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Showing posts with label loneliness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label loneliness. Show all posts

17 October, 2014

The Single Christian's Rule



James Smith


"She is free to marry anyone she wishes — but he must belong to the Lord." 
1 Corinthians 7:39
This, though spoken of widows — is the law of Christ in reference to all unmarried Christians, and is imperatively binding upon them.

To slight it — is to slight the authority of Christ;
to reject it — is rebellion against the King of kings and Lord of lords;
and to act contrary to it — is to ensure sorrow, grief, and woe!

Celibacy is not sanctity — though it may, under some circumstances, be preferable to marriage. It is not required by the gospel, and in many instances, cannot be approved by the Lord.
Marriage is lawful — for God has instituted it;
it is honorable — for God commends it;
it is desirable — for God blesses it;
it is instructive — for God speaks by it;
it is profitable — for thereby we become helpers of each other;
and it is sometimes necessary — for the prevention of sin. 
But it must be according to God's Word — "only in the Lord." A Christian may only marry another Christian, for he is to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness — but rather reprove them." It is not enough for the other party to . . .
be moral — for morality is not salvation; or
an attendant on the means of grace — for many attend to whom the gospel is a savor of death unto death; or
a hopeful character — for of many it may be said, "They are not far from the kingdom of God," but they never enter it!
It must be a genuine believer, one who is born again by the Holy Spirit, who is in the Lord. That is, a person . . .
who is vitally united to the Lord Jesus;
who lives upon Christ;
who walks with Him in faith and holiness;
who is not ashamed to profess Him;
who adorns the doctrine of Christ his Savior;
a Christian not in word only — but in deed and in truth!
And with no other, can a believer unite . . .
in accordance with God's Word,
under the approving smile of the Holy Spirit, or
with scriptural ground to expect the Lord's blessing.
This command of Christ is plain; no one can misunderstand it — but from willful blindness.
It is imperative; it does not give permission to any one to qualify it, or excuse himself from conforming to it! If you are a Christian — you are solemnly bound to observe it. It is as much a crime to marry an unconverted person — as to steal, or to violate any of the ten commandments.
It is indispensable; no one has authority to set it aside, or to say, "I am not bound by it." If you are a Christian — you are bound by it, and woe unto you if you break it!
It is solemn; for it is a part of that Word by which Jesus will judge us at the last day. Therefore if you are tempted to trifle with it, remember you must be judged by it!
It is reasonable; "for what fellowship has righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness?"
Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; but the body of an unbeliever, however moral, or amiable, or lovely — is the temple of Satan, who is preferred and served in preference to God. You are a member of the body of Christ — but every unconverted person is a member of the body of Satan! You are alive to God — every unregenerate person is dead in trespasses and sins. In a word, you . . .
are influenced by different spirits,
are walking in directly opposite roads,
observe contrary rules, and
serve two opposite masters!
"How can two walk together — unless they be agreed?" They cannot with comfort, propriety, or as mutual helps.
The consequences of mixed marriages are generally fearful:
the unconverted partner becomes more hardened in sin;
the converted partner becomes carnalized and debased;
the family affairs cannot be conducted upon strictly Christian principles;
the children cannot be trained up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord;
there can be no family religion, though there may be a degree of the form of it;
and the cause of God must suffer by it.
If therefore, you have any regard for the authority of God,
if you have any concern to please the Lord Jesus Christ,
if you have any fear of grieving the Holy Spirit of God,
if you have any desire to maintain and increase your own spirituality,
if you have any wish to be approved and commended at the judgment of the great day,
if you would not be cruel to the soul of the unconverted person,
if you would not sow the seeds of sorrow, perplexity, and distress,
if you would not make bitter work for repentance —
then observe carefully and to the letter — this law of our Lord Jesus Christ! And when tempted to run counter to it, say, with holy Joseph, "How can I do this great wickedness — and sin against God!"

04 August, 2013

Health Consequences of Loneliness - Get the Free Kindle - Last Day


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This post is an excerpt of of the book " How To Pray Through Depression & Loneliness!  



Pause to ponder on the word of God


Psalm 23:4  “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me

2 Corinthians 7:5-6 “For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn-fighting without and fear within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus,”

Jeremiah. 8:21"Since my people are crushed, I am crushed; I mourn, and horror grips me.”

Jeremiah 9:1 “If only my head were a pool of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered.”

Psalm 121:1-2  “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

Stop and read

John T. Cacioppo, Professor at the University of Chicago explains why loneliness is bad for you.
“Loneliness not only increases wear and tear, by keeping the body in alert mode, but also may prevent people from recharging their batteries with rest and relaxation… His work has convinced Cacioppo that loneliness is a health risk on its own, apart from conditions such as depression or stress that are common fellow travellers. More specifically, it seems to be the subjective experience of loneliness that’s important for people’s well-being, rather than any objective measure of social connectivity (the number of close contacts someone has, for example). It’s an important distinction that most previous studies had ignored, says Daniel Russell, a psychologist at
Iowa State University in Ames. “Some people are socially isolated and they’re not lonely,” Russell says. “By contrast, some people are lonely even if they have a lot of social contacts.”

Because loneliness is a negative feeling, it, of course, affects us physically and mentally. In fact, studies have shown that life can become so distorted through loneliness that some people want to commit suicide. Some people would do anything to get attention, others become drug addicts, and some drink heavily, all to escape their own world. Some people gain weight, some become irritated and irrational, there is also sleep deprivation, and some exhibit various levels of anger. 


Here is a partial list associated with the effect of loneliness in our lives.
1.      Lead to depression
2.      Depression and suicide
3.      Antisocial behaviour
4.      Sleeplessness
5.      May trigger substance abuse for those in addiction recovery
6.      Altered brain function
7.      Poor decision-making
8.      It affects your spiritual life with God
9.      Causes drastic decrease of memory
10.    Cardiovascular disease and stroke


It does not matter which study you look into, they will all tell you that loneliness can be overcome. After you go through all the psychobabble, you find that the bottom line is helping those who are affected by loneliness and depression to shift their attention and interpretation of their situation in a more positive direction.  This brings me to ask you a question about your loneliness. Have you thought about making the God that you serve, your all and all? I have one verse from Revelation 12:11 “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”

Pray to God  

Oh my dear Savior, I no longer want to live a fragmented and unhealthy life. Restore my life in you and make me whole. I need your light to shine within me today and take the darkness away.  Come and take my burden away and let me experience your peace. Teach me how to delight in you. Teach me how to make you my God. Teach me how to learn to focus on you and yearn for you. Unchangeable God, right now I feel like a hypocrite because the self has never decreased. Help me trust myself to your care. Help me to stop serving my own ends and let you deal with me. Fear, doubt and self-centeredness are all I know. Help me live a life of trust in you alone. A life completely subdued and overpowered by you. Above all else, help me to live out my identity in you. Shed your love in my heart and help me walk in fellowship with you. Give me wisdom to see clearly and understand your mighty sacrifice for me. Teach my heart how to trust you. Make me willing to be willing to do your will, make me willing to walk the walk and die to self so that I can leave behind loneliness, depression, fear, paranoia,  anxiety and everything else that comes with not trusting you to care for my life. Help me to experience life lived in you.


26 July, 2013

How To Pray through Depression & Loneliness! - Free Kindle on August 2, 3, & 4


WHAT IS THIS BOOK ABOUT?


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When you feel lonely and/or depressed, you are not alone in your struggle, and there is no reason to feel shame or fear talking about it. Being a Christian doesn't make you immune from feelings of hopelessness, depression and loneliness. As a result, whether you are struggling with depression; or you are feeling a deep sadness and completely empty inside, with a loss of interest in activities; or you are feeling lonely because of the loss of a loved one or lonely because you are a single parent, there is hope.

Those unhealthy, negative, and painful emotions that have hijacked your life and keep you in bondage do not have to be covered up, nor do you need to find excuses for them. They can be dealt with as you move to acknowledge them and understand them better.

The Bible has a lot to say about depression and loneliness to help us in our journey. This devotion book is meant to be a companion to help you pray, pause and ponder on the word of God, when you are at a loss for words, and you feel you are being swallowed up by this relentless black cloud. God defines us by our love for Him, our commitment and willingness to trust and obey Him, along with our attitude and honesty before Him. All these things reveal our true walk with Him. Therefore, even though we stumble, we sin, we fail Him over and over again, He does not define us by our failures. As you go through your illness, remember His love for you, and go to Him; don’t hold anything back from Him.

This depression and loneliness prayer book offers personal tried-and-true guidelines to help you overcome these feelings. It outlines Christ-centred guidelines to help you out in overcoming through God’s strength. Plenty of prayers and verses of the Bible have been included for you to gain insight in your spiritual battle. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, who knows us better than we know ourselves, all things are possible.

 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 )

In His Agape Love,
M.J. Andre

 Free Kindle on  August 2, 3, & 4, 2013

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