God's Truth In Love

Posts Tagged ‘God’s Voice’

Grief – Suffering All Will Endure – Pt. 6 Stages of Grief / Stage 5

In Advice, Agape Love, Anxiety, Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Depression, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Grief, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Loss, Love, Persecution, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Suffering, Truth on March 12, 2015 at 12:51 pm

In stage five of grief people find themselves in an emotional mix of fear, panic, and anxiety.

The grief can be so overwhelming for some people in certain situations that they become convinced something is wrong with them; they begin to fear that they are gravely damaged in some way in their minds. This leads the person to begin to panic and they find themselves either thinking about only what they believe is happening to them, going insane, or they can only think about their grief and loss continually. Both of these endless pathways of thought are extremely unhealthy for the grieving person.

People react to panic in different ways. Those ways can make them either grab for their neighbors hand for love and support or it can cause them to raise their hand against their neighbor in frustration and anger. The Bible talks about the panic in “The day of the Lord.” The Scripture even says that panic is from the Lord.

Zechariah 14:13 (NKJV)

It shall come to pass in that day

That a great panic from the LORD will be among them.

Everyone will seize the hand of his neighbor,

And raise his hand against his neighbor’s hand;

Why would panic come from the Lord? Perhaps, when we panic we are humbled to a place of understanding that ultimately, there is only One person who can help us completely and totally and that One person is Jesus, the Christ, and I pray your Saviour, as He is mine. Jesus can restore the panicked mind to wholeness, soundness, and sanity.

There is also anxiety during this stage of the grieving process. This anxiety can manifest in dreams about the person they lost to death or the relationship they have lost or the opportunity they have lost. These dreams are very real to the individual and can seem very lifelike to the person. They may believe that their lost loved one has been in their presence or has spoken to them.

During the anxiety process of grief, depending on the intensity of the grief, the griever may believe they see the person they have lost when they are out in public. They might believe this to such a degree that they approach the individual, only to realize it is not the person they thought it was after all.

Spiritual anxiety will manifest in the form of seemly endless questions and focus on the “why” of the matter. Why did the person die? Why did this happen? Why did she or he leave me? Why did I lose my job, I was a good worker? Where is he or she at now? Did they go to heaven? Did they go to hell? Why did God let this happen? Why did God make this happen? Why didn’t God stop this from happening? Why? Why? Why?

During this time of anxiety, the griever must place their trust in their God. They must relent to the truth that God is the Giver of Life and a person’s life does not end one moment before God ordained it to end. The Scripture warn us that feeding anxiety, which we do when we do not trust God and we continually struggle with questions we cannot answer, will only lead to something far worse – depression.

Proverbs 12:25 (NKJV)

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression,

But a good word makes it glad.

Instead, reach out to the Lord with all your anxieties and questions and trust that He will bring you comfort, peace, and strength. In so doing, it has been my personal experience and I have observed it in other people for many years, if we do not find comfort, peace, and strength it is all too often because we refuse to accept God’s Will and God’s Way of doing things. If we do not like how He leads us, how He tells us to deal with the anxieties, worries, and concerns of our lives, then we might not respond to what He prompts us to do, thus we find no comfort, peace, or strength in life – no victory.

Psalm 94:19 (NKJV)

In the multitude of my anxieties within me,

Your comforts delight my soul.

All of this panic and anxiety produces fear and lots of it in many different forms. Fear of going crazy. Fear of losing one’s faith. Fear of being alone. Fear of other people’s questions. Fear of forgetting the loved one who has died. Fear of being unloved or unlovable due to rejection in a relationship. Fear of how to conduct life now, without the one you have loved so dearly. Fear of having to interact with others without that special person. With proper responses to God’s guidance and direction, all fears can be overcome.

In the next part of this series, part seven, we will examine stage six of grief.

 

 

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Grief – Suffering All Will Endure – Pt. 5 Stages of Grief / Stage 4

In Advice, Agape Love, Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Depression, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Grief, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Loss, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Spiritual Fruit, Suffering, Truth, Uncategorized on March 5, 2015 at 11:08 am

In stage four of grief people begin to feel various forms of physical distress or illness this is the physical symptoms stage.

The inward depression and unresolved emotional turmoil begins to manifest in physical symptoms of illness brought on by the distress the person is experiencing. If the loss is due to the death of another individual, the person may manifest the physical symptoms that were connected with the individual’s death. Fears of various illnesses abound during this stage. This is the innermost parts of the griever crying out to be with or join the deceased person.

If the individual is grieving over another form of loss that is not associated with someone’s death their grief may manifest in symptoms of panic attacks, believing they are gravely ill in some manner, physical exhaustion, chest pains, headaches, et cetera this is their body responding to the unresolved emotions of grief, anger, frustration, fear, and so forth. For people suffering this type of grief these symptoms could well continue until they resolve their feeling over the loss. Some individuals suffer from panic attacks, exhaustion, or migraine headaches for years due to unresolved issues in their lives.

The best and really only help for this stage of the grief process is for the person to understand the grief process and realize that their symptoms are an emotional response that is manifesting in a physical response to some degree. Although the symptoms appear real to the griever they are not actually having a heart attack or developing cancer.

For those helping the grieving person the best thing to do is not to encourage the concerns the griever has over their physical symptoms but instead to remind them that it is an emotional response caused by distress and exhort them not exasperate the situation by entertaining the physical symptoms as anything about which to be overly concerned. If the griever persist in manifesting physical symptoms those around him or her should encourage the grieving person to go to their doctor for a physical checkup to ensure they are in fact fine and disease or illness free.

In the next part of this series, part six, we will examine stage five of grief.

 

 

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Grief – Suffering All Will Endure – Pt. 4 Stages of Grief / Stage 3

In Advice, Agape Love, Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Depression, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Grief, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Loss, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Spiritual Fruit, Suffering, Truth, Uncategorized on February 27, 2015 at 1:07 pm

In stage three of grief people begin to feel various forms of despair this is the depression stage.

The depression that comes with loss is situational depression or depression that is based in circumstances not depression derived from diet, disorder, chemical changes, et cetera. Depression is very natural during the grieving process.

Once the emotional release has passed, the deep pain, sorrow, and/or anger the person has felt, will turn inward and manifest in the form of depression. This depression is accompanied by a deep sense of loneliness and feelings of isolation. If the depression is deep enough, it can produce fears that one is going insane and/or problems with a sense of panic. The person is now in the utter depths of despair.

Those around the grieving person will soon realize that the griever feels there is no help or hope for them. They will push people away despite the fact that they also know and feel they need people. Therefore, one day they may shut you out and the next day want you around. For the person grieving these feelings are confusing and for the people surrounding the grieving person who desires to love and help them this behavior can be confusing and frustrating. Both parties need to realize and remind themselves regularly that these feels are quite normal, yet; both parties should have concern if the depression is denied or not dealt with properly.

This is the stage where a person should seek to move their way out of the grief and into new life and those around the griever should begin to encourage that slowly and gently. However, typically a grieving person will have to go through a few more stages of grief, about five, before they begin truly to move out of depression.

This is why there is debate over whether or not there are ten or five stages of grief. One theory of thought is that the next five stages of grief are not separate stages but are a part of the depression stage. People have to deal with the various emotional issues individually to truly work through them therefore, I subscribe to the ten stages of grief theory and do not lump all the emotional issues into the depression stage.

At this point, it is wise for the grieving person to attempt as much as possible to resume or continue in their normal routine and actives even when they find it most difficult to do so. Clearly, they cannot go to work if they cannot control their emotions to a significant degree, as one cannot sit at their desk cry openly all day. However, one can go to work and once or twice throughout the day slip into the restroom for five minutes when they are in such pain that the tears must flow. Likewise they should continue to go the church, even if they are angry with God and do not want to be there. They should continue to attend their gym or exercise classes as exercise is a physical combatant of depression. If they are active in clubs and organization, they should go as often as possible. Activities as insignificant as getting up each day at their regular time, dressing fully, eating regularly, and tending to their surroundings are vital for the grieving person. It is imperative that they not stop the routines of life for very long because doing so can result in worsening depressing. One must get up and continue on with life while in the mist of their grief.

If you as the griever find yourself bombarded with well meaning people who ask you repeated how you are doing, what you have been feeling, or where you are at with the loss each time you go to work, church, or your social groups I have a solution for you. Kindly and with respect let them know that you are aware they are concerned for you and care about you but you are trying to keep it together and go about your normal routine and it is made more difficult by them asking questions each time they see you. Then tell them you would welcome their expressions of concern perhaps once a week or so but not each time you see them. Godly boundaries are a healthy and necessary part of life.

While the griever is in the depression stage those that love them should spend time with them, invite them out, go over to visit them, et cetera. Do all that you can to ensure that you do not allow the grieving person to isolate her or himself. However, balance this act of love and kindness with making sure you do not overwhelm them with obligations. Also do not ask them how they are or about their loss each time you see them. Trust me they are not doing well so why ask every single time you are in their presence. Just be there, spend time with them, and encourage them to go and do things with you. I also realize a depressed person can be a bit of wet blanket but dig down deep in your spirit and pull out some of that agape love, love in action, Jesus was famous for and commands us to have for one another.

In the next part of this series, part five, we will examine stage four of grief.

 

 

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Grief – Suffering All Will Endure – Pt. 3 Stages of Grief / Stage 2

In Advice, Agape Love, Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Grief, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Loss, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Remnant, Suffering, Truth, Uncategorized on February 20, 2015 at 9:16 am

In stage two of grief people begin to feel the impact of their loss this is the emotional release stage.

During the emotional release stage of grief, people begin to come out of their state of shock and the emotions that have been building up inside of them begin to emerge. These emotions can emerge in both a verbal and physical manner. The release of the emotions in both manners can be healthy but most assuredly care should be taken to ensure the safety of the individual grieving, other people, and/or someone’s personal property. People’s reactions emotionally can vary widely therefore, they must be carefully monitored during this period.

The griever during this stage is beginning to feel the dreadful loss they have suffered. Expressing or releasing these feeling is far better than trying to repress them.

For those monitoring a grieving person they must realize that this is a process the individual must go through and attempts to keep them calm or distract them from their feelings is not helping them. When one Christian watches another Christian release the anger, frustration, pain, sorrow and/or distress inside of them, perhaps blaming the person who has been lost or people attached to the loss, this can be a very difficult thing to watch. Someone may find himself or herself watching an individual they have always known to be godly now perhaps blame God, yell, scream, or simply appear to fall apart emotionally. Please know that your godly friend or loved one is still inside that person and that what you are watching is emotional pain and nothing more.

The best thing a godly person can do for someone in this stage of grief is to allow them to vent their emotions provided they are not hurting themselves, others, or someone’s personal property. Be nearby and avail bile but allow the individual to go through this process. This emotional process may require a series of emotional outburst over the course of time. One single emotional outburst most likely will not mean the end of this stage of grief for most people. Be as patient, kind, and loving as possible while also taking care of your own safety and emotional health.

Emotional release is so important that some hospitals have now provided what they call “screaming rooms” which offer a person in grief somewhere safe to go and vent their feeling.

In the next part of this series, part four, we will examine stage three of grief.

 

 

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Grief – Suffering All Will Endure – Pt. 2 Stages of Grief / Stage 1

In Advice, Agape Love, Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Grief, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Loss, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Remnant, Rhema Words, Spiritual Remnant, Suffering, Truth on February 13, 2015 at 8:04 am

There is one school of belief that states there are five stages of grief and there is another school of belief that maintains there are ten stages of grief. I believe ten stages to be much more reasonable and realistic.

The first stage of grief is shock, that sense of disbelief and bewilderment.

During the “shock stage” of grief, much of the mind, soul, and emotional functioning shuts down to a certain degree to insulate itself from something it finds too unbearable. While in the stage of shock the mind and soul is able to comprehend slowly the reality of the situation with which the person is faced. This slow process is in my belief a form of God’s protection as He adjusts the person’s spirit and overall being to their new circumstances. God created mankind’s bodies and He knows there is only so much emotional (soul) pain a person can endure without becoming mentally derailed completely, so He provided the state of shock.

Shock happens regardless of whether or not someone expected the loss to take place, such as in the case of the death of a loved one who has been ill for a long time with a terminal illness or in the case of a divorce that one has known was inevitable for a long time. Just because someone has the knowledge that something is going to happen does not mean his or her minds are prepared for the reality of the loss once it actually takes place.

Denial kicks in pretty quickly after a loss takes place and can last for a long period of time. It is hard for someone to grasp fully that a relationship is over, a dream is gone, or someone they have loved dearly is dead. This is when the sense of unreality takes place and the person begins to feel numb or numbness about the situation. This emotional and mental numbness can last for hours, days, weeks, or sadly, in some cases it drags on for years, which is very mentally and emotionally dangerous.

Not being able to fully grasp or face the full enormity of a loss is God’s anesthetic against the pain of overwhelming loss. Therefore shock is a stage of grief people should welcome and allow other individuals to fully experience in order to process their loss in a healthy manner. The best thing a godly person can do for someone in the early stages of shock is not to overwhelm them with questions, requests, or smothering comfort. Being close by, available, keeping an eye out for the person to assure they do not wonder into danger, and praying for the person, for them not with them as they might not be equipped or prepared to pray initially, is the best course of action in these early stages of shock.

As stated earlier long-term shock can be very unhealthy mentally and emotionally. Therefore, in the case of long-term shock or mental and emotional numbness that has gone on for months or years the best thing a godly person can for an individual in this situation is to urge them to seek godly counsel so they can deal with their unhealthy state of denial and move on.

In the next part of this series, we will address stage two of grief.

 

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Grief – Suffering All Will Endure – Pt. 1 What is grief?

In Advice, Agape Love, Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Grief, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Loss, Love, Prophet, Prophetess, Spiritual Remnant, Suffering, Truth, Uncategorized on February 4, 2015 at 4:31 pm

If there was ever anyone, who understood the pain of loss and what it meant to struggle with grief it was Job, from the Book of Job in the Bible. Job was a man who lost everything but his faith in the One True God.

As we explore what the word “grief” actually means and how it is defined by various sources, we will reference some verses from the Book of Job. In another part of the series, we will glean what we can learn about grief and how to handle grief from these same verses.

Job 2:13 (NKJV)

So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.

Job 6:2 (NKJV)

“Oh, that my grief were fully weighed,

And my calamity laid with it on the scales!

Job 16:5 (NKJV)

But I would strengthen you with my mouth,

And the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.

Job 16:6 (NKJV)

“Though I speak, my grief is not relieved;

And if I remain silent, how am I eased?

Please take note of the various underlined terms or words within the definitions provided below. You will find my notes in italic font.

Grief per the Hebrew language as found in the above verses from the Book of Job.

3511. כְּאֵב ke˒êb, keh-abe’; from 3510; suffering (phys. or ment.), adversity:— grief, pain, sorrow.

3510. כָּאַב kâ˒ab, kaw-ab’; a prim. root; prop. to feel pain; by impl. to grieve; fig. to spoil:— grieving, mar, have pain, make sad (sore), (be) sorrowful.

3707. כָּעַס kâ˓aç, kaw-as’; a prim. root; to trouble; by impl. to grieve, rage, be indignant:be angry, be grieved, take indignation, provoke (to anger, unto wrath), have sorrow, vex, be wroth.

3708. כַּעַס ka˓aç, kah’-as; or (in Job)

כַּעַשׂ ka˓as, kah’-as; from 3707; vexation:anger, angry, grief, indignation, provocation, provoking, × sore, sorrow, spite, wrath.

As you pour over the words and terms used in the Hebrew language to define grief it becomes clear that grief can cause a great deal and wide variety of feelings in a person. These feelings may manifest one at a time or several feelings may manifest simultaneously. Because grief involves so many emotions, it can be terribly destructive if the person does not handle their grief correctly or if a person attempts to deny their grief and stifle the grieving process.

Grief per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary

1 obsolete : GRIEVANCE
2 a : deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement b : a cause of such suffering
3 a : an unfortunate outcome : DISASTER — used chiefly in the phrase come to grief

Grief at its core means something has happened to us that we did not want to have happen, something we often have had little or no control over but not always, there are times when we are a part of producing our own grief.

Grief per the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary

deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement; also : a cause of such suffering

Grief per Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Grief is a multifaceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something that has died, to which a bond or affection was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, spiritual, and philosophical dimensions. While the terms are often used interchangeably, bereavement refers to the state of loss, and grief is the reaction to loss, along with saudade.

Grief is a natural response to loss. It is the emotional suffering one feels when something or someone the individual loves is taken away. Grief is also a reaction to any loss. The grief associated with death is familiar to most people, but individuals grieve in connection with a variety of losses throughout their lives, such as unemployment, ill health or the end of a relationship. Loss can be categorized as either physical or abstract, the physical loss being related to something that the individual can touch or measure, such as losing a spouse through death, while other types of loss are abstract, and relate to aspects of a person’s social interactions.”

Grief affects not only our emotions it can affect how we act, our physical health, how we treat others, our desire to be with people, our spiritual beliefs, and even our life view or course of life. Although grief is a natural response to loss, mismanaged it can lead to various forms of destruction in our lives. People’s destructive behavior can often be traced back to unresolved grief in some area of their life.

In the next part of this series, part two, we will begin to examine the ten stages of grief.

 

 

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Grief – Suffering All Will Endure – Introduction

In Advice, Agape Love, Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Godly Counsel, Grief, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Loss, Love, Persecution, Prayer, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Remnant, Revival, Rhema Words, Spiritual Fruit, Spiritual Remnant, Suffering, Truth, Uncategorized on January 31, 2015 at 12:03 pm

People often have a singular view of what grief is and why it manifests. Grief more often than not is associated with the death of a person. Grief however, can manifest over the loss or death of anything or anyone significant in a person’s life.

We suffer grief when someone we have cared for or loved dies. We suffer grief when a relationship that has meant a great deal to us ends. We suffer grief when we realize that long held hope, dream, or goals are not going to come to pass. We suffer grief when we have something meaningful to us, taken away from us through theft, fire, flood, loss, or destruction of any sort. We suffer grief when we lose out on an aspect of childhood we should have had. We suffer grief when through injustice, we are cheated out of an opportunity, a promotion, or the ability to be all God meant for us to be.

There are so many forms of grief that most assuredly should we live very long we shall all endure grief in some form. Sadly, too many people do not recognize that they are going through grief, especially if it is a situation where the grief is caused by something other than someone death. People who are dealing with a death often fall into the trap of believing, they should be getting better long before they actually will get better. However, the deepest waves of grief often come long after the loss.

Through this series we explore what grief actually is, how it manifest, some myths about grief, tips for managing grief while it works its way through its natural process, the stages of grief (some believe there are five stages other ascribe to the idea there are ten stages), and how to recover from grief and press on with life in a healthy way.

How we respond to grief and how willing we are to deal with our grief appropriately will determine to some degree how long it will last. I have seen people linger in grief over things that have happened to them for years and years without dealing with the grief. I have also seen people who have lost someone dearly to them embrace their grief wholeheartedly and plow through it in little time at all, comparatively speaking.

I will leave this introduction brief and in part one we will explore the actually meaning of grief according to the Bible, psychology, and other sources.

 

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ’s Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Charlie Brown’s Christian Rights

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on December 3, 2012 at 1:36 pm

Follow-up

Monday, December 17th, 2012 

Good job CHRISTIANS – The Christ haters did not get their way.  The classic Charlie Brown Christmas Special, which depicts the true meaning of Christmas, will air on ABC, Tuesday, December 18th at 8:00 Eastern Time.  Bravo for ABC!

 

Truth in Love – blog entry

Monday, December 03, 2012

Charlie Brown’s Christmas? Really people! It is time for Christian to stand up for their “Christian Rights” 1st Amendment. We do not lay down our right for secular man people we lay down our rights for Jesus and Jesus’ Purpose alone. Christian brothers and sisters your silence is a form of sin because you refuse to speak up and stand up for Christ. It is completely ridiculous that the much beloved television Christmas special, Charlie Brown’s Christmas, would not be shown because the group, Freedom from Religion, does not want it shown due to its content – the narrative of the true meaning of Christmas, Christ Jesus’ Birth and Purpose – the redemption of sinful mankind.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The Almighty or The World

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on November 20, 2012 at 2:52 pm

Truth in Love – blog entry

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

“We shall find ourselves out of adjustment to the ways of the world, and increasingly so as we make progress in the holy way. We shall acquire a new viewpoint; a new different psychology will be formed within us; a new power will begin to surprise us by its upsurgings and its outgoings.” A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

If you look like the world, there is a problem. If you think like the world, there is problem. If you act like the world, there is a problem. If you fit into the world, there is problem. If you belong to Jesus, you should be the opposite of the world.

Far too many Christian seem hell-bent on fitting into the world and into their environment within a secular society. Yet, if they know Christ and are growing in Him daily, they should be becoming just the opposite. They should increasingly find themselves maladjusted to their society.

Secular psychology and psychiatry tell us that we must look, act, and believe this way or we are not considered normal. Normal is so relative. Normal in a twisted society does not mean much. A secular worldview is worthless to the dedicated Follower of Christ. As we grow and mature in Christ, our worldview should become a Christian Worldview and our psychology of life should be the psychology of Scripture. Anything less is to sell ourselves short of all that God wishes for us to have and obtain in our godly mindset. We are to be Christ-minded not Man-minded.

Once we learn to seek the mind of Christ the power of Christ will become ours. Christ cannot trust a secular mind and secular heart with His power or it would be their ruin. Only the godly mind and heart can appropriately handle the power the Holy Spirit of God has to offer.

Which will it be? Man’s ways or God’s Ways? Man’s psychology or God’s Principles? A secular worldview or a Christian Worldview? A heart given to the world or a heart given completely to God? The mind of man or the mind of Christ? The power of the world or the power of the Almighty God?

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

God Will Give The Stubborn What They Seek

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on November 8, 2012 at 6:34 pm

Truth in Love – blog entry

Thursday, November 08, 2012

People are seeking relief and revitalization not through true liberty but through a secondary form of slavery. Conformity to societal norms and needs is socialism. Conformity to God’s Word and Principles is freedom, liberty, and the fulfillment of one’s personal purpose.

Psalm 81:8–16 (NKJV)

8 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you!

O Israel, if you will listen to Me!

9 There shall be no foreign god among you;

Nor shall you worship any foreign god.

10 I am the Lord your God,

Who brought you out of the land of Egypt;

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.

11 “But My people would not heed My voice,

And Israel would have none of Me.

12 So I gave them over to their own stubborn heart,

To walk in their own counsels.

13 “Oh, that My people would listen to Me,

That Israel would walk in My ways!

14 I would soon subdue their enemies,

And turn My hand against their adversaries.

15 The haters of the Lord would pretend submission to Him,

But their fate would endure forever.

16 He would have fed them also with the finest of wheat;

And with honey from the rock I would have satisfied you.”

It appears that most of the people in America need, or want, to go even further down the path of destruction before they realize that God has a better way and they need Him to show them His path.

In the interim, may God Divinely protect His people and preserve them from the effects of societal destruction and decay.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Did You Invite the Boss

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian, Christian Living, Christianity, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on November 2, 2012 at 7:16 pm

Truth in Love – blog entry

Friday, November 02, 2012

“God goes where He’s wanted.” Philip Yancey

A group might ask, ‘Why is God not moving among us? Why is nothing happening, here at our _________?’ Most likely the reason is God is not wanted there. God may have been invited but He is not truly desired.

It is much like an office party you intend to have at your house one weekend. You really want to have the party, you really want the company of all your coworkers and you dream about all the fun everyone will have. What you do not want however is for the boss to come. Yet, if you have half a brain, you are not going to have a weekend get-together with the entire office and not invite your boss. That would be career suicide. Therefore, what do you do; you invite the boss even though secretly within your heart you do not really want the boss to be there. When and if he shows up you will make nice and kiss up to him as need; but your heart wishes something would have happened, which prevented him from making it to your well planned, well organized, much anticipated and greatly desired party.

Do you really want the boss there? Is God really invited into ____________?

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

God’s People Have Cried Out to Him ALWAYS!

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on October 19, 2012 at 5:32 pm

Truth in Love – blog entry – Friday, October 19, 2012

“God goes where He’s wanted.” Philip Yancey

“We shall find ourselves out of adjustment to the ways of the world, and increasingly so as we make progress in the holy way. We shall acquire a new viewpoint; a new different psychology will be formed within us; a new power will begin to surprise us by its upsurgings and its outgoings.” A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Send the Fire

William Booth, 1894

Copyright: Public Domain

Main subject: Cleansing

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4; Hebrews 12:25-29

Send the Fire

Thou Christ of burning, cleansing flame,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Thy blood-bought gift today we claim,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Look down and see this waiting host,
Give us the promised Holy Ghost;
We want another Pentecost,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

God of Elijah, hear our cry:
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To make us fit to live or die,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To burn up every trace of sin,
To bring the light and glory in,
The revolution now begin,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

’Tis fire we want, for fire we plead,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
The fire will meet our every need,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
For strength to ever do the right,
For grace to conquer in the fight,
For pow’r to walk the world in white,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

To make our weak hearts strong and brave,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
To live a dying world to save,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!
Oh, see us on Thy altar lay
Our lives, our all, this very day;
To crown the off’ring now we pray,
Send the fire, send the fire, send the fire!

A man who looked upon the moral and spiritual decay of the world and the church and realized that something radical needed to happen to bring people back to God. William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army was that man’s name. Have you notice the spiritual and moral decay of your world, of America?

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Crisis Within the Body of Christ

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on September 22, 2012 at 8:57 pm

Truth in Love – blog entry – Saturday, September 22, 2012

Crisis Within the Body of Christ

We must realize that the Church, the actual Body of Christ, is in crisis. There is a great split among the outward manifestation of inward faith, in that we see a very postmodern church which is taking a form of ungodliness and a more devote church which is struggling to adhered to, live out, and hold up a godly standard in an ever increasing ungodly society and ungodliness from within the Body.

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

7 Perfect Verses for American Reform and Revival

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on September 15, 2012 at 6:49 pm

Saturday, September 15, 2012

7 Perfect Verses for American Reform and Revival

The Reforms of Asa – 2 Chronicles 15:1-7 NKJV

1Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. 2And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 3For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; 4but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. 5And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. 6So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. 7But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”

“Reform” means according to Webster’s Dictionary:

transitive verb

1 a : to put or change into an improved form or condition b : to amend or improve by change of form or removal of faults or abuses

2 : to put an end to (an evil) by enforcing or introducing a better method or course of action

3 : to induce or cause to abandon evil ways

noun

1 : amendment of what is defective, vicious, corrupt, or depraved

2 : a removal or correction of an abuse, a wrong, or errors

Spiritual/Political Disclaimer:

This blog will not be for the faint of heart or the easily offended. It will not be in any way politically correct. It will make every effort to share the truth in love, [Ephesians 4:11-16], to a decaying and dying society and church. I share what I share not to hurt, harm, or offend any person[s] or group; I do it because Christ Standard and Truth is not being represented by enough of His Followers and I do it out of love. I love enough to tell His Truth.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NKJV

11And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

Must See Christian Movie

In Bible, Biblical Principles, Chrisitan Lifestyle, Christian Living, Devotional, Encouragement, Exhortation, God, God's Voice, Godliness, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Love, Prophecy, Prophet, Prophetess, Revival, Rhema Words, Truth, Uncategorized on September 15, 2012 at 12:41 am

If you call yourself a Christian then I urge you to go see this movie this weekend.

If you believe Christian Rights are being eroded in American then I urge you to take a group of friends and go see this movie.

If you are a Christian Spiritual Leader, I exhort you to urge your congregation to go see this movie.

The title is “Last Ounce of Courage” – – Here are some links for info on the movie.

http://www.standusa.com/last-ounce-of-courage/

https://apps.facebook.com/standusa_fb/level/10/

http://www.movies.com/last-ounce-courage/m68968