Condemnation - By Elizabeth York, M.Ed, LPC, LMFT
CONDEMNATION
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:1
Is this a blanket statement that removes all responsibility for obeying and all guilt for disobeying God's teachings? Does this remove the concept and consequence of 'sin'? Or is this a message of hope for all who have messed up their lives in some form or fashion?
Fear - By Elizabeth York, M.Ed, LPC, LMFT
"Fear"
For what I fear comes upon me,
And what I dread befalls me.
Job 3:25
Fear is the underlying emotion in stress, anxiety, phobias, and panic. Fear is a common human emotion on a continuum from uneasiness to full-fledged panic with physiological symptoms. Identifying the fear and considering it with logic and reason helps.
April 2012 - "First Things First"
"First Things First"
We spend too much time trying to stop negative behaviors and poor choices and not enough time focusing on the solution. If we “live by the Spirit” we will not be fighting the fleshly desires so much.
In Gal. 5:16 Paul writes, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” He has given us the solution to many of our daily struggles.
The Antidote to Despair - By Elizabeth York, M.Ed, LPC, LMFT
The Antidote to Despair
When life seems overwhelming with no signs of letting up, the missing ingredient is hope. It is hard, if not impossible, at times to see how life's trials could have any benefit to us or to others. Sometimes it takes at least five years before one can look back and see any good that was produced by times of trial. However, we are encouraged to see our trials as opportunities for growth, admittedly stretching us further than we want to be or think we can be stretched.
"Despair" - By Elizabeth York, M.Ed., LPC, LMFT
DESPAIR
I am weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I dissolve my couch with tears.
My eye has wasted away with grief;
It has become old because of my adversaries.
Psalms 6:6-7
March 2012 - "Running Into the Arms of God"
Running into the Arms of God
There is little that can give a father greater joy than to enter a room and have your child drop what he is doing a run into your arms. He doesn’t ask if you are fat, late, faithful, or lazy. He doesn’t know if you bounced a check, missed an important meeting, lost your job, or kept all your promises. No, he runs to the one who is the completion of his joy and bathes in it. In other words, “his world is a better place because he is in the arms of his father.”
February 2012 - "True Motivation"
True Motivation
Human behavior is a poor indictor of motive. WHY people do what they do is not always obvious. Biblical motivation a person is the key to a fruitful life.
Phil. 3:12-14 records Paul’s’ motivation for his daily behaviors. He “presses on” to live out the calling he has in Christ. He has not arrived, doesn’t consider himself perfect, and has many things “behind” him that could depress or derail him. But he has decided to focus on his high calling and surge forward.
What is your calling? Is it your motivation for daily choices?