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Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Fading Sun, Falling Spirits - Depression and Vitamin D - Purity 571


 Fading Sun, Falling Spirits - Depression and Vitamin D -  Purity 571

Purity 571 11/09/2021  Purity 571 Podcast

Good morning

Today’s photo of the sun over, and reflected in, the waters of the Erie Canal at Lock # 3 off of Washington Avenue in Waterford NY comes to us from yours truly as I realized that there was a sight to behold behind me as I was sitting in my van at the end of the work day yesterday, teaching me once again that if we are too focused about the things in front of us we may be missing out on other opportunities that are available for us to experience.  

Last week the position of the sun wouldn’t have been where it was at this time of day but since we have reclaimed the hour we lost to daylight savings time; we may have to look for the joys of the setting sun a little earlier than we are used to. 

Just because the world changes doesn’t mean we are not responsible to move and adapt with the changes.  We can complain, resist, and not like it but peace and contentment are generally found by recognizing the circumstances around us for what they are, accepting them for what they are, and operating based on them, when necessary.  

Oh a quick heads up, the reality of seasonal affective disorder, the fact that our mental states could go down with the sun into depressive tendencies, is upon us and one of the things that the experts recommend is to increase our vitamin D intake to compensate for the losses caused by the reduction of our exposure to sunshine.  One study (https://medcraveonline.com/IPMRJ/vitamin-d-for-depression-with-a-seasonal-pattern-an-effective-treatment-strategy.html) suggests that daily intake of 100,000 IU of vitamin D may improve the depressive symptoms of season affective disorder.    

And when I asked my in house expert “Alexa”, how much vitamin D we should take daily, “she” responded that we should take 400 mcg (5,000 IU is 125mcg) of vitamin D each day.  As for my “in house expert”,  please consult other sources as Alexa sometimes don’t answer the same question the same way twice.  

As always be discerning in where you get your information from, consult a multiplicity of sources, and be aware that no matter what you are told, you alone are responsible for the decisions you make and will be subject to the consequences of your decisions and the information you base them on.  

I’m not sure how much vitamin D I get from the foods that I eat or my exposure to the sun but I would imagine that I fall way short of normal and use vitamin D supplements to compensate for my medically diagnosed “vitamin D deficiency” but based on this information and the changing seasons I will be increasing my vitamin D intake to make up for the gaps of my knowledge and whatever losses we can expect from the reduced exposure to the sun in the days ahead.  

As we approach Thanksgiving in two weeks, we will be in the holiday season before we know it and as much as some are filled with joy in later November and the month of December at the prospect of Christmas, many suffer from bouts of the holiday blues as the stress around the changing seasons of our lives as well as the preparations for the festivities can lead to depression.  Disillusionment around dashed expectations and the affect of remembering the dearly departed can also make the season of joy turn into the winter of our discontent. 

So I wanted to give everyone the heads up about vitamin D and the high levels they recommend for healthy living.  I myself was ignorant of how much we should have and wanted to make my friends aware. Of course you should examine your diet and consult with a doctor if depression is a real concern to determine how much vitamin D you should take and to consider the use of other medications that could help in combatting depression.   

While I believe that utilizing cognitive therapy (directing your thoughts) and a harmonious relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, spiritual therapy if you will, to be the most effective remedy to all the negative states of mind, I recognize the reality that not everyone’s situations are the same in terms of biochemistry, mental capacities, and faith. 

So if you need help, get help. Your loved ones care about your wellbeing and pastoral counselors and mental health professionals are dedicated to the cause of helping those who suffer from depression.

One thing I know for sure is that the Lord loves us and doesn’t want our minds to be filled with thoughts that condemn us or fill us with despair. Christ came to give us life and life more abundantly and scripture teaches the benefits of prayer, gratitude, fellowship, and contentment to help us live victorious lives.

So keep walking and talking with God. Be on the lookout for opportunities to recognize His handiwork in the world and to be filled with the peace and joy that comes from being in His presence.  

Take responsibility for your relationship with God, and your mental health by recognizing His love for you and by being proactive in making sure you are walking into the days ahead aware of your thoughts and moods and are utilizing all the resources the Lord has made available to you to find the peace and contentment that He would want you to experience.


Today’s Bible verse is drawn from “The NLT Bible Promise Book for Men”.  

This morning’s meditation verse is :

Matthew 26:41 (NLT2)
41  Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak!”

Today’s verse are the words of Jesus, and our Lord and Savior is clear in His warning to us about temptation and the reality of our vulnerable state.    

Jesus was a realist.  He acknowledges that our human spirit may have the best of intentions of being in harmony with the Holy Spirit’s leadings for our lives, but we are still susceptible to falling in temptation because of the weakness of our body, or the flesh as the NKJV puts it.   

The “flesh” is the Bible’s term for our carnal nature, that part of us that seeks to meet physical needs and then some with reckless abandon if it is given total authority.  Gluttons, drunkards, and sex addicts are the extreme examples of when the flesh’s appetite for food and euphoric experiences are unchecked. The “flesh” has no morality and doesn’t care about negative consequences. Like Audrey II, the man eating plant in the Little Shop of Horrors, the flesh only has one directive: “Feed ME!”   

However, even though Christ acknowledges the ability of the weakness of the flesh to compromise our spiritual lives, He doesn’t say that we are powerless against its appetites. He doesn’t say that we are hopeless. 

Instead, Jesus warns us to “watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation”.  So we can be victorious over the flesh.

Those who have put their faith in Jesus have been freed of sin and death. That’s a spiritual reality for all who are Christians but to realize that reality in our lives we have to believe it and we have to act on it by “watching and praying”, meaning that we have to be aware of our surroundings and our thoughts, considering all we experience in light of the wisdom of God’s word, and to be in constant communication with God through formal times of prayer and Bible study and by maintaining a continuous conversation with God as we go through our day.   

Faith in Jesus is the remedy to sin and here our Lord directs us in the practice of the remedy. As Christians we are to be vigilant in our walk by being on guard against external and internal temptations by taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and maintaining a continuous conversation with the Lord that reminds us of who we are in Christ and directs the steps of our journey.

Christ has given us the victory. We just have to beware that our flesh is weak and remember that we can overcome temptation if we watch and pray.  

 

As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.org where I always share insights from prominent Christian counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. 

Today we continue sharing from June Hunt’s “Evil and Suffering… Why? Is God Fair?

 

As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage all to purchase June Hunt’s books for your own private study and to support her work.

B. What Is "Good"?

A sacrificial servant of God, a fearless firefighter, a protective parent—all reflect some aspect of love and goodness. Consider the following definitions:

  • Good is uncorrupted virtue.
        "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." (Genesis 1:31)
  • Good is a moral choice of right over wrong, arising from righteousness of character. The Greek word kalos means "good" that comes from being intrinsically virtuous in character. This goodness, which is honorable, righteous, and morally pure, is a moral choice of good over bad.
        "Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." (James 4:17)
  • Goodness is that which causes more goodness. Only Jesus, who is the embodiment of goodness, can produce good.

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10:11)

 

Question: "Some people say, 'Everyone is born good.' Is this true?"

Answer: the straightforward answer is "No." David states ...

Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me."

(Psalm 51:5)

 

Question: "Doesn't the existence of evil prove that God is not a good God?"

Answer: The existence of evil does not negate the existence of a good God any more than darkness negates light or death negates life. Some things are better defined by the contrast of their opposites. Since both good and evil clearly exist, a good God must necessarily exist. What else is the source of good? God in His goodness and in His timing will deal with evil and those who promote evil. The Bible says ...

"The evil man has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out." (Proverbs 24:20)

 

Question: "If God is a good and compassionate God, why doesn't He hear my prayers and answer them?"

Answer: God is not deaf—He hears all of your prayers. In fact, because He knows everything, He knows your requests even before you ask. And He answers sometimes with yes, sometimes with no, and sometimes with wait. God the Father even said no to Jesus when He was facing crucifixion and no to the apostle Paul when he was facing a physical malady. The Father's purpose for Jesus' death was our salvation. God's purpose for Paul's physical ailment was to produce humility in Paul. Realize that He always answers your prayers according to His purposes for you. In the end, the righteous are delivered from all of their troubles.

"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all." (Psalm 34:17-19)


Biblical Counseling Keys: Evil and Suffering... Why?: Why God? Why?.


---------------------------more tomorrow------------------------

 

Join our “Victory over the Darkness” or “The Bondage Breaker” series of Discipleship Classes via the mt4christ247 podcast!

at https://mt4christ247.podbean.com, You can also find it on Apple podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mt4christ247s-podcast/id1551615154). The mt4christ247 podcast is also available on Google Podcasts, Amazon Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartradio, and Audible.com. 

Email me at mt4christ247@gmail.com to receive the class materials, share your progress, and to be encouraged.

 

Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship

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