Author: Ellis Michaels
Publisher: Infinite Summer Publishing
ISBN: 173332402X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 223
Book Description
Can you imagine going to bed every night knowing you might wake up blind, deaf, paralyzed, or worse - not at all? Ellis Michaels doesn't have to imagine it. He's been living it for decades. And so have thousands of others diagnosed with Behcet's disease. Like Crohn's, Lupus, fibromialgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, MS, and dozens of other illnesses, Behcet's is an autoimmune disease. Though each is unique, they all cause the body to attack itself. And Ellis's body has been kicking the crap out of him for decades. Here are just a few of the horrible symptoms he's experienced: Massive blood clots (DVTs) in both legs A clot in his inferior vena cava (vein going to the heart) Deep, open ulcers in his mouth Quarter-sized open sores on his... On the last place a guy would want them Severe eye inflammation leading to blindness that literally happened overnight Golf-ball-sized cysts on his face, neck, and ears And that was all before Ellis had even turned 18. Living with Behcet's disease (sometimes called Behcet's syndrome) can be an everyday struggle filled with pain and suffering. And while Ellis's journey has been a bumpy one to say the least, filled with depression, anxiety, drug addiction, and at times utter despair, he's managed to live an awesome life in spite of his diagnosis. By learning to see the silver linings of his illness, by focusing on the positives instead of the negatives, Ellis transformed his mind, his body, and his entire life. This is the story of how Ellis Michaels managed to find happiness through the pain and embarrassment of living with Behcet's disease. *** Warning! This memoir contains language and subject matter that might not be suitable for sensitive readers. There are discussions about drug use, mental illness, sex, suicide, and certain below-the-belt body parts. If you find these topics or occasional profanity distasteful, this book won't be your cup of tea. But Behcet's is a distasteful disease and can't be discussed in an open and honest manner without including these things. ***
Finding Happiness Through Pain and Embarrassment
Author: Ellis Michaels
Publisher: Infinite Summer Publishing
ISBN: 173332402X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 223
Book Description
Can you imagine going to bed every night knowing you might wake up blind, deaf, paralyzed, or worse - not at all? Ellis Michaels doesn't have to imagine it. He's been living it for decades. And so have thousands of others diagnosed with Behcet's disease. Like Crohn's, Lupus, fibromialgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, MS, and dozens of other illnesses, Behcet's is an autoimmune disease. Though each is unique, they all cause the body to attack itself. And Ellis's body has been kicking the crap out of him for decades. Here are just a few of the horrible symptoms he's experienced: Massive blood clots (DVTs) in both legs A clot in his inferior vena cava (vein going to the heart) Deep, open ulcers in his mouth Quarter-sized open sores on his... On the last place a guy would want them Severe eye inflammation leading to blindness that literally happened overnight Golf-ball-sized cysts on his face, neck, and ears And that was all before Ellis had even turned 18. Living with Behcet's disease (sometimes called Behcet's syndrome) can be an everyday struggle filled with pain and suffering. And while Ellis's journey has been a bumpy one to say the least, filled with depression, anxiety, drug addiction, and at times utter despair, he's managed to live an awesome life in spite of his diagnosis. By learning to see the silver linings of his illness, by focusing on the positives instead of the negatives, Ellis transformed his mind, his body, and his entire life. This is the story of how Ellis Michaels managed to find happiness through the pain and embarrassment of living with Behcet's disease. *** Warning! This memoir contains language and subject matter that might not be suitable for sensitive readers. There are discussions about drug use, mental illness, sex, suicide, and certain below-the-belt body parts. If you find these topics or occasional profanity distasteful, this book won't be your cup of tea. But Behcet's is a distasteful disease and can't be discussed in an open and honest manner without including these things. ***
Publisher: Infinite Summer Publishing
ISBN: 173332402X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 223
Book Description
Can you imagine going to bed every night knowing you might wake up blind, deaf, paralyzed, or worse - not at all? Ellis Michaels doesn't have to imagine it. He's been living it for decades. And so have thousands of others diagnosed with Behcet's disease. Like Crohn's, Lupus, fibromialgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, MS, and dozens of other illnesses, Behcet's is an autoimmune disease. Though each is unique, they all cause the body to attack itself. And Ellis's body has been kicking the crap out of him for decades. Here are just a few of the horrible symptoms he's experienced: Massive blood clots (DVTs) in both legs A clot in his inferior vena cava (vein going to the heart) Deep, open ulcers in his mouth Quarter-sized open sores on his... On the last place a guy would want them Severe eye inflammation leading to blindness that literally happened overnight Golf-ball-sized cysts on his face, neck, and ears And that was all before Ellis had even turned 18. Living with Behcet's disease (sometimes called Behcet's syndrome) can be an everyday struggle filled with pain and suffering. And while Ellis's journey has been a bumpy one to say the least, filled with depression, anxiety, drug addiction, and at times utter despair, he's managed to live an awesome life in spite of his diagnosis. By learning to see the silver linings of his illness, by focusing on the positives instead of the negatives, Ellis transformed his mind, his body, and his entire life. This is the story of how Ellis Michaels managed to find happiness through the pain and embarrassment of living with Behcet's disease. *** Warning! This memoir contains language and subject matter that might not be suitable for sensitive readers. There are discussions about drug use, mental illness, sex, suicide, and certain below-the-belt body parts. If you find these topics or occasional profanity distasteful, this book won't be your cup of tea. But Behcet's is a distasteful disease and can't be discussed in an open and honest manner without including these things. ***
Finding Happiness and Freeing Your Spirit
Author:
Publisher: Julie Hawkins
ISBN:
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 53
Book Description
This book is a practical guide to help you re-train your brain and help you to understand your blocks and triggers and what you need to make peace with in order to live a happy and fulfilled life. The author Julie Hawkins is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and single mum and turned her own life around following a decade of self-help quests and study following serious debt and depression. She has condensed her learnings into a small easy read book in the hope that you too can find happiness and fulfillment in a fraction of the time that it took her.
Publisher: Julie Hawkins
ISBN:
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 53
Book Description
This book is a practical guide to help you re-train your brain and help you to understand your blocks and triggers and what you need to make peace with in order to live a happy and fulfilled life. The author Julie Hawkins is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and single mum and turned her own life around following a decade of self-help quests and study following serious debt and depression. She has condensed her learnings into a small easy read book in the hope that you too can find happiness and fulfillment in a fraction of the time that it took her.
Enough Stewardship Program Guide
Author: Adam Hamilton
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 1426720114
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
Church leaders are struggling to help their congregations respond to the violent ebb and flow of the economy. While their members are simply trying to stay afloat financially, the budget of their church is suffering as well. In the midst of all of this, though, there is God and a divine calling for each of us. With Enough Stewardship Program Guide, Adam Hamilton offers a simple campaign that will transform how the church and individuals view the role of money in connection with their life’s purpose and the positive impact that transformation will have on the world. This program, based on Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity, is designed for church-wide and small-group studies and includes a DVD. Leaders will be equipped with: A campaign timeline Sample communication pieces Sermon series notes Artwork for PowerPoint and signage "Enough comes like an antidote in the middle of a pandemic. I hope that classes, groups, couples, and individuals will use this book—and the economic crisis it addresses—as a challenge to get healthy again by deepening our discipleship in the vital area of money and possessions." —Brian McLaren, Author of The Secret Message of Jesus Click here to watch the introduction from Adam Click here to view a clip from the Stewardship Program DVD Click here to view a clip from the Enough DVD Click here to view a webinar on how to use the Stewardship Program with your church! Adam Hamilton is senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, one of the fastest growing, most highly visible churches in the country. Hamilton is the author of Confronting the Controversies, Making Love Last a Lifetime, Unleashing the Word, Leading Beyond the Walls, Selling Swimsuits in the Arctic, Christianity and World Religions, and Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White, all published by Abingdon Press.
Publisher: Abingdon Press
ISBN: 1426720114
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
Church leaders are struggling to help their congregations respond to the violent ebb and flow of the economy. While their members are simply trying to stay afloat financially, the budget of their church is suffering as well. In the midst of all of this, though, there is God and a divine calling for each of us. With Enough Stewardship Program Guide, Adam Hamilton offers a simple campaign that will transform how the church and individuals view the role of money in connection with their life’s purpose and the positive impact that transformation will have on the world. This program, based on Enough: Discovering Joy Through Simplicity and Generosity, is designed for church-wide and small-group studies and includes a DVD. Leaders will be equipped with: A campaign timeline Sample communication pieces Sermon series notes Artwork for PowerPoint and signage "Enough comes like an antidote in the middle of a pandemic. I hope that classes, groups, couples, and individuals will use this book—and the economic crisis it addresses—as a challenge to get healthy again by deepening our discipleship in the vital area of money and possessions." —Brian McLaren, Author of The Secret Message of Jesus Click here to watch the introduction from Adam Click here to view a clip from the Stewardship Program DVD Click here to view a clip from the Enough DVD Click here to view a webinar on how to use the Stewardship Program with your church! Adam Hamilton is senior pastor of the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, one of the fastest growing, most highly visible churches in the country. Hamilton is the author of Confronting the Controversies, Making Love Last a Lifetime, Unleashing the Word, Leading Beyond the Walls, Selling Swimsuits in the Arctic, Christianity and World Religions, and Seeing Gray in a World of Black and White, all published by Abingdon Press.
Approaches to Measuring Human Behavior in the Social Environment
Author: William R. Nugent
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136442286
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 251
Book Description
Make the best use of measurement approaches that gauge social behavior Here is a state-of-the-art examination of various approaches to measuring and assessing client functioning and specific aspects of clients’ social environments. It examines numerous age groups and ethnic populations and makes use of cutting-edge methodologies in its examinations of measuring depression in children, measuring the neighborhood from a child’s perspective, measuring and assessing family functioning, measuring spirituality, and measuring psychosocial problems in seriously mentally ill families. Helpful tables in each chapter make complex information easy to access and understand. Inside Approaches to Measuring Human Behavior in the Social Environment you’ll find: a psychometric evaluation of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Childhood Diagnoses (KID-SCID) (with 4 tables) a clinical/psychometric perspective on using self-rating scales for assessing severely mentally ill individuals (with a chapter appendix and 2 tables) vital information on assessing the influence of tradition upon Chinese elders in order to provide culturally sensitive services (with 4 tables) a report on the psychometric properties of the Rap Music Attitude and Perception (RAP) Scale, an instrument designed to measure attitudes toward and perceptions of rap music (with 6 tables) a report on the assessment of self-esteem in people with severe mental illness (with 2 figures and 4 tables) a qualitative study of fourth and fifth graders’ views of the neighborhoods they live in (with 5 figures and 2 tables) an NIMH- and USDHHS-funded study examining the reliability and validity of the Preschool Symptom Self-Report (PRESS) which measures depression in maltreated young children (with 4 tables) a study of advances designed to improve the reliability/validity of the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale (NCFAS) as it relates to placement and the prediction of future placement within the context of Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) (with 1 figure and 7 tables) conformatory factor analyses of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS) (with 3 figures and 4 tables) a report illustrating the development and empirical testing of the Spiritual Strategies Scale (SSS)a measure of spiritual supports used by older adults in managing challenges in their lives (with 4 tables) an examination of the validity of college students’ responses to the Scale for the Identification of Acquaintance Rape Attitudes (SIARA), a measure designed to assess attitudes believed to be supportive of sexual violence within dating relationships (with 3 figures and 5 tables) Approaches to Measuring Human Behavior in the Social Environment is vital reading for master’s and PhD level social workers, psychologists, counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, and researchers in these fields.
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136442286
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 251
Book Description
Make the best use of measurement approaches that gauge social behavior Here is a state-of-the-art examination of various approaches to measuring and assessing client functioning and specific aspects of clients’ social environments. It examines numerous age groups and ethnic populations and makes use of cutting-edge methodologies in its examinations of measuring depression in children, measuring the neighborhood from a child’s perspective, measuring and assessing family functioning, measuring spirituality, and measuring psychosocial problems in seriously mentally ill families. Helpful tables in each chapter make complex information easy to access and understand. Inside Approaches to Measuring Human Behavior in the Social Environment you’ll find: a psychometric evaluation of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Childhood Diagnoses (KID-SCID) (with 4 tables) a clinical/psychometric perspective on using self-rating scales for assessing severely mentally ill individuals (with a chapter appendix and 2 tables) vital information on assessing the influence of tradition upon Chinese elders in order to provide culturally sensitive services (with 4 tables) a report on the psychometric properties of the Rap Music Attitude and Perception (RAP) Scale, an instrument designed to measure attitudes toward and perceptions of rap music (with 6 tables) a report on the assessment of self-esteem in people with severe mental illness (with 2 figures and 4 tables) a qualitative study of fourth and fifth graders’ views of the neighborhoods they live in (with 5 figures and 2 tables) an NIMH- and USDHHS-funded study examining the reliability and validity of the Preschool Symptom Self-Report (PRESS) which measures depression in maltreated young children (with 4 tables) a study of advances designed to improve the reliability/validity of the North Carolina Family Assessment Scale (NCFAS) as it relates to placement and the prediction of future placement within the context of Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) (with 1 figure and 7 tables) conformatory factor analyses of the Secondary Traumatic Stress Scale (STSS) (with 3 figures and 4 tables) a report illustrating the development and empirical testing of the Spiritual Strategies Scale (SSS)a measure of spiritual supports used by older adults in managing challenges in their lives (with 4 tables) an examination of the validity of college students’ responses to the Scale for the Identification of Acquaintance Rape Attitudes (SIARA), a measure designed to assess attitudes believed to be supportive of sexual violence within dating relationships (with 3 figures and 5 tables) Approaches to Measuring Human Behavior in the Social Environment is vital reading for master’s and PhD level social workers, psychologists, counselors, marriage and family therapists, psychiatrists, and researchers in these fields.
The Paradise of the Earth; Or, The True Means of Finding Happiness in the Religious State ...
Author: Sanson
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Evangelical counsels
Languages : en
Pages : 478
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Evangelical counsels
Languages : en
Pages : 478
Book Description
Chasing Contentment
Author: Erik Raymond
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 1433553694
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 184
Book Description
Recovering the Lost Art of Contentment The biblical practice of contentment can seem like a lost art—something reserved for spiritual giants but out of reach for the rest of us. In our discontented age—characterized by impatience, overspending, grumbling, and unhappiness—it’s hard to imagine what true contentment actually looks (and feels) like. But even the apostle Paul said that he learned to be content in any and every circumstance. Paul’s remarkable contentment was something grown and developed over time. In Chasing Contentment, Erik Raymond helps us understand what biblical contentment is—the inward gracious spirit that joyfully rests in God’s providence—and then how we learn it. Giving us practical guidance for growing in contentment in various areas of our lives, this book will encourage us to see contentment as a priority for all believers. By God’s grace, it is possible to pursue the high calling of contentment and anchor our joy in God himself rather than our changing circumstances.
Publisher: Crossway
ISBN: 1433553694
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 184
Book Description
Recovering the Lost Art of Contentment The biblical practice of contentment can seem like a lost art—something reserved for spiritual giants but out of reach for the rest of us. In our discontented age—characterized by impatience, overspending, grumbling, and unhappiness—it’s hard to imagine what true contentment actually looks (and feels) like. But even the apostle Paul said that he learned to be content in any and every circumstance. Paul’s remarkable contentment was something grown and developed over time. In Chasing Contentment, Erik Raymond helps us understand what biblical contentment is—the inward gracious spirit that joyfully rests in God’s providence—and then how we learn it. Giving us practical guidance for growing in contentment in various areas of our lives, this book will encourage us to see contentment as a priority for all believers. By God’s grace, it is possible to pursue the high calling of contentment and anchor our joy in God himself rather than our changing circumstances.
The Spectator
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 672
Book Description
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 672
Book Description
Otherhood
Author: Melanie Notkin
Publisher: Seal Press
ISBN: 1580055222
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
This “essential read” (Gretchen Rubin) from the author of Savvy Auntie tells the funny, sexy, and sometimes heartbreaking stories of today's well-educated, successful women who expected love, marriage, and children, but instead find themselves in the “Otherhood” as their fertile years wane. More American women are childless than ever before—nearly half those of childbearing age don’t have children. While our society often assumes these women are “childfree by choice,” that’s not always true. In reality, many of them expected to marry and have children, but it simply hasn’t happened. Wrongly judged as picky or career-obsessed, they make up the “Otherhood,” a growing demographic that has gone without definition or visibility until now. In Otherhood, author Melanie Notkin reveals her own story as well as the honest, poignant, humorous, and occasionally heartbreaking stories of women in her generation—women who expected love, marriage, and parenthood, but instead found themselves facing a different reality. She addresses the reasons for this shift, the social and emotional impact it has on our collective culture, and how the “new normal” will affect our society in the decades to come. Notkin aims to reassure women that they are not alone and encourages them to find happiness and fulfillment no matter what the future holds. A groundbreaking exploration of an essential contemporary issue, Otherhood inspires thought-provoking conversation and gets at the heart of our cultural assumptions about single women and childlessness.
Publisher: Seal Press
ISBN: 1580055222
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
This “essential read” (Gretchen Rubin) from the author of Savvy Auntie tells the funny, sexy, and sometimes heartbreaking stories of today's well-educated, successful women who expected love, marriage, and children, but instead find themselves in the “Otherhood” as their fertile years wane. More American women are childless than ever before—nearly half those of childbearing age don’t have children. While our society often assumes these women are “childfree by choice,” that’s not always true. In reality, many of them expected to marry and have children, but it simply hasn’t happened. Wrongly judged as picky or career-obsessed, they make up the “Otherhood,” a growing demographic that has gone without definition or visibility until now. In Otherhood, author Melanie Notkin reveals her own story as well as the honest, poignant, humorous, and occasionally heartbreaking stories of women in her generation—women who expected love, marriage, and parenthood, but instead found themselves facing a different reality. She addresses the reasons for this shift, the social and emotional impact it has on our collective culture, and how the “new normal” will affect our society in the decades to come. Notkin aims to reassure women that they are not alone and encourages them to find happiness and fulfillment no matter what the future holds. A groundbreaking exploration of an essential contemporary issue, Otherhood inspires thought-provoking conversation and gets at the heart of our cultural assumptions about single women and childlessness.
Remembering God's Promises (Pack Of 25)
Author: Tim Savage
Publisher: Good News Publishers
ISBN: 9781682164013
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Rediscovering the Voice of God Adapted from Discovering the Good Life by Tim Savage By Tim Savage In our world there are thousands of weary souls and troubled hearts, people yearning for satisfaction in life but finding mostly disappointment. But it doesn't have to be that way. Jesus Christ promised life and promised it in abundance. Moreover, he has done everything in his matchless power to fulfill the promise. On the cross, Jesus purged the power of what ruins life--sin. On the cross, he paid the penalty of what ends life--death. In the resurrection, he opened the door to a new way to be human--fullness of life. In the combined work of the cross and the resurrection, he purified hearts and fitted them to be vessels of his life. It is a life overbrimming with love, power, truth, peace, goodness, righteousness, comfort, and joy. Not all Christians know this abundance of life, and perhaps many reading these words feel less than completely full. The problem boils down to this: you are probably unaware of your identity in Christ. You do not understand who you are in Christ. Every day you receive a steady stream of verbal input. Some of it begins in your imagination--as interior dialogues of the mind--and some of it begins in the world--as the external messages of society. Too often it is burdensome input, focusing on life's problems and whispering negative messages such as "You're going to fail," "You'll never be attractive," "You ought to be more successful by now," "You'll never escape the past," "You're destined to be alone," "You'll never amount to anything," "Your goals are beyond reach," "You'll never find happiness." "You lost your job," "You're divorced," "You filed for bankruptcy," "You're hopeless." "Shame on you!" "You're not good enough!" It is vital to discern the voices. Those stoking discouragement, fear, and guilt can be dismissed, because they do not fit the vocabulary of God. They do not originate from him. To whom, then, do we owe dispiriting messages? The apostle Paul tells us. "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). The voice of discouragement belongs to the voice of "this present darkness," hence to the devil. And the goal of Satan is to derail us, to slay us with negativity. He "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). As Christians, we must distinguish the voices. If they condemn us, they are not from God. "There is . . . no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). For fullness of life, we must attune ourselves to the promises of God. For instance, God promises that "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13:5; see Josh. 1:5). We need not listen to the voice of loneliness, even when we feel desolate and deserted. God promises that he will make us "more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Rom. 8:37). We must not listen to the voice of insecurity, even amidst stinging failure. God promises that "all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). We must not listen to the voice of despair, even when facing difficult trials. God promises that we can "rejoice always" (1 Thess. 5:16; see Phil. 4:4). We need not listen to the voice of sorrow. God promises "peace I leave with you" (John 14:27). We must not listen to the voice of doubt, apprehension, and vulnerability. God promises that he has already "seated us with him in the heavenly places" (Eph. 2:6). We need not listen to the voice of anxiety and the possibility of future losses. God promises that he will "graciously give us all things" (Rom. 8:32; see Matt. 6:33). We need not listen to the voice of want. God promises that he "is for us" (Rom. 8:31). We must not listen to the voice of detractors. God promises that he "will supply every need of [ours] according to his riches in glory" (Phil. 4:19). We need not listen to the voice of worry, even in times of uncertainty. When life-sapping messages such as these assault us--and they do with alarming frequency--we must consider the source. They do not emanate from the life-imparting God. Hence they can be discounted. We must measure the voices of the world against the promises of God. It is sobering to admit that we often spend vast segments of our lives--days, weeks, months, even years--without seeking to hear the voice of God. It is time to amend our ways. God speaks to us through his Son Jesus Christ in the Bible. We must attune ourselves to the words of Christ, listening to him daily, as through headphones inserted into our ears, so that we are reminded continuously of the loving promises of the heavenly Father. Remembering those promises is all we need for life. Perhaps you are reading these words and feeling a gnawing restlessness in your heart. You are still searching for more in life. The good news is that there is more. It will be found not in the things of this world -- not in science or nature or possessions or money or religion or pleasure -- but in Jesus Christ, in listening to the voice of Christ. Nothing else will satisfy your heart. If you are reading this and desire these promises that God gives to those who trust in him, call out to Jesus now by praying something like this: Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that he died on the cross to save me from my sin. I believe that he rose again to life, and that he invites me to live forever with him in heaven as part of your family. Because of what Jesus has done, I ask you to forgive me of my sin and give me eternal life. Please lead me to a Bible-believing church where I can grow in faith with others who love Jesus. Amen.
Publisher: Good News Publishers
ISBN: 9781682164013
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :
Book Description
Rediscovering the Voice of God Adapted from Discovering the Good Life by Tim Savage By Tim Savage In our world there are thousands of weary souls and troubled hearts, people yearning for satisfaction in life but finding mostly disappointment. But it doesn't have to be that way. Jesus Christ promised life and promised it in abundance. Moreover, he has done everything in his matchless power to fulfill the promise. On the cross, Jesus purged the power of what ruins life--sin. On the cross, he paid the penalty of what ends life--death. In the resurrection, he opened the door to a new way to be human--fullness of life. In the combined work of the cross and the resurrection, he purified hearts and fitted them to be vessels of his life. It is a life overbrimming with love, power, truth, peace, goodness, righteousness, comfort, and joy. Not all Christians know this abundance of life, and perhaps many reading these words feel less than completely full. The problem boils down to this: you are probably unaware of your identity in Christ. You do not understand who you are in Christ. Every day you receive a steady stream of verbal input. Some of it begins in your imagination--as interior dialogues of the mind--and some of it begins in the world--as the external messages of society. Too often it is burdensome input, focusing on life's problems and whispering negative messages such as "You're going to fail," "You'll never be attractive," "You ought to be more successful by now," "You'll never escape the past," "You're destined to be alone," "You'll never amount to anything," "Your goals are beyond reach," "You'll never find happiness." "You lost your job," "You're divorced," "You filed for bankruptcy," "You're hopeless." "Shame on you!" "You're not good enough!" It is vital to discern the voices. Those stoking discouragement, fear, and guilt can be dismissed, because they do not fit the vocabulary of God. They do not originate from him. To whom, then, do we owe dispiriting messages? The apostle Paul tells us. "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12). The voice of discouragement belongs to the voice of "this present darkness," hence to the devil. And the goal of Satan is to derail us, to slay us with negativity. He "prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Pet. 5:8). As Christians, we must distinguish the voices. If they condemn us, they are not from God. "There is . . . no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 8:1). For fullness of life, we must attune ourselves to the promises of God. For instance, God promises that "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Heb. 13:5; see Josh. 1:5). We need not listen to the voice of loneliness, even when we feel desolate and deserted. God promises that he will make us "more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Rom. 8:37). We must not listen to the voice of insecurity, even amidst stinging failure. God promises that "all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Rom. 8:28). We must not listen to the voice of despair, even when facing difficult trials. God promises that we can "rejoice always" (1 Thess. 5:16; see Phil. 4:4). We need not listen to the voice of sorrow. God promises "peace I leave with you" (John 14:27). We must not listen to the voice of doubt, apprehension, and vulnerability. God promises that he has already "seated us with him in the heavenly places" (Eph. 2:6). We need not listen to the voice of anxiety and the possibility of future losses. God promises that he will "graciously give us all things" (Rom. 8:32; see Matt. 6:33). We need not listen to the voice of want. God promises that he "is for us" (Rom. 8:31). We must not listen to the voice of detractors. God promises that he "will supply every need of [ours] according to his riches in glory" (Phil. 4:19). We need not listen to the voice of worry, even in times of uncertainty. When life-sapping messages such as these assault us--and they do with alarming frequency--we must consider the source. They do not emanate from the life-imparting God. Hence they can be discounted. We must measure the voices of the world against the promises of God. It is sobering to admit that we often spend vast segments of our lives--days, weeks, months, even years--without seeking to hear the voice of God. It is time to amend our ways. God speaks to us through his Son Jesus Christ in the Bible. We must attune ourselves to the words of Christ, listening to him daily, as through headphones inserted into our ears, so that we are reminded continuously of the loving promises of the heavenly Father. Remembering those promises is all we need for life. Perhaps you are reading these words and feeling a gnawing restlessness in your heart. You are still searching for more in life. The good news is that there is more. It will be found not in the things of this world -- not in science or nature or possessions or money or religion or pleasure -- but in Jesus Christ, in listening to the voice of Christ. Nothing else will satisfy your heart. If you are reading this and desire these promises that God gives to those who trust in him, call out to Jesus now by praying something like this: Heavenly Father, I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that he died on the cross to save me from my sin. I believe that he rose again to life, and that he invites me to live forever with him in heaven as part of your family. Because of what Jesus has done, I ask you to forgive me of my sin and give me eternal life. Please lead me to a Bible-believing church where I can grow in faith with others who love Jesus. Amen.
The Times Index
Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Times (London, England)
Languages : en
Pages : 1740
Book Description
Indexes the Times, Sunday times and magazine, Times literary supplement, Times educational supplement, Times educational supplement Scotland, and the Times higher education supplement.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Times (London, England)
Languages : en
Pages : 1740
Book Description
Indexes the Times, Sunday times and magazine, Times literary supplement, Times educational supplement, Times educational supplement Scotland, and the Times higher education supplement.