Wow--tonight was a good study! Glancing through the PDF's, it was an 'in your face' kinda deal. I'd heard all of this before, but a good reminder never hurts. When we get wrapped up on ourselves, our circumstances, how folks are treating us... us, us, us... we wallow in self-pity, and next thing you know, our eyes are off of God, and onto poor me. It was right there, in black and white, scriptures and all. It didn't paint a very good picture of mankind, and our fleshly ways, but if I were honest, I'd have to say that if I took it to heart, that would be my first step to getting out of depression. Admitting that maybe my response to circumstances, and not my circumstances themselves, was the culprit to my move towards depression.
In the end, an attitude of gratitude will help the blues dispensate and move us towards God-thoughts, instead of me-thoughts.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
April 14, 2011
Does it matter what we think, as long as we're 'acting' nice? If nobody sees our bad attitude inside, does it really matter?
Who was the guy in the Bible who's hair weighed 5 pounds and he only cut it about once a year? Hint: It's not Samson.
Who was the woman in the Bible that boiled her son and ate him, and wanted to eat another son the next day? Why?
These were just some of the questions asked in tonight's study. Since G had to work tonight, two of our younger family members shared what they had researched. After a little bit of discussion of "attitude" presented by Courtney and Chase, Pa brought up some questions about 'weird facts about Bible characters" interesting! The "little god doctrine' was inquired on, and since not everyone had heard of it, we researched it just a bit. We knew it wasn't for us, as we are Children of God, but not little gods. Creepy.
It was a very sweet night tonight, with food, fellowship and study. While we missed the folks that couldn't come, we very much enjoyed our family that did make it, and God who was in the midst of us all.
Until next week!
Who was the guy in the Bible who's hair weighed 5 pounds and he only cut it about once a year? Hint: It's not Samson.
Who was the woman in the Bible that boiled her son and ate him, and wanted to eat another son the next day? Why?
These were just some of the questions asked in tonight's study. Since G had to work tonight, two of our younger family members shared what they had researched. After a little bit of discussion of "attitude" presented by Courtney and Chase, Pa brought up some questions about 'weird facts about Bible characters" interesting! The "little god doctrine' was inquired on, and since not everyone had heard of it, we researched it just a bit. We knew it wasn't for us, as we are Children of God, but not little gods. Creepy.
It was a very sweet night tonight, with food, fellowship and study. While we missed the folks that couldn't come, we very much enjoyed our family that did make it, and God who was in the midst of us all.
Until next week!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
April 7, 2011
Tonight's study was a continuation of Victory Over Depression, this one happens to be the 4th segment. Freedom in Dependence was the title, and we discussed how Jesus did nothing except what God told him to do. This train of thought can be found in John 5:19, John 6:38, John 8:28-29.
Sometimes we think we are free when we walk independently from God, but, being the imperfect human we are, that only leads to failure. To walk in total dependence in a Savior that loves us perfectly, that's freedom from worry, from stress, and other negative dealings we have to deal with.
Too often, humanity tries to find satisfaction in beverage, food, relationships, or activities. Any of these are temporary satisfaction at best. If these things could permanently satisfy, we would partake of them once, then never have need for that 'thing' again. We try to find our self worth based on what others think of us, (who's opinions can change like the wind) and that puts us in bondage to them, sometimes even without their knowledge. Our self esteem can change like the wind, as well, and we become unstable.
Check out the slides on the PDF page!
Sometimes we think we are free when we walk independently from God, but, being the imperfect human we are, that only leads to failure. To walk in total dependence in a Savior that loves us perfectly, that's freedom from worry, from stress, and other negative dealings we have to deal with.
Too often, humanity tries to find satisfaction in beverage, food, relationships, or activities. Any of these are temporary satisfaction at best. If these things could permanently satisfy, we would partake of them once, then never have need for that 'thing' again. We try to find our self worth based on what others think of us, (who's opinions can change like the wind) and that puts us in bondage to them, sometimes even without their knowledge. Our self esteem can change like the wind, as well, and we become unstable.
Check out the slides on the PDF page!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
March 31, 2011
Another good session. Although I've heard these truths before, I needed to hear them again. In part 3 of "Victory Over Depression", we're faced with the truth that a lot of our 'stinkin' thinkin' can be traced back to misplaced dependencies. Our self worth is based on what others think of us at any given moment. We desperately try to "Keep up with the Jones' " and when the "Joneses" don't appreciate our effort, we get depressed. If our significant other doesn't give us their approval, we can get depressed.
The proper dependency is to rely on God's "opinion" of us for our self worth. Fact: He loves us. Fact: He'll never leave us or forsake us. Fact: God knew us in our mother's womb. Fact: God doesn't love us based on our good works, skills, looks or personality. God loves us because of Him.
So the question is, then, will we continue to try to pull our self worth from other people (who, incidentally, may be trying to pull their self worth from someone else), or will we recognize Whose child we are, and allow His love to be enough for us?
The proper dependency is to rely on God's "opinion" of us for our self worth. Fact: He loves us. Fact: He'll never leave us or forsake us. Fact: God knew us in our mother's womb. Fact: God doesn't love us based on our good works, skills, looks or personality. God loves us because of Him.
So the question is, then, will we continue to try to pull our self worth from other people (who, incidentally, may be trying to pull their self worth from someone else), or will we recognize Whose child we are, and allow His love to be enough for us?
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