Tag Archives: Jeremiah

Depression and my Christian faith

Posted on March 23, 2016 by | Comments Off on Depression and my Christian faith

not based on emotionsI am glad and thankful that my salvation is not based on emotions. For those who know me I’ve made no secret about my struggle with depression. Since 2000, I’ve learned a lot about the causes of depression, some of the causes, and even the various treatments available. I’ve also learned that there are many Christians who struggle with depression; unfortunately, I have also learned there are Christians who do not understand the struggle with depression and use it to question the faith of those who do struggle. Before I go any further, I must add that I am not a trained psychologist nor am I offering psychological advice. I’m sharing my struggle with depression and my faith in Jesus.

The Bible does talk about depression…

As I have shared in the past, I really began to learn about myself and about the Lord in 2006; at that time I was 36 years old and had gone through one of the darkest parts of my life. Shortly after accepting the Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, I began intently studying the Bible, trying to find answers to why my life had come undone. I found this verse: As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart (Proverbs 25:20). This verse nearly jumped off the page at me –  here, in the writings of Solomon, was exactly the way I felt when I was emotionally down. I’d go to church and hear from well-meaning members that all I needed to do was to pray, to fill my heart with song, and be around other Christians and it would be enough to help me overcome the depression. That’s exactly like someone taking away your coat during the winter. What I really wanted to tell those well-meaning Christian brothers and sisters was to go sing their song somewhere else!

It is not the only place where the Lord gives us advice on comforting someone suffering from depression. The apostle Paul wrote, Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep (Romans 12:15). While this verse is talking about sorrow, I do believe it can also be referring to those who suffer from depression. What has always helped me more than anything else is to see genuine concern from by brothers and sisters in Christ, willing to share my burdens and pray for me. Those of us who suffer from depression do not need to feel as if we are being judged by others; we feel enough of that in our own minds. Our emotions – for those who suffer from depression – our feelings are already doing double duty…

David wrote My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word (Psalms 119:25). David, a man after God’s own heart, appears to be struggling with depression. For those who suffer from depression, we know this feeling well. Solomon, his son and the wisest of the ancient kings, wrote: The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? (Proverbs 18:14). When someone is fighting a round of depression every part of their life is affected – their relationships, their employment, their sleeping and eating habits, and even the relationship they have with the Lord. It takes away enjoyment of life’s simplest pleasures.

Paul also wrote, That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it (1 Corinthians 12:25-26). It’s easy for a congregation to celebrate the birth of a baby to a young family, an upcoming wedding or anniversary, or a promotion or award to another member. These are the good times where we can rejoice and praise the Lord for His goodness and mercies, as we should. However, it is something altogether different to comfort one who is hurting and struggling with depression. I don’t get depressed often, but it has always amazed me when I do, how many brothers or sisters in Christ simply do not have the time to spend in fellowship with another Christian who happens to be hurting.

Depression does not affect our salvation…

If you watch any of the popular television evangelists there is an impression that many lost and many Christians get an idea that Christians are supposedly filled with joy and happiness all the time. Somehow, that simply being a Christian brings such happiness into the heart that Christians cannot help but to feel joy. Back in 2007, I shared my struggle with depression with the pastor of the church I had attended for nearly a year. What he told me truly astounded me: “Brother, your faith simply isn’t where it needs to be. You need to give up this depression and just simply trust in Jesus…” From a scriptural standpoint, our emotions are totally separate from our relationship with the Lord; our salvation does not depend on us being in a constant state of joy. 

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Posted in Christian Living, Difficulties and Trials, My Walk

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Having compassion that makes a difference

Posted on December 28, 2015 by | Comments Off on Having compassion that makes a difference

bible1Having compassion is an important part of our daily walk with Jesus. All it takes is a look around our society to notice the lack of genuine compassion. But what is compassion? How can we be a compassionate people when we do not even know the real meaning of the word? Compassion, according to the Miriam Webster’s Dictionary is a  sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. In the book of Jude, the Holy Spirit led the author to write, And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 22-23). There is nothing more compassionate within the Christian faith than sharing the gospel of Jesus with those who are lost.

Having compassion without notice of men

True biblical compassion is not driven by a wish to be recognized or rewarded by others. Even in Jesus’ day there were those who were willing to show great compassion on others as long as they believed someone would notice their efforts. Jesus spoke openly to his disciples and all who were around listening:  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (Matthew 6:1-2). Just what is the reward of those whose compassion is solely driven by their love of the Lord? Jesus taught on this very topic and used this example: Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:12-14).

What Jesus is teaching here is that our compassion should not be limited to those who could do something for us in return. This is not true compassion as in the biblical sense. Jesus tells us to focus our compassion on those who don’t have the ability to do anything for us. Jesus tells us that our rewards will not come now, but will happen when we arrive in Heaven. If our having compassion was driven by our love for Jesus and for our fellow-man as a creation of God, then our reward will be reflective of the pureness of our hearts: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works (Matthew 16:27) and I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 17:10). No matter what we may say to others what our motivation for demonstrating compassion may be, the Lord knows the real intent of our efforts.

Having compassion that will be acceptable to the Lord

Modern society has a dangerous, unhealthy, and unbiblical understanding of what compassion is. Biblical compassion is simply not writing a check and sending money to whatever charity is being promoted at the time. Television and the Internet are full of promotions by various stars and other famous people asking for financial contributions ranging from animal care to orphaned children in faraway lands. While it is noble to want to help, the scriptures are very clear where the demonstration of our having compassion must start: But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8) and As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). Additionally, if we include the order specified for the sharing and spreading of the gospel, Jesus told the crowd of believers: And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:7-8).

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Posted in Chrisitian Philosophy, Christian Responsibility

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The parable of the sower: a different lesson

Posted on November 11, 2015 by | Comments Off on The parable of the sower: a different lesson

parable sowerWe’ve all heard sermons, Bible studies, devotionals, and Sunday school lessons that focus on the parable of the sower. This important teaching of Jesus is recorded in the gospel of Matthew: And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;  And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:  But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear (Matthew 13:3-9). Instead of focusing on the seed and its fate, the focus of this post will be on the sower.

With the way that Jesus presents this parable, there are several lessons we can learn about the sower even though the only true reference specifically about the sower is found in the first two verses of the passage: And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up (Matthew 13:3-4). These verses contain only a very basic description of the sower – all we know is that the sower is a man. It is not because Jesus didn’t think that women were not capable of sowing wheat, but that Jesus was using a common image – something that everyone who was hearing that day had at some time either had done themselves or had seen. But other than that, there is no more facts or observations given about the sower other than what was given here.

The object of the parable  – the sower – is…us!

This morning, as I did my personal Bible reading, something about this passage really jumped off the page. Think about what Jesus told the disciples before he ascended into Heaven: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen (Matthew 28:19-20). The gospel of Mark records the same event: And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:15-16). Just as Jesus had commanded the disciples to spread the gospel, we, too are given the commission to spread the gospel. We are to become sowers of the gospel seed to the extent the parable He used presented the role of the sower. If we are truly objective about the information we are given about the sower, we understand he was out in the fields sowing with a purpose. Jesus gave us that purpose; Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (John 14:23). We provide a demonstration of our willful obedience when we share the gospel message with others.

The parable: the sower was indiscriminate about the sowing

One of the many lessons about the sower in this passage is that the sower was indiscriminate – he did not make any judgment – about his sowing. He didn’t stop to determine the soil type but just kept sowing the seeds he had. If we stop and ponder this aspect of the parable, what Jesus is teaching is that we have an obligation to sow the seeds of the gospel message of Jesus without giving any consideration of the soil – the person to whom we are sharing the message of salvation. Too many times we allow ourselves to be moved by the flesh, by our own judgment. Although we may feel the Holy Spirit leading us to share the gospel with someone, often we won’t because we are trying to figure out the type of soil their heart is made of. I’ve done this; I am sure if you are honest with yourself, you’ve probably done this too. David was led by the Holy Spirit to write, Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart (Psalms 44:21) and also in the writings of Samuel: But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). God sees and judges by the heart because we base our judgment on appearance.

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Posted in Christian Doctrine, Our relationship with God, Our relationship with others, Personal Evangelism

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