Meticulous Moral Principles Inquiry (MMPI-7) Self Help Biblical Psychiatry Self Test #2 |
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Psychiatric Self-Test #2: Meticulous Moral Principles Inquiry (MMPI-7)
Instructions on how to take this self-test:
1. This is the second of three self-tests.
a. If you have not completed self-test #1, Divine Sin Manual: DSM-7 do it first.
1. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) is a 567 "yes/no" test used by psychologists and Children's Aid Societies (CAS) to determine which mental illness.
a. It assumes you have a mental illness and its purpose is to determine which one.
b. Everyone who completes the test can be diagnosed with a mental illness. For example, even the psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker who administers the test, will be diagnosed with a mental illness, if they hand their completed test to a colleague under a fake name.
c. It is impossible not to be diagnosed with a mental disorder if you answer all of the 567 questions of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)
d. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) is interpreted with a complex key and algorithms.
2. This document is the MMPI-7 self-test that consists of 338 yes/no questions.
a. Unlike the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), each of the 338 questions of the Meticulous Moral Principles Inquiry (MMPI-7) is an absolute right or wrong.
b. Unlike the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2), the Meticulous Moral Principles Inquiry (MMPI-7) requires no interpretation. If you get any question wrong, it represents a sin or character fault you must change in order to achieve total personal happiness.
c. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) will ask you a question like, "I like mechanics magazines" and diagnose you with a mental disorder regardless of if you answer yes or no. The Meticulous Moral Principles Inquiry (MMPI-7) can only diagnose you with a problem if you answer no to any question. This gives you instant feedback and saves you thousands of dollars and a 3 month wait for the worthless results of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2)!
3. Print this page, then read the questions, then with a pen, check in the box.
a. If you want solutions to your problems, mental illness or schizophrenia, it is critical that you honestly answer each question.
b. Why pay $125 per hour to a credentialed therapist when you can get better advice for free... if you are honest with yourself!
c. This is a proven drug free solution to life problems, mental illness and schizophrenia.
d. Historically, church ministers were the "experts", that other went to for help for any behaviour problem including insanity. The theistic origin of "Psychiatry" is embedded in the fact that it is a Greek word literally meaning "doctor of the soul". Today's chemical psychiatrists are generally evolutionary atheists who don't even believe man has a soul who use drugs and shocks to modify behaviour.
4. All human behaviour including, insanity and mental illness are caused by choices of the spirit, not chemicals in the brain. Mental illness is a behaviour, not a disease.
5. You do not need to understand why the "no" answers will cause you problems:
a. “The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.” (Proverbs 4:19)
b. Teenage daughters are notorious for not taking proper care of their late model cars that need a lot of regular maintenance. They are unaware that low tire pressures can cause handling problems, flat tires and cost them extra money in reduced fuel economy. They do not heed their father's warning to check the oil level, only to have the engine develop major problems because they were a four litres low of oil (a gallon)! They would never have imagined that the reason the car won't start, is because they filled the leaky rad with water all summer long and failed to put anti-freeze in during winter and the block is cracked. Likewise, you do not need to understand the divine wisdom into why the "no" answers will cause you grief in life, you simply need to change your behaviour and obey what God says in the Bible.
Scoring:
1. What would Jesus do? (WWJD) Jesus would answer yes to every one of the questions.
2. Any questions you answer as NO, represent things you much change in order to enjoy a peaceful, happy, content life, free of mental illness.
3. Your problems are identified by any question you disagree with and answer no.
4. The more "no" answers you give, the more effort it is going to take for you to fix your problems.
Self-test 2: MMPI-7 (Meticulous Moral Principles Inquiry)
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This is test #2: Meticulous Moral Principles Inquiry (MMPI-7) |
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Instructions: Answer yes or no to 338 questions. All "no" answers identify attitudes and behaviours in your life that need changing. These "No" answers represent the cause of your problems in life. |
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A. My God is my source of everything:
A1. God Is my counselor: Psalm 73:21-24; Isaiah 9:6; John 14:16; Psalm 119:24; Rom 15:14
a. The Father: "When my heart was embittered And I was pierced within, Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. " (Psalm 73:21-24)
b. Jesus Christ: "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. " (Isaiah 9:6)
c. The Holy Spirit: "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; " (John 14:16)
d. The Bible: "Your testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors. " (Psalm 119:24)
e. Christians: "And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to counsel one another. " (Romans 15:14)
A2. I accept that the Bible is the inspired message from God to man and being the perfect moral guide book contains the perfect blueprint of perfect human behavior. 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:2-4; Prov 29:18; Prov 30:5-6; Hebrews 13:20-21; Psalm 19:8; Psalm 119:105, 130
a. "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. " (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
b. "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. " (2 Peter 1:2-4)
c. "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. " (Proverbs 29:18)
d. "Every word of God is tested; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words Or He will reprove you, and you will be proved a liar. " (Proverbs 30:5-6)
e. "Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. " (Hebrews 13:20-21)
f. "The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. " (Psalm 19:8)
g. "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. " (Psalm 119:105)
h. "The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple. " (Psalm 119:130)
A3. I realize that God has placed the desire to worship Him inside my heart, but I cannot learn anything specific about God unless I read the Bible. I realize that false religions are created when men feel this instinct to worship God, but ignore the Bible. Ecclesiastes 3:11
a. "He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end. " (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
A4. I promise to be humble and accept responsibility for my sins when they are pointed out to me in the Bible. I realize that the "get out of judgment free card" my psychiatrist gave me when he diagnosed me with an alleged "mental illness" and telling me that my sinful behavior is not my fault, was never approved by God. 2 Corinthians 5:10
a. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. " (2 Corinthians 5:10)
A5. I will not expect God to answer my prayers if I deliberately chose to sin willfully in direct defiance of God: Prov 28:9; 1 Peter 3:7; Heb 10:26-27
a. "He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. " (Proverbs 28:9)
b. "You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. " (1 Peter 3:7)
c. "For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. " (Hebrews 10:26-27)
d. "Reproach [sin] has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, And for comforters, but I found none." Psalm 69:20
A6. I accept that rejecting the loving protection of my creator, Jesus Christ; will cause me to feel unloved and helpless, without purpose or hope, sad and depressed, anxious and fearful of the future and of death. I understand that if I accept as my religion, the humanistic theory of evolution, that it is impossible to enjoy real purpose, meaning and hope because I believe I am the result of random chance processes.
a. Unconditional Love of God and Christians:
i. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. " (John 3:16)
ii. "Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. " (2 Corinthians 13:11)
iii. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. " (1 John 4:18)
iv. "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. " (John 15:12)
b. Peace of mind:
i. "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. " (John 14:27)
ii. "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You. "Trust in the Lord forever, For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock. " (Isaiah 26:3-4)
c. Hope of heaven: "to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. " (1 Peter 1:4-5)
d. Protection of the creator:
i. "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. " (Romans 8:35, 37-39)
ii. "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. ... And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. " (Philippians 4:13, 19)
iii. "so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6)
iv. "The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? The LORD is for me among those who help me. " (Psalm 118:6-7)
e. Help and solutions in times of trouble:
i. "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. " (Hebrews 4:16)
ii. "'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' "Behold, all those who are angered at you will be shamed and dishonored; Those who contend with you will be as nothing and will perish. "You will seek those who quarrel with you, but will not find them, Those who war with you will be as nothing and non-existent. "For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, Who says to you, 'Do not fear, I will help you.' " (Isaiah 41:10-13)
iii. "God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. " (Psalm 46:1)
B. My Spiritual outlook and focus:
B1. I realize that my only purpose on earth is to serve God and every other activity is a smokescreen of futility. I realize that in 50,000 years, the only thing that will matter about my life on earth now, is how I focused on Christ: Ecclesiastes 2:17, Ecclesiastes 2:22-23; 1 Peter 1:17
a. "So I hated life, for the work which had been done under the sun was grievous to me; because everything is futility and striving after wind. " (Ecclesiastes 2:17)
b. "For what does a man get in all his labor and in his striving with which he labors under the sun? Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is vanity. " (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23)
c. "If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; " (1 Peter 1:17)
B2. I focus my hope on riches in heaven above because earthly riches do not provide happiness today or in eternity: 2 Corinthians 4:17-18; Ecclesiastes 5:16-17, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Prov 13:7; Prov 13:12; Prov 13:19; Prov 28:11; 1 Timothy 6:9-10
a. "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. " (Matthew 6:24)
b. "For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. " (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)
c. "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. " (Ecclesiastes 5:10)
d. "This also is a grievous evil—exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind? Throughout his life he also eats in darkness with great vexation, sickness and anger. " (Ecclesiastes 5:16-17)
e. "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. " (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
f. "There is one who pretends to be rich, but has nothing; Another pretends to be poor, but has great wealth. " (Proverbs 13:7)
g. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life. " (Proverbs 13:12)
h. "Desire realized is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to turn away from evil. " (Proverbs 13:19)
i. "The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding sees through him. " (Proverbs 28:11)
j. "But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. " (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
k. "The righteous will see [the wicked] and fear, And will laugh at him [the wicked], saying, "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire." But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the lovingkindness of God forever and ever. " (Psalm 52:6-8)
B3. I will focus on inward integrity rather than on my outward beauty, power, wisdom and fame: Prov 11:22; Jeremiah 9:23-24; 1 Peter 3:4
a. "As a ring of gold in a swine's snout, so is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion. " (Proverbs 11:22)
b. "Thus says the Lord, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the Lord. " (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
c. "but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)
B4. Although I am a sinner, I will focus on the perfection of Jesus Christ and all that is good, positive and pure: Prov 12:25; Prov 15:30; Prov 25:25; Philippians 4:8-9; Hebrews 12:1-3
a. "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. " (Hebrews 12:1-3)
b. "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. " (Proverbs 12:25)
c. "Bright eyes gladden the heart; Good news puts fat on the bones. " (Proverbs 15:30)
d. "Like cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a distant land. " (Proverbs 25:25)
e. "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. " (Philippians 4:8-9)
B5. I realize that I must chose to obey one of two masters; the devil or Christ; and if I obey sin, I will be unhappy, but if all my thoughts and actions are obedient to Christ, I will be happy and at peace. I accept that if I do not actively and openly choose to obey Jesus as my master, I have in fact, chosen the devil as my master by default. Romans 6:16-18; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Romans 16:25-26; Romans 6:16; 1 Peter 1:14
a. "He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me, scatters. ... No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other." (Luke 11:23; 16:13)
b. "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. " (Romans 6:16-18)
c. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. " (2 Corinthians 10:3-6)
d. "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith" (Romans 16:25-26)
e. "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? " (Romans 6:16)
f. "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, " (1 Peter 1:14)
B6. I accept that if my life is full of willful sin, that I will suffer hurt and harm without realizing the cause of my unhappiness is the sin itself. I realize that the greatest obstacle to solving my own problems, is admitting my own person contribution to those problems. I realize that if my life is "on fire" and I am unhappy and I do not attend church every Sunday, that I am most likely suffering the consequences of being a non-Christian. 1 Peter 4:3-5; Prov 4:18-19; Prov 5:6; Prov 5:11-14; Prov 5:22; Prov 8:36; Prov 14:1; Prov 14:3; Prov 14:12; Romans 1:27; 1 Corinthians 6:18
a. "For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. " (1 Peter 4:3-5)
b. "But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble. " (Proverbs 4:18-19)
c. "She does not ponder the path of life; Her ways are unstable, she does not know it. " (Proverbs 5:6)
d. "And you groan at your final end, When your flesh and your body are consumed; And you say, "How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! "I have not listened to the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to my instructors! "I was almost in utter ruin In the midst of the assembly and congregation." (Proverbs 5:11-14)
e. "His own iniquities will capture the wicked, And he will be held with the cords of his sin. " (Proverbs 5:22)
f. "But he who sins against wisdom injures himself; All those who hate wisdom love death." (Proverbs 8:36)
g. "The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish tears it down with her own hands. " (Proverbs 14:1)
h. "In the mouth of the foolish is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise will protect them. " (Proverbs 14:3)
i. "There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. " (Proverbs 14:12)
j. "and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. " (Romans 1:27)
k. "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. " (1 Corinthians 6:18)
l. "O Lord, rebuke me not in Your wrath, And chasten me not in Your burning anger. For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, And Your hand has pressed down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; There is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities are gone over my head; As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me. My wounds grow foul and fester Because of my folly. ... Lord, all my desire is before You; And my sighing is not hidden from You. ... For I am ready to fall [die], And my sorrow [depression] is continually before me. For I confess my iniquity; I am full of anxiety because of my sin. " Psalm 38:1-5, 9, 17-18
m. "So the king said to me, "Why is your face sad though you are not [physically] sick? This is nothing but sadness of heart." Then I was very much afraid." Nehemiah 2:2
n. "As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man. " (Proverbs 27:19)
o. "How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit! When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer." Psalm 32:1-4
p. "So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:3-7
q. "Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the Lord, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him. Where will you be stricken again, As you continue in your rebellion? The whole head is sick And the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head There is nothing sound in it, Only bruises, welts and raw wounds, Not pressed out or bandaged, Nor softened with oil." Isaiah 1:4-6
r. "For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Romans 1:21
s. "Who is the man who desires life And loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit. " Psalm 34:12-13
B7. When others sin against me and I experience persecution and hardship, I will sing and sleep sweetly, being neither afraid nor anxious and rejoice in God as my protector and avenger. Proverbs 3:24-26, Psalm 4:8, Ecclesiastes 5:12, Proverbs 19:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:4-9
a. "When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the Lord will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught. " (Proverbs 3:24-26)
b. "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. " (James 1:2-4)
c. "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. " (James 1:12)
d. "As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. " (James 5:10-11)
e. "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty [hardship and persecution] that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. " (1 Peter 4:12-19)
f. "Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. " (2 Corinthians 12:10-11)
g. "In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety. " (Psalm 4:8)
h. "The sleep of the working man is pleasant, whether he eats little or much; but the full stomach of the rich man does not allow him to sleep. " (Ecclesiastes 5:12)
i. "Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable. For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. " (1 Peter 2:18-20)
j. "The fear of the Lord leads to life, So that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil. " (Proverbs 19:23)
k. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. " (1 John 4:18)
l. "therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure. This is a plain indication of God's righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, " (2 Thessalonians 1:4-9)
m. "The crowd rose up together against Paul and Silas, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; " (Acts 16:22-25)
n. "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me. " (Philippians 1:27-30)
o. "Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time." And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die [depressed and suicidal], and said, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers." He lay down and slept [over tired] under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, "Arise, eat." [poor eating habits] Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. The angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you." So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God. Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He said, "I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away." (1 Kings 19:2-10)
C. My view of self:
C1. I accept that in spite of being worthless sinner, that I am the object of God's love because He sent his son Jesus to die for us on the cross to save me. Rom 5:8-11; LK 17:10; Prov 15:17
a. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. " (Romans 5:8-11)
b. "He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. " (Titus 3:5-7)
c. "Better is a dish of vegetables where love is Than a fattened ox served with hatred. " (Proverbs 15:17)
d. "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.' " (Luke 17:10)
e. "How much less man, that maggot, And the son of man, that worm!" (Job 25:6)
f. "Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel; I will help you," declares the Lord, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. " (Isaiah 41:14)
C2. I submit to all others, viewing everyone else as more important than myself. Phil 2:3
a. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; " (Philippians 2:3)
b. "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. " (Romans 12:3)
c. "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; " (Romans 12:10)
d. "be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. " (Ephesians 5:21)
C3. I view myself as a talented nobody with low self-esteem but high self confidence in my skills. 2 Cor 12:10-11; Prov 16:18
a. "I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. " (2 Corinthians 12:11)
b. "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling. " (Proverbs 16:18)
C4. I will be known as humble not haughty or arrogant and my praise will come from others, not myself. Prov 21:4; Prov 25:6-7; Luke 14:7-11; Proverbs 27:2
a. "Haughty eyes and a proud heart, The lamp of the wicked, is sin. " (Proverbs 21:4)
b. "Do not claim honor in the presence of the king, And do not stand in the place of great men; For it is better that it be said to you, "Come up here," Than for you to be placed lower in the presence of the prince, Whom your eyes have seen. " (Proverbs 25:6-7)
c. "And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this man,' and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. "But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher'; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:7-11)
d. "Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. " (Proverbs 27:2)
D. My conduct in everyday life:
D1. I will exercise self control in every area of my life: Prov 16:32; Prov 17:27; Prov 25:28
a. "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. " (Proverbs 16:32)
b. "He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. " (Proverbs 17:27)
c. "Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit. " (Proverbs 25:28)
d. "But as he was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you." (Acts 24:25)
D2. I will make my best effort to be at peace with all men. Instead of taunting, teasing and harassing my enemies when they deserve it, I will bless and pray for them: Romans 12:14,18; Romans 14:19; Mark 9:50; Luke 6:27-29; Prov 16:7; 1 Corinthians 4:12
a. "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. " (Romans 12:18)
b. "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. " (Romans 12:14)
c. "So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. " (Romans 14:19)
d. "But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. " (Luke 6:27-29)
e. "Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another." (Mark 9:50)
f. "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. " (Proverbs 16:7)
g. "and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; " (1 Corinthians 4:12)
D3. When I (the husband) yell, scream and swear at my wife, I am not showing her honour as an equal or making her feel I love her so much that I would be willing to die for her and accept the fact that I am sinning and do not expect God to answer my prayers. When I (the wife) am engaged in conflict with my husband, I (the wife will) never address my husband above a quiet, respectful, submissive whisper. Of course, if we are playing, having fun or he is about to get run over by a train, then its ok to scream at him. Prov 19:13-14; Prov 26:20-21; 1 Peter 3:1-7; Ephesians 5:33
a. "A foolish son is destruction to his father, And the contentions of a wife are a constant dripping. House and wealth are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord. " (Proverbs 19:13-14)
b. "For lack of wood the fire goes out, And where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down. Like charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. " (Proverbs 26:20-21)
c. "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands so that even if any of them are disobedient to the word, they may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your chaste and respectful behavior. Your adornment must not be merely external—braiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God. For in this way in former times the holy women also, who hoped in God, used to adorn themselves, being submissive to their own husbands; just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, and you have become her children if you do what is right without being frightened by any fear. You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing. " (1 Peter 3:1-9)
d. "Nevertheless, each individual among you also is to love his own wife even as himself, and the wife must see to it that she respects her husband. " (Ephesians 5:33)
D4. As a parent, I will accept direct blame for the bad behavior of my children at home and in school, realizing there are no bad kids, only bad parents. I will also never give drugs to my children like Ritalin or anti-depressants to make up for my own parenting failures and turn them into disabled zombified junkies. Proverbs 13:24; Proverbs 17:25; Proverbs 23:13-14; Proverbs 19:18; Proverbs 29:15
a. "He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. " (Proverbs 13:24)
b. "A foolish son is a grief to his father And bitterness to her who bore him. " (Proverbs 17:25)
c. "Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol. " (Proverbs 23:13-14)
d. "Discipline your son while there is hope, And do not desire his death. " (Proverbs 19:18)
e. "The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. " (Proverbs 29:15)
f. "Far too many children today are sullen, unfriendly, distant, preoccupied, and even unpleasant," Shaw argues. "They whine, nag, throw tantrums, and demand constant attention from their parents, who are spread too thin to spend enough time with them. Feeling guilty and anxious, the parents in turn sooth their kids with unhealthy snacks, faddish clothing, toys, and media. ... A host of new 'clinical diagnoses' have been invented to explain why children seem totally spoiled, untrained, and unsocialized, and an incredibly large number of children have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and bombarded with psychoactive drugs." (The Epidemic , Dr. Robert Shaw, psychiatrist, director of Family Institute of Berkeley)
D5. As long as I am physically or medically capable, I will not be lazy and allow others to support me, but will work 6 days a week, even if my net income is less than on welfare or psychiatric disability. Prov 18:9; Prov 19:24; Prov 26:13-17; 2 Thessalonians 3:11-13
a. "He also who is slack in his work Is brother to him who destroys. " (Proverbs 18:9)
b. "The sluggard buries his hand in the dish, But will not even bring it back to his mouth. " (Proverbs 19:24)
c. "The sluggard says, "There is a lion in the road! A lion is in the open square!" As the door turns on its hinges, So does the sluggard on his bed. The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; He is weary of bringing it to his mouth again. The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes, than seven men who can give a discreet answer." (Proverbs 26:13-17)
d. "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame." (2 Thessalonians 3:10-14)
D6. Regardless of how I have been hurt by others in the past or present, I rejoice and leap for joy because of my future reward of heaven. Lk 6:23; Prov 17:22; Phil 4:4
a. "Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. " (Luke 6:23)
b. "A joyful heart is good medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones. " (Proverbs 17:22)
c. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! " (Philippians 4:4)
D7. I accept that anxiety is a sin that Jesus forbad, so I forget the past, and am not anxious or worrying about the future, but focus only on today by peacefully trusting in God. Mt 6:25-34; Ecclesiastes 9:1; Prov 12:25; Prov 14:30; Prov 27:1; James 4:13-16; Philippians 4:6-7
a. "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? "And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. " (Matthew 6:25-34)
b. "For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him. " (Ecclesiastes 9:1)
c. "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. " (Proverbs 12:25)
d. "A tranquil heart is life to the body, But passion is rottenness to the bones. " (Proverbs 14:30)
e. "Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth. " (Proverbs 27:1)
f. "But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:40-42
g. "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. " (James 4:13-16)
h. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. " (Philippians 4:6-7)
i. "But he who listens to me shall live securely And will be at ease from the dread of evil." Proverbs 1:33
j. "I sought the LORD, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. ... Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. " (Psalm 34:4,19)
k. "Cast your burden [anxiety] upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. " (Psalm 55:22)
l. "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence. O my God, my soul is in despair within me; Therefore I remember You. " (Psalm 42:5-6)
D8. I am never angry for more than 24 hours, since I always discharge all anger when I go to bed. Eph 4:26; Ecclesiastes 7:9; Prov 14:29; Prov 15:18; Prov 16:32; Prov 17:14; Prov 29:11
a. "Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, " (Ephesians 4:26)
b. "Do not be eager in your heart to be angry, For anger resides in the bosom of fools. " (Ecclesiastes 7:9)
c. "He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly. " (Proverbs 14:29)
d. "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But the slow to anger calms a dispute. " (Proverbs 15:18)
e. "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. " (Proverbs 16:32)
f. "The beginning of strife is like letting out water, So abandon the quarrel before it breaks out. " (Proverbs 17:14)
g. "A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back. " (Proverbs 29:11)
D9. I am content in my present difficult life circumstance, regardless of how much better it may have been in the past. Prov 15:13; Prov 18:14; Prov 30:7-9; Romans 8:18-19
a. "A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. " (Proverbs 15:13)
b. "The spirit of a man can endure his sickness, But as for a broken spirit who can bear it? " (Proverbs 18:14)
c. "Two things I asked of You, Do not refuse me before I die: Keep deception and lies far from me, Give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God. " (Proverbs 30:7-9)
d. "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. " (1 Timothy 6:6-10)
e. "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. " (Philippians 4:11-13)
f. "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," (Hebrews 13:5)
g. "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. " (Romans 8:18-19)
D10. When others sin against me, I never retaliate with vengeance, but pray to God to bless them, knowing God will seek my revenge if he judges such is needed and just. Leviticus 19:18; Prov 24:29; Mt 5:44-48; Luke 6:31; Matthew 7:12; Proverbs 25:21-22; Exodus 23:4; Romans 12:19-21
a. "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. " (Exodus 23:4)
b. "'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. " (Leviticus 19:18)
c. "Do not say, "Thus I shall do to him as he has done to me; I will render to the man according to his work." (Proverbs 24:29)
d. "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? "If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. " (Matthew 5:44-48)
e. "Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. " (Luke 6:31)
f. "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. " (Matthew 7:12)
g. "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For you will heap burning coals on his head, And the Lord will reward you. " (Proverbs 25:21-22)
h. "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. "But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. " (Romans 12:19-21)
i. David spared Saul: "Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the LORD had given you today into my hand in the cave, and some said to kill you, but my eye had pity on you; and I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD'S anointed.' "Now, my father, see! Indeed, see the edge of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the edge of your robe and did not kill you, know and perceive that there is no evil or rebellion in my hands, and I have not sinned against you, though you are lying in wait for my life to take it. " (1 Samuel 24:10-11)
D11. When someone has sinned against me, I will forgive them and not hold a grudge against them.
a. "love does not seek its own, love is not provoked, love does not take into account a wrong suffered, " (1 Corinthians 13:5)
b. "Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. " (Proverbs 10:12)
c. "He who conceals a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends. " (Proverbs 17:9)
d. "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. " (1 Peter 4:8)
e. "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. " (Matthew 6:14-15)
f. "'You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. " (Leviticus 19:18)
g. "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. " (Ephesians 4:32)
h. "bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. " (Colossians 3:13)
i. "Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. "When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. "But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. "So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.' "And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, 'Pay back what you owe.' "So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, 'Have patience with me and I will repay you.' "But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. "So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. "Then summoning him, his lord said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." " (Matthew 18:21-35)
E. My complaints:
E1. I realize that my greatest hardship and difficulty is no different than what is commonly experienced by all others and that my situation is not unique. No matter how hard my trials and tribulations are, I will not use my hardships as an excuse to escape the basic duties of life and become dependent, unable to work. 1 Peter 5:6-10
a. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. " (1 Peter 5:6-10)
b. "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. "For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
c. "Paul strengthened the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22)
d. "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. " (1 Corinthians 10:13)
E2. When I am not happy with the status of my life situation, I will not complain, gripe, grumble, be negative or walk around looking like I was weaned on a sour pickle but will focus on the beauty of Christ.
a. "Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. " (John 6:43)
b. "Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, " (Philippians 2:14-15)
c. "Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, "Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! "Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?" So they said to one another, "Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt." (Numbers 14:1-4)
d. "Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the Lord; and when the Lord heard it, His anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp. " (Numbers 11:1)
e. "Nor grumble, as some of them did [in the wilderness], and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. " (1 Corinthians 10:10-13)
E3. I promise that if I ever think about committing suicide, that I immediately get the personal cell phone number of a trusted friend, keep it with me day or night, and call before I do myself any harm. I realize that suicide is a sin, often motivated by anger and revenge against my own failures and others whom I feel have failed me. I realize that if I trusted in God with all my heart, I would be content in my failures and be filled with a new purpose and joy of living eternally in paradise. Although I am free to choose to kill myself or others, I will accept the consequences of my choices in this life and the next. Exodus 20:13; Genesis 9:6
a. "You shall not murder. " (Exodus 20:13)
b. "Whoever sheds man's blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man. " (Genesis 9:6)
F. My addictions: "Epicurean Hedonism"
F1. Fitness, Obesity, Cigarettes: I will not be more than 50 pounds overweight or out of shape, but will show self-control by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. I accept that if I am overweight, that it is because I am stuffing too many Twinkies in my mouth while sitting on the couch all day and this will lead to diabetes, heart attack and a long list of diseases that will kill me just as sure as if I had smoked a pack of cigarettes every day. I know that obesity is caused by consuming more calories than I burn each day. I recognize that unfitness, obesity and smoking cigarettes are addictions due to my own lack of self control which destroys my body temple that belongs to God. Prov 25:16; 1 Timothy 4:8; 1 Cor 9:25-27; Proverbs 25:28; 2 Peter 2:19; 1 Corinthians 3:17; 6:19-20
a. "Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, That you not have it in excess and vomit it. " (Proverbs 25:16)
b. "for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. " (1 Timothy 4:8)
c. "Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. " (1 Corinthians 9:25-27)
d. "promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. " (2 Peter 2:19)
e. "Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit. " (Proverbs 25:28)
f. "If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. " (1 Corinthians 3:17)
g. "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. " (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
F2. Alcohol: I will not drink alcohol: Prov 20:1; Prov 23:29-35; Prov 31:4-7; Hosea 4:11; Isaiah 28:7; Isaiah 56:12
a. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, And whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise. " (Proverbs 20:1)
b. "Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things. And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. "They struck me, but I did not become ill; They beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink." (Proverbs 23:29-35)
c. "It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Or for rulers to desire strong drink, For they will drink and forget what is decreed, And pervert the rights of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is perishing, And wine to him whose life is bitter. Let him drink and forget his poverty And remember his trouble no more. " (Proverbs 31:4-7)
d. "Harlotry, wine and new wine take away the understanding. " (Hosea 4:11)
e. "And these also reel with wine and stagger from strong drink: The priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, They are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; They reel while having visions, They totter when rendering judgment. " (Isaiah 28:7)
f. "Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink, " (Isaiah 5:22)
g. "Come," they say, "let us get wine, and let us drink heavily of strong drink; And tomorrow will be like today, only more so." (Isaiah 56:12)
F3. Drugs: I will not use mind altering drugs for recreational purposes like marijuana, shrooms, Ecstasy, crack, etc. I will not use any drug prescribed by a psychiatrist or my family doctor to alter my mood or behavior, including psychotropics, neuroleptics, anti-depressants, SSRI's, MAOI's, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, since they turn me into an addicted junkie, cause stupefying brain damage and disable me. I accept that the sin of pharmakia (Gal 5:20 - sorcery) which involves the use of mind altering, stupefying, entrancing, spell inducing drugs, is exactly what all psychiatric drugs do. I realize that it is just as sinful to allow a doctor to prescribe alcohol so that I am drunk all day long for a month, as it is for a psychiatrist to prescribe drugs that stupefy me every day for a month.
a. "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery (pharmakia), enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, " (Galatians 5:19-20)
b. "and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery (pharmakia). " (Revelation 18:23)
c. "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers (pharmakia) and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)
G. My nervous Habits: (Addictions of the will)
G1. I accept that all unnatural, repetitive thoughts or actions including Tourette's, obsessive compulsive disorder "OCD", ticks, stuttering, nail biting, blinking, grunting, etc. are freewill choices of my spirit and not biological or genetic diseases. I realize that I can overcome these psychological addictions through self-control and the power of mind over body.
a. "I discipline my body and make it my slave" (1 Corinthians 9:27)
b. "Respect what is right in the sight of all men. " (Romans 12:17)
c. "we have regard for what is honorable, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men. " (2 Cor 8:21)
d. "make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. " (Romans 13:14)
e. "For we also once were foolish ourselves ... deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures " (Titus 3:3)
H. My psychotic delusions:
H1. I realize that if I do not love truth and chose to sin, that God will allow me to become delusional in my thinking. I understand that insanity is not caused by chemical imbalances of the brain, but is a sinful behaviour of my own personal choice. I accept that being diagnosed with "schizophrenia" is the atheist's label for my delusional behaviour and may indicate I am under the curse of God.
a. "[if you are a sinner] The Lord will smite you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and with the scab and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. "The Lord will smite you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart; and you will grope at noon, as the blind man gropes in darkness, and you will not prosper in your ways; but you shall only be oppressed and robbed continually, with none to save you. ... You shall be driven mad by the sight of what you see. " (Deuteronomy 28:27-29, 34)
b. "with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. " (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12)
c. "They will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them." (Jeremiah 25:16)
d. "In that day," declares the Lord, "I will strike every horse with bewilderment and his rider with madness. But I will watch over the house of Judah, while I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. " (Zechariah 12:4)
e. "the lips of a fool consume him; the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. " (Ecclesiastes 10:12-13)
H2. I will take full blame for all my behaviours even if my psychiatrist tells me that my depression or anxiety is no more my fault than an insulin imbalance that causes diabetes. I accept that nobody but myself can possibly be blamed for my behaviours and I have full control over how I chose to act. I reject the opinions of psychiatrists that schizophrenia (delusion) is a chronic and deteriorating disease of a broken brain.
a. "on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. " (Romans 2:16)
b. "God has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:31)
c. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. " (2 Corinthians 5:10)
H3. I realize that my delusional and psychotic behaviors are freewill conscious solutions to my own personal problems. I will be honest when I ask myself, "if this psychotic behavior is the solution... which of my personal problems does it solve?" Although my friends and family may be unable to understand how my delusions solve my problems, I know that God can see through my theatrical behavior and I will give account to him for my delusions. Jeremiah 17:9-10; Mark 7:21-23
a. "The heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick; Who can understand it? "I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give to each man according to his ways, According to the results of his deeds. " (Jeremiah 17:9-10)
b. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. "All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man." (Mark 7:21-23)
H4. When someone asks me why I am behaving in a delusional, attention seeking, unusual or psychotic way, I realize my first three answers will probably be lies to hide the real reason. I accept the "rule of thumb" that if my answer makes no sense, then it is probably a lie and I should expect my enquirer to keep asking for me to come clean with the truth. Before I offer any excuse to my counselor for my psychotic behaviour, I will first imagine that a 5 year old first offered the same excuse to me and if I reject my excuse from the mouth of a 5 year old, I should not be surprised when my wise counselor rejects the same excuse from me. I understand that my only escape from delusion is repentance, confession of my sins and a conscious change in my behaviour to be truthful and honest.
a. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. " (John 8:44)
H5. I realize that sometimes, creating a delusional, fantasy world (schizophrenia) can be a solution to cruel oppression or childhood abuse etc. and allow me to escape an unpleasant truthful reality. In times like these, I will always remember that God is there to comfort me. I accept that creating a false reality and withdrawing into my own fantasy world is a bad choice for me to make as it does not solve my problems but compounds them.
a. "Then I looked again at all the acts of oppression which were being done under the sun. And behold I saw the tears of the oppressed and that they had no one to comfort them; and on the side of their oppressors was power, but they had no one to comfort them. ... For oppression makes a wise man mad. " (Ecclesiastes 4:1; 7:7)
H6. I will never use any life trauma, persecution, abuse or difficulty as an excuse to become dependent on others and thereby shirk my duties to work, be self-sufficient and independent. I accept that if I ever give up on life and choose to catatonically curl up into fetal ball on a cold floor in the corner of room unwilling to even feed myself, that this is a freewill choice I made because I had lost all hope.
a. "For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. " (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
b. "make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need. " (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12)
I. If I need a counselor to talk to about my problems:
I1. I will remember that God Is my perfect counselor... and He is doesn't charge $125 for 30 minutes of counseling! Psalm 73:21-24; Isaiah 9:6; John 14:16; Psalm 119:24; Rom 15:14
I2. I realize that just as I am perfectly capable of functioning as a counselor to others, I am equally capable of being a counselor to myself, therefore I need to imagine what advice I would give my children or friend in the same situation, then take my own advice. This saves the others a lot of time and trouble. 2 Samuel 12:5-7; Esther 6:10
a. "Then David's anger burned greatly against the man, and he said to Nathan, "As the Lord lives, surely the man who has done this deserves to die. "He must make restitution for the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and had no compassion." Nathan then said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel, 'It is I who anointed you king over Israel and it is I who delivered you from the hand of Saul. " (2 Samuel 12:5-7)
b. "Then the king said to Haman, "Take quickly the robes and the horse as you have said, and do so for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the king's gate; do not fall short in anything of all that you have said." (Esther 6:10)
I3. If I still feel I need someone to counsel me, I will make my choice based on a trusted friend's wisdom and experience, not some stranger with scholastic credentials in psychology or therapy. If I feel the need to choose a counselor, I will select an older person who already knows me personally. However, if I must chose a stranger who is a professionally certified therapist, psychologist or counselor, I am prepared to pay this person $125 every week for a year ($6500) to get to know me. I realize I can save a lot of money by seeking out a counselor who already knows me. I realize that the first 25 sessions of professional therapy merely allows the therapist to learn who I am... the way my best friend and family and your church minister and elders already know me on the first free counseling session over a cup of coffee. Prov 20:5; Prov 27:9; Prov 27:10
a. "A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out. " (Proverbs 20:5)
b. "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man's counsel is sweet to his friend. " (Proverbs 27:9)
c. "Do not forsake your own friend or your father's friend, And do not go to your brother's house in the day of your calamity; Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away. " (Proverbs 27:10)
I4. I realize that most professional counselors and psychotherapists are trained to say little and give no direct advice but are making you pay for an hour of solitary confinement... which has been known to drive some people insane. I realize that when I ask my "professional counselor" for advice on something specific and he replies, "what do you think", that I might as well pay money to talk to a tree trunk. I realize that a good counselor will give solid advice the very first hour.
a. "Jesus said to them, "Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?" But they kept silent. After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart" (Mark 3:4-5)
I5. When I explain my problems to my chosen counselor, I will be prudent and honest by supplying information that makes me look bad and at fault, since these facts will eventually be learned by my counselor when he asks for the other's side of the story. Prov 18:17
a. "The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him. " (Proverbs 18:17)
I6. I accept that my own sinful choices and conduct are the cause of my own inner guilt and the shame disgrace I feel from others. I promise not to troll on the waters of self-pity for a compliment to deflect attention away from guilt and my need for repentance. I also accept that guilt is evidence of a correctly operating conscience and that the solution to guilt is changing my behavior through repentance. I realize that allowing me to be showered with compliments and praise by my counselor is a narcissistic deceptive solution to guilt. Proverbs 28:23; Romans 2:15; 1 Samuel 24:5; 1 Timothy 1:5, 19; Titus 1:15
a. "He who rebukes a man will afterward find more favor, than he who flatters with the tongue. " (Proverbs 28:23)
b. "they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, " (Romans 2:15)
c. "It came about afterward that David's conscience bothered him " (1 Samuel 24:5)
d. "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. " (1 Timothy 1:5)
e. "keep faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. " (1 Timothy 1:19)
f. "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. " (Titus 1:15)
I7. I will not be offended when others immediately mark and rebuke my sinful, odd, attention seeking or psychotic behaviours the first time they see it. Romans 12:17; 1 Peter 2:12; 2 Thess 3:14-15
a. "Respect what is right in the sight of all men. " (Romans 12:17)
b. "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. " (1 Peter 2:12)
c. "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. " (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15)
I8. I will never blame my sinful, odd or psychotic behaviours or alleged "mental illness" on chemical imbalances or bad DNA because as a Christian, I know that choice, mood and memory have origin in the spirit, not the brain. Christ's teaching of conscious life after death proves memories are not stored in the brain, since we retain our memories even after we die and our brain is destroyed. Ecclesiastes 12:7, Luke 16:22-24
a. "then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it. " (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
b. "Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' " (Luke 16:22-24)
I9. I realize that each DSM label of a mental disease is diagnosed by identifying various collections of sinful behaviors. I understand that the same behaviours which my church minister labels as sin in the Bible, are labeled by psychiatrists as mental illnesses in their Bible which they call the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM). I understand that psychiatrists are "secular church ministers" and psychiatry is the government tool of secular moral control. I accept that psychiatrists function as both secular pastors as well as moral policeman and jailers.
a. "Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. " (1 John 3:4)
I10. I will take the advice I am given, even if it is not what I want to hear. I realize that if I sought out 10 different counselors, that they would all give me the same advice.
a. "To me they listened and waited, And kept silent for my counsel. After my words they did not speak again, And my speech dropped on them. " (Job 29:21-22)
b. "Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear. " (Proverbs 25:12)
c. "Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wiser, Teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning. " (Proverbs 9:8-9)
I11. I realize that those whom I seek help with my problems are fallible sinners just like me who may fail me and that my only trust should be in God alone who indeed is the perfect counselor.
a. "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, " (Romans 3:23)
J. If I am asked by another to be their counselor:
J1. When I counsel others, my demeanor will always be loving, kind, humble, truthful and empathetic with a view to their own best interest when either the need of the moment is an encouraging word of sympathy or a harsh rebuke that "hurts their feelings". 2 Timothy 2:24-26; Prov 28:23; Prov 16:24; Prov 17:10; Prov 27:5-6; John 8:40; Prov 27:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20; Jude 22-23
a. "The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. " (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
b. "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. " (Proverbs 16:24)
c. "A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool. " (Proverbs 17:10)
d. "Better is open rebuke, than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. " (Proverbs 27:5-6)
e. "But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. " (John 8:40)
f. "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, So a man's counsel is sweet to his friend. " (Proverbs 27:9)
g. "Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. " (Ecclesiastes 7:20)
h. "Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. " (Galatians 6:1)
i. "My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. " (James 5:19-20)
j. "And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. " (Jude 22-23)
J2. I will listen intently with loving compassion when someone tells me their problems, not jumping to judgment.
a. "This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; " (James 1:19)
b. "He who restrains his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool, when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent. " (Proverbs 17:27-28)
c. "When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. " (Proverbs 10:19)
J3. I will be sensitive, compassionate and empathetic to the feelings of others when I talk (counsel) to them and chose my words wisely: Proverbs 25:11-12; Prov 25:20; Prov 27:14; Colossians 4:6; Proverbs 15:23; Ephesians 4:29
a. "Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in right circumstances. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold Is a wise reprover to a listening ear. " (Proverbs 25:11-12)
b. "Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, or like vinegar on soda, Is he who sings songs to a troubled heart. " (Proverbs 25:20)
c. "He who blesses his friend with a loud voice early in the morning, It will be reckoned a curse to him. " (Proverbs 27:14)
d. "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. " (Colossians 4:6)
e. "A man has joy in an apt answer, And how delightful is a timely word! " (Proverbs 15:23)
f. "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. " (Ephesians 4:29)
J4. I understand that the same moral rules and barriers to human touching apply in private counseling as if we were at the Sunday morning worship service. I understand that every Christians knows the "barriers and boundaries" involved in private counseling and have God a witness to enforce them, but psychologists and therapists must learn these basic Christian moral barriers and be constantly reminded of them, since they have no one higher than themselves to hold them accountable if they cross them. Psychologists are afraid of outward human law, Christians fear God out of inward faith and morals.
a. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. " (Proverbs 15:3)
b. "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. " (Hebrews 4:13)
c. "For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this." (2 Chronicles 16:9)
J5. I will always be calm and not react as though there is some emergency, no matter how bizarre are the things I am told or how urgent and excited is the person who is telling them.
a. "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one might say, "See this, it is new"? Already it has existed for ages which were before us. " (Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)
J6. I realize that some people are beyond help and I will have the wisdom to know when to give up trying: Matthew 7:6; Proverbs 12:15; Prov 19:19; Prov 26:3; Prov 26:11; Prov 27:15-16; Prov 29:1; Prov 30:20
a. "Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. " (Matthew 7:6)
b. "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel. " (Proverbs 12:15)
c. "A man of great anger will bear the penalty, For if you rescue him, you will only have to do it again. " (Proverbs 19:19)
d. "A whip is for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, And a rod for the back of fools. " (Proverbs 26:3)
e. "Like a dog that returns to its vomit Is a fool who repeats his folly. " (Proverbs 26:11)
f. "A constant dripping on a day of steady rain And a contentious woman are alike; He who would restrain her restrains the wind, And grasps oil with his right hand. " (Proverbs 27:15-16)
g. "A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. " (Proverbs 29:1)
h. "This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, "I have done no wrong." (Proverbs 30:20)
Conclusion:
1. “The way of the wicked is like darkness; They do not know over what they stumble.” (Proverbs 4:19)
a. Many people are hurting without ever knowing why.
b. Any "NO" answers to the above questions, are the cause of most of your problems.
c. You need to live your life in such a way, so as to answer, "yes" to all the above questions.
2. We are all sinners but Jesus died on the cross so that all your sins could be forgiven and forgotten.
3. You can look up all sins in your own Bible: Gal 5:19-21; Rom 1:29-32; 3:23; 13:1-13; 2 Cor 12:20-21; Eph 5:3-5; 1 Tim 1:8-10; 2 Tim 3:1-8; Lev 18; Job 31; Deut 18:9-12; 22:5; 2 Chron 33:6; Titus 1:5-12; Matt 6:7; Lk 15:12; Jas 4:17; 1 Jn 3:4; Rev 21:8; 22:15.
5. You have now completed Self Help Biblical Psychiatry Test #2.
6. You are ready for Self Help Biblical
Psychiatry Test #3: Etiological
Diagnostic Snapsheet (EDS-7)
(click on book)
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Self Help Counseling! "Psychiatry" is a Greek word meaning "doctor of the soul" |
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Be your own psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist and counselor 1. "The spirit of a man can endure his [physical] sickness, But as for a broken spirit who can bear it? " (Proverbs 18:14) 2. "Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, But a good word makes it glad. " (Proverbs 12:25) 3. "A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. " (Proverbs 15:13) 4. "Words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious, while the lips of a fool consume him; the beginning of his talking is folly and the end of it is wicked madness. " (Ecclesiastes 10:12-13) 5. "The hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. " (Ecclesiastes 9:3) 6. "The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9 7. "And hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:17 8. "God heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. " (Psalm 147:3) |
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By Steve Rudd: Contact the author for comments, input or corrections.
Send us your story about your experience with modern Psychiatry