tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232628732024-02-07T05:49:40.783-08:00Sufficient Grace for Suffering SaintsGod is faithful. None of these things move me...that I might finish my race with joy...and testify to the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 12:9; Acts 20:24 Coram Deo~Living Before the Face of God Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.comBlogger2572125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-74563699160399274232021-08-27T15:37:00.002-07:002021-08-27T15:37:53.382-07:00August 27, 2021 Our World Has Gone Bonkers<p> It’s been a little over a year since I posted here. We were on day 50 of the COVID-19 lockdown. Things got back to “normal” for a short time, but every thing has gone bonkers since. </p><p>The vaccines were rushed through. Oh my what a hot topic that has become!</p><p>First people were bribed with money, donuts and other things to take the vaccines. When the bribery quit working, then they started blackmailing people to take it. Thousands of people will be fired from their jobs for not bowing to the blackmail. Other blackmail is in the works to restrict the unvaccinated from participating in society.</p><p>People have become cruel and murderous on Facebook toward others who choose not to take the shot. I have witnessed the following types of comments toward those who refuse the shot:</p><p>“You are selfish.”</p><p>“You should die”</p><p>“Take his job and his pension away!”</p><p>“If you come to the hospital and you aren’t vaccinated, don’t expect to be treated well.”</p><p>“I hope you get COVID-19 and die!”</p><p>What has happened to our world? What is happening to people? They are turning into monsters. Since when is it okay to wish hardship and death on another simply because they have a different view of something?</p><p>We have been given a window into the hearts of many people on social media. It confirms what Scripture says is true.</p><p>“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”</p><p>Luke 6:45 NKJV</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-84692371274273808482020-05-11T14:17:00.001-07:002020-11-22T17:40:27.187-08:00Day 50 of the Stay at Home Quarantine in Washington State<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The last time I posted was March 19. Here we are on day 50 of our stay at home quarantine orders from the governor. We have tried to abide by the rules, only going out to grocery shop, buy a take out meal now and again and go to medical appointments. I have broken quarantine twice. Once to check on something at the airport and once to look for a dress at the second-hand stores in Idaho. Otherwise, we have behaved ourselves.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Except for missing church, the quarantine really has not changed much in our daily routine. I still stay home and do housework and yard work as usual. Rick still goes to work at the office because he was not sent to work at home and Nathaniel still goes to work at the grocery store. The only thing that gets confusing is we lose track of the days with Sunday being a stay at home day just like the rest of the week. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We are grateful our pastor has been uploading the sermons to Youtube so we can still get the spiritual nourishment we would normally get on Sunday. That has been good.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I am grateful for spring and being able to spend time out working in the yard and planting a garden this year. It helps break up the day and gives me some good outdoor time that is good for me.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We try to go for walks each evening and we have gotten to visit with our neighbors from a distance. That has been nice to get to know the neighborhood more.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
We are thankful so far that God has spared us and our loved ones from this plague. We know that as the state is opened up more that the number of cases will rise again. We pray that we can escape it, but if not, that God would be merciful to us.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Our daughter got engaged and has planned her wedding for July 25...we will be flying to NC for the wedding. We pray that the airlines will not be full so that we will have less chance of being around someone who might be sick. We pray that the wedding guests will all be well too. Going to the wedding is actually scarier to me than the travel out and back for it. But we don't want to miss this special day. </div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-79549354994139968422020-03-16T14:53:00.000-07:002020-03-16T14:53:27.093-07:00Lessons to Learn Amid the COVID-19 Crisis<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="See the source image" aria-label="See the source image" class=" nofocus" height="529" src="https://www.bing.com/th?id=OIP._hZRxuMncNbJAPeDL1ihoQHaEq&pid=Api&rs=1" tabindex="0" width="839" /></div>
<br />
<br />
We live in interesting times. Washington State has the distinction of being the epicenter for the US Coronavirus outbreak. It's beginning to sound like I live in a leper colony. We have closures of schools and day cares. All sit-down eating establishments are now closed to eating in. Take out or drive thru meals are fine. The libraries are closed. Grocery stores are being inundated with panicked people cleaning off grocery store shelves. And, the virus continues to multiply, mostly West of the Cascades, however, there are a few scattered cases on the East side now. <br />
<br />
For many people, all the closures are even more reason to panic. Those with young children are scrambling to find day care so they don't have to miss work. Many people are having their hours cut or are being temporarily laid off. Small businesses face uncertainty as the costs of lost revenue trickles down. These are uncertain times.<br />
<br />
I had a trip planned to go visit my family in Walla Walla, but since we have learned that a person can be contagious for a number of days before getting sick, I opted to stay at home. Nathaniel works with the public. He serves hundreds of customers on his shifts. He could be exposed, bring it home to me and I could get it unknowingly and pass it on to my mom and family if I visited. So in an abundance of caution...no visit to Walla Walla. That is sad, but I don't want to be responsible for making anyone sick with this.<br />
<br />
On our home front, life goes on as usual. Weeds, laundry, meal preparation, the guys going to work...it just goes on. The only routine change is Sunday. We watch the sermon online instead of going to church. If a lock-down were to be imposed, life would not really be that different for us except the guys might not get to go to work. I guess that is the good thing about having an uncomplicated life with not much going on outside the home. <br />
<br />
When all these announcements of closures began, at first I was like a lot of others...shocked and half panicked. Getting on Facebook to talk about the empty shelves and closures often led to complaining. Yes, guilty as charged. But as time has passed, I've settled into just rolling with it. Yes, it's crazy and it's shocking, but I'm not panicked about it. God is still on the throne. I bet if we are open to it, we would find a lot of good lessons to learn from this time.<br />
<br />
One lesson I'm trying to learn is to just look around me. What needs to be done? Just do the first task that I see that needs to be done instead of sitting around on Facebook scrolling through all the terrible things that are happening and reading all the unnecessary comments on the news articles. This is my lesson today. I got caught up in that today and made some snarky remarks in response to some of the unnecessary comments...basically adding my unnecessary comments to the snarky soup. I can do better than that. Lord help me to be better than that. As the First Lady says, "Be Best".<br />
<br />
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-32007298881284764832020-02-12T11:47:00.001-08:002020-02-12T11:47:29.612-08:00Reconciling Evil With God's Plan and Will For Our LivesThe question was asked in my devotional reading today, "Is there some difficulty in your life now that you can accept, not as a good thing itself but as part of God's wise plan for your life?"<br />
<br />
I was reading some posts on Twitter yesterday and certain ones were saying, "How can you say that God planned for me to be raped (or fill in the blank) so that I could expose evil in the church? This makes God out to be some sort of monster, purposely inflicting pain on His children to accomplish some grand scheme in His plan."<br />
<br />
So, the question in my devotional reading today reminded me of these questions on Twitter. These are tough questions. How do we reconcile God's sovereign plan with sometimes life altering evil that touches our lives? I don't know that I will be able to adequately answer this, as I am working through this issue myself. But since I think better in writing than I do out loud, bear with me while I attempt to think through this. Feel free to jump in with comments. I'd like to hear them.<br />
<br />
I guess the passage of Scripture that comes to mind is Genesis 50:20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; <i>but</i> God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as <i>it is</i> this day, to save many people alive."<br />
<br />
Joseph was abused and sold by his brothers into Egypt. The Bible doesn't tell us his feelings during all of this, but one has to assume he was afraid and traumatized as a result of the abuse and betrayal by his brothers. In Egypt he ended up in prison as the result of a false accusation, so he was again abused in Egypt. Because of his integrity and the dreams God gave him that came true and boosted his reputation, he ultimately became second in command in the land of Egypt.<br />
<br />
When his brothers came to Egypt for food and realized who he was they were afraid and that is when Joseph said, "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."<br />
<br />
This is a great story. But the application to present day evil sometimes falls on it's face for those who never see good come from their situation. It may be true that some day they can look back and see where they gained wisdom or in the future find that their trouble can be used for good to help others, but in the immediate present when there is no good to see that is coming from the difficulty, trauma or abuse how do we comfort someone without making God out to be a monster inflicting evil on His people?<br />
<br />
I think one thing to think about is the fact that Joseph says, "YOU meant it for evil against me". We need to help the person to realize that it is not God who inflicted the evil on them, but the person who abused them who did it. Or in the case where no one is at fault, such as a life altering illness, we could say that as a result of Adam's sin, all of humanity falls to decay and sickness at one point or another. So the YOU could be Adam, since he started this ball of decay rolling.<br />
<br />
Joseph remembers the goodness of God when he says, "BUT GOD meant it for good..." We must never forget the goodness of God in our troubles. Joseph didn't see the good God was working in his life until he was taken out of the prison and made second in command in the whole land of Egypt. There were years where he was in less than desirable circumstances, the goodness of God was covered in a cloud of darkness, yet he continued to act with integrity before God and men.<br />
<br />
In my own life, there are things that have happened that don't make any sense. It would be easy to point at God and ask, "Why have you allowed this into my life? Why?!" Truth be told, I have asked that question of God at times. Yes, God knew it was going to happen. He could have stopped it. But He didn't. But based on the facts of Scripture, that God is good, I have to believe that what is happening in my life and the life of my loved ones is not God being a monster and inflicting pain and suffering, but rather the pain and suffering are the result of what the Evil One is doing in this world and God will work it for good somehow, some way as I trust Him with it.<br />
<br />
So I point my finger at the ones who have inflicted the evil, be it people or natural decay as a result of Adam's original sin and say, "YOU meant it for evil, BUT GOD can and will use it for good at some point." I don't know that this answer would be satisfactory to those on Twitter, but this is what I come to as I think on this issue.Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-71051529168223485892020-01-03T08:13:00.002-08:002020-01-03T08:53:09.539-08:00How Jay Adams Would Counsel Charles Spurgeon <div>
<div>"Charles suffered throughout his adult life with bouts of depression so severe that his mental health was significantly challenged." - From Susie, the life and Legacy of Susannah Spurgeon.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Charles Spurgeon is revered as one of the world’s greatest preachers and a godly man. How would Jay Adams counsel Charles Spurgeon? Read what Jay Adams says about depression. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>(See my comments at the end)</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>From Jay Adams "The Christian Counselors Manual"</div>
<div>What Is Behind Depression? </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Almost anything can be at the root of the counselee’s depression: a recent illness in which he gets behind in his work, hormonal changes, a reversal of his fortunes, the consequences of simple negligence, guilt over a particular sin, self-pity arising
from jealousy or a disadvantageous turn of events, bad feeling resulting from resentment, worry, etc. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>The important fact to remember is that a depression does not result directly from any one of these factors, but rather comes from a cyclical process in which the initial problem is mishandled in such a way that it is enlarged in downward helixical
spirals that eventually plunge one into despair. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>The downward cycle of sin moves from a problem to a faulty, sinful response, thereby causing an additional complicating problem which is met by an additional sinful response, etc. That pattern needs to be reversed by beginning an upward cycle of righteousness
resulting in further righteousness. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Here the reverse pattern may be seen: a problem met by a biblical response leads to a solution which strengthens one’s ability to solve new problems. The downward cycle enslaves one in hopelessness and guilt, thus bringing on a slowing down or cessation
of activity, called depression. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Proverbs plainly warns against the slavery of sinful habits: For directly before the eyes of the Lord are man’s ways, and all his paths are well considered. His own iniquities seize the wicked, and he is held fast by the ropes of his own sin (Proverbs
5: 21,22, Berkeley). </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Sinful habits are hard to break, but if they are not broken, they will bind the client ever more tightly. He finds that as sin spirals in a down-ward helix, pulling him along, he is captured and tied up by sin’s ever-tightening cords. He is held fast
by the ropes of his own sin.....</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Sin leads to guilt and depression, sinful handling of sin further complicates matters leading to greater guilt and deeper depression, ad infinitum. In the downward cycling the depression certainly contributes to further failures as it often becomes
the excuse for a faulty handling of the sin itself. But, in contrast to those who would speak of changing the feelings in order to change the behavior, God reverses the order: He declared, "do right" and "there will be a lifting
up of your face." </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Avoiding Depression</div>
<div> Such depressions never need result if the initial problem is met God’s way. Depression is not inevitable, something that simply happens and cannot be avoided. Nor is it ever so far gone that the depression cannot be counteracted. The cycle can
always be reversed at any point by biblical action in the power of the Holy Spirit. The hope for depressed persons, as elsewhere, lies in this: the depression is the result of the counselee’s sin.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>————————————</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>He would have confronted Charles Spurgeon telling him his depression was his own fault due to his sinful handling of things and all he needed to do was repent and do right and everything would be better. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>According to what Adams has written here, one has to conclude that Charles Spurgeon was not doing things "God’s way" or he would not have suffered with depression in the first place. In fact, Adams use of Proverbs 5:21-22 in the Berkeley
translation, would put Spurgeon in the category of the wicked because he sinned by letting depression get a hold of him.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>Jay Adams has ripped those verses out of context and twisted them up to make his point "Biblical". The context is a warning against getting involved with immoral women and cheating on your spouse. It’s talking about infidelity being
a trap. Once you begin to lie to your spouse you have to keep telling lies to cover for the previous lie. It’s like an ever tightening cord or web that tangles you more and more the deeper you get into it. Depression is not the topic
of this passage at all. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>It concerns me that Adams is ripping verses out of context like this. Now I feel like I need to go back and reread everything and look up all his proof texts.</div>
</div>
<div></div>Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-31423607115964065892019-12-23T20:03:00.002-08:002019-12-23T21:05:26.600-08:00Review of "The Christian Counselor's Manual" by Jay E. Adams<div class="p1">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="The Christian Counselor's Manual: The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling (Jay Adams Library)" class="s-image" data-image-index="0" data-image-latency="s-product-image" data-image-load="" data-image-source-density="1" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/819E68bAyxL._AC_UY218_ML3_.jpg" /></div>
<br />
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">I had this as a text book in college when I was too young and inexperienced to understand the ramifications of taking what it taught to its logical end. Due to a situation we had recently, I decided to download "The Christian Counselor's Manual" so I could reread it and understand what happened.</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">I have researched online to see what experiences others have had with this type of counseling and I've found among some good stories a number of horror stories. What I see are otherwise caring, compassionate pastors, who through this training, become like Job's counselors in the counseling session, accusing hurting people of sinning because they are hurting.</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">This type of counsel is only suitable for playground type squabbles. It is not suitable when abuse of any kind is in the picture or where the other party continues to perpetuate the problem. What has become apparent to me in these cases, is the victim who comes for help is shamed, blamed and confronted for sin while the abuser is not dealt with. Indeed, one case I read, an abused wife was sent back to reconcile with her husband and told to be a better wife. The abusive husband was empowered by this and stepped up the abuse to the point she had to flee for her life.</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">It is concerning to me that Adams has simplified counseling down to one neat little doctrinal formula based off a few proof texts:</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">"And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another." -Romans 15:14 </span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">"And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;" -1 Thessalonians 5:12</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1">Confront, concern and change. Gather data. Find sin. Confront with concern for change. Confrontation seems to be the big focus in this book. He uses this word over and over. Why? Because the Greek word for admonish is confront. <b>Therefore all counseling </b></span><b>
<span class="s2">must</span></b><span class="s1"><b> include confrontation and change.</b> This is why every counselee, regardless of whether or not they are guilty of anything with regards to the issue they seek counsel for, will be confronted and told they have sinned and need to change. So the abused spouse, even though she has done everything within her power to please her husband, will be confronted and told she needs to change simply because she is the one who came for counseling. All you have to do is read the one and two star reviews on Jay Adams books on Amazon to see this pattern borne out. Here is a link to read about two terrible counseling cases: <a href="https://www.heresthejoy.com/2017/09/heres-an-abuse-survivors-plea-about-nouthetic-biblical-counseling/" target="_blank">https://www.heresthejoy.com/2017/09/heres-an-abuse-survivors-plea-about-nouthetic-biblical-counseling/</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1">The link above is very important. After you finish reading this post I encourage you to jump over to that link and read the entire post all the way to the end. All of it is very important. Also visit all the links there and read those as well. You will get a view of Nouthetic Counseling from the point of view of one who was abused. It illustrates the fact that these counselors simply are not equipped to counsel people who have been abused. Jay Adams does a huge disservice to both pastors/counselors who think his methods are all that one needs to take on these types of issues. </span></span><a href="https://www.heresthejoy.com/2017/09/heres-an-abuse-survivors-plea-about-nouthetic-biblical-counseling/" target="_blank">
</a></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.heresthejoy.com/2017/09/heres-an-abuse-survivors-plea-about-nouthetic-biblical-counseling/" target="_blank"> </a><br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">My other concern is how skillfully Adams has turned his doctrine of counseling into the only right way to do counseling. In essential doctrines there must be unity. In non-essentials we are to have charity. Adams has taken his brand of counseling and turned it into an essential doctrine. Indeed, <b>he calls it Biblical Counseling or doing it God’s Way, which makes it difficult for anyone to argue with it, unless you want to be viewed as a heretic. </b>His book completely trashes anything to do with any other methods of counseling, effectively denying any common grace among other methods. However, he gives lip service to the idea of common grace, but he denies it in practical application. This is but one example of gas-lighting in his book. </span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1">He has made his own counseling cult. Indeed, his book claims <b>those who are trained by him undergo a </b></span><b><span class="s3">radical personality change</span>
</b><span class="s1"><b>so that those who otherwise would not be confrontational with others become so.</b> Yet, he says, "</span><span class="s3">Human personality is not violated</span><span class="s1"> by the program and plan of God. God makes resources beyond the counselee available in His Word by His Spirit through the various channels of grace (help.)." <b>How is a radical personality change not a violation of a person’s personality? </b>Yet again, another example of gas-lighting. Our son went through a radical personality change at the hands of someone we thought we could trust who turned out to be a liar with bad intentions. He altered our son’s personality to reject us and to believe if he was to be a Biblical man he had to be willing to kill. He was brainwashed! I think Pastors and others who take Jay Adams training are brainwashed. Why else would an otherwise caring and compassionate person outside the counseling room, turn into a confrontational person, like Job’s counselors, inside the counseling room.</span></span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1">On the issue of mental illness, Jay Adams says, "The field is growing. Certainly an understanding of the influence of bodily chemistry upon behavior and emotions is only beginning. </span>
<span class="s3">For instance, recent study indicates that those pathological problems that result from toxic chemical impact upon perception and, consequently, upon personality are probably greater in number than presently is known.</span><span class="s1">" </span></span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1">Adams admits here that there are mental health issues that spring from organic causes that have yet to be discovered</span><span class="s3">.</span>
<span class="s1"> So how does he propose to distinguish between mental health problems that stem from organic problems and issues that manifest from sin problems? How does the Nouthetic Counselor know which the counselee has?</span>
</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">Just earlier he stated, "I do not wish to argue the point that modern ideas of mental illness are invalid. Many others have made this point with impact. 6 Moreover, I have cited some of this material at length elsewhere. 7 I am concerned here to make but two observations only: (1) the psychiatrist should return to the practice of medicine, which is his only legitimate sphere of activity; (2) the minister should return to the God-given work from which he was ousted (and which, in many instances, too willingly abandoned)." </span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">I happen to know that food sensitivities can cause many problems that look like sin problems. If Nouthetic Counselors and Jay Adams would spend three days in the testing room at the Center for Environmental Medicine their presuppositions about mental illness would be turned their head.</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">When tested to soy, my husband became very angry and he could not control it. When tested to phenol, I became so depressed that I cried like a baby and could not control it. Once neutralized we were fine. It explained many of the problems we had been having. At lower levels, phenol was impacting me with panic attacks in the grocery from the plastic produce bags and headaches from Tupperware (I was a dealer). In lower doses, soy caused depression.</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">Had we gone to Nouthetic Counseling, these reactions would have been classified as sinful. Most people can not get this kind of testing. It’s expensive and the treatment is $200 to $500 a month and insurance won’t pay any more. We were fortunate to be able to get the testing and five years of treatment. It helped immensely, but now, years later my husband badly needs to be retested and get back on treatment but we can not afford it, so he suffers mentally. He has many sensitivities that we can’t figure out. Nouthetic Counselors would confront him for sinning, heaping guilt on him for something that is out of his control.</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">So <b>it is beyond me why Adams admits there are mental health issues whose causes have not even been discovered yet, and still think it’s a good idea to treat every counselee as if their problems are their fault? This is cruel and has the potential to cause far more harm than it’s worth.</b></span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1">How is this verse in practice here? "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, </span><span class="s3">comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men</span>
<span class="s1">." -1 Thessalonians 5:14</span>
</span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">Jay Adams states, "Counseling methodology, as London rightly has said, is "a moral question that is always answered by the therapist in practice." Indeed, it could not be otherwise. <b>What we do to another man and how we do it is tightly bound up with what we believe about that man."</b></span>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;"><span class="s1"></span>
<br />
</span>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1" style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-size: large;">Indeed! So if the counselor already has in his mind the method by which he will deal with the counselee before he/she walks through the door, and that method is Jay Adams method, then <b>it will be assumed this person needs to be confronted for some sin in their life and the data gathering will ensue with that bias in mind. It matters not if that person has been sinned against at no fault of their own, they will be blamed, shamed and confronted. So then the Jay Adams method violates Scripture. "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him. </b>"-Proverbs 18:13</span>
</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-45899165717454950442019-12-09T16:13:00.000-08:002019-12-23T19:48:08.608-08:00Nouthetic Counseling: My Response to Jay Adam's Answers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzznoNvordvqgZWoyRD3rCfgq_Vb1bKZzg3DEejP9tMw-ofXT9Da7SRF_ukNELsq3WEaXk_yK-X38hE7HwCFszNXxynMFGcfFQRD-k1a4WiDUHW-vAtVACW1OPml3bkdNKUha/s1600/counsel.webp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="293" data-original-width="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzznoNvordvqgZWoyRD3rCfgq_Vb1bKZzg3DEejP9tMw-ofXT9Da7SRF_ukNELsq3WEaXk_yK-X38hE7HwCFszNXxynMFGcfFQRD-k1a4WiDUHW-vAtVACW1OPml3bkdNKUha/s1600/counsel.webp" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I took a counseling class 40 years ago in college. Our text book was the one pictured above. I decided</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">to look into Jay Adams' website to review what I had forgotten from 40 years ago. I was too </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">young and inexperienced 40 years ago to realize what this counseling method could do if taken to</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">it's logical end. Now 40 years later, I find horror stories online about the damage this kind of counseling</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">has had especially for those who are in abusive relationships or who have been sexually abused by</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">church leaders or others. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It is my prayer that what I have written here will cause you to do further research before involving </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">yourself in this type of counseling either as a counselor or counselee. It is not appropriate for all </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">counseling situations. What I have presented here</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">is taken from Jay Adam's answers on his website. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> I have seen other quotes from his books elsewhere that</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> have left me scratching my head, however, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">due to space and length I can not cover everything. I'm currently in the process of reading Jay Adams'</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">"The Christian Counselor's Manual". I plan to write another post once I have finished reading it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Nouthetic Counseling is useful for some marriage counseling issues that do not involve abuse, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">interpersonal relationship issues that do not involve abuse, emotional or physical and general </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">situations dealing with Christian living in general. It is poorly suited for those suffering from mental</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">disorders not stemming from organic causes that can be identified. The reason for this is that</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> there are </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">mental illnesses that have causes not yet identified by medical science or that are flatly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> ignored by </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">the conventional medical establishment. These people who fall through the cracks </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">and can not get a </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">definitive diagnosis for their mental problems are considered to be acting out of sinful</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"> impulses. The </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">Biblical Counselor has no way of knowing if the person before him is one</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"> who has fallen through the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">cracks and if they were properly diagnosed there would be a perfectly good</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">reason for their </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">mental trouble. To treat the previous person as </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">being simply acting in sinful ways would </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">heap guilt on a person who is bewildered by their own </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">behavior because they can't control it. But I'm </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">getting ahead of myself here. I will talk more about this </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">later.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From </span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/about-ins/what-is-nouthetic-counseling" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/about-ins/what-is-nouthetic-counseling</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-527c28bb-7fff-2f5c-6c4f-e0bfd8020793" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">By change we mean that counseling is done because there is something in another Christian's</span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> life </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">that fails to meet the biblical requirements and that, therefore, keeps him from honoring God. All </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">counseling—Biblical or otherwise—attempts change. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Only Biblical counselors know what a </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">counselee should become as the result of counseling: he should look more like Christ. He is the </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Standard. Biblical counseling is done by Christians who are convinced that God is able to make</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">changes that are necessary as His Word is ministered in the power of the Spirit. It is their</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> hope to help </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">every interested church develop a nouthetic counseling program that will be a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">blessing to all of the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">members of that congregation. The importance of such counseling in </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">churches is underscored by the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">words of Paul as he described his ministry in Ephesus:</span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-align: left; white-space: pre;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Therefore, be alert, remembering that for three years, night and day, I didn't stop counseling each one </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">of you with tears. (Acts 20:31)”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What about the person who comes for counseling because they have been abused </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">verbally/emotionally by another Christian and they need help resolving the issue because the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">other </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">person refuses to participate in resolving things? </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In practice, what happens is that the person coming for counseling is scrutinized for sin </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(see highlighted quote above) in their life and told they need to change whatever sin the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">counselor </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">says they see in their life. Which is all good and fine if indeed there is something that </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the person </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">needs to change. </span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Later in Jay Adam’s answers, he talks about having both the offender and the person offended in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the </span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">office together to work through their differences. Some times this is not done. The person who</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">comes for help is heaped with all the responsibility and guilt for fixing the problem and the offender is </span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">not dealt with for their part in the relationship breakdown. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From </span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/how-does-nouthetic-counseling-differ-from-other-forms-of-christian-counseling" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/how-does-nouthetic-counseling-differ-from-other-forms-of-christian-coun</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/how-does-nouthetic-counseling-differ-from-other-forms-of-christian-counseling" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">seling</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Truly Christian counseling (Nouthetic Counseling, or that which is in line with Nouthetic </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Counseling, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">but does not use the name) is Bible based from start to finish. See the answer to the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">previous question</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> for more details. What makes the difference, fundamentally, is whether or not a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">system is grounded </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">on the promise that the Bible has all the answers for life and godliness. The </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Bible teaches this in such </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">passages as 2 Peter 1:3 where the promises of God are said to provide just</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> such help. And, in </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">addition, in 2 Timothy 3:17, from three distinct perspectives, Paul says the Scriptures</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> are sufficient for </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">every task an elder is called to do. What makes the difference between those systems</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> that call </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">themselves Christian and truly are, then, is whether it includes extraneous materials as well. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Christian counseling, to warrant the name, must assert (and in actual practice</span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> demonstrate) the </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">sufficiency of the Scriptures for counseling.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Yes, the Scripture is sufficient for life and godliness. However, there are counseling situations that may </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">not be as cut and dried as the counselor may think. Situations where the counselor is sure </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">counselee’s emotional problems are all spiritual when they are not. Much damage can be </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">done to </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">someone whose emotional problems stem from something out of their control such as </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">unknown food </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">or chemical sensitivities. I will get into that later.</span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have read horror stories of sexual abuse by a church leader on a young person in the church and it </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">was not reported to the police because Biblical Counseling was being employed to take care of </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">situation.</span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">In another story I read, the abused and her parents come to the pastor to report sexual abuse on </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">daughter by the youth leader. In Biblical Counseling fashion, the pastor looked for some sin in </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the girl's</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> life that he could confront and he admonished her for her clothing choices. Nothing was </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">done about </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the abuser until years later when as an adult the girl saw his name in the paper in </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">connection with </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">another abuse case and she came forward to report her story.</span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sadly, while the Bible is sufficient for life and godliness when it is used incorrectly or used but the </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">appropriate authorities are not brought in as well, Biblical Counseling does much damage to the </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">counselee.</span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From </span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/what-part-does-faith-play-in-successful-counseling" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/what-part-does-faith-play-in-successful-counseling</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Faith that God's promises are reliable and are valid for us, is absolutely necessary. If a Christian </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">doubts this, then it is clear that he should expect no help.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">A person who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. That person </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">shouldn't suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, because a double-minded person is </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">unstable in all of his ways (James 1:6-8).</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Faith is so essential that without faith it is "impossible to please God" (Hebrews 11:6).</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Now, the important fact to comprehend is that </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Nouthetic counseling, unlike many other forms of </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">counseling, at its foundation, isn't a technique or system.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> In the final analysis, it is a matter of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">calling </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">upon a Person for help. There is nothing mechanical about it. When one is in the proper </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">relationship </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">with God, he may expect Him to bless and answer his prayers. When he is not, he </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">must first become </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">properly related through repentance and faith if he would have God do so.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">God is the believer's heavenly Father. When he believes and obeys Him, he may expect God to </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">answer his prayers according to what is best for him (not always what the believer thinks is best). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">That is the confidence that we have; but "let him ask in faith, without doubting." The reason why </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">many believers fail to receive the help that they desire is two-fold: 1) they fail to ask ("You don't </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">have </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">because you don't ask." James 4:2) and 2) they ask "wrongly-to waste it on [their] pleasures" </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">(James 4:3). These failures both demonstrate a lack of biblical faith! So, let a counselor and his</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> counselee both come to counseling full of faith. Faith leads to hope, hope leads to endurance, and </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">endurance leads to the changes that God desires.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But it is a technique and a system. Certain steps must be followed…”Nouthetic counseling is </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">counseling that involves face to face confrontation by one person to another, out of loving concern for </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">him, in order to bring about the changes God desires in his life. That in a nutshell, is what </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Nouthetic </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">counseling is all about.” </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Confrontation, Concern and Change. This is the technique and </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">system. Confrontation: find </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">something </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">wrong with the counselee and confront them. Concern:</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> couch the confrontation in concern for the</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> counselee. Change: expect the counselee to change/take a</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">certain action. This is the system and there are techniques spelled out in the book on how to knock down</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">objections that the counselee might have. </span><span style="color: #4a86e8;"><span style="font-family: "arial";"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">It is interesting in The Christian Counselor's Manual, there is a whole chapter dedicated to technique. </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Simply put, there has to be a framework for counseling...a pattern that is generally followed or nothing</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">will get accomplished. For Adams to insist it is not a technique or a system is denying the obvious. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">In Christian counseling, there is the dimension of prayer and relying on the Holy Spirit to lead and guide. </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Adams is correct in this. Ideally that should take the counseling sessions in the right direction, however, </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">counselors are not perfect and they make mistakes. They can make wrong assumptions about the </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">counselee or the problem that they have come to get help with. They must listen carefully to what the </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">counselee is saying and not make wrong assumptions. This where the counseling sessions will fall apart. </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> But since Adams has conditioned the success of the counseling on both the counselor and the counselee</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">having faith that God will work, if the counseling fails to produce the changes the counselor decided </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">needed to be made, it's easy to brush it off and chalk it up that the counselee didn't have enough faith </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">to follow through with the changes the counselor expected. In reality it could be that the counselor's </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">wrong assumptions are confusing the issue and he is telling the counselee to take action or make </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">changes that aren't making sense to the counselee and that is why it's not having a good outcome.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From: </span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/under-whose-auspices-should-counseling-be-done" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/under-whose-auspices-should-counseling-be-done</span></a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“It follows that if </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">those who do counseling as a life calling are the elders of the church, and they </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">are </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">ordained to their office by the church, Christians ought to do counseling under the auspices of the </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">church.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> Christians ought not to do counseling under other auspices since there is no rightful authority</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> to do so. However, there are many who have arrogated to themselves the "right" to counsel apart </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">from the church. It is precisely from this biblically lawless situation that much of the confusion</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> about </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">counseling among Christians stems.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">No room for women to counsel other women who might have issues of a sensitive nature and </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">don’t </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">feel comfortable talking to a man.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">If a Biblical Counseling pastor is going to be consistent with Jay Adams model, then he should not </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">encourage support of counseling ministries such as Union Gospel Mission and others who work </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">with </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and counsel addiction cases. These are parachurch ministries and counseling is done by </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">people not </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">ordained to their office by the church and women also work as full time counselors </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">there.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/what-if-counselees-are-hesitant-to-talk" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/what-if-counselees-are-hesitant-to-talk</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There are various reasons why people are hesitant to divulge data. Some have to do with </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">mistrust.</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">"What will the counselor do with this information?" they ask themselves. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">They wonder </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">whether it will </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">soon find its place in a sermon as an illustration or whether it will come back to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">haunt them</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> as a piece</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> of gossip spread around the congregation. Every counselor must keep </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">information</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> as private as the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Bible requires.* When people have had a bad experience of this sort</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> in </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the past you must reassure</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> them that it will not happen again.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">I am familiar with a case where a family member sent a letter to the Biblical Counselor concerning another </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">family member</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">. It was stated in the letter that it should be kept confidential. It was </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">not. The counselee was told about</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> it. This sort of thing breeds distrust in the Biblical Counselor.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/can-you-help-me-distinguish-between-a-person-with-a-nervous-breakdown-and-someone-who-is-depressed" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/can-you-help-me-distinguish-between-a-person-with-a-nervous-</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/can-you-help-me-distinguish-between-a-person-with-a-nervous-breakdown-and-someone-who-is-depressed" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">breakdown-and-someone-who-is-depressed</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Depression usually comes from handling a "down" period wrongly. By slacking off when one feels </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">down, he allows responsibilities to slide and pile up. That, in turn, makes him feel worse. But, if he </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">continues to give in to his feelings even more will pile up, which leads to worse feelings, and so on </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">ad infinitum. He follows his feelings rather than meets his responsibilities. To help him, call on him to</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> act responsibly---regardless of how he feels. The more a depressed person acts in accordance with</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> his feelings instead of assuming his responsibilities, the worse he feels. The sooner he begins to act </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">responsibly, regardless of his feelings, the sooner his depression will lift.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This might be good advice for someone who is capable of assuming his responsibilities but </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">chooses </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">not to because he/she just doesn’t feel like doing it. However, this advice doesn’t work too well </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">if one </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">is incapable of fulfilling their responsibilities due to physical impairment or for the one that is</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">experiencing depression as a result of multiple sensitivities to food, chemicals or molds in </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">environment. Overwhelm sets in as things slide due to not being able to do the work because</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> they </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">can’t physically do it. So what kind of counsel is given this person? See my comments later on </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">sensitivities.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/can-you-help-me-distinguish-between-a-person-with-a-nervous-breakdown-and-someone-who-is-depressed" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/can-you-help-me-distinguish-between-a-person-with-a-nervous-</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/can-you-help-me-distinguish-between-a-person-with-a-nervous-breakdown-and-someone-who-is-depressed" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">breakdown-and-someone-who-is-depressed</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“People with "nervous breakdowns," on the contrary, are anxious to do something, but perplexed </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">about what to do. That is because they have run out of resources. They have painted themselves</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> into a corner and don't know how to get out of it. If they ran from problems eventually there is no </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">place to run. If they lied their way out of difficulties, and people stopped believing their lies, they</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> found themselves up a creek without a paddle. In other words, their "tried and true" patterns have</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> broken down (certainly not their nerves!)* Sinful patterns eventually let people down. But because </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">they don't know what to do instead, they cease functioning.</span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">People with "nervous breakdowns" are ready to listen to alternative ways of dealing with life's </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">problems. There is great opportunity to help them make radical changes for good. However, you</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> must </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">be sure that you are not merely providing them alternatives. Rather, they must acknowledge the</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> sin of</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> their previous ways, repent of it and adopt God's ways out of a genuine desire to please Him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">There is </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">danger that they will grasp for what you offer as an expedient when faced with a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">difficult situation. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Warn against this and take the time to instruct them thoroughly. They must make </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">lifelong changes; not </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">changes to meet some portending problem.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Some of this may be true for some people, but it is an over-generalization. There are people on the</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> autism spectrum, for instance, who when overwhelmed by various stimuli, whether it be noise, lights,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> too much information at once, stress...they shut down. Their nervous system doesn’t work right and </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">they are in constant fight or flight mode. This is not simply sinful behavior. They have a real</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> struggle </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">with these things and they are doing the best they can with what they have been given to work</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> with. </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> ( do some study on the vagus nerve to understand this better) To confront them and </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">tell them they are </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">sinning because they retreat and shut down is to add insult to injury and does </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">them great damage.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/but-what-about-schizophrenia-should-i-attempt-to-help-schizophrenics" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/but-what-about-schizophrenia-should-i-attempt-to-help-schizophrenics</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Bizarre behavior may result from widely differing causes.* It could arise from a brain tumor (an </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">organic cause), sleep deprivation (significant sleep loss over 2-4 days),** hallucinogenic </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">substances </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">(intentionally or unintentionally ingested), strange thinking (out of kilter with others),</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> fear (for instance, </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">when a drug pusher constantly "looks over his shoulder" to see if someone is </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">following), camouflaging</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> (to avoid detection of some wrong by throwing people off the track) and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> so on. Having checked out </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the organic possibilities and found no reason to refer a counselee to a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">physician, counsel him.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Don't accept the claim that a person is "out of touch with reality" unless some organic cause for </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">"catatonic" behavior has been detected. Counsel the individual as if he is in touch with reality. If </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">what </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">you say is threatening enough,*** he will respond. Try to learn what it is he is attempting to avoid. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Investigate each case to discover what is behind it, and counsel accordingly.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">*** </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For instance, "If you will not talk or take care of your personal needs, we will have to leave you</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> here to soil your underwear and deficate in your clothing."</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am appalled by what is said here. I happen to be friends with a Christian lady who is </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">schizophrenic. </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">She tells me if she does not take her medicine she begins hearing voices in her </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">head. Obviously, the </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">medication is helping her to think more clearly. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The idea of using threats with a counselee is appalling and on a basic level not Biblical. The Bible</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> teaches us to be gentle with the weak, and to be kind. Where is the Biblical warrant to use threats</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> in counseling? </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/should-i-counsel-couples-individually-or-together" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/should-i-counsel-couples-individually-or-together</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Whether we are speaking about married couples or any other individuals who are having </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">difficulties </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">with one another, it is always proper to deal with everyone together. Why is that? For </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">several reasons, </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">all of which are biblical.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">First, you should not speak about another behind his back. James 4:11, instructs us, "Brothers, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">don't </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">speak against one another; whoever speaks against his brother or judges his brother speaks </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">against</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> the law and judges the law." How is that? The Old Testament in many places forbids </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">gossip, slander </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">and the like. If one disregards the law in this manner by engaging in these things,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> in effect, he </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">declares the law unimportant, wrong, or something of the sort. He "speaks against </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the law and judges</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> the law!"</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Now, not only does the Bible forbid tale bearing and slander, Proverbs 18:17 shows how foolish it </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">is to</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> do counsel one party alone. If you counsel with one, the other is not there to respond to what he </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">says</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> and give his view of the matter. Proverbs warns that when the first speaks he can seem </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">most </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">convincing until the second comes to examine him. Why would a counselor wish to counsel when </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">another was not present to supplement, alter or otherwise change his perception of the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">events by </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">giving his interpretation? It makes no sense to listen to two biased or distorted stories,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> and then try </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">gleaning the truth from these two widely differing accounts.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">When both parties are present, commitments made by one or both are known to all. Otherwise,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">one not present may fail to learn about them or only receive a distorted report. And if one or </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">the other </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">person seeks forgiveness, etc.and the other is on the scene to grant it.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There is every reason, then, to invite all invite all who are involved in a problem to be present at </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">every </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">session. It is foolish not to do so.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I am familiar with a case where the counselee was verbally/emotionally abused by another in the</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> church and this person was struggling to deal with it. The counselor never brought the other party in</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> to mediate a discussion between the two to help resolve the issues. Rather, all attention was placed</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> on the one who came for counseling and what they did wrong. The offender’s wrongdoing was</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> ignored.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/how-about-healing-of-memories-should-we-participate-in-this-sort-of-thing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/how-about-healing-of-memories-should-we-participate-in-this-sort-of-</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/how-about-healing-of-memories-should-we-participate-in-this-sort-of-thing" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">thing</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“Nouthetic counselors think that these approaches are unsound because they are unbiblical. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Moreover, they assume that the counselee's emotions are "damaged" or that his memories need</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> "healing." There is no reason to think that either of these suppositions is true. Emotions are working</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> just fine when a counselee is having unpleasant past memories (otherwise he would not feel so bad).</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> And memories simply don't get sick; the idea is preposterous -- even as a metaphor.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What is actually happening is that non-biblical methods of dealing with painful past incidents are </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">being substituted for biblical ones. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Confronting persons who have wronged you, forgiving them upon </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">repentance, and putting away all bitterness and anger are God's ways of dealing with </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">unpleasant</span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> memories. These biblical approaches are not always pleasant; in certain cases they </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">may even </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">involve bringing charges leading to church discipline. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But they are the Scriptural ways to </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">handle </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">past </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> wrongs. Visualization experiences or expecting healing miracles from Jesus Christ </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">upon the asking </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">are ways never set forth in the Bible. Can you imagine the apostles using them? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Advising </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Titus or </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Timothy to do so? Of course not. Then neither should we do so.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So the expectation is that unpleasant memories magically disappear if a person has forgiven the </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">wrongdoer. Therefore, if the unpleasant memories persist, then it is assumed the counselee has </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">not </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">really forgiven the offender and is in sin.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Some wounds take longer to heal. Forgiveness can be granted, but unpleasant memories are still</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> going to pop up depending on the severity of the wound and the things that trigger them. To blame</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> the counselee and tell them they must not have really forgiven the person because unpleasant</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> memories resurface only piles false guilt on top of what they are dealing with and to tell them to</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> ignore the unpleasant memories adds confusion if the unpleasant memories are believed to be a</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> signal of unforgiveness.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/can-nouthetic-counselors-deal-with-mental-illness" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/can-nouthetic-counselors-deal-with-mental-illness</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">You need to understand that apart from injuries, tumors, and other brain problems, there is no </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">such </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">thing as mental illness. </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Those who use this terminology—unless they are speaking </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">metaphorically</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">—are using words inaccurately. All true "illness" is organic. Yet, these people, by adopting </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">medical </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">terminology, cloud the issue. How could a non-organic entity (whatever it may be) cause a </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">non-organic illness? The very idea is preposterous. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It is the body that becomes ill. Don't be </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">deceived </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">by medical terminology used to describe a non-medical problem.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Such problems are, in reality, problems in living. Advocates of "mental illness" have all sorts of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">names </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">for such problems that describe effects, not causes (etiology). Ask them if there is a bodily test </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">that </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">has determined that there is a true bodily illness, and they will be stumped.*</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Christian counselors deal with all problems in living. These problems have to do with loving God </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> one's neighbor. They are solved by dealing with thinking, attitudes and the behaviors that </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">result from </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">them. When these are unbiblical, they need to be changed by the Spirit working </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">through His Word as</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> it is ministered prayerfully. Don't be deceived by terminology, and don't allow </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">anyone to medicate you</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> for anything other than a true illness. Otherwise, the medication may </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">mask the real problem and lead </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">to a life of dependency upon it. Be sure that there is a medical </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">reason—nothing less—for calling </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">something an illness, some problem affecting the tissue in the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">body, not merely attitudes and thinking.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> The brain is where thoughts and emotions </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">originate. Medical science has even been able to </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">separate </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">out the sections of the brain that do these </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">things and many more. For instance, the</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> frontal lobe is where</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> executive functions and emotions take </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">place. It matures earlier in girls and</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> around 25 in boys. That’s why auto </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">insurance is higher for boys</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> than girls, because driving a car</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> takes executive function and they </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">have more accidents than girls </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">due to slowed executive </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">function. </span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_73pSipf7-X9vIUxpYhurP-9W9wCbFsvrfCAkFUWXdMa-j56Dt68q-jD1L_nJt585Dpbp3Fp12qBKy7Vwnur_Q0mdwxNAHyqvYtD723DP2xKFi6PJzBzjbLq2cylHF2vH6WT/s1600/brain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="511" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU_73pSipf7-X9vIUxpYhurP-9W9wCbFsvrfCAkFUWXdMa-j56Dt68q-jD1L_nJt585Dpbp3Fp12qBKy7Vwnur_Q0mdwxNAHyqvYtD723DP2xKFi6PJzBzjbLq2cylHF2vH6WT/s320/brain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There are so many things that can go wrong in the brain. They don’t even know half the stuff that</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> can </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">go wrong in the brain that might affect a person mentally. To say if there isn’t a medical test </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">for mental </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">illness means it doesn’t exist is to ignore the fact that medical science simply may not </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">have developed </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">a test yet. It is cruel to tell a person their problem is all their sinful fault when it </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">may not be.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I for one, know for a fact that there are people with mental health issues due to food and</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> environmental chemical sensitivity, who are not getting the help they need because it's</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> expensive and</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">insurance won’t pay</span></div>
</div>
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;">
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Mainstream medical doctors refuse to recognize it.</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">There are very few doctors who will test for it</span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="background-color: transparent; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Because of the above, few people are aware of it.</span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial";"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<ol style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0;">
</ol>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I have experienced this type of testing and my husband and I were treated for five years for </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">sensitivities. It was tremendously helpful until our insurance blew us off and we could no longer </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">afford the treatment.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">I was having panic attacks in the grocery store, severe headaches at Tupperware rallies, general brain</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> fog, lack of concentration and lack of energy.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My husband was having huge issues with depression, suicidal thoughts, brain fog, anger, lack of </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">energy etc. Oh, and we were infertile.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">We were referred to the Center for Environmental Medicine by missionary friends of ours. Their</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> daughter had extreme mood changes. She could be fine one minute and the next mouthing off and</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> angry. </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">It was found that she had multiple food and chemical sensitivities. Once treatment was </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">started it was</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> a night and day change for her.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">My husband and I were tested and found to have multiple food and chemical sensitivities that </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">caused </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">our reactions too.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sadly, we can’t afford the treatment anymore and the doctor is 8 hours' drive from us now. Five </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">years </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">of treatment helped me a lot. We were able to have children three years after beginning </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">treatment.</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">The dr predicted that. Building codes have mandated safer materials, so I am able to </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">tolerate new </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">buildings better. I use outgassed Tupperware and glass in my kitchen and always </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">shop areas of </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">grocery stores that require plastic bags last. I spend as little time shopping in </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">physical stores as I can.</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> By lessening my chemical load, I can tolerate most of the foods I tested </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">sensitive too.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Rick, on the other hand, has suffered a lot as a result of not being able to afford treatment. He has </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">struggled with sensitivities to almost everything he eats and a majority of his reactions hit him in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">the </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">head.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For Biblical Counselors to say there is no such thing as mental illness and that a person is just in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">sinB</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">by wrong thinking is extremely presumptuous and cruel. They may be dealing with someone like</span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> I </span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">described above. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Just because conventional medical doctors can’t find the organic problem for someone’s mental</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> problems doesn’t automatically mean the person has a sinful, wrong thinking pattern. Food and </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">environmental sensitivity may be wreaking havoc on them. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><u> If Biblical Counselors could spend three days sitting in the testing room of the Center for Environmental Medicine, I guarantee it would upend the presuppositions they have about mental illness.</u></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There is no absolute way for a Biblical Counselor to know if the person before him is dealing with an</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> organic/food/chemical/environmental problem causing mental issues. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Medical science doesn’t have a test for everything and new discoveries are being made every day, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">while there are tests for food/chemical/environmental sensitivity, mainstream doctors won’t </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">recognize</span><span style="color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> it and insurance companies won’t pay for it. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So there is a huge swath of people who present with undiagnosed causes for their mental health</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> issues and Biblical Counselors assume sin is the issue, heaping guilt on a bewildered counselee that</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> doesn’t understand why, no matter how hard they try, they feel and react the way they do.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From: </span><a href="http://www.nouthetic.org/you-talk-about-nothing-else-but-sin" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">http://www.nouthetic.org/you-talk-about-nothing-else-but-sin</span></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">But not all of an individual counselee’s problems may be traced to some specific sin in his life. It may</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> be that he has been injured by others, misled, and so on. While he bears responsibility for how he</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> handles wrongdoing toward himself, nevertheless, he is certainly not responsible for everything that</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> occurs.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">And yet, in the case I am familiar with, this is exactly what happened to the counselee...everything </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">was made out to be his fault and the offenders were largely ignored in the equation.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">From:</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“</span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">There are, of course, many organically-caused problems. Our counselors regularly refer counselees</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> to physicians whenever they suspect that something organic may be behind their behavior. They do</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> not want to miss a brain tumor, an aneurysm, or anything else that might require medical treatment.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> While Nouthetic counselors refuse to diagnose, since we are not trained to do medical work, </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">whenever we suspect that something more than heart-motivated behavior is operating, we will send</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: yellow; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> counselees to a physician for a medical checkup.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For some time the problem of when to refer to a physician was a serious difficulty. There were no </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">guidelines. Now, since the recent publication of The Christian Counselor’s Medical Desk </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Reference,</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> by Bob Smith, MD, we have a helpful guide to enable us to make much better </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">judgments about the</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> matter. This book, written and published under Nouthetic counseling </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">auspices, meets a real need. </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">It alone cannot make the determination as to whether or not to refer a </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">counselee to a physician, but</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> it helps counselors to become aware of the signs and symptoms that may</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> indicate the presence of </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">a physical illness. The very fact that this publication was produced within </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Nouthetic circles gives the</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> lie to the charge that we do not believe in medicine to treat truly organic </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">problems.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What we do deplore is the use of medicine to deal with problems that have no organic cause. We are </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">adverse to masking those difficulties with medicine. For instance, if one’s conscience is </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">troubling him </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">by triggering unpleasant feelings, we think that the solution to the problem is not </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">found in drugs but in</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">dealing with whatever it is that activated the conscience in the first place. In </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">such cases the counselor</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> deals with sin, not with the feelings. That is the bottom line. For help on</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> so-called “chemical</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;"> imbalances,” for instance, see The Christian Counselor’s Medical Desk </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">Reference.”</span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #4a86e8; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">See my response above on mental illness.</span></div>
</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-68204353106999508072019-11-22T14:20:00.000-08:002020-01-23T17:05:13.532-08:00Is It Sinful to Love Ourselves?<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 9px;">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aMZnW-2Qfz1xP8aso0MLP4Xn2zb2sdHoXKxnVTyqzrg3SMCU3kjcpXYYgImsQymp_p_6UD8WlC4MSTaWkxaLbNuUFC21jqb7pmJdgEKpG5J3CdTo-NGgv0AFLm8fdssoxlHn/s1600/74663CFE-F2C8-4401-9ACD-CB62075934BE.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0aMZnW-2Qfz1xP8aso0MLP4Xn2zb2sdHoXKxnVTyqzrg3SMCU3kjcpXYYgImsQymp_p_6UD8WlC4MSTaWkxaLbNuUFC21jqb7pmJdgEKpG5J3CdTo-NGgv0AFLm8fdssoxlHn/s320/74663CFE-F2C8-4401-9ACD-CB62075934BE.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 9px; text-align: center;">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 8px; margin-top: 9px;">
<span class="s1">Most of what John McArthur says here is correct. However, I take issue with his blanket statement that self love is a sin. He proof texts his statement with the following verse.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">“For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">2 Timothy 3:2 ESV</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">The entire sentence is </span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">If you read the whole list you’ll find that all of these descriptions relate to someone who has an inflated ego and is very selfish. Yes, I would agree that this type of self love is sin. However, since he only gave a reference and did not qualify what he meant by self love, it would be easy for one to read that and conclude that all love for oneself is sinful, given the fact that many people will not take the time to look up the Bible verse referenced, much less read the larger context.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">McArthur rightly says we are to seek to meet the physical and spiritual well being of our neighbor with the same intensity and concern as one does naturally for oneself. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In other words, love your neighbor as yourself. </span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">McArthur assumes that loving oneself comes naturally. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>For most people this is true. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But there are people in our world who have trouble loving themselves for a variety of reasons and it shows not only in how they treat themselves but also in how they treat others.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Too often in Reformed and other Christian circles loving oneself is taught as being evil and sinful. Therefore people in these congregations are never taught what the Bible says in this area. As a result we have many depressed individuals who have grown up being taught only that they are depraved, wicked and that they should be self loathing. I believe there is a healthy Biblical self love, but it isn’t usually taught. </span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Jesus stated in Matthew 22: 37-40 the greatest commandment in the Bible is: “‘ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">If you believe you are a worthless individual that is not capable of doing anything right and have nothing of value to offer others, it is going to come out in your relationship with other people. So it makes sense to me that we must have a healthy, Biblical love toward ourselves if we expect to treat our neighbors rightly.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">The passage below, in context, refers to the role church leaders have in equipping us for unity and knowledge of God. Why?</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Ephesians 4:15 “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Ephesians 4:14-15 ESV</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">“Speaking the truth in love”. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>We are to speak the truth in love to each other but also to ourselves. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>If we are constantly tearing ourselves down by the way we talk to ourselves, this is not good and those bad attitudes about ourselves will eventually spill over on others.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Romans 12:3 “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Romans 12:3 ESV</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Notice, this verse is not saying we should put ourselves down and talk poorly about ourselves. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It says in essence be sober about your estimation of yourself. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Don’t inflate your ego, but be realistic about your gifts and abilities. And the converse, goes without saying, a sober judgement of yourself doesn’t beat yourself up and consider yourself as worthless either. Respect who you are in Christ.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Acts 20:28 “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">These were instructions from Paul to the overseers of the church. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Notice he makes a point to tell these men to pay attention to themselves AND all the flock. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I think there is a lesson here for all of us.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">There is an instruction given preflight about oxygen masks. They always say to put your own mask on first and then help those around you with theirs. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I believe this instruction is similar. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Take care of yourself first and then take care of others. If you don’t care for yourself you won’t be able to be any help to others. Love your neighbor as yourself.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Philippians 2:4 “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">This gives us the balance between <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>loving ourselves and loving our neighbor. The passage above says “look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. We are to do both. One who doesn’t take care of him or herself will eventually burn out and not be any help to anyone else. </span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Psalm 139 tells us what God thinks about us. “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Psalms 139:1-5, 13-17 ESV</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">We are fearfully and wonderfully made. God doesn’t make junk and we shouldn’t treat ourselves like junk or think of ourselves as junk.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Proverbs 19:8 “He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.”</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Do you seek wisdom? If you do then you love your own soul.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Something that I have noticed in Reformed teaching is a huge emphasis on the depravity of man and self loathing and very little teaching on who we are in Christ and how that relates to how we should think of ourselves and how we can live that out daily in our lives. This is not to say the depravity of man should not be taught. We need to remember that without the grace of God and Christ’s atoning work on the cross none of us can be saved from God’s wrath against us. And we also need to remember that all our righteousness is as filthy rags in light of God’s righteousness. But I’m saying that people also need the balance of knowing who they are in Christ and how to think and treat themselves Biblically.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1">Loving ourselves in the way the Bible prescribes is not sin. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It is wisdom and it honors God who made us and helps us to have the ability to love others better.</span></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-size: 23px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 27.4px;">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-51945409534364294412019-10-14T16:40:00.002-07:002019-11-03T15:05:26.704-08:00Overcoming Emotional Abuse: Lessons from Scripture<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
It is my hope as I read Scripture, to find and share bits of encouragement that will help those who have been emotionally abused. These are not meant to be cure all posts, but rather encouraging help in addition to outside counsel.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Read Psalm 109:
<br />
<div>
<div>
"Do not keep silent, O God of my praise! For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful Have opened against me; They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, And fought against me without
a cause. In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Set a wicked man over him, And let an accuser stand at his right hand. When he is judged, let him be found guilty, And let his prayer become sin. Let his days be few, And let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, And his wife a
widow. Let his children continually be vagabonds, and beg; Let them seek their bread also from their desolate places. Let the creditor seize all that he has, And let strangers plunder his labor. Let there be none to extend mercy to him, Nor let
there be any to favor his fatherless children. Let his posterity be cut off, And in the generation following let their name be blotted out. Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, And let not the sin of his mother be blotted
out. Let them be continually before the LORD, That He may cut off the memory of them from the earth; Because he did not remember to show mercy, But persecuted the poor and needy man, That he might even slay the broken in heart. As he loved cursing,
so let it come to him; As he did not delight in blessing, so let it be far from him. As he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment, So let it enter his body like water, And like oil into his bones. Let it be to him like the garment which
covers him, And for a belt with which he girds himself continually. Let this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, And to those who speak evil against my person. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
But You, O GOD the Lord, Deal with me for Your name’s sake; Because Your mercy is good, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, And my heart is wounded within me. I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust. My knees are
weak through fasting, And my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness. I also have become a reproach to them; When they look at me, they shake their heads. Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy, That they may know that this is
Your hand— That You, LORD, have done it! Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, let them be ashamed, But let Your servant rejoice. Let my accusers be clothed with shame, And let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a
mantle.
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude. For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, To save him from those who condemn him."</div>
<div>
Psalms 109:1-31 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
The Psalmist has been emotionally abused. The first paragraph lists his complaint. He brings his complaint to God and does not suffer in silence. He pours out his heart to Him.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The next paragraph is the ruminations of one who has been abused. The Psamist is not shamed for having sinned because his attitude is bad toward his abusers. Scripture is brutally honest in recording the thoughts, feelings and emotions of
one who has been abused. It’s okay to have these feelings of anger and even revenge as recorded here. It’s part of being a fallen human. It is what we do with these feelings and thoughts that turn them into sin or not. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The next paragraph the Psalmist puts the whole issue into God’s hands, and pleads for His mercy and deliverance.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Lastly, he does not let the abuser define him and what he will do, nor does he allow the abuser to define his relationship to God. He decides with his will that he will praise the Lord.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Main Lessons in Review</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
1. Do not suffer in silence alone. First of all bring your trouble to God. While not in the text, it goes without saying, that you should seek counsel as well.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2. Do not feel guilty or allow a counselor or anyone to make you feel guilty for being angry for the way you were abused. This is a normal human response to being mistreated. Allow those feelings and emotions to come, but as Scripture says,
""Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,"</div>
<div>
Ephesians 4:26 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When you brew and stew in your anger, when you bring it up in your mind and dwell on and become bitter over the situation, then you have crossed over into sin. Each time it comes back at you and you are tempted to stew over it, hand it back
to God. Remind yourself that when you hang onto the anger, you are only hurting yourself and allowing the abuser rent free space in your head.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
3. Trust God to help you through this. He will give you wisdom to do what needs to be done.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
4. Do not let what the abuser did define who you are or what you do. Praise God for His unfailing love. No matter what the abuser has told you, God loves you and because of Christ you have worth.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Disclaimer: I do not intend these studies to be exhaustive or to be complete solutions to the complex issue of healing from abuse, but rather encouragement and a supplement to other methods of help for this issue. If you are in a physically abusive
situation, do not stay. Get yourself to a safe place.</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-10519547706789175042019-06-26T11:35:00.002-07:002019-06-26T14:06:04.951-07:00I Will Be Labeled a Hater for What is Heavy on My Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/K8a5I0yv0Dw/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K8a5I0yv0Dw?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
It is difficult to articulate what I am thinking on this topic. It’s one of those trigger topics that cause people to go ballistic. But it’s heavy on my heart and I just need to say what is on my heart.
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is a growing trend in the world to experiment with "alternative lifestyles" as some might put it. This would include the whole gamut of LGBTQ+. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Many parents think that homeschooling their children will protect them from these things, but I have found that homeschooling parents cannot protect their children from these things unless they choose to go live in the woods without internet and television.
I have been saddened to see young adults my kids grew up within the homeschool community, transgender themselves, making life-altering changes to their bodies and personalities, some of which can not be undone. And more recently it came to my attention that another of one of our children’s friends who was homeschooled has become gay. My heart sinks when I see these things.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our society has lost its moral bearings. On Facebook when I have attempted to discuss these and other moral issues I have been met with accusations of hate, intolerance, been told to quit referencing an antiquated book and get up to speed
with science and labeled any number of other horrible things. I’ve been told it’s none of my business how these people choose to live and expose themselves in public parades. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Our nation was founded on the principles of moral ethics found in the Bible and that is what made our nation great for so many years. If there are no absolutes in the area of moral behavior, then a nation begins to break down into moral chaos.
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What are some of those moral absolutes?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The Ten Commandments contain some of them that should apply to all of us regardless of our religious beliefs. The commandments that deal with our relation to others are...</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Honor your father and your mother.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You shall not murder.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You shall not commit adultery.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You shall not steal.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You shall not covet.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">These should govern all our lives regardless of our religion and life would be much improved as a result. It would solve the issues of abortion and crimes that take the life of another, disrespect for our elderly, marriage infidelity, crimes against other people and it would cause us all to be more content instead of trying to keep up with the Joneses.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Here are just a few verses that have to deal with gender, that if people who claim to be Christians read and internalized, I don’t see how they could accept the idea of transgenderism or gay marriage.</span>
</div>
<div>
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><a h="ID=SERP,5465.1" href="http://www.biblica.com/en-us/bible/online-bible/niv/genesis/5/" style="text-decoration: none;">Genesis 5:2</a></span>
<span style="bottom: 4.5px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span>He created them <span style="font-weight: 700;">male</span> <span style="font-weight: 700;">and</span> <span style="font-weight: 700;">female</span> and blessed them.
And he named them "Mankind" when they were created.</span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><a h="ID=SERP,5466.1" href="http://www.biblica.com/en-us/bible/online-bible/niv/genesis/1/" style="text-decoration: none;">Genesis 1:27</a></span>
<span style="bottom: 4.5px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">27</span>So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; <span style="font-weight: 700;">male</span> <span style="font-weight: 700;">and</span> <b>female he</b> created them.</span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><a h="ID=SERP,5467.1" href="http://www.biblica.com/en-us/bible/online-bible/niv/galatians/3/" style="text-decoration: none;">Galatians 3:28</a></span>
<span style="bottom: 4.5px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;">28</span>There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there <span style="font-weight: 700;">male</span> <span style="font-weight: 700;">and</span>
<span style="font-weight: 700;">female</span>, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.</span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And then there are Scriptures regarding marriage and the genders to be involved.</span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them <b>male and female</b>,’ and said, ‘For this reason, a <b>man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife,</b> and the two shall become
one flesh’? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.""</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Matthew 19:4-6 NKJV</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
https://www.bible.com/114/mat.19.4-6.nkjv</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The problem is that those who have been raised in the church and that are now joining the LGBTQ+ movement, either through a lack of solid teaching and Bible study or simply a rejection of what the Bible has to say in favor of what society has to say, have rejected the moral code in Scripture and replaced it with their own or that of society. It happened in Bible times. This is seen in passages in the Bible where it says the following:</span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"In those days there was no king in Israel; <b>everyone did what was right in his own eyes."</b>
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Judges 17:6 NKJV</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
https://www.bible.com/114/jdg.17.6.nkjv</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
God often gave the people up to their own devices to let them bear the consequences of their own choices. I am sure at first they thought everything was fine since God is longsuffering and patient. But it never turned out good in the end for
them. Sodom and Gomorrah are examples. The great flood of Noah’s time is another example.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
I know I will be accused of all sorts of ugly things for writing this. I want you to know I am not writing this out of hate. I am writing it out of sadness as I see people who my kids care about throwing God’s absolute moral code out the
window in favor of whatever seems right in their eyes for the moment. I’m not trying to throw water on their celebration or ruin their life. I just see artificial happiness being created that one day will come crashing down on
them, whether in this life or at the final judgment, where they will look back and regret what they have done.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death."</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Proverbs 14:12 NKJV</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
https://www.bible.com/114/pro.14.12.nkjv</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"For the wages of sin is death, but <b>the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord</b>."</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Romans 6:23 NKJV</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
https://www.bible.com/114/rom.6.23.nkjv</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
"<b>For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved</b>.""</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Romans 10:13 NKJV</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
https://www.bible.com/114/rom.10.13.nkjv</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
True joy comes from a true relationship with Jesus Christ and will result in a life that wants to please Him.</div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
</div>
</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-53011404282341652272019-02-14T16:21:00.001-08:002019-02-14T16:21:28.365-08:00Depression and Other Mental Health Issues<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCJbugkzo6GK2C3thinic49PjzVp3KQA5lTd-j9Wr8hHAhFfLUg4nirgwVs6FFnNUinb8eLMlwCnDRwUgPHxvJzhmMu9ODpNNeWHFyDwUQezT83zA7qzp7Dj7dUuVaKR-h1Xb/s1600/72ED4C58-6676-4435-9022-666DB9CFE4C7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="1600" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRCJbugkzo6GK2C3thinic49PjzVp3KQA5lTd-j9Wr8hHAhFfLUg4nirgwVs6FFnNUinb8eLMlwCnDRwUgPHxvJzhmMu9ODpNNeWHFyDwUQezT83zA7qzp7Dj7dUuVaKR-h1Xb/s640/72ED4C58-6676-4435-9022-666DB9CFE4C7.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
The above is a quote from a book on Biblical Counseling. I do not have the actual book, only photocopies, but I believe the book title was Good Mood Bad Mood by Charles D. Hodges, M.D. I could be wrong on that, however.<br />
<br />
The premise of the book is that there are no tests to diagnose mental illnesses such as depression and that all the literature that says it is a result of chemical imbalances use terms such as "believed to be", "may be", "appears to be" etc. (Similar to the weasel words you see in fake news!) Therefore, the depressed person really doesn't have a physical issue but behavior and spiritual issues that if taught properly how to apply Biblical principles can be handled without medication. Now the book is not telling people to go get off their medications, nor is it telling the Biblical counselor to encourage them to drop their meds. But if the person is making progress with applying Biblical principle to their life, and they feel like they can get off their medications, then they are to do it with the supervision of their medical doctor.<br />
<br />
The book does mention that some depression issues can be brought on by medical problems such as thyroid problems for example and once that is corrected the depression is corrected. So a person suffering from depression not brought on by outside circumstances needs to be evaluated for medical problems that might have brought on the depression. This is where, in my opinion, things fall apart for many people. I'll explain below.<br />
<br />
The conventional medical practitioners of today seem to be bound by the FDA, insurance companies, the CDC and the drug companies. If a test is not accepted as common practice, then that test is not done. If a particular diagnosis is not common practice, then that diagnosis is not given or even considered and may be scorned. If a patient falls into this area, they are told it's all in their head. This is a disservice to many people who are needlessly suffering mental problems and depression for no fault of their own. <br />
<br />
This is where Biblical Counseling, while still appropriate, assumes that because the person has no diagnosed medical problem, then they are failing to apply Biblical principles to their life and thus remain depressed. It is most frustrating to the Christian person who can not get a correct diagnosis because of the failure of conventional medicine. They are left with persistent problems of depression or other mental problems and made to feel it is their fault when it is not.<br />
<br />
Let me explain what I am talking about. There is a branch of medicine that is not accepted by conventional medical practice that is called <a href="https://www.aaemonline.org/" target="_blank">Environmental Medicine</a>. This branch of medicine deals with environmental causes for physical illness, mental problems, depression etc. These triggers can be chemicals, molds, foods, food additives etc. Any of these things can cause persistent depression or mental problems along with a host of physical problems.<br />
<br />
There are very few of these doctors around the United States, but Rick and I were able to be patients of one 30 years ago and were treated for a number of food and chemical sensitivities for a period of five years. Unfortunately, due to the cost of treatment and the fact that our insurance would not pay for it, we had to discontinue treatment. We also ended up moving out of the area where the doctor was located, making it an 8 hr drive if we wanted to go back to him. It has been detrimental to Rick's mental and physical health that we could not continue treatment.<br />
<br />
I will describe some of the testing and how it works. It is called provocation/neutralization. A minute amount of a suspected offending agent is injected under the skin. The wheal is measured and the patient waits ten minutes, writing down any symptoms and how they feel. Then the dose is neutralized by either injection or sublingual drops until the patient is back to baseline. Then the neutralizing dose is recorded.<br />
<br />
Here is an example of what might happen during this testing. For myself, when I was tested to chemicals that were common in new building construction and plastics, I immediately dissolved into tears and uncontrollable crying. There was nothing I could do to stop it. When the neutralizing dose was given, within ten minutes I was happy as a clam. It explained to me why grocery shopping was so difficult for me. Not only would I become emotional, but I would have panic attacks in the grocery check out. The plastic produce bags were the offending trigger. Now if I had gone to a regular doctor and complained about this, I would have been sent to a shrink, convinced it was all in my head and given medication. A Biblical Counselor, bless their hearts, in the absence of definitive tests, (because a conventional doctor wouldn't order this kind of testing) would have made me feel like I was sinning in not using Biblical principles to apply to the "emotional problem".<br />
<br />
Another example was when Rick was tested for soy sensitivities. As soon as he was given the provocation dose he became very angry. The technician suggested he go out and take a walk and come back when it was time for the neutralizing dose. For a person who has a reaction of anger to something they are eating, yet they don't know that it is something they are eating, this is very puzzling. It's a reaction that seems to come from nowhere and is hard to control because it's happening as a result of, well, a chemical imbalance of sorts due to what they just ate. The neutralizing dose returned him to his calm self. <br />
<br />
The missionary who referred us to this doctor has a daughter. This was when their daughter was a young teen. She would just fly off the handle for no apparent reason sometimes and become so defiant they didn't know what to do with her. They got a recommendation to see this doctor. When they started testing her to various foods, one food test, in particular, sent her off the edge. She was fine, being polite and conversing with her mom and others in the room. The provocation dose was given and she flew off the handle. Everyone in the room was shocked at how mouthy she was all the sudden and for no apparent reason except that she had just been given the provocation dose of corn. They endured ten minutes of her railing at everyone in the room, then gave her the neutralization dose. Within minutes she was her happy charming self. Given how quickly she could fly off the handle for no apparent reason, if taken to a psychiatrist, she would have been medicated. Given the uncontrolled outbursts, she would have most certainly been told by a Christian Counselor that she was sinning because she was not applying Scripture and mortifying her sin. But how could she when she was being acted upon by something she had eaten. She could not control her reaction any more than a person who has an allergy to shrimp and breaks out in hives.<br />
<br />
In all these cases the treatment was sublingual drops taken once a day, which desensitized the body to the offending substances. Rick and I were treated for our sensitivities for about five years. I no longer react to plastics and building codes have required building materials to not be toxic anymore. Rick does better with soy and some of the other things he reacted to, but he really needs more testing and treatment because he still has a lot of trouble. Sadly, distance and cost without medical insurance has prevented us from being able to get the treatment he needs. <br />
<br />
My purpose in writing this post is to bring awareness, to those who do Biblical Counseling and other Christians, that sometimes people who present with mental health problems that do not get better with counseling and the counselee working to apply Scripture to problems could be actually suffering from reactions to things they eat or chemicals or molds or even dust mites in their environments but they don't know it and no conventional medical doctor will refer them for the proper testing and treatment. <br />
<br />
It makes me sad to think that there are people who truly want to feel better but who never will because they don't know that it is their environment or what they eat that is sabotaging them and those who try to help them unbeknown to themselves inflict more anguish on them while either telling them it's all in their head or they have a spiritual problem. So sad. But there are no answers as to how to help these people when the medical establishment has failed them and Biblical Counselors really don't know what is happening to them either. <br />
<br />
I wish there were some good solutions, but until the medical establishment is willing to accept that there are other effective tests and treatment out there and the insurance companies are willing to pay for these things, and the environmental doctors are not ostracized, there will be a host of people who will not be able to live the happy healthy lives they want to live in spite of applying Scripture to their problems. It's like trying to apply Biblical principles to a case of the hives and expecting them to go away just like that.<br />
<br />
<br />
Academy of Environment Medicine<br />
<a href="https://www.aaemonline.org/">https://www.aaemonline.org/</a><br />
<br />
Dr. David Buscher<br />
<a href="http://www.drbuscher.net/">http://www.drbuscher.net/</a>Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-35436967914672781792019-02-03T15:18:00.003-08:002019-02-03T15:19:20.437-08:00Seeing Things With A Different Perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHDl4GJbTdQPXvXYxQg4D1htyXmXEq9Dp0AncqDhMkZN-sLH5w0AZdVgZ_o5k0Q8Q2cqEGF1WSS24pReyHWjZ5FZvJedF_Upyou0oG5DaHgviA224-VssIUjZG8u1nMeD_smi/s1600/IMG_1924.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSHDl4GJbTdQPXvXYxQg4D1htyXmXEq9Dp0AncqDhMkZN-sLH5w0AZdVgZ_o5k0Q8Q2cqEGF1WSS24pReyHWjZ5FZvJedF_Upyou0oG5DaHgviA224-VssIUjZG8u1nMeD_smi/s320/IMG_1924.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Photo Credit: Marcia Darby</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhWB8fCVrbYq1VtMwXiyV44niDbriceL28NC0CljH08OUm7y0GHUBq9FK-Elqq4ooPu8d9D2PGUjtbml0a44P7TUeOwthJ5iJ1foBEVo4mHAVqH2rr4NEtSmDZpsnrvX6YRCG/s1600/IMG_1925.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1056" data-original-width="1408" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguhWB8fCVrbYq1VtMwXiyV44niDbriceL28NC0CljH08OUm7y0GHUBq9FK-Elqq4ooPu8d9D2PGUjtbml0a44P7TUeOwthJ5iJ1foBEVo4mHAVqH2rr4NEtSmDZpsnrvX6YRCG/s320/IMG_1925.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
When I saw the top picture in my news feed on Facebook I was struck by how beautiful it was. The bridge is the focal point, but the sunset is what sets it off and makes it a stunning picture of the bridge. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Take a look at the same bridge from a different angle without the sunset. It's really nothing to get excited about. It's rather drab and frankly quite ugly.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Think about your life and the trials you might have. Those trials are ugly when looked at from the earthly perspective that focuses on self. But take those same trials and hardships, change the perspective to a heavenly perspective, a perspective that sees that God is in control and He will work it all out, then it's like the top picture. The ugly bridge is still there, but the perspective has adorned it in such a way that it brings glory to God and encourages all those who you come in contact with.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I don't know about you, but this is a challenge for me. I tend to have a melancholy outlook when things aren't going well. I pray that I will do better in this area. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
"And we know that all things work together for good to those that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28</div>
<br /></div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-47633115948985894902019-01-22T18:09:00.001-08:002019-01-22T19:03:19.815-08:00What Should a Christian Do When a Rift Sours a Friendship Within the Church?Whenever there are imperfect people in an organization, be it the church or some other organization, there is always going to be some sort of friction pop up from time to time. Sadly, once in a while the rift will sour a good friendship and depending
on the dynamics, there is no way the friendship can be returned to its original state. Usually, one person is hurt far more than the other and the other seems oblivious to the injury.
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
So, let's say the one person apologizes for the fact that the relationship can't be like it was before, but they do not acknowledge the hurt and apologize for deeply hurting the other person and the other person has tried to follow the Matthew 18 prescription
for ironing out offenses. They tried to talk it out (over email because the other person refuses to meet in person). They suggested having a mediated meeting with the pastor, but the other person refuses to do that. </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
<div>""Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses
every word may be established.’"</div>
<div>Matthew 18:15-16 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
</div>
<div>
So, now there is this stressful feeling, for the person who was hurt, whenever they go to church because there is the awkward feeling of not belonging and a dark cloud hanging over everything. They find they are not sleeping well at night due
to the unresolved nature of the issue, and their whole life is being impacted by it, including that of the other household members who know things are not well. What are the options for this person? How should they handle the situation?</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
There are a number of options that can be put on the table, some of them better than others.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
1. The person can contact the other person and explain the issue of the incomplete apology and how it is affecting them and seek to get a resolution. If this is an understanding person they may quickly understand the situation and seek to make amends,
not necessarily putting the relationship back the way it was, but at least making a good faith effort to admit having hurt the other person and asking forgiveness.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
This would be ideal if the other person responds favorably, but since we can not control the actions of other people, it might just be a point of contention and they might feel like the other person is trying to control them.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
2. The person could choose to leave the church and go in search of a new one where new friends can be made. There are several possible problems with this idea. a.) the grass may not always be greener on the other side of the fence b.) the
grass may be greener for a time but what happens the next time an offense happens and the person doesn't want to follow the Biblical model for making things right? Do you leave in search of a new place of worship? </div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
3. Quit going to church. This is a bad idea as it violates God's Word where it says we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. The body of Christ is community by definition. "And let us consider one another in order
to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching."</div>
<div>Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
4. Let the other person go (as hard as that may be), continue to treat them kindly, but begin to make your own space in the church. Focus on what you can learn, how you can change and grow in your faith. Focus on other people, how you can
be of help, what you can learn from them.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
As hard as it is to learn, you can not change other people. You can not control what they do or say. You can not make them apologize for something they don't see the need to apologize for. Plainly put, there comes a time when you have
to decide to let go of them and whatever the issue is and live your life the way God wants you to. Hanging on to the hurt, trying to make them acknowledge their wrongdoing and allowing it to drag you down, making you lose sleep and wrecking
your life just isn't worth it. That only perpetuates the awkwardness in attending church with them and ruins worship for you. There comes a time when you have to consciously give that person over to God and let go of them. It goes
like this:</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
Lord Jesus, You know I have been hurt by this person and you know I have tried everything according to Scripture to resolve this, but it doesn't seem to be resolvable. Lord, I'm going to give this person and the relationship over to You and
I'm going to leave it in Your hands to do with as You see fit. Help me to be content in Your will. Help me to always remember that you suffered a far worse injustice when you took our sins on the cross. Let me be thankful for
the church family I have here. There are others here that love me and are encouraged by my faithfulness, please help me to continue to be faithful here if for no other reason than to be an encouragement to these others. Please take my disappointment
and help me learn contentment in You and You alone, so that in the future, I won't be knocked of my morings when someone else disappoints me. Thank You, Lord for loving me. Amen.</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-26279234289085255142018-12-31T19:52:00.002-08:002018-12-31T19:59:03.122-08:00Doubting God<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;" id="docs-internal-guid-746b2576-7fff-fd67-a94f-69d4f9284aee"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When trusted friendships go awry, people you trusted turn out to be untrustworthy, marriage partners can no longer carry their share of the marriage due to illness, or other issues, what is the Christian person to do?</span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some turn away from God and blame Him for not keeping the situation under control. After all, He is all knowing and all powerful. He could have prevented the situation and He did not. </span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some don’t turn away from God, but they become doubtful and depressed because He did not prevent the problems that arose. They stall in their Christian faith, not losing it, but just not growing in their faith.</span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Others run to God for comfort and wisdom. They find solace in His Word and realize that only in God can they find their strength and meaning. </span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my experience and observations, I find that people in the first two categories often are in this state because they have come to depend too heavily on the good gift of the relationship and on the other person, instead of on the Giver of those good gifts. </span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the case of someone who puts a pastor up on a pedestal and then the pastor commits some heinous sin, people who loved and trusted him have two choices. They can either become cynical about Christianity and leave the church in disgust or they can let the situation drive them closer to God as they realize people will fail them, but God will not.</span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s the same dynamic in personal relationships. When a person becomes too attached and dependent on another person and then that person betrays them or somehow makes a detrimental change to the relationship, it is easy to look at that circumstance and feel that God has failed you, when in reality God did not fail you, that other person failed you. </span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God did not create His people to be robots. He created us with the ability to choose and the ability to grieve His Holy Spirit. Otherwise the Bible would not tell us to not grieve the Holy Spirit. So God gives people the freedom to make choices and He weaves His sovereignty in and around the choices that He knows we are going to make. He can and does take the bad things others do that upset our applecarts and He turns those things around and uses them for our spiritual good and His glory if we cooperate with Him.</span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a friendship goes sour, or when unexpected circumstances strain a relationship, one way we can measure where our stability is anchored is by our reaction to the upset. If we are completely knocked off our moorings, plunged into depression and doubting God, then our meaning and stability was anchored in that relationship instead of God. </span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the time to step back, take some time to get alone with God and re-anchor yourself to the Rock. People will fail you. God will not. Trust Him to use your problems for your spiritual good. Use this time to dig into His word and learn that He will always be there for you.</span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is the old joke about the man and woman in the car (back when cars had bench seats). She was sitting over by the passenger door. She says to her husband, "Why don’t we sit close anymore?" Her husband looks at her and says, "I ain’t moved." So often this is true for us. We have some difficulty come up in life that sends us for a tailspin and we begin to lose our joy in the Lord and we ask, "where is God now that I need Him?" God never moved. He has always been there. We just need to change our perspective and look to Him instead of focusing on our circumstances.</span>
</p>
<br />One of the best places to see this put in practice is in the Psalms. Time and time again David is in troubled circumstances. He starts the Psalm out complaining and by the end of the Psalm his perspective has changed and he is focusing not
on his troubles but on God. David allows his troubles to drive him closer to God. We need to be anchored to the Rock, not other people or circumstances.
<div>
<br />
</div>
<div>
<div>"From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I."</div>
<div>Psalms 61:2 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br />
</div>
</div>Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-43711998501894663972018-11-15T14:19:00.000-08:002018-11-15T14:40:29.575-08:00Greetings this 2018 Thanksgiving and Christmas Season! <b id="docs-internal-guid-0df77ef7-7fff-aa27-d27c-d5d3d38615a1" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b id="docs-internal-guid-0df77ef7-7fff-aa27-d27c-d5d3d38615a1" style="font-weight: normal;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0df77ef7-7fff-aa27-d27c-d5d3d38615a1"><img height="245" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/D2-vkXOxyItlED743MCrAVUfNrQFHGi9opWn_bBYVrt2W9z3eCG1Z3uacKSjmCYuzv7lHnwkoDzXoXU0vV50zY0nTOka6sfPgvp-SSILfqB3hsgzu78nB1pjt4sL_i7UsPl-7ADB" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="326" /></span></b></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Greetings this 2018 Thanksgiving and Christmas Season! </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This has been a very eventful year for us. The picture above was taken when Sarah came out to</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> visit for a couple weeks the end of October. More about that later. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">This year began with Sarah and I leaving the day after Christmas for a road trip across the United </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">States to Pinehurst, NC where she had an apprenticeship waiting for her. It was an 8-day road trip. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">What an adventure that was! We had perfect weather the whole way once we left Idaho and entered</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> Nevada. The only bad weather (blizzard) happened the day after we arrived at her condo she</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> had rented. God was so good. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YQba1im99t3ZouHDMsiNn42OCbppC9kulqeQjTBE1oHYmWd1zj2CCVHUiVpDWvUBAM5_DDT70EiEeLtPZ9qW5lmO8qewHtJEComCI321t1o6qtvBnFwlqFWYfFIWSjm_uuxKp7JP" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/YQba1im99t3ZouHDMsiNn42OCbppC9kulqeQjTBE1oHYmWd1zj2CCVHUiVpDWvUBAM5_DDT70EiEeLtPZ9qW5lmO8qewHtJEComCI321t1o6qtvBnFwlqFWYfFIWSjm_uuxKp7JP" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="257" /></a><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Sarah is now a permanent employee and resident of NC. We miss her a lot. She loves her social marketing job with <span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre;">Classical Conversations. It’s a homeschool curriculum company. </span></div>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">So Nathaniel turned another year older in March as did Sarah in January right after we arrived in </span><br />
Pinehurst. So they are 25 and 22 years old. Hard to believe. Where has the time gone?! He is now working at a <span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">grocery store and so far likes it.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Xxzecdz2pQQ-mowCBX6uNaJ0t7xqPMp7S-ysjtK5DmwUtBLICKUVNoW6FPYSL1n3P9rJ8UR_fyjX1w8xx-QR0m54M2A73cDAuooN0Z_NVyFOR8oEXe2YoIo53_4hlULpw3Y11oMp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Xxzecdz2pQQ-mowCBX6uNaJ0t7xqPMp7S-ysjtK5DmwUtBLICKUVNoW6FPYSL1n3P9rJ8UR_fyjX1w8xx-QR0m54M2A73cDAuooN0Z_NVyFOR8oEXe2YoIo53_4hlULpw3Y11oMp" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="174" /></a><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/H7MEckILDm1jwTNCXc7E_oSdiTz5y232mhfPoyXQPbSennWnDprfIJjNWkWQQcMnBI1lNZ2AibxSLlhFksDALq0cpDJ5vAUjgbsIcr4qJQme_39afiBojjj5Abk5dEEo67xxCvPH" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/H7MEckILDm1jwTNCXc7E_oSdiTz5y232mhfPoyXQPbSennWnDprfIJjNWkWQQcMnBI1lNZ2AibxSLlhFksDALq0cpDJ5vAUjgbsIcr4qJQme_39afiBojjj5Abk5dEEo67xxCvPH" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="180" /></a><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Rick and I celebrated 35 years of marriage this summer. We went to Kennewick and had a motel night.</div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">It wasn’t exactly as I had hoped. I was hoping we could go walk in the park and maybe have </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">a picnic, but the wildfire smoke was so bad we had to stay inside. Driving over we couldn’t see a lot </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">except for a wall of smoke ahead of us. Oh well. We made the best of it and we enjoyed the time</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">away in spite of the smoke.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /><img height="214" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/sL3vcaX3UuIX1o1H0GlXsvAL20HXJ27Z8gnHlJq3YDgsRP-8xmwIga79JNOZbYJV_Ixpn_KRqUwyUWWj0xBchTE8Xs-5mfYaDPwPTSlUCw2W3eTAXI0herbXu8tXn5tXyOvvO53-" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="282" /></b><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
Sarah came out to visit end of October for a whirlwind two weeks. She had many friends she wanted to see and spend time with, <span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">so we shared her and enjoyed the time we had. We had a combined </span><br />
Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner and gift exchange while she was here since she won’t be coming out for the holidays.<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1R_p43ms80HQE-X8xAXtPm4IcMEHkyVRMA1qPHqpZtW2B8BjFIYMXKu1hJDwTcoPqVej1rKF6RgR_A_hX7d3fgaVL985A7DQJx7STlOEzjotrQooNEzddcenHWmOJpjN7wg5jwyR" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/1R_p43ms80HQE-X8xAXtPm4IcMEHkyVRMA1qPHqpZtW2B8BjFIYMXKu1hJDwTcoPqVej1rKF6RgR_A_hX7d3fgaVL985A7DQJx7STlOEzjotrQooNEzddcenHWmOJpjN7wg5jwyR" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="285" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Sarah and I went on a 10-mile hike in the Wallowa mountains one day while she was here. I am not in </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">shape for hiking, so I paid for that for almost a week after, but it was still satisfying to know I still have</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> it in me.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">We also took a day to go see Mom, Blayne, Becky and Dan in Walla Walla. That was fun. Lots of </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">laughs there.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">.</span><img height="190" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/2VZue63DccfibSL-rWNPk-43DGuNtPwJKD18ZtcnlzqYSCdMsWBm75szoxdtCIu8RQlsBlSQEfrHjIGLUFITQtBEwW-u_8CRz1PmgkUp-0gs29aB38NlfhQt_BK_y93JUt15P5gA" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="404" /></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
This year has been a busy crazy year, that is for sure. In other news, we changed churches. God has blessed us and it has been good<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">. </span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<br />
We have learned this year to trust God with our lives and the details of our lives. It has been encouraging looking back over the year and seeing how God orchestrated all the details, even using what looked like bad circumstances for our good. <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">And letting our child take off and fly away</span><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">from the </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">nest is a </span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre;">real exercise in faith. He truly is faithful! </span></div>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Heb, 11:6</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br class="kix-line-break" /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Do you believe Him?</span></div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-21043965443280129772018-08-14T11:14:00.001-07:002020-01-16T09:08:07.976-08:00Abuse in Churches Becoming Rampant<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIElm4Ai_sR4-Jed8X-AqC3l17hvAEcadFzQrpLbj0_dgMZ3dszRKeZb92gUe5Gj_lmwR4IgZbUzsGA0nDICjLpO5PRu6bFuaePP6Ntz3XpcBW8aNznGwyYgDMJBTkaZEWIztW/s1600/spiritual-abuse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="640" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIElm4Ai_sR4-Jed8X-AqC3l17hvAEcadFzQrpLbj0_dgMZ3dszRKeZb92gUe5Gj_lmwR4IgZbUzsGA0nDICjLpO5PRu6bFuaePP6Ntz3XpcBW8aNznGwyYgDMJBTkaZEWIztW/s320/spiritual-abuse.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="gmail_quote">
My heart is heavy as I have been reading the comments below the court reports of the Chantry Trial on the "<a href="https://thouarttheman.org/" target="_blank">Thou Art the Man</a>" blog.<br />
<br />
I can not remain silent on this issue.<br />
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
I'm seeing a pattern of people who have been abused spiritually through the years in Reformed Baptist churches, many of them from the ARBCA association. </div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
We fled an ARBCA church due to psychological abuse of our son by a church member and a church leadership that defended the actions because of the supposed good motives of the abuser. They tried to turn the table and make the abuser the victim and our son the problem. This is typical in abuse cases of all types and while I did not expect that to happen to us, we were not surprised when it did.</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
At the time we were angry and upset that we had to flee what we thought was a good church. We had been taught by implication that there were no other churches as good as this one and the deacon's wife tried to reinforce that when she asked where we would go. At the time I was not sure and she made me feel like there was no other church good enough, but we could probably attend a particular one, however, we would have to avoid certain people over there that had left the church because they were bad people and they were attending that other church. </div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
After the dust settled, we learned that Tom Chantry, whom the pastor had told us needed prayer because he had been arrested for something from his past, actually had been arrested because victims of physical and sexual abuse had come forward to accuse him and bring him to justice. But that is not the impression we were left with by the pastor. We were never told anything about victims or the horrific crimes that were committed against them. One boy was beaten so badly that he had deep bruising from buttocks down his thighs and his mother said he could barely walk to the car when she picked him up from tutoring with Chantry. There are five victims who have testified and it's horrific what they endured.</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
So I have been following this trial closely and reading the comments at the end of the blog posts for each trial day. I have discovered that ARBCA pastors have indeed been trying to cover this diabolical up among the churches. I have learned there were two reports drawn up by the three man ARBCA committee that investigated it. One that said he spanked the children for his own pleasure and that recommended he not pastor another church. They did not report this abuse to the police and instead hid this report from the parents. He was taken into Providence Reformed Baptist Church in Tacoma for counseling, but the people there were not told why he was there and told not to ask questions. There was no care for the safety of the children in that church!</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
Don Linblad knew there were abuses, as can be seen in the<br />
<h1 class="headline" itemprop="headline" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 39px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<a href="http://arbca.org/tom-chantry-child-abuse-case/motion-in-limine-don-linblad/" target="_blank">Motion in Limine Don Linblad</a>.</h1>
<div>
<br /></div>
<a href="https://thouarttheman.org/2018/08/10/day-nine-of-the-thomas-chantry-trial/" target="_blank">On the witness stand Linblad tried to be evasive.</a><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Ubuntu, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
The Judge then admonished Pastor Lindblad saying he was intentionally evasive and non-responsive to Eazer’s questions. He told him if he did not understand a question he should state that, otherwise he needed to answer her questions. He then asked Lindblad to step down and leave the courtroom.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Ubuntu, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Judge Astrowsky then admonished Eazer for her question, “why, as a Christian…” He said bringing anyone’s religion into a question was inappropriate and he would be referring her conduct to the State Bar. He was also clearly upset with Pastor Lindblad’s conduct on the stand. He stated that if his evasive and non-responsive answers continue he would admonish him again and perhaps cite him for contempt of court and strike him as a witness! He said he would make this clear to Lindblad when he came back into the courtroom and John Sears said he would also speak to him.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Ubuntu, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Eazer told the Judge that her line of questioning was intended to impeach Lindblad for giving damaging, untruthful testimony.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Ubuntu, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Once court resumed Lindblad did marginally better answering Eazer’s questions. It was evident he was still not being truthful on several subjects, other times he grudgingly answered.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Ubuntu, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Eazer got him to admit that he knew the 2000 ARBCA investigation was about more than reconciling the two parties for some light spankings Chantry had administered during catechism class. He admitted that the ARBCA was investigating bare-bottom beatings administered to three boys with hand-crafted paddles, a boat oar and other instruments and Chantry then rubbing their bare butts.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: Ubuntu, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.71429; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Eazer stated to Lindblad that you were very well aware of what Victim 2 had said. Lindblad said “yes.” And you were aware that the allegations against Chantry were a bit more serious than administering a spanking during a catechism class. Lindblad said “correct.”</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
Here are some patterns I have observed that have been seen in Reformed Baptist churches, mostly ARBCA but also others:</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
1). Total control of the church by the pastor/elders. The people have no say.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
2.) Evasive answers by pastor/elders to direct questions asked by people of the congregations<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
3.) Blaming the people if they come and bring concerns about how the church is run...saying things like "What wrong with you? Noboy else is complaining!"<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
4.) Many have said that they dealt with depression and hopelessness while attending their Reformed Baptist church and it did not lift until they left the church<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
5.) Some have said that when they left the church they felt free and cried tears of happiness every week in their new congregation<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
6.) Business meetings in an envelope (in other words no opportunity for the congregation to ask questions or have a real business meeting). <br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
7.) Sermons that are intellectual and academic, but without real application or power.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
8.) Sermons that are devoid of passion, emotionless. (Read the<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/churchplantmedia-cms/arbca_carlisle_pa/2015-4-20-arbca-tc-pp-impass2.pdf" target="_blank"> impassibility doctrine</a> on ARBCA website. Their view of God might explain this)<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
9.) No outreach programs or opportunities for ministry, such as VBS, nursing home ministries, etc. Very ingrown. In fact churches that have ministries outside the preaching are disparaged and the impression is given that people who want to be involved with a ministry are just proud and want recognition.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
10.) Focus on how depraved man is, much focus on mortifying sin, but no real focus on the fruit of the spirit and spiritual gifts.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
11.) Teaching that we need to tolerate each other, give a wide berth, put the best construction on things etc, but no real focus on how to love one another and what that looks like.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
12.) Teaching by example that Christian liberty can excuse all kinds of aberrant behaviors and excuse the pastor from responsibilities to protect the flock<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
12.) Teaching by example and word that deception is okay if your motives are good.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
13.) Saying things from the pulpit about people that have left to put fear in people that their reason for leaving is not valid and if they dare leave for that reason they too will be talked about from the pulpit<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
14.) Preaching from the pulpit about things shared with the pastor in private, meant to humiliate the person.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
15.) Gossiping about those who have left the church so others will shun them in public or cut off communications with them.<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
16.) Bullying<br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
17.) So far, four ARBCA churches including the one I left have had members or pastors with abuse cases come before the courts now. I have to wonder if this is just the tip of the iceberg. <br />
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
18.) One way accountability....the people to the leaders but never the leaders to the people</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
Why am I writing this? I'm writing this because I am heartsick to see the widespread damage that has been caused by these churches and their leaders. There are many good people in these churches but they are being spiritually abused and in some cases there is physical/psychological/sexual abuse going on and it is being hidden. <br />
<br />
Many parents have reported that because of their time in these churches their children no longer have a desire for the things of God. Many have reported that they have lingering problems of depression due to the abuses they endured in these churches. It breaks my heart. </div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
If you are a member or attender of one of these churches, I beg you, <span style="color: red;"><b><u>please take a close look at what you are in. Are there things that are being done that make you feel uncomfortable, but you put it on the back burner because you don't want to rock the boat? Are there things that don't seem right, but you do not say anything to anybody because you are fearful of how it will be taken? If either of these questions is true of you, then you are in a bad place. </u></b></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-52600301134221387822018-08-07T15:05:00.003-07:002018-08-07T15:15:01.447-07:00Learning to Be<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qhEqPWm3tp2fNK0VX0YNNsIgTCbfCGuW_YaNLtD_R6ZkHFjnLEoIPHIvBksMKL8cP84_7pFyYbgDAnALf7uZLC_qI5UCz_sxwMnbShiCCk5AhuiNfa6xQd8npGO8Y3pRq2_e/s1600/IMG_1346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qhEqPWm3tp2fNK0VX0YNNsIgTCbfCGuW_YaNLtD_R6ZkHFjnLEoIPHIvBksMKL8cP84_7pFyYbgDAnALf7uZLC_qI5UCz_sxwMnbShiCCk5AhuiNfa6xQd8npGO8Y3pRq2_e/s320/IMG_1346.JPG" width="320">
</a>
</div>
We are about to head into some of the hottest weather of the year. My weather apps have been blowing up on my phone. Thursday is supposed to be 108 degrees. When it was about 100 degrees a week or so ago, I put my thermometer outside
on the front porch in the sun. See above what it registered. It’s always hotter out front of our house because we have lava rock instead of grass out there. That’s nice if we don’t want to mow, but not so nice when it’s hot out. It
was that way when we moved here. I think my front porch will hit at least 120 degrees on Thursday. I have seen it go up to 130 in the past on a really hot day. Oh joy!
<br />
<br />I had a great weekend visiting my mom and Blayne. We had a lot of fun. We laughed a lot.
<br />
<br />Sunday I attended church with my mom in Walla Walla. The take home message to me was that it is more important to "be" than to "do". Be in a relationship with God first, then "do". In 2 Cor. 8:5 the Macedonian believers first gave themselves
to the Lord and then gave themselves to the service of God by giving themselves to the apostles for God’s service. Since I have been meditating on that wonderful verse in Psalms that says, "Be still and know that I am God...". The concept of "be"
really hits home with me. Be in relationship with God means to be still and know that He is God.
<br />
<br />Relationships take time. To cultivate a relationship with God is no different. We need to take the time to "be" with God and "be" still and know He is God. When things get rough, just stop and "be". Be with it. Be still.
Be with God. Know that He is God. Take a deep breath. God will get you through it if He has brought you to it.
<br />
<br />I often think of those boys that were trapped in that cave in Thailand and the divers who rescued them. The divers marveled at how calm the boys were. They were told what they would have to go through to get out of the cave. It included
shots, and being put to sleep. Not one boy whimpered or complained. They were just calm and accepted the conditions to get out. This is the kind of calm I wish to cultivate. Be still and know that He is God calm.
<br />
<br />I think of the divers. When asked about the idea that they were heros, one of them said, "No we aren’t heros. What we do is just very calm and calculating. We do this all the time as a hobby and we were just able to use the skills to
help rescue the boys." Calm and calculating. Can you imagine how stressful it was to swim in unknown territory blind, not knowing when you might bash your head against the rocks and then having this sleeping child with you that you had to
guide out of the cave, not knowing if they would be alive at the next check point or not? Yet they were very calm about their work. There lives depended on that calmness. Panic in those conditions would mean certain death. Again,
this is the kind of calm I want to cultivate. Be still and know that He is God. Just "be".
<br />
<br />
<br />Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-53770788711414953332018-08-05T19:10:00.002-07:002018-08-05T19:30:05.747-07:00Abuse Under the Front of Religion <div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-de78ddd3-0cf7-b361-791d-af466b1f5301" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Recently I have been following the #metoo and #churchtoo hashtags. It is disheartening and appalling to say the least. Evil done under the front of being a Pastor or church leader is the worst kind of evil there is.</span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I’m not just referring to those who abuse children physically/sexually or have illicit sexual affairs or other aberrant behavior. I’m also including those who cover up these deviant acts for those who have committed them. They are just as evil as the person who does these things.</span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We have seen a number of religious leaders/organizations that are now being called to account for sexual abuses against children, women and even men! To name a few, there is Sovereign Grace Ministries, Southern Baptists, Association of Reformed Baptists of America, Willow Creek and Roman Catholic Church to name a few. I know there are many more, but these are the few I can remember off the top of my head.</span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In almost every case where someone comes forward with a credible story, the abuser either flat out denies it, calling the victim a liar, or the abuser minimizes what happened, stating the victim is taking a simple misunderstanding and blowing it out of proportion. </span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The leaders in the organization will usually circle the wagons and do damage control. A favorite tactic is to bully the victim into silence by gaslighting them. They twist the narrative to make the abuser look like the victim of an unwarranted attack. They may force the victim into silence or out of the church. In the case of a high profile Pastor or leader in an association, they tell a half truth to the churches in the association and the Pastors do damage control by impugning the integrity of those who would search out and report the truth. Those who persist in digging up the truth get kicked out of the church for insubordination and get called gossips and slanderers.</span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All the while the victims of these monster suffer continued abuse as they are called liars and worse. Many of these victims suffer in silence for years because they are afraid to come forward for fear no one will believe them or worse, their abuser may retaliate.</span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">God has some things to say about abusers and those who protect them.</span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">""Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea."</span>
<span
style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br class="kix-line-break">
</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matthew 18:6 NKJV</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break"></span>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of them alike are an abomination to the LORD."</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break"></span>
<span
style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Proverbs 17:15 NKJV</span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br class="kix-line-break"></span>
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How can you tell if a church might be an environment that would be an unsafe environment? Here are some tells you might look out for:</span>
</div>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<ol style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Pastor & leadership that expects trust without question </span>
</div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Questions are not welcomed</span>
</div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Accountability of Pastor and leadership to congregation is non-existent</span>
</div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Church business meetings cover very little and opportunity for questions or discussion during the business meeting is not allowed</span>
</div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No written policy for how allegations of abuse will be handled...they say Matt. 18 covers it all. One of their phrases is " We will cooperate with the authorities." This really means that they will cooperate only if the crime is reported to police and they will not do that or encourage the abused to report it either.</span>
</div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Congregation has no say in who their pastor will be should the current one vacate the position </span>
</div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A pastor that justifies deception by saying it’s not the same as lying when it’s done without malicious intent</span>
</div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; list-style-type: decimal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">People who leave the church and write an exit letter for the congregation are then alluded to in negative terms during the sermon to discredit why they left</span>
</div>
</li>
</ol>
9. Look for the use of Christian Liberty to justify whatever they want to do or to get out of being
<div> accountable for what they should do.
<div> </div>
</div>Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-14393571321324684682018-08-01T10:41:00.001-07:002018-08-01T10:42:40.668-07:00Thankfulness, Reverence and Godly Fear~Hebrews 12:28<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeiuxwtiRRzwsLDtBDTN1zgCa1uFJHL0EJiLr3yukWgcSmHtzW78Hx7iNmsfqCGHU4wgHjernoEjBDq8IAsrxWmX_7rYrMEAMwdoDBbPmg7iJmomODa8STj1tl6xR6TXT-7Vu/s1600/IMG_0911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="540" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeiuxwtiRRzwsLDtBDTN1zgCa1uFJHL0EJiLr3yukWgcSmHtzW78Hx7iNmsfqCGHU4wgHjernoEjBDq8IAsrxWmX_7rYrMEAMwdoDBbPmg7iJmomODa8STj1tl6xR6TXT-7Vu/s320/IMG_0911.JPG" width="180" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us <span style="color: orange;">have grace</span>, by which we may <span style="color: blue;">serve God acceptably</span> <span style="color: orange;">with reverence</span> and <span style="color: orange;">godly fear</span>. For our God is a consuming fire.”<br />
Hebrews 12:28-29 NKJV<br />
<br />
According to Erich Sauer in his book, “In the Arena of Faith”, grace in this verse means thankfulness. He says,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Since we have received a kingdom which cannot be shaken, we desire to prove ourselves thankful and to serve Him in sincerity and reverence who has given us His gifts and who is still blessing us so abundantly. Therefore, “Let us have thankfulness!” (R.V. Footnote), And:</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Since we have received such a kingdom, we long to live wholly for Him and to glorify His name, but we know that we can do this only in His own strength, in the power which His grace bestows upon us. Therefore: “Let us have grace!” (A. and R.V.)</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Thus joyful sanctification results....</blockquote>
So we are to serve God and worship Him with thankfulness, reverence and godly fear. This is the essence of sanctification. If I do not serve God in my daily activities with all three of these, then something is wrong. Being thankful brings joy. Being reverent shows a respect for God’s dealing in my life and godly fear is what should motivate me to live my life to His glory, being mindful of my actions and how they reflect on the cause of Christ to the world around me. I will be the first to admit that my actions don’t always bring glory to God. Perhaps my actions would bring glory to God if I were first thankful, for then I would realize the great cost that He paid to save me and my petty grievances would shrink in light of it.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
</blockquote>
<br />Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-79399617977471135852018-07-31T10:01:00.001-07:002018-07-31T10:03:59.409-07:00What Have We Come To? Hebrews 12:22-25<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8hHzBvbkzqHY46V9qKsS4FDB5RBDSagwwk76PZB4x1BhVH5XKIUtjWhGN6ACjoJlwDo2h5UplPuQ1rkqUVTwxQ4yLoqbw2eaMPT76qmxfYvxIRwoF4pDHwloGuvrPdK8OFYy/s1600/PICT5662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr8hHzBvbkzqHY46V9qKsS4FDB5RBDSagwwk76PZB4x1BhVH5XKIUtjWhGN6ACjoJlwDo2h5UplPuQ1rkqUVTwxQ4yLoqbw2eaMPT76qmxfYvxIRwoF4pDHwloGuvrPdK8OFYy/s320/PICT5662.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
“But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.<br />
<br />
See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven,<br />
<br />
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”<br />
Hebrews 12:22-25, 28 NKJV<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Mount Zion</li>
<li>The city of the living God</li>
<li>The heavenly Jerusalem</li>
<li>An innumerable company of angels</li>
<li>The general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven</li>
<li>To God the Judge of all</li>
<li>To the spirits of just men made perfect</li>
<li>To Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant </li>
<li>To the blood of sprinkling</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-4341088700258429162018-07-30T10:38:00.002-07:002018-07-30T10:46:35.943-07:00Preaching Right Doctrine Without Teaching Right Living Is UnBiblical<div dir="auto">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8eQKE1ustiW3QkMetPcI4DRBNVTB1JzxZJEgBJ81daVLXjP28A2-0VExuUIQCkYbUHjtdpRet_t2sTfJUn6REUNylEg9rUXk2hyphenhyphenmc-0rIqljsEzpHydBXsfJ3gbZEhb_61oy/s1600/IMG_1127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn8eQKE1ustiW3QkMetPcI4DRBNVTB1JzxZJEgBJ81daVLXjP28A2-0VExuUIQCkYbUHjtdpRet_t2sTfJUn6REUNylEg9rUXk2hyphenhyphenmc-0rIqljsEzpHydBXsfJ3gbZEhb_61oy/s320/IMG_1127.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Yesterday at church the pastor made the statement that preaching right doctrine without teaching right living is unBiblical. That really struck me.</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
We can be taught all the right doctrine and theology and yet not be living it. There are some churches that advertise they believe in the primacy of preaching the Word of God. It sounds good. But while they teach right doctrine, they
do not encourage and teach right living on a regular basis. Somehow they think that if correct doctrine is taught right living will automatically happen in the congregation. But Scripture is clear, the preacher is not only supposed to teach
right doctrine, he is supposed to encourage and teach right living. </div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
<div dir="auto">
"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus."</div>
<div dir="auto">
Colossians 1:28 NKJV</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
The point is that pastors are to preach Christ and then teach the people with wisdom so that they may become perfect (mature) in Christ Jesus. It is pointless to teach correct doctrine without also teaching the application of that doctrine to
one's life and right living. When this happens people become complacent.</div>
<div dir="auto">
<br /></div>
<div dir="auto">
How is your church doing in this? Are you being taught the Word of God...true doctrine? Great! Are you also being taught how to LIVE right in light of that true doctrine? If the preacher is just doing a Bible survey each
week with observations from the current passage, with no exhortation to right living in light of that passage of Scripture then you are not getting good teaching. Observations do not equal application. </div>
</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-1490560144209088272018-07-25T10:34:00.000-07:002018-07-25T11:48:02.811-07:00The News From Our Corner of the World & BeyondIt’s been a few weeks since I have written on my blog. I continue to be amazed at God’s mercy in the Thai Cave Rescue and encouraged by Adul, the boy who spoke English and is a Christian. While all his teammates are going through the ceremonies to enter the monkhood at the Buddhist Temple, Adul is the only odd boy out. He is not participating because of his Christian faith. What an encouragement to stand firm in the faith. I appreciated his show of respect to the widow of Saman Gunan who died in the effort to save the boys. God bless him.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIdlbr2XDD89arRi1kWoQd1uOOQOsM50th7uBJ3I0z39UlSSCMpTx142d3lp81nN6iY-Kh3KGGzbmRJoA3aZfiI0M6aUr2VPLBMlrzJe66EptmHmEcSYBaFsTOqlGPAnf7hQA/s1600/Adul+paying+respects+to+Saman%2527s+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKIdlbr2XDD89arRi1kWoQd1uOOQOsM50th7uBJ3I0z39UlSSCMpTx142d3lp81nN6iY-Kh3KGGzbmRJoA3aZfiI0M6aUr2VPLBMlrzJe66EptmHmEcSYBaFsTOqlGPAnf7hQA/s200/Adul+paying+respects+to+Saman%2527s+widow.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And now I turn to the trial of Tom Chantry. I am praying for justice to be done, for the victims to find closure and peace, for all the truth to be revealed and those pastors and leaders in ARBCA who have tried to conceal the extent to which Tom Chantry abused these individuals to be exposed for the evil they allowed to go unchecked all these years. <br />
<br />
Sadly, in the church, we had been a member of, all we were told was to pray for Tom Chantry because he had been arrested for something from his past. We were left to our own imaginations as to what that might be and having been taught to "put the best construction on things" we naturally assumed it was something from before he became a Christian. The victims of this man need prayer as well. It is very difficult for them to come forward and talk about this.<br />
<br />
Todd Wilhelm is posting a daily blog and twitter posts on the proceedings in the courtroom. You can follow him on Twitter to get the latest updates.<br />
<br />
At the church, we have been attending since leaving our previous one, we have enjoyed the messages in Hebrews 11 and now starting into chapter 12. Such good stuff and encouraging to our faith. The old hymns of the faith that I grew up with are sung with joy and conviction. The people are filled with joy and we feel very welcome there.<br />
<br />
We are in full swing into fire season now. With hot, hot weather forecasts and new fires starting all around the state every day, our firefighters are being kept very busy. We normally don't think much about evacuation plans because fire has never gotten much closer than five miles from us. But since they are telling us this is going to be the worst fire season ever, we are thinking a bit more serious about it. I do have an evac list made on my phone.<br />
<br />
Nathaniel is job hunting. We are hopeful something that matches his skills and needs will turn up soon<br />
<br />
Sarah has been hired permanently in North Carolina to work for Classical Conversations. She is now officially a North Carolina resident. We have mixed feelings about that. When she left, I had it in my mind that she would only be gone for six months for the apprenticeship. Now it all seems so final. We miss her a lot. But we would rather she be happy in her job and far away than be at home and unhappy in her work.<br />
<br />
Rick has some health challenges we are dealing with and would appreciate prayer for wisdom in that.<br />
<br />
I am just plugging away, doing what I always do. Trying to keep everyone on track and the house in order.<br />
<br />
DJ the dog is always up for a walk and keeps us entertained each day.<br />
<br />
Well, that pretty well sums up the news from our corner of the world.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-32624783650848540622018-07-16T15:50:00.002-07:002018-07-25T09:52:33.362-07:00Gods of Their Imaginations<div name=""messageBodySection"">For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not PERISH but have everlasting life. John 3:16
<br />
<br />I followed the rescue of the Thai boys from the cave very closely. I prayed for their safety and the safety of all involved. I was saddened when Saman Gunan died while replacing oxygen tanks along the passage ways, and I was relieved when the last
of the boys and recusers were safety out of the cave.
<br />
<br />In the aftermath that went on, news bits have been coming out through interviews about the rescue. I heard one of the rescue divers from Belgium say he and the British divers had decided it was madness and they were going to call the rescue
attempt off. One of them called his wife to say it was suicide to continue. However, the Thai Navy was ordered to forge ahead anyway. When the professional rescue divers saw these young guys heading into the cave with standard scuba equipment instead
of the specialized equipment they needed, they changed their minds. They said they couldn’t let these young guys with their whole lives ahead of them go in there and die trying to rescue the boys (although by that time, they figured the boys might
all be dead).
<br />
<br />When I posted something on Facebook about this, a number of people were defensive about it, saying, "Those British divers would never give up. They were going to save those boys dead or alive."
<br />
<br />They simply did not have the facts and therefore they had made up in their imagination a group of divers who would never give up no matter what.
<br />
<br />How often is this the case when people decide who God is and how He should act? I’ve had people unfriend me on Facebook because I dared to say that God will judge sinners and that some people will go to Hell. Their response is, "The God I worship
would never send anyone to Hell. My God is a God of love!"
<br />
<br />Sadly, these people do not have the facts of what the Bible teaches about God or if they have been given them, they choose to block it out and imagine God the way they want Him to be.
<br />
<br />It’s just like with the divers. Those who got upset with what I wrote did not want the squeaky clean heros in shiny scuba gear to have anything negative true about them. And those who get angry about the idea that God would judge sinners and some
will go to Hell don’t want to hear it because it is negative. They only want to hear positive things regardless of whether or not it is the truth.
<br />
<br />We need to base our reality in truth. John 3:16 talks about those who believe on Jesus not perishing. Why is that important if God doesn’t send anyone to Hell? So we see in this one well known verse, both God’s love and God’s judgement are mentioned.
Some are going to perish. Base your reality about God in truth.</div>Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-39937991954455523472018-07-05T09:54:00.001-07:002018-07-05T10:41:32.637-07:00Anger: Should Christians Give Vent to It?<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-UN0bTrY-pPYC9f5BN5uHlfplkLGadbP_EYBYvVgM-EXnVdapc4AtZnZCmjo8j2vLdzPaXd1R5jE8_dnji_4W1ykpEEP6__WBf1ACgBEiEFaLK5Ka3lHZ5S6BeewuV35FIfO/s1600/anger-bg1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-UN0bTrY-pPYC9f5BN5uHlfplkLGadbP_EYBYvVgM-EXnVdapc4AtZnZCmjo8j2vLdzPaXd1R5jE8_dnji_4W1ykpEEP6__WBf1ACgBEiEFaLK5Ka3lHZ5S6BeewuV35FIfO/s320/anger-bg1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
"He who is <b>slow to wrath </b>has great understanding, But he who is impulsive exalts folly."</div>
<div>
Proverbs 14:29 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The verse above was in my Bible reading for this morning. It got me thinking about a sermon I heard in a previous church where the pastor said that pop psychology tell us we should give vent to our anger. The pastor said that is wrong. He went on to say that the Bible says to be slow to anger and he added that it could mean that we should be so slow to anger that it never gets to the surface. We should not give vent to our anger.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So what are we to do with anger when it comes up? Are we to just stuff it down and pretend it is not there? Is this the healthy way to deal with anger? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I read the above verse this morning, I decided to do a search of Scripture and see what it actually says about anger. Here are a number of verses I found on anger:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
"Therefore, putting away lying, " Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. "<b>Be angry, and do not sin</b>": do not let the sun go down on your wrath,"</div>
<div>
Ephesians 4:25-26 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
"But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him. <b>Be angry, and do not sin.</b> Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah"</div>
<div>
Psalms 4:3-4 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<b>"Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, </b>For anger rests in the bosom of fools."</div>
<div>
Ecclesiastes 7:9 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
""You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that <b>whoever is angry with his brother without a cause </b>shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny."</div>
<div>
Matthew 5:21-26 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
"<b>Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice</b>. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."</div>
<div>
Ephesians 4:31-32 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<div>
"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man<b> be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath</b>; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."</div>
<div>
James 1:19-20 NKJV</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I do not see that Scripture agrees with what the pastor preached. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What I do see is that we are to be:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Slow to anger</div>
<div>
We can be angry and not sin</div>
<div>
We are not to be angry without a cause</div>
<div>
We are to put away anger, bitterness, wrath, clamor and speak evil with malice toward others</div>
<div>
We are to listen, think before we speak and be slow to wrath</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
These verses show us that there is a proper way to handle anger. The idea that we are to not give vent to it at all is not Biblical. This same pastor also says that we are to give others a wide berth, and put the best construction on things when dealing with others (give the benefit of the doubt?). That all sounds good and pious, but what that does is create an environment where the people in the congregation are just tolerating each other when there is disagreement and/or offense instead of stirring each other up unto love and good works.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Let me give an example from my own life. There was a time when I wrote a letter to a friend that was not needed, judgmental, and damaging. Unbeknown to me, it arrived on her birthday and she thinking it was a birthday card opened it with all her family around her. It was very offensive. The next time I saw her mother she was obviously very angry about what I had done. She was angry with a cause and it was a righteous anger because what I had done was very stupid. She controlled herself, but she confronted me. It was needed. I learned from the rebuke and have never forgotten it. Had this lady been taught to not give vent to her anger, I would have never known the damage I caused by my letter and I would never have had the opportunity to learn from it.<br />
<br />
She was doing the Biblical thing:<br />
Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.<br />
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.<br />
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Bring this down to an era where predators and other wickedness are in abundance and infiltrating the church and workplace. You have a Christian that is accosted by one of these wicked people, but he/she has been taught to not give vent to their anger, to put the best construction on the other person’s actions etc. What happens is that the wickedness continues against them, but they are afraid to bring it to their boss or the church leaders because having been told to not give vent to their anger and to put the best construction on the other person’s behavior, they are afraid that they will only be told they are being silly, judgmental, unreasonable, or worse, lying about the situation. So they are faced with a choice, either put up and shut up and the wickedness against them escalates or leave the environment to get away from it, in which they lose friends, job, or church or all of it and the offender is never held accountable. Such are the consequences of bad, even false doctrine.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I have a lot to learn in the realm of controlling anger. Who doesn’t? It’s one of the toughest things to learn. But with God’s help, we can control our anger and express it appropriately without sinning in the process. It’s a balancing act and I pray that God would help me to improve in this area.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23262873.post-80580514331207062442018-07-03T09:23:00.001-07:002018-07-03T09:23:55.427-07:00Don’t Follow Your Heart<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">"Hear, my son, and be wise; And guide your heart in the way."</span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;"><span style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override">Proverbs</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;"><span style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override">23:19</span></span>
<span
style="font-size: 12pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;"><span style="direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override">NKJV</span></span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span>
<br />
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span>
<br />
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How many times have we heard the saying, "Follow your heart!"?</span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span>
<br />
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This verse says the opposite. Rather than follow our hearts we are to guide our hearts in the way. Jeremiah said the heart is deceitful and wicked.</span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica; min-height: 13.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span>
<br />
</p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The whole book of Proverbs teaches us how to guide our hearts in the right way.</span>
</p>Marshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832664623497949271noreply@blogger.com0