2000 years ago: “When they [the religious leaders] heard this [Peter and the disciples preaching about Jesus Christ], they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed them: ‘Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:33-39, NIV).

In a letter to the editor of the New Zealand Herald newspaper, Barrie McClymont, director of the ACTS International in New Zealand wrote:

“In 1988 I was visiting Universal Studios in Hollywood as a tourist when I witnessed a few hundred people in a nearby section protesting against the film ‘The Last Temptation of Christ.’ While I understood their purpose I felt that such a public protest was simply drawing attention to the film pointlessly.

“Sure enough the film died a natural death as a piece of nonsense. Most folk today cannot even recall its existence. Over my years I have watched a number of easily forgotten attempts to challenge Christianity with material like the ‘Da Vinci Code.’ These theories died in short order as will the current material.

“The sub-leader in Monday’s New Zealand Herald from the Sunday Telegraph correctly related the material to the G. K. Chesterton quote that ‘when a man stops believing in God, he doesn’t then believe in nothing, he believes in anything.’ The only reason the current Da Vinci Code gets wide attention [in New Zealand] is substantially related to the copyright debate and not to its veracity. These things die on their feet.”

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, may all the kaffufle and ‘konfuzion’ caused by The Da Vanci Code book and movie by Dan Brown only cause millions of people worldwide to search for and find the truth about the real Jesus Christ. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus’ name, amen.”

Note: Be sure to read the article, “Jesus Christ: Is He God or Man?” at http://tinyurl.com/lu577

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“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”¹

Yesterday we talked about depression that has a physical cause. The cause can also be emotional. If so, complete honesty with yourself, a trusted friend (and/or a qualified counselor where needed), and God about your true feelings is the first and all-important step in overcoming this type of depression.

Questions such as the following can be helpful: Am I hurt or angry? Am I not forgiving someone? Are my needs for love and acceptance being met? Have I learned to recognize and express my feeling creatively? Have I resolved any impaired relationship or feelings of guilt? Am I using my abilities? Do I have a purpose for living with worthwhile work and meaningful goals? Have I accepted full responsibility for my life and my feelings?

Merely talking about problems or feelings is not helpful. We need to see, confess and resolve the feelings that are the root cause of the depression.

Is the cause mental; that is, in one’s negative thinking? Remember, when we feel down, we tend to dwell on self-defeating, negative thoughts. Practice exchanging these for positive affirmations such as, “Thank you God that you love and accept me as I am, and because you do, I love and accept myself too.” Concentrating on positive thoughts—even though you don’t feel like it—and doing something worthwhile to help get your thoughts off yourself is also helpful for overcoming depression.

Is the cause spiritual? Dr. Paul Tournier, world-renowned Swiss medical doctor and psychiatrist, states, “All my experience has taught me the limitations of medicine and psychology, because the supreme and universal need of man is to find God.”

Augustine (AD 354-430) aptly described man’s need for God this way: “You have made us for yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”

Man finds total inner peace and wholeness only as he is in harmony with himself, others and God.

If you are depressed, talk to your doctor, a close friend, your pastor, or a competent counselor. Live a balanced life and remember, with competent help, faith, and persistence you can overcome depression. Above all, talk to God. He loves you and cares for you. Ask him to direct you to the help you need, to give you the courage to face the cause/s of your depression, and to help you grow through your pain.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, whatever unresolved issues I have in my life, please give me the courage to admit that I have a problem and need help. Deliver me from the sin of denial and lead me to the help I need—be they physical, emotional, mental or spiritual—to understand and overcome my problems. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Philippians 4:8 (NIV).

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“Don’t sin by nursing your grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry—get over it quickly.”¹

Yesterday we talked about depression that has a physical cause and some where the cause has its roots in emotional issues.

Furthermore, considerable depression is caused by repression of negative feelings such as anger. Dr. Theodore Isaac Ruben, eminent psychiatrist and author of The Angry Book, reminds us that when we deny our true feelings and smile when we feel like snarling, the suppressed anger can lead to anxiety, depression, insomnia, psychosomatic illness, alcoholism, frigidity, impotence, and downright misery.

Anger turned in on ourselves can drive us down into a spiral of depression. No wonder the Bible advises, “Don’t sin by nursing your grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry-get over it quickly.”

Depression can also be caused by a denial of emotions. This is why the healthy reaction to adverse situations is to accept our feelings and express them creatively-verbally or through writing.

Mental causes. Faulty thinking is another cause of depression. Many counselors believe that feelings follow thoughts. That is, negative feelings follow negative thoughts while positive feelings follow positive thoughts.

While we may not have control over many of life’s circumstances, we do have control of our thinking. By disciplining the mind, choosing positive thoughts, and doing something constructive can help change our moods.

This is why the Bible taught centuries ago, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”²

Spiritual Causes. Man is much more than a physical and emotional being with a need for food, rest, exercise, and loving relationships. He is also a spiritual being with a need for a relationship with God. An impaired relationship with Him or anybody else can cause depression. Unresolved guilt, failing to forgive all who have ever hurt us, rejecting God’s call to follow him, or resisting his will can also cause miserable depression.

To overcome depression, no matter what its origin, we obviously need to discover and resolve its cause or causes.

Is the cause physical? A thorough medical examination can help answer this question. A balanced diet, proper nutrition and hormone balance, adequate rest, and regular exercise are all crucial to overcoming depression, worry and anxiety. In some cases where there is a chemical deficiency or imbalance in the brain, a doctor may see the need to prescribe anti-depressant drugs.

To be concluded ….

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, when and if I am depressed or anxious, please lead me to the help I need to face and resolve the causes whatever they are. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Ephesians 4:26 (TLB).
2. Philippians 4:8 (NIV).

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“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”¹

When his father had a sudden heart attack and died, Jack Lawson was devastated. He withdrew from friends and family, was unable to sleep at night, and just couldn’t stop crying. It took him a good six months to resolve the resulting depression, but afterwards he said he felt “better put-together than before.”

Depression is something many of us grapple with at some time or another. As Dr. Frederick Flach, professor of psychiatry at Cornell University, explained, depression is a normal reaction to many of life’s situations, such as the loss of a loved one, a valued object, or job, or experiencing divorce.

Depression is only destructive if we fail to deal with and resolve it. When we work through it, our life, like Jack Lawson’s, can be enriched. Until resolved, however, its symptoms can be very painful and include a loss of self-esteem, appetite or libido. It can induce indecisiveness, alcoholism, sleeplessness, irritability, bad temper, tearfulness, dejection, procrastination, apathy, headaches, backaches, chronic fatigue, nausea, digestive upsets, and many other ills.

Its causes can be many and complex. They can be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. There are no simple answers, but once we understand and treat the cause or causes, we can resolve and get on top of our depression.

Physical Causes. For several years Joan was plagued by fatigue and depression. A thorough medical examination showed that she had low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). After a short time on a suitable diet she was back to her old, bright self.

Physical exhaustion, burnout, an unbalanced diet, too much refined sugar, lack of exercise, a chemical deficiency in the brain, or hormonal changes can make people vulnerable to depression too. The latter is especially true for women during their menstrual cycle or pregnancy, immediately following the birth of a child, or during menopause.

Emotional Causes. Some depression is the result of normal mood swings that most healthy people experience at some time. Other depression can have its roots in painful childhood experiences such as physical or sexual abuse, neglect, or from a feeling of not being fully loved. Lack of purpose without meaningful work and worthwhile goals, not using one’s abilities, too few friends and loneliness, unmet needs, and unfulfilled dreams, can all cause or increase depression as well.

To be continued ….

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, whenever I am feeling down too much for too long, please help me to admit and face my problem realistically, and seek your help and that of a trusted friend, pastor or counselor wherever needed, and to find the help needed to treat the causes. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

1. Psalm 43:5 (NIV).

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