The Cross in the Heart...

Many times when people encounter difficulties, they question God. Questions like, "Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?" or "How can there be a God when all this evil is going on?" There can be more variations. Let's think about this and take our minds back to the cross of calvary on our behalf. Our Lord in anguish and pain never cried out, "Where is God?" He saw the height of sin, felt the pain while suffering and cried out but never once did He question God. He never thrust God aside because things became so difficult. It never entered His mind to doubt God! He still called on His heavenly Father, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34)

What does this teach us? It is alright to cry when we hurt. There is nothing wrong with expressing our inner pain using our lips to God. You do not have to pretend! You can be honest and express your heart (Phil. 4:6-7). In the words of Jesus, He is our representative to God for us. He expressed the inner agony for all of us. But that is not all. In Jesus our Lord, God joined us in our pain! Wasn't it God through Christ Jesus that was reconciling us to Himself (Col. 1:20)? For us, Jesus lives to make intercession for us (Heb. 7:25) and God invested His whole being into His Son on our behalf.

Never question God! Never thrust God aside or think that God is not aware. We need to sit and take a hard look at the cross and draw some proper conclusions. The cross teaches us God isn't absent in suffering! God is revealed in the suffering cross!! We feel abandoned sometimes in our sufferings and trials but that is not true. God joined us in Jesus our Lord to show us He is there too! He knows the depths of pain and suffering that sin causes and so through the cross of His Son, He joined in our lives of suffering.

A mother was grieving over her son who had died. Who wouldn't? She felt a great loss and a pain in her heart like nonother. The words came out, "Where was God when my son died?" The reply? "The same place He was when His Son died!" He knows the depths much more than ourselves and knows what comfort is needed in times of pain (II Cor. 1:3-6).

The presence of pain and suffering do not mean the absence of God. Do not cast God aside in your worship and service to Him just because you hurt. That should draw you even closer because He too knows what you need at your hour of pain. For those in Christ, the cross of Jesus is in their heart! Our Lord and God suffered with us and in turn we will suffer with Him (Rom. 8:16-17). Maybe it is time to refocus and look at the cross and ask, "Is the cross really at the center of my heart?"

To The Point...

Have you ever heard the old song "Gone Fishing"? Louie Armstrong and Bing Crosby sang it together. It was a theme song for me on several of my fishing trips! My kids think I am nuts but if you could ever find it, listen to it. It is a very simple but great song. It has a neat little tune. I guess that makes me a simple man! My family has been telling me that for years!!

Why I am saying all this? Because for the next two days I've "gone fishing!" I have not been able to get away in the spring of the year over the last two years to go fishing. My sons and I are headed out with the boat, camping out and fishing at Truman Lake. It is one of my favorite lakes in all of Missouri. I am really excited about it. Who knows, maybe I will start giving a fishing report! That would really be helpful, huh?

I pray God will grant you His wisdom and understanding. Learn to let the things of this life not to impact your soul and allow the eternal things to determine everything. Sin is deceitful. Sin will blind your mind and heart. Sin will lead you down a path to believing you are right with the Lord when you are really in darkness. God/Jesus will not fellowship anyone in sin! They will embrace those who flee from sin, who are repentant in heart but that takes an honest humble heart. Let the word stand for what it says and I believe that is really "to the point!"

You Can't Make A Horse Drink!

How many times have we heard the old saying, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink"? We have analyzed it and used it many times as examples. In my younger years, a friend of mine had several horses. We would go out together and he would lead those horses to the watering tank. What I noticed was some drank, some didn't. It took me a few years because maybe I am a little s-l-o-w but I realized you don't have to make a thirsty horse drink! If you lead them to the water, if they are thirsty, they will do the rest on their own. The difference between those that drink and those that don't drink is within the horse, not the water availability! A tank of water that holds 500 gallons of fresh, clean water (they had a windmill that pumped fresh water in daily) but it holds no appeal at all to a horse that is not thirsty.

Okay, I hope you see where I am going with this. The same is with people, especially those in the church. You can preach/teach and have all the available water but if there is no desire within the ones listening to God's word, it will hold no appeal. Jesus, in John 4, met the Samaritan woman at a well. He offers her living water to drink and that water will become a well, springing up to eternal life (v.13-14). The only question that had to be answered was within her being. Did she thirst? Jesus never chased people down when they did not respond. He let them go!

Looking back in my preaching life, I have tried many times to make people drink that were mediocre, lukewarm and just did not have a real interest. People like that are not thirsty. No amount of encouragement will change their desire. That desire must come from within them. I have been guilty of trying to "guilt" people to drink, for which I have long repented of. That only made them more stubborn. I was actually aiding their spiritual decline and not even aware. You try to push fleshly, stubborn people with fleshly ways (and many times brethren use fleshly ways to push) and they only become more fleshly and stubborn. I have wised up. Some in the body of Christ think that if we just keep reaching out, try to involve people more, invite them to gatherings to keep them in touch with members will change things. That's the fleshly way of doing it. There is no power in that. The desire must come from within each individual. Thirsty people will drink!

Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness sake, for they shall be filled." (Matt. 5:6) Jesus fills those who hunger and thirst. No hunger, no thirst, no help from the Lord. Just add it up! The Psalmist writes, "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pant for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?" (Psa. 42:1-2)

Today in the church, too many pant and thirst for the wrong things. What I have learned is simple and some have difficulty in accepting it: Let's stop trying to make the unthirsty people drink and reach out to those who pant and thirst for God. It keeps you from frustrations and keeps you out of trying to control things out of your control. Too many are trying to take on God's role to motivate people. "The Spirit and the bride say, 'come.' And let the one who hears say, 'come.' And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost." (Rev. 22:17)

Depressed or Guilty? (part 7)

This will be the last post in this series. Guilt is a terrible master. Freedom of guilt can only be obtained by coming into the presence of God and being honest (I John 1:9). There is another type of guilt that can lead one into depression and that is called "false guilt." False guilt is where you feel guilty when you are not. Many have a standard of belief not based on anything other than something they have been told. You break that standard, you will feel guilty, even though it might not be wrong. If you believe something to be wrong and break that standard, you will feel guilty, even if God's word says it is okay. People use "false guilt" to try to control others in situations.

You have known of those who say, "If you really loved me, you would..." That is a statement of control by the usage of "false guilt." One uses the power of guilt to get another to give in to their wants. Children learn to use it on parents to control their parents. Preachers (and elders) try to control congregations through "false guilt." They guilt the brethren into giving or serving. "If you loved the Lord, you would..." That's a horrible thing to do to people. It is completely against Scriptures. "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Rom. 8:1) To use condemnation on one in Christ who is under no condemnation is a hideous sin.

What is the solution for "false guilt"? You have to learn the holy Scriptures to see where you really stand with God. If you are standing fully assured on His promises and His word, their standard of judgment does not matter and you know it! This is why God's word teaches us to constantly be searching for the truth.

The young lady ran off with a young man. The family called the police and they brought her back and had the young man arrested. When the young lady came to the assembly (without one ounce of humility and repentance), everyone began patting her on the back and telling her they loved her and felt sorry for her. She walked into my office and I asked her when she was going to repent? Her heart and attitude was not right. She became hostile, indignant toward me and spoke how others loved her. (She could not recognize true love as I was trying to get her to turn to the Lord!) She left my office and immediately began accusing me with vicious words, trying to get me to back down. She was trying to put me under "false guilt"!

If one does not know God's word, they can easily fall under "false guilt". The word of God works on our inner being, our spiritual side. Too many are not serious about the word and they hold to little things they always believed in never searching to see if their standard of belief lined up with the word of God. If you are accused of wrong, search your heart and repent if it is true. If you are repentant and someone accuses you, do not allow their assessment of you to mean anything! They must take their charge to the Lord and He will speak for you (Rom. 8:31-34). I pray this study has helped some and if you see something that I have miscommunicated or have a question, please feel free to ask! Let's move deeper into God!!

Depressed or Guilty? (part 6)

For years I have heard people say (and they get it from the world's thinking) that one cannot find forgiveness until they forgive themselves! You have probably heard similar statements. We have no power to forgive ourselves! Forgiveness is not ours to offer. The Lord is the ONLY one who can forgive and we must embrace His forgiveness to find relief. If we have the power to forgive ourselves, then we do not need Jesus!!!

Guilt stays with a person on their spirit side and until one decides to be honest and come into the presence of the holy God and confess their guilt to Him, there will be no relief but Only a continuation of the pain, fear and deep hurt of our failure. What makes some people stay in a constant state of depression and anxiety is they refuse to come into the presence of God and they know it! Guilt takes place on our spirit side. If we will only reach out and realize our heavenly Father's wants and desire for us, we would find relief.

In II Sam. 11, David commits adultery with Bathsheba. He had the best laid plot (v.1-17). Here is the king of Israel, powerful and could command almost anything. Yet the cords of his own sins captured him within his conscience. There was adultery, scheming, lying, deception, murder and the sins continue to pile up. In chapter 12, the Lord responds after David was given time to come and repent, which he did not. David was hiding and Nathan revealed his sinfulness (v.1-15). Look closely at Psalms 51, David's plea to God. (v.1) David has realized his transgressions. He is aware of his guilt and only by coming into the presence of God would his problem be solved. He wants his sins "blotted" out because they are on record before God. Here is David, a king that had killed 10,000's of the enemy, defeated Goliath and his accomplishments meant nothing to God! He is making an open and honest appeal to God's great compassion and love. (v.2) He sees himself defiled. This is what sin does to a person. The longer one stays in their sins, not being honest, the conscience will start searing over. (v.3) Notice he knows what is in himself. He tried to cover up his sins but now, his sins will not let him forget and he cannot escape them. We are spiritual beings! (v.4) He is being honest in the presence of God. He knows whatever God says about our sinfulness, He is right and the verdict God pronounces will be just. (v.7) If God cleanses him, he will be clean, perfect and back in a genuine relationship with Him. David's cleansing can only come from God. He cannot forgive himself! (v.8) Notice what David has lost: JOY! Guilt/depression robs one of joy. (v.9) Turn Your face from my sins! (v.10) David knows he needs a clean heart and a steadfast spirit. Where has all this guilt/anxiety and depression taken place? On his spirit side! (v.11) Even back here, what was David aware he was close to losing? (v.12) He knows he needs help on his spirit side and coming into the presence of God will solve it.

Look at Psalms 32. Actually, Psalms 51 comes first and then Psalms 32 is next. In Psalms 32, David has been forgiven by God and he knows it! (v.1) Forgiveness brings great blessings to a person. God covers our sins through His Son. (v.2) How blessed is a person to know that God will not hold them accountable if you will be honest? (v.3) David was in depression!!! Notice how things were affecting his body as long as he tried to cover up his sin. Guilt/depression affect every aspect of your body and you cannot cover it up. (v.4) Notice what happened to his energy level: "vitality was drained". God was sending David a message. (v.5) Notice the difference between here and before he confessed his sins in the presence of God. Instead of fear, anxiety and depression, David flees to God and is honest which leads him into freedom and peace within. (v.6) Here is great, sound advice: One better get to God while they have an opportunity because the next flood that hits, you might not reach God at all!

If one does not face their guilt in the presence of God, you will have to create some other means to solve your problem, but you are still defiled and guilty within. As long as people run from their sins, they will run from God. They will not be honest. This is why psychologists cannot help. They work on the physical side and never take one to the spiritual side to really solve their problems. We need to know that we cannot solve guilt, anxiety and depression until we look outside ourselves, reaching to the only source of help. (His name is "Wonderful Counselor" - Isa. 9:6.) The longer one walks in their guilt, the heavier their burden becomes and things get more confusing. There is an answer and that answer lies with God. Let me do one more part which I will briefly deal with "false guilt." Read God's word!

Depressed or Guilty? (part 5)

Man is created in the image of God. We are spiritual beings. God has set standards and when one breaks a standard, guilt sets in and you cannot escape it. Guilt brings shame, regrets, fears, low self esteem and it works on the spirit side of a person. No one may ever know anything you have done, but one's guilt screams out within and creates painful results.

Rom. 2:14-15, we gain some insight about our conscience, which is on our spirit side. The context is comparing the Gentile to the Jew under the Law of Moses. (v.14) The Gentile is trying to keep the things of the Law even though they are not under the Law. What they have done is made the Law their standard to live by. They now have set up a standard of right and wrong within themselves. If one violates a standard they have set up (either Biblically or the way they were raised), something happens within them. (v.15) By writing the standard on their heart, notice what their conscience is doing: It is bringing up a charge against them called guilt! Within each man and woman, there is a tribunal within you called your conscience and your conscience will either accuse or defend you. Your thoughts will either become a defense lawyer or the prosecutor on yourself. When you know you have violated a standard, you cannot escape that and your conscience is telling you what you have done. Have you ever known someone (or maybe yourself) having done something wrong and try to justify why they did it? You are trying to lessen the pain! Guilt is the feeling of shame coupled with regret of having performed some disapproved act. It all takes place on our spiritual side. Sometimes when we have done something we think is horrible, it evokes within us a need for punishment and many will turn on themselves and begin to hate themselves. That's when depression will rear it's ugly head. Depression is hostility turned inward! That's why people become introverted!! We do wrong and know it, our conscience begins crying out within us, shame sets in and shock because we cannot believe we did such a thing and we feel we need to be punished in some way for our failure. That's where the self esteem issue comes in to play. They feel like a low life with little assurance of themselves. It leads some to wanting to destroy their life!

She was 68 years old. She was the wife of an elder. He had spoken with me about his wife that she has panic attacks in stores at certain times and she has been on medication for over twenty years for her depression. You would have never known it because she seemed to be such a lovely lady. He said she was doing well since they found the right dosage and all the new medications have been helpful. One day she shows up at my office. She looks shaky when she arrives. As she sits very meekly and hands folded, she tries to speak and begins to cry. Finally the words come out: "I don't know if my husband has told you anything about me. I have been in depression and have anxiety attacks from time to time over the last 20 years. I want to share something with you I have not told one single person, not my doctor, not even my husband. About 25 years ago, I had an affair. I could not believe I did what I did. I had 4 beautiful children, taught Bible classes and I am well respected in the church. I cannot tell you why I did it, but I did. I have never been able to speak to anyone about it. My husband, children and church family think I am wonderful but I am a horrible person, being tormented with this memory. I have thought of driving my car off some embankment and end my life. If I get off my medicine for a minute, I go into deep depression."

Guilt is a state of being. Her conscience had passed a judgment on her entire being! No matter what anyone else said or thought, she felt worthless! She felt the need to punish herself for what she had done. She had been hiding this fact for 25 years! For whatever reason, she was now ready to admit it and find relief.

What is the solution to our guilt? There is only one: Admitting your guilt in the presence of God! We are spiritual beings. God is spirit (John 4:24)! Guilt is on our spirit side and coming into the presence of God who is spirit, humbly and honestly, we will find real answers and solutions to free the conscience and heart! This is where so many miss it. This lady had lived with this guilt and depression for 25 years. When she got honest, admitted it before the Lord (not me), her problem was solved. Today she is completely off of her medications and has told me she is free! She saw her answers in Christ and by putting her faith in Him, He set her free (Heb. 9:14). Her husband to this day has no clue but he believes it was her medication that eventually evened out her "chemical imbalance"! I can never tell him the real reason. That must come from her. When people believe in something, you cannot dislodge them from that because their faith is in that. That is the reason so many get upset when you try to show them from God's word here is what is really happening. Too many accept the "professionals" of the world for answers. They believe in those professionals and you cannot change their mind. Let's keep looking at God's word to find more answers to guilt and depression. I will continue with an Old Testament example of this and we will see the guilt/depression clearly and the solution of admitting our sins in the presence of God.

Depressed or Guilty? (part 4)

Depression is a reaction to situations in one's life. The majority of time, it is caused by guilt! Guilt is powerful and once it enters your being, you cannot escape it. Guilt has a direct effect on your self esteem and your relationship with others. Guilt is defined as the feeling of shame coupled with regret that results in having performed some disapproved act. It burdens one's inner being.

In an article written by Dr. Joyce Brothers, she tells of a mother with two preschoolers, her husband had created a financial difficulty and she finds herself pregnant again. What did she do? She did not believe in abortion but she chose abortion as a quick solution because of the stress and strain on her marriage and life! Now she feels guilt and sorrow. Each time she looks into the eyes of her children, her heart and mind are flooded with thoughts of what she did. She eventually became very depressed and openly admits, "I am not a good person!" She even has thoughts of suicide. Dr. Brothers told her that two children families tend to have more security and are better cared for. She tells her that her situation is better because she can focus on them which results in better care. Dr. Brothers then says, "You have a right to a fresh start unburdened by guilt!"

By telling the lady she is going to be better off, her children will be better and you have a right to be unburdened by guilt did not solve her problem. Her problem is bigger than someone speaking some words and saying "You have a right..." This lady performed a disapproved act in her own conscience and she knows it. Guilt entered her being and she cannot escape it. If guilt is not properly dealt with (and we will get to that) it will always lead one into depression at some time or the other.

People with guilt often seek out others who have gone through a similar disapproved act or acts to help them deal with it (Rom. 1:32). Because someone else has failed in a similar fashion, they temporarily feel better (it is called support groups) but the next time something happens in their life, here comes the flood of those guilty feelings. The reason? We are spiritual beings (I Thes. 5:23) and guilt takes place on the spiritual side of us, not the body/physical side of us. That's why one cannot escape it. People in guilt try to stay busy or avoid any situations that might remind them of their past failure.

In Gen. 3, one can see this whole thing clearly. Let me take you through a few verses to help us. (v.1) We see the devil's number goal is to confuse one and get them to think about certain things. By asking the question, he has created two directions of thought rather than one clear direction. (v.2-3) The woman recounts God's promise. She knows there is a standard and the moment that standard is broken, death will result. (Death is a spiritual separation and happens with in a persons being.) (v.4) The devil assures her there is nothing to fret! The standard is too high and he is getting her to compromise that standard she knows within. (v.5) Let's just speak for God! He is really cheating you, holding you back. Many in our world today believe this very lie. They take advice from people who think they speak for God, while lowering His standard. (v.6-7) The immediate change takes place after they ate. They gained knowledge of evil. Before this, that knowledge was absent. Evil brought a conscious awareness within their being that they previously did not have. They covered their nakedness! Why? Who told them they were naked? SHAME! Guilt is the feeling of shame coupled with regret that results in having performed some disapproved act! Something within their being has brought a shameful awareness and they know without being told! One cannot escape their guilt once it enters their life. (v.8) Their guilt leads them to hiding from the presence of God. What has changed between them and God? God has not changed but they have. We are spiritual beings and guilt takes place on the spiritual side! They have fear and are tormented by God's presence. (There are certain people I know when they get trapped in the guilt of sin. They do not want to be around me or or anything God related!) One disapproved act brought pain and suffering to their inner being. God said, "The day you eat is the day you die!" We see two spiritual people in death recorded in Scripture and what brought about that death. We are all spiritual beings!

As long as guilt stays with us, it will effect every aspect of our lives because it is on our spiritual side. Guilt is major cause, not only of depression but one's self esteem. There is help and an answer for our guilt, but we must see the cause before we can accept the answer. More coming tomorrow!