MY WORDS WILL NEVER PASS AWAY

Matthew 5:17-18 Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, nor the least stroke of the pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Luke 16:17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

Jesus words will never pass away! This is a precious promise. We can trust the Truth of Scripture and the Truth that Jesus fulfills all the prophecies. Many have tried to stamp out the Truth – Bible burning has occurred at various times and places. Liberal scholars have dissected His words, pulled them apart and voted on what was true and what was not true. The demise of many of the mainline churches has resulted. But His words are still true and will never pass away. He says heaven and earth will pass away but his words will never pass away. The end of the world is coming. Even scientists acknowledge this. The Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God!

Father,

We thank you for your Word which is eternal and True. We thank you that we can trust the amazing wisdom throughout your Word. We thank you that we know the Truth that Jesus is the Christ. We thank you that we know the many truths of Jesus life, death and resurrection. We thank you for the assurance that Jesus very words are eternal. Help us hide his words in our heart and follow his words and his leading in our daily lives. We have great hope and faith as a result of this promise.

In Jesus name we pray. Amen

Parent Advice: Depression in Teens

Q.  My seventeen year old daughter seems very depressed. She is isolating herself in her room, sleeping a great deal and is very negative. This began about a month ago when she broke up with her boyfriend. When she was twelve she was depressed when her father and I got divorced and would never talk about her feelings.

Recently when I tried to talk with her about her current unhappiness she said she wished she were dead. I've heard so much about teen suicide I'm fearful. How can I tell if she is suicidal? Should I be worried? What can I do to help her out of her depression?

 A. It's good you are aware of your daughter's unhappiness. Many teenagers are depressed and some get to the point of being suicidal. Clinical depression in teens can be difficult to evaluate because many of the symptoms are also characteristics of normal adolescent development.

For example, adolescence is characterized by mood swings. One day a teen may feel happy and confident and the next day have the blues. This is due to the many hormonal changes as the teen matures physically and due to the social pressures teenagers experience. There are, nevertheless, a number of warning signs that a teenager may be suicidal. These include:

·       Looking at life in a very negative way; being unable to believe things will ever get better; lowered self-esteem.              

·       Inability to concentrate and a drop in school performance.

·       Withdrawing from friends or activities.

·       Sleeping more than usual or insomnia.

·       Loss of appetite or eating more than usual.

·       Escapes: substance abuse, promiscuous sex, fantasy.

·       Losses: parent's divorce, death of a family member, the loss of a boyfriend.

·       Previous suicide in the family.

·       Fixation on death, suicide threats, giving away belongings

·       A definite plan as to how they will commit suicide.

The number of symptoms your daughter has and the intensity and duration of them reveals how seriously depressed she is. Whether or not the symptoms are appropriate to her personality and her current life situation are also important in determining the seriousness of her depression.

Your daughter needs help. Choose a counselor who can relate to teenagers and who will provide at least an hour a week of talk therapy. Your daughter probably needs to work through mixed emotions about your divorce as well as help with grieving the breakup of her relationship with her boyfriend. Many pastors are trained as counselors and would know where to refer you if they were unable to help.

Consider this urgent and insist that your daughter see someone for evaluation and continued counseling.

“Why are you downcast O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11

Blessings, Dottie

This post appeared originally on Taber's Truths Modern Christian Living.

Inspiring and Informative Mission Memoirs

Prisoners of Hope: The Story of Our Captivity and Freedom in Afganistan

By Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer

Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer felt called by God to go to Afghanistan and minister to the poor and oppressed. They developed many contacts and friends with the local people in just a short time. Several months after they arrived they are arrested by the Taliban government for telling local natives about their love for Jesus. Their captivity is described in detail with separate accounts from Curry’s and Mercer’s viewpoint throughout their ordeal. The 911 attacks on the United States occurred soon after they were arrested, complicating their release. Their captivity is detailed with many twists and turns, many deprivations and threats. They openly describe their depression and abject fear yet learn to completely trust in God. They are ready to die but are dramatically rescued in the nick of time. 

Captive in Teheran: A Remarkable True Story of Hope and Triumph Amid the Horror of Teheran’s Brutal Evin Prison

By Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh with John Perry

The sub-title of this book is accurate. Captive in Teheran is a remarkable story of hope and triumph - the story of two Christian women imprisoned in Teheran for 259 days. Maryam and Marziyeh are arrested for promoting Christianity in Iran – a capital offense. They are detained in deplorable conditions, interrogated endlessly without an attorney and without written charges against them. During their captivity they witness and minister to countless prisoners with greater freedom than they could on the outside! Both women also witness to the guards, court officials and judges. They will not deny Christ even if it costs them their lives. Captive in Teheran reveals the disdain for women under sharia law; the lack of integrity, justice and fairness by this Islamic country. It also shows the amazing power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of two women fully surrendered to Christ. This is an eye opening true story.

“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Romans 10:15

Blessings, Dottie

For other excellent mission books see Faithnotes blog here and here.

THE TRUTH ABOUT SEX

Q.  My husband and I have been married for three years. We are both unhappy with our sex life and some times even fight about it. We thought that sex in marriage would be easier than the disappointing pre-marital experiences we both had. Why are we having such a hard time?

A.  Our culture, especially the media, portray sex in very unrealistic ways. In fact, they promote lies about sex. They make us think that sex is easy, sex is free and sex can be engaged in with any willing partner. Jenell Williams Paris, professor of anthropology writes on this subject in the November 12, 2001 issue of Christianity Today. She cites an episode on Friends in which Monica, a lead character, is sick with the flu. In spite of a terrible cough and feeling sick she entices her boy friend, Chandler, by seductively rubbing her chest with Vicks. Paris says, “In real life, women with hacking coughs and achy bodies don’t seduce their partners with decongestant medications.” She points out that being single is the norm on Friends yet the three actresses are all married. 

         

Television shows and movies often portray sexuality unrealistically. Sex is pictured as unrelated to a relationship and requiring no commitment. It is spontaneous and easy.  There is little or no dialog. Interaction between the couple is largely non-verbal. This leads many couples to believe that sex in marriage should be easy and “just happen.”

         

This is a far from the truth. Sex in marriage may at times be easy but only when a couple have previously built a relationship that is intimate. This requires work. Verbal communication is essential. Some negotiation as to when, where and how often is required by all couples. Individuals differ as to their interest, comfort about sex, and ability to bare their souls. 

         

The media does not portray real life. Do we ever see a lack of interest in sex due to illness, parenthood or life stresses? Fatigue alone can rob us of the energy for sex. In real life sex is not free. We must talk about birth control and agree on what type we will use. We must deal with late periods, unwanted pregnancy, and even sexually transmitted diseases. Television shows us only the easy side of sex. 

         

Meaningful sex is costly, not free as TV would have us believe. It requires a life long commitment to be faithful to each other. It requires trust, vulnerability and honesty to achieve the best intimacy marriage offers. Here are some things you and your husband can do to help your sex life. Expect it to take work and don’t expect it to be as pictured on TV.

         

1. Communication is essential and so is time together. Talk about every aspect of your relationship. Express resentments and let go of them, share secrets and dreams. Communicate about sex giving each other specific details about your needs, wants, likes and dislikes. Be good listeners, open to hearing each others viewpoints. 

         

2. Be romantic.  Say "I love you." Let your partner know on a daily basis what you love, appreciate and value about them.

3. Be affectionate. Give hugs and kisses often. Hold hands. Sleep together - casually touching and being touched is comforting and stimulating.

         

4. Create Privacy. If you have children put a lock on your bedroom door.

5. Schedule time alone together and time for intimacy. Give it top priority. 

         

Read books on marriage. The Meaning of Marriage by Timothy Keller and Marriage by Mark Driscoll will help you learn more about marriage and sex and understand how to connect with each other. If problems continue, see a Christian marriage counselor.

“I belong to my love and his desire is for me.” Song of Songs 7:10

Blessings, Dottie