Christian Counseling

Christian Resource For Mental Health

183:748294436 (Ken Mowery) — Wed, 01 Jan 2020 21:01:28 GMT

Christian Counseling Resource for Depression and Anxiety

Psalm 1:1-3 (NASB)

1 How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

3 He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

The person described in Psalm 1:3 is a picture of health and for our purpose today it is a picture of good mental health summed up in that phrase, “in whatever he does, he prospers.” What greater resource does one need than the assurance of well being given here? To be clear, this is a resource available to those who believe in the God of the Bible, who meditate on Scripture and apply its truth to life.

As a therapist, I much prefer counseling with those who have such vast resource as is promised in Psalm 1:3. The words “in whatever he does, he prospers” at the very least imply the greatest possible outcome. This is a pretty good place to begin when it comes to achieving and maintaining good mental health.

In the interest of delighting in the law of the Lord and meditating on it day and night, please enjoy the following excerpts from Bible commentators from long ago.

“Here the gracious man is described both negatively (verse 1) and positively (verse 2). He is a man who does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He takes wiser counsel and walks in the commandments of the Lord his God. To him the ways of piety are paths of peace and pleasantness. His footsteps are ordered by the Word of God, and not by the cunning and wicked devices of carnal men. It is a rich sign of inward grace when the outward walk is changed, and when ungodliness is put far from our actions. Note next, he standeth not in the way of sinners. His company is of a choicer sort than it was. Although a sinner himself, he is now a blood-washed sinner, quickened by the Holy Spirit, and renewed in heart. Standing by the rich grace of God in the congregation of the righteous, he dares not herd with the multitude that do evil. Again it is said, "nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." He finds no rest in the atheist's scoffings. Let others make a mock of sin, of eternity, of hell and heaven, and of the Eternal God; this man has learned better philosophy than that of the infidel and has too much sense of God's presence to endure to hear His name blasphemed.” The Treasury of David by C.H.Spurgeon

“This Psalm carries blessedness in the frontpiece; it begins where we all hope to end: it may well be called a Christian's Guide, for it discovers the quicksands where the wicked sink down in perdition, and the firm ground on which the saints tread to glory.” Thomas Watson's Saints Spiritual Delight, 1660.

“To meditate in God's word, is to discourse with ourselves concerning the great things contained in it, with close application of mind and fixedness of thought. We must have constant regard to the word of God, as the rule of our actions, and the spring of our comforts; and have it in our thoughts night and day. For this purpose no time is amiss.” Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

Psalm 1 is great place to begin on the first day of the new year when it is common for people to look forward and chart a course for prosperity and success. In the Biblical view, well-being includes and initiates with the highest view and application of God’s Word

Healthy Boundaries For Those With Depression and Anxiety

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 03:22:54 GMT

Christian Counseling Resources For Depression and Anxiety

This verse presents the marvelous provision of understanding life from a God centered perspective. God has set healthy boundaries and that fact is clearly seen in creation. This is good news for people who suffer with depression and anxiety. One application of this truth is simply this: God has set limits. There is an end to troubling seasons of life, there will be times of blessing in life even though there may be times of trial. I so appreciate how Spurgeon spoke about this verse in the commentary below.

"Thou hast set all the borders of the earth. Land and sea receive their boundaries from thee. Continents and islands are mapped by thy hand. Observe, again, how everything is ascribed to the divine agency by the use of the pronoun "thou;" not a word about natural laws, and original forces, but the Lord is seen as working all. It will be well when all our "ologies" are tinctured with "theology," and the Creator is seen at work amid his universe. The argument of our text is, that he who bounds the sea can restrain his foes; and he who guards the borders of the dry land can also protect his chosen.

Thou hast made summer and winter. Return, then, good lord, to us the bright summer days of joy. We know that all our changes come of thee, we have already felt the rigours of thy winter, grant us now the genial glow of thy summer smile. The God of nature is the God of grace; and we may argue from the revolving seasons that sorrow is not meant to rule the year, the flowers of hope will blossom, and ruddy fruits of joy will ripen yet."

The Treasury of David by C.H. Spurgeon.

Unmovable Strength Thanks To God

183:748294436 (Ken Mowery) — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 06:38:33 GMT

Christian Counseling Resources To Help Depression and Anxiety

Christian counseling often involves helping a person understand and appropriate new resources of strength to withstand the pressures of life. The Psalmist knew how to rely upon God's strength. C. H. Spurgeon's comments on this verse help clarify the tremendous resource of strength God brings to those who believe.

"This is the way to live. With God always before us, we shall have the noblest companionship, the holiest example, the sweetest consolation, and the mightiest influence. This must be a resolute act of the mind. "I have set," and it must be maintained as a set and settled thing. Always to have an eye to the Lord's eye, and an ear for the Lord's voice -- this is the right state for the godly man. His God is near him, filling the horizon of his vision, leading the way of his life, and furnishing the theme of his meditation. What vanities we should avoid, what sins we should overcome, what virtues we should exhibit, what joys we should experience if we did indeed set the Lord always before us! Why not?

This is the way to be safe. The Lord being ever in our minds, we come to feel safety and certainty because of His being so near. He is at our right hand to guide and aid us; and hence we are not moved by fear, nor force, nor fraud, nor fickleness. When God stands at a man's right hand, that man is himself sure to stand. Come on, then, ye foemen of the truth! Rush against me like a furious tempest, if ye will. God upholds me. God abides with me. Whom shall I fear?" Faith's Checkbook by C.H. Spurgeon.

The Christian is blessed with the assurance of God's strength to help in the midst of the struggles of life.

Faith That Transcends Trouble

Sun, 24 Nov 2019 02:30:45 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

Psalm 42:1-3 (NASB)

1 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.

2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they say to me all day long, "Where is your God?"

This Psalm and others like it are a tremendous resource for Bible believers. Here we see the truth about life when things are tough. We hear the Psalmist cry out to God, we hear him express his fear, his doubt, his painful realization that others may see him as being abandoned by God. Yet, we hear the expression of his faith from the outset. His is a faith that transcends trouble. This is the faith with which we have to do as Christians. The resource we find here is that the Bible reveals God to us in the context of real people struggling through real life issues, real life pain, real life questions. Here is tremendous help for people who have symptoms of depression and anxiety. The Psalmist shows us here that he looks solely to God and to the assembly of God’s people as the source of his hope and strength. Please read the following commentary written by C. H. Spurgeon.

“It is the cry of a man far removed from the outward ordinances and worship of God, sighing for the long loved house of his God; and at the same time it is the voice of a spiritual believer, under depressions, longing for the renewal of the divine presence, struggling with doubts and fears, but yet holding his ground by faith in the living God. Most of the Lord's family have sailed on the sea which is here so graphically described.

“My soul. All my nature, my inmost self. Thirsteth. This is more than hungering; hunger you can palliate, but thirst is awful, insatiable, clamorous, deadly. O to have the most intense craving after the highest good! this is no questionable mark of grace. For God. Not merely for the temple and the ordinances, but for fellowship with God himself. None but spiritual men can sympathise with this thirst. For the living God. Because he lives, and gives to men the living water; therefore we, with greater eagerness, desire him”

“… the ever living God, the perennial fountain of life and light and love, is our soul's desire. What are gold, honour, pleasure, but dead idols? May we never pant for these. When shall I come and appear before God? He who loves the Lord loves also the assemblies wherein his name is adored. David was never so much at home as in the house of the Lord; he was not content with private worship; he did not forsake the place where saints assemble, as the manner of some is. See how pathetically he questions as to the prospect of his again uniting in the joyous gathering!”

The Treasury of David by C. H. Spurgeon

Surrounded By Songs Of Deliverance

183:748294436 (Ken Mowery) — Sat, 02 Nov 2019 01:09:02 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

Psalm 32:4-7 (NASB)

4 For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah.

5 I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.

6 Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.

7 You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah.

The virtues of being surrounded with “songs of deliverance” are best understood in the context of experiencing the “heavy” hand of the Lord which in turn leads believers into genuine, heart felt confession. This ultimately produces the “peaceful fruit of righteousness” referred to by the writer of Hebrews in chapter 12. Good mental health sometimes involves gut level honesty before God which precedes the freedom and relief of “songs of deliverance”. This is a great resource for people who struggle with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Please read Spurgeon’s comments on this passage.

“Thou art my hiding place. Terse, short sentences make up this verse, but they contain a world of meaning. Personal claims upon our God are the joy of spiritual life. To lay our hand upon the Lord with the clasp of a personal "my" is delight at its full. Observe that the same man who in the fourth verse was oppressed by the presence of God, here finds a shelter in him. See what honest confession and full forgiveness will do! The gospel of substitution makes him to be our refuge who otherwise would have been our judge. Thou shalt preserve me from trouble. Trouble shall do me no real harm when the Lord is with me, rather it shall bring me much benefit, like the file which clears away the rust, but does not destroy the metal. Observe the three tenses, we have noticed the sorrowful past, the last sentence was a joyful present, this is a cheerful future. Thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. What a golden sentence! The man is encircled in song, surrounded by dancing mercies, all of them proclaiming the triumphs of grace. There is no breach in the circle, it completely rings him round; on all sides he hears music. Before him hope sounds the cymbals, and behind him gratitude beats the timbrel. Right and left, above and beneath, the air resounds with joy, and all this for the very man who, a few weeks ago, was roaring all the day long. How great a change! What wonders grace has done and still can do! Selah. There was a need of a pause, for love so amazing needs to be pondered, and joy so great demands quiet contemplation, since language fails to express it.” The Treasury of David

What a tremendous resource here for the follower of Christ. There is great freedom and blessing in coming to our God with absolute honesty in times of crisis and failure and receiving his mercy and grace as resting in the strength of being "surrounded by songs of deliverance".

Unshakable Love Of God

Thu, 31 Oct 2019 23:53:25 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

Psalm 54:10 speaks volumes about the immensity of God's provision of mercy and grace for the believer. Everything on earth might be shaken, changed and even obliterated and yet the love of God and his covenant of peace will never change. When everything else fails, this never changes, it always stands. God is for us and not against us. This is a great hope for people who suffer with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Read below the words of Matthew Henry as he considers the great blessings expressed in this single verse from the Bible.

" As God is slow to anger, so he is swift to show mercy. And how sweet the returns of mercy would be, when God should come and comfort them! He will have mercy on them. God's gathering his people takes rise from his mercy, not any merit of theirs; and it is with great mercies, with everlasting kindness. The wrath is little, the mercies great; the wrath for a moment, the kindness everlasting. We are neither to despond under afflictions, nor to despair of relief. Mountains have been shaken and removed, but the promises of God never were broken by any event. Mountains and hills also signify great men. Creature-confidences shall fail; but when our friends fail us, our God does not. " Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

Hold tightly to God when life is tough. He will never fail, his love never ends, his compassion never stops, his covenant of peace will forever stand. Rest in this promise.

All These Things Will Be Added To YOU

Sat, 26 Oct 2019 05:28:24 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

Matthew 6:33

One of the great things about counseling people from a Christian worldview involves the many promises regarding God's provision for those who believe in the God of the Bible. The promise in this verse assures those who seek after Christ will lack nothing. This is a wonderful help for people who wrestle with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Please read the comments below from C.H. Spurgeon from his devotional book, "Faith's Checkbook".

"See how the Bible opens: "In the beginning God." Let your life open in the same way. Seek with your whole soul, first and foremost, the kingdom of God, as the place of your citizenship, and His righteousness as the character of your life. As for the rest, it will come from the Lord Himself without your being anxious concerning it. All that is needful for this life and godliness "shall be added unto you.

What a promise this is! Food, raiment, home, and so forth, God undertakes to add to you while you seek Him. You mind His business, and He will mind yours. If you want paper and string, you get them given in when you buy more important goods; and just so all that we need of earthly things we shall have thrown in with the kingdom. He who is an heir of salvation shall not die of starvation; and he who clothes his soul with the righteousness of God cannot be left of the Lord with a naked body. Set all your mind upon seeking the Lord. Covetousness is poverty, and anxiety is misery: trust in God is an estate, and likeness to God is a heavenly inheritance. Lord, I seek thee, be found of me. "

Seek after God, pursue him and find in him all that you need in life.

Peace That Transcends

Fri, 18 Oct 2019 03:45:08 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

Philippians 4:6-7 (NASB)

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I often see people in my counseling office who need to find peace in difficult if not impossible circumstances. The people who believe in the God of the Bible not only have a promise of peace which transcends reason and circumstance, they are assured of a peace that “will guard (their) hearts and minds”. What a tremendous promise and hope for those who are “in Christ Jesus.”

Please read John MacArthur’s comments on this passage below. I believe it will encourage and inspire you.

"People become worried, anxious, and fearful because they do not trust in God's wisdom, power, or goodness. They fear that God is not wise enough, strong enough, or good enough to prevent disaster. It may be that this sinful doubt is because their knowledge of Him is faulty, or that sin in their lives has crippled their faith. Thankful prayer brings release from fear and worry, because it affirms God's sovereign control over every circumstance, and that His purpose is the believer's good.

Once the sinner has made "peace with God" (Romans 5:1), that is, in salvation having ceased to be God's enemy and become His child, he can enjoy the peace of God, the inward tranquility of soul granted by God. It is a confident trust in His flawless wisdom and infinite power that provides calm amid the storms of life. Isaiah wrote of this supernatural peace: "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You" (Isaiah 26:30).

Paul further defines this supernatural peace as that which surpasses all comprehension. It transcends human intellectual powers, human analysis, human insights, and human understanding. It is superior to human scheming, human devices, and human solutions, since its source is the God whose judgments are unsearchable and whose ways are unfathomable (Romans 11:33) . It is experienced in a transcendent calm that lifts the believer above the most debilitating trial. Since it is a supernatural work, it resists any human comprehension. The real challenge of the Christian life is not to eliminate every unpleasant circumstance; it is to trust in the good purpose of our infinite, holy, sovereign, powerful God in every difficulty. Those who honor Him by trusting Him will experience the blessings of His perfect peace.

When realized in believers' lives, God's peace will guard them from anxiety, doubt, and worry. Phroureō (will guard) is a military term used of soldiers on guard duty. The picture would have been familiar to the Philippians, since the Romans stationed troops in Philippi to protect their interests in that part of the world. Just as soldiers guard and protect a city, so God's peace guards and protects believers who confidently trust in Him. Paul's use of the phrase hearts and minds was not intended to imply a distinction between the two; he was merely making a comprehensive reference to the believer's inner person. Once again, Paul reminds his readers that true peace is not available through any human source, but only in Christ Jesus."

MacArthur New Testament Commentary, The - MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Philippians.

Having this kind of boundless resource in life is an incredible blessing that empowers believers to not only survive but to persevere and prevail over the obstacles this life often presents. As Christians, we avail ourselves to such power as we learn to find our purpose and meaning and indeed our life "in Christ". One way we can do this on a day to day basis is to follow the admonition of Philippians 4:6 and pray.

Renewal Of Strength For Those With Depression and Anxiety

Sun, 13 Oct 2019 00:59:43 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

As a therapist, I meet with people who feel they have come to the end of their ability to cope with life. They need rest, they need to be renewed. Renewal is a major component of the life that God gives to those who believe in him.

“…renew their strength… wings like eagles”. The blessedness of this image is well explained by Adam Clarke, “It has been a common and popular opinion that the eagle lives and retains his vigor to a great age; and that, beyond the common lot of other birds, he moults in his old age, and renews his feathers, and with them his youth.”

Adam Clarke's Commentary.

This is how Matthew Henry spoke about this. “Where God had begun the work of grace, he will perfect it. As the day, so shall the strength be. In the strength of Divine grace their souls shall ascend above the world. They shall run the way of God's commandments cheerfully. Let us watch against unbelief, pride, and self-confidence. If we go forth in our own strength, we shall faint, and utterly fall; but having our hearts and our hopes in heaven, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus.”

Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

For the believer, even when depression and anxiety weigh them down with what seem to be unbearable concern and pain, there is a renewal of strength that comes from God. What amazing resource for living comes to those who choose to rely upon the God of the Bible. God helps those who look to him.

Cling To What Is Good When Depression and Anxiety Hit

Sat, 12 Oct 2019 00:15:15 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

Good mental health is sometimes a matter of choosing a healthy perspective. As a counselor, I often speak with people who struggle with symptoms of anxiety which include being hyper-sensitive to threat. This pattern generally has its inception in survival. There are times when anxious people over look the good. The Apostle Paul encouraged his readers to "cling to what is good." Great insight for those who are struggling with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Please read John MacArthur's commentary below.

" The third personal duty of supernatural living is to cling to what is good. The verb kollaō (to cling) is from kolla (glue) and came to be used of any bond—physical, emotional, or spiritual. As servants of Jesus Christ, we are to bind ourselves to what is good (agathos), that which is inherently right and worthy.

The good is "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute." And "if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise," Paul continues, "let your mind dwell on [or cling to] these things" (Phil. 4:8).

In 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, the apostle gives similar instruction: "Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." That is clearly a call to discernment, the thoughtful, careful evaluation of everything, so we can decide, judged against God's Word, what to reject and what to cling to.

As Paul has already explained, the key to finding and following what is good is in not being "conformed to this world, but [being] transformed by the renewing of [our] mind, that [we] may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Rom. 12:2).

As we separate ourselves from the things of the world and saturate ourselves with the Word of God, the things that are good will more and more replace the things that are evil. "

MacArthur New Testament Commentary, The - MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Romans 9-16.

The Light of Life Help For Depression and Anxiety

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 01:42:49 GMT

This statement by the Psalmist expresses a great and glorious truth regarding the vast resource for life that Christians possess by virtue of their faith in the God of the Bible. This is a special benefits for those who struggle with symptoms of depression and anxiety. The knowledge of God brings understanding. This truth is stated in a number of places in the Bible. In Proverbs we find this truth stated like this:

Proverbs 9:10 (NASB)

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Regarding Psalm 36:9 . Spurgeon observed, "In spiritual things the knowledge of God sheds a light on all other subjects. We need no candle to see the sun, we see it by its own radiance, and then see everything else by the same lustre. We never see Jesus by the light of self, but self in the light of Jesus. No inward intelligence of ours leads us to receive the Spirit's light, but the rather, it often helps to quench the sacred beam; purely and only by his own illumination, the Holy Ghost lights up the dark recesses of our heart's ungodliness. Vain are they who look to learning and human wit, one ray from the throne of God is better than the noonday splendour of created wisdom. Lord, give me the sun, and let those who will delight in the wax candles of superstition and the phosphorescence of corrupt philosophy. Faith derives both light and life from God, and hence she neither dies nor darkens."

The Treasury of David by C.H.Spurgeon

This speaks to the reason I much prefer to provide psychotherapy counseling to Christians. As Spurgeon said, "Knowledge of God sheds light on all other subjects." God sheds light on every subject including mental health. It is much better to counsel someone who can avail themselves to such wisdom.

The Rock That Is Higher Than I: Help For Depression and Anxiety

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 15:04:57 GMT

Psalm 61:2 (NASB)

2 From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

The Psalmists request to be led to a rock means so much when you realize that he was crying out to God from a very low point in his life. That context matters, of course, because all of us can identify with "when my heart is faint". Those who believe in the God of the Bible have an immense resource available to them in that they can cry out to God at their lowest point and from that place they can envision, or hope for, a "rock that is higher..." This is a great hope of people who suffer symptoms of depression and anxiety.

This truth is one of the reasons I prefer offering counseling to people who are followers of Jesus Christ. The resources available to those who believe in the God of the Scriptures far exceed the problems that arise in life. Please read the following exposition of this verse from C.H.Spurgeon.

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee. He was banished from the spot which was the centre of his delight, and at the same time his mind was in a depressed and melancholy condition; both actually and figuratively he was an outcast, yet he does not therefore restrain prayer, but rather finds therein a reason for the louder and more importunate cries. To be absent from the place of divine worship was a sore sorrow to saints in the olden times; they looked upon the tabernacle as the centre of the world, and they counted themselves to be at the fag end of the universe when they could no longer resort to the sacred shrine; their heart was heavy as in a strange land when they were banished from its solemnities. Yet even they knew right well that no place is unsuitable for prayer. There may be an end of the earth, but there must not be an end to devotion. On creation's verge we may call upon God, for even there he is within call. No spot is too dreary, no condition too deplorable; whether it be the world's end or life's end, prayer is equally available. To pray in some circumstances needs resolve, and the psalmist here expresses it, I will cry. It was a wise resolution, for had he ceased to pray he would have become the victim of despair; there is an end to a man when he makes an end to prayer. Observe that David never dreamed of seeking any other God; he did not imagine the dominion of Jehovah to be local: he was at the end of the promised land, but he knew himself to be still in the territory of the Great King; to him only does he address his petitions.

When my heart is overwhelmed:—when the huge waves of trouble wash over me, and I am completely submerged, not only as to my head, but also my heart. It is hard to pray when the very heart is drowning, yet gracious men plead best at such times. Tribulation brings us to God, and brings God to us. Faith's greatest triumphs are achieved in her heaviest trials. It is all over with me, affliction is all over me; it encompasses me as a cloud, it swallows me up like a sea, it shuts me in with thick darkness, yet God is near, near enough to hear my voice, and I will call him. Is not this brave talk? Mark how our psalmist tells the Lord, as if he knew he were hearing him, that he intended to call upon him: our prayer by reason of our distress may be like to a call upon a far off friend, but our inmost faith has its quiet heart whispers to the Lord as to one who is assuredly our very present help. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. I see thee to be my refuge, sure and strong; but alas! I am confused, and cannot find thee; I am weak, and cannot climb thee. Thou art so steadfast, guide me; thou art so high, uplift me. There is a mint of meaning in this brief prayer. Along the iron bound coast of our northern shores, lives are lost because the rocks are inaccessible to the shipwrecked mariner. A clergyman of one of the coast villages has with immense labour cut steps up from the beach to a large chamber, which he has excavated in the chalk cliffs; here many mariners have been saved; they have climbed the rock, which had else been too high for them, and they have escaped. We have heard of late, however, that the steps have been worn away by the storms, and that poor sailors have perished miserably within sight of the refuge which they could not reach, for it was too high for them: it is therefore proposed to drive in iron stanchions, and to hang up chain ladders that shipwrecked mariners may reach the chambers in the rock. The illustration is self interpreting. Our experience leads us to understand this verse right well, for the time was with us when we were in such amazement of soul be reason of sin, that although we knew the Lord Jesus to be a sure salvation for sinners, yet we could not come at him, by reason of our many doubts and forebodings. A Saviour would have been of no use to us if the Holy Spirit had not gently led us to him, and enabled us to rest upon him. To this day we often feel that we not only want a rock, but to be led to it. With this in view we treat very leniently the half unbelieving prayers of awakened souls; for in their bewildered state we cannot expect from them all at once a fully believing cry. A seeking soul should at once believe in Jesus, but it is legitimate for a man to ask to be led to Jesus; the Holy Spirit is able to effect such a leading, and he can do it even though the heart be on the borders of despair. How infinitely higher that we are is the salvation of God. We are low and grovelling, but it towers like some tall cliff far above us. This is its glory, and is our delight when we have once climbed into the rock, and claimed an interest in it; but while we are as yet trembling seekers, the glory and sublimity of salvation appal us, and we feel that we are too unworthy ever to be partakers of it; hence we are led to cry for grace upon grace, and to see how dependent we are for everything, not only for the Saviour, but for the power to believe on him." ( From The Treasury of David)

As a believer you, by God's grace, can envision having solid footing far above the problems that may exist. That is a tremendous resource that is yours in Christ today.

Our Help Is In The Lord: For Those With Depression and Anxiety

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 06:00:41 GMT

Christian counseling often involves reminding a bewildered believer of the immensity of the Creators power and presence as it is evidenced in the glory of creation itself. The help we seek, and indeed the help we receive comes from the One who spoke the universe into existence. Can anything be impossible for Him? This gives hope for people who suffer with depression and anxiety. Please read the words of Charles Spurgeon below that are taken from his commentary on the Psalms, "The Treasury of David".

"Our help, our hope for the future, our ground of confidence in all trials present and to come.

Is in the name of the Lord. Jehovah's revealed character is our foundation of confidence, his person is our sure fountain of strength. Who made heaven and earth. Our Creator is our preserver. He is immensely great in his creating work; he has not fashioned a few little things alone, but all heaven and the whole round earth are the works of his hands. When we worship the Creator let us increase our trust in our Comforter. Did he create all that we see, and can he not preserve us from evils which we cannot see Blessed be his name, he that has fashioned us will watch over us; yea, he has done so, and rendered us help in the moment of jeopardy. He is our help and our shield, even he alone. He will to the end break every snare. He made heaven for us, and he will keep us for heaven; he made the earth, and he will succour us ripen it until the hour cometh for our departure. Every work of his hand preaches to us the duty and the delight of reposing upon him only. All nature cries, "Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah there is everlasting strength." "Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

The following versification of the sense rather than the words of this psalm is presented to the reader with much diffidence:—

Had not the Lord, my soul may cry,

Had not the Lord been on my bide;

Had he not brought deliverance nigh,

Then must my helpless soul have died.

Had not the Lord been on my side,

My soul had been by Satan slain;

And Tophet, opening large and wide,

Would not have gaped for me in vain.

Lo, floods of wrath, and floods of hell,

In fierce impetuous torrents roll;

Had not the Lord defended well,

The waters had o'erwhelm'd my soul.

As when the fowler's snare is broke,

The bird escapes on cheerful wings;

My soul, set free from Satan's yoke,

With joy bursts forth, and mounts, and sings.

She sings the Lord her Saviour's praise;

Sings forth his praise with joy and mirth;

To him her song in heaven she'll raise,

To him that made both heaven and earth."

The Treasury of David.

Whatever you face, face it with a sure eye upon the Creator. He is your help.

The Lord Upholds Him

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 06:04:02 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and Anxiety

As a Christian counselor, I often remind believers of the resources God has given them to empower them for effective living. This verse points out that God’s resource in the believer’s life includes his restraining and sustaining grace. This great news for people who struggle against depression and anxiety. Here is what Charles Spurgeon said about this verse.

“Though he fall. Disasters and reverses may lay him low; he may, like Job, be stripped of everything; like Joseph, be put in prison; like Jonah, be cast into the deep. He shall not be utterly cast down. He shall not be altogether prostrate. He shall be brought on his knees, but not on his face; or, if laid prone for a moment, he shall be up again ere long. No saint shall fall finally or fatally. Sorrow may bring us to the earth, and death may bring us to the grave, but lower we cannot sink, and out of the lowest of all we shall arise to the highest of all. For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Condescendingly, with his own hand, God upholds his saints; he does not leave them to mere delegated agency, he affords personal assistance. Even in our falls the Lord gives a measure of sustaining. Where grace does not keep from going down, it shall save from keeping down. Job had double wealth at last, Joseph reigned over Egypt, Jonah was safely landed. It is not that the saints are strong, or wise, or meritorious, that therefore they rise after every fall, but because God is their helper, and therefore none can prevail against them.

Thus the Spirit comforts and answers the secret thoughts which everyone might have, saying with himself, I have, however, seen it happen, that the righteous is oppressed, and his cause is trodden in the dust by the wicked. Nay, he replies, dear child, let it be so, that he falls; he still cannot remain lying thus and be cast away; he must be up again, although all the world doubts of it. For God catches him by the hand, and raises him again. (Martin Luther).

Though he fall, namely, as one that were faint hearted, he shall not be cast off, namely, utterly, or for ever from God 2 Corinthians 4:9; "for the Lord putteth under his hand," i.e., his power and might, namely, to uphold him from utter falling away, which we should quickly do if God were not with us. (Thomas Wilcocks).

A man pardoned, and justified by faith in Christ, though he may, and sometimes doth, fall into foul sins, yet they never prevail so far as to reverse pardon, and reduce to a state of non-justification. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand! He speaks of a good man pardoned, justified; he may fall; but how far? from pardon, from justification? No, then he should utterly fall, be cast down beneath God's hand; but the text saith, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand; or, as Montanus renders the words, the Lord upholdeth his hands, and he will not let him sink into such a condition. If it were so, then sin should have dominion over him, but, Romans 6:14. "Sin shall not have dominion over you; "and Romans 8:2, justified ones are freed from the law of sin and death; and Romans 8:30, the predestinated, called, justified, and glorified ones, are so linked together, that there is no breaking their chain; if they do sin, they have an "Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 2:1-2. (William Greenhill.)

Even in our falls the Lord gives a measure of sustaining. Where grace does not keep from going down, it shall save from keeping down. Job had double wealth at last, Joseph reigned over Egypt, Jonah was safely landed. It is not that the saints are strong, or wise, or meritorious, that therefore they rise after every fall, but because God is their helper, and therefore none can prevail against them.”

The Treasury of David.

I hope you find Spurgeon’s exposition of this verse helpful and enriching and I hope it reminds you that even on your weakest day, God will up hold you if you are his.

Ever present help for depression and anxiety

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 06:15:14 GMT

Christian Counseling Help For Depression and anxiety

As a Christian counselor, I often talk to people about the importance of availing ourselves to the power God has given us to live in the moment. The truth is, right now, this moment, we generally have everything we need to live and live well. Right now! In this moment. Great news for those who are depressed and anxious.

Psalm 46:1 brings to mind the incredible resource we as believers have each moment because we have the presence of God. God here highlights the wonderful fact that he is present. Below, please read Spurgeon's comment on this great verse.

"God is our refuge and strength. Not our armies, or our fortresses. Israel's boast is in Jehovah, the only living and true God. Others vaunt their impregnable castles, placed on inaccessible rocks, and secured with gates of iron, but God is a far better refuge from distress than all these: and when the time comes to carry the war into the enemy's territories, the Lord stands his people in better stead than all the valour of legions or the boasted strength of chariot and horse. Soldiers of the cross, remember this, and count yourselves safe, and make yourselves strong in God. Forget not the personal possessive word our; make sure each one of your portion in God, that you may say, "He is my refuge and strength." Neither forget the fact that God is our refuge just now, in the immediate present, as truly as when David penned the word. God alone is our all in all. All other refuges are refuges of lies, all other strength is weakness, for power belongeth unto God: but as God is all sufficient, our defence and might are equal to all emergencies. A very present help in trouble, or in distress he has so been found, he has been tried and proved by his people. He never withdraws himself from his afflicted. He is their help, truly, effectually, constantly; he is present or near them, close at their side and ready for their succour, and this is emphasized by the word very in our version, he is more present than friend or relative can be, yea, more nearly present than even the trouble itself. To all this comfortable truth is added the consideration that his assistance comes at the needed time. He is not as the swallows that leave us in the winter; he is a friend in need and a friend indeed." Excerpt From The Treasury of David.

Let us learn to rest in the moment where our God is ever present.