Lord's Day Devotion - Greater Love

 Reflecting on God's love which propelled Him to send His Son Jesus to earth to be the propitiation for our sins.  Scripture tells us,

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13 ESV).

We can find no one greater than Jesus who did this for the ultimate cause.  He died that we might live.  His love for all mankind was the greatest of all, ever, from time immemorial to the present date.

We cannot understand such love but we can accept this gift.  Have you ever been loved?  Even if there is no human being in your life to love you or be willing to love you, there is the One who does love you and that's Jesus Christ.

He calls you friend and he died in your place.  There have been incidents in history where some have died for others.  Even the story of the Titanic when passengers were floating in the ocean trying to keep their heads above water, there were those who gave their life jacket to those who were without Christ.

The Christians demonstrated God's love to those without Christ.  They also brought some of them to Christ.  Those Christians lost their life so that the lost could live and have the chance to know the One who died for their souls and have eternal life.

Those individuals died so one here and one there could live long enough to find Jesus and hopefully be rescued.  Jesus died that all human beings floating aimlessly in this world, may find life in Him, through faith.

This Lord's Day, ponder on Jesus' love that took Him to the cross for our sakes.  He'll never let us go once we have accepted Him as Savior.  Partake of the broken bread and drink of that cup of wine in remembrance of His love that did all this for us.

There has been no one greater who has had greater love than this.  Praise the Lord!

Jesus, Your love is immense and we cannot fathom the depths and heights of it but we are thankful that You did love. us.  That You still love us.  That You laid down Your life for us and even called us "friends" when we were actually "enemies" because of our sin.  Thank You for taking our place on that cross of shame.  It is with grateful hearts we give you our thanks, Lord Jesus.  Amen.

                                                         ~ ERC  April 2025 ~

Based on John 15:13 ESV.

Sing, The Love of God, along with Selah Videos.

There's a Choice! (Counsel Chapter 9)

 

You are not your own if you are a follower of Jesus Christ.  You have been bought with His precious life blood.  You are a temple of the living God's Holy Spirit.  Your body and spirit belong to Him (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 & 1 Peter 1:18-19)

Therefore when we choose destructive behavior such as drug or alcohol abuse, or of a sexual nature outside of marriage to your own spouse, you are sinning against God.  

A person may have reasons and excuses for the destructive decisions they've made:  a tough life; trauma, active duty in a foreign land PTSD and the like.  Yes, empathy for a friend's reasons do not abate.  However, it still remains that a choice was made be it due to peer pressure or stemming from medical treatment.  To continue, was a choice.

The behaviors are a choice.  Maybe though a person didn't realize they even had a choice.  It could have been that the environment one grew up in was very dictatorial, strict adherence was the norm and it felt like there was no choice.  In fact, the word 'choice' was not even in the regions' dictionary.

This is understandable.  But now you know, there is a choice.  Now you can make a decision.  What will you choose?  Would you like to extricate yourself from Satan's grip of bondage and live in the freedom you can have in Christ?

Would you like to live under the authority of Jesus Christ?  His Spirit lives within you if you are a child of God.  You belong to Him and He has given us the free will to gladly surrender to Him, surrendering our bodies and spirits that are actually already His.

There is hope and freedom in Christ.  Choose to live under His authority.  Seek help to overcome addictions.  The Holy Spirit will help you.  Put your hand in the hand of Jesus.  You won't regret this choice.

May our Heavenly Father and His great almighty power work in each of us for His glory and honor and for our good health, becoming a testimony to the world of His greatness through us.

Grant us these Father, in Your Son Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                ~ ERC  March 2025 ~

Based on 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 and 1 Peter 1:18-19).  Also Counseling Friends in Need by Harold J. Sala; Chapter 9 - Using the Bible to Counsel Addictive Behaviors, pages 174-200.

Sing, Overcomer along with Mandisa.

Memorize:  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 & 1 Peter 1:18-19.

Truly Wishes Help (Counseling Chapter 9)

 

 

"Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit" (Ephesians 5:18).

"It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak" (Romans 14:21)

These verses pinpoint drunkenness and drinking wine, or we might say alcohol.  More to the point, an addiction.  I'll insinuate further, any addictions to drink, to drugs, internet surfing, and/or even listening excessively to world news, morning, noon and night.

In moderation most of these are permissible.  However, not all are beneficial.  It could be referring to beneficial to an individual or to the person's family in general.  One person's actions do have consequences not only to the individual but to those in their circle of family and friends.

Scripture is so direct in its command here, "Do not be drunk ..."  But then if we are so continuously panting for that next bottle of wine, beer or stronger drink; or the next fix of drugs, and so on, and have gotten out of control and you are a believer in Jesus Christ then the guilt aspect comes in to compound the issue.

Yet, the apostle Paul who penned Ephesians 5:18 gives the antidote,

"...but be filled with the Holy Spirit."

It is to be noted that one of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit fruit is 'self-control'.

When we take this to heart and become willing to change and persevere in it, there is overcoming.

Secondly, it looks to me like the rest of the followers of Jesus Christ have a responsibility in their care of the one with the addiction.  Whether it's in eating meat, drinking drink or indulging some other thing that would cause a brother or sister-in-Christ to once again fall back into harmful ways of drunkenness and other addictive behavior, then 'the others' need to be cautious and help him or her avoid slipping back.

For example, I once read an autobiography of an Indian guru who had come to Christ.  As most of us know, Hindu's will not eat beef because cows are sacred animals to them.  This guru, after his conversion to Jesus Christ, still would not eat beef although he now knew he had freedom in Christ to eat it.  He refused to in order to win as many as possible of his family, friends, and compatriots to Christ.  He would have offended them if he had carelessly and flippantly said, "Christ set me free of all that, I'll eat beef!"  He would have lost credibility with those people.  They would then not listen to the message of the gospel!

Another story is of one assembly of believers who purposely do NOT use wine for their holy communion.  "Why?" you may ask.  It's because several in their midst are recovered alcoholics.  They do not want to be the one to cause such a brother to stumble back into the destructive behavior once again.  Grape juice is therefore used instead of wine.  I really like it that the whole group of believers there would support those people in this way.

As to causes for the addictive behavior - they are many and varied; but in Jesus' name they can overcome.  It's a serious matter to cause another to stumble but this group of believers shows God's love and grace to their brethren by this action.  This is truly helping a friend in need who truly wishes to be helped.

                                                   ~ ERC  march 2025 ~

Based on Ephesians 5:18 and Romans 14:21.  Also, Counseling Friends In Need by Harold J. Sala - Chapter 9 - Using the Bible to Counsel Addictive Behavior, pages 175-182.

Sing, They Word is  a Lamp Unto My Feet, along with Amy Grant.

Compounded Guilt (Counseling Chapter 8 Q's)

 "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere."  

                                                     (2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV).

Observe the adverb 'always' in the verse above.  There's a domino effect here.  It starts with thanks to God.  This leads to victory in Christ.  Giving thanks to God wherever we go leaves a fragrance behind, the fragrance of the knowledge of God.

Did you realize that?  Knowledge of God has a fragrance!  Followers of Jesus Christ, while giving thanks to God, spread His aroma that reaches out to the perishing lost.  Paul and Silas did sing praise in prison even after being seriously beaten and chained up.  An earthquake freed them and the rest of the prisoners but none of them ran away.  Don't you find that rather curious!  Then the jailer got saved along with his family.  Amazing what praise can do.

Good smells of cooking draw hungry people to the kitchen table.  May the "good smell" of Christ upon believers in Christ draw people, not so much to us, rather to Christ through us.

When we ponder the opening verse, we may think within ourselves, I just can't praise or give thanks.  I'm too down in the dumps, too angry, too worried and fearful.  Then you think, "Oh, I'm a Christian, I shouldn't feel like this!  Oh, but I do!"  Then a guilty feeling settles over you and it all becomes a vicious cycle that sucks us down further into the bog of despond.  The guilt becomes compounded within us.

I think the apostle Paul who wrote the letter to the Corinthians would ask you to please read that opening verse again.  Then he'd ask, "Do you want victory over these negative emotions?  Do you?  Do you really?  Are you sure?"

If you answered him, "YES!" to all of those, then the choice is in your hands.  Begin to give thanks to God for the good things, even if it is a very small thing of goodness.  Like, you had food to eat.  Someone smiled at you.  Your child gave you a hug.  You say, "Thank You Father for that smile.  It was so unexpected."  OR, "Thank You Father for my child and his hug."

You could even write those "little" things down in a note book.  That way you could review them and give thanks all over again.  Before you know it, a habit of giving thanks will form.

You may not notice it at first, but there will be a stick stuck into the spokes of that vicious cycle and you'll be on a roll, joining the triumphal procession, spreading Christ's fragrance among the people of your family, your neighbors, acquaintances, co-workers and friends.  Above all, your guilty feelings and other negative emotions will have dissipated if not completely evaporated.

Thanks be to God!

                                                       ~ ERC  March 2025 ~

Based on 2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV and Counseling Friends in Need by Harold J. Sala; Chapter 8 Questions.

Sing, Thanks To God - Hymn along with The Wellman.

See also:  Unless ...

Memorize 2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV to remind yourself daily of giving thanks to God and forming a habit of praise so the fragrance of Christ can be spread abroad by you.

Unless ... (Counseling Chapter 8 Qs)

 A kaleidoscope of emotions often chase each other around in our minds robbing us of the peace that passes all understanding when we give full sway to them.  Be it anger, fear, worry (among other emotions possible) that can toss us into depression and catch us in a miry bog that threatens to pull us into its whirlpool-like vise grip and never let us go, stealing us of overcoming victory.  

Unless ...

Unless a follower of Jesus Christ comes to understand the difference between experiencing emotional conflict and being overwhelmed by our emotions.  True there is much in our lives and this world that instigates our various emotions to rise up.  Yet we have the Holy Spirit's help to help us have self-control in each area of our lives.  

When we experience the various conflicting emotions we can ask ourselves what is the source or cause thereof.  Can the irritant be removed?  If not, have we sought the Lord's intervention and even 'vented' to Him?  Have we looked for a trusted friend to help see us through and/or sung praise to the Lord especially for the  good He is and has done in our lives?  Have we prayed, thanked and trusted God?  These are ways to counter being sucked into destructive thought patterns and behavior.

The apostle Paul was one of those brothers who could have easily succumbed to negative joy-gutting emotions.  When we read in Acts and even in some of his letters to the various assemblies of believers, all the hardship and persecution he endured would be enough to push him under.  Yet he didn't go to those places.

Instead, as he wrote to the Corinthians,

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere" (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Giving thanks and praise to God was Paul's antidote.  Notice the adverb 'always'.  He made it a habit to give thanks to God.  God will then 'always' lead him to victory.  See that?  I like the phrase "triumphal procession".  It means "they won" and you can win too.

A big difference then between emotional conflict and being overwhelmed by our emotions seems to be in large part, giving thanks to God!

Sound too easy and as if someone doesn't understand your plight?  It's not like that though.  Unless we begin to make even small steps in praising the Lord and giving Him thanks, a thankful heart habit will not begin to form let alone win.  I implore you all to begin today.  It is a choice, please choose this better way (see The Depression Emotion blog entry).

Lord Jesus, today, this very day, I choose to begin a regimen that builds habits of giving you thanks and praise as you lead me into triumphal procession as you did for the apostle Paul.  As the fragrance of the knowledge of You was spread everywhere by Paul's victories, may I too spread the aroma of Christ wherever I go.  I ask in Your name Lord Jesus, amen.

                                                   ~ ERC  March 2025 ~

Based on 2 Corinthians 2:14 ESV and Counseling Friends in Need by Harold J. Sala, Chapter 8 Questions.

Sing, Give Thanks With A Grateful Heart, along with Matgdalene Shodavara.

Memorize 2 Corinthians 2:14 to remind yourself daily of giving thanks to God.

The Depression Emotion ( Counseling Chapter 8)

 

Depression can descend upon the best of us, but the kind that overwhelms for great lengths of time is a serious matter.  When it happens to a friend and they seek help, what can be done?

They say happiness is a choice but you can't just knock incessantly on the door of your friend's emotional dark places like a woodpecker on a tree, and tell them to "snap out of it and get happy."  That'd make matters worse and alienate you from your friend.

What Harold J. Sala says in his book Counseling Friends in Need, makes sense to me.  He says both the spiritual and emotional life of a person gets affected and cannot be separated when trying to help your friend recover.  These are often triggered due to a physical condition, say like a terminal illness or as would be generally known, a life crisis.

So the counseling friend needs to discover "What the problem really is and what's causing it."  Sala says.   Looking into each of the areas:  physical, spiritual and emotional will be a start.  

Is there suppressed anger?  What is causing that?  It could be from a longstanding problem of abuse or trauma from childhood.  No instant fix cure is going to occur, generally speaking.  Inroads can be made though, with discovery.

In a loveless marriage, for instance, one may find the hopelessness of being "stuck" because the friend vowed on the wedding day "for better or for worse" they'd stay.  This can well lead to depression.

Secret habits or problems of addictions or illegal practices, which enter the spiritual realm create depression.  Guilty consciences eat at the person, and down they go.

Depression often manifests itself in doubts about does the Lord or my spouse even care?  Jesus said He'd be with us "always, even to the end of the age" (see Matthew 28:20).  Scripture reiterates this in Hebrews 13:5-6, that the Lord "will never leave [us] nor forsake [us]".  He further promises to be our helper.  Memorizing these verse could be a big help, as they feed the soul and spirit.

A Christian spouse has made a promise to be committed to their spouse "until Jesus comes and/or death do us part."  Yet the depressed person can come to doubt this continuance.  Being reassured by the spouse could help.

With the understanding of what's going on in your friend-in-need's life, that's going to be first stages in an ongoing process towards alleviating the depression and hopefully overcoming it.

Getting back to the idea of happiness being a choice, here's what Sala wrote ...

"A person's emotions are controlled by the will, and the decision to hold on to reality goes a long way toward breaking through depression" (page 172).

Just the fact that a friend has chosen to come to you, shows some willingness to choose happiness. Equipped with some of the "investing tools" mentioned above, together, you and Your friend and the Lord will very likely find that breakthrough.

My confidence and hope in saying that is based on Mr. Sala's - the one with much greater experience than mine, which is at a pittance level.  So I'd give his advice a try.

Singing praise and recounting ways in which the Lord's goodness, mercy and ways that have helped in the past could also be part of the 'cure'.  I know first hand, this to be true.  A friend once gave me a lovely, pink notebook.  In it I made the decision to record at least one thing, no matter how small, that had been good that day.  At the end of a week I could look back and see all those good things.  After a month, wow!  Praise to the Lord was then the response of the heart and an uplifting of the spirit.

The thick notebook had gotten filled full to the brim, cover to cover, with a couple of years' worth of goodness.  That was a few years ago now and I still occasionally peep inside to remind myself of God's goodness, faithfulness and blessings to me.

Since then, until now, the depths of dark despair and depression lifted.  Yes, there are times we all falter, and the depression hangs like a mist passing by a mountain but seeing God's goodness in our lives lifts us up.

Don't bite off more than you can chew though, when helping a friend, Sala cautions.  Some things really do need a professional's help.  For instance if the problem is a physical one, a doctor may need to do a thorough examination to rule out the physical or determine if treatment is needed.  If it is due to a 'secret' then the sin of it needs repentance, confession and accountability and even restitution where needed.  The Lord's forgiveness is there.

Pray that your friend is willing to choose to commit to the whole process towards overcoming their depression and finding happiness not just in the relief but in Jesus Christ as well.  It is in Him we followers of Jesus Christ live, move and have our being.

Jesus, I choose to have the burden of depression lifted from this day onward.  Together with my friend, I make this choice and will be committed to having that victory in You.  I do need Your help though in overcoming.  I ask it in Your name, amen.

                                                        ~ ERC  March 2025 ~

Based on Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 13:5-6.  Also,  Counseling Friends in Need by Harold J. Sala, Chapter 8 - Using the Bible to Counsel Emotional Problems, pages 168-172.

Sing, You Raise Me Up along with Selah.

Good Book - Magnolia - By Ginny Aiken - Reviewed by ERChin

 

If a reader wants some light reading, this historical novel set in post US Civil War times, is for you.  Although, I use the term 'light' reading, there are some deeper themes.  One is about forgiveness.  Another is about coming to salvation through Christ.  There is humor.  There is sadness and there is romance.  You wonder if Clay and Magnolia (Maggie, for short), will ever relinquish their differences!  I especially like this book because it's a good, clean read and faith in Jesus-based.

                                                        ~ ERC  April 2025 ~

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion.  Others may think otherwise as they wish.