OUR FATHERS PART 1

Our Fathers

From "Daughter" by John Mayer

Fathers, be good to your daughters
Daughters will love like you do
Girls become lovers who turn into mothers
So mothers, be good to your daughters too

What I'm writing about will not be a new thought.  It will not be rocket science. 

FATHERS ARE IMPORTANT. 

It is no coincidence that God is referred to as our Father.  Because God's thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9), he often uses natural things to help us understand spiritual things.  Remember the parables spoken by Jesus.  The structure of the tabernacle and the sacrifices for sin. 
And the family. 

A mother's bond with a child begins before birth in a way that fathers can not experience. Proximity and pain create a nearly unbreakable bond.  Consequently, a father has to play catch up.  And the bond tends to be less so.  Let me qualify that by stating this has been my experience and observation. 

I believe that the attributes of our fathers' are those we later project onto God.

The ideal father loves unconditionally.  Do you feel unloved by your father? God? Do you feel that you have to earn your father's love? God's?  Read about the love of the prodigal son's father (Luke 15:11-32).

The ideal father provides. Do you feel comfortable asking your father to meet your needs?  Do you have trouble praying to God?  Luke 11:11-13 reads " ¹¹ If a son asks for bread^[d] from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? ¹² Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? ¹³ If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

The ideal father protects. Did your father make you feel safe? Do you feel like God is interested in you personally?
 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psalm 23:4
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. Isaiah 54:17


Be Blessed and stay tuned for Part 2 begining with discipline.

Christianity and Depression (as well as other psychiatric, personailty or addiction disorders) Part 1

Matthew 5:29-30 If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

I have struggled with depression since I was about 10 years old.  I have had thoughts of suicide since I was about 12.  I had fits of rage.  I'd sleep 12 hours a day and spend most of the remaining 12 locked in a fantasy world fueled by TV, books or my on rapidly deteriorating imagination. 

When I became a Christian, I though that all of that would end....immediately.  And when it didn't I doubted my salvation and questioned whether I was too far gone to be forgiven. 

I think Christians should have a mentor for the first year.  A sponsor if you will.  Someone to tell you what to expect.  Someone to call when the demons attack (and they attack bad starting the moment you get out of the water). 

So. I'm a Christian but I'm so depressed that I can barely function. I'm still angry.  I don't behave like a Christian.  I'm trying to please everyone and I am failing. 

I try therapy.  But I'm a people pleaser and although I initiate the therapy, I am not honest.  I understate all my feelings trying to please the therapist.  But I begin taking antidepressants.  They help. 

There are some Christians that believe that if I pray hard enough and with enough faith, I would be healed.  They believe that using outside help shows a lack of faith.  I would suspect that these Christians have never experienced debilitating depression, anxiety, schizophrenia or other psychiatric illness or addiction.

This is what I believe. Based on the scripture above, Jesus would suggest that we should destroy a part of our body that God gave us in order to preserve our soul. 

Here's a joke..

The flood was coming and word was sent to evacuate. One farmer sat on his porch and told the rescue team. "I'm waiting for God, He'll save me." Soon the water rose and the farmer was forced to the second story of his house. The rescue boat came but he told them. "I'm waiting for God He'll save me." Soon the farmer was forced to the top of his roof. The rescue helicopter came but he told them. "I'm waiting for God, He'll save me." The water rose and the farmer drowned. On his arrival in heaven he asked God, "Why didn't you save me? I waited for you but you never came." God replied. "I came three times."

 

Sometimes God uses natural laws and humans to achieve his supernatural purposes. This does not minimize or exclude the existence of supernatural healing. 

Psychiatric drugs can be an aid but only Jesus is the answer.  

Jesus knows our heart and if our heart loves and seeks to please Him, He knows it.

When we get our resurrected bodies we won't have to worry about physical or mental limitations anymore.

 

 

 

 

Forgiveness

forgive [fəˈgɪv]

vb -gives, -giving, -gave, -given

1. to cease to blame or hold resentment against (someone or something)

2. to grant pardon for (a mistake, wrongdoing, etc.)

3. (tr) to free or pardon (someone) from penalty

4. (tr) to free from the obligation of (a debt, payment, etc.)

[Old English forgiefan; see for-, give]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

 

The deeper the injury the harder forgiveness is. 

 

I wrote a letter to my abuser when I was about 25 years old. 

 

The first emotion that I can recall feeling in my life was anger and hate.  I didn't know what was going on.  At eight I did not have any way to understand what was going on.  But I knew I did not like it and was angry.

Rage     Hysterics     Nightmares     Fear     Headaches     Introverted      Codependent     Depressed

 

I was a prisoner.  I didn't trust anyone and I so wanted to trust someone.  I trusted all the wrong people.  I retreated into reading to escape.  I lived in fantasy worlds where there were happy endings.

 

Then I wrote the letter and mailed it. 

 

Was it because I had a religious moment of discovery?

Did God put forgiveness in my heart?

 

Wouldn't that have been nice...No.  I just decided that my hatred and anger at him only hurt me.  I had to release that. 

 

And I lived happily ever after...No.  It was the beginning of healing that is still going on today. 

 

Now- forgiveness for me does not equal being new BFF's.  It means that I give up all rights to revenge, to speak of this person in a negative way or to wish, want or relish any harm to this person. 

 

But forgiveness is biblical.  Our salvation is described as forgiveness of sin.  God forgives us from every violation of His law.  We are then required to pass that forgiveness along. 

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matt 18:21-35)

²¹ Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. ²³ Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. ²⁵ But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made. ²⁶ The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’ ²⁷ Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

²⁸ “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ ²⁹ So his fellow servant fell down at his feet^[d] and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.’^{[e] 30} And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. ³¹ So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done. ³² Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. ³³ Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴ And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.

³⁵ “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.”^[f]
It's pretty important. 

See...forgiveness is a commandment.  He would not say it was required if we could not do it.  It is not based on our "feeling" forgiveness.  It's about being obedient to God.  It's a choice.  Today choose to forgive someone who has hurt, mistreated or betrayed you.  Be Blessed.

 

 

 

 

You are not alone...

If you have read my introduction, you know that I have survived much. 

Before I don't think that I believed I had survived it.  It's sort of the difference between surviving a car accident with a broken arm versus surviving it with a traumatic brain injury. You live either way, but it's a matter of the quality of life.

But worse than the abuse and the guilt and the fear was the loneliness.

The feeling that you don't belong.  That there is something different and wrong about you.  The fear that someone would take a look at you and know. 

The need to hide the sadness and the fear behind happy smiles and good grades. Sleep and alcohol.  Pills and drugs. 

You think that no one understands....
And sometimes they don't.   They can't....

I didn't get out of bed, not because I'm lazy, but because I can't pretend one more day.

I drink, drug, party, sex not because I enjoy it, but because for an hour the voices in my head are silent.  Or I cut myself because it's the pain I can control that distracts me from the pain I can't control.

If you've never felt overwhelming depression, panic, anxiety, fear, paranoia, delusions, you can't understand it.  You may doubt it is real or think it's over exaggerated.

IT'S REAL!!!
IT REALLY HURTS THIS MUCH!!
I'M DYING INSIDE!!!

But..there is an answer.  God can heal.  Tell someone!!  Preacher, Teacher, Mom, Dad, a Crises Counselor. Tell someone!! If that doesn't work, TELL SOMEONE ELSE.

Then you can begin to exchange Satan's LIES for God's Truth.  It's not a short journey or an easy journey, but I promise you can have peace and joy and happiness.

Do you believe what you what you believe? Part II

I'm gonna keep it simple. 

Due to events of my childhood, I have had a hard time believing in and accepting God's love.  I do better these days.  Most days.  I know now that God will never leave or forsake us.  We are not fatherless, orphaned or abandoned. 

 

If you stuggle holding on to feeling loved and cherished, listen to the words of this song.  Put it on your phone, iphone, ipad, ipod, kindle, laptop and desktop.  Listen to it when you feel alone to remind you that there are no orphans of God.

 



Jesus eyes

 Have you seen them before? Or someone like them? What do you imagine their story is?

 

ABUSE?                               DRUGS?

MURDER?                           PSYCHIATRIC PROBLEMS?

 

Do you move to the other side of the street?  Clutch your purse or your children a little closer? Or do you try to see past the exterior and see something more?

Can you see this little boy who wanted to be a fireman when he grew up, not an addict?

The little girl before the voices that she couldn't get away from? Before the bad people got to them? Before the RAGE...SADNESS...HOPELESSNESS.....?

 

Can you tell them that Jesus loves them?  That no matter where they've been, that Jesus died for them. That they can have PEACE...JOY....HOPE....?

 

Can you see them with Jesus eyes??

 

Isaiah 61:1-4

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
² To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
³ To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified



 

Treatment of the lost, unsaved or erring Christian Part 1 (The woman at the well)

John 4:4-26 the woman at the Well.

Observations:
V. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
Jesus was weary but never too weary to be about the Father's business.

V. 9  Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

Jesus was not above interaction with those from a different culture or background; sometimes with better reception than from his Jewish contemporaries.

V. 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”

No matter where we are in our spiritual walk, we all have the same Father.

V. 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

When we have received in baptism the Holy Spirit of God and thereby peace and forgiveness and hope and a future, these things should pour forth (fountain vs. having to work to get it from a well),

V.15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”

People who hear about Jesus in a way they can comprehend will desire it.

V.16-18 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
¹⁷ The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ ¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

God knows all.  Jesus knew the woman’s circumstances before he spoke to her.  He knew her sin condition and did not shun her.  He treated her with respect despite her sin.  He didn’t bring up her sin situation first.  He brought up the sin solution first. 

V. 19-22 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
When people perceive you are of God, they may ask you questions.  Are you ready to give an answer? Have you studied God’s word?  The answer you give may influence someone’s eternity for the better or worse.

V.23-24 But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. ²⁴ 
God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Philippians 3:3 states that worshipping in the Spirit means full reliance on God and not flesh and John 1:17 says that truth comes thought Jesus Christ.

V.25-26 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
²⁶ Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

Jesus is the bringer of all things.  He brings reconciliation between us and God and between the Jew and the Gentile.  He brings salvations and healing.  His death made way for the Holy Spirit to come.  He bought our citizenship in heaven and our eternal life.  He did all the work.  “I who speak to you am He” (the Messiah).  What is he saying to you?

I think introductions are in order

Hi, all.  I want to blog about my ascendance to happiness.  Truthfully, I've had a crappy life for the first 38 years.   Let's give it a quick rundown.  Child abuse, depression, low self esteem, no father to speak of, perfectionist personality, rapist boyfriend, death of a brother, mother issues, marriage issues, anger issues fear of death and hell--how long can I make this blog?  But in the last 40 days, I have begun to feel like I can make it.  That I am a person worthy of happiness and prosperity .  I don't believe the God is playing a continual practical joke on me.  My favorite phrase was my life is like a Shakespearean tragedy. I would love to spread a story of hope and encouragement to the world.