by Craig McAndrews | Apr 25, 2022 | Articles
The topic of mental health is a hot one in today’s world. As a result, institutions are focused on offering support to those who need it. Individuals are admired for talking openly about it, and organizations are popping up in many places to address it. Often, at the center of the mental health challenge is anxiety. Our society is increasingly more anxious about what is happening around us. Whether it is the uncertainty of the future or the overwhelming pressure of the present, people seem captured by a sense of anxiousness. As a college professor, I see this with students. When I started teaching several years ago, the common reason for someone missing class or having an issue with an assignment was a physical illness. Today, it’s more often a mental illness issue. It’s always a challenge discerning what’s real and what’s a smokescreen because a student doesn’t do the things required of them; however, one thing is true; anxiety is weighing people down. The word of God speaks to this topic in Proverbs 12:25, which says, “Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word makes it glad.” The phrase, “weighs it down” is written as “stoop” in the King James translation, which means “to prostrate in homage, to fall flat, to do reverence, to worship.” Whatever is the object of our anxiety will cause us to worship it or pay homage to it. According to the Proverb, anxiety will cause you to focus entirely on whatever makes you anxious, which takes your eyes off Jesus. When you consider the magnitude of what is taught in this verse,...
by Ed Allen | Apr 11, 2022 | Articles
Psalms 77:11-15 11 I shall remember the deeds of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. 12 I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds. 13 Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? 14 You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples. 15 You have by Your power redeemed Your people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah. NASU (Observation) In verses 11 through 15, the Psalmist turns from lament over his present circumstances in the previous 10 verses, to remembering “Your wonders of old.” As the psalmist remembers, he turns from questioning God to praising Him. (Interpretation) The psalmist purposefully changes his focus away from his own circumstances to God’s past “redemption” of His people. Similarly, today we purposefully change our focus away from our own present circumstances to the resurrection of Jesus Christ; who “died for our sins” just as the Scriptures promised and was “raised on the third day” just as the Scriptures promised. (Cross-reference) 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (Application) As I look back to the resurrection of Jesus and what He has done in my life I cannot help but also look forward to the fulfillment of His promise of eternal live in heaven with Him, for everyone who believes, even “a...
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