Blog Archives
Cast your worries unto Jesus
Cast your worries and care,
And don’t get stuck in despair.
Give Jesus all of them at his feet,
Surrender your concerns complete.
Ask Jesus to give you his peace,
So that all negativity does cease.
He is merciful and he is kind,
In Him alone salvation you can find.
Don’t feat the past, future nor today,
But in Jesus’ heart put it all away.
In Christ alone put your trust,
And all your focus on him adjust.
A warning about lies and wrong thoughts
There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. (Proverbs 14:12)
Some young men believe that unless they don’t do drugs they won’t get accepted into their friend circle. This causes them to sin a lot. Doesn’t matter if a man doesn’t have drugs, there are always other people who don’t want drug addicts as their friends. It’s better to have no friends than be stuck in prison for the rest of your lives.
Then there are young girls who are convinced that unless they don’t wear indecent clothes, they won’t be popular in college. But the thing is that in college academics are the main thing and not popularity. In fact you can have zero popularity and still get the best marks.
There are industrialists who will think of lying about their products and the manner in which they are made. These are secretly living in fear about the consequences which includes time in prison and loss of money if it were found that they produced the goods in far away lands in the most inhuman conditions for their workers out there. It’s better to have lesser profits than to risk your reputation.
There are also people who believe that suicide will reduce their pain and finally people will pay attention to them. Just a second after their suicide unfortunately they will not be found in heaven nor in any place where they are valued. Instead they should say no to suicide and live to find the answers to their troubles.
To anyone and everyone reading this, do take every effort to identify any such mindset and thought process which is from the Devil and which doesn’t actually lead to life but death. Don’t hesitate to pray to God to counsel and correct your thought process before damage happens. In fact don’t head to towards eternal life but away from the light of Christ, where there is darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth. Change any such unhelpful thinking with wise and wholesome thinking for the glory of God
Use pleasant words whenever you can
All praise to the Lord Jesus the Word of God who is all wise and humble and gracious to those who seek him in spirit and in truth. Glory to the Lord God the giver of all that is eternally good and eternally enduring. Thanks be to God for sending the Holy Spirit to lead us in all truth.
As the world which is away from the truth by the Lord God above you will notice its impurity in what it speaks. The movies keep getting more and more obscene and words in them likewise. What was unacceptable about 40 years ago in the movies is passed of contemporary language these days. More worse is, when they make the children use hideous profanity on-screen. And the worldly literature or what passes off as literature, has many books and articles which contain most shallow and foul-mouthed words. And depending on the reader groups the writer’s cater to, the vile words they use can be outright rude or willfully subtle. What a fallen world indeed!
O people of the Lord God, who call yourself by the name of the Lord do not fall into the world’s slime lest you become a part of it. Stay pure for the sake of the Lord. Practice wisdom in your thoughts, words and actions, so that all people who see you give glory to the Lord, and not find an occasion to slander Jesus Christ the Son of God, on account of your bad behaviour!
Today I write about speaking words that are pleasant. This is going to be simple but effective if you put it into practice. I break it down into three things; thoughts, words and timing.
Thoughts when speaking
The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, but gracious words are pure. (Proverbs 15:26)
What use is it to speak kind words to another when you have deceit in your heart? Have clear and pure thoughts that are presentable to the Lord God when you speak to anyone. For the Lord knows the heart of man. Many vile murderers and fraudsters have all the wrong thoughts though they may use pleasant words when luring their victims to death and loss. Be not like them all. Hate, pride, malice, jealousy, greed, deceit and the like are not the type of thoughts you should expect to be acceptable to the Lord God. And just imagine a seller, trying to be most polite to a prospective buyer, when trying to convince him to buy his house, but inwardly thinks the buyer is too dumb to buy the house. And then either by slip of tongue or by a gossiping servant of the seller the prospective buyer know the true mind of the seller. Then wouldn’t that buyer call off the deal before the sale is made? The seller may suffer losses financially and reputationally but what’s more dangerous is at the end of his or her life he is answerable to God.
So even before you speak pleasant words to others don’t have foolish motives but genuine respect and wisdom when doing so.
The words spoken
Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. (Proverbs 16:24)
When you have the right intentions why not speak the right words as well? Have the words that are truly acceptable in the presence of the Lord God. I can suggest a few such combinations as the following but do take due diligence and time to find more such words; thank you, please can I, that’s very kind of you, have a great day/weekend, good effort etc. There are people who have the right thoughts but fumble at speaking the right kinds of words that are actually pleasant. A word of advice to such people, God knows your heart when you speak so don’t give up on your good thoughts but please by all means do surely try to improve on the pleasant words you speak. In all humility, even if you are an adult take time to go through books or articles which suggest more gracious words. Be gracious as Jesus Christ when speaking to the poor, widows and orphans etc, for Jesus, never mocked the afflicted but spoke words kind and fully consistent with his Divine calling from the Lord’ so that people received their healing in mind, body and spirit.
So even as you speak use words that are actually pleasant and consistent with the wisdom of the Word of God.
The timing of the pleasant words
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. (Proverbs 25:11-12)
Doesn’t it makes sense to have the right thoughts and words when its the right time to do so, rather than the wrong time? At funerals people cry out for their deceased loves ones in deep sorrow. Indeed what grief is there especially at the death of a parent or a young baby! It’s important to express your emotions at this stage. However coming to the point, I’ve seen people speak so well of their parents, when for most part of their life, they would neglect their parents or even speak rudely to them. Such is the tragedy of life, that these very people are filled with remorse now want to talk good but the person who they are talking about is longer with them. If only such people could make that time to wish their parent’s all things pleasant while they were still alive. It’s important to speak pleasantly to your loved one’s all the time for you don’t generally know the time of life and death. And when talking to people who are not relatives be it co-workers, government staff etc be sensible and alert enough to speak pleasant words at the right time. Because people can find a person who is pleasant for the sake of it at the wrong time, very repulsive! It’s very risky to thank your manager for helping you avoid the mandatory overtime (due to your illness), in the middle of a meeting with a delegation of clients who take pleasure in dumping loads of work over to all. You can instead thank him or her when such demanding clients are totally away from you both, if you get what I mean.
So always speak kindly to your relatives and loved one’s and speak in due time to the rest, so that you are truly wise steward of the time your Lord God has given you.
Getting out of depression and the trap of suicidal thoughts
Time and again, through the news media online and in print, I have come to know about the death of a famous actor or actress due to suicide. Let me tell you that nothing is good about it. It’s a bad thing for a person who commits suicide. Because they go to hell and are damned for all eternity. As they have committed murder (against themselves) but didn’t repent of it, so it’s not possible for them to repent once dead. This why anyone who wants to go to heaven must totally avoid suicide. Suicide is of the devil and the Bible doesn’t condone it.
Suicide has at times let it mark on the grieving relatives of the person who took his life. They have lots of anxiety and plus have a tough time finding answers. It affects friends too. About a few years ago a non-Christian friend of mine too killed himself due to depression. I felt bad that all he had to do was tell me and I would have stopped him from taking such a drastic step by counseling him well. However he didn’t. So, I had to spend time in prayer too, so that I could come to terms with his death.
People with depression often try to show a ‘happy’ face to others. This doesn’t actually help them. A person who has suicidal tendencies must speak up to who can help out. Staying silent won’t make things better. Getting more things in life doesn’t cut off depression every time.
A bitter truth is that even abundance of luxuries and fame is not a safeguard against suicide. Lot’s of rock musicians committed suicide even before their reached their forties. Judas got money by betraying Jesus but what did he do after that? He committed suicide instead of going in for genuine repentance. Hitler too was not willing to face the consequences of his crimes and so it’s said that he killed himself. He had lots of riches and technology at his disposal but that didn’t help him. The worst people who use suicide are suicide bomber terrorists. Obviously they won’t go to heaven either because they have killed innocents.
This vile and detestable crime of suicide must never be committed by any person and more so by him who believes in Christ as his true hope. If you go through the Bible, there is no person, prophet nor saint who committed suicide and then went to heaven. None, absolutely.
Rarely does anyone commit suicide on the spur of the moment. This happens due to the person getting befuddled by suicidal thoughts. For about 2 years I used to interact with people who were kept on a suicide watch and I noticed that these people get depressed easily. A suicidal gentleman told me to be careful of how I speak to him as he was under suicide watch. I was amused at his request but decided to speak only wisely and kindly to him as a matter of courtesy.
Such people are not be laughed at nor thought of as lesser beings. There may be genuine reasons as to why they get depressed. Maybe they lost a loved one or were cheated in a cruel way. Some may have gone through a vicious divorce or some may have had drugs. I’ve heard that chemical imbalances too are responsible. In certain cases we just don’t know why. So we must not provoke such people any more to depression but rather be kind to them. If you can’t be kind then avoid speaking to them at least. Abatement to suicide is treated as a crime in most countries and is taken very seriously by the police.
There is no need to mock people who commit suicide. You won’t get them back from the grave. No need to insult their families for the same. If you suspect foul play then report it to the police with due evidence but don’t spread rumors.
Now if you are facing depression then don’t ignore it. Don’t feed it with wrong thoughts, wrong persons and wrong situations. Take down the roots of it not just the outward expressions of it. Take courage and consolation in the Lord. Surrender your thoughts to God. Resist all the thoughts of depression, anxiety and suicide. Do it in the name of Jesus. Remember that the Lord God loves. Christ cares for you at all times. So pour out your heart to God.
You can also speak to a professional as per your situation. A good preacher of the word will show you how to overcome bad thoughts spiritually. I don’t rule out medical help either. Even competent mental health-care professionals can help in such cases.
Sometimes others need help from us. If others are showing depressive behaviors which point toward the suicidal, then help them out. If you can’t help then lead them to others who actually can. A warning; if you yourself are facing thoughts of death to yourself then avoid counseling another suicidal person. It could be tough on both of you. So avoid it by all means and but inform someone who can actually help. You are still being a responsible person though you can’t directly help. Be happy with that.
Here’s a few Scripture verses are of good help in tackling depression and deadly thoughts:
- Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. (Proverbs 12:25)
- So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10)
- The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. (Isaiah 50:4)
- But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. (Psalm 3:3)
- If the LORD delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24)
- I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. (Psalm 40:1-3)
- Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. (Psalm 42:11)
- Answer me quickly, O LORD, my spirit fails; Do not hide Your face from me, Or I will become like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear Your loving kindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You (Psalm 143:7-9)
- “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)
- 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. To Him be dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:6-11)
- Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)
Related articles
Surrender your thoughts to the Lord Jesus
Every person on earth has thoughts. Thoughts are of various flavors. They could be of joy, nostalgia, thrills, beauty, creativity etc. They could also be dark thoughts such as fear, greed, death etc. Some thoughts make you feel free while others put you in a box.
You will continue to have thoughts all through your life. What you make of them is what really matters.
The choice of what you think is totally up to you. You can think great things for the glory of God or you think like the rest of the world who do not focus on Christ. Make the better choice, always.
Now there could a few things that you think of but don’t understand. You might face thoughts of fear. You may have thoughts anxiety about the unknown future. Let me tell you that not just the past and the present even the future belongs to the Lord Jesus. Jesus is Lord of time because he holds the times and seasons in his hands.
When you are getting any thought that’s tempting you to sin bring it to the feet of Jesus. Say to Jesus that you surrender all thoughts of sin that you are facing unto him. Do it in faith.
Don’t entertain thoughts of anxiety. Repel all thoughts of suicide and be very brave Don’t keep worrying. Surrender such thoughts to Jesus who gives life and peace. Remember what the Holy Scriptures say.
1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
Psalms 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
What about good thoughts? Don’t just think good thoughts. Surrender them to Jesus as well. The Lord loves to hear when his children tell him their good thoughts. Make your prayers and petitions known to him. The Lord will lead you in all wisdom and truth who makes all things beautiful in his time.
Disciples of hope 