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Saturday, December 19, 2020

Purity 295: Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship


 Purity 295 12/19/2020 

Good morning!

Today’s photo is from the familiar vantage point of my kitchen window “down by The River” that I took yesterday afternoon that displays the aftermath of the Wednesday to Thursday snowstorm and the magnificence of the sun blazing in the sky and reflected on the Hudson.  

This vision reminds me of the theme of “Fire and Ice” that is sometimes played out in dramas like in Rankin and Bass’s “The Year with out a Santa Claus” holiday special, in the persons of the “Heat miser” and “Snow-miser”, or at parties where Fireball and Rumple Minze or other drinks that run hot and cold may be served.  

While I might suffer through the Rankin and Bass special again, I choose to avoid the potent potables of the past but sometimes “Fire and Ice” make their way into your life without your choice, and we can only deal with the consequences when they come.  

Wednesday evening, as I was mentally preparing for the snow to come, I received the news that there was a fire at my previous residence and that my ex-wife was staying at my stepdaughter’s house.  It was mid-evening when I got this news, and I didn’t know what to do at the time. I called my ex but only got her voice mail as I later discovered her phone was lost in the fire.  With the snow on the way, I didn’t feel running over to the old house was wise and decided to wait and see. 

As part of our divorce, my ex and I have agreed to sell the house, but she could stay there until she is ready to sell it, provided that she pays the mortgage. The circumstances of our agreement and the financial realities of the situation left me to face the fact that I will see little or no money from the sale of the house, causing me to take a second job last year and to make a plan to get out.

The Lord blessed my socks off the first six months of this year in ways that were difficult to understand but I followed His leading and it resulted in my exodus to my new home “down by the River”.  So my kids and I, and all our possessions, are safe and sound in the home the Lord provided. 

My ex-wife contacted me and admitted that the fire was caused by a cigarette butt left burning in the master bedroom.  She luckily was downstairs when the fire started but by the time, she discovered it, the fire had spread and was too big for her to put out.  She called the fire department and they arrived quickly and doused it.  She describes the bedroom as “gutted” and is in contact with the insurance company to put in a claim and have the damage repaired. 

I thank God that she is safe and that she is taking the necessary steps to deal with the situation. I advised her that I would sign any paperwork, offer assistance, and recommend contractors if she needed it.  She said that she would pay the insurance deductible and would be in contact when she knows what she is going to do. 

Before I knew all this, I was anxious about what I was going to have to do and what role I should take in fixing this mess that I didn’t know any details of.  I went to the Lord in prayer and I felt in my spirit that I was to offer help when asked, but to not jump into things like I normally would when a problem comes – taking all the responsibility myself to fix things.  So, we will see how this all plays out as the days progress.     

This situation reminds me of times in the past, where after becoming a Christian, I would encounter people in need and would rush into help only to find out that the people in need were mostly victims of the consequences that they had put into motion.   I remember several instances in which the church I attend, other brothers and sisters in Christ, or I, myself, have poured time, resources, and money into our attempts to help someone in need only to watch all those efforts go “up in smoke” as the person eventually rejected our fellowship or further assistance when they had received the material things we had to offer.

One person I attempted to help seemed to mentally create a “wish list” of things they “needed” when I offered to help out. I discerned that they had been taking from people most of their lives and as soon as I had suggested changes in their lifestyle, I quickly found out that they were only interested in “the things” that I might give rather than any help to change their course.       

I don’t suggest that my ex-wife is like this. In fact, one of the things I admired about her in the beginning was her strength and independence.  I am hoping that this crisis will cause her to plan for the future and perhaps put the house on the market after the repairs are done.  Regardless of what happens, I am glad she is safe, will allow her to choose her course (as our divorce has been final for quite some time), and provide the help she needs if she requests it.  

But I do think that we, as Christians, have to be careful and discerning when we get a “feeling” to rush in and help someone in crisis. Sometimes the Lord causes trials in our lives to allow us to grow.   I know that has been the case for me!

Reading a Jay E. Adam’s commentary of the Bible, I recently saw this note for John 12:27 which said: “Jesus did not follow feelings but acted according to His responsibilities”. 

I thought it was a keen observation of Christ’s example that we should follow.

As my old patterns give me the “feeling” to rush on in and “save the day”, my responsibilities are no longer where they used to be. So I will wait and see what the Lord calls me to do in this situation. 

Scripture advises to help a fallen brother, but to be careful not to fall down yourself while you are trying to help them up.   So tread lightly, my friends. 

Keep walking and talking with God and He will see you through with wisdom and grace.

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This morning’s meditation verses were:

Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

There is so much in these verses! First – no, we are not to be ashamed of the gospel of Christ!  We have to identify as Christian.  This story of the son of God sent to be born of a virgin and to die for our sins only to raise from the dead, and to literally fly off to heaven to later return to remake the earth in the heavens is our story! 

As ridiculous as it may seem to modern man who is perishing, we know that it is a true story and that it has the power to save us!  We also know it is available to everyone (Jews and Greeks), but the catch is that they must believe it too in order to be saved.  The gospel of Christ gives us new life and life eternal.  

 So we are not to be ashamed of it – and that means we admit to believing it and we endeavor to tell others that it is true, and that it is powerful.  

Verse 17 says that “The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith” - what does that mean?  It means that God’s righteousness will be displayed in us as we grow.

Yes, our faith is progressive – I start by having faith in the gospel, I believe. Then as I read the word, I have faith that this book, the Bible is actually the word of God and is true.  Then I have faith that God has given me the power, through the Holy Spirit, to actually live it!   From faith to faith to faith!    We grow in faith as we continuously follow Him and learn more of the word of God and apply it to our lives experientially! Our faith is alive and continuous, if we follow.  

So we believe it and then we live it – that is what “the just shall live by faith” means.  Christianity is not just a set of beliefs but is God’s truth lived out in our lives here and now.  

Our faith becomes alive when we “believe” and actively choose to apply those beliefs to our lives in all that we do. We are to forsake the ways of the world that lead to corruption and death and embrace the ways of God that are wisdom and life!     

Today we continue chapter 7 of Anderson & Baumchen’s Finding Hope Again, where the authors discuss the roots of helplessness and ways to overcome helplessness, beginning with the suggestion of proper food and rest and dietary supplements. 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase Anderson’s books for your own private study and to support his work:

Roots of Helplessness

Most learned helplessness is the result of early childhood experiences. Lacking the presence of God in our lives and the knowledge of His ways, we learned how to survive, how to defend and protect ourselves.

Many people have felt defeated from the beginning because the messages they received from the world were often negative: "You can't do that, you'd better let me do it"; "You're not big enough or smart enough"; "You'll never amount to anything"; "It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, so be careful and watch your backside." Upon hearing these kinds of messages, it is no wonder that we start to believe in our own helplessness.

It has been estimated that 95 percent of the world's population is pessimistic by nature. Even the weatherman says, "There will a 35 percent chance of rain tomorrow." He never says there will be a 65 percent chance of sunshine. The news anchors don't tell us about the good things that happened that day, they only tell the bad news. Three news helicopters and 25 policemen will follow a fugitive in a car pursuit for hours, but nobody follows the good guys who set about their day encouraging others. That cannot help but give the general population a distortion of reality.

Blessing snatchers can be found everywhere. "Oh, I see you bought that brand of car. I bought one once, and it was a lemon." Even in churches, people are prone to point out the imminent dangers and the sad state of affairs in the world, rather than to encourage one another to live above difficult circumstances by having great confidence in God. "I heard that you have just become a Christian. Congratulations—now you have an enemy you never had before!"

 

Overcoming Helplessness

Proper Food and Rest

We mentioned earlier the research by Dr. Henn (as reported by Papolos), which concluded that just as neurochemistry affects behavior, changes in behavior affect neurochemistry. In such cases, a physical intervention may need to take place to jump-start the process of recovery. Such may have been the case in the Bible account of the prophet Elijah, as he fled from the wicked queen Jezebel.

Elijah showed incredible confidence in God and was even recognized by the king's men as the "man of God" (2 Kings 1:9, 11, 13). Elijah had witnessed the incredible power of God displayed against the prophets of Baal (see 1 Kings 18). But when Jezebel heard of it, she responded, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time" (1 Kings 19:2). Elijah was afraid, and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba, in Judah, he left his servant there while he went a day's journey farther into the desert.

Why did Elijah flee? This great man of God believed a lie, just as any one of us can. Then he cried out in despair, "'I have had enough, Lord,'...'Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.' Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep" (1 Kings 19:4, 5, NIV).

Elijah was exhibiting all the classic signs of depression. He was afraid and fatigued, and felt that he was a helpless failure and all alone. That can potentially happen to the best of us—especially after a mountain-top experience. We are most vulnerable when we are brimming with confidence but our energy is sapped from victoriously fighting the good fight. That confidence in God could easily turn to self-confidence when we let down our guard. "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (1 Cor. 10:12).

Back to Elijah, in the midst of his depression: "Behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, 'Arise, eat.' Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again" (1 Kings 19:5, 6). God in His mercy prescribed some food and rest for His discouraged servant.

When our electrolytes are depleted and our body is malfunctioning for lack of nutrition, then we need to address these deficiencies through good nutrition, rest and exercise.

What About Diet Supplements?

Many health-food experts recommend supplementing our diets with amino acids for depression. The most common is DLPA (DL-phenylalanine), which is available in capsules at health-food stores. It is nontoxic, but it may increase blood pressure. Authorities usually suggest taking DLPA along with vitamin C, vitamin B6 and fruit or fruit juice about 45 minutes before breakfast.

Taken on an empty stomach, DLPA is absorbed into the blood, then the brain, which uses it to synthesize more of the neurotransmitters that increase wakefulness and energy. Another amino acid, L-tyrosine, has a similar effect on brain chemistry.

A common herbal treatment for depression is St. John's wort. Researchers have shown that this herb can improve the mood and the quality of sleep in depressed people. It can be bought over the counter, but we recommend that you consult a nutrition-trained doctor or health-food expert for proper dosage.

God created many fruits and vegetables that were intended to be cultivated and harvested to preserve human life. Isn't St. John's wort created by God? Probably many other natural cures were created by God that are waiting to be discovered. Because of the pressures of living in these last days, the proper balance of rest, exercise and diet is even more essential. Couple that with the fact that the soils that produce our grains are becoming more and more depleted of their mineral content. Thus it may be more necessary than ever to supplement our diets with vitamins and minerals.

Another nutritional remedy that should be considered for depression is vitamin B12. A B12 deficiency is notorious for causing a variety of changes in the way our nervous system functions. This deficiency can be corrected in some patients through a B12-rich diet or nutritional supplements, but often this will not be sufficient. That is because the deficiency is frequently caused by the person's inability to absorb the nutrient in the intestines. So the vitamin needs a more direct route into the body through monthly injections, which have helped many people who had symptoms of depression. Blood tests can verify B12 deficiency if they are specifically asked for.


Finding Hope Again: Overcoming Depression.


------------------------------more on Monday-------------------------

 

God bless you all!

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