How To Cross Over From Death To Life

Posted on November 26, 2011 by dyuhas48

John 5:24
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

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The Grace Place

Posted on November 23, 2011 by dyuhas48

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." -1 Samuel 16:7

These past few days have been tough. My Alzheimama, usually sunny and sweet, has been cranky, combative, and miserable to be around. She has fought me every inch of the way of her care and it’s left me feeling felt disheartened, resentful, and angry.

Despite the damaging effects of Alzheimer’s Disease, my mom is acutely aware of which buttons to push to stir up the worst kind of frustration in me. If I say the cat is black, she insists it’s white and whenever I open my mouth, she argues that I don’t know what I’m talking about and she knows better. Instead of ignoring it or distracting her, I’ve responded in kind, returning rant for rave and snapping back to the point of making myself odious.

And ashamed.

I know better. My mom’s brain is damaged by Alzheimer’s Disease; she no longer has the ability to analyze her feelings or thoughts and can’t recall conversations beyond a moment or two. It is my responsibility, not hers, to be self-controlled and act with gentleness, compassion, and kindness. It is my responsibility to pray and be obedient to God’s word within the moment.

I want to blame her. ”If she didn’t do x, I wouldn’t do y.” But this a lie we tell ourselves to avoid facing our own sinfulness.

When I fail, when I trip over my emotions and fall headlong into self-centeredness, things go from bad to worse and I end up exhausted, depressed, and burdened with guilt. I lean back in my chair, chest tight and gut-wrenched, begging forgiveness from my mom and God.

I want God to remove whatever it is that causes this knee-jerk reaction of anger. It’s like a jagged thorn in my side that I can’t get out. I want him to fix me. But he says to me as he said to Paul,

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9a).

We are called to walk by faith and not by sight. When I see my mom’s face gripped with anger, when I see her fists balled or her nails poised to dig deep, I must choose to see her as the mother I know – sunny-side up. In that split-second, I am faced with a choice of how I will respond, no matter how I feel. This point of determination is actually a place of grace.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness [...] In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:23-27).

Because of Christ’s blood that has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, we are no longer slaves to sin, compelled to act according to the sin nature. We have been freed in Christ to walk according to our new nature, led by the Spirit of God. We begin to walk by faith and not by sight. I want to to speak softly even when my thoughts are raging, to trade my ego for God’s love. Most of all, I want to love my mother as well as I love myself.

Attitude is a choice and actions follow suit.

I have to be the person I want to become, the one who demonstrates true love for God by faithful obedience in the midst of trials.

What compels you to act when you find yourself in tribulation, especially in your relationship with others?

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29-32).

The other person is not the problem. The problem is our own pride that demands others bow down before us. The command is crystal clear. Be angry and sin not. The power to obey can be found in the grace place.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Before I went to bed, before I allowed the sun to go down on my anger, I prayed.

Persistently.

Trustingly.

And I called on others for help, asking them to pray for me. Finally, I prayed aloud with my mom.

When I awoke the next morning, that desire to satisfy sinful pride, had been wrapped in the paper of yesterday and taken to the trash. My mom was still cranky and I was tempted, for a moment, to respond in kind. Circumstances had not changed, but as I stood in that grace place, suddenly I realized that a beautiful change had been wrought in me. With the peace of Christ in my heart, I traded irritation for gratefulness.

“Thank you, God, that I have a mother and am able to care for her. Thank you for leading me to this place where the rubber meets the road so that I could experience grace and in turn, extend grace to my mom.”

Here’s the wonderful thing about the grace place: It is always right there in front of you. Lord Jesus, help us to settle our hearts into the grace place that we may obey you moment by moment and day by day. May you receive all the glory. Amen.

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Whatever The Circumstances

Posted on November 17, 2011 by dyuhas48

Content in Christ*

“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:10b).

Just what kinds of circumstances could Paul have experienced? It’s not like the economy failed and people lost their jobs and homes like we did. How bad could it have been? After all, he was an apostle and a tentmaker. Two jobs, no wife, no kids, and he liked it that way. Well, Paul, what sort of difficult circumstances are you talking about?

“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?” (2 Corinthians 11:23-29).

Oh.

Oops.

Okay, I’m sitting down now because I haven’t a leg to stand on. Sorry, Paul. Can we move on now?

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

We know from reading Paul’s letter that these words were sparked by a generous gift of support from the Philippian church.

“I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:18- 19).

So Paul was content whether or not he received their gifts. More importantly, he was content whether or not he needed those gifts.

Moreover, he was thrilled, not because he now found himself amply supplied, but because the Philippians had given liberally and joyfully, thereby pleasing God. Giving to others is the same as giving to the Lord. Furthermore, sharing well with others what we possess is God’s command. We must not be stingy.

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Timothy 6:18).

Finally, we have God’s promise that he will lavishly meet all of our needs as we meet the needs of others. It is God’s determination that whoever sows generously also reaps generously (2 Corinthians 9:6b). Our generosity brings glory to God.

“To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen (Philippians 4:20).

Now I can be content with that. How about you?

*Image courtesy of http://dreamstime.com

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Depression: The Sin Of A Weak Mind?

Posted on November 14, 2011 by dyuhas48

*image via dreamstime.com

When (in)courage published a post asking for prayer requests, they probably had no idea they’d receive so many heartbreaking cries for help from women suffering with depression. As I read these posts, my heart bled for these deeply wounded, hurting women. So much darkness. So much pain. And so much ignorance on the part of those from whom they sought help. One woman wrote that she had been told to pray and stop taking her medication. What needless pain is borne by those who receive such poor advice!

I’m appalled by the confusion and utter lack of knowledge about depression among Christians today. My aim is to address this today within the confines of a simple blog post. Lord, open our eyes to see and our ears to hear. Turn and heal us, I pray, in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

What is depression? What are it’s symptoms?

“Depression is a serious medical illness that involves the brain. It’s more than just a feeling of being “down in the dumps” or “blue” for a few days. If you are one of the more than 20 million people in the United States who have depression, the feelings do not go away. They persist and interfere with your everyday life. Symptoms can include

Sadness

Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy

Change in weight

Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping

Energy loss

Feelings of worthlessness

Thoughts of death or suicide

Depression is a disorder of the brain. There are a variety of causes, including genetic, environmental, psychological, and biochemical factors. Depression usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30, and is much more common in women. Women can also get postpartum depression after the birth of a baby. Some people get seasonal affective disorder in the winter. Depression is one part of bipolar disorder.

There are effective treatments for depression, including antidepressants and talk therapy. Most people do best by using both” (Medline Plus).

FYI: Medline Plus is the National Institutes of Health’s website for free medical information in an easily understandable language. It is produced by the National Library of Medicine.

What causes depression? Nobody knows for sure what causes depression, but more and more researchers believe there is a link between depression and major trauma. Childhood abuse, rape, war, death of a loved one, and major losses all fall into this category. While the exact cause of depression remains unknown, it’s results are well-documented. In depression, chemical changes take place the brain causing its symptoms – deep sadness, fatigue, etcetera.

In the human brain, chemical messages are passed from neuron to neuron, carried by messengers called neurotransmitters. Once the chemical message is delivered, these neurotransmitters return home to be used again. Ideally, neurotransmitters take their time going home and enjoy a little rest in the space between neurons. When they return home too quickly, the synapse is left with low levels of these messengers and the person experiences feelings of sadness and depression. Anti-depressants work by keeping neurotransmitters in the gap long enough to ease depressive symptoms.

It’s not weakness. It’s not sin. It’s chemistry.

Most people do better when they combine antidepressants with therapy because it addresses both ends of the problem-the deep wound that shredded your heart as well as the unrelenting depression that keeps you paralyzed. Antidepressants help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. They relieve enough of the symptoms so you can begin to face the wounds that started it all. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but you still have to walk through it in faith. That’s where prayer, Bible reading, and therapy comes in. God is in the business of transformation and this takes time, sometimes a great deal of time. Whether God heals by a snap of His fingers or by years of prayer, therapy, and medication, healing is still every inch a miracle.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV).

Christians who take antidepressants and undergo therapy need not fear reprisal from God. These are tools that God uses to heal us. Just as God created doctors and dentists, so God created therapists. Some honor God and some do not. Choose wisely your therapist. A good cognitive-behaviorial therapist will help you uncover that wound, work through its pain, and develop healthy emotional habits for life. It will prove the most painful, frustrating, and difficult season of your life, but also one of the most liberating, tender stories of God’s faithful love as He leads you through it.

For all of you, men and women, be encouraged. God gave us Jesus Christ for such a time as this. Trust Him – our Healer, Redeemer, and Great Physician – and use the tools He gives you. Partner with God and be active in your own healing by seeking help from God’s word, persistent prayer, your pastor, and qualified physicians and therapists.

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

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