Sunday, September 16, 2018

Your Waiting Time Is Not Wasted Time

This is the manuscript to a sermon preached at Christ Church, Los Angeles on September 16, 2018. While we often have to wait for an answer to our prayers that waiting time doesn't have to be wasted time. The sermon is adapted from my blog post, "Your Waiting Time Doesn't Have To Be Wasted Time". In the sermon I talk about what's involved in waiting on God, and end with some skills that we need to develop so that our waiting time won’t be wasted time. To hear the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.

Psalm 27:14 (NKJV) Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

You may be praying for something that hasn’t happened yet. Maybe it’s for you, a friend, or family member to be healed of an illness, maybe it’s for a financial blessing, maybe it’s for a new job, maybe it’s for a spouse, whatever it is it hasn't happened and you are wondering if it will ever happen. Yes, you have faith in God and His promises but it’s so hard to wait.

Waiting doesn't mean just sitting around and doing nothing but waiting on God is active as we exercise faith in Him, and while we wait we should never forget that God is with us while we are waiting.

Deuteronomy 31:6 NLT So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

While we wait God may be working to put things in place for the perfect time. Waiting teaches us patience and patience ends in perfection.

James 1:2-4 NLT Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

I am learning to wait patiently on God’s timing. I’m not there yet but I’m getting better.

What does waiting on God involve?

Waiting Means Resting

Resting in the Lord requires patience. That doesn’t mean doing nothing because patience is active. Patience requires an act of your will. You must determine yourself that you will wait on the Lord. It doesn't happen automatically.

Psalm 37:4 (NKJV)⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Just three verses later it says.

Psalm 37:7 (NKJV)⁷ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

Delighting yourself in the Lord means that your thoughts are constant towards God and that everything you do is in obedience to Him. When you delight in something, your thoughts are constant towards it; you think about it all the time. That signifies a mutual relationship. We delight in the Lord and He gives us our heart’s desires.

Part of delighting ourselves in the Lord is waiting on His timing.

Waiting Means Listening

Actively listening for further instructions instead of running headlong toward our idea of a solution. We listen by reading and studying God’s word, talking to other believers, listening to the Holy Spirit during our quiet times with God. When we get further instructions then we follow them even if the instructions are to continue waiting.

Psalm 143:8 (NLT)⁸ Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.

Waiting Means Accepting

When we wait we must accept what God is doing in our lives.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

We also need to realize while we’re waiting that God is working everything together for our good, like it says in

Romans 8:28 NLT And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Waiting means resting, listening, and accepting.

Waiting Also Means Surrendering

Some of us may have to give up what seems like an immediate need and then resist the temptation to set our own timeline. Surrender the timing to God.

Ecclesiastes 8:6 (NLT) for there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble.

Waiting Means Anticipating

Our waiting is purposeful anticipation that God will accomplish His purposes for our lives. God said that His word or His promises will always accomplish what i

He sends it to do.

Isaiah 55:10-11(NLT)10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

That’s the same as saying “...that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”

When we rest, listen, accept, surrender, and anticipate then our waiting time is not wasted time.

Waiting Time Is Not Wasted Time

“In life, God will always work sovereignly, strangely, and slowly.” “He will take time, but He will not waste time.”

Today we have become accustomed to things happening quickly. Fast food. Online check-ins. Call ahead seating at restaurants. One-hour photo processing. These are great conveniences but they are minor in the grand scheme of things, and they certainly haven’t helped us learn how to wait on the big things.

We’ve been praying for a new job, for healing from a dreadful disease, for a financial blessing, praying for our children to stop being knuckleheads, praying for God’s wisdom for some decision we think we need to make, and we don’t understand why it’s taking so long for Him to answer. We don’t understand why we are having to wait.

But those who want to experience an extraordinary life will learn the value of waiting on God’s timing.

Waiting time does not have to be wasted time.

Throughout the Bible we have examples of some extraordinary people who had to wait. Abraham had to wait .

God first revealed to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations when he called him to leave his country and go to the land God would show him.

Genesis 12:1-3 NLT The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Biblical scholars believe that Abraham was 75 years old then.

Fifteen years later, when Abraham was 90, God renewed his promise.

Genesis 15:1-4 NLT Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord , what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.”

Ten years later, at age 100, Abraham and Sarah finally had their son.

Genesis 21:1-5 NLT The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. And Abraham named their son Isaac. Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.

That’s a total of twenty-five years

Moses had to wait in exile 40 years before going back to Egypt to lead the Israel from slavery

Acts of the Apostles 7:23-24, 30 NLT “One day when Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel. He saw an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite. So Moses came to the man’s defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian. “Forty years later, in the desert near Mount Sinai, an angel appeared to Moses in the flame of a burning bush.

And then it was more than 40 more years before Israel finished their journey to the Promise Land, unfortunately Moses was not allowed to go into Canaan. But He did accomplish God’s purpose for him in getting Pharoah to release them and finally get them to the Promised Land.

David, after being told that he was going to be the king had to run and hide from king Saul for something like 15 years.

1 Samuel 16:13 NLT So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.

2 Samuel 2:1-4 NLT After this, David asked the Lord , “Should I move back to one of the towns of Judah?” “Yes,” the Lord replied. Then David asked, “Which town should I go to?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered. David’s two wives were Ahinoam from Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal from Carmel. So David and his wives and his men and their families all moved to Judah, and they settled in the villages near Hebron. Then the men of Judah came to David and anointed him king over the people of Judah. When David heard that the men of Jabesh-gilead had buried Saul,

Think of old Simeon, the priest in the temple, who waited his whole life to see the promised Messiah. God had told him long before that he would not die until he had seen the Christ.

Luke 2:25-29 NLT At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised.

On that same trip to the temple there was a widow by the name of Anna who had waited a long time too.

Luke 2:36-38 NLT Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

Jesus, when He was twelve years old amazed the people with His knowledge;

Luke 2:41-42, 45-47, 51-52 NLT Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

But He didn't start His public ministry until He was thirty.

Luke 3:23 NLT Jesus was about thirty years old when he began his public ministry. Jesus was known as the son of Joseph. Joseph was the son of Heli.

Okay so sometime we have to wait. We said that waiting is active, it is an act of our will, it’s a decision that we have to make ourselves. Waiting involves resting, listening, accepting, surrendering, and anticipating.

Waiting Time Skills

Since we often have to wait there are some skills that we need to develop so that our waiting time won’t be wasted time.

1. Walk with God Daily

The path God calls us to walk is one of faith and obedience, not sight and independence.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) For we walk by faith, not by sight.

God is not in the habit of revealing His entire plan for our lives all at once. If He did, we would race forward without ever feeling the need to slow down, listen to His voice, and wait on His direction. While God does not unravel His entire blueprint for our lives, He can always be trusted to reveal to us the next thing we need to do.

Usually, God only reveals as much of His plan for your life as you need today. Do not worry about what He has in store for you in the next year, the next month, or even the next day.

Matthew 6:31-34 (NLT2)³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

So develop the skill of walking with God daily.

2. Obey God Completely

“The Lord and I have a running argument. I constantly attempt to impress him with how much I know. He constantly seeks to impress me with how little I have obeyed.”

That’s what James had in mind when he encouraged Christians be “doers of the word”q

James 1:22-25 (NLT2)²² But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.²³ For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.²⁴ You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.²⁵ But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

So develop the skills of walking with God daily, obeying Him completely then a third skill is to

3. Trust Him Absolutely

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT2)⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.⁶ Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

Tell Alexandria's story.

What about you? Are you where God wants you to be right now—even if it is in the waiting place? If so, He will provide. Not necessarily all at once, but day by day. Learn the lessons of Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus and trust the Giver of gifts more than the gifts themselves. Your waiting time will not be wasted time.

Let's pray. Heavenly Father teach us to wait. Develop patience in us so that our faith become perfect. I pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to encourage us to rest, listen, accept, surrender, and anticipate that you will accomplish your purpose in our lives. I pray that, through the work of the Holy Spirit in us that we develop and and continue to improve the skills of daily walking with you, obeying you completely, and trusting you absolutely. Then Father when you call upon us to wait, our waiting time will not be wasted time. In Jesus Name Amen.

Sermon Audio

Sunday, September 9, 2018

God's Masterpiece

This is the manuscript to a sermon preached at Christ Church, Los Angeles on September 9, 2018. In it I ask what is God's greatest masterpiece. You might be surprised to know that, if you are a Christian or you become a Christian, you are God's greatest masterpiece created in His image. To hear the sermon click the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.

The Inexhaustible Masterpiece

They say that students and lovers of art will spend weeks sitting before a single masterpiece by one of the great artists. Some repeat this process year after year. To fully enjoy such a masterful work of art they need to immerse themselves in it for hour and hours. There was a man who said that he spent years studying a painting and that he was able to “discover some new beauty and a new joy” every time.

I enjoy a great painting or sculpture but it seems impossible to me that a person, even an expert or enthusiast, could spend weeks and weeks pouring over a piece of art and continue discovering something new, a “new beauty or joy.” They say that they can find some new part of the painting, a certain stroke of the brush, a use of color or some other fine detail that others never see.

If there is that much beauty and intricate detail in a painting, a creation of man, how much truer of God’s creation. A creation so vast we haven't discovered its full splendor much less study and observe it. Which brings up the question; if the creation is so expansive and magnificent, what does that say about the one who created it? We can sometimes become so familiar that we don’t look beyond the creation to the Creator.

God Almighty, the Creator, is much bigger than we could ever imagine. In Job 11:7-8 God asked Job, “Do you think you can explain the mystery of God? Do you think you can diagram God Almighty?

God is far higher than you can imagine, far deeper than you can comprehend, Stretching farther than earth’s horizons, far wider than the endless ocean.”

There is a depth to the nature of God that we have yet to see and enjoy. If we had ten thousand years we would have only scratched the surface of the immensity of His glory. God is an inexhaustible masterpiece.

Can our little minds comprehend how big God is? Of course not but that’s the very reason we keep coming back. There is a newness and a freshness to God, not because there is something new about God but because we see Him and experience Him in a way we have not done so before. It’s as if we have discovered some new beauty and joy each time.

Sometimes the joy comes in the rediscovery of a beauty that we have all but forgotten, one that God has framed in a new setting providing an even greater appreciation. As we grow so does our capacity for understanding and enjoying the person and work of our God.

What Is God’s Greatest Masterpiece?

God is the inexhaustible masterpiece, but what would you say is the greatest of His masterpieces?

You could give many different answers to that question. Many would say that God’s greatest masterpiece is the sunset that paints the evening sky or the millions of stars that twinkle so beautifully each night. Others might point to the majestic mountain ranges or the mighty, rushing rivers. And some might say the flowers that bloom in the spring or the many amazing creatures that populate our planet.

You Are God’s Greatest Masterpiece

All of those masterpieces are impressive, but none of them are the greatest that God has created. If you are a Christian you probably saw one of these works of art already today . . . that is, if you looked in a mirror. Yes, YOU are the greatest of God’s masterpieces.

Actually God’s greatest masterpieces have been created twice.

Here’s that first creation

Genesis 1:26-27 NASB Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Here's the second.

2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Ephesians 2:8-10 NASB For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

You "are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. "

No, you probably didn’t look very beautiful or handsome when you got out of bed this morning. But when you looked into your mirror you were looking at God’s greatest work.

I preached a sermon here, last year, titled God Created “You To Be A Good Works Machine”.

In that I said the Greek word translated “workmanship” is “poiēma”, and it occurs in only one other place in the New Testament, and that is in Romans, where it is translated, “things that are made.”

Romans 1:20 NASB For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

Just as God brought about a new creation in Genesis, He did it again at your salvation.

That new creation has to get rid of some of the old things and replace them with other things.

Colossians 3:8-9 NASB But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,

That's the old stuff.

Now here's the new stuff.

Colossians 3: 12-14 NASB So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Each one of us is completely unique – there will never be anyone just like you. God knows all of us personally with all our strengths and weaknesses.

David said in

Psalms 139:13-14 NASB For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

God has a plan for us, even before we are conceived

Jeremiah 1:5 NASB "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations."

And according to Scripture, there is a unique and custom-designed plan that God has in store just for those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ.

If God were to reveal to you today how much He loves you, it would overwhelm you. It would devastate you to think of the love that He has for you in light of the way we all behave sometimes.

What He given us at this point is the down payment of the Holy Spirit, and that alone overwhelms us at times.

Ephesians 1:13-14 NASB In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 NASB Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

Then in

1 Corinthians 2:9 NASB but just as it is written, " Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard , And which have not entered the heart of man , All that God has prepared for those who love Him ."

Like I said you are God’s greatest masterpiece. A masterpiece, when talking about a poem or work of art indicates that it is perfect.

When I look at my life, I guarantee you that I don’t see perfection. When we see ourselves, we tend to see our flaws. We see so many things that need to change.

Yet God says, that you are His workmanship. “You are my work of art. You are my poem. You are my masterwork.”

God is not like a doting father who’s oblivious to his child’s faults. Rather, He is your all-knowing, yet all-powerful Father in heaven who can see what you will be when it is all said and done.

God can look at you and can see what you will become before you have actually become it.

We look at ourselves and say, “I don’t get it. This doesn’t look like a perfect person. This doesn’t look like a work of beauty.”

God sees you through the lens of Jesus’ work on the cross.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NASB Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

That's how God sees you as the righteousness of God through Christ.

You are a masterpiece that is a work in progress. It is a process that doesn’t happen overnight. It is going to take all of your life on Earth. It won’t be completely finished until you get to heaven.

Then you will see that you indeed are a perfect work of art — God’s masterpiece.

What Happens When God Turns You Into His Masterpiece?

Here are 2 things that happen when God turns you into His masterpiece.

You are Forgiven

Do not let your past mistakes keep you from living the joyful life God wants you to have. His love and grace is bigger than any sin.

2 Corinthians 12:9 NASB And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

So If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 NASB

The second thing that happens is

You Show Other People How Great God Is

You are a living, breathing testimony of God’s grace and love through Jesus Christ. God says He picked you to be part of a new family, meant to show the difference He can make in a life.

But you are A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession , so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9 NASB

Your life is like a beautiful painting that gives recognition to its painter. As God’s masterpiece,

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 NASB

You Become the Light of the World

Jesus sets you free from the slavery of sin when you accept Christ. Sin won’t control you anymore. God gives you the Holy Spirit, who is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:11 NASB

When you have the Holy Spirit, you will reflect God’s love, peace and patience through the fruit of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 NASB But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

God has created you to be a masterpiece so that He could show you off! He has a plan and purpose for you. He wants you to be that showpiece everyone talks about. The next time you look in the mirror say it out loud for your brain to capture. “I am God’s masterpiece!”

In order to become God’s masterpiece there's something you have to do. A man came to Jesus in the middle of the night and Jesus told him

John 3:3 NASB Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

That man was Nicodemus and he asked Jesus how it was possible to be born again, how to become a new creature if you will. Paul gives us the answer in Romans 10:9-10

Romans 10:9-10 NASB that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Now is your opportunity to instantly become God’s Masterpiece.

Sermon Audio

Sunday, August 12, 2018

What Does The Bible Say About Depression - A Sermon

This is the manuscript of a the sermon that I preached August 12, 2018 at The Church of Divine Guidance, Los Angeles California. It is follow up to a Tuesday Night Bible Study,
"What Does The Bible Say About Depression?" taught on August 7, 2018.

It is a subject that I have wanted to talk about for some time. Because we in the church have been reluctant to talk about depression many of our brothers and sisters have suffered, and others died by their own hands because we have equated depression with some unconfessed sin, and all we have to do is confess and ask God to forgive us and then we can claim all the promises of the Bible that tell us that we shouldn't be depressed. While hiding sin can certainly be a reason for depression it is certainly not the only, or most prevalent reason for depression.

If you know that you are depressed, think that you are depressed or headed for depression seek professional help. Look for a Christian mental health professional but if you can’t find a Christian professional, find and go see a mental health professional anyway.

If you are depressed ask God to deliver and heal you and go get help!!!!

Just like I told them, at Tuesday night Bible Study, I’m going to talk about something today that the church doesn’t like to talk about but we need to talk about it because it affects Christians, and if it affects us then it is addressed in the Bible somewhere.

It is something that I know a lot about because I lived with someone for over 40 years who had a problem with this and I’ve seen so many of my brothers and sisters who suffer with the same thing. If we talk about it then with the help of the Holy Spirit we can maybe do something about it. So today I’m going to talk about depression and what the Bible says about it.

Believe it or not, Christians struggle with depression.

A discussion about depression fits in with Pastor's series on relationship because depression affects our relationship with God. Just like depression has an affect on the relationship between husband and wife, or between friends, depression can affect the relationship between us and God.

Definition - a state of feeling sad: a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, and unimportant and often is unable to live in a normal way

This is from Harvard Health Publications

It’s often said that depression results from a chemical imbalance, but that figure of speech doesn’t capture how complex the disease is. Research suggests that depression doesn’t spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, depression has many possible causes, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. It’s believed that several of these forces interact to bring on depression.

Here are some symptoms of depression from the Mayo Clinic;

The persistent feeling of sadness or loss of interest that characterizes major depression can lead to a range of behavioral and physical symptoms. These may include changes in sleep, appetite, energy level, concentration, daily behavior, or self-esteem. Depression can also be associated with thoughts of suicide.

Can a Christian Be or Become Depressed?

The church tends to have trouble talking about depression because it’s messy and uncomfortable. Depression is almost never the major theme of a sermon or a Bible study.

There are just some things we didn’t talk about in church. We don’t talk about sex and money for sure and we don’t talk about our hurts and issues because the church culture says that now that we are in Christ everything should be perfect in our lives. If it’s not, then there is something wrong with our faith. Because of that people with real issues never talk about them and never deal with them.

Because there has been a prohibition of talking about certain things or not expressing our feelings when we are hurting in certain areas like money, sex or depression, we are often putting lipstick on a pig so to speak. We are masking how we hurt consequently we don’t get help.

We’re taught that almost all feelings are unreliable and not to be trusted. It is true that some Christians follow their feelings in an unhealthy, unbiblical way. It is more common, however, to encounter Christians who do not believe they have permission to admit their feelings or express them openly. This applies especially to such “difficult” feelings as fear, sadness, shame, anger, hurt, pain, and depression. And yet, how can we listen to what God is saying and evaluate what is going on inside when we cut ourselves off from our emotions?

The pressure to present an image of ourselves as strong and spiritually “together” hovers over most of us. We feel guilty for not measuring up, for not making the grade. We forget that not one of us is perfect and that we are all sinners.

I use to hear some old preachers and church mothers talking about the church being a hospital. Well if you can’t talk about your sickness what kind of hospital is it? Is it only one that deals with the common cold or a stubbed toe and not drug addiction or sex addiction, or depression?

What we often hear is that if a person is dealing with depression, it's because of some unconfessed sin that needs to be dealt with. While that's true sometimes that's not always the case.

The church has a problem talking about depression because we somehow believe that Christians should not get depressed. Talking about it can be uncomfortable because many of our church leaders don’t know a lot about it so we in the church don’t talk about it.

The fact is that we do have people who are depressed and with other issues who never talk about them. The church should be a place of healing but it is often a place of cover up. When people don’t address their issues what happens is somebody eventually finds out and it becomes rumor and gossip, the leadership finds out about it and asks that they step down from leadership or leave until the problem is solved, or they just leave because they can no longer keep up the charade. In some severe cases they may even attempt to or succeed in taking their own lives.

Let me let you in on a little secret. If you’re a Christian and you’re depressed you’re in good company. There are many examples of people in scripture, even some of our spiritual heroes who exhibited signs of depression.

Job

We all know about Job so there is no surprise there.

Job suffered through great loss, devastation, and physical illness

Job 3:11, 26 NIV“Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”

Moses

One time the people were complaining about having to eat manna every day they wanted something else so they complained They complained a lot. Moses was obviously frustrated said;

Numbers 11:14-15 (NLT2)14 I can’t carry all these people by myself! The load is far too heavy!15 If this is how you intend to treat me, just go ahead and kill me. Do me a favor and spare me this misery!”

Elijah

After his victory in the great cook-off with the prophets of Baal when Jezzabell said that she was gonna get him;

1 Kings 19:3-4 (NLT2)3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there.4 Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”

Jonah

He asked to be thrown out of the boat, knowing that he wouldn’t survive;

Jonah 1:12 (NLT2) “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”

Jeremiah

The great prophet Jeremiah wrestled with great loneliness, feelings of defeat, and insecurity.

Jeremiah 20:14, 18 NIV Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed! Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?

David

David was troubled and battled deep despair. In many of the Psalms, he writes of his anguish, loneliness, fear of the enemy, his heart-cry over sin, and the guilt he struggled with because of it. In the 150 Psalms, most of them written by David 59 of them are some type of lament, meaning sorrow or despair.

Psalm 13:1-6 NIV How long, Lord ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death, and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall. But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praise, for he has been good to me.

Psalm 42:5, 11 NIV Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 43:5 NIV Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Paul

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NLT2)8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.

Here’s the shocker

Jesus

Wait a minute you say well let me read something to you.

Hebrews 2:14, 16-18 NIV Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Even Jesus Himself was deeply anguished over what lay before Him.

Mark 14:34-36 NIV “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

The Bible says that so great was his anguish, that he sweat “drops of blood.”

Luke 22:44 NIV And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground

What’s true about all of these men and stories I talked about today and many others is this: God was with them. He was close, he was near.

Psalm 34:18 NIV The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

He was there in the good days and in the dark days too. He didn’t condemn them for their questions and pain. He didn’t tell them to just tough it out. He reached down to their deepest pit of suffering, and lifted them out.
He cared.
He showed compassion.

He offered mercy.

He brought hope.

He instilled purpose.

He gave victory.

Although a tragic event can trigger it depression is usually not brought on by one thing.

Here are a few signs that you may be headed for a crash:

Sign 1 An Unrealistic Pace

We are always rushing from one thing to another one deadline after another, a long to do list and everything has to get done today.

When we are operating at an unrealistic pace we have no intimacy in our relationship with God because we don’t spend time with Him. We are always in a hurry working for God, and not spending time with Him. When anybody criticizes us or pulls our coattail about our pace we get angry and say stuff like; “The devil never takes a day off”. Well “I’m not sure the devil is supposed to be your example.

Work for God that is not nourished by a deep interior life with God will eventually be contaminated by other things such as ego, power, needing approval from others, and buying into the wrong ideas of success and the mistaken belief that we can’t fail. We become “human doings” not “human beings.” Our sense of worth and validation gradually shifts from God’s unconditional love for us in Christ to our works and performance.

In the Ten Commandments the commandment that God spent the most time addressing was the one on rest.

Exodus 20:8-11 (HCSB)8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: 9 You are to labor six days and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. 11 For the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy.

Sign 2 Unrealistic Expectations of Others

When we are depressed we often put the blame on others and are angry at them for the way we feel.

It’s easier to blame somebody else than ourselves. They are the ones with the problem not us. That’s the way depressed people act sometimes and I can tell you that it’s true I have firsthand experience. We should stop asking God to change the other person, because He won’t in most cases, but ask Him to change us and our attitude. If we always maintain a victim mentality always blaming others we will never walk in the victory that Jesus promises.

Sign 3 An Unrealistic View on Life

If we don’t do anything differently things will not change and we will stay in our depression or state of anxiety. Depression and anxiety do happen but they don’t just pass like the season. If we think that depression is just a season and it will pass then we have a serious problem. We must go through it. But we don’t have to go through it alone. We have God who said that He would never leave us or forsake us. Even when things look insurmountable.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (HCSB) Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Joshua 1:5 (HCSB) No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5 (HCSB) Your life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you.

Sign 4 An Unrealistic Desire to Be Liked by Everyone

Well everybody is not going to like you so don’t sweat it. Everybody didn’t like Jesus and we can’t let what others think about us dominate our lives we should be seeking the approval of God and not man.

Psalm 118:6-7 NIV The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.

Getting off the Collision Course

If you are headed for a crash it’s probably because of a combination of two things. 1) Something bad happened to you, and you are still carrying that baggage and you need to deal with it and 2) Choices you have made. We have to accept responsibility for our choices.

How Do We Deal With Our Depression?

Denial Doesn't Help It Hurts - Rather than denying that we are depressed or anxious we should face it and address it.

Realizing That We can’t do life alone - We were not made to be alone remember in Genesis what God said about Adam?

Genesis 2:18 (HCSB) Then the LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper as his complement.”

When Jesus was facing his crucifixion that night in the garden of Gethsemane he took Peter, James and John with Him so that he was not alone.

Matthew 26:36-37 (HCSB) 36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 Taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.

We Must Address What’s Broken on the Inside of Us - When we reach the point that we understand that our problems are often times of our own making, then we are on the way to conquering them. Many times our problems are because of things out of our control but most often they are of our own making. In those cases relief can come through repentance. God’s desire is to take us through the dark times in our lives. We should ask God to show us what was wrong inside us. For us it may be pride, greed, sexual immorality, or other things but if we ask God to show us He will and He will even show us how to make the changes that we need to make. We just need to do them when He does show us.

Situations that cause stress anxiety, and depression are real and here to stay until Jesus comes back.

John 16:33 (NKJV) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Always remember these two things:

Believe That God is Holy and Good - Focus on God and His character. We know that God never changes. We change but God never changes and His character doesn’t change.

Numbers 23:19 NIV God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

James 1:16-17 NIV Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Believe His Promises - God is always with us and He has more power than anything that we may come up against

Isaiah 41:10 (NKJV) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Deuteronomy 7:9 NIV Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.

The Bible frequently discusses methods to deal with and overcome feeling depressed in the face of hardship and suffering.

As I said earlier;

Psalm 34:18 NIV The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

If you are depressed or think that you are depressed or headed toward depression keep these things in mind.

Denial Doesn’t Help It Hurts.
We can’t do life alone
We Must Address What’s Broken on the Inside of Us

I know there are some people who still have trouble with the idea that someone who is truly a follower of Jesus could struggle with depression. If that’s the case for you, I would simply encourage you to read your Bible—and not just the uplifting stories but also the parts where it gets so real and raw that we squirm a bit.

I am not a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or trained counselor so I urge you to not try to deal with depression yourself without the help of a trained professional.

Our ultimate faith and trust is to be in God. Doctors and other healthcare professionals can be viewed as God’s gift to us, a means through which God brings healing and recovery. Depression is an illness, or health care issue just like pneumonia, high blood pressure, diabetes, or cancer. If anybody has one of those conditions we tell them to pray but go to the doctor.

As with all difficult decisions, we should seek God who promises to give us wisdom when we ask for it.

James 1:5-8 NIV If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

● Denial Doesn’t Help It Hurts.

● We can’t do life alone

● We Must Address What’s Broken on the Inside of Us

If you are depressed ask God to deliver and heal you and get help!!!!

Romans 15:13 NIV May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.