For the Day of Trouble
How the Lord delivered me from severe depression and my own hypocrisy.
The Road to Righteousness
Did you realize that according to the Bible, this life is only the testing ground and then after we die, then comes the judgment where we live with the consequences of our earthy life forever?
Now if that doesn’t motivate us to try to do well, I don’t know what will. Ever since the disobedience of Adam and Eve, we live in a fallen world and this life will have tribulation… that’s one of God’s promises in John 16:33. But that’s where He also tells us to be of good cheer. Why? Because Jesus overcame the world… and He thus knows how to help each of us overcome the world too. When we learn to walk in victory, (at least sometimes) it boosts our hope and gets rather addicting!
Give Me My Goliaths!
James 1:12 states, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial, for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” Have you ever heard much about God’s eternal rewards?
Jesus lost most of his followers when his teachings got harder, in that day, and I believe that was as true then, as always. Receiving and trusting Jesus as Savior is one thing, but being willing to surrender to Him as Lord for the rest of our life is where the rubber sure meets the road. The call to follow Him all the way to the cross and by faith be able to resound in our whole being, His words, “Your will, not Mine”, sure aint for sissies! But as we see in John 6:67, Jesus asked the disciples, “Do you want to leave Me too? It was Peter who so wisely responded, “But Lord, who else has the words of eternal life? Where else is there to go?” Now THAT’S a good question to ponder!
“If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”[1] What do you do with your cross? James 1:3 tells us, “Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith (through experience) produces endurance (leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace). And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed (in your faith) lacking nothing.”
John 12: 24 tells us, “I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains [just one grain; it never becomes more but lives] by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces many others and yields a rich harvest.” Just think of our faith tests as our chances to be changed and thus become fruitful!!
God’s Treasure Chest
Deitrick Bonhoffer has a good resource on that topic, in his book, The Cost of Discipleship. Or the book and movie, The Insanity of God: A True Story of Faith Resurrected, and part 2, The Insanity of Obedience: Walking with Jesus in Tough Places, highlights how many people in the world even today, are really ‘counting the cost’ of following Christ, experiencing all sorts of persecution. For our cushy society here in America, Stephen’s Test of Faith (on You Tube) is a good movie to help us stand up when about the worst thing happens in our day and country and age, like being teased!
Hind’s Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard and part 2, Mountains of Spices, might whet your appetite to look forward to those testings and be reminded how it’s worth it. God has a lot to say in the Scriptures about eternal rewards, and if you think about it, our Judgment day is the beginning of the rest of our lives! Our opportunities to earn rewards will be over by then, so heeding the call to ‘run the race so as to win the prize’ and ‘redeem our time’ are just a few truths to encourage us to do so!
One trick I learned to lift my depression was to choose a chapter in the Bible that really spoke to me where I was at. I chose Psalm 119, because it was the longest one too, and I knew I needed a lot. But my battle plan was to go turn to read it, and even try to memorize it if I had to, every time feelings of depression seemed to be trying to overtake me. I liked how it gave me a specific direction, a specific place to go… And a very constructive one at that.
I really like what the late author and speaker, Nancy Missler said… as she pointed out that at all times, we are either being overcome, or we’re overcoming. Boy, did I find that to be true! The lesson from her I found most helpful was that faith choices are, well faith choices! I didn’t have to be captive to my feelings anymore! Just like walking where you just put one foot ahead of the other, just keep clinging to God’s Word, eventually your feelings will follow. You might even taking a physical step as lengthy as how much trust you feel you are putting in God at the moment. It’s really freeing to not be captive anymore! To know there is something you can do about how you feel! No wonder we’re told God’s Word is life to those who find it![2]
Nancy and Chuck Missler both said that within their 50 years of ministry, it’s the most important lesson they’ve ever had. It has to do with this very topic and is really inspiring to me any time I’ve gotten tired and weary! It’s called The Kingdom, The Power and The Glory: The Overcomer’s Handbook.” You can find the book and dvd teachings at their Koinonia House or King’s Highway website.
Now I can stand up and say that I am so glad I went through the difficult, difficult, difficult trials I have! If you’d have asked me while I was in the heat of them, I don’t think I’d have been quite as assured. But I’ve come out different and better. I am much more aware of how true it is that the wages of my sins have been the cause of my pain! I’ve learned to appreciate the leading, protection, healing loving touch and even the discipline of the Lord for the times I have gone astray. How assured I am that what God allows in my life truly can and does work for good, even when I may not be able to see it! (Romans 8:28 is a profoundly amazing truth!!)
And I learned for myself that when we are really serious with God, He knows it. He also knows when we’re just playing games. My prayer life aint what it used to be either. It’s not a duty or a drudge, but rather a live, persistently needed lifeline! It’s a joy to be able to hear from the Lord! (And be experienced enough to know to obey!) And it’s a joy know you are in a right relationship with God, the Creator of heaven and earth! The one who holds your tomorrow, and the one who knows every thought in my mind, and is thus then able to help me! It’s a joy when you face a problem that would have used to just taken you down… not be a threat or cause you fear anymore!!! Because you’ve learned how to use your sword and your shield and recognize and take captive the lies of the enemy!! And even realize this life is a classroom, and when I stumble, there is always something to learn to help me next time!
Blessed is the Man
God tells us in Deut. 4:29, “From there, you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress… when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice for the LORD your God is a merciful God”.
I believe it is the mercy of the Lord to know where our own ‘from there’ is… Reread the above verse if that doesn’t make sense. Our ‘from there’… our breaking point, that gets our full and seriously undivided attention. Because just think about what God is trying to save us from! Just think, just think, oh just think!!!
From There
2nd Peter 3:9 states, “He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.” Do you know the definition of the word repentance? You really should! Blue Letter Bible.org is a great online resource for that, and I can tell you according to the Bible, it’s not saying a bunch of hail Marys!
- [1] Luke 9:23
- [2] Proverbs 4:22
