Pray and Never Give up – Christian Self-Care – Purity 1460
Purity 1460 09/24/2024 Purity 1460 Audio Podcast
Purity 1460 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Well, It’s Wednesday and I am sharing today’s photo of Parton’s painting which features a mountain stronghold as a visual reminder of our arrival at the midweek summit, Happy hump day, and to inspire us all to pursue the things that we love boldly and not to be timid when it comes to demolishing the strongholds that keep us in chains of bondage or patterned responses.
Tonight, I will be leading another Celebrate Freedom Support Group Meeting where we encourage people to ask God to help them overcome their hurts, habits, and hang-ups and to consider making a change for the better by deciding to live by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit by getting on the path of Christian discipleship.
What does that mean exactly? It means seeking a deep relationship with the Lord and making the decision to learn and live by His ways for living according to the Bible. It generally means that your practice spiritual disciplines such as Bible study, prayer, fasting, and service to name just a few. It means living in a different way with Jesus as our example and teacher to learn from and follow. It also means knowing who you are and being a good steward to your mind and body.
That might all seem a little vague and that’s why we meet together as a group. In the community of a small group, where we can be open and honest, we can talk about our experiences and struggles with trying to live in a new way and we can encourage and learn from one another in a way that we can’t do all by ourselves. In a group, we can gain insights and advice from others that we would never be aware of otherwise.
In fact, tonight I am going to share a list of 99 Self-Care Techniques for Christians that I found at https://churchandmentalhealth.com/, authored by Jeremy Smith, to give the group participants some very specific ways that DO SOMETHING that will restore their souls and grow their spiritual, emotional, and mental resilience. Smith’s list of self-care techniques are designed with Christians in mind and gives practical suggestions on how they can simultaneously receive the self-care they need and do so in the context of their faith and relationship with God and others. Smith’s lists is broken down into the categories of “Traditional”, prayer, scripture, discipleship, worship, acts of service, and good stewardship” to give readers an abundance of options for self-care. While I have only briefly reviewed the list and haven’t tested any of the suggestions, I feel that it could be helpful and so I am sharing it with my small group of friends. If your interested, go to https://churchandmentalhealth.com/ and support Smith’s work by purchasing a PDF copy ($3) of his 99 Christian self-care techniques for yourself. It only costs three dollars but could be priceless if it motivates you to develop a regular spiritual practice that brings you closer to God and the peace He has for your life.
As a Christian who has found peace, meaning, and purpose through walking in the Spirit, I know how challenging it can be to change the way you live, but I also know that the Lord blesses our efforts when we try to live the life He has for us. The pathway to peace may require some practice and discipline but when you are on it you’ll discover that your efforts in seeking the Lord’s way are richly rewarded.
I was reading Luke 18 this morning and the first verse in it tells us that:
Luke 18:1 (NLT2) 1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. (or that they always ought to pray and not lose heart – NKJV)
The parable he shares is about the persistent widow who gets a favorable ruling from an unjust judge when she tenaciously requests justice. It’s a good parable but the point is made in the verse that precedes it. We should always pray and never give up. Don’t lose heart and pray for God to help you.
When we use our lives to follow the Lord and His ways and are persistent in asking for His help, we will receive it, one way or another. He will bless us in the way we think He should or not – but the ultimate outcomes of our relationship with God are always good. So take care of yourself by seeking new ways to draw closer to Him and the new life He has for you.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist, Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/ .
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
( While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Scripture-Reference-Counseling-Kruis-ebook/dp/B00CIUJZT2?ref_=ast_author_dp )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Today’s verses fall under the thirty-third point of our counseling reference guide resource’s section on the Forgiveness of Sins (God’s Forgiveness).
33. Salvation, the forgiveness of sins, is only by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.
Today’s Bible verses are filled with spiritual truth and power to break down the stronghold of the false belief that we need to earn our salvation.
The text in Ephesians 2:8-9 is very clear. We are saved by grace and through faith. Our salvation is not our own doing. It’s not the result of our works. Our salvation is God’s gift of grace to us to receive and knowing this should fill us with a deep relief and abounding love for God.
The world teaches us the we have to earn everything we want in life, but that is not the way it is when it comes to being welcomed into God’s kingdom. Jesus has done the redemptive work for us and we need only believe and to put our faith in Him to receive the gift of grace. That’s why the gospel is called good news!
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today we continue sharing from “According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament” By Stephen F. Olford – A Collection of Devotional Journals: 1940-1941.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Olford’s books for your own private study and to support his work. This resource is available online for less than $10 at many sites.
MORNING READING: JAMES 2
“Fulfill the royal law.” – James 2:8
The royal law is defined thus: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself ” (v. 8). And it is the command that the Lord Jesus pointed out as including all other commandments. Of course, this command implies love to God first, and then love to man. James points out that the fulfilling of it is the hallmark of kingship or royalty. So that if I am a genuine king and priest to God, I am one who fulfills this command.
He goes further to explain that he who shows partiality and who breaks this royal law commits sin. “God shows no partiality” (Acts 10:34); so why should we? Whether poor or rich, they should be loved, honored, and recognized without partiality.
No wonder the Lord Jesus was the Friend of Sinners!
Teach me to love others as You love me, Lord.[1]
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“The views, opinions, and commentary of this publication are those of the author, M.T. Clark, only, and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of any of the photographers, artists, ministries, or other authors of the other works that may be included in this publication, and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities the author may represent.”
Encouragement for the Path of Christian Discipleship
[1] Stephen Olford and Heather Olford, According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament, A Collection of Devotional Journals 1940-1941 (Nashville, TN: B&H Books, 2008).
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