Mark Osgatharp
New Member
This is going to take some time, but please hear me out.
In his celebrated passage on "the peace of God that passes all understanding" Paul made some statements that are often overlooked when dealing with the subjects of peace and depression.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatosever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard and seen in me, DO; and the God of peace shall be with you."
1. Considering that the average Christian fills his mind with the wicked filth on TV and in pop music every single day, and or.....hears the lurid details of every evil deed in the daily newspaper or on the news, and or......listens to the rantings of arrogant and foul mouthed radio talk show hosts........
....and the few who decide to turn from these things often tune in to some bogus TV or radio preacher....
.....what could possibly make us think, in light of the above passage of Scripture, which says that we must meditate on lovely, good, pure, and holy things, that any great number of Christians qualify to receive the peace of God?
2. How many preachers do you know who have anything like followed the example of Paul's commitment to the cause of Christ?
How many pastors do you know who boldly call the churches they pastor to excommunicate impenitent sinners from the church?
How many pastors do you know who issue a categorical anathema against all denominations or persons who don't hold exclusively to the one absolute gospel of Christ as defined by the Bible?
In other words, how many pastors do you know who qualify to have "the God of peace" be with them as He was with Paul?
Paul said to "DO" the things he had done if you would expect to have that peace of God.
3. In II Corinthians 6 Paul said that if we expect to be in fellowship with God we must be separate from infidels and unbelievers. And yet how many Baptist churches do you know which partipate in ecumenical services with Campbellites, Catholics, and modernist Protestant churches?
All who do such things are out of fellowship with God and therefore unfit to receive His peace.
4. My point is that having peace with God is not just a matter of asking God for some peace nor even just believing that he is able to give it. It is a matter of DOING the things that God requires of us to receive His peace.
5. No one can read the Psalms and fail to comprehend that David was often depressed for long periods of time. Nor can anyone fail to comprehend that David attributed His depression to his own sin against God!
6. No one can read the book of Job and fail to comprehend that Job was depressed. But remember that Job had a streak of pride in him that caused Him to challenge God and in the end Job said,
"I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes."
7. I speak as one who has, at times, been as depressed as a person could be - and I can assure you that it was a direct result of my sins and my lack of faith in God that caused me get that way.
And let me explain what I mean by "lack of faith in God." I DON'T mean that I ever questioned in my mind whether God was trustworthy or that His word was true.
I mean I have often failed as a pastor to do what I knew needed to be done because I was afraid of the consequences.....and that led to the problem continuing....and that led to more mental and emotional turmoil....which eventually leads to depression.
Faith in God means a letting go and doing what He requires and letting Him take care of the results.
8. Obviously, depression has a physical aspect to it - causing all manner of ailments. If people can find some medicine to help with those ailments that all may be well and good.
The Scripture says to give wine to those who are heavy of heart and David played the harp to help relieve Saul of his depression.
But treating the symptom is not the same thing as treating the cause and the underlying cause of depression is lack of faith and the resulting disobedience, which must be dealt with if we want to have the "peace of God which passes all understanding."
9. The Lord knows everything there is to know about depression. As a matter of fact, He is the one who sends depression. As He said in Isaiah,
"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
The only solution God gave to the problem is to trust and obey.
"Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."
Mark Osgatharp
[ February 23, 2003, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: Mark Osgatharp ]
In his celebrated passage on "the peace of God that passes all understanding" Paul made some statements that are often overlooked when dealing with the subjects of peace and depression.
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatosever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue if there be any praise, think on these things.
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard and seen in me, DO; and the God of peace shall be with you."
1. Considering that the average Christian fills his mind with the wicked filth on TV and in pop music every single day, and or.....hears the lurid details of every evil deed in the daily newspaper or on the news, and or......listens to the rantings of arrogant and foul mouthed radio talk show hosts........
....and the few who decide to turn from these things often tune in to some bogus TV or radio preacher....
.....what could possibly make us think, in light of the above passage of Scripture, which says that we must meditate on lovely, good, pure, and holy things, that any great number of Christians qualify to receive the peace of God?
2. How many preachers do you know who have anything like followed the example of Paul's commitment to the cause of Christ?
How many pastors do you know who boldly call the churches they pastor to excommunicate impenitent sinners from the church?
How many pastors do you know who issue a categorical anathema against all denominations or persons who don't hold exclusively to the one absolute gospel of Christ as defined by the Bible?
In other words, how many pastors do you know who qualify to have "the God of peace" be with them as He was with Paul?
Paul said to "DO" the things he had done if you would expect to have that peace of God.
3. In II Corinthians 6 Paul said that if we expect to be in fellowship with God we must be separate from infidels and unbelievers. And yet how many Baptist churches do you know which partipate in ecumenical services with Campbellites, Catholics, and modernist Protestant churches?
All who do such things are out of fellowship with God and therefore unfit to receive His peace.
4. My point is that having peace with God is not just a matter of asking God for some peace nor even just believing that he is able to give it. It is a matter of DOING the things that God requires of us to receive His peace.
5. No one can read the Psalms and fail to comprehend that David was often depressed for long periods of time. Nor can anyone fail to comprehend that David attributed His depression to his own sin against God!
6. No one can read the book of Job and fail to comprehend that Job was depressed. But remember that Job had a streak of pride in him that caused Him to challenge God and in the end Job said,
"I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes."
7. I speak as one who has, at times, been as depressed as a person could be - and I can assure you that it was a direct result of my sins and my lack of faith in God that caused me get that way.
And let me explain what I mean by "lack of faith in God." I DON'T mean that I ever questioned in my mind whether God was trustworthy or that His word was true.
I mean I have often failed as a pastor to do what I knew needed to be done because I was afraid of the consequences.....and that led to the problem continuing....and that led to more mental and emotional turmoil....which eventually leads to depression.
Faith in God means a letting go and doing what He requires and letting Him take care of the results.
8. Obviously, depression has a physical aspect to it - causing all manner of ailments. If people can find some medicine to help with those ailments that all may be well and good.
The Scripture says to give wine to those who are heavy of heart and David played the harp to help relieve Saul of his depression.
But treating the symptom is not the same thing as treating the cause and the underlying cause of depression is lack of faith and the resulting disobedience, which must be dealt with if we want to have the "peace of God which passes all understanding."
9. The Lord knows everything there is to know about depression. As a matter of fact, He is the one who sends depression. As He said in Isaiah,
"There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."
The only solution God gave to the problem is to trust and obey.
"Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."
Mark Osgatharp
[ February 23, 2003, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: Mark Osgatharp ]
