Hello dear ones, I hope this post finds you all doing well! Today’s episode is one that was a joy to record, since I was joined by my little sister-in-Christ Kim Starling. Kim was gracious enough to join me to discuss a very controversial and difficult subject, P.T.S.D. After serving in Iraq Kim found herself struggling with issues stemming from her childhood on through adulthood, as well as the lingering affects of the war. After God saved her, she was able to surround herself with other believers who have continued to display Christ’s love to her through their actions and reactions during times of stress and triggers. It’s not always the case that churches are equipped to help congregants in this way, so Kim walked me through what works, what doesn’t, and how we can serve our brothers and sisters-in-Christ as they deal with similar issues. We both hope that this episode will give each of us a glimpse into the inner difficulties of P.T.S.D, while offering solutions that might not have been considered.
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During the episode we mention a few different articles as well as Lauren Bronner’s new devotional on Anxiety which you can find here. I’m listed the articles below, if you’d like to read through them as you follow along with today’s episode. We are already planning Part 2 of this topic, since we were barely able to scratch the surface here. Please feel free to drop any questions, comments, or helpful suggestions in the comments below, if you’d like us to address something specific in that second episode. You can, of course, listen across all major podcasting platforms such as Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, and in video form on Youtube. As always, beloved brethren, be good Berean’s and study to show yourselves approved.
Hello, dear ones, I hope this post finds you all doing well. I’m really excited about the episode dropping today! Costi Hinn, nephew of Benny Hinn, joined me on the program today to discuss his book, his life, his family, the recent accusations from Todd White, and a lot more. Emily Eavey, from The Aquila and Priscilla Hour, co-hosted with me, and we had an absolute blast! We all hope you’ll be edified by the discussion, encouraged by the Biblical teaching and wisdom from Costi, and entertained by the blooper reel at the end. Below is a timestamped outline in case you’d like to zip through this episode, as well as links to Costi Hinn’s books, podcast, and social medias. You can, of course, listen across all major podcasting platforms such as Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, and in video form on Youtube. As always, beloved brethren, be good Berean’s and study to show yourselves approved.
When we ultimately tell people all they have to do is make a decision for Christ or accept them into their hearts, what we are really doing is forgetting how monumental 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”2 Corinthians 5:17. That is why Christ says repent and believe, it means forsake the old man which is sinful and throw your life upon Christ, because ultimately man is so sinful that he needs to turn, but can’t do so without the Divine power of God. When the old passes away, when you throw away clothes you can’t fit anymore or that are too big, you don’t pick them back up later on. If they are in the trash you get rid of them, so the same goes with the old man. Christ calls all to repent and believe, because unless man sees the emptiness of his work to glorify himself, he will never know why he must forsake his self effort to repent and believe in Christ.
The wages of sin is death, but the glorious truth is that eternal life is in Christ Jesus, but man must forsake himself and believe in Christ, for isn’t this the attitude and action of the man in Matthew 13:44? “”The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” Matthew 13:44 ESV. He sells all and forsakes all for Christ and getting to know Him. Paul says the same, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—”Philippians 3:7-9 ESV. So as I shall say, man shall not even enter the gates of Heaven, without the righteousness of Christ, and that dear friend is by repentance and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. As our cry before conversion is “Free me from this body of death that Holds me Hell-bound!! Dear God have mercy upon me, for I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ!!
The above was written by my brother-in-Christ and friend Troy Paylor from Christ Marked. You can hear his testimony here, and as always beloved brethren, be good Berean’s and study to show yourselves approved.
Can you think of any other paths that Scripture lays out for us to battle the sin of faithlessness? What is your favorite hymn when dealing with trials, or sorrow?
A Hymn From the Past
Far From the World, O Lord, I Flee – by William Cowper
Today’s hymn is another of William Cowper’s, again focusing on the way a Christian should handle crisis. It’s easy to say “be anxious for nothing” but far more difficult to do it, or to explain how one goes about doing it. Anxiety, fear, faithlessness, can overwhelm even the most seasoned believer. How many messages did I hear about being anxious for nothing in the WoF movement? Too many to count. Unfortunately, I can count all the ways we were taught not to be anxious on one hand. It was simple, you rebuke the fear and the cause of the fear, then ignore it. Cancer? Job loss? Pandemic? Oh no, don’t pay that any attention, proceed as if all is well and surely don’t confide in another church goer, or heaven forbid, a pastor or elder. That would be speaking negative confessions. The answer was actually not an answer, the anxiety wasn’t gone, we just had to keep our problems to ourselves.
What is the actual answer? God has given us means of handling anxiety and fear, rather than expecting us to ignore them or pretend our words have magical powers. I can name four different avenues for renewing our minds when fear threatens to overwhelm us, if you can think of more from Scripture please add them in the comments below. 1. Prayer – what does it really mean to be praying ceaselessly? It doesn’t mean becoming a monk, refusing to eat, sleep, or talk. But to be bringing our thoughts, concerns, praises, thanksgivings to the throne of God throughout the day. In this way, when anxiety or fear begins to bubble up in our minds we have a place of authority to take them. We can rest at the foot of the throne, pouring out our troubles before the God of the universe. One other point about prayer is that we can pray for one another, we don’t have to be alone in this. Asking believers for prayer, and praying for brothers and sisters-in-Christ is such a joy to me, as I often remember what it was like to keep it all inside.
2. Study – When we go to Scripture for devotions and study we learn about God, about His character, about the bigger picture that we tend to miss during our anxious days. We’re grounded again on the truth of God’s sovereignty, reminded of eternity, reminded of His call to share the Gospel, and reminded of mercy when we stumble into fearful anxiety. This is another thing we don’t have to do alone, we can have Bible studies together! 3. Worship – This is the actual point of this post, below is another beautiful hymn that reminds us of our true home. Job asked His wife about this, when she recommended that he just curse God and die. How could he do that? How could he praise God when everything was good, and then turn his back on God when things were, well, awful? When we give God the glory that He so truly is owed, even when we are hurting, we are reminded of the God we serve. Through the words of a Psalm or a hymn we can sing of His love, His mercy, His salvation, of all that He has already done. This takes our mind off of the momentary affliction and puts it where it out to be, reorienting our perspective back on what we have already been given! 4. Fellowship – final thought on this is how we can fellowship. True that right now we’re unable to meet in large numbers, but when we talk with one another about God, about our trials and His provisions, we are baring one another burdens. We’re not alone, we have a family, a body of believers, each with their own battles against the flesh. Alone we might feel like we’re the single most wretched sinner to ever be forgiven, but when we are brought together and enjoy a time of fellowship we see that God is sanctifying all of us. What a kindness God has given to His children!
Can you think of any other paths that Scripture lays out for us to battle the sin of faithlessness? What is your favorite hymn when dealing with trials, or sorrow? Mine is Pass Me Not by Fanny Crosby, but these lyrics below are also edifying and beautiful. I hope you are blessed by this hymn, and please let me know if there is anyway I could be praying for you. As always, beloved brethren, be good Berean’s and study to show yourselves approved.
Far from the world, O Lord, I flee, From strife and tumult far; From scenes where Satan wages still His most successful war.
The calm retreat, the silent shade, With prayer and praise agree; And seem by Thy sweet bounty made For those who follow Thee.
There, if Thy Spirit touch the soul, And grace her mean abode, O with what peace, and joy, and love, She communes with her God!
There, like the nightingale, she pours Her solitary lays; Nor asks a witness of her song, Nor thirsts for human praise.
Author and Guardian of my life, Sweet Source of light divine, And, all harmonious names in one, My Saviour,–Thou art mine!
What thanks I owe Thee, and what love, A boundless, endless store, Shall echo through the realms above When time shall be no more!
Tulips & Honey 