#DailyScriptureWord

Baptism @ GCBC 19/2/24

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 20:00:00 GMT

Baptism @ GCBC 19/2/24

Good Morning and welcome a new week of Daily Scripture Word!

This first question for this week kicks of with...

Do you have to be baptised to join the church? If you’ve been baptised as a believer before in a different Church or denomination, is that ok or do you judge whether the baptism is ‘valid’? How would you do that?

ANSWER: In order to become a Member of the Garden City Baptist Church, Biblical Baptism is a definite requirement. In order to be clear on what I mean by “Biblical Baptism”, I am talking about full-immersion Baptism, performed by an authorised Person.

First, I want to remind all our readers of what Baptism actually is. Baptism is a Scriptural command for each and every believer and is on of their very first steps of obedience to Christ, following His Own example. See Matthew 3:13 and 28:19

Baptism is a public profession of one’s decision to follow Christ, and this is why we only ever find Adults getting baptised in The Bible. Babies and little children can hardly decide to follow Christ and forsake sin if they know nothing of these things.

Furthermore, Baptism is not required for Salvation (Romans 10:11-13, Acts 2:21), nor does it automatically make you a member of a particular Church since Baptism identifies you with Christ, not some local gathering of Christians. Baptism got connected to a particular Church’s Membership when Rome began teaching that it was necessary for Salvation, and the only way for a person to be saved was to be “a part of the Bride”, i.e. The Church. Very quickly people began to join the Church via Baptism, and the age got younger and younger until we infants of just a few hours old were being “Baptised into The Church” for Salvation. Here at GCBC we do not confuse Salvation with Baptism, nor local Church Membership with Baptism, but continue to teach all three as separate steps in a believers growth, something you can clearly see occurring (though very quickly!) in Acts 2:41.

We do find, as just mentioned, that throughout the New Testament people receiving Christ as their Saviour got baptised pretty much right away. It was not as though a persons Salvation relied on some “completion ceremony” to ‘seal-the-deal’, but more that the people getting saved in the beginning were Jews who already knew The Scriptures. Today it is not unusual for there to be gap between a persons Salvation, their Baptism, and even joining their local Church as a Member, simply because they do not know The Scriptures and need to be taught these things.

Secondly, here at GCBC we have a 4-Step process for receiving folks into Membership, and in short order that process is:

Proper Profession : A clear profession of Salvation—not relying on anything other than the blood of Christ. Their Salvation is to have no connection to Baptism, Speaking in Tongues, or even a special day (i.e. Sabbath).
Proper Understanding : A clear understanding that Scriptural Baptism is nothing more than an outward symbol of our Salvation and desire to identify with Christ.

Having provided the above, if a Member applicant was not baptised at GCBC, we would seek the following clarifications:

Proper Authority : The candidate must be able to testify that they were baptised by a Church-authorised person (Pastor, Deacon, Layman, but never a Lady) and within the auspices of a Church service, not a personal baptism at home, or by a friend in a creek, etc.
Proper Mode : The candidate must be able to testify that they were baptised by Full Immersion; Publicly; In obedience to Christs’ command, not to join a Church.

How Many? 16/2/24

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 20:00:00 GMT

How Many? 16/2/24

Good Morning and welcome to my Daily Scripture Word!

Today's question may seem simple, but take a look anyhow:

How many Disciples were there really? 12, 13, 70, 72?

ANSWER: Okay, so at the first many of you will think this a simple question, but let me answer anyhow. The title “Disciple” is used in more than one manner in The Bible and this is what gives rise the different numbers.

12 Disciples. When we refer “the Disciples”, it is always a reference to the original 12 that Jesus called specifically. You can find these 12 named in Matthew 10 and Luke 6.
13 Disciples. This usually is a reference to Paul, but the reality is he is never actually called a Disciple, but an Apostle.
70 Disciples. This is a reference to the “other seventy” that Jesus sent out on one occasion, recorded in Luke 10.
72 Disciples. This was an interesting moment, because I had never heard of this one! Anyhow, it seems that most English Versions from the KJV backwards have “70”, with most modern versions having “72”. Interestingly enough, all Jewish translations stick with “70” as it is was common to have 70 elders – Exodus 24:1, Numbers 11:16. The only 72’s being 5 references to people’s descendants in Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 2:3-4; Nehemiah 7:8-9; 11:19). With that in mind, 70 would be the correct number, as given in the old KJV.

I hope that answers your question.

Extending Love to Judas? 15/2/24

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 20:00:00 GMT

Extending Love to Judas? 15/2/24

Good Morning and welcome to another Daily Scripture Word!

Boy oh boy do we have a 'doozy' today! Take a look at this question:

John 13:20. Does this verse (use the context of Vss.1-27) say that we should think/act better towards Judas, and by extension our Judas’?

ANSWER: I have to say, this question left me a little confused. I am not really sure how you could have even arrived at wondering about Judas Iscariot here. This passage is not about Judas, it is about Jesus – receiving Jesus and receiving The Holy Spirit. If you look at Verse 20, The One Whom Jesus sends is The Holy Spirit – you find that in John 16 (which, by the way, you need to keep in mind is the same conversation as this one! There may be chapter breaks, but from chapter 13 through to the end of chapter 17, it is all the same moment in time).

John 13:20 is an affirmation of the Trinity: God The Father sent Jesus (God The Son), Who after leaven will send God The Holy Spirit. The Disciples are being instructed to receive God’s Holy Spirit in the exact same way they received Jesus, as they are equal and the same Person.

In a COMLETELY different vein, I do want to address the ‘kind-of’ question here: how do we treat a ‘Judas’? Well, I would point out that opening this chapter, Jesus washes the feet of ALL the disciples, including Judas Iscariot. What’s more, Jesus already knew that Judas would betray Him – you see it right here at the start of the Chapter (verse 2), but Jesus also knew long before this! Check out John 6:64! You have to keep in mind that, though human, Jesus was also God!

KNOWING that Judas would betray Him in short order, Jesus still washes Judas’ feet. Why? Because Jesus was here to serve a much higher purpose: to redeem the souls of Mankind! Look at verse 3:

“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God”. John 13:3

The time had come for redemptions plan to be fulfilled, and technically that also applied to Judas Iscariot as well! For this truth also applies here:

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” II Peter 3:9
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Why did Jesus treat Judas thus? Because despite knowing what was in Judas’ heart, The Saviour loved him still! And so my friends I say to you today: treat your Judas’ in the same way. And maybe check out the end of Matthew 10 while you’re at it.

The more sure word & a dodgy Prophet! 14/2/24

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 20:00:00 GMT

The more sure word & a dodgy Prophet! 14/2/24

Good Morning and welcome to my Daily Scripture Word!

Today's question asks:

I Kings 13:16-18 onwards, rest of the chapter. Could one use this passage to promote “the word of The Lord is more sure than any angel/God spoke to me” claim, or is that stretching the point of the story here?
Curious that the old prophet seemed to be a dodgy dude, but somehow God saw fit to speak through him when needed. Unless his title of “old prophet” (V11) was a self-given title? That he never really was used of God until his shock-horror moment in Vss.20-21?

Let’s check out the passage first:

I Kings 13:16-18, “And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: For it was said to me by the word of the LORD, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.”

You slip in a couple of questions here, so let me break it down...

#1 - The Word of The Lord: in one sense I think you could. However, in the context it would be difficult to make this ‘stick’ because there wasn’t a whole lot of the Written Word of God at this time, not like we have today. So, I personally would probably not go that route with this passage of Scripture. I think also you have to keep in mind that last phrase: “But he lied unto him.” It’s not that God couldn’t send an angel with a message – that happens quite a number of times in The Bible, Gideon, Mary, even John the Apostle with The Revelation! But in this case God sent NOTHING to this old prophet, he literally lied!

#2 - Curious that this old prophet is ‘dodgy’: and I completely agree! It is a sad reality that people whose relationship with The Lord has waned will often try to associate themselves with folks who relationship with The Lord is good in order to justify their backslidden state. But there is stands: not even every Man of God is right with God! Some are in fact quite dodgy!

#3 - Title: I don’t think this is a self-given title as Verse 11 states that he was an ‘old prophet’. I think it more that his walk with God wasn’t what it should have been! When we consider the time this occurs, it is right after the break in the Kingdom of Israel, and by the end of Solomon’s reign, Faith in God had fallen to mere religious practice. It wasn’t that there weren’t any true believers, but more that coming off a sustained period of peace and prosperity, God’s people had become lazy. It’s actually not a whole lot different than what Western Christianity is experiencing today!

A good lesson for us to learn would be: despite the blessings of God on us for peace and prosperity, we cannot sit back on our laurels, but must continue to ensure our walk with God is where it needs to be! For we too could end up just like this old prophet!

The Promised Land - 13/2/24

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 05:16:26 GMT

The Promised Land - 13/2/24

Good Afternoon folks, and welcome to another Daily Scripture Word!

Today's question asks:

Has at any point in history up until today, Israel had the entire land that God promised Abraham, Isaac & Jacob?

And the answer is:

No.
But also: it depends.

So, we need a little more information to be able to actually answer this question, because both the answers above are correct! To Joshua, The Lord defines “the land” as stretching from “Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates” – so perhaps a northern border if you will. Earlier to Abraham The Lord defined “the land” as stretching from “the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates”. So, if we are assuming that encompasses half of Egypt, all of Saudi Arabia, and on into Iraq, with the Northern border taking in Lebanon and Syria, then no – Israel have never had the entire land God promised them.

However, Moses and Ezekiel describe the land as being the area that was indeed fully occupied under the kings David and Solomon – see Numbers 34:1-13 and Ezekiel 47:13-20.

Now, I do not believe there are contradictions in The Bible and yet I am also very convinced that God does not reveal EVERYTHING, even when He does reveal certain things. So MAYBE there is yet to come a period of time when Israel WILL inherit the entire land as promised to Abraham and Joshua.

Eden & The Great Flood 12-2-24

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 00:28:13 GMT

Eden & The Great Flood 12-2-24

Good Morning and welcome to my first Daily Scripture Word for 2024!

As with last year, I am going to continue on with questions that folks have asked me, beginning with the yet unanswered questions from this years "Ask The Pastor" nights here at Garden City Baptist Church. Let's take a look at our first unanswered question:

What happened to the Garden of Eden after The Flood?

The answer to that is probably what you’d image: it no longer existed as it was wiped from the face of the Earth along with everything else! Look at this verse:

Genesis 6:13, “And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”

"I will destroy them” – the people, “with the earth.” “earth” there is lower-case, so a common noun describing the environment, not the Planet itself. God reveals that He is going to destroy all people outside the Ark, and all the environment outside the Ark. Both were completely eradicated.

Many have tried to find the location of pre-flood cities and even Eden, but it is literally not possible. Genesis 7:11 adds that when the rains began to fall, that “all the fountains of the great deep broke[n] up”, and we imagine that refers to things like Australia’s artesian basins bursting through, which if you do not know anything about, they are under intense pressure. Bores are capped because the pressure down below often forces the water up even when the pumps are turned off.

The entire surface area of Earth was permanently changed as a result of the Great Flood – from Mountain Ranges, to great plains, to huge canyons. Thus my short answer at the beginning still stands: Eden was wiped from the face of the Earth along with everything else.

God's Supply 8-12-23

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 20:00:01 GMT

God's Supply 8-12-23

Good Morning and welcome to my last Daily Scripture Word for 2023!

Just a reminder before I get on in to todays lesson - if you have a question about The Bible, about God, about The Church, then send it on in and when I start up next year I'll do my best to have an answer for you. You can use the "Contact Us" page on this Website, or email it direct to me at: church@gardencitybaptistchurch.com.au . I look forward to hearing from you!

Mark 6:35-38, “And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.”

Mark’s perspective provides us with a unique view, for Mark was not a Disciple. At this point in history, Mark would have only been a young fella – I would imagine in his teens at the most. It is very probable that Mark saw Jesus, heard Him teach, maybe even got to see him perform a miracle, but this eye-witness account is not actually Marks – it is Peters!

It turns out that just as Timothy was the disciple of Paul, John Mark was the disciple of Peter! And this Gospel penned by Mark is pretty much accepted by all to be Peters recollections, written down by Mark!

Now, we all know why kind of a guy Peter was – right? The kind of ‘shoot first – ask questions later' kind of guy. I mean, if Matthew was the office worker, Peter was the physical labourer kind of guy. Peter didn’t want to just hear about the things Jesus did, he need to be apart of what Jesus did! Case in point would be Jesus walking on the water – who was it that said, “Let me have a go!”? That’s right, Peter!

Here in Mark 6 we have the same account of the Feeding of The Five Thousand and sure enough, Peter is right in the middle of it! The Saviour has pulled the disciples out for a time of ‘R&R’ – Jesus Himself desiring it. But the crowd has beat them to the location and Jesus being moved with compassion on a group of people reminiscent of sheep without a shepherd, begins ministering amongst them – and of course the Disciples are pulled into it also.

The sun begins to set in the West and the Disciples suggest to Jesus that “perhaps it’s time to send these people home – it’ll be dinner soon!” Jesus blows them away by dropping on them that THEY were supplying Dinner! Look at Verse 37:

“He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?”

“SAY THAT AGAIN JESUS?!” says Matthew grabbing out his slate and pen beginning to do the sums! “IS HE SERIOUS?!” says James looking at his brother John! “WHAT?” explodes Judas rummaging through the moneybag, adding, “WE DON’T HAVE THE MONEY!”

Now look carefully at the wording of Verse 38:

“He saith unto them, How many loaves HAVE ye? go and see.”

In all the activity of the day, and in the panic of this very moment, the Disciples had failed to notice what is probably the greatest miracle of this feeding! Can you see it? It’s right here in V38!

The miracle of Verse 38 IS: God had already supplied the answer to the need before they even knew they had a need !

Philippians 4:19 reads, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

The word “riches” refers to God’s abundant fulness; God possessing all things; God’s inexhaustible ability to supply their wants. And through Whom is that supply provided? BY CHRIST JESUS!

David wrote, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1.

You see, God had already supplied the means by which they could feed 5000 people without notice – they just didn’t recognise it! And here is the challenge for us: so often we pray and pray and pray about a particular need, WAITING for some great miracle of God, when God has actually already supplied the answer and HE is waiting for us take WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE and just use it for Him!

That kind of reminds me…

of Naaman the leper. HE HAD the cure to his leprosy – dip in the Jordan 7 times as God’s man had said. Yet because that answer was delivered by a servant, Naaman refused to accept that as being God’s will. (Oh, how many Sunday’s in a row does THAT happen?!)
of the Prodigal Son – think about it, he was already IN the house of The Father, but forsook it!
the rich young ruler - he had so lived his life that Mark 10:21 says, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him…”, yet V22 reads: “And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved:”.

I wonder how many times your prayers have gone on presumably unanswered, because you have refused to see or accept God's supply when it came? And you refused it because you just couldn’t accept who it was that God used to supply the answer (maybe a little boy?), or in what location that answer was to be found in (like a desert!). Jonah suffered from the same thing.

What are you praying for brother? What are you seeking the answer for sister? Have you looked around you? You might find that God has already supplied the answer – maybe you’re just not accepting it!

Matthew 6:8, “Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.”

God's Sensitivity II 7-12-23

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 20:00:01 GMT

God's Sensitivity II 7-12-23

Good Morning and welcome to today's Daily Scripture Word!

I want to continue my thought from yesterday, so let's look at those same verses:

Matthew 14:13-14, “When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”

You might recall from yesterday how I mentioned these verses are both the opening lines to the event we call The Feeding of The Five Thousand, but also how these verses came about in a time of great grief. John the Baptist had just been killed by a beheading. And why? For preaching the truth! DARING to suggest that stealing another Man's Wife is wrong!

Pulling away to process this grief, Jesus and His Disciples instead find themselves mobbed again - even though they had pulled back into the desert ! SEEING THEM, answer this: did Jesus send them away telling them He needed time to grieve, to recoup, mourn the loss of John the Baptist? No. What did Jesus do? He received them anyhow! Why? Because our God is a compassionate God! John 6:37 records Jesus saying,

“…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”

Compassion is usually a response to some issue that we can see and so we move from God being sensitive to emotions (yesterday's lesson) to God being sensitive to physical needs. Here in Matthew 14 I see three physical needs:

V14 – I see sick people;
V15 – I see hungry people;
V19 – I see tired people.

In each case Jesus ministers to these people’s needs. Now, I don’t know about you, but as I walk around our beautiful city of Toowoomba, I see these three groups every day. I see the sick – the sin-sick, that is!

Hosea 5:13 reads, “When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.”

OH HOW PEOPLE RUN TO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES to have this SIN-SICKNESS CURED, yet so few run to Calvary – the only place the cure can be found! Jesus said,

“And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:28

I walk around Toowoomba and I see the hungry – the hungry souls crying out for the Bread of Life!

Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.”
John 6:47-48, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life.”

I keep on walking and see the tired and weary – the tired and weary of life! Yet I turn over to Matthew 11:28 and here the Saviour patiently calling still:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Why is it that though we see Jesus meeting the needs of these people here in Matthew 14, we don’t see it happening today? Has God stopped being God? Has His power been limited? Is God dead? I say No! I say, the issue isn't God, the issue is His disciples are not participating with Him in the crowd! Though one here and two there are being snatched from the fires of hell, by-and-large the disciples of Jesus are just sitting back enjoying the show!

Hey Christian – do you find comfort in the fact that Jesus not only knows about your troubles, He feels your pain? Well, did you know that over in I Peter 3:8, you are instructed to be moved with compassion just like Jesus was? Did you know that over in II Corinthians 5:18 you have been commissioned to serve in the Ministry of Reconciliation – reconciling the sin sick, hungry and tired back to Our Loving and Compassionate God? Then why aren’t you?

God’s Sensitivity 6-12-23

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 23:53:48 GMT

God’s Sensitivity 6-12-23

Good Morning and welcome to today's Daily Scripture Word!

Well, I have used up all the questions that have been handed in and I still have two days left before I close this blog down for this year, so I am just going to give a little challenge and encouragement taken from the Feeding of the Five Thousand.

Matthew 14:13-14, “When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities. And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.”

These verses are the opening words to that moment we now call – The Feeding of The Five Thousand. Yet how many of you would know that this event was not supposed to happen? That in fact, this was a time of great sadness for the Disciples and our Saviour?

Before we can get into the miracle and the feeding itself, you need to understand the circumstances that brought this amazing account to pass. If you were to glance back up through the passage, you would quickly find three people who stand out: John the Baptist, Herod, and Salome – the daughter of Herodias. The occasion was Herod’s birthday and Herod was not a man of God! He was a worldly man through and through, and the preaching of the likes of John the Baptist REALLY stirred him – so much that he had had John imprisoned.

Herod had married him a new wife (his brother’s wife actually!) and John the Baptist didn’t hold back in telling Herod how immoral that was! Well, Herodias was not a happy-chappy! She had it 'in' for Preacher John and was just biding her time!

Come Herod’s Birthday and that time came along! Mamma Herodias sent sweet little daughter in to dance for her new Daddy – and you can just imagine it wasn’t just any old dance! SO IMPRESSED by this display, new Daddy Herod promises to get this girl ANYTHING SHE WANTED – and Mamma pounced! The result was the beheading of Preacher John!

“When Jesus heard of it, he departed…”. He wanted nothing to do with these people. As a human, and as God, His heart was broken and saddened for his cousin John the Baptist. Jesus departs seeking solitude and time to reflect. Such an action is not unusual when one loses a family member, a loved one. In fact MOST people want to be left alone at such times.

Can I make my first point by reading you a verse from Hebrews 4? There in Verse 15 we read:

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

The God I serve, the God of The Bible, The One and only TRUE God, is a God who KNOWS our feelings, KNOWS our sufferings, KNOWS our weaknesses and temptations and grieves with us! IN THIS instance, I see God sensitive to emotions!

WE ALL have emotions – moments when we feel overwhelmed, frustrated, feelings of abandonment – yet can I tell you with full assurance: you are not alone! NOT ONLY IS God right there beside you, He also feels the pain! And it is IN those moments God reaches out and says to us in the very next verse:

Hebrews 4:16, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

I don't know if you are struggling today, whether or not life seem overwhelming for you, or for that matter if life is good for you right now, the truth remains: we have a place to go, and a Person to turn to when all else fails! That place is God's Own Throne! That Person is Jesus! And coming into that great Throne Room, and kneeling before the Great God and Our Saviour Jesus Christ, you will find grace , mercy , and help ! For the Great God knows what it is like to live in this World as a human!

Have you gone to Christ today? Have you headed into that great Throne room to find some grace, some mercy, some help for this day in front of you? Why not do so now?

Mental Illness. 5-12-23

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 20:00:00 GMT

Mental Illness. 5-12-23

Good Morning and welcome to today's Daily Scripture Word!

Today's question asks:

Is Mental Illness addressed in The Bible? Does The Bible say anything about being medicated?

I read this question and am quite saddened. Not so much because the question is wrong, or something that shouldn't be asked, but rather that there are those among us who so vehemently deny that Mental Illness is real, that some Christians are left confused. Let me just come out and say: Mental Illness is real, and it is not 'demon possession'.

Furthermore, Mental Illness is indeed found in The Bible. A perfect example is found in I Kings 19:4 where the greatest Old Testament Prophet, Elijah, was so depressed, so 'at the bottom of the barrel', that he actually asked God to kill him - we'd call that a Suicidal Tendency. In today's health sector, Elijah would have been admitted to a Mental Health Ward and placed on Suicide Watch. So to deny Mental Illness is real is merely ignorance.

Addressing Mental Illness in The Bible is found a manner you might think strange. For whilst you can (as just demonstrated) read of folks suffering from depression, anxiety, fear, etc., The Bible addresses these and other Mental Health Issues by offering verses of comfort , designed to give strength and encouragement. Actual diagnosis and labels are skipped as the help made the priority.

As to being medicated, people being given and receiving medication is also found in The Bible. A really simple example is found in I Timothy 5:23 where the Apostle Paul gives medical/medicine advice to his trainee, Timothy. You find a similar practice being performed whilst Christ hung on the Cross.

To all of this though is the understanding that, complete healing, or the strength to continue in life, will only actually come from The Lord. This is where I think those people in Christian circles who deny Mental Illness exists make their actual mistake. At the same time, this is where people who absolutely believe Mental Illness is real can also make a mistake. Mental Illness IS real, but the answer to everything is always Jesus.

SO, seek professional help if you find yourself struggling with Mental Health issues, just as you would seek professional help if you found yourself struggling with a broken arm or a headache! But keep in mind that medicine and doctors alone are not the answer, you need Jesus also ! Get some Bible counselling too, surround yourself with fellow believers too, get to Church as often as you can - even if you have to sit down the back or in another room and listen from a distance. Don't allow Mental Illness to pull you away from God, God's House, or God's people - that's not Mental Illness, that's the devil exploiting your circumstances!