LIFE...The Great Adventure!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 OK.....I know, it's been way to long!

 

The weather is 100 degrees today, whew, it is so hot....and the poor dog is stuck on the deck all day!  We are in desperate need of rain.

The lake is extremely low, we are there just about every weekend regardless.

 

We just finished helping at our church's youth camp last week, and what a blessing it was!  God is so good, we were able to send

3 of our neighborhood kids to camp and one was saved.  Praise the Lord!  Pray with us that their families might start coming with us to church.

 

Another blessing, Bethanne &  I invited our whole neighborhood to church 3 weeks ago and we had 10 people show up..it was so exciting.

It is a joy & encouragement to be able to tell people about the Lord and invite them to church.  We have realy been striving to do our part

in reaching "our Jerusalem" so to speak.  Pray that we would continue to share the good news and be a good testimony to our neighborhood.

 

We recently returned from our summer vacation to Harbor Island, SC.  We spent the week on the beach, and took a few day trips, one to Charleston and one to Hilton Head where we enjoyed sailing on a catamaran for the first time.  It was a welcome and refreshing break.

 

Bethanne started back to school Monday, Aug. 20th, she said she has a great class so far this year.  A really good spirit in the classroom.

She begins basketball in October....she's in for a busy season.

 

I'm so looking forward to fall this year, a break from the heat, I just pray we get the rain we need so that the leaf change will be colorful.

 

We pray all is well with our friends and family!  I pray you will be encouraged to reach "your Jerusalem" with the love of Christ!

Who will you invite to church this Sunday????????????????????????

 

 

Psalm 77:3-15

Depression is the subject of many book, tapes, studies, etc... look with me at the Biblical perspective (the only perspective) of recognizing and dealing with depression.

It is so easy to become discouraged, even depressed when we are weighted down with needs in our lives, especially when we continually pray and it does'nt seem God is responding.  Our needs may be physical, spiritual, finacial, emotional...."Why are'nt you answering Lord? I needed that bill paid last week!" we so often ask. Then discouragement and doubt in His promises begin to set in.

There's an old story of the devil selling off his old tools.  As people were milling around looking over all of the items for sale, they noticed that the item with the highest price tag was an old, battered wedge.  Attached to the wedge was a sticker that said "Discouragement". A man picked it up and asked the devil why was this old, battered wedge so expensive.  He replied, "If I can drive the wedge of discouragement between a believer and his Lord, I win the victory every time".

As we compare with the verses in Ps. 77...let's look at a few major:       

CHARACTERISTICS OF DEPRESSION

1) Inability to sleep (Ps.77:4) "Thou holdest mine eyes waking"     

Not being able to sleep does'nt necessarily mean you are depressed, but it is a common problem for depressed people. So worried about their problelms, that they can't go to sleep. GOD CAN SOLVE ANY PROBLEM! BUT IF WE ARE NOT RELYING ON HIM, it is common that a problem will keep us from sleep.

2) Inarticulate Speech (Ps. 77:4) "I am so troubled that I cannot speak"

Those who are depressed often find it difficult to explain a problem.  Sometimes it's hard to find words to express our emotions.

3) Incorrect Sight (Ps.77:5) "I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times"

The Psalmist was focused on "the good old days". Things used to be more exciting and enjoyable.  The truth is, things were'nt all that great.  There have always been problems. If you are living for God, He has good things for you in the days ahead.

4) Inward Searching (Ps. 77:5) "I commune with mine own heart"

Depressed people often turn inward and ask counsel of themselves. The only time in scripture we are told search inward or "examine ourselves" is to see if we're right with God. OUR FOCUS IS TO BE ON GOD, NOT OURSELVES.  Heb. 12:2 says, "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith"

5) Hopeless Sorrow (Ps.77:8) "Is His mercy clean gone forever? Doth His promise fail for evermore?"

Overwhelmed with burdens, the Psalmist felt no hope for the day or any other day. While focusing on himself, he saw no hope for the future. WHEN YOU FEEL AS IF YOU'RE ABOUT TO DROWN, LOOK UP. GOD IS THERE TO HELP.

CURE FOR DEPRESSION

1) Realize your to blame (Ps.77:10) "This is my infirmity"

As long as we're blaming others or God for our problem, there is no way to solve it. We have to acknowledge where the problem really is.  We need to pray saying, "God, I acknowledge this problem is my problem. It may be the way I'm responding, or it may be I'm not exercising faith, or it may be I'm not learning. But I do acknowledge the problem as mine, and I'm asking You for help."

2) Recall God's Blessing (Ps.77:10,11) "I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High...I will remember the works of the Lord."

The right hand is the hand of power, of deliverance, of blessing. It is the hand of strength and salvation. It is the hand that guides us through our difficulties.  When we're depressed we often look at God as the God of sorrow, rather than as strength that sustains us and cares for us. When you feel hopeless and helpless recall past blessings of God, answered prayers.  Encourage yourself in the Lord!

3) Refocus your mind (Ps.77:12) "I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings"

Meditation is a key step in overcoming depression. Chew on the good things God has done for you instead of your problems. What we think about determines our outlook on life. Where is your focus? When we meditate on God, His word, His goodness it brings our attention back to Him. It will change our attitude toward our problems.

4) Rejoice in the Lord (Ps.77:13-15)

No matter how things look, we can always rejoice in how good God has been to us! We can rejoice in His power, His goodness, His strength, His redemption.  The answer to our doubts is to review His goodness, His redemption!

We can and should live in victory no matter what problems may come.  He is with us (Heb. 13:5) "He will never leave you nor forsake you"

Just because we can't physically see God does'nt mean He is not at work. 

Rejoice in the Lord always...and rise above those circumstances!

John 4:50- Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth.  And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and went his way. Faith is taking God at His Word!!! Mark 11:24- When ye pray, believe... When there is a matter that requires definite prayer, pray till you believe God.  If the answer still tarries, don't pray in such a way that it is evident you are not believing for it. Your prayer then becomes a hinderance rather than a help; and when you are finished praying, you will find that your faith has weakend or entirely gone. Do not pray yourself out of faith. Such prayers are the expression of the unrest of one's heart, and unrest implies unbelief. Hebrews 4:3- For we which have believed do enter into rest... These prayers that pray us out of faith arise from centering our thoughts on the difficulty rather than on God's promise.   Abraham's example: Romans 4:19-20- Abraham staggered not at the promise of God...   The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith...and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety. We will never learn faith in comfortable surroundings.  God gives us the promises, then He steps back and waits to see how much we believe; He lets the tempter come, and the test seems to contradict all that He has spoken.  It is then that faith wins its crown...that is the time to look up and cry..."I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me." Whatever it is you're praying for today...We don't have to beg just Believe God, have faith He WILL keep his promises!!!