I recently became aware of the term
Social Pain in a couple different places: Psychology Today,
HealthLine, and in the book, Where Do We Go From Here by David
Jeremiah. Neuroscientists in Italy have discovered that “social
pain” activates the same brain regions as physical pain. The
researchers also found that witnessing the social pain of another
person activated a similar physical pain response of empathy in most
test subjects.
The COVID 19 pandemic exacerbated the
problem, taking people from the workplace and schools and forcing
them to live in isolation. However, Dr. Jeremiah says that the root
cause of disconnection is spiritual in nature, and I whole-heartedly
agree. When we are disconnected from God, we don't have the love,
peace, joy, kindness or patience to show others. He says we become
isolated in our self-centeredness.
Our society is suffering from social
pain which involves painful emotions caused by situations involving
other people, such as feeling rejected, devalued, alone, ostracized,
abandoned or disconnected. Satan surely has a hand in this and we can
combat it through prayer, Bible Reading and staying in touch with
others. Making a phone call, sending a note or a card of
encouragement to someone going through a rough time is a tangible way
to combat Social Pain and extend our love to others.
"Fear not, for I am with you; be
not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help
you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10
I'm currently reading Where Do We Go
From Here by David Jeremiah. In it, Jeremiah speaks about he word
fellowship in Ephesians 5:11. It is translated from the Greek
word sunkoinoneo. The last part of the word means fellowship,
but the prefix sun, is the Greek word for with. It
means participating with someone in doing something. This verse tells
us that once we become a child of the light, we can not longer
participate with those who are doing the works of darkness.
It doesn't mean we reject those people,
or stop loving them, or cut them from our lives. It means we no
longer participate with them in things that are unworthy of our walk
with Christ. We are still in the world, but we are no longer
of the world.
That is a really difficult place to be
isn't it? In the world but not of the
world. We still love some people, we continue to have them in our
lives, but we have to watch what we do with them. It's
like a fence we straddle in this world. Jesus said, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves. Matt. 10:16. It's not always easy to stay
on the fence, we lean to one side or another from time to time.
Sometimes we fall off. Okay, many times we fall off, and when we do the are wolves waiting for us!
`Ephesians 5:8-12
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.
Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light
consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find
out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless
deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful
even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But
everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything
that is illuminated becomes a light.
I saw this image message online the other and it really struck a chord with me. When I think about my life, I've never really felt at home here in this life. I've lived in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and South Carolina while spending a few summers in Pennsylvania, New York and California. None of these places have really felt like HOME.
I'm fortunate enough to have had a wonderful home with Mom, Daddy and Grandma. Then as I grew up and accepted Christ, God's love gave me a type of home here on earth. But when I go out in the world, I don't feel at home. God is home in my heart. Since I've had a small taste of that special kind of home, I look forward to go home to heaven.
Do you feel at home here on this earth? I think home should be where you are loved unconditionally. You and all your quirkiness are cherished and celebrated. Your contributions are accepted because your loved ones know your heart, and despite how you may sometimes come across, they know that your heart is right.
Home is pure love because you are all believers and that belief in the Heavenly Father cements a bond between you that is unbreakable. How awesome is it that you share this unfathomable love from God, that He gave his only son to save us from sin.
Some of us are lucky enough to have had an earthly family like this That's a small type of home. Some of us have had a more extended group that offers us a taste of home. While many others have had no glimpse of this wonderful type of earthly home. Shouldn't we, as Christians, want to share this love with them, so that they too, will find a glimpse of home here on earth? Didn't Jesus call us all to spread the Gospel? Jesus said, "do business till I come." Luke 19:13. He gave us prophecy to give us purpose. Because we have a future and hope we have work to do.
Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19
But you will receive power when the
Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
Revealing the Mysteries of Heaven by Dr. David Jeremiah
Beginning on Thursday, October 29, 2020
The successes of this world should never satisfy us, because we were made for something more. We were made for heaven, and heaven is a place prepared for us. God created all of us with a deep-seated hunger for heaven and for Himself, and it can never be filled with anything less.
The seven churches in Revelation may
have been chosen to receive Christ's apocalyptic message because of
their location. They were all located along a major trade route,
which included the most populous and influential parts of the
province. Once the message predicting the end of the world was given
to churches in these cities, the message would easily spread to
Christian communities in the rest of the province.
Each letter was spoken by Jesus, and
recorded by John. Even though a different message was written to each
of the seven churches, all the messages contain warnings and
principles for everyone. The advice in these letters is prophetic
(predicting the future) forewarning us of the traps than can lure us
away from our faith in Christ.
The message in chapter 3 is written to
the church in Laodicea. Laodicea was the most wealthy of the seven
churches. It was known for its banking industry, cloth & dyeing
industry, and a medical school that produced eye salve.
In verse 16, John recorded that the
Laodicean Church was lukewarm, it had become hardened and
self-satisfied. It was destroying itself. The same can be said of our
churches today; halfhearted, in-name-only Christians who pride
themselves on being self sufficient. Jesus counseled them to buy gold
from Him. Gold that is spiritual treasure. Instead of clothing
from their cloth & dyeing industry, Jesus tells them to wear
white clothes from Him (righteousness). Christ told them not
to use their eye salve, but to get medicine from Him to heal their
eyes so they could see the truth.
Christ was showing the Laodicean Church
that true value was not in material possessions, but in a
right relationship with God. Our material possessions and
achievements have no value compared to the everlasting future of
Christ's Kingdom. When we look at churches in our society today, we
see indifference, and uncaring attitudes. We, like the Laodicians,
are a “me first” affluent society. We can avoid God's discipline
by inviting Him back into our hearts, through confession, worship,
service, and studying His Word. The Holy Spirit can reignite our
passion and devotion for God when we allow Him to work in our hearts.
The commentary in the NIV Life
Application Study Bible says, “The Laodicean church was complacent
and rich. They felt self-satisfied, but they didn't have Christ's
presence among them. Christ knocked at the door of their hearts, but
they were so busy enjoying worldly pleasures that they didn't notice
that he was trying to enter. The pleasures of this world – money,
security, material possessions – can be dangerous, because their
temporary satisfaction makes us indifferent to God's offer of lasting
satisfaction.” Verse 20 describes our twenty-first century
churches too. It's why our society is crumbling. Jesus is knocking on
the door of our hearts. He wants to have fellowship with us, and he
wants us to open the door and invite Him inside.
In One Year At His Feet, Chris
Tiegreen says, “ Jesus does not want only to be followed and
obeyed. He wants to be savored and enjoyed. In the dining room of our
life, He wants the lengthy, personal fellowship of the common meal,
not the brief acknowledgment before it. Jesus is not just at our door
for a visit, He's moving in. He puts all His touches on the place and
fixes it up just as He likes.”
I'm left with such peace and comfort
thinking of Jesus moving in and making a lovely home in my heart.
Many people have forgotten that only Jesus can provide spiritual
wealth saving us from the spiritual bankruptcy that has befallen
humanity.
“For I am
convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height
nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
These verses contain some of the most comforting promises in all
Scripture. I found myself drawn to them this week after watching the
news and shaking my head at all the sorrow, fear, pain, anger and
Godless behavior going on all around us.
We are currently facing adversity of
epic proportions. Watching the news on any channel brings about fear
and anxiety. Satan and his minions use fear as a means of control.
Worry, fear, and anxiety can overwhelm us with a thick shadow of
darkness, controlling our every move and decision. There is so much
turmoil going on around us today: wars, persecution, racism,
violence, crime, natural disasters, terrorism, economic uncertainty,
unemployment, and most certainly Covid-19. Protests have gone from
peaceful to violent and hateful. So many people are full of hate and
expressing their anger in frightening ways. It is a fearful time.
We fear for our safety. Even political
differences have erupted into volatile events that have many
attempting to squelch the ideas and even free speech of others in
order to demonstrate one's good character of the moral correctness of
one's position on a particular issue. Many do not seem to recognize
that evil men dwell in high placers of power. The media has been
actively attempting to influence our ideas and behavior.
Yet in all of this we must remember
that there is only ONE source that we should look to in order to gain
perspective and directions on how to proceed with our lives. One
place to look for comfort and be reminded of the great love God has
for us, the Gospel. Romans offers peace and direction for us,
reminding us that God is in control. Absolutely nothing,
whether natural on this earth, or supernatural from heaven or hell,
could ever cause God to stop loving us.
How do you feel as you read verse 19?For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. Do you wait in eager expectation? why or why not?
How does the Holy Spirit help us in our weakness? verse 26 - In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.
In what ways are we more than conquerors? verses 37-38 - No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Define Me
He doesn't use a pitchfork He
doesn't have a tail He comes disguised as fear and lies To
remind you when you've failed He doesn't wear a red suit And he
doesn't smell like smoke He sneaks around 'til he finds your
doubt And that's where he makes his home
But when he comes for you All
you gotta do
Is
take a look at the devil right square in the eye And tell him I
have believed you for the very last time Devil, I know you've been
lying to me You do not define me 'Cause all of your power has
been swept away
Your
threats are as empty as Jesus' grave So devil, go get behind
me You do not define me
He knows the ways we're different Where
we're tempted to choose a side Takes the beauty in our
diversity And he'll use it to divide And he'll split us over
doctrine Or the color of our skin And when we fight with fear
and hate He's the only one who wins But when he comes your
way Just put him in his place
One Name above all names Defines who
I am, allows me to say that I've got the victory Over the
enemy One God above all gods Who knows who I am, and gives what
I've got and I've got authority To make the devil flee
