Question: “What does the Bible say about stress?”

Answer:While most major translations of the Bible don’t specifically use the word “stress,” Scripture does speak to things such as anxiety, worry and trouble and gives us clear answers on how we should deal with them.

The dictionary defines stress as physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension.

Everyone suffers from stress at one time or another. In fact, research indicates that children who live in a stressful home environment are at greater risk to become highly stressed by life’s challenges.

Stress can cause us to do things we would not normally do or cause us to shut down completely. Anything that causes stress is called a “stressor.”

Stress can be caused by either processive stressors or systemic stressors.

Processive stressors are those that elicit what is called the “fight or flight” reaction. Systemic stressors are our bodies’ automatic physiological responses to stress.

Stress takes its toll on all of us to varying degrees, and how we deal with it depends in large part on who we are.

It is no wonder that many days we struggle trying to cope with the distresses that come from our jobs, our health or family issues. God has created us and knows that, because of our fallen natures, we can sometimes allow stress to rule our lives.

Many people become stressed because they don’t trust God to provide the basic necessities of life.

Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:25, 27).

This passage is a classic example of why we get stressed in the first place—we worry about providing for ourselves and our loved ones.

We stress over money because we never seem to feel that we have enough.We worry about making ends meet, often living paycheck to paycheck. Or we become consumed by materialism and in turn, stressed out about maintaining our lifestyle.

Materialism inevitably leads to stress because when we seek the world’s goods, we have fallen for the “deceitfulness of wealth” (Mark 4:19), the lie that such things relieve stress and lead to happiness, contentment and joy. They do not.

The starting point for dealing with stress is Jesus Christ. Jesus offers us great encouragement in John 14:1: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” We desperately need Him in our lives. We need Him because He is the only one who can give us the strength to cope with the troubles in our lives.

Believing in Him does not mean that we will have a trouble-free life or that we will not succumb to stress in our lives. It simply means that a life without Jesus Christ makes coping with stress an impossible and often debilitating task.

Believing leads to trusting. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Leaning on “our own understanding” often means adopting the world’s ways of relieving stress—things like alcohol or drugs or mindless entertainment.

Instead, we are to trust His Word as our ultimate guide to a stress-reduced life. David says, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). David knew that by seeking the Lord and sharing his troubles with Him that perhaps he would find favor with Him. The Lord in turn answered him and calmed him down.

Perhaps no passage in Scripture better captures how to handle stress than Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

The Lord tells us not to be anxious about anything, but rather to turn everything over to Him in prayer. Lifting our burdens and concerns to a holy and righteous God daily will mitigate or eliminate the stress in our lives. Psalm 55:22 tells us to cast all our cares on Him because He will sustain us and never fail us.

Jesus Christ offers peace if we come to Him with our worries and concerns. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27).

Stress of all kinds is a natural part of life (Job 5:7, 14:1; 1 Peter 4:12; 1 Corinthians 10:13). But how we deal with it is up to us. If we choose to try to do it on our own we face a long, uphill battle that will not end well.

The only way we can deal with stress is with Jesus Christ, first by believing in Him. Without believing in Him we are our on our own, and success in coping with stress is almost impossible. Second, we need to trust Him and obey Him.

We should trust Him to do what is right because His ways are always best for us. Disobedience and sin can produce stress and cut us off from the only means of peace and joy. By obeying His commandments we reap the blessings of true contentment from a loving God.

Finally, we need to seek His peace daily by filling our minds with His Word, lifting all things to Him in prayer, and sitting at His feet in awe and reverence.

It is only by His grace, mercy and love that the stress in our lives can be managed.

Recommended Resource: Anger & Stress Management, God’s Way by Dr. Wayne A. Mack

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John Stott, 90, a key figure in the resurgence of 20^th century British evangelism, died on July 27, 2011, from complications of old age.

Stott, who was ill for many weeks, died in the presence of family and close friends while listening to Handel’s Messiah. He was a lifelong bachelor who played a pioneer role in refashioning evangelicalism in the 20th century.

He authored the bestseller, Basic Christianity, which was translated into some 60 languages. Of 40 books that he wrote, others are Issues Facing Christians Today (1984), and The Contemporary Christian (1992).

He was committed to “[relating] the ancient Word to the modern world,” Baptist Press said. Stott is a founder of the Lausanne Covenant.

Stott, who graduated with highest honors in Cambridge in French and theology, is known for his special gift for grasping the meaning of the Bible and explaining the scriptures clearly to all types of people.

From the start he was passionate about evangelism, and even in University ran Scripture Union camps during the holidays which were strongly evangelistic in nature.

In 1945 he was ordained in the Church of England, and became rector in 1950 even as the church was damaged by the war. He distinguished himself as a Bible teacher and expositor, and built a reputation as an evangelist.

In 1950 evangelicalism had little influence in the Christian world, but Stott spurred its growth globally. In his church, All Souls, he led many to Jesus Christ and taught church members how to evangelize.

All Souls, an inner city church, had a mix of indigent and wealthy church members. Stott unified both sides through evangelism. In time he became a popular speaker at Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship evangelistic campaigns in many British universities, especially Oxford and Cambridge; and later, North America and the Commonwealth.

Stott fostered organizations that encouraged young evangelical priests, and organized many evangelical conferences. His skill in clearly explaining the Bible with great depth was a tool in his success.

Stott was passionate about the Bible and how it could shape life. Through his works, a generation gained renewed faith from Scripture. He showed that simple Christianity could appeal to everyone, and transformed British evangelism into a major movement.

Stott came to know Billy Graham when the latter first came to England in 1946 and through the years their friendship grew and was pivotal to the founding of the Lausanne Covenant in 1974.

Stott chaired the drafting committee and is recognized as its chief architect. That year, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association convened an International Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The congress was significant in showing that churches around the world can work together. It also helped leaders to recognize that social concern and preaching the gospel could not be done separately.

Stott said, “The Great Commission neither explains, nor exhausts, nor supersedes the Great Commandment. What it does is to add to the command of neighbor-love and neighbor-service a new and urgent Christian dimension. If we truly love our neighbor, we shall without doubt tell him the Good News of Jesus. But equally, if we truly love our neighbor, we shall not stop there,” Christianity Today reported.

“[Stott] imparted to many a love for the global church and imparted a passion for biblical fidelity and a love for the Savior,” Benjamin Homan, president of John Stott Ministries, told Christianity Today.

A spokesman for Billy Graham told Christianity Today, “The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisers. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to heaven.”

R. Albert Mohler Jr., president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary told Baptist Press, “You cannot explain English-speaking evangelicalism in the 20^th century without crucial reference to the massive influence of John Stott.

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church told BP, “I flew to the U.K.recently just to pray for him and sit by his bed. What a giant! [He was] one of my closest mentors.”

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Question: “What does the Bible say about Christian fathers?”

Answer: The greatest commandment in Scripture is this: “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). Going back to verse 2, we read, “So that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.” Following Deuteronomy 6:5, we read, “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (vv. 6-7).

Israelite history reveals that the father was to be diligent in instructing his children in the ways and words of the Lord for their own spiritual development and well-being. The father who was obedient to the commands of Scripture did just that. This brings us to Proverbs 22:6, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” To “train” indicates the first instruction that a father and mother give to a child, i.e., his early education. The training is designed to make clear to children the manner of life they are intended for. To commence a child’s early education in this way is of great importance.

Ephesians 6:4 is a summary of instructions to the father, stated in both a negative and positive way. “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” The negative part of this verse indicates that a father is not to foster negativity in his children by severity, injustice, partiality, or unreasonable exercise of authority. Harsh, unreasonable conduct towards a child will only serve to nurture evil in the heart. The word “provoke” means “to irritate, exasperate, rub the wrong way, or incite.” This is done by a wrong spirit and wrong methods—severity, unreasonableness, sternness, harshness, cruel demands, needless restrictions, and selfish insistence upon dictatorial authority. Such provocation will produce adverse reactions, deadening children’s affection, reducing their desire for holiness, and making them feel that they cannot possibly please their parents. A wise parent seeks to make obedience desirable and attainable by love and gentleness.

The positive part of Ephesians 6:4 is expressed in a comprehensive direction—educate them, bring them up, develop their conduct in all of life by the instruction and admonition of the Lord. This is the whole process of educating and discipline. The word “admonition” carries the idea of reminding the child of faults (constructively) and duties (responsibilities).

The Christian father is really an instrument in God’s hand. The whole process of instruction and discipline must be that which God commands and which He administers, so that His authority should be brought into constant and immediate contact with the mind, heart, and conscience of children. The human father should never present himself as the ultimate authority to determine truth and duty. It is only by making God the teacher and ruler on whose authority everything is done that the goals of education can best be attained.

Martin Luther said, “Keep an apple beside the rod to give the child when he does well.” Discipline must be exercised with watchful care and constant training with much prayer. Chastening, discipline, and counsel by the Word of God, giving both reproof and encouragement, is at the core of “admonition.” The instruction proceeds from the Lord, is learned in the school of Christian experience, and is administered by the parents—primarily the father, but also, under his direction, the mother. Christian discipline is needed to enable children to grow up with reverence for God, respect for parental authority, knowledge of Christian standards, and habits of self-control.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). A father’s first responsibility is to acquaint his children with Scripture. The means and methods that fathers may use to teach God’s truth will vary. As the father is faithful in role modeling, what children learn about God will put them in good standing throughout their earthly lives, no matter what they do or where they go.

Recommended Resource: Fathering Like the Father: Becoming the Dad God Wants You to Be by Gangel & Gangel.

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Question: “How do I know which of God’s promises are for me?”

Answer:
There are literally hundreds of promises in the Bible. How can we know which promises apply to us, which promises we can claim? To frame this question another way, how can one tell the difference between general promises and specific promises? A general promise is one that is given by the Holy Spirit to every believer in every age. When the author penned the promise, he set no limitations on time period or recipient.

An example of a general promise is 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This promise is based on the forgiving nature of God and is available to all believers everywhere. Another example of a general promise is Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. This promise is made to all believers who, refusing to worry, bring their requests to God (v. 8). Other examples of general promises include Psalm 1:3; 27:10; 31:24; John 4:13-14 (note the word whoever); and Revelation 3:20.

A specific promise is one that is made to specific individuals on specific occasions. The context of the promise will usually make clear who the recipient is. For example, the promise of 1 Kings 9:5 is very specific: I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever. The preceding and following verses make it clear that the Lord is speaking only to King Solomon.

Luke 2:35 contains another specific promise: And a sword will pierce your own soul too. This prophecy/promise was directed to Mary and was fulfilled in her lifetime. While a specific promise is not made to all believers generally, the Holy Spirit can still use a specific promise to guide or encourage any of His children. For example, the promise of Isaiah 54:10 was written with Israel in mind, but the Holy Spirit has used these words to comfort many Christians today: my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed.

As he was led to take the gospel to the Gentiles, the apostle Paul claimed the promise of Isaiah: I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47). Isaiahs promise was originally meant for the Messiah, but in it Paul found guidance from the Lord for his own life. When claiming a promise from Scripture, we should keep the following principles in mind:

1) Promises are often conditional. Look for the word if in the context.
2) God gives us promises to help us better submit to His will and trust Him. A promise does not make God bend to our will.
3) Do not assume to know precisely when, where, or how the promise will be fulfilled in your life.

Recommended Resource:
God’s Promises for You: Scripture Selections from Max Lucado

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Faithful America claims that Fox News commentator Glenn Beck preaches a false, piecemeal gospel and has sponsored a radio ad to counter some of the claims Beck has claims made by about Christianity.

The ad says “Would you support a leader who said Jesus’ teachings can lead to Nazi

Glenn Beck / yournews.com

sm? Or who attacks Christian pastors for preaching the full gospel? Then why do so many Christians tune into Glenn Beck? By deriding pastors who preach the justice taught by Jesus and the prophets, Glenn Beck has urged listeners to follow his piecemeal gospel. Scripture teaches that the tongue can be like a small fire that sets a whole forest ablaze, and Christians are cautioned not to praise God in one breath while cursing those made in God’s likeness in the next,” The Atlantic reported.

Beck has spoken out against social justice ideology that is based on faith, urging his viewers to leave churches that preach liberal social justice views.

According to Beck social justice is akin to wealth redistribution and is not in the Bible. Beck said that such ideology is founded on communism and Naziism and dramatically raised up a hammer and sickle and a swastika to further enhance his point, The Atlantic said.

By contrast, Faithful America’s Beth Dahlman cites the prophets and Jesus saying, Beck “has gone after what’s at the heart of what we believe our faith tradition says. For people in our community there is just no way to read scripture and not think about social justice. It’s our obligation as people of faith to take that seriously and to do all we can to make that good news a reality,” Time reported.

The ad launches the organization’s “Driven by Faith, Not by Fear” campaign, according to Time.

The ad will be aired on local Christian radio stations and is scheduled to coincide with Beck’s scheduled appearances in South Carolina, New Jersey, New York and Washington DC.

Faithful America is connected to Faith in the Public Life, an advocacy group that often takes positions on issues such as poverty, health care and immigration.

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Question: “What does the Bible teach about the Trinity?”

Answer:
The most difficult thing about the Christian concept of the Trinity is that there is no way to adequately explain it. The Trinity is a concept that is impossible for any human being to fully understand, let alone explain. God is infinitely greater than we are; therefore, we should not expect to be able to fully understand Him. The Bible teaches that the Father is God, that Jesus is God, and that the Holy Spirit is God. The Bible also teaches that there is only one God. Though we can understand some facts about the relationship of the different Persons of the Trinity to one another, ultimately, it is incomprehensible to the human mind. However, this does not mean the Trinity is not true or that it is not based on the teachings of the Bible.

The Trinity is one God existing in three Persons. Understand that this is not in any way suggesting three Gods. Keep in mind when studying this subject that the word Trinity is not found in Scripture. This is a term that is used to attempt to describe the triune Godthree coexistent, co-eternal Persons who make up God. Of real importance is that the concept represented by the word Trinity does exist in Scripture. The following is what Gods Word says about the Trinity:

1) There is one God (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5).

2) The Trinity consists of three Persons (Genesis 1:1, 26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8, 48:16, 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew plural noun Elohim is used. In Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7 and Isaiah 6:8, the plural pronoun for us is used. The word Elohim and the pronoun us are plural forms, definitely referring in the Hebrew language to more than two. While this is not an explicit argument for the Trinity, it does denote the aspect of plurality in God. The Hebrew word for God, Elohim, definitely allows for the Trinity.

In Isaiah 48:16 and 61:1, the Son is speaking while making reference to the Father and the Holy Spirit. Compare Isaiah 61:1 to Luke 4:14-19 to see that it is the Son speaking. Matthew 3:16-17 describes the event of Jesus’ baptism. Seen in this passage is God the Holy Spirit descending on God the Son while God the Father proclaims His pleasure in the Son. Matthew 28:19 and 2 Corinthians 13:14 are examples of three distinct persons in the Trinity.

3) The members of the Trinity are distinguished one from another in various passages. In the Old Testament, LORD is distinguished from Lord (Genesis 19:24; Hosea 1:4). The LORD has a Son (Psalm 2:7, 12; Proverbs 30:2-4). The Spirit is distinguished from the LORD (Numbers 27:18) and from God (Psalm 51:10-12). God the Son is distinguished from God the Father (Psalm 45:6-7; Hebrews 1:8-9). In the New Testament, Jesus speaks to the Father about sending a Helper, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). This shows that Jesus did not consider Himself to be the Father or the Holy Spirit. Consider also all the other times in the Gospels where Jesus speaks to the Father. Was He speaking to Himself? No. He spoke to another person in the Trinitythe Father.

4) Each member of the Trinity is God. The Father is God (John 6:27; Romans 1:7; 1 Peter 1:2). The Son is God (John 1:1, 14; Romans 9:5; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:8; 1 John 5:20). The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16).

5) There is subordination within the Trinity. Scripture shows that the Holy Spirit is subordinate to the Father and the Son, and the Son is subordinate to the Father. This is an internal relationship and does not deny the deity of any person of the Trinity. This is simply an area which our finite minds cannot understand concerning the infinite God. Concerning the Son see Luke 22:42, John 5:36, John 20:21, and 1 John 4:14. Concerning the Holy Spirit see John 14:16, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, and especially John 16:13-14.

6) The individual members of the Trinity have different tasks. The Father is the ultimate source or cause of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11); divine revelation (Revelation 1:1); salvation (John 3:16-17); and Jesus’ human works (John 5:17, 14:10). The Father initiates all of these things.

The Son is the agent through whom the Father does the following works: the creation and maintenance of the universe (1 Corinthians 8:6; John 1:3; Colossians 1:16-17); divine revelation (John 1:1, 16:12-15; Matthew 11:27; Revelation 1:1); and salvation (2 Corinthians 5:19; Matthew 1:21; John 4:42). The Father does all these things through the Son, who functions as His agent.

The Holy Spirit is the means by whom the Father does the following works: creation and maintenance of the universe (Genesis 1:2; Job 26:13; Psalm 104:30); divine revelation (John 16:12-15; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21); salvation (John 3:6; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2); and Jesus’ works (Isaiah 61:1; Acts 10:38). Thus the Father does all these things by the power of the Holy Spirit.

There have been many attempts to develop illustrations of the Trinity. However, none of the popular illustrations are completely accurate. The egg (or apple) fails in that the shell, white, and yolk are parts of the egg, not the egg in themselves, just as the skin, flesh, and seeds of the apple are parts of it, not the apple itself. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not parts of God; each of them is God. The water illustration is somewhat better, but it still fails to adequately describe the Trinity. Liquid, vapor, and ice are forms of water. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not forms of God, each of them is God. So, while these illustrations may give us a picture of the Trinity, the picture is not entirely accurate. An infinite God cannot be fully described by a finite illustration.

The doctrine of the Trinity has been a divisive issue throughout the entire history of the Christian church. While the core aspects of the Trinity are clearly presented in Gods Word, some of the side issues are not as explicitly clear. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is Godbut there is only one God. That is the biblical doctrine of the Trinity. Beyond that, the issues are, to a certain extent, debatable and non-essential. Rather than attempting to fully define the Trinity with our finite human minds, we would be better served by focusing on the fact of God’s greatness and His infinitely higher nature. Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? (Romans 11:33-34).

Recommended Resource:
Making Sense of the Trinity: Three Crucial Questions by Millard Erickson/a> and The Forgotten Trinity by James White.

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These days everything seems unsafe.

People are being caught in the merciless radar of terrorism.People are being attacked and killed in the name of politics and religion. Recent incidents show many fall victims to this evil.

On the other, big and small business establishments lace their products (food stuffs, medicines etc…) with spurious materials which lead innocent people to different kinds of ailments to a slow process of death.

Lastly the recent outbreak of bird flu which hit the country made people panic all over the nation.

In every sphere a certain kind of uncertainty and panic prevails.

People don’t want to believe each other. Trust is lost among all spheres. Everywhere a kind of fear and unbelief is taking place.

Even in such situation God’s people need not fear because we are under the great control and cover of the creator of the universe.

We are safe and secure under the wings of the almighty one.

Yes, we are under the protection of the mighty and unchanging God. He never changes nor forsakes those who put trust in Him.

When we are on this earth we too have to undergo such panic situation or to face trails and persecutions and even death. But believers need not get panic in such situation, because we are in the palms of the Lord almighty.

We have a blessed hope in Christ. When we finish our course on this earth we will meet our Savior and we will be with him forever and ever.

What a blessed hope we believers have in Jesus Christ. Whereas, others (those who are without Christ) should get panic that they do not know where they are going.

We are a blessed people Eph.1:3; 2:6 makes it very clear that we are rich in Christ, we are raised up together with him and made us sit down together giving us joint seating with Him in heavenly sphere in Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the Anointed one.

The Scripture is filled with comforting words for the believers, if we trust Him fully; we need not fear anything or anybody on this earth. Circumstances may frighten us, things may go against us, rulers and leaders may rise up against us, but you need not worry, you are in the safe hands of the Lord Almighty.

The recent incidents proclaim that our Lord’s coming is very close. Dearly beloved of God, we are so blessed people, as mentioned in Ephesians, we are rich in Christ.

What are you going to do with these riches?

Or what are you going to do with the other fellow brethren who are perishing without these riches?

Are you making any efforts to share this richness to them? Let us make note that these blessed privileges and positions He has given us not to keep it for ourselves but to share with others. Many a times we hold these blessings for ourselves for our selfish interests.

Abraham is a good example. Lord Jehovah brought him from the clutches of idol making and idolatry and blessed him abundantly.

He became a leader and the father of the nation. Even after obtaining huge blessings he did not hold back the blessings for himself. Instead he shared it with others. Let us emulate his nature, let us be in his category, so that Lord will bless us with much more blessings.

Let us be a blessing to many around us, let us share the greatness of this God which we are enjoying today to others, then they too will be blessed and through them others also may be blessed.

Dearly beloved in the Lord, we do not have much time on this earth.

Let us not hold this blessings for our own selfish interest, instead let us do something to bring the perishing souls to His fold with all the heavenly riches. Let us share it for the glory of our Lord. May God help us.

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