“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” -Isaiah 41:10
Note: God will help you and uphold you with his righteousness.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” -Isaiah 41:10
Note: God will help you and uphold you with his righteousness.
I know I am not the only one who is suffering. His grace is sufficient for me it’s more than enough. So let me share this. Are you mentally ill or is it a deception? The process of thought, thinking, and belief.
Thinking is meditating on the act of manipulating information, such as when we form concepts, solve problems, reason, or make decisions. Thinking also helps us analyze thoughts and ideas, good from bad, and right from wrong.
Thought is an idea or opinion suddenly occurring in the mind, it can be an idea, image, sound, or even an emotional feeling or it can be the product of thinking. Thought and thinking are related cognitive processes that can happen independently of sensory stimulation, but thought and thinking is not the same.
The main difference is that, although thoughts are self-arising, thinking is a choice. It is something you can choose to engage in or not. Thoughts can be deceptive giving an appearance or impression from the truth, misleading. The thinking process is to think over the thoughts, and then make a choice about that thought, choose to believe or not entertain that thought.
Not thinking over the thought can lead to misconception. Once the misconception gets in your heart it affects your belief system. Note: The heart is like a storefront of products sitting inside a storefront.
Why do I say this? In the Bible, Jesus asks "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?" in Matthew 9:4 to some teachers of the law who thought he was blaspheming. Jesus knew their thoughts and had the power to forgive sins and heal miraculously. The evil thought Jesus was referring to was their unbelief. Note: The teachers of the law entertain that misconception thought and believed the thought without thinking it through. This is why Jesus ask them why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?
Thinking is the process of understanding the truth. Most deception thoughts are intrusive coming from the air. Note: What do I mean by the air? Well, it says. Ephesians 2:1-3 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.
Note: (Those who are dead in their transgressions and sin do not notice the deception of the mind and they carry out the devil's evil ways).
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. So this is where unwanted intrusive thoughts and thoughts of deception come from the air meaning in the spiritual realms. This is why it is, very important to live in truth, by obedience and think over the thoughts by bringing it captive to the righteousness of God. Note: ( To avoid temptation).
2 Corinthians 10:5 says, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing it into captivity, every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Note: “The air” in Ephesians 2:2 may refer to the invisible realm above the earth where Satan and his demons move and exist. This space, of course, is the location of the earth’s atmosphere or “air.” In Ephesians 6:12, Paul writes, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” This evil realm called the “air” could be an actual locality, but it could also be synonymous with the “world” of John 12:31. This whole world is Satan’s domain (Matthew 4:8–9).
Are you mentally ill or is it a deception? The process of thought, thinking, and belief. In the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus says to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" in Mark 8:33 and Matthew 16:23. In Matthew 16, Jesus says this after explaining to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer, including being killed and raised to life. Peter responds, "Never, Lord! This shall never happen to you!". Jesus then turns to Peter and says, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men"
Note: So we know that Peter is not Satan but the thought was Satan. Peter didn’t process the thought by thinking if he would have understood Jesus's mission at the time of his comment.
Confusion happens in the mind not by thinking by thoughts. Note: Why do I say this. Luke 22:31 Jesus says “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.
Note: Sift as wheat meaning to make you doubt and throw you into confusion, this is the intrusive thoughts from the air.
Fear, worries, and confusion play on thoughts and emotions. The person's desire to covet or want can be manipulated. The only true cure is Jesus Christ, the foundation of life. Love God with all your heart. If you have noticed this is a mind-spiritual war, try chasing God with all your heart with your love. You will notice that there is a mind war with thoughts. Note: Why do I say this?
The Parable of the Sower in Mark 4:1-20
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Note: (The seed is the word entering the mind. You have to choose to place in the heart).
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Note: Why no root? (They did not fear God).
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Note: (Choked plants are the pride) Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” Note: (Faithful doers of the word).
Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, “‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? The farmer sows the word. Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Note: (How? By the air, through thoughts).
Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Note: (You must be strong in your faith. Love always perseveres, not giving up).
Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
Note: (Worries of Life. Meaning do not worry about what you going to eat or wear. God feeds the birds in the air. Everything that comes from God is all-natural, so do not worry. Hebrews 13:5 says. Keep your life free from the love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you).
Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” Note: (Good soil means keeping the faith to end).
Note: What should we do after knowing and reading all this? Have a strong foundation in the Lord. Love God with all our heart and mind and lean not on our understanding, but He shall direct our path. Think everything through in a God-understanding way even through the difficulties.
Key Point: Romans 8:31 says. What then shall we say of these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Key Point 2: John 3:17 says For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Are you mentally ill or is it a deception? The process of thought, think, believe.
Note: If the suffering from intrusive thoughts is getting too bad think about this. Romans 5:3-53 says not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
The process of thought, thinking, and belief.
by Trey Knowles
My experience with scrupulosity that I suffer
with makes me think that I can control my intrusive thoughts. My intrusive
thoughts tried it’s best to make me believe those thoughts reveal my true
character. All of us have intrusive thoughts from time to time. For example,
some people may get distracted while praying as their minds drift off to other
things, but then they can refocus and not worry about it.
People with scrupulosity like me can have
intrusive thoughts while praying and think we are going to hell, we feel like
we are being under spiritual attack. Let me speak for myself, well I thought I
was, and that caused me a great deal of distress for many years.
People who are locked in their sin are not aware
of intrusive thoughts. I know that I am walking in the spirit of God and
something is raging war against my mind. I know that I love God with all my
heart. I want to please him and I want to live by his will. Sometimes I am a
perfectionist when it comes to this, I want to please God.
My behavior is under control, but inside of me I
have no power against the intrusive thoughts forming in my mind, it is like my
mind is being raped or violated. I have power with the Holy Spirit not to
entertain those intrusive thoughts and keep it captive.
Scrupulosity is a type of OCD in which someone
becomes mentally and emotionally consumed by matters of religious practice and
morality. They question whether they are doing the right thing regarding their
religious practice, and for some, whether they are maintaining a high moral
standard. They become stuck in their intrusive, obsessive thoughts and
decision-making.
Scrupulosity is not associated with any
particular religion. The specific fear will depend on the person’s specific
religious values, and the following signs can indicate someone may be suffering
from it:
• Obsessing over whether they have sinned
• Living in constant fear of angering God
• Fearing they are not perfectly following their
religion’s doctrine or practices
• Spending excessive time praying and worrying
they aren’t praying the right way
• Seeking constant assurance from a religious
leader
• Thinking they have blasphemed the Holy Spirit
More symptoms of
scrupulosity?
Common obsessions seen in scrupulosity include excessive
concerns about:
Fear
of committing blasphemy, or offending/angering God
§
Fear
of having committed a sin
§
Behaving
overly morally
§
Excessively
striving for purity
§
Fear
of going to hell or being punished by God
§
Fear
of being possessed
§
Fear
of death
§
Fear
of the loss of impulse control
§
Doubting
what you truly believe or feel
§
Needing
to acquire certainty about religious beliefs
Along with excessive
worry about religious and moral issues, scrupulosity sufferers engage in mental
and/or behavioral compulsions and avoidance of triggering situations.
Behavioral
compulsions may include:
§
Writing
prayers to check they’re done “correctly”
§
Excessive
confession
§
Repeatedly
seeking reassurance from religious leaders and loved ones
§
Repeated
cleansing and purifying rituals
§
Acts
of self-sacrifice
§
Treating
attendance of religious services as obligatory when they are not actually so
Mental compulsions may
include:
This could involve
saying a prayer over and over again until it is done “just right” out of fear
that it will be rejected by your higher power unless it is done perfectly.
This could be done to
assure that the meaning of the passage is 100% understood so that you will not
stray from the message and accidentally do something that would be seen as
wrong in the eyes of a higher power.
This is often phrased
as, " I promise this is the last time and if you will assure me that
something bad will not happen then I will never ask you about this ever
again," or something similar to that.
This is often done so
that there will be no sin on the soul and it will be seen as pure by a higher
power.
Avoidance may include:
Avoiding religious
services where a moral error may occur or cause something bad to happen
Not reading religious
texts is seen as triggering
How can scrupulosity be distinguished from typical religious
practice?
Unlike typical religious practice, scrupulous behavior usually exceeds or disregards religious law and may focus excessively on one area of religious practice while other, more important areas may be completely ignored. OCD can masquerade as religion.
To others, someone with OCD may appear to be
very devoted to their religious practices potentially due to the nature of
one's compulsions - for example, spending hours researching religious doctrine
- however, this excessive behavior is typically in an effort to alleviate the
anxiety caused by the obsessions. OCD is never helpful and can create barriers
to practicing one's faith traditions.
The behavior and mental life of scrupulous individuals are
typically inconsistent with that of the rest of the faith community. In
addition, scrupulous behavior is motivated primarily by distress and leads to
functional impairment. Functional impairment can look like avoiding worship,
missing work, isolating from loved ones, and experiencing extreme discomfort in
situations where others might feel peaceful or calm.
Scrupulosity Faith Vs
Mental Illness
by Trey Knowles
Jacob is introduced in the Bible in the Book of Genesis, beginning at Genesis 25:19. Jacob is the grandson of Abraham and Sarah, and the son of Isaac and Rebecca. He is also the younger twin brother of Esau, who is the ancestor of Edom. Jacob is a pastoralist, while Esau is a nomadic hunter, and the two represent different social orders.
Jacob's story is full of adventure, ups and downs, and entertainment, and his character develops over the course of the story. Some interesting facts about Jacob include:
He was born grasping his twin's heel.
He tricked Esau out of his birthright and parental blessing and received the inheritance from his father
In the Bible, Peniel is a place where Jacob wrestled with God in a mysterious encounter described in Genesis 32:24–32. The name Peniel means "face of God", and Jacob gave the place this name because he said, "It is because I saw God face to face, and yet my life was spared".
Genesis 50 Introduction: Joseph was truly Jacob's son, and Jacob's influence on his life was profound. Joseph was one 12 sons that became the patriarchs of the nation promised to Abraham. Like Jacob, Joseph's character was challenged early in his life because of the brokenness in his family.
Movie Watch Below after skipping Ad: Jacob and Joseph The Bible Story
Abraham, known as the “father of many nations,” is one of the greatest examples of faith and obedience. His life invites all humanity into the blessing of salvation through Jesus Christ—who would later come from his lineage. It’s a story of redemption through faith and faith worked out through obedience. The story ultimately points our eyes to the God of Abraham, whose covenant-keeping nature cannot change. Abraham is one of two people in the Bible called “God’s friend” (James 2:24). Clearly, God holds a special place in His heart for this man, and there is so much we can learn from his life. From great victories to great shortcomings, Abraham is revealed as a flawed yet faithful man whose radical belief in God and His promises leads us to know him as our faith’s father or patriarch.
Movie Watch Below after skipping Ad: Abraham The Bible Story
Patience comes with faith without patience, you can lose faith. Why do I say this? With patience, you can wait on God without patience you are acting on your own accord. God always has a plan. Do not interfere with God's plan by doing something that is not in God's will. Always remember adversity is temporary.
Patience Comes With Faith
by Trey Knowles
Love changes things. Love makes things better. Where there is Love bad stuff will disappear. You are probably like, yeah right the bad stuff will disappear.
Yep because love is a two-way street. Receiving and giving. Lots of people don’t receive the gift of love because they are distracted by something else that has their attention.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
Reasoned like a child? Meaning I wanted my own way. When I was a young man, I was an immature man, In My 20’s and My 30s, I was an immature man not fully developed. When I decided to receive love my childish and immature ways came to an end. What do I mean by decided, Mean I came to a resolution in my mind as a result of consideration.
Meaning that I need to receive God’s love. The beginning of knowledge is to fear God. When you fear God all bad stuff comes to an end because Love never fails.
Am I perfect, depending on what you call perfect, by what standards of who's perfection? If I fear the Lord, which I do. My love never fails. In my period of living. I Worship in part waiting for the completeness which is Jesus Christ.
It is written in Mark 2:22. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.”
Where there is Love bad things will disappear. Love never fails and Love changes things, When you walk with God face to face we are complete. For now, we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face-to-face the glory of God. I Worship in part waiting for the completeness which is Jesus Christ.
Am I perfect, depending on what you call perfect, by what standards of who's perfection? If I fear the Lord, which I do. My love never fails. In my period of living, I love the Lord. I Worship in part. What remains in my life is faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Today’s episode comes 1 Corinthians 13: 8-13
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Love always perseveres and love
never fails. Never look at the adversity or trauma of your story. We might not
understand everything that goes on with us, but God is greater. God's grace
takes us out of darkness, not put us in the darkness. When we love God we
walk in righteousness no matter what the circumstance is, we continue to love
God and walk in righteousness.
Have or don’t have I will always be
content. God will never abandon me and he will never forsake me. Hebrews 13:5
says, keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you
have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.
My faith is in his word. Even in my
struggle, if I struggle with mental illness, does it mean God does not love me?
Course not. God is faithful. Never question God's faithfulness; we need to
question our faithfulness to God. Love never fails and love always
perseveres no matter what the circumstance is. We don’t give up living on
God's will based on money, any adversity, and struggles, even when everything
turns against us.
It is written in Romans 8:35-39 can
anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves
us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute,
or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your
sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite
all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can
separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers
of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or the
earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us
from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is God's love for us in the
same way our love for God should be the same as he loves us. Look at Job's
story and compare it to what you are going through. Learn how Job perseveres
and how his love never fails for God.
In this Bible story from the book of Job, there is a wealthy man named Job residing in an area called Uz with his extended family and vast flocks. He is “blameless” and “upright,” constantly mindful to live in a righteous manner (Job 1:1).
God mentions Job to Satan saying, "There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” However, Satan contends that Job is only righteous because God has favored him generously. Satan dares God that, if given the approval to inflict suffering, Job will change and curse God. God permits Satan to abuse Job to experiment with this brazen claim, but he forbids Satan to take Job’s life in the manner.
The Tribulations of Job
Over the time of one day, Job is given four reports, each
informing him that his sheep, servants, and ten children have all died due to
thieving intruders or natural disasters. Job rips his clothes and shaves his
head in sorrow, yet he still praises God in his prayers. Satan arrives in
heaven again, and God allows him another opportunity to test Job. This time,
Job is distressed with terrible skin sores. His wife urges him to denounce God
and to give up and die, but Job protests, trying to endure his inflictions.
Three of Job’s companions, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar,
arrive to comfort him, sitting with Job in silence for seven days out of
reverence for his grieving. On the seventh day, Job talks, starting a
discussion in which each of the four men shares his reflections on Job’s
troubles in poetic descriptions.
Job damns the day he was born, relating life and death to light and darkness. He hopes that his birth had been obscured in darkness and desires to have never been born, believing that life only increases his suffering. Eliphaz replies that Job, who has comforted other people, now reveals that he never actually knew their pain.
Eliphaz concludes that Job’s
pain must be due to some sin Job has acted, and he recommends Job to seek God’s
favor. Bildad and Zophar agree that Job must have performed evil to provoke
God’s justice and argue that he should attempt to manifest more innocent
behavior. Bildad supposes that Job’s children brought their deaths upon
themselves. Even worse, Zophar suggests that whatever wrongdoing Job has done
he likely deserves more suffering than what he has experienced.
Job Contemplates the Mystery of God
Job reacts to each of these remarks, becoming so angry that he calls his sympathizers “worthless physicians” who “whitewash [their help] with lies” (Job 13:4). He questions why God judges people by their deeds if God can just as easily change or forgive their behavior. It is confusing to Job how a human can truly satisfy God’s justice as his ways are mysterious and exceed human comprehension. Furthermore, humans cannot possibly convince God with their words.
God cannot be fooled, and Job confesses that he does not even
know himself well enough to adequately defend his case to God. Job desires for
someone who can mediate between himself and God, or be sent to Sheol, the dark
space of the dead.
Job believes that there is a “witness” or a “Redeemer” in heaven who will testify for his integrity (Job 16:19, Job 19:25). The suffering shows too much for Job, and he turns bitter, anxious, and scared. He deplores the injustice that God lets evil people thrive while he and many other honest people suffer.
Job wants to face God and protest, but cannot physically find
God. He assumes that wisdom is concealed from humans, but he decides to
persevere in seeking wisdom by fearing God and evading evil.
God Consoles Job
God eventually intervenes, commanding Job to be brave, and
explains various detailed features of his creation. Overcome by the appearance
of God, Job recognizes God’s infinite power and accepts the constraints of his
human understanding. This response pleases God, but he is upset with Eliphaz,
Bildad, and Zophar for emitting lousy advice. Job reconciles on their behalf,
and God forgives them. God then restores Job’s health, granting him twice as
much property as before, new children, and a remarkably long life. In the end,
Job never completely gave up hope or faith in God as an inspiration to everyone
enduring suffering of their own.
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