Categories
blog Doctrine Holy Spirit

Mental Health Awareness

“Half of World’s Population Will Experience a Mental Health Disorder.” – Harvard Medical School

1 Corinthians 10:12-14

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

If this were true, why do people commit suicide?

Satan is alive and well. Judas Iscariot went down the road of destruction by betraying Jesus and then killing himself. If he had NOT killed himself, he too would have been forgiven by Jesus. However, he didn’t believe in grace, and he committed suicide.

What is grace?

The word “grace” is used 37 times in the Old Testament, and over 150 times in the New Testament. What is the difference?

The Hebrew word for “grace” is “chen”, pronounced “khane.”
Parts of Speech: Noun, Masculine

  1. favour, acceptance
  1. favour, grace, charm

2. favour, grace, elegance

The Greek word for “grace” is “charis.”, pronounced, “khar’-ece.”
Parts of Speech: Noun, Feminine

  1. grace
    1. that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
  2. good will, loving-kindness, favour
    1. of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
  3. what is due to grace
    1. the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
    2. the token or proof of grace, benefit
      1. a gift of grace
      2. benefit, bounty
  4. thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward

The idea of being “saved by grace” does NOT appear anywhere in the Hebrew manuscripts. The Greek word charis is packed with meaning in the New Testament. Charis can be succinctly defined as in “the unmerited favor of God.” Of the approximate 150 occurrences of charis, the vast majority appear in the letters of the apostle Paul.

If St. Paul murdered Christians of the early church, why did he go to Heaven and NOT Judas Iscariot?

First of all, Judas took the money that the Pharisee’s paid him to betray Jesus, and he threw it at their feet because he realized his sin. Judas betrayed Jesus because he did not believe in Jesus. He never did. He thought they would punish him, not kill him, because he didn’t believe Jesus was who he said he was and really would go all the way to the cross.

Remember, you CANNOT pay money for the gift of forgiveness, nor for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Grace is a gift for those who believe in him. If someone gives you a brand-new Porsche, and you try to pay him $100 for it… don’t you think me might be a little insulted? That’s the whole idea behind unmerited favor of God.

Acts 8:18-21

18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money 19 and said, “Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”

20 Peter answered: “May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.

2 Corinthians 12:7-8

6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

Judas Iscariot was likewise tormented, however he had NO FAITH! If he had believed in forgiveness that Jesus kept preaching about, he would have been “saved by grace through faith.”

Matthew 4:6-8
6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

In my humble opinion, it is better to take a medicine than to face the symptoms of persistent or severe mental illness. Our modern pharmaceutical industry is pretty incredible. It has manufactured many medications that actually work for various psychiatric disorders. People who suffer often seek relief from their symptoms by “self medicating” with cannabis, and is completely normal. Even after dozens of trials on different pharmaceuticals, I still prefer the therapeutic use of cannabis and delta-9.

If you are contemplating suicide, perhaps you need to take a chill pill. If you don’t have access to prescribed medications, thank God many states have legalized. In my humble opinion, medical marijuana is a human right.

Categories
Doctrine Holy Spirit

New Song Experimental

Many people claim to have received the Holy Spirit in the Christian Church. Especially Pentecostals like Kenneth Copeland and Mike Kestler. But also, Adriene Rogers and Dave Hunt and Tom McMan. These megachurch pastors have all really given us a piece of their mind regarding the discernment of the Holy Spirit. While I agree, they have been born again and we are of the same spirit, their teachings are harmful to the faith of believers-those who say “. Jesus said the the Temple of The Holy Spirit is our own bodies, not an actual Church or Mosque or Synagogue building. Yet I’ve been to a Church so big, they have an elevator. While this is great for the accessibility of the disabled… it’s NOT the same “Church” as a Spirit Filled-Believer. They claim that belief is NOT experiential, or “emotional.”

So, if that is true. Can we trust anything we are feeling while at Church?

I have been to many different Christian Church denominations. While I feel I’m more filled with knowledge in Evangelical Churches. I trust the people of the Baptist Church most. Then I feel the Pentecostal services are the most Spirit filled. The Charismatic Church is the most entertaining. While the Latin Liturgic mass is the Most Holy.

Some say, we as Christians, are being fooled by including experience in how we determine if we are in the prescence of the Holy Spirit or not.

They say, True Christianity is NOT “experience based.” I beg to differ. If I feel moved in Spirit during a denomination’s service… I will compare it to how I “feel” when I am alone yet with the companionship of God.

I am unable to worship with most Church hymns. I keep it real with God, and so I don’t fake relating to old hymns. I like either Gregorian Chants or Jars of Clay, Flyleaf, and Switchfoot… among various one hit-wonders. I built a playlist of all of the Best Christian Rock Songs at New Song.