What Real Encouragement Looks Like Sometimes!

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Who would've thought that "encouraging each other in the Lord" would take the form of two hours of telling each other, "Yep, that crap's hard!"?

- A text I got from a friend after a long conversation about the trials we've been through, the heartaches we've known, and how difficult life can be sometimes.  It made me smile!

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Be Wary Of The Christian Post

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(Written 6/15/18)  Occasionally, I check in with the Christian Post to see what's going on in the world that specifically relates to Christians.  And generally, I've never really had any red flags go up about this website ... until now.
A recent article by Stoyan Zaimov, with a title that starts "Christian Lesbian rock star ..." goes on to share this woman's story about being assaulted by a male priest when she was young.  
However, I don't think the reason for this article is to talk about the abuse she suffered and her courage in speaking up.  I think this is a deliberate attempt to affirm Christian homosexuality.  The very fact that they put "Christian" and "lesbian" in the title makes it sound like it's indeed possible to be a Christian and a practicing homosexual who sees no need to change.
And it seems to me that this article paints her in a heroic light, as though she is in the right and should be applauded and emulated, and as tho…
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80+ Bible Verses for Spiritual Warfare

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So I looked at the Sword of the Spirit and the power of using "It is written ..." in this earlier post.  But now I want to provide a bunch of verses to finish that sentence.  

When you face trials of various kinds, when you feel like Satan is throwing his fiery darts at you - darts of fear, despair, temptation, doubts, discouragement, etc. - say "It is written ..." followed by a Bible verse that fits.  And let God's Word help you in the battle.

If God's Word is truth and it's the truth that sets us free, why do we keep trying to do battle in our own strength and wisdom and resources?  

Go to God's Word!  Take it up as the sword it is.  And swing!

(Make the verses personal for you.  If it says "Your hope is in the Lord," say "My hope is in the Lord."  Apply God's Words to you personally and speak it out loud.  If speaking the Word is the best offensive weapon we have against evil - along with prayer - then we need to learn to use …
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Help for Anxiety, Depression, and Suicidal Thoughts

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It's so sad to hear about all the celebrities who have recently committed suicide (or about anyone who has committed suicide, for that matter).  My heart breaks for them, for the pain they went through, and for the ones who love them, for the pain they are now going through.  It is truly a tragedy.  (And it could have been me.)

To anyone who is hurting really badly, who is struggling with overwhelming anxiety or depression, who is considering taking their own lives ... I dedicate this post.  Please, take some time to look through some of the links here.  This is a round-up of some on-line resources or posts about dealing with anxiety or depression, particularly as a Christian.


But first:

Quick tips for help:
If you are desperate for some immediate help and don't want to look through the links I have below, try some of these:

1.  Put on a worship song right now.  Or sing a worship song out loud.  If demons know we are discouraged and vulnerable, they will attack harder.  But worship…
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