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Understanding Depression

“Wow! Get a load of those onion rings,” Megan announced as the waitress placed their order on the table. She untwisted a few of the fried goodies from the tower of golden-brown treats and lathered them with ketchup.

“Pastor Steve . . . I can’t help but ask . . . why do you know so much about depression?”

“I’ve been through it, Natalie.”

“I don’t get it,” Megan said. “You’re our youth pastor! How could you have been depressed? And Natalie can’t be depressed; she’s a Christian!”

Pastor Steve smiled as he reached for some onion rings. “Depression has nothing to do with being a Christian, Megan. Depression isn’t a spiritual thing. You get the flu, don’t you?”

“Sure.”

“Does that mean you’re not a Christian?”

“No.”

“Then why would depression mean you’re not a Christian?”

“Well . . . I just think if Jesus is really Lord of our lives, we won’t get depressed,” Megan said.

“Will we still get the flu?” Pastor Steve continued as he reached for his float to wash down the onion rings.

“Sure, but — ”

“Depression is an illness, Megan. Anyone can experience it — whether he’s a Christian or not. The advantage of having Christ in our lives, though, is that He understands depression and wants to help us through it.”

“But I can’t figure out why I’m depressed, Pastor Steve! No one in my family has died. I have a good life. My parents love me. I have terrific friends.”

“Natalie, depression isn’t always due to outward situations. Sometimes it’s because of a chemical imbalance in the brain.”

“Does that mean I’m crazy?” she asked.

Pastor Steve chucked as he reached for more onion rings. “No, Nat. You’re not crazy. But sometimes the chemicals in our brains can get a little off-whack. And when that happens, we can become depressed.”

“So am I gonna feel this desperate for the rest of my life?”

“I don’t think so. The good news is that depression is treatable,” Pastor Steve explained. “I encourage you to see your family doctor and tell him what you’re feeling.”

“What if they lock me up and put me in a hospital?”

“I’d come visit you, Natalie!” Megan said.

“I seriously doubt that’s going to happen, girls. But a doctor can prescribe anti-depressants and Christian counseling. And you’ll be amazed at the difference that will make in how you feel.”

“And God won’t be mad at me?” Natalie said.

“No way!” Pastor Steve continued. “God loves you, Natalie. He wants to help you through this. And He often uses people to do that. Sometimes he even works through medication. You really need to make an appointment with your family physician.”

“I’ll do it, Pastor Steve. Anything to quit feeling so desperate and hopeless. You know? In a way, I’m relieved. I was beginning to think I was looney, because I didn’t know what was happening. But now that we’ve labeled it, and I know God is still with me, I feel better!”

Know It!
Battling tough issues doesn’t mean God has left us.

Read It!
Deuteronomy 31:6; Joshua 1:5; Psalm 27:10; Psalm 37:5; Hebrews 13:5.

Pray It!
Lord, thanks for Your promise to see me through the tough times. It’s such a comfort to know You’ll never forsake me — no matter how confused or desperate I feel.

God’s Voice

James Alexander Langteaux knows God’s voice. He often talks about the “road trip” God directs him to take. And during these road trips, God speaks to him very clearly about specific areas in his life that need attention. You can read about his adventures in the two books he’s written: God.com and God.net.

Someone else knew God’s very extremely well. You can read his story in 1 Kings 18 and 19. After Elijah defeated 450 prophets of Baal, he fled his enemies and ran to the mountains. While waiting for God to speak to him on the mountain, a lot began to happen around him. He experienced an earthquake, a fire and a tornado.

Elijah had gone to the mountains specifically to hear God’s voice. We tend to think when God speaks His voice thunders through something big . . . such as thunder or fire or a stormy blast of wind. But Elijah sat through all those natural disasters and didn’t hear God’s voice at all. As he continued to wait for God to speak, he finally heard the faint rumblings of a whisper. The Bible tells us when he heard that whisper, He knew it was the voice of God.

We often wish God would speak to us through a heavenly e-mail, a telegram or a phone call. But most of the time when He speaks, His voice comes in a still, small whisper from within.

Chances are, when your mom calls you, she doesn’t have to identify herself. “Honey, this is your mother calling. Remember me? I’m short with dark hair. . . .”

You probably recognize her voice as soon as you hear the first utterance of the first syllable of her first word on the other end of the phone line. Guess what! God wants you to know His voice that well, also! He wants you to be so tuned in to Him that if you’re caught in the middle of downtown traffic amidst the blaring of horns and screeching of tires, if He chooses to speak, you’ll hear His whisper.

It’s the final quarter of the basketball game, and you’re in the stands screaming your team onto victory with your friends, and God chooses to speak. Will you hear His whisper above the roar of the crowd?

Right in the middle of shuffling feet, hallway clatter and campus chit-chat, if God speaks to you at school, will you be so tuned in to His whisper that you’ll hear His voice?

Elijah was. James Langteaux is. And you can be, too.

Know It!
If you think God never speaks to you, you’re mistaken. He’s speaking . . . but it could be that you simply haven’t learned the sound of His voice.

Read It!
Deuteronomy 20:31; 1 Samuel 15:22. 1 Kings 19:11- 13.

Pray It!
Dear Jesus, teach me the sound of Your voice. I want to be tuned in to You.

Abishag, R.N. On Call

King David had been known as a “man after God’s own heart.” And as he grew old, Abishag became known as David’s live-in personal nurse. Of course, she was without fancy prescriptions, X-ray machines and heart monitors. So her main responsibility was simply to keep King David warm.

Often times, as one grows older, they develop poor blood circulation and it’s easy to be cold much of the time. King David was so cold, Abishag R.N. was brought in to help. What a job description: Warm the king!

It’s important to know that this was not a sexual relationship. She was simply trying to physically warm her patient. But only a few months after she accepted the job, King David died. Abishag then became involved in a bitter family battle between the king’s sons. Solomon and his brother Adonijah both wanted the throne, and Adonijah tried to use Abishag as a bargaining chip. Solomon saw through his plan and even predicted that his brother would try to use Abishag to claim the throne.

Imagine how she must have felt! She gave her best to the king, tried to make him comfortable in his final days, and instead of being thanked, she’s simply taken for granted and used as a ploy for selfish means.

Can you identify a time in your life when you felt used? It doesn’t feel good when something we do goes unnoticed, or a family member treats us like a piece of laundry, does it? Instead of falling into the trap of feeling sorry for yourself, take comfort in the fact that Jesus knows exactly how you feel. He was used, also. By maintaining a growing, intimate relationship with your heavenly Father, you’ll be guarding against feelings of bitterness and resentment.

Know It!
God knows all. He sees the good you do, and He never takes your actions for granted. He will reward you in His perfect time.

Read It!
Proverbs 14:10; Luke 21:1-4; Ephesians 4:31.

Pray It!
Lord, I admit I still harbor a grudge against (fill in the blank) for what he/she did to me. Jesus, I’m tired of being hurt, but I’m also tired of spending so much energy on being angry. I give this hurt to You, Lord. Take it. And help me to maintain a growing relationship with You.

Learning Not To Worry

If Jesus can live a lifetime without worry, you can too! It’s important to note the difference between worry and concern. Jesus was concerned with those around Him. When He was speaking to the crowd of 5,000, He told His disciples He was concerned with the fact that the people had not eaten all day. He was concerned about the long walk home they would make in the hot sun without nourishment for their physical being. But He wasn’t worried about it. He knew who was in charge.

Jesus also wants you to be concerned with those around you. When you see a need, He wants you to be concerned enough to get involved. But He doesn’t want you to worry about it? How can you avoid worry?

• Remember who’s in charge! Jesus never forgot that His heavenly Father could do anything. Mankind is the creation of God Almighty. Jesus knew His role was to make the gospel known to man, to explain forgiveness for sins and to sacrifice His life for sinners. But He knew their reaction was not His responsibility. He refused to bear responsibility that wasn’t His. He left it in the hands of His Father.

Yes, Jesus sweat great drops of blood, He endured tremendous torture, He was misunderstood, faced incredible temptations and walked with massive burdens. But He refused to forget who was in charge. Jesus never said, “Ah, just forget it. Someway, somehow, everything will work out.” He did teach us to take our worries and place them in the lap of God . . . and leave them there!

God is in control! Even with war, famine, disease and terrorism, God still rules. The one who can learn to rest in that knowledge, is the one who will experience freedom from worry and learn to live life abundantly!

Know It!
God won’t take you out of the world to give you freedom from worry. He wants to help you experience His peace in the midst of a troubled world.

Read It!
Joshua 1:6-9; Psalm 34:4; Isaiah 35:4; 1 John 4:18.

Pray It!
Jesus, I sometimes forget who’s in charge. It’s so easy to focus on the immediate — on what’s happening right around me. Teach me to see beyond myself and rest in the fact that God is truly in control.

You CAN Make a Difference!

It may seem as though you can’t really make a difference in the world, but that’s simply not true! Here are a few things you can do to feed the hungry and help the poor.

• Downsize your wardrobe. It’s easy to keep old clothes pushed to the back of the closet. How many pants and shirts are you no longer wearing that are still stacked inside your drawers? Take a few minutes to go through your wardrobe and pull out everything you no longer use. Take it to Goodwill, give it to a homeless shelter, or ask your pastor if your church has a ministry to needy people in your area who need clothing. During winter, coats and jackets are especially needed.

• Go to jail. As your youth leader if you can join a prison ministry in your area. There are several ministries available to inmates, and there are other ministries designed to help ex-convicts following their release. Families of those in prison are often neglected and forgotten. For more information, contact Prison Fellowship, P.O. Box 17434, Washington, DC 20041 or Amnesty International, 322 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10001.

• Consider sponsoring a needy child. Compassion International is an excellent child development ministry that has work around the world. By sponsoring a child for $26 a month, you’re providing clothing, one hot meal a day, school supplies and an education. The best part of the education is that schools sponsored by Compassion International are connected with a neighboring church. So when your child receives an education, he’s also hearing the gospel. Perhaps $26 is too expensive for you to fund by yourself. Ask your parents to pray about sponsorship as a family. Or recruit a few of your friends to help you sponsor one child. The difference you’ll make for him will be life- changing!

• Organize a soup kitchen. Most churches have big kitchens which would easily allow them to operate a soup kitchen for the hungry. Of course, you’ll need to get permission from your church leaders and will need their support. Once you have that, get creative. Give your soup kitchen an imaginative name: “Dusty’s Diner,” “Sheila’s Soup,” “Chow Corner.” Place an advertisement in your local newspaper and ask the TV station to film your first open night. Providing a nightly nutritious meal is an amazing way to make a difference the lives of others. If your church is unable to open and maintain a soup kitchen, consider getting involved in an already existing soup kitchen in your city.

Know It!
God wants you to be involved with the needs of others. Don’t allow Satan to make you think you have nothing to give. Ask your creative heavenly to help you discover a variety of ways to make a difference.

Read It!
Matthew 25:31-46; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.

Pray It!
Jesus, thanks that You’re able to use me to make a difference. Please help me never to take Your resources for granted.

They Can’t Be Dangerous . . . Can They?

Baby chimps may look adorable, but their strength can do serious damage! One monkey owner says, “Bozo got angry because I moved items away from his reach. He had been reaching through the bars of his cage and grabbing my plants and knick-knacks and throwing them around the room, so I scooted them away from his reach. He was so angry, he began biting me when I reached inside his cage to feed him. The fight lasted 45 minutes, and I ended up getting 200 stitches.”

Chimpanzee owners will tell you that almost anything can set off a chimp’s temper. One punch from an adult chimp can kill a man. A full-grown male chimp weighs 200 pounds. These primates are intelligent and have a mind of their own. They will constantly challenge your superiority, and the common owner will always lose. Yet most people don’t know this when they decide to get a baby chimp for a pet.

Since primates can’t be left alone for more than short periods of time, and since chimps can live up to 60 years of age, the owner ends us having to change her entire lifestyle to care for the animal. In other words, she’s no longer free to leave for a weekend (or even a day), she stops having company over because of the ape’s volatile temper, and essentially she becomes a prisoner inside her own house. What’s even more distressing, is that the owner who loves her ape, will spend hours and hours inside the house to care for it, but rarely will she be able to even get close to him because of the animal’s anger, destructive strength and hatred toward his owner.

Food bills for a chimpanzee will run a minimum of $100 per week. Vet bills can cost around $1,500 per visit. Anytime a chimp is taken to the vet, the vetenarian will always anesthetize it before he’s able to check him out because of the animal’s violent nature.

In short, a baby chimp who looks adorable will very soon mature into an animal with the potential of killing its owner. The owner who purchases a chimp because she wants to love and cuddle with it, will soon become prisoner to the animal she spends her life caring for.

Know It!
Sin is often packaged as cute, fun and alluring. But just like a chimp, it’s only a matter of time before we become a prisoner of the very thing we started out to love. Sin will steal your freedom and eventually your life.

Read It!
Romans 8:3-13; Galatians 5:19; 1 Peter 2:11; 1 John 3:8.

Pray It!
Dear Jesus, I confess I’m sometimes deceived by sin. It’s easy for me to be drawn in by what looks, feels and sounds good. I now realize that sin will eventually kill me spiritually if I don’t repent and seek Your forgiveness. Oh, Jesus, will You forgive me for the times I’ve been drawn in by sin and haven’t obeyed Your warnings? I’m so sorry. I love You, Jesus. And I want to live my life for You!

The Crucifixion and Events Surrounding It 2

The Sanhedrin Court met in the early morning hours and sentenced Jesus to death. (Remember, this particular court had no authority to actually sentence anyone. What’s happening is illegal!) And because the Jews were not able to carry out an execution — but the Romans were able to — Jesus, battered, bruised, dehydrated and worn out from a sleepless night, was led across Jerusalem to the area governed by Pontius Pilate.

At this point, another illegal action took place: The charges were changed during the trial! Jesus had initially been charged with blasphemy based on His statement that He could destroy and rebuild the Temple of God in three days, as well as His claim to be God’s Son. When he stood before Pilate, however, the charge was changed to the Jesus’ claim to be a King and didn’t agree with paying taxes to the Romans. (Of course, Jesus had never urged anyone to refrain from paying taxes. In fact, He had encouraged His disciples to pay the government what the government requested.)

In spite of the charges, Pilate found Jesus to be not guilty and shifted the responsibility to Herod. Jesus stood silent before Herod, except to affirm that He is King of the Jews. Herod, frustrated, sent Him back to Pilate.

Pilate tried to convince the mob that He was unable to find any crime Jesus had committed worthy of the death penalty. The mob only became more volatile. Pilate, afraid of losing his popularity with the people, finally announced that Barabbas would be released, and Jesus would be crucified.

More illegal happenings occurred: Christ wasn’t permitted a defense. Under Jewish law, an exhaustive investigation into the accusations presented by the witnesses should have occurred. Jesus Christ was condemned to be crucified.

The physical torture He suffered even before His death was horrendous. After Pilate’s verdict to have Jesus crucified, Jesus was stripped of His clothing, and His hands were tied to a post above His head leaving His back entirely exposed. The Romans used a flagrum (a whip) made of leather strands. Small pieces of bone and metal were attached to these strands. This heavy whip was brought down with full force again and again across the shoulders, back and legs of Jesus.

At first, the weighted thongs cut through the skin only. But as the whipping continued, they cut deeper into tissue, exposing a bloody mass of muscle and bone. Extreme blood loss occurred from this beating. The victims would often lose consciousness. When the centurion in charge pronounced the victim was near death, the beating finally ended.

Jewish law stated that no more than 39 blows were permitted. Victims often died simply from this beating — never making it to their crucifixion sentence. Roman law, however, had no limits on the number of whippings given.

Know It!
Jesus Christ not only willingly gave His life for you; He willingly was beaten, abused and lied about for you. He loves you more than you can imagine. Show your love to Him, by giving Him 100 percent of your life in gratitude.

Read It!
Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 22:15-21; Matthew 26:59-68; Matthew 27:1-31.

Pray It!
Oh, dear Jesus! I never thought about all the torture You experienced before You were even hung on the Cross. Will You forgive me? I’m so aware of my sinfulness. It should have been me experiencing the punishment. But You willingly took it upon Yourself . . . so I could be free! Thank You, Jesus! Thank You!

The Crucifixion and Events Surrounding It 4

In spite of His efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the loss of blood, was too much. Jesus stumbled and fell. The rough wood of the beam gouged into His lacerated skin and shoulder muscles. He tried to rise, but human muscles had been pushed beyond their endurance. An onlooker, Simon of Cyrene, was then selected to carry the beam for Jesus. After reaching Golgotha, Jesus was again stripped of His clothing except for His loincloth.

The crucifixion began.

Jesus was offered a mild pain-relieving mixture — wine mixed with myrrh — but He refused the drink. Simon was ordered to place the cross bar on the ground, and Jesus was quickly thrown backward with His bare and bleeding shoulders against the wood.

The solider felt for the small , weak area at the front of the wrist and pounded a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deeply into the wood. He quickly moved to the other side and repeated the action, careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some movement.

The cross bar was then lifted into place at the top of the horizontal wooden beam, and the sign reading “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” was nailed into place.

The left foot was pressed backward against the right foot. With both feet extended, toes down, a nail was driven through the arch of each. This left the knees slightly flexed. Jesus was now crucified.

As the body of Jesus slowly sagged down, it placed more weight on the nails in His wrists. Excruciating, fiery pain shot along His fingers and up His arms exploding in His brain. The nails in the wrists put pressure on the median nerve — large nerve trunks which travel through the mid-wrist and hand. As Jesus pushed Himself up to avoid this stretching torment, He had to place His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again, He experienced searing agony as the nail tore through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of His feet.

As His arms grew tired, great waves of cramps swept over the muscles and knotted them in deep, throbbing pain. When these cramps overcame Him, Jesus was unable to push Himself upward. Hanging by the arm, His pectoral muscles (the large muscles of the chest) were paralyzed. The intercostals muscles (the small muscles between the ribs) were unable to move. Air could be drawn into the lungs, but couldn’t be exhaled. Jesus fought to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, the carbon dioxide level increased in His lungs and bloodstream, and the cramps would partially subside.

Very spasmodically, Jesus was able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in oxygen. It was probably during these periods that He spoke the seven short sentences uttered while dying on the Cross.

Know It!
The crucifixion Jesus experienced wasn’t a quick death, nor was it a simple procedure. The Creator of the universe experienced horrendous pain so each one of us could be forgiven of our sins.

Read It!
Luke 22:47-71; Luke 23:1-38.

Pray It!
Dear Lord, I realize even though I’m reading about Your crucifixion, I’ll still never comprehend what You endured for me. Give me the courage to share Your power of forgiveness and what You experienced with those around me.