Swap Your Depression for TRUE JOY

Dealing With Our Moods and Depressions Biblically

A Constructive Work Book

A Biblical Perspective on Depression and Manic Depression

(called Bi-Polar Disorder)

Dealing with Life, and Dealing with Others Biblically.

By

Pastor Ed Rice

Good Samaritan Baptist Church

54 Main St Box 99

Dresden NY 14441

(315) 536-0878

GSBaptistChurch.com

Public Domain 2011

It is the burden of the author to disseminate the truth in this book. No prior permission is required to duplicate words for non-commercial, non-salable or non-financial purposes. Any part of this book may be transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Cover Design by Author

Printed and bound in the United States by LuLu.com

Published by Pastor E.G.Rice Publishing

54 Main St. Box 99, Dresden NY 14441

ISBN: (pending)

Library of Congress No. (pending)

INTRODUCTION

“You don't have to be depressed. You don't have to see a doctor and wait for him or her to write you a prescription. You don't have to suffer the miserable side effects of standard prescription antidepressants. You don't have to endure weeks or months of waiting for your antidepressant drug to start working. You can stop your depression right now. In fact, you can feel much better in a matter of just days. And you can find all the tools you need to conquer your depression quickly and safely right here in these pages¹. ...

“You don't have to be depressed. Depression saps us of our vitality, our joy in being alive. It wrecks relationships, careers, and even lives. But there is a new (no, an old) solution (that pharmacists and medical doctors have missed or steered you away from.) Now you don't have to endure awful side effects. You don't have to wait for weeks for relief. You can stop depression now. You can feel better in a matter of days.

“Depression is not some minor problem affecting only a few people. Current research estimates that fifty percent of the population – yea, every other one of us – will suffer some form of depression at some time. Despite the hype surrounding the latest generation of prescription antidepressants, depression is not a thing of the past. Even the most modern prescription antidepressants are harsh drugs. They can cause miserable, even intolerable, side effects and take weeks to start working, if they work for you at all. It does not have to be this way.”¹

Dealing With Moods and Depression WEEK #1

Of A Constructive Work Book

A Biblical Perspective

“ A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” (Prov 17:22)

The medicine that treats depression does not come in a pharmaceutical bottle as a pill. It is not another miracle dietary supplement that you can order in the mail. It is a life style cure defined by a four thousand year old book written by your creator and called the Holy Bible. Depression is the most diagnosed 'mental illness' in America. The medical community that separates the humans spirituality from his physical and mental tries to fix this spiritual malady with mind altering drugs. This verse of wisdom from God indicates a connection between the physical, mental and spiritual entities that He created 'in His image.' This workbook capitalizes on this interconnection to help you deal with depression, manic depression or bi-polar disorders in your life. God advises that we heal the spirit, the mind and the body. We guarantee that this approach to reform in your life will be effective. We guarantee it because He does.

This material is designed to provide a wealth of information at the beginning and five challenges per week. Don't get so overwhelmed by the beginning material that you don't get to the challenges. I put this material together to use in our ministry addressing problems of addictions, anger and depression, to be used in jails, prison, homes and Church. We always recommend that you pursue this material through our Baptist Church or an Independent Baptist Church of like faith and practice, but recognize that sometimes this preference is not available to students. Make it your goal to get into one of these Bible Believing, Bible Preaching Churches for your full growth in Christ. A Bible believing Church does not use a modernist Bible, it uses a King James Bible translation. So don't settle for an ecumenical church with an ecumenical bible.

As you pursue this study pursue the new relationship with the Word of Truth. He can change you . He can make your life new.

God Bless you in your pursuit

Pastor Ed Rice

Good Samaritan Baptist Church

It should be no surprise that a Baptist Preacher believing the Bible to be true considers the renewing of ones mind in the Lord Jesus Christ to be a first line cure for clinical depression, for manic depression and for bipolar disorder. The medical profession and the mental health profession agree that all depression needs to be treated with 'talk therapy', but in the last few years their preferred treatment is to administer mind altering drugs. As a Bible believer and preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is obvious that the 'talk therapy' which they move to the background, is the ultimate and preferred treatment when the talk is with our creator. And when God's methods for the reformation of our mind are properly employed, even extreme struggles with these forms of mood disorders can be treated without the mind altering drugs. (NOTE: If you are on depression medications do not discontinue their use without consulting your physician.)

Mood swings are a normal part of life. There is an overemphasis on diagnosing and treating these as 'illnesses' without considering the spiritual root cause of man's 'illness'. With this in mind we have 6 tasks below that we want you to undertake in this first week. The last is the most important so don't miss the challenge.

1. Read through the introductory information on depression. It is professional with deep spiritual insight. It contains the important background information that will be more fully developed.

2. Fill in the 'Keeping Track of Yourself' worksheet for one week. This is a modified depression evaluation checklist that may help us each evaluate your thoughts.

3. Review the steps to reformation and do the writing assignment.

4. Go over the worksheet on Overcoming Satan's Strongholds

5. Begin journaling with the checklist provided.

6. Finally complete challenges 1 through 5.

This could be a very busy week for you but an excellent start on the renewing of your mind in Christ Jesus.

Key Proverbs for Depression Help

Reading God's Words will effect your health. Read these 21 proverbs often.

Pr 3:8 It (fearing the LORD and departing from evil) shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Pr 4:22 For they (God's words and sayings) are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

Pr 11:30 ¶ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Pr 12:4 ¶ A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.

Pr 12:18 ¶ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

Pr 13:17 ¶ A wicked messenger falleth into mischief: but a faithful ambassador is health.

Pr 14:29 ¶ He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

Pr 14:30 ¶ A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Pr 15:4 ¶ A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit.

Pr 15:13 ¶ A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.

Pr 15:30 ¶ The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.

Pr 16:18 ¶ Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Pr 16:19 ¶ Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Pr 16:24 ¶ Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Pr 16:32 ¶ He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Pr 17:22 ¶ A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Pr 17:27 ¶ He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Pr 18:14 ¶ The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Pr 20:27 ¶ The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.

Pr 25:28 ¶ He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Pr 29:23 ¶ A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.

A Word About Mood Disorders

Depression and manic-depression, the latter called today 'bipolar-disorder', are both common and highly treatable mental illnesses. Unfortunately many people do not get the help they need for a couple reasons. First there is much misunderstanding with these illnesses and sometimes there is a fear or stigma attached to seeking treatment. Secondly Americans and our doctors like a quick and easy 'pill' solution for everything, and throwing mind altering chemicals at an emotional disorder is a very lucrative but eternally harmful and ineffective treatment of depression. Doctors treat bodies as though they were not connected to soul and spirit. Most often treating our bodies and our hormones as a chemistry set. They see it out of balance and strive to bring things back into balance with just the right combination of ingested chemicals. Human's are not that simple. Psychiatrists treat our minds as though they were not connected to our body and spirit. Note here that all of the 'medical profession' ignore the spirit of man and the interconnection and intersection of body-soul-and-spirit within man. God, our creator requires that all three be treated simultaneously, equally and jointly. We are made in His image and likeness and he has revealed to us in His infallible Word the best treatment of our disorders. This workbook is an ongoing effort to capture all of that revelation and implement the whole person treatment that is necessary for the successful treatment of depression and manic-depression.

Circumstance in life can produce feelings of being sad or blue. These may be little things that wear on us over time, like job frustrations, or they may be traumatic events that hit us all at once, like the death of a loved one. God created this emotion for our protection and well being. Sadness is an emotional guard that protects and sustains. Indeed we can use this use this emotion for our enhancement. The poem comes to mind:

I walked a mile with happiness,

she chatted all the way,

but I was none the wiser

for all she had to say.

I walked a mile with sadness

and not a word said she,

but oh the things I learned from her,

when sadness walked with me.

When this sadness comes into our life there is an actual chemical change in our body which accommodates this subdued emotion. In fact every mood we 'feel' is accompanied by a whole set of hormones and various chemical changes that change our body chemistry to accommodate that emotion or feeling. Consider again the power in this realization. Your thoughts and feelings effective your body chemistry and your body chemistry effects your thought and feelings. TO better understand depression and God's ability to remedy it we need to talk openly about this complex relationship between body-soul- and-spirit.

Consider what we do with this remarkable ability. For our own entertainment we read a novel that walks us through melancholy, joy, thrill, fear, grief and happiness. (Poorer readers might do that with a two hour movie.) An excellent classical concert can very effectively take us through all these emotions. Consider how quickly your moods and emotions ride this emotional roller coaster, and recall we consider this an 'entertainment' process. Every emotion is accompanied by several body chemistry changes, and a good artist can carry us through several changes in an hour of 'entertainment.'

The majority of communication in your body are chemistry communications. You control muscles and senses with nerves. Your heart rate, breathing, tension and blood pressure, your sex drive, adrenaline, moods, and emotions, these are all body chemistry communications wherein your brain, your thoughts, and your environment communicate these necessary bodily adjustments to your physical being. Consider now that drug companies have found the means to sell you a pill which tweaks this chemistry communicating system. It is not without side effects, and every person reacts differently to various dosages.

Suppose your bad diet loads you up with chemicals, preservatives, and food combinations which require your blood chemistry to require additional filtering. Your kidneys, which are your blood filters, send a chemical signal to your brain which knows to increase your blood pressure to get the additional blood flow through the clogging filters. Doctors have found that they can block this chemical communication with a pill which lowers your blood pressure. It is very costly, it has a myriad of side effects, and your doctor is treating a symptom and not a cause but the current state of our 'medical system' endorses this behavior. This simplistic illustration gets very complex when a doctor starts tweaking our moods and emotions with mind altering drugs. Ergo great caution should be employed whenever mind altering drugs are employed. Even tricking your mind via strange chemicals on your taste buds, whereby they sense sugar that is not real and you think that your artificially flavored artificially colored soda taste drinkable, … you cannot take in mind altering chemicals without side effects. You cannot ingest chemicals without consequences. No matter what the food marketers have sold you, you cannot ingest chemicals without paying a price. Learn that fact while you remember that your thoughts moods and emotions can also alter your body chemistry and that is God's recommended method, the pill and the artificial is the marketers recommended method. Choose here and now which you intend to listen to.

Depression is the feeling of gloom, sadness and dejection that has so set into a life that normal activities of life are altered and the normal emotions of life are swallowed up by object sadness which lasts for a couple weeks or more. The woman, being created to perform the role of mothering, being created the weaker vessel, and being created to be the appropriate helper meet (i.e. appropriate) to the emotional lack of the man, is more sensitive to emotions and moods, and is thus more apt to experience depression. The term 'clinical depression' came about because one often needs to seek out help for ones depression, and the 'counsel of the ungodly' has driven many to seek that help in a 'medical clinic' where mind altering drugs are prescribed to remedy this emotional disorder. In reality, depression is real, help should be sought, but it should not be 'clinical' per se.

Consider again the drugs that were introduced to lower ones high blood pressure in our previous illustration. The body has ingested all the wrong ingredients, exercised a bad diet, loaded up the blood stream with chemicals and toxins and the kidneys have sent a chemical signal to the brain which says “raise up the blood pressure so that we can filter more of these toxins out of this blood.” Instead of changing the diet and doing the workout that makes us sweat (i.e. sweat is a necessary and very effective means of removing many toxins from the body) we go to the 'clinic' where a pill can lower our blood pressure and make our doctors feel better. We have treated a symptom.

When we have an emotional disorder we likewise tend to pursue a mind altering drug that blocks off and alters our bodies corrective chemical balance rather than treating the cause of the disorder. A pill² is so much quicker and easier than treating the causes of depression or of blood pressure... or of gout. It is not wise, however, to forgo the holistic cure for the simplistic pill.. The toxins that cause depression are ingested via body-soul-and-spirit and the cure of an emotional offset must be pursued through body-soul-and-spirit, like our Creator has prescribed.

Mood disorders are treatable

“The majority of people with mood disorders are able to find treatments that work. Talk therapy, medication or a combination of both help the person feel better and change situations in their life that may be contributing to their illnesses (substance abuse, bad relationships, etc.)”³ Notice here that even the 'clinical' world mentions 'talk therapy' as treatment for 'clinical depression.' They then advance a medication solution and you hear no more about it unless they can prescribe a 'psychologist' to talk to you. Herein it is prescribed that 'talk therapy' should begin immediately, and the counselor you should be talking with is within you, ever present with if you are a 'believer' and ever present about you if you are not. Speaking of the Christ the Holy Bible says “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa 9:6) and to the believer this 'Counsellor' has promised “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (Heb 13:5-6) Ergo, you have a Counsellor who formed you in the womb and wants that you not ignore His counsel. Take full advantage.

Keeping Track of Yourself

We need self awareness. You can stop and think about what your thinking and why you may be thinking it. You need to regularly evaluate your moods. Use this questionnaire for a week at a time.

Check those blocks which are most true.

Scoring Intervals 0-4 No depression 5-10 Mild depression 11+ Severe depression

Writing Assignment

Read Psalms3. Get a note book and write out by hand Psalm 3.

In that note book write out the following essay on that Psalm:

Write out verse 1. Write “Who is my enemy? The WORLD, the FLESH, and the DEVIL.”

Now write “Who is my enemy #1 [ ________ ] “ but in that blank write the name of that enemy. It may be a mind altering pill or drug, a brand of booze, a brand of tobacco, the thing in the world that has you in bondage. Use all caps.

Write out “Who is my enemy #2 I AM MY OWN WORST ENEMY, A LIAR AND DECEIVER, and DESPERATELY WICKED.”

Write out “Who is my enemy #3 The Devil is my enemy. He is the FATHER OF LIES. He is THE MASTER DECEIVER.

Write out verse 2-3.

Write “Who can Save me from my enemy? JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHETOUS!

Write “Who can Save me from” [ENEMY#1] (fill in the blank) then write the full given name for this answer.

Write “Who can Save me from” [ENEMY#2] (fill in the blank) then write the full given name for this answer.

Write “Who can Save me from” [ENEMY#3] (fill in the blank) then write the full given name for this answer.

Write out verse 4. Then with your pencil write out your cry.

Write “LORD save me from [ENEMY #1] (fill in the blank)

Write “LORD save me from [ENEMY #2] (fill in the blank)

Write “LORD save me from [ENEMY #3] (fill in the blank)

In like manner write out verse 5 & 6, then write out 3 times “Tomorrow I will not be afraid of “ [ENEMY #1,2,3]

Write verse 7 then a daily prayer for salvation from #1,2,3

Write verse 8 then a daily praise for salvation from #1,2,3

Write 3 times “Dear Jesus I want to be 'thy people' save me from” [ENEMY#1], [ENEMY #2], [ENEMY #3]

The Strongholds Study Course⁴

Book One: Challenger Level

Welcome to the Strongholds Study Course. You begin here a journey that will doubtless lead to a new freedom that you never thought possible. It is a freedom that is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says that when Jesus sets you free, your are free indeed. As you begin this workbook, allow me to personally guarantee that if you follow the steps that Christ laid out for freedom, you will be reformed completely from the strongholds that bind your life, and you will find yourself “free indeed!” Consider that a stronghold is an area or thing that is controlling you, rather you controlling it.

You are beginning the Challenger Section of a larger program of growth. The Challenger Section is designed to show you God's plan for building the foundation of your life. God said in the Bible that there is no better foundation that any man could lay other than that which was already laid by Jesus Christ. The foundation cornerstone is indeed the Lord Jesus Christ. God desires that everyone in His creation have a personal relationship with Him through His son, Jesus Christ. It is the first step to freedom on earth and it also qualifies us for Eternal Life, which, obviously, is far more important. We will begin examining this crucial step, but first, we will show you God's design for Freedom. It is rather simple to understand and easy to apply when done with our whole heart. It begins in the book of John, where Jesus said He is “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” When Jesus stated that He is the Truth, He was explaining that others may claim to have supernatural truth, but only He is capable of exposing the real Truth that comes from God. With this (Jesus is Truth) in mind, please read Christ's formula for Freedom from strongholds.

John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples (follower) indeed; And ye shall know the Truth (Jesus), and the Truth (Jesus) shall make you free.

I have placed the steps to freedom from strongholds in bold print. They are outlined below as follows:

1. Believe on Jesus

2. Continue (study) in my Word (Bible).

3. Follow Christ with your life (disciple)

4. Your knowledge of Jesus will increase.

5. Jesus (not you) will make your free.

This challenge outlines step #1 in careful detail. To be 'born again' to be indwelt by God Himself will be the most important and eternal ingredient that will be touched on in this reform effort. If you have not yet been so changed and indwelt by God, this will be the most important step you will ever make with your life. If you have already been 'born-again' the examination of how and what that does to set us free from strongholds will be essential to your holistic healing. Stay focused on why you are here. At first this may seem elementary, but as you progress through the program, you will see why God has brought you here. You want to change, and change begins with you. Perhaps your have tried before, but this effort has every promise to be different, because it is based on God's promises to us, and getting lined up to receive those promises.

And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall make you free.

Pastor Ed Rice

The Challenges

The format of these challenges from Reformers Unanimous www.reformu.com

Challenge 1 Reading lesson: John Chapter 1-7

To complete challenge 1, you must read John chapter 1 through 7. Below are spaces to list the topic of each chapter. Please fill these blanks in after you have completed each chapter.

Topic Chap 1 ____________________________________

Topic Chap 2 ____________________________________

Topic Chap 3 ____________________________________

Topic Chap 4 ____________________________________

Topic Chap 5 ____________________________________

Topic Chap 6 ____________________________________

Topic Chap 7 ____________________________________

Please list in your own words, how these chapters can be applied to your efforts to remain free from strongholds, (i.e. Habits or addictions that hold your life in bondage).

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 2 Memorize John 3:16-18,36

To keep God's Words before us as we strive to take control of a strong hold it is essential that we commit some verses to memory. These memory verses will address what Jesus Christ has done to save us from our sin nature and with commands and principles that God has given us to live by. It's best to write them out on a 3x5 card, carry it with us and recall the verse several times per day.

Memorize John 3:16

John 3:16 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. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ... 36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 2 SPECIAL Memorize Verses

To keep God's Words working in us memorize these verses which are aimed at the specific stronghold that you are dealing with.

Memorize Bible Verses Concerning Your Mind

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Col 1:21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

Please describe in your own words how these verses can be applied to your efforts to remain in a right mind toward Christ toward others and toward yourself.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

What things do you often feel towards yourself, towards others and towards Christ which differ form these verses?.

_____________________________________________

____________________________________________

______________________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 3 Attendance Requirement

In order to complete this challenge, you must attend a Sunday Morning Church Service (or Bible Study in your facility). Bring a Bible to this service and read it during the service even if they do not. The Lord Jesus Christ rose from the tomb on the Lords day, being the first day of the week, a Sunday. Christians have been gathering together on the Lord's day, singing psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs and reading the Holy Scriptures together for all these 1,975 years. You should as well.

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 4 Attendance Requirement

In order to complete this challenge, you must attend 2 weekly counseling classes in a row. Your punctual attendance is an important discipline. Attending the next session provides one of the five communications necessary in dealing with this stronghold.

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Congratulations on completing 4 Challenges! During the working of these challenges, you have studied, memorized and heard God's Word taught. Studying, memorizing and hearing the Word of God will increase your knowledge of God, which will make greater faith possible. The book of Romans states it, “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” It is easier to have faith in someone you know and trust. We will continue in this format throughout the rest of the reformation counseling. Do not give up on your efforts to overcome your stronghold, even if you have stumbled this week. God still loves you and wants to complete the change he has begun. If you would like to know more contact us.

Dealing With Moods and Depression WEEK #2

of A Constructive Work Book

A Biblical Perspective on Depression and

Manic Depression (called Bi-Polar Disorder) Dealing with Life, and Dealing with Others Biblically.

Reformers Unanimous by Steven Curington

Ministered By Pastor Ed Rice

Good Samaritan Baptist Church

54 Main St Box 99 Dresden NY 14441

(315) 536-0878 www.gsbaptistchurch.com

Understanding The Scope of the Problem

Before continuing in this series I would point out that success in your reformation is not found in any program, it is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. This truth is made clear by examining the devotional for Christian Servants called “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers. The June 1^st entry states:

June 1 The Staggering Question

He said to me, ’Son of man, can these bones live?’

—Ezekiel 37:3

Can a sinner be turned into a saint? Can a twisted life be made right? There is only one appropriate answer— "O Lord God, You know" ( Ezekiel 37:3 ). Never forge ahead with your religious common sense and say, "Oh, yes, with just a little more Bible reading, devotional time, and prayer, I see how it can be done."

It is much easier to do something than to trust in God; we see the activity and mistake panic for inspiration. That is why we see so few fellow workers with God, yet so many people working for God. We would much rather work for God than believe in Him. Do I really believe that God will do in me what I cannot do? The degree of hopelessness I have for others comes from never realizing that God has done anything for me. Is my own personal experience such a wonderful realization of God’s power and might that I can never have a sense of hopelessness for anyone else I see? Has any spiritual work been accomplished in me at all? The degree of panic activity in my life is equal to the degree of my lack of personal spiritual experience.

"Behold, O My people, I will open your graves...” ( Ezekiel 37:12 ). When God wants to show you what human nature is like separated from Himself, He shows it to you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has ever given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He will only do this when His Spirit is at work in you), then you know that in reality there is no criminal half as bad as you yourself could be without His grace. My "grave" has been opened by God and "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells" ( Romans 7:18 ). God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace. (Oswald Chambers)

As you continue in this effort understand that it is Christ working in you that causes the change, not your gritting your teeth and struggling for self reform. The journaling and the challenges which are pursued in this effort are intended to cause your trust in Him to be established and increased to thereby enable the necessary changes in your life to find holistic healing.

An excellent working model of the dilemma we face was given by an Iowa Pastor running a home for troubled children⁵. In a staff brainstorming session they likened the dilemma to finding a basement half full of water that was rising fast. We start pumping furiously to get the water out of the basement and sure enough, after much effort we are successful at lowering the water level to where we can have access to the basement. Too often it is decided at this point that we need to keep pumping every day or else we loose access to the basement again. In reality there is a root cause for the flooded basement. When the water level is down enough to allow access we need to go poking around down there, find the broken water pipe, and get it fixed. From that point on our efforts are on improving the basement not just maintaining a barely usable access.

As Christian counselors, we often set out head long in an effort to get ones basement pumped out. Memorize applicable Scripture (Pump#1); Read your Bible daily (Pump#2); Have a daily prayer time(Pump#3); Journal your progress (Pump#4); and meet back with us next week (Pump#5). It is surely wise to get all these 'pumps' going and surely God promises that they will bring about improvements, but unless we get in there and poke around for the broken water main that needs to be repaired, next year at this time you will still have depression issues, anger issues, or dependency issues going on in the basement of your soul. Keep those 5 'pumps' going steady. We are seeing good progress, but don't forget lowering the water levels is not our final goal. We are looking for a holistic healing for your whole life. Pastor Marvin Smith III said of the children and adults he worked with: “Hurt people hurt people, Healed people heal people.” That is a profound observation. We are striving here for the latter in this effort. Keep your eyes on the goal. God Bless you as you pursue Him for those changes.

Pastor Ed Rice

Understanding Holistic Healing

God created man in his image and likeness. Thus man consists of body-soul-and-spirit.⁶ our finite ability to come up with a working model for this body-soul-and-spirit union is challenging, but the effort to use the following working model⁷ will greatly enhance a holistic approach to our reformation. The outer shell that we live in is of course our physical body, and is here in considered to consist of our Heart, our Health, and our Hormones. Inside this shell is what we call the soul which herein is considered to consist of our Mind, our Emotion, and our Will. Sheltered deep inside our soul is what we call the spirit, which herein is considered to consist of The Spirit of Man, The Inner Man, and The Seat of Conscious. This working model is a descriptive model which is very Biblically orientated. It is not cunningly devised for convenience, but carefully crafted to depict how the Bible describes our assembly and makeup. It will be a working basis for our holistic approach to your healing. Commit it to memory.

Step one – The Quickened Spirit

In this working model of the body-soul-and-spirit of man pay close attention to the next two observations. Observation #1 your soul, made up of your mind/thinking, your emotion/feeling, and your will/doing, is the only entity that maintains communication with both your spirit and your body. It is, as it were, the mediator between the two, and more importantly it is the controlling entity for each. The Spirit, which is the inner heart of man, is wholly engulfed or encapsulated inside of our mind-emotion-and-will. Each commodious of body-soul-and-spirit is a triune entity, the Spirit being The Spirit of Man, The Inner Man, and The Seat of Conscious. The Spirit is indeed the essence of what we are but it is not visible to others except through our mind-emotion-and-will of our soul. Likewise our body encapsulates the soul of man. You really do not see the mind-emotion-and-will of your closest friend except it comes out through the physical actions of the body. The soul is the controlling driver for the body. It may be somewhat fictitious to think of the physical body to be triune, made up of Heart, Health, and Hormone, but it serves our purpose to make this division . Your body has a physical actuality, in heart and muscle, tissue and organ. If it functions well without defect we say it is 'healthy', and we shall examine health as a separate entity of our body in this analysis, particularly 'mental health'. Of keen interest in this analysis is the third entity we have categorized as our chemical communicators ever present in our body. These 'hormones' as we called them cause the body to relax or tense up, flare nostrils or be drowsy; to be excited or sad (manic-depressed); to crave or be content. All the body is controled by your soul, yes even your health and yes especially your hormones. In this effort we must examine these controls and learn to exercise the soul well. Consider again that the hormones effect the soul and the soul effects the hormones, the health effect the soul and the soul effects the health, the physical effects soul and the soul effects the physical. We are complex beings but this model will help simplify what is going on inside of our complexity.

A second and crucial observation that is necessary with this simple model is that the spirit of man is either dead in trespasses and sin or been quickened by God and made alive for evermore. This remarkably simple observation clarifies hours of theological dialog about what being 'Christian' is and what 'salvation' is in essence. You are not 'Christian' because of what you believe, or what you do, or how you act. You are not 'Christian' because of what religion you choose or what baptism you have had, or what confirmation classes you have completed, or what experience you have gone through. One is only 'Christian' when the Christ has reached down into your soul and quickened you on the inside. It is an act that only He can do, one He called being 'born again', one He called being 'converted', one that can not be undone, and one that the vast majority of people calling themselves 'Christian' are totally missing.

The quickening of our spirit is going to be a topic of repeated discussion in this effort. It is essential for eternal life and the desire of this Preacher of the Gospel is that you have it in your soul. The effort to repair your depression, or your anger, or your addiction can proceed without this quickening of your spirit, but it will not be, indeed cannot be the holistic repair that provides complete healing.

I again wish to emphasize these important observations. First it is your soul, consisting of your mind, your emotion, and your will which is in control of what is going on in your body, in its physical actions and movements, your health for that body, and those chemical communicators that operate your body. Your soul consisting of your mind, your emotion, and your will is in control of what goes on and comes out of your spirit within, where your 'inner man' and our 'seat of conscious' dwell. We will thus spend some time excersizing and examinng this powerful controler of your whole being.

Secondly your spirit is the heart of what you are. It is in this spirit of man, the inner man, and seat of conscious, where God seeks to dwell and change you. When God reaches down and converts a person he quickens or makes alive that spirit of man that was once dead in trespasses and sin. When that spirit of man is made alive toward God the Bible says that His Spirit comes into our spirit and dwells with us eternally. That is an awesome enabler which allows the holistic repair which we are desirous of in this effort. Purpose that you will pursue this holistic repair in your life. Remember “Hurt people hurt people, healed people heal people.”

Read a Short Lesson on

Dealing with your Moods

To deal with our moods Biblically there are several areas we need to bring to our conscious knowledge.

1. We have the ability to know ourselves. God has made humans in His image and different than any other creature. We have the ability to have 1) self awareness, and 2) reason. You can really step outside of your self for a moment and examine what you are thinking, what you are doing and what you are feeling at any time, and then to do some deductive reasoning as to why we are thinking what we are thinking, why we are doing what we are doing, and why we are feeling what we are feeling. It is amazing to me how few people practice this self awareness and deductive reasoning. Being self aware and able to reason is a part of every human being. It is important to examine ourselves not only physically in this area but mentally and spiritually. Jesus said the first commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind. Step outside yourself for a moment and examine how you are doing at your creators first command. How are you then doing at controlling our self awareness? Our mind? Our Mood? Right after we did something stupid our mom asked us “What in the world were you thinking?” It is high time we learned to ask that question of ourselves. Practice bringing these things to mind.

2. The Causes of our mood. We have examined three things that effect our mood. Consider them consciously as Body, Soul and Spirit. 1) Our mind works based on our body's chemistry and the balance of our chemistry changes based on inputs from our mind. Our diet and exercise will effect our body chemistry. It has been said “You are what you eat.” This is not true, even Jesus refutes such a saying, however vitamin deficiencies and sugar, preservative, hormone, and chemical plethora in our diet can challenge and devastate good body chemistry. (In America we use chemical sweeteners called diet soda, chemical salteners called fake salt, man's hydrogenated corn oil instead of God's natural butter, even chemical eggs called egg-beaters to try to appease our appetites as we eat preservatives, color enhancers and chemical flavorings in abundance to add a plethora of abnormal chemistry to our physical mix. All this has great side effects on our moods and hormomes.) We shall moderately address diet in this effort for reform as well as healthy exercise and old fashioned sweat. Secondly, outside stimulus will effect the balance of our chemistry. You have heard of mood music, you have heard the song “Be careful little eyes what you see.” Getting control of our mood swings, our anger issues and addictions will include an emphasis on what outside things that you are stimulating your brain with. And lastly inside stimulus changes our brain chemistry. That is, the very thoughts that you allow to run through your mind will generate enzymes, hormones and chemicals in response to your thoughts. God says we need to renew our mind because out of our heart flow the issues of life. Wow, does the Bible address each of these physical issues of brain chemistry for our life? Yes it does, and it is meant to cause us to grow in wisdom of our minds. We are pretty complex beings made in the image of our God. 2) Circumstance effect our soul. When we experience catastrophic events in life they effect our moods all the way down to our soul. In this journey we must examine the effects of grief, tragedy and calamity on our brain chemistry. Our bodies are designed to preserve us through such events, we need to better understand that chemistry. But our creator can be the greater comfort and controller of or moods and chemistry through these calamities of life. God wants us to be steadfast in every circumstance. 3) Communion, or our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. No greater control of our mood and brain chemistry can be achieved than what comes from our spiritual plane. A right relationship with our God through His only begotten Son, is paramount for keeping our mind in Him, and out of depression. It is a spiritual warfare for our mind.

3. The Cures of our wrong Moods. You are in the midst of a treatment for radical mood swings, for controlling of anger issues or for cravings and addictions. It comes by consciously and Biblically dealing with your life. The control of our moods, anger or addictions will be accomplished by regulating things and relationships in our physical, mental and spiritual plains. This cure is not a magic potion but the plan that the Lord Jesus Christ has laid out for your life. Keep studying his plan, memorizing his steps and trust Him to reform your mind.

Keep A weekly Journal

of these 5 Communication Techniques

The format of this journal is from Reformers Unanimous www.reformu.com

1. Bible Reading. Scriptures you read each day and notes of their importance towards your reform. Note the time spent in reading each day. (Day 2-7 on back or in separate notebook following this format.).

2. Teaching Received. Teaching that you sat under this week and notes of their importance towards your reform. Note the time spent as a disciple each day.

3. Personal Prayer Time. Praise and Pray for Needs, Protection, and Other each day. Pray for forgiveness for wrong things I said or others said in my presence, things I thought, things I did or others did in my presence which offend my God and creator. Journal them and note the time I spent in prayer each day. (How many days does it take you to pray for an hour?)

4. Time with Christian Friends. Questions for which you seek (or give counsel) Journal what you talk about to other Christians. Track time.

5. Convictions and Leadings of the Spirit of God. God speaks to us through His Word, but if Christ dwells in you then he also speaks to you in a “Still small voice” and in our conscious when we speak or do wrongs. Note some ways in which the Holy Spirit has convicted or led you.

The Challenges

The format of these challenges from Reformers Unanimous www.reformu.com

Challenge 5 Reading lesson: John Chapter 8-14

To complete challenge 5, you must read John 8-14. Below are spaces to list the topic of each chapter. Please fill these blanks in after you have completed each chapter.

Topic Chap 8 ___________________________________

Topic Chap 9 ___________________________________

Topic Chap 10 __________________________________

Topic Chap 11 __________________________________

Topic Chap 12 __________________________________

Topic Chap 13 __________________________________

Topic Chap 14 __________________________________

Please list in your own words, how these chapters can be applied to you efforts to remain free from strongholds. ______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 6 Memorize John 8:31,32

To keep God's Words before us as we strive to take control of a strong hold it is essential that we commit some verses to memory. These memory verses will address what Jesus Christ has done to save us from our sin nature and with commands and principles that God has given us to live by. It's best to write them out on a 3x5 card, carry it with us and recall the verse several times per day.

Memorize John 8:31,32

31 ¶ Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Do you believe the above verse to be true? _____

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 7 Memorize John 14:6

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Do you believe the above verse to be true?_____

Student Challenge Complete____________________Date ________

Challenger's Check _________________________Date __________

Below is a special devotional by Oswald Chambers, prayerfully read through it and consider what Christ teaches about our moods this week. Press on in the challenges at hand from the Reformers Unanimous workbook but keep in mind these things about dealing with our moods on a conscious level. There are verses to memorize that deal with this effort inserted as special challenges for this week.

February 17

Taking the Initiative Against Depression

Arise and eat —1 Kings 19:5

The angel in this passage did not give Elijah a vision, or explain the Scriptures to him, or do anything remarkable. He simply told Elijah to do a very ordinary thing, that is, to get up and eat. If we were never depressed, we would not be alive— only material things don’t suffer depression. If human beings were not capable of depression, we would have no capacity for happiness and exaltation. There are things in life that are designed to depress us; for example, things that are associated with death. Whenever you examine yourself, always take into account your capacity for depression.

When the Spirit of God comes to us, He does not give us glorious visions, but He tells us to do the most ordinary things imaginable. Depression tends to turn us away from the everyday things of God’s creation. But whenever God steps in, His inspiration is to do the most natural, simple things-things we would never have imagined God was in, but as we do them we find Him there. The inspiration that comes to us in this way is an initiative against depression. But we must take the first step and do it in the inspiration of God. If, however, we do something simply to overcome our depression, we will only deepen it. But when the Spirit of God leads us instinctively to do something, the moment we do it the depression is gone. As soon as we arise and obey, we enter a higher plane of life.

Challenge 7 SPECIAL Memorize

Concerning Our Mind

Mr 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Student Challenge Complete____________________Date ________

Challenger's Check _________________________Date __________

Challenge 8 Prayer

Are there a lot of people you know who are enslaved by the temptations of this world? God encourages us to pray for one another. Below is a chart of blanks. Try to think of as many people as you can who are struggling with a stronghold. Write their first name only in the blank listed below. Ask God to help you remember as many people as possible. When you attend class this week, your counsel leader will pray for these people with you. It will be the beginning of a prayer list that will take your focus off of yourself and put it on the needs of others. (Don't worry you can still pray for God to help you, too!)

______________ ______________ ______________

______________ ______________ ______________

Also evaluate your prayer journal in this challenge. How are you doing at journaling the five communication techniques that God has for you? __________________

How much time did you spend in each this week?

1. _____ 2. _____ 3. _____ 4. _____ 5. _____ Total _____

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Congratulations for finishing the second week of these exciting challenges. May God Richly Bless in the renewal of your mind. Keep Going for him. .... Pastor Rice

Dealing With Life & Depression WEEK #3

of A Constructive Work Book

A Biblical Perspective on Depression and

Manic Depression (called Bi-Polar Disorder) Dealing with Life, and Dealing with Others Biblically.

Reformers Unanimous by Steven Curington

Ministered By Pastor Ed Rice

Good Samaritan Baptist Church

54 Main St Box 99 Dresden NY 14441

(315) 536-0878 www.gsbaptistchurch.com

As you continue in this reform effort understand that it is Christ working in you that causes the change, not your gritting your teeth and struggling for self reform. The journaling and the challenges which are pursued in this effort are intended to cause your trust in Him to enable the necessary changes in your life. Remember his promise in 2Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

God Bless you as you pursue Him

Pastor Ed Rice

Some Thoughts on Mood Control

As we continue in this series on depression and mood control consider some of the direct applications for the RU program we are following. Reformer Unanimous was designed to bring Christ into the life of an addict and let Him reform completely the individual and make them what God always intended. We are attempting to step into the resources of our mind and moods and discover the reforms that are needed to make us what God always intended.

Remember if you are on medications for depression do not stop without seeing your doctor. You may wish to consult with him and find a way to taper off medications as you allow Christ to be your 'talk therapist' in dealing with your moods. It is possible that your body has developed a chemical dependence on the mind altering drugs and taking back complete control of your brain chemistry may be a long laborious process for you, even as you are learning more and more to lean on Christ, the creator of your mind. This note of caution is important for those prescribed depression medications. Do not change medications without consulting your doctor and letting him know of your intentions to trust in Christ more and more and in medications less and less. He should assist you in this endeavor to SLOWLY wean yourself off medications.

The Bible principle we are acting on in this series is that a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ will have his mind renewed in Christ. Such a renewing of our mind by the creator of our mind is promised to those who would trust Christ completely, first with their soul, for salvation, then with their life, for the working out of that salvation on a daily basis. Look again at Romans 12:1-2 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

In his letter to believers at Colosse Paul outlines 7 things that he desires for them as follows:

1) KNOW HIS WILL 9 ¶ For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

2) TO WALK WORTHY 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,

3) TO BE FRUITFUL being fruitful in every good work, The 9 fruits of the spirit which should now ripen in our lives are Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:

4) INCREASE KNOWLEDGE and increasing in the knowledge of God;

5) BE STRENGTHENED 1:11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; NOTE HERE Patience is for dealing with circumstances; Longsuffering is for dealing with people, and Joyfulness is the packaging that both should come in.

6) BE THANKFUL 1:12 ¶ Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

7) BE DELIVERED & TRANSLATED 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

As you work through the challenges this week, keep these 7 growth areas in view. Go back and highlight two of them that you need emphasized in prayer for victory over your particular stronghold.

The most important treatment for depression is 'talk therapy.' We are emphasizing this in 3 ways. First, analyze your self and talk to yourself about your current mood and where your feelings come from. Secondly, talk to God about your analysis and ask Him for His help in dealing with your attitude and mood. Thirdly, you need another person in your life to talk to. An intimate friend is one with whom you could talk to about anything and they will hold your trust. You should seek to have a couple of close friends like that. God intends that our spouse be that kind of an intimate friend. The challenger in your RU program should be such. You need all three avenues of this talking open in your life to effectively deal with depression and mood swings. Since these are needs in your life, take them to God, he has promised to meet your every need. Be assured that he can.

Before the challenges for this week are presented take the time to read a short devotional by Oswald Chambers from his book “My Utmost for His Highest.”

Devotional on the Mind June 4 —Hebrews 13:5

The Never-forsaking God

He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you nor forsake you’

What line of thinking do my thoughts take? Do I turn to what God says or to my own fears? Am I simply repeating what God says, or am I learning to truly hear Him and then to respond after I have heard what He says? "For He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’" ( Heb 13:5-6 ).

"I will never leave you . . . "— not for any reason; not my sin, selfishness, stubbornness, nor waywardness. Have I really let God say to me that He will never leave me? If I have not truly heard this assurance of God, then let me listen again.

"I will never . . . forsake you." Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful— just the everyday activities of life— do I hear God’s assurance even in these?

We have the idea that God is going to do some exceptional thing— that He is preparing and equipping us for some extraordinary work in the future. But as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have God’s assurance behind us, the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life. (Oswald Chambers)

The challenges before you this week cannot be met without a Master and Lord of your life. The challenges listed here are intended to bring you in closer contact with Him. Take the time to journal your week in the 5 communications technique journal, and may God richly bless as you pursue Him through these new challenges.

The Five 'R's of Reformation

1. Recognize and Receive. Things are not right in my life and I need help. Recognize that the one who created you loves you more than anyone else in this world and wants to fix your mess if you will receive Him. The Lord Jesus Christ came into this world to seek and to save sinners. He will not only save your soul he will save your life and turn you around to where you can live a joyful, prosperous life with Him as your Lord. Believe Him, and become a believer. Trust him and become his disciple. Let him change your life so you can be conformed to his image, even so much so that you could be called a Christian, one who acts like Christ. If you want a new life, he can give you one. He said “He that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” If you want to turn over a new leaf because of your problems, he will not help. But if you want a whole new life, a new direction in your life, a saviour who will reform you from the inside out, then you can call on him today.

2. Responsible Reporting. Three areas of accountability are a) an accountability to God, Rom 10 says “That if thou shalt confess with thy moth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. .... For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” You are accountable to believe and call upon your Lord Jesus Christ. b) An accountability to God's Commandments, one of which states that you, as a believer, are to be accountable to a Pastor of a local Bible Believing Church. You should take this command very seriously and seek out such a Pastor. c) Thirdly you need to be accountable to others for your progress and goals of change. This may be to a spouse or friend, especially another Christian. Ask them to ask about your progress, then report to them. If you receive Christ as your Lord and Saviour be sure to tell others. Jesus said “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.”

3. Read Regularly. God told Joshua and tells us that “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” God wrote an owners manual for your life. When you recognize him as your owner and recognize that you need your life repaired you need to read his manual, the Holy Bible, regularly and “Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed. Read to Read. Read to Feed. Read to Lead.

4. Recite Respectively. The Psalmist says “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee.” We need to memorize the Word of God. Paul wrote to the Church at Colosse and said “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in all psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Hebrews 4 says “For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Paul tells Timothy that “All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” If you need your life to change, memorizing your creators commands and principles is guaranteed to do the job. Memorize the Scriptures.

5. Reunion Revival. Gathering together with others of like mind is important. Hebrews 10 says 23 “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” Christians have been gathering together to sing hymns and read the Scriptures together on the first day of the week, the Lord's Resurrection day, Sunday's, for 1,975 years now. We are commanded to do so. We meet for accountability, for teaching, for encouragement, for edification (or building up in the faith) and we meet to fulfill the commission we have been given by the Lord Jesus Christ. You need to meet together for these same reasons. If your life is to change, it will require your attendance at Church and your attendance at these Bible Studies about your needed change.

This reform effort for your life will consist of several avenues of effort constructed around these 5 'R's of Reform. Foremost is the goal that you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your life's Lord and your soul's Saviour. Any reform without Him dwelling within you is vain and temporary. If the Bible is true, it is your creator's manual for living your life and leaving this life guardianed in His care for all eternity. We believe every word is true. In this reform effort you will find 5 challenges to fulfill each week. You will find a help on defeating Satan's strongholds in your life. You will find a Journaling effort to mark and use the 5 means of communication that God has open for your improvement and victorious living. I trust that you will use each of these and find rich reward with your new Lord and Saviour.

Pastor Ed Rice

Taking Back A Stronghold

Read this Card Daily for 30 days memorize it's verses,

Five Elements of a Victorious Walk

1. Genuine Repentance (Psalm 51) Do you see sin as an affront to a holy God or just remorse over the consequences. “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight.”

2. Taking back ground. Ground is given by sinful acts. This gives Satan legal jurisdiction in our lives. “Neither give place to the devil.”

3. Tearing down strongholds (2Cor 10:3-5) These are false belief systems that provide the enemy an area to bring destructive attacks. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.“

4. Build towers of truth (Joh 8:32) these towers are a belief system based on the truth of God's Word “And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”

5. Taking every thought captive (Phil 4:8) This is God's standard for right thinking. If you do not take your thoughts captive, they will captivate you. “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

My besetting Sin _________________________

My Stronghold Verse

1CO 6:19-20 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Place a check on each day you read this card, and an x for each commission of this besetting sin. Review this card with your Pastor weekly. Revenge each x each day.

Distributed by GSBaptistChurch.com 54 Main St. Dresden NY

A Journal of 5 Communication Techniques

The format of this journal is from Reformers Unanimous www.reformu.com

1. Bible Reading.

Sun ____________________________________

Mon ____________________________________

Tue ____________________________________

Wed ____________________________________

Thr ____________________________________

Fri ____________________________________

Sat ____________________________________

2. Teaching Received.

Lesson1 _________________________________

Lesson2 _________________________________

Lesson3 _________________________________

3. Personal Prayer Time.

Sun ____________________________________

Mon ____________________________________

Tue ____________________________________

Wed ____________________________________

Thr ____________________________________

Fri ____________________________________

Sat ____________________________________

4. Time with Christian Friends. AND

5. Convictions and Leadings of the Spirit of God.

Sun ____________________________________

Mon ____________________________________

Tue ____________________________________

Wed ____________________________________

Thr ____________________________________

Fri ____________________________________

Sat _____________________

The Challenges

The format of these challenges from Reformers Unanimous www.reformu.com

Challenge 9 Reading Lesson: John 15-21

Below are spaces to list the topic of each chapter. Please fill these blanks in after you have completed each chapter.

Topic Chap 15 ___________________________________

Topic Chap 16 ___________________________________

Topic Chap 17 __________________________________

Topic Chap 18-__________________________________

Topic Chap 19 __________________________________

Topic Chap 20 __________________________________

Topic Chap 21 __________________________________

Please list in your own words, how these chapters can be applied to you efforts to remain free from strongholds.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 10 Memorize John 15:5,7

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Do you believe the above verse to be true? _____

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 11 Attendance Requirement

In order to complete this challenge, you must attend 2 Reformers Unanimous classes in a row. Your attendance will require that you arrive before the start of the program. Punctuality is a very important form of discipline. You will be required to stay until fellowship time begins.

Also evaluate your prayer journal in this challenge. How are you doing at journaling the five communication techniques that God has for you? _______________________________

How much time did you spend in each this week?

1. _____ 2. _____ 3. _____ 4. _____ 5. _____ Total _____

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 12 Service Opportunity

To successfully complete this challenge, you must request an opportunity for service in the Church that you have been attending. It can be any form of service that the Pastor considers a sacrifice of your time.

Type of Service chosen by Pastor _____________________________

Pastors Signature _____________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 13 Attendance Requirement

To complete this challenge, you must attend a local church Sunday Evening service in your community. The church you attend must comply with the standards that God has outlined in the Bible. He requests that we worship at a Bible believing, Bible teaching church that teaches salvation through Grace and not by works. Baptism is taught as a sign of obedience and not a requirement for Heaven. They must believe the Bible is the Word of God and is without error, preserved as such for the believer.

Church Attended ______________________ Date______

Topic of Sermon_________________________________

Our Church is in agreement with the standards listed above.

Pastor's Signature ________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Congratulations for finishing the third week of these exciting challenges. Challenge 14-17 are before you. The challenges are designed to get more challenging and continue to bring about His reformation of your life. May God Richly Bless in the renewal of your mind. Keep Going for him. .... Pastor Rice

Dealing With Moods and Depression WEEK #4

of A Constructive Work Book

A Biblical Perspective on Depression and

Manic Depression (called Bi-Polar Disorder) Dealing with Life, and Dealing with Others Biblically.

Reformers Unanimous by Steven Curington

Ministered By Pastor Ed Rice

Good Samaritan Baptist Church

54 Main St Box 99 Dresden NY 14441

(315) 536-0878 www.gsbaptistchurch.com

As you continue in this effort and read, ponder and memorize these scriptures Christ will gain some inroads into your life. If you are not yet a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ you will discover enough about him to learn that you can trust him with your soul and call upon him according to the scriptures. Then trust him to save your life from addictions, habits and sins. If you are a believer, who has already called upon him to save your soul, your discipleship in these scriptures will enable you to trust him to save your life. You can be saved from addictions, habits and/or sins that hold you in bondage. A salvation wherein you can be 'free indeed.” Begin this week by reading a devotional about our sin by Oswald Chambers.

God Bless you as you pursue Him

Pastor Ed Rice

June 23 "Acquainted With Grief"

(From “My Utmost for His Highest”, by Oswald Chambers)

He is . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief —Isaiah 53:3

We are not "acquainted with grief" in the same way our Lord was acquainted with it. We endure it and live through it, but we do not become intimate with it. At the beginning of our lives we do not bring ourselves to the point of dealing with the reality of sin. We look at life through the eyes of reason and say that if a person will control his instincts, and educate himself, he can produce a life that will slowly evolve into the life of God. But as we continue on through life, we find the presence of something which we have not yet taken into account, namely, sin— and it upsets all of our thinking and our plans. Sin has made the foundation of our thinking unpredictable, uncontrollable, and irrational.

We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to this one issue— if sin rules in me, God’s life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine— that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.

A Journal of 5 Communication Techniques

The format of this journal is from Reformers Unanimous www.reformu.com

1. Bible Reading.

Sun ____________________________________

Mon ____________________________________

Tue ____________________________________

Wed ____________________________________

Thr ____________________________________

Fri ____________________________________

Sat ____________________________________

2. Teaching Received.

Lesson1 _________________________________

Lesson2 _________________________________

Lesson3 _________________________________

3. Personal Prayer Time.

Sun ____________________________________

Mon ____________________________________

Tue ____________________________________

Wed ____________________________________

Thr ____________________________________

Fri ____________________________________

Sat ____________________________________

4. Time with Christian Friends. AND

5. Convictions and Leadings of the Spirit of God.

Sun ____________________________________

Mon ____________________________________

Tue ____________________________________

Wed ____________________________________

Thr ____________________________________

Fri ____________________________________

Sat _____________________

Thoughts on Moods and Depression

We have examined some things about moods and depression that can be overcome by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ in our lives. Again, in Colossians 1 Paul's desire and prayer for believers is sevenfold. Number 5 in that list is that we be “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” In order to gain stability in our moods and emotions we need that strength. Notice that it comes according to his glorious power and comes in areas of patience, wherein we deal with circumstances which could move us to depression; in areas of longsuffering, wherein we deal with people which could move us to depression; and in areas of joyfulness, wherein we are to repackage our demeanor in his joy,... quite the opposite of a depression. In your prayer journal this week, add a prayer request for this strength from the Lord Jesus Christ.

I recently preached a message called “It's amazing what praising will do.” In that message I addressed that the act of praising God is commanded for believers, and it changes our body chemistry better than (the latest and newest anti-depressant medication.) We have examined that our mood swings are effected by our body, our soul and our spirit. We have touched on three things that change our body's brain chemistry, namely our diet and exercise, the outside stimulus that we are exposed to, and the inside stimulus or how we process and ponder things in our mind. Notice that praising God presents a tremendous influence on the latter two things. We have already spent several challenges trying to get this outer and inner stimulus centered on the things which Christ commands for your life. This week continue the emphasis on those things with the challenges below, but focus on praising the Lord, being thankful and blessing the Lord out loud. Don't neglect the diet and exercise concerns; strive to get a handle on the chemicals that you ingest, getting down to 1 daily soda or less (with no diet chemicals) will help and getting at least a half hour of physical exercise per day. But this week put special emphasis on discovering that “It is Amazing what Praising will do”. To help in this endeavor I will give you the words of two songs that come to mind and then we will examine each of the 15 depression evaluation questions used earlier and find reason to joy in Christ over each. Make entries into your daily journal about your ability to communicate Praise to the Lord. Be like the psalmist who said “Ps 7:17 I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

We used to sing a chorus out of 1 Pet 1:8 that went like this:

“I have joy unspeakable and full of glory,

full of glory, full of glory.

I have joy unspeakable and full of glory,

oh the half has never yet been told.

I recently found this song and love the words:

The Dearest Friend

(a cappella)

Verse One (Note the spacing is to allow an echo phrase)

When I was drif…………………ting out in sin

I had no peace, no joy within

Then Jesus came and made me glad

The dearest friend, I ever had

Chorus

He saved my soul oh bless His name

I’ll never forget the day He came

He makes me glad, when I am sad

The dearest friend, I ever had

Verse Two

Oh sinner come to Jesus now

At His dear feet, just humbly bow

He’ll save your soul and make you glad

The dearest friend I ever had

Get a good repertoire of Christian music on hand and get some of it coming out of your mouth each day. (Not rock music. Rock beat and rhythm is designed to altar your mood in another direction, and it does what it is designed to do! It is the wrong outside stimulus for a Christian. By design rock music stimulates rebellion, Christianity is all about submission, i.e. Anti-rebellion. Thus no matter how the American market labels it, there is no such thing as 'Christian Rock' any more than there is 'Submissive - Rebellion!' ) Keep good praise filled music as an outer and inner stimulus this week and notice the difference in your moods.

Secondly, we want to emphasize your joy and praise in your inner self. We have already touched on your ability to think about your thoughts and moods. Conforming your thinking to Godly principles will enable ennobling thoughts, which can actually change your brain chemistry. Let's examine the 15 depression evaluation questions in this exercise.

1. Are you basically dissatisfied with your life?

Dissatisfaction with life can come from poor or lacking purpose, or from frustration in achieving those purposes. As a Christian, the Lord Jesus Christ gives us not only resounding new purpose, but the power to accomplish his purposes. Praise him for that. Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2. Have you dropped many of your activities and interests?

A regular schedule and daily activities are important to maintaining a right attitude. The first signs of an oncoming depression include breaking of our schedule. Often thought of as a symptom, but in actuality the breaking off of our regular schedule is causative of larger changes in behavior. Strive to keep a regular schedule of morning activities, exercise, devotions and prayer as outlined in these challenges. The scriptures say Ps 145:2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Ps 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. Maintain a schedule and keep on praising Him.

3. Do you feel un-happy most of the time?

For a Christian, God's intent is that your joy may be full. Ps 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee. In Romans the availability of your soul's salvation is examined and see what it says about the joy that should produce in your life: Ro 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. Ro 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Ro 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Praise him for the joy he brings into your life.

4. Do you prefer to stay at home rather than going out and doing new things?

Again an early indicator of oncoming depression is the staying to your self, withdrawing from others and holding things in. As a young Christian I learned this little song: J esus and O thers and Y ou, that is the way to spell JOY. Withdrawing is not only a symptom, but it is also causative to depression. Don't allow yourself to do it. Turning our thoughts inward all the time is selfishness. Even when hit by great calamities of life, like grief, we first tend to withdraw from others, withdraw from society, even withdraw from friends. Doing so produces bad chemistry and depression. We have a friend that is closer than a brother. Never withdraw, but turn. Turn to him, and he commands us to turn to a friend as well. 1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Pr 18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Ga 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

5. Do you feel that life is empty?

For a Christian, God wants us to be filled, not empty. It was illustrated in my childhood that inside every human born in this world is an empty space. People try every thing to fill the emptiness. They try sex, booze, drugs, materialism and more. There is only one thing that can fill the empty void in man. The shape of the empty void is exactly the shape of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the only one that can fill the void in ones life. And he does. Look at these scriptures describing what we should be filled with: Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

6. Do you often get bored?

The challenges that God gives to us will never result in boredom. And the challenges before you this week will keep your mind, soul and spirit occupied enough if you take each one seriously. The other depression analysis questions will be dealt with in the next lessons. Let's get started on this weeks challenges from the RU program.

The Challenges

The format of these challenges from Reformers Unanimous www.reformu.com

Challenge 14 Reading lesson: Romans 1-6

To complete Challenge 14, you must read Romans 1-6. Below are spaces to list the topic of each chapter. Please fill these blanks in after you have completed each chapter.

Topic Chap 1 ___________________________________

Topic Chap 2 ___________________________________

Topic Chap 3 __________________________________

Topic Chap 4-__________________________________

Topic Chap 5 __________________________________

Topic Chap 6 __________________________________

Please list in your own words, how these chapters can be applied to you efforts to remain free from strongholds.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 15 Memorization

(In order to complete this challenge, you may memorize these verses one at a time and have each one initialed on the side until you have memorized all four)

Memorize Romans 3:10

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Memorize Romans 3:23,24

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Memorize Romans 5:8

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Do you believe the above verse to be true? _____

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 15 SPECIAL

Concerning Exceeding Joy

These challenges include much memorization, but these verses should help you specifically with controlling your anger. Put them on a 3x5 card and take the time to:

Memorize Jude 1:24-25

Jude 1: 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Do you believe the above verse to be true? _____

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 16 Witnessing Opportunity

In order to complete this challenge, you must write the circumstances of your life that led you to seek God's help. This is called a testimony. In Revelation, God said He uses 2 things to help people overcome the Devil. One is the Blood of the Lamb (Jesus) and the other is the believer's testimony. You may not be a believer quite yet, but there is a distinct pattern that led you to where you are today. Please share the pattern with us below. It could be useful to others someday. If you need more space, you may include a separate sheet of paper.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Challenge 17 Memorize 4 Bible Verses

(In order to complete this challenge, you may memorize these verses one at a time and have each one initialed on the side until you have memorized all four)

Memorize Romans 5:12

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Memorize Romans 6:1,2

1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Memorize Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Please describe in your own words what this verse means to you.

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Do you believe the above verse to be true? _____

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Student's Signature)

Challenge Complete_________________________Date __________

(Challenger's Signature)

Congratulations

Congratulations for finishing the 4th week of these exciting challenges. There are 25 challenges in this Challenger level of the Reformers Unanimous effort and you have completed 17 of them. There are two more weeks in this Challenger level in learning to let Christ deal with your addictions and letting Christ into your life. Remember what we started out to do: John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples (follower) indeed; And ye shall know the Truth (Jesus), and the Truth (Jesus) shall make you free.

I have placed the steps to freedom from strongholds in bold print. They are as follows:

1. Believe on Jesus

2. Continue (study) in my Word (Bible).

3. Follow Christ with your life (disciple)

4. Your knowledge of Jesus will increase.

5. Jesus (not you) will make you free.

Keep Going for Him and He will Reform your life.

May God Richly Bless in the renewal of your mind.

Pastor Rice

Devotional God’s Assurance

He Himself has said . . . . So we may boldly say . . . —Hebrews 13:5-6

My assurance is to be built upon God’s assurance to me. God says, "I will never leave you," so that then I "may boldly say, ’The Lord is my helper; I will not fear’ " ( Hebrews 13:5-6 ). In other words, I will not be obsessed with apprehension. This does not mean that I will not be tempted to fear, but I will remember God’s words of assurance. I will be full of courage, like a child who strives to reach the standard his father has set for him. The faith of many people begins to falter when apprehensions enter their thinking, and they forget the meaning of God’s assurance— they forget to take a deep spiritual breath. The only way to remove the fear from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us.

What are you fearing? Whatever it may be, you are not a coward about it— you are determined to face it, yet you still have a feeling of fear. When it seems that there is nothing and no one to help you, say to yourself, "But ’The Lord is my helper’ this very moment, even in my present circumstance." Are you learning to listen to God before you speak, or are you saying things and then trying to make God’s Word fit what you have said? Take hold of the Father’s assurance, and then say with strong courage, "I will not fear." It does not matter what evil or wrong may be in our way, because "He Himself has said, ’I will never leave you . . . .’ "

Human frailty is another thing that gets between God’s words of assurance and our own words and thoughts. When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be nonexistent. But remember God’s assurance to us— "I will never . . . forsake you." Have we learned to sing after hearing God’s keynote? Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, "The Lord is my helper," or are we yielding to fear?