get married...Now, of course, in the corporate world, lying down with the husband of the boss, or the wife of the boss, will not only get you fired real quick, but the reputation that follows you from that moment on will scar you for the rest of your corporate life...
Back to Abram, Sarah, and Hagar....the problem was escalated when Hagar became pregnant. After she did, Hagar despised Sarah so much, because it seemed like God was always blessing her boss. But God really was showing no favoritism here....He was, in fact, very neutral about the whole situation until the end.
While the son born to Hagar was basically adopted by Sarah, Sarah sinned in that she did not wait for God's promise. She was impatient, and refused to hear the word of the Lord. Now we know that God is not slow in fulfilling His promises, as 2 Peter 3:9 tells us. But his promises may take a lifetime...as is demonstrated by the life of Moses, Abraham, and Sarah. And many of the elder Christians today can also testify of this. Because God always upholds His divine promises to us, it is up to us to wait...and wait, and wait...
We learn a couple of lessons in this story. First of all, we learn that God's promises to us are surely to come, and that He, in fact, is the only one, besides Jesus to fulfill all his promises. We can't even claim to fulfill all our promises...whether to God, or to ourselves, or to our fellow man. This is why the Lord tells us never to make a vow, or an oath...because as soon as we do, we break them.
In our world today, we have adopted a promise into our marriage vows that says "I do" But how many times during our marriages, do we actually uphold the "I do's". To a Christian, this verse in the marriage vow should never be spoken. But once it is, it should never be broken. It is actually one way that the enemy has tricked us into falling. It's enough that we love one another at the moment...but true love is fleeting and it's up to us to catch it. To a Christian, every time that we sin, we break the commandment of Jesus written in John 13:34, Ephesians 5:2, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, Hebrews 13:1, James 2:8, 1 1 John 2:8, 3:11, 4:20-21.
Of course, we should realize that this goes outside the bond of marriage...this affects our daily walk with Christ. Whether we like it or not....once we profess with our hearts that Jesus is Lord of our lives. a love so strong, and so pure should come out of us, that we need to be totally taken over by love...
Because the Son of God, who is also the son of nan, is love to the first, second, and third degree. He is a consuming fire that is meant to cut to the very heart of man. The only way that love will never find our hearts is if we are the sons of satan.
Of course, no true Christian will ever want to be faced with that truth. But if we truly don't show the fruits of the spirit, which according to Galatians 5:22 fall into all of these following categories: love, peace, joy, long suffering (which is patience; a whole lot of patience), gentleness, goodness, and faith, meekness, and temperance. According to Paul, "if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. It's impossible to have just one of the fruits and think we are ok...we should have, and need to have, all the fruits in order to function...if we don't, we need a major tune up. If at anytime any of the aforementioned are absent from our lives, personalities, and behaviors, then we do not represent Christ at all. If we do not represent Christ at all, then Christ is truly absent from our lives. Such was the case with Abram, Sarah, and even Hagar. At the very start everything was going along fine, but halfway into it, the three started messing up, but bad..they forgot God's promises, they were lacking in faith, and certainly Abraham was lacking in the spiritual authority in which he was supposed to walk. (Remember, God chose Abraham to be the father of many nations).
How many of us can identify with each of these biblical personalities? We all have a bit of Abraham, Sarah, and even Hagar in us. Basically in each of their lives, the three people left God out of the equation...and when we, as Christians, leave God out of the equation, then all hell is surely going to break loose.
Yet, as we have been shown, even in the roughest and ugliest of situations, God is, and always will be, the voice of sweetness, tenderness, lovingkindness, and goodwill towards all men, not just a select few. For us to have an attitude that God will bless certain people, and not others, is a case of not knowing God. When it comes down to it, God might very well bless our enemies, instead of us. After all, God gives no partiality, He will send down the rain on both the just and the unjust.
Let's remember that the next time that we have a total disagreement with others, especially those in the body of Christ. Because when it comes down to it, we may have it totally wrong.
It's the voice of God that leads us back into fellowship, servitude, and love. He will never raise his voice, or call out to us in an angry tone when our relationships will, and do, go wrong. But He will always intreat us to do the right thing, because it's only God who gets it right every time!
|
| |
|
