Overcoming Depression: A Lesson From The Life Of Elijah by Rob Marshall
One of my favorite Old Testament stories is about Elijah. The story starts in 1 Kings 18 where we read about Elijah challenging the Israelites to decide whether they would serve God or Baal. To help them make their decision, he challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a little contest. They were both going to prepare a sacrifice, and whichever god answered by fire, that god would really be God.
The prophets of Baal tried all day, and nothing happened. But when Elijah prayed, God caused His fire to come down and burn up the sacrifice, the wood, the water that Elijah had poured on the sacrifice, the stones, and the dirt around the altar.
When the people saw what God did, they fell down and worshipped Him. It was a powerful sign, and a great victory for God and Elijah, who then ordered the people to kill all the prophets of Baal.
And if that wasn't a great enough victory, the story goes on to tell us that Elijah prayed that rain would come to end a three-and-a-half year drought, and God answered his prayer with a deluge.
You might think that after experiencing such a great victory, and seeing God answer his prayer, that Elijah would be feeling pretty good. And he probably was, until he got some bad news.
When Jezebel, the queen, heard about Elijah killing all the prophets of Baal, she sent a message to him that said, "May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them." And when Elijah got her message, being the mighty man of God that he was, he got scared and ran away.
I can't really blame him. There have been times in my life when I've gotten news that wasn't half as bad as "I'm going to kill you," and I've gotten scared and run away. The Bible says that, as he was running, he left his servant behind, went out into the desert, sat down under a tree, and prayed that God would kill him.
Have you ever had bad days like that? Days when nothing seems to be going right and you just want to curl up in some quiet corner and die? I know that I have had times like that, and the bad news that I got wasn't a death threat. There have been times in my life when I've wanted to die and the only problem I was facing was a little discouragement.
In 1 Kings 19 we read that Elijah ends up going to the mountain of God and spends a night in a cave. In the morning the word of the Lord came to him, and God said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 Kings 19:9)
Elijah answered, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." (1 Kings 19:10)
We read that God called Elijah out of the cave and that He brought a wind, an earthquake, and a fire to test Elijah.
When I see Elijah standing on the mountain, with a powerful wind howling around him, rocks falling and breaking into pieces near him, the dust from the rocks being blown into his face and eyes, I imagine that he must have been thinking that God was going to destroy him.
I'm sure that Elijah breathed a sigh of relief when the wind stopped, but then the earthquake came and he feared that God was going to open the ground, drag him down into the darkness of the earth, and crush him. And after barely surviving the earthquake, the fire came, and I'm sure that he knew this was it, God was going to consume him in a His wrath and his life would be over.
And all during this frightening show of God's power, God wasn't speaking to Elijah. Throughout this entire ordeal, after each potentially devastating event, the Bible says that "The Lord was not in" the wind, the earthquake, or the fire.
In times when I've felt depressed, and I've experienced a lot of times like that, I find that something happens that I can't explain. I may not be standing precariously on some mountain, but I have felt like my thoughts were destructive winds that tried to sweep me away in a torrent of negative words and feelings. Or my mind has raced on to imagining my life being shaken to the core and everything either falling apart or being completely destroyed, burned up by my own actions or God's wrath.
As I read this story I realize that most of the times when I have felt that way, God wasn't the one that was "in" the shaking. It was the anxious thoughts in my own mind that God was revealing to me. His voice was yet to come, and it came to me just like it came to Elijah, as that still, small voice, that asked me a very important question, "What are you doing here?"
When I look at how God dealt with Elijah in his fear and depression, I see that God is telling me something very important. For one, I need to be careful not to get off alone and allow my feelings to overwhelm me. I don't have to feel like I want to die just because something didn't work out the way that I had wanted.
The next thing that is important for me to do when I'm feeling like I'm stuck in a dark cave, is to put my focus on God. There are things that He wants to say to me, and most of the time, He will start off by asking me a question that will get me thinking about how I came to feel so depressed.
It was after Elijah had experienced the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, while feeling alone and without God, that he was able to hear God's voice. And when God spoke, He let Elijah know that he was wrong about many things. He was not the only prophet left and there were thousands of Israelites that still worshipped Him.
God will bring us out of our depression when we are open to hear the truth. The truth will most likely be very different from the thoughts we've been having, but it will encourage us and give us hope. And then God will give us our marching orders, just like he did for Elijah.
The way that God deals with depression in our lives may seem hard to understand, but what He is trying to do is to get us to hear Him more clearly than ever. What we have to do is to not allow the negative thoughts and emotions to so overwhelm us that we stop listening. And when we hear His voice, He will correct the wrong information that we have, give us hope, and ask us to obey Him and start taking action again.
When we do that, we will rise above depression and find victory in Him.
Rob Marshall is the author of "Taking On Goliath - How to Unleash the David in All of Us." Learn how you can unleash your faith and overcome any "Goliath" that may stand between you and your dreams. Get two free chapters from "Taking On Goliath" when you sign up for our free newsletter. Just visit:
http://www.TakingOnGoliath.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Showing posts with label Scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scripture. Show all posts
Monday, February 26, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Secrets to Answered Prayer - Knowing What You Want
Secrets to Answered Prayer - Knowing What You Want by Rob Marshall
Copyright 2006 Rob Marshall
His heart sank again as he looked at his son and thought about what had happened just one day earlier. He had been working when he heard his wife desperately screaming for him. As he rushed in he had seen his wife on the floor next to the fire holding their son. An evil spirit that had been tormenting their son had thrown him into the fire and his arm was severely burned. He couldn't forget the agony in his wife's voice as she pleaded with him to take their son to the healer. The spirit was trying to destroy their son and they had to do something.
But now that he was getting close to where the healer was supposed to be, his mind was filled with questions. They had never been a very religious family, would the healer send them away because they sinners? They had no money, would his son not be healed because they had nothing to give to the healer? Everything else they had tried had failed, were they destined to be disappointed again? He cried as the fear overwhelmed him and his mind was flooded with thoughts of having to tell his wife that their only son had not been healed, and that there was no more hope.
When I read stories in the Bible it's too easy to forget that they tell us about real people with real pain and struggles. This story in Mark 9:14-29 is just one example. I've read that story so many times and I often get drawn into the drama surrounding the disciples. I don't think about what this father must have been going through.
As we bring our prayer requests to God there are many things that go through our minds. Like the father in this story we may have a desperate need and we know exactly what it is. But many times our prayers aren't quite this serious. Not that they aren't important to us, but we're somewhat unclear about what it is that we want.
Our prayers need to clearly express to God the things that we want. The Bible tells us that God searches our hearts, but it also tells us to "present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). And in James 1:5-8 we read that a person who doubts is like a wave of the sea, tossed about by every wind. That person cannot expect to receive anything from God because he is double-minded.
When we doubt we are torn between different things. We may say we want one outcome, but in our minds we're not really sure. For example, I might want to be healed from the flu, but at the same time I would rather not have to go to work in the morning, and having the flu is a good excuse.
Have you ever had times when you wanted two different things? Or when you weren't completely sure what it was that you wanted?
One of the most important "secrets" to getting our prayers answered is to bring requests to God that are clear and definite. And the first part of that is being clear about what it is that we want and being sure that we really want it.
The father in this story from Mark was absolutely clear about what he wanted and how important it was to him. More than anything else, he wanted his son to be healed and he was going to do all that he could to see that it happened.
Take a look at your prayers. Are you praying for specific outcomes? Are the answers you are looking for the things that you really want?
Something that has helped me get some clarity about what I want is to take the time to put my prayers on paper. And then I ask myself a few questions about why I want what I'm asking for. Knowing what I want, and why I want it, helps me be committed and single-minded about my prayers.
My simple formula for faith is:
Desire + Expectation + Action = Faith
Being clear about our desires, and how important they are to us, is the first step toward effective faith and answered prayer.
Rob Marshall is the author of "Taking On Goliath - How to Unleash the David in All of Us." Learn how you can unleash your faith and overcome any "Goliath" that may stand between you and your dreams.
http://www.TakingOnGoliath.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Copyright 2006 Rob Marshall
His heart sank again as he looked at his son and thought about what had happened just one day earlier. He had been working when he heard his wife desperately screaming for him. As he rushed in he had seen his wife on the floor next to the fire holding their son. An evil spirit that had been tormenting their son had thrown him into the fire and his arm was severely burned. He couldn't forget the agony in his wife's voice as she pleaded with him to take their son to the healer. The spirit was trying to destroy their son and they had to do something.
But now that he was getting close to where the healer was supposed to be, his mind was filled with questions. They had never been a very religious family, would the healer send them away because they sinners? They had no money, would his son not be healed because they had nothing to give to the healer? Everything else they had tried had failed, were they destined to be disappointed again? He cried as the fear overwhelmed him and his mind was flooded with thoughts of having to tell his wife that their only son had not been healed, and that there was no more hope.
When I read stories in the Bible it's too easy to forget that they tell us about real people with real pain and struggles. This story in Mark 9:14-29 is just one example. I've read that story so many times and I often get drawn into the drama surrounding the disciples. I don't think about what this father must have been going through.
As we bring our prayer requests to God there are many things that go through our minds. Like the father in this story we may have a desperate need and we know exactly what it is. But many times our prayers aren't quite this serious. Not that they aren't important to us, but we're somewhat unclear about what it is that we want.
Our prayers need to clearly express to God the things that we want. The Bible tells us that God searches our hearts, but it also tells us to "present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). And in James 1:5-8 we read that a person who doubts is like a wave of the sea, tossed about by every wind. That person cannot expect to receive anything from God because he is double-minded.
When we doubt we are torn between different things. We may say we want one outcome, but in our minds we're not really sure. For example, I might want to be healed from the flu, but at the same time I would rather not have to go to work in the morning, and having the flu is a good excuse.
Have you ever had times when you wanted two different things? Or when you weren't completely sure what it was that you wanted?
One of the most important "secrets" to getting our prayers answered is to bring requests to God that are clear and definite. And the first part of that is being clear about what it is that we want and being sure that we really want it.
The father in this story from Mark was absolutely clear about what he wanted and how important it was to him. More than anything else, he wanted his son to be healed and he was going to do all that he could to see that it happened.
Take a look at your prayers. Are you praying for specific outcomes? Are the answers you are looking for the things that you really want?
Something that has helped me get some clarity about what I want is to take the time to put my prayers on paper. And then I ask myself a few questions about why I want what I'm asking for. Knowing what I want, and why I want it, helps me be committed and single-minded about my prayers.
My simple formula for faith is:
Desire + Expectation + Action = Faith
Being clear about our desires, and how important they are to us, is the first step toward effective faith and answered prayer.
Rob Marshall is the author of "Taking On Goliath - How to Unleash the David in All of Us." Learn how you can unleash your faith and overcome any "Goliath" that may stand between you and your dreams.
http://www.TakingOnGoliath.com
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Understanding the Bible – Help for Your Bible Study
Understanding the Bible – Help for Your Bible Study by Karin Syren
Copyright 2006 So-lu'shunz Leadership Services
The Bible is not always easy to understand. And we are held accountable for how we absorb it into our lives. Proverbs 4:23 makes it clear that each of us is responsible for his own heart. Consequently, many of us begin our study by reading commentaries and articles by those who we figure should know what they are talking about. These supplementary studies can be very valuable, if we adhere to a few simple rules at the outset.
First and foremost, beware of opinions presented as truths. The opinions of men can and do end up becoming the teachings of men, which then become the traditions of men and the traditions of men render the Word of no effect (Mark 7:13; Romans 4:14; Mark 7:8,9). * Begin with prayer, a good place to begin any endeavor! Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to understand (Ephesians 1:18) and your heart to receive the incorruptible Word (1 Peter 1:23). Pray for wisdom (James 1:5) to rightly divide the Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15).
* Now read everything the Bible says about the subject, or the particular Scripture you are attempting to rightly divide, by following any references to supporting Scriptures in both Old and New Testaments and using your concordance. At this point, you are filling your spirit with the Word. Do not make the mistake of being anxious about understanding all of it at this point.
* Be sure to read the passages preceding and following each Scripture to gain an awareness of the passage’s context.
* Be diligent in your word studies, using your comprehensive concordance to understand the nuances of the original Bible languages.
* Finally, formulate a statement in your own words, a paraphrase based on your study. Check and recheck to make sure you have not put your own spin on it. This exercise alone may be enough to illuminate the study for you, to open up the confusing Scripture or to provide you biblical continuity of teaching. If not, and you are looking for some supplemental teaching on the subject, continue reading.
* Now read what others have to say. Stay with teachers who consistently stand firmly on what the Word has to say and who don’t veer off into the realm of opinion, those who have shown to be careful in their study and trustworthy in their interpretations.
* Immediately discount any commentaries based on negativity or criticism of others. There may be a germ of veracity, sincerity or authenticity buried underneath, but those who resort to a negative approach pass along with it a spirit Christians do not need to embrace. Their approach will ultimately tear down any truth and sincerity they may have begun with.
* Be wary of absolute attitudes concerning areas of Scripture that are in question among trusted Bible scholars. It is necessary for each of us to remain teachable, open to the Holy Spirit giving us interpretation beyond what may have become (disputable) denominational doctrine.
* Make it a rule never to argue Scripture. The Word of God is not debatable; it is revelatory. God does not need your abilities as a disputer to bring about revelation in another. He says, for I am watching over My Word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:12). He only needs you to speak the uncompromised Word, to say what He says – the Holy Spirit will reveal to others (Ephesians 1:17) and God will perform it (Isaiah 55:11)
Above all, do not become discouraged by any lack of understanding or by discrepancies among Bible teachers. The Word of God is meant for you and with the help of the Holy Spirit, spending time each day in the life-giving, delivering, encouraging, empowering, comforting Word of God, will lead you to understanding. Know that God has promised it will accomplish His will and He Himself will bring it to pass.
Karin Syren is a certified Life Coach specializing in Strategic Life Planning. She works with people from all walks of life helping them to become leaders in their own lives, discovering their Mission, creating vibrant Visions as evidence and designing On Target Goals to achieve them. Click the link to find out to join one of Karin's powerful groups and receive your first month FREE at http://www.solushunz.net
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
Copyright 2006 So-lu'shunz Leadership Services
The Bible is not always easy to understand. And we are held accountable for how we absorb it into our lives. Proverbs 4:23 makes it clear that each of us is responsible for his own heart. Consequently, many of us begin our study by reading commentaries and articles by those who we figure should know what they are talking about. These supplementary studies can be very valuable, if we adhere to a few simple rules at the outset.
First and foremost, beware of opinions presented as truths. The opinions of men can and do end up becoming the teachings of men, which then become the traditions of men and the traditions of men render the Word of no effect (Mark 7:13; Romans 4:14; Mark 7:8,9). * Begin with prayer, a good place to begin any endeavor! Ask the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to understand (Ephesians 1:18) and your heart to receive the incorruptible Word (1 Peter 1:23). Pray for wisdom (James 1:5) to rightly divide the Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15).
* Now read everything the Bible says about the subject, or the particular Scripture you are attempting to rightly divide, by following any references to supporting Scriptures in both Old and New Testaments and using your concordance. At this point, you are filling your spirit with the Word. Do not make the mistake of being anxious about understanding all of it at this point.
* Be sure to read the passages preceding and following each Scripture to gain an awareness of the passage’s context.
* Be diligent in your word studies, using your comprehensive concordance to understand the nuances of the original Bible languages.
* Finally, formulate a statement in your own words, a paraphrase based on your study. Check and recheck to make sure you have not put your own spin on it. This exercise alone may be enough to illuminate the study for you, to open up the confusing Scripture or to provide you biblical continuity of teaching. If not, and you are looking for some supplemental teaching on the subject, continue reading.
* Now read what others have to say. Stay with teachers who consistently stand firmly on what the Word has to say and who don’t veer off into the realm of opinion, those who have shown to be careful in their study and trustworthy in their interpretations.
* Immediately discount any commentaries based on negativity or criticism of others. There may be a germ of veracity, sincerity or authenticity buried underneath, but those who resort to a negative approach pass along with it a spirit Christians do not need to embrace. Their approach will ultimately tear down any truth and sincerity they may have begun with.
* Be wary of absolute attitudes concerning areas of Scripture that are in question among trusted Bible scholars. It is necessary for each of us to remain teachable, open to the Holy Spirit giving us interpretation beyond what may have become (disputable) denominational doctrine.
* Make it a rule never to argue Scripture. The Word of God is not debatable; it is revelatory. God does not need your abilities as a disputer to bring about revelation in another. He says, for I am watching over My Word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:12). He only needs you to speak the uncompromised Word, to say what He says – the Holy Spirit will reveal to others (Ephesians 1:17) and God will perform it (Isaiah 55:11)
Above all, do not become discouraged by any lack of understanding or by discrepancies among Bible teachers. The Word of God is meant for you and with the help of the Holy Spirit, spending time each day in the life-giving, delivering, encouraging, empowering, comforting Word of God, will lead you to understanding. Know that God has promised it will accomplish His will and He Himself will bring it to pass.
Karin Syren is a certified Life Coach specializing in Strategic Life Planning. She works with people from all walks of life helping them to become leaders in their own lives, discovering their Mission, creating vibrant Visions as evidence and designing On Target Goals to achieve them. Click the link to find out to join one of Karin's powerful groups and receive your first month FREE at http://www.solushunz.net
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com
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