IDPs: Number drops from 60,000 to 18,958

The National Emergency Management Agency says  the number of Internally Displaced Persons in Yola, Adamawa, has dropped from 60,000 to 18,958.

Mr Sa’ad Bello, the Head, NEMA Operation Office, Yola, disclosed this on Friday during an oversight visit by the Senate Committee on NEMA to the IDPs camp in Damare, Yola.

A statement signed by Mr Sani Datti, Head, Media and Public Relations of NEMA, quoted Bello as saying that the drop is as a result of voluntary return of the IDPs to their homes.

While expressing satisfaction with the progress so far made in the camps, Bello said there was tremendous enrollment of school-age children in schools.

“So far, over 900 Internally Displaced Children enrolled in various camps in the state,’’ he said.

The Senate Committee Chairman on NEMA, Sen. Abdulazeez Nyako, commended the agency for its consistence in rendering humanitarian services in Nigeria especially to the less privileged.

He said the committee was satisfied and convinced with the way NEMA was managing available resources and taking proper care of the IDPs.

However, Nyako noted shortage of water supply in some camps as a serious problem and promised to invite the Ministry of Water Resources to address the challenge.

“We are going to support NEMA to lead and coordinate all activities of humanitarian organisations in the country,’’ he said.

NAN

BENEFIT OF GRATITUDE

How often do you feel thankful for the little things around you, the big gestures and the presence of loved ones in your life? If your answer is “frequently,” chances are that you’re a much happier and satisfied person than someone that doesn’t feel thankful.
Gratitude is simple – all that you have to do is say a couple of words to express your emotions. The psychological and physical health benefits of gratitude, however, are tremendous and worth pointing out.

Still not certain whether you should be expressing gratitude on a regular basis? Here are some of the biggest benefits you’ll get to enjoy if you decide to do so.
The Health Benefits of Gratitude.

Cultivating gratitude as a virtue will impact both your physical and psychological health. Numerous studies have been carried out and the vast majority concludes decisively that something as simple as a positive emotion can have a profound impact on wellbeing.

According to University of California Davis researcher Robert Emmons, people that perceive gratitude as an inherent trait tend to be much healthier than the ones that experience it as solely a temporary state of mind. The main reason for this difference according to Emmons is that grateful people tend to take better care of themselves and be more health-conscious.

In addition, grateful people tend to be bigger optimists than the ones that aren’t grateful frequently. A link has already been established between a positive outlook on life and improved immune response.

Gratitude is also a tool for effective stress management. Chronic stress is one of the triggers behind a vast range of health problems, including heart disease and certain types of cancer. Feelings of thankfulness act as an emotional release, enabling individuals to cope better with stress and reduce its negative impact on their bodies.

Psychological and Emotional Benefits of Gratitude.

We’ve already taken a peek at some of the ways in which gratitude could impact psychological health. The fact that it can be used to control stress is one of the most important mechanisms in which gratitude could reduce anxiety and depression.

The psychological and emotional benefits of feeling thankful go well-beyond stress management, however:

Increased mental strength.

Gratitude could speed up recovery after a traumatic event, several studies suggest. It speeded up the recovery of Vietnam war veterans and enabled them to cope better with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Higher self-esteem.

An interesting study was published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology in 2014. According to the research, athletes that were grateful managed to deliver optimal performance each time and have higher confidence than their peers.

Reduced aggression.

Grateful people tend to be much more empathetic towards others, even when other people aren’t reciprocating the sentiment. In addition, grateful people are much less likely to retaliate against others and they find it easier to control aggression.
Overall improvement in psychological health.

People that are inherently grateful find it a lot easier to deal with negative emotions like envy and greed. These people are less likely to feel frustrated or resentful. As a result, grateful individuals are in a better state of mind and enjoy a stable emotional state.

Improved relationships with others.

Grateful people have healthier attachments to others than people that don’t practice mindful gratitude. Studies suggest these individuals tend to feel less lonely and more a part of a community. Others see them as more altruistic, open and positive, which is also a major factor for the great relationships such people are likely to have.

What does It Take to Practice Mindful Gratitude?

You can do several very simple things to make gratitude a part of your everyday routine. Building these habits will help you internalize the emotion and turn thankfulness into a state of mind.

Keeping a gratitude journal is one of the simplest things you can begin doing. All that you need is a notebook. Make a daily entry in the journal (for example, before going to bed) and list a couple of things that you’re grateful about.

Another simple thing you can do is try to give at least one compliment on a daily basis. Pay attention to the people around you, their accomplishments and contributions to your happiness. By complimenting people, you’ll become more mindful of your surroundings and everything positive in your life.

Gratitude is easy in positive circumstances but how about the tough times? The manner in which you handle those can also help you cultivate gratitude. Instead of feeling sorry for yourself or allowing the sense of loss to take over, think about the lesson you could learn from the situation. Negative experiences can be incredibly beneficial later on in life, as long as you’re willing to do some analysis and learn from your mistakes.

Finally, you may want to partner with someone – having a friend or a significant other to participate in the process alongside you will definitely make things a whole lot easier. Share your gratitude journals and talk to each other, especially when one is feeling down. Having someone to lift you up and give you a push can make all of the difference in the world, especially at times when you find it very difficult to experience gratitude.

What about you? What 3 things are you grateful for today?

GIVE AND TAKE

Life, as they say, is give and take. You putthings in and you take things out. The same is true for relationships where a balance of give and take is a sound recipe for long-term satisfaction.The basic system give and take is basically an investment, or 'bucket', system. Sometimes we put things into the bucket and sometimes wetake things out. And by and large, the bucket is on average partially full. The classic example is a bank account, where we save for the future and take money out for important purchases. Slightly more complex is our career, where we invest in study and hard work and reap the rewards of pay, promotion and personal fulfilment.Some systems are always positive, for example the money in your wallet. When it runs out, it cannot be less than zero. Yet if you borrow money, your net wealth can go negative, for example when you owe money to the bank. Debt is a source of much woe, often caused byshort-term motivations, which makes it anotable persuasive lever.The overall behavioral impact of the system is that it encourages people to seek balance. If I take, then I must give in return. In order to take when I am in need, I must first make deposits. We hence seek to keep our accounts positiveat least to the degree of an adequate safety net for future needs, with more risk-averse people with good self-control sustaining a larger average credit level.A more complex give and take is in our relationships, where we give and take time, support and emotion to and from other people.Giving typically implies generous supportthat is gratefully received, yet this is not always the case. We can foist things on people or give only reluctantly. And we may be desperate or unwilling to receive.Likewise, taking can range from grateful acceptance of a kind offer to coercive demands. Both give and take can hence be positive and negative in intent and involve corresponding positive and negative emotions.The equation of reciprocityThe way we behave in balancing give andtake is driven by the personal and socialneed for fairness. Relationships extend this to work through the force ofreciprocity, where there is a strongobligationto repay what you are given. Ifone person owes too much to the other, resentment and conflict may arise and the relationship may consequently fall apart.An exact balance is not always required astrustacts to make this a 'sloppy' system. The greater the trust, the more negative the balance can become before concern about repayment arises. If I trust you then I will give a lot before I seek to take in return, confident that you will repay me at some time in the future.In each relationship there is a bucket system of 'social capital' where we make deposits and withdrawals from the bucket. The exact currency is difficult to define but could perhaps be approximated with the formula (emotionx time). If you spend two hours helping someone, and they spend an hour helping you, then, if the emotional exchange is equal, they still owe you an hour.Emotional complexityThe problem in balancing the books of social exchange is that emotion is a complex variable. If you help me for an hour and I am very grateful, then I may feel a need to help you for three hours doing something in return. Gratitude is hence a powerful driving emotion in social exchange. When I help you, it is your gratitude that is the deposit in my account that motivates you to repay me, not just the fact that I helped you.Other emotions complicate the situation.For example if I help you and expect you to be grateful, then my feelings of expectation will give me the impression that I have earned a certain amount of social capital, and that my bucket is a little fuller as yours is a little emptier. Yet if you are not that grateful, you will not think you owe me that much. In fact if you did not need or want my help then you may think you owe me nothing. And if you see my help as an intrusion or an attempted 'robbery' in forcing me to oweyou in return then your feelings of resentment will tip the balance the other way as you believe I owe you some reparation for the wrong done.In this way positive and negative emotions have opposite effects on the social capital bucket, and the stronger the emotion, the bigger the effect. If you hurt me in any way, then you owe me. If you help me then I owe you.Love and hate are enduring emotions that have a big effect on give and take. If I love you then I will give much. Even if you do little in return, I will feel good for having helped you and hence effectively reward myself with good feelings rather than expect things from you. The extreme form of this is unconditional love which, as the name suggests, expects nothing in return. Love can also complicate the bucket when it leads to lower expected reciprocity. My expressions of love for you may make you feel that I expect little. This can cause resentment and anger that results in recriminations that erode the love, effectively 'killing the golden goose'.Hate is often based in the belief that the other person owes a great deal, which justifies attacks that take much from them. When others refuse to repay what we believe they owe us then our emotions become negative and hence motivate harmful action. Just as unconditional love does not consider what is given, blind hate is not concernedwith what is taken. Both can upset the bucket and confuse the social capital account, though each is likely to beget itself. Love very largely creates love and hate mostly creates hate. Love results in much reciprocal giving while hate leads to battles of blow-by-blow taking.The wider effectWhile give and take is important in individual relationships, its broader power is in the creation of society. As relationships deepen and trust increases,we may take from one person and give to another. For example a person in a happy relationship will be kind to others, effectively sharing the social capital gained from their relationship partner.This is helped by the fact that emotional exchange is often unconscious. When I help you, I may not realize the value I provide and so do not expect much in return. This gives you the scope to help others without emptying the bucket. The overspill thus created keeps society afloat in a sea of social capital.Social capital can be gained indirectly when others see you helping people and doing good things. When they appreciateyour actions in conforming with social norms, their approval effectively acts as putting a few social credits into your bucket. Politicians know that they can make huge gains from widespread publicapproval, so they seek to champion popular causes and otherwise appear 'good'.Within this social system there will be nettakers and givers: those who take advantage of the trust and looseness within the system and those who pay for the takers. Givers may be unwilling, feeling as the downtrodden poor. They may also be those who have a seemingly deep well and who pay themselves internally, feeling good just for helping rather than needing material repayment from others. It is this intrinsic system that gives society its net positive social capital and which allows us to live together in large groups.Laws often result from failures of people and society to maintain a balance of give and take. They remind us to give and they take from takers with material and physical punishment. Laws protect the vulnerable from those who would take advantage. They also redistribute wealth from those who have taken more than others.So what?To gain social capital remember that you need to gain gratitude or appreciation. It may be a high integrity approach to always do the 'right thing', but if nobody knows then you gain only satisfaction.To create gratitude, satisfyneedsand help people achieve theirgoals. This can be amplified by getting them to realize the depth of their needs and the urgency of their goals. When they are desperate, even a little help will be gratefully received.To gain appreciation, ensure witnesses toyour good deeds, especially those who will tell others about your noble actions. If there is nobody to spread the word, you may have to do it yourself, though be modest in this as 'blowing your own trumpet' can lose you points.

The Importance of Give and Take in Relationships

“Give and take” is a mechanism inherent to all personal relationships – you cannot expect to receive something if you don’t offer on your own turn. Once the balance between give and take is broken, difficulties arise and partners feel they are not getting too much from their relationship. The real problem is, in fact, not giving enough – you reap what you sow, as the biblical saying puts it.Have you ever been in arelationship where one person did nothing but give and the other only received selfishly? In some cases, those who give all the time don’t allow themselves to receive anything in return – thisproblemneeds to be addressed as well.Let’s consider an example:Joe and Sarah are a married couple. Sarah does the housekeeping by herself, runs errands, and makes sure Joe has everything he needs, from preparing his breakfast to ironing his shirts. She also joins him at sporting events and action movies, even if she doesn’t really enjoy them. One time, Sarah asks Joe to join her at a play she wanted to go to for ages, but he refuses. Sarah feels very disappointed and starts complaining about all the times she never received anythingin return.In other couples, the situation is slightly different:Alice has had a very busy week: one of the children got sick, she had to finish an important project at work, and her friend asked her to take care of her dog while she was away from town. Her husband, John, offered to clean the house for the weekend, but she refused replying that he would not do it the right way. On the other hand, Alice is so tired every evening that she falls asleep as soon as she jumps into bed and they never have time to talk to each other or spend time together.In both cases, “give andtake” doesn’t function well; in the first example, Joe needs to become less selfish andlearn how to give, whilein the second story, Alice should stop being a perfectionist, delegatesome of her work, and learn how to receive.Is your relationship similar to one of the two cases? Here are some ways to fine-tune daily interactions with your partner and achieve a perfect balance between give and take:5 Ways to Improve YourRelationship1. Conversation.Conversationis not just about exchanging information; people talkto each other to share feelings, to get relief, and to re-assure themselves when they are dealing with problems. Common mistakes in a conversation are talkingonly about yourself andnot being an active listener. Speak about your problems and concerns, but also offerthe other person the chance to talk as well and really listen to them, instead of interrupting and focusing again just on your person.2. Mutual help.Has your wife preparedyour favorite dish last week-end? If she asks you to help her buy a new dress, join her and be patient while she tries on every outfit. A relationship where one partner does all the efforts and the other always refuses to provide help to the same extent is misbalanced and unfulfilling.3. Giving compliments.Compliments are a vitalpart of a healthy relationship. Consider Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – on top of the pyramid we have self-actualization. Oftentimes, your partner needs you to observe their personal growth and recognize their achievement or qualities. From telling your spouse how great they look before going out to dinner to showing your admiration for their results at work, a well-thought and honest compliment every day can make wonders in your relationship.4. Accepting flows.Nobody is perfect, that’s for sure, but some people react more negatively to theirpartner’s mistakes. Each time you get angrybecause your spouse left home this morning without washing the dishes, think about a similar situation where you didn’t meet their expectations either, butthey reacted less violently. Is the fight worth it, after all?5. Giving space.Being involved in a relationship doesn’t mean you should be together 24/7 and not accept your partner’s decision of spending time separately. Understand that peoplein a relationship can have their own hobbies or do activities with other people as well, and also enjoy your time alone – it will do both of you good!Putting these pieces of advice into practice may be difficult in the beginning, or make you feel awkward. But, if you feel your relationship needs improvement, doing things the same way as you always have won’t make a difference. Find your missing part of theequation and learn howto be both a giver and areceiver!

Kindness Poems About Being Kind To Others

Kindness  Poems About Being Kind To Others
1.The only deed.
The best deed.
The deed which can take away anger.
The deed which can make a stone heart soft like a flower.
2.Kindnessis best.Kindnessis only.Kindness can make any one better.Kindness can take away anger.Kindnesscan take away bitterness.Kindnesscan change anything.So please be kind.Its my wish.
3.Wear the cape of
kindness.
The underwear of generosity And you will be able to conquer the world Like Superman, in any adversity
4.No more will I skip a day,or erase it from my mind. I’ll take each moment of each day,and be thankful and kind.

TO MAKE IT IN LIFE IS NOT BY AMERICA VISA

HEART TO HEART BROTHER WELCOME YOU TO ANOTHER WEEKEND

There is a saying by some people that for them to make it they have to leave this country to look for GREEN PASTURE in another country, that is a good idea but have you ask your maker if that is what you should do? Do you think when you get to that place you will just be plucking money on trees or picking it on the street. If some people who go in search of GREEN PASTURE inform you about what they do you will feel sorry for them but my question is why can't you do those kind of job here and make your money. There are lots of thing you can do to make a living if only you are willing to WORK. Remember what happen to Isaac in Genesis 26vs1-32, God told him not to leave a famine land that he will bless him in that land, he obey and it came to fulfillment. Before you do or act on anything call on your maker first to confirm if you should do it.
NOTE: IT IS ONLY GOD THAT CAN MAKE BARREN LAND TO BRING FORTH FRUIT WHEN IT IS TERM IMPOSSIBLE

CHAPTER 10 REDEEMED AND MADE RIGHTEOUS

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<br />
<div class="Section1">
<br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Jesus Christ gave His life that we might have righteousness- or as I
like to write it, Righteousness. Righteousness is meant for all who
believe"with personal trust and confident reliance on Jesus Christ (the
Messiah)" (Romans 3:22).</span>

</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Speaking of Jesus, Peter wrote, "He personally bore our sins in His
[own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we
might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you
have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.7pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 1.0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">We were created by God to feel right and good about
ourselves. But the devil wants all of us to feel wrong about ourselves; he
wants us to feel shame, guilt, and condemnation. Because of the presence of sin
in the world, and the sin nature that came upon us through the fall of mankind,
we cannot do everything right.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">To resist
the devil's temptation to live in constant regret instead of continual victory,
we must know and understand the truth of God's Word. When we accept Jesus as
our Savior, He imparts or gives to us the gift of righteousness, and by
faith,we are made right with God. We are not made right with God because of our
own perfection or good works; we are</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section2">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page109"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">considered righteous because of our trust in Jesus Christ. In 2
Corinthians 5:21 the apostle Paul tells us what God did for us: "For our
sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and
through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of]
the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in
right relationship with Him, by His goodness]."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 8.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">God sent Jesus to redeem us (that is, to buy us back from the devil to
whom we had sold ourselves as slaves to sin), to restore us (to make us as we
were supposed to be in the beginning). We were created and redeemed by God for
righteousness, not shame, guilt, and condemnation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.7pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">No Condemnation In Christ</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 4.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">If we read and understand the Word of God, we can be set free from wrong
thinking about ourselves. Paul wrote in Romans 8:1: "THEREFORE, [there is]
now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ
Jesus,who live and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the
dictates of the Spirit."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Of course, if we would follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, we would
never do anything wrong, so guilt would have no place to take root in us.
However, since we are human, none of us is incapable of making a mistake. As
our Lord pointed out, "The</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section3">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-right: 48.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page110"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41 kjv).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.55pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">We cannot
perform perfectly, even though we would like to, but we can live free from
guilt by walking in the Spirit. The Lord promises to lead us through life, if
we listen to Him and obey Him: "Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be
your God and you will be My people; and walk in the whole way that I command
you,that it may be well with you" (Jeremiah 7:23, emphasis mine).We sin
when we stop doing what the Holy Spirit guides us to do. Condemnation and guilt
feelings come as a result of that sin, because the devil sees an opening and
immediately moves to rob us of our confidence in God's grace. If we ever hope
to live without guilt, we must deal with the temptation to sin as soon as we
are aware of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.95pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 2.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">If you do give into temptation or fall into sin, instead of trying to
restore yourself through good works, which is walking after the flesh (your
human nature), ask God to forgive you and choose to turn back to the Spirit.
You sin because you stop following the leading of the Holy Spirit. If you keep
following the flesh, you will only get deeper and deeper into trouble and
turmoil. Instead, turn back quickly to following the Spirit, allowing Him to
lead and guide you in correcting your situation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 105%; margin-right: .25in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Spirit always has the correct answer for every
problem- and He will not condemn you when you return to Him. It is written:
"For God has not</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section4">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 104%; margin-right: 12.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page111"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">appointed us to [incur His] wrath
[He did not select us to condemn us], but [that we might] obtain [His]
salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)" (1 Thessalonians
5:9).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 101%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 101%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">For
example, the Spirit will lead us to repentance, which produces forgiveness from
God: "If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is
faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our
sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.85pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in
purpose, thought, and action]" (1 John 1:9).Following the flesh will lead
to works that supposedly win the right to receive God's favor. But the flesh
always attempts to repay for mistakes rather than simply receive God's gift of
pardon and restoration.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Dealing With Guilt</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">The Lord
once gave me a great revelation about guilt. I had felt guilty as long as I
could remember. Guilt was my constant companion. We went everywhere together!
This sin- consciousness began early in my childhood when I was being sexually
abused. Even though my father told me that what he was doing to me was not wrong,
it made me feel dirty and guilty. Of course, as I got older and became aware
that it was wrong, but had no way to make it stop, the guilt continued and
increased.</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section5">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page112"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I learned firsthand that guilt is an unbearable burden, a heaviness that
depresses the spirit. Guilt makes everything seem dark and makes us feel tired
and weary. Actually it drains our energy and saps the strength we need to
resist sin and Satan. So the result is that guilt and condemnation actually
increase sin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 104%; margin-right: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I believe that I was addicted to guilt. Before I learned about God's
grace, I can never remember being guilt-free! Even if I was not doing anything
particularly bad or sinful, I found something to feel wrong about.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Satan wants to press us down. He is the accuser of those who believe in
Christ; he continues to bring charges against us before God (see Revelation
12:10). But David, the psalmist, wrote, "You, O Lord, are a shield for me,
my glory, and the lifter of my head" (Psalm 3:3).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.7pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">For example, I was shopping one day, and my ever-present companion of
guilt was with me. I do not recall what I had done wrong this time; it does not
even matter, it was always something. I was about to get out of my car and go
into a store when the Holy Spirit said to me, "Joyce, how do you plan to
get forgiveness for this sin?"I knew the right answer. I said, "I'll
accept the sacrifice Jesus made for me when He died at Calvary." We can
know the right answer (have head knowledge), and still not apply it to our own
situation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Then the Holy Spirit continued:
"I see, Joyce, and</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section6">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page113"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">when do
you plan to accept Jesus' sacrifice?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 15.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">A major revelation began to shine forth in me! At that moment I knew
that I could wait two or three days until I felt guilty long enough and then
accept God's forgiveness, or I could receive that pardon right then.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I always
asked for forgiveness for my sins right away, but I never accepted it until I
felt that I had suffered enough to pay for it. God revealed to me what I was
doing, how much unnecessary pain I was causing myself. He even showed me that
what I was doing was insulting to Jesus, that in essence I was saying,
"Lord, the sacrifice of Your life and blood was good, but not good enough.
I must add my work of feeling guilty before I can be forgiven."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.85pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 104%; margin-right: 2.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">That very day I began getting free from guilt and condemnation. I
encourage you to do the same. Remember: Guilt does no good at all! It
accomplishes nothing, except the following:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.35pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 111%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 27.0pt; margin-right: 27.0pt; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: 20.7pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 111%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Guilt drains your energy and can even make you
physically or mentally ill.</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.45pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Guilt
blocks your fellowship with God. Hebrews 4:15-16 says, "For we do not have
a High Priest Who is unable to understand and sympathize and have a shared
feeling with our weaknesses and infirmities and liability to the assaults of
temptation, but One Who has been tempted in every respect as we are,</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section7">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page114"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">yet without sinning. Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly
draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God's unmerited favor to us
sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help
in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just
when we need it]."Guilt, as a work of the flesh, demands that you try to
pay for your sin.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Guilt drains your spiritual energy. It leaves you weak and unable to
resist new attacks from the enemy. Successful spiritual warfare requires
wearing of the "breastplate of righteousness" (Ephesians 6:14 kjv,
emphasis mine). Guilt causes you to sin more.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.7pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 6.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Guilt exerts such tremendous pressure on you, suggesting that getting
along with others is difficult. It is nearly impossible to live under a burden
of guilt and still operate in the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22, 23).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 104%; margin-right: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Surely you can see from this list that guilt is a good thing to give up.
Let it go! It is from the devil and is intended to prevent you from ever
enjoying your life or your relationship with the Lord.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 2.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">If you have a serious problem in this area of guilt, you may need to ask
someone to pray for you. If your faith is strong enough, pray for yourself.
However, guilt steals faith; if you have lived for a long time buried under a
load of guilt and condemnation, your faith may need to be strengthened. Get the
help you</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section8">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page115"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">need. Refuse to live any longer pressed down under a burden of guilt and
condemnation.6</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.55pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">What About Shame?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-right: 21.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Now that we have a better understanding of guilt, let's turn our
attention to the subject of shame.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.55pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">There is
a shame that is normal and healthy. If I lose or break something that belongs
to someone else, I feel ashamed of my mistake. I wish I had not been so
careless or negligent. I am sorry, but I can ask for forgiveness, receive it,
and then go on with my life. Healthy shame reminds us that we are human beings
with weaknesses and limitations.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In
Genesis 2:25 we read that Adam and Eve were naked in the Garden of Eden, and
they were not ashamed. Besides the fact that they were not wearing any clothes,
I believe this verse means that they were totally open and honest with each
other, hiding behind no masks, playing no games. They were completely free to be
themselves because they had no sense of shame. Once they had sinned, however,
they went and hid themselves (see Genesis 3:6-8).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.85pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">People should be able to enjoy perfect freedom with each other and with
God, but very few are able to do so. Most people pretend. They produce false
personalities and hide behind them. They act as if they are not hurt when they
are, or they pretend that they do not need anyone when they do.</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section9">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page116"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">There is a poisonous shame that can drastically affect the quality of a
person's life. This occurs when an individual who is being abused or mistreated
in some way begins to internalize the shame he feels. He is no longer just
ashamed of what is being done to him, but he becomes ashamed of himself because
of what he is being subjected to.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 27.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Such an individual takes the shame into himself where it actually
becomes the core of his being. Everything in his life becomes poisoned by his
emotions so that he develops into a shame-based person.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 2.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">At one time I was shame-based, but I did not know I was ashamed of
myself. I was seeing the results of shame in my life, but was unsuccessfully
trying to deal with the fruit of it rather than the root. The implied
definition of the word translated ashamed in the King James Version of Genesis
2:25 is: to be disappointed,or delayed . . .confounded."7</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">This word
confounded simply means to be frustrated or confused. Webster's New World
Dictionary defines the verb confound as: "confuse";
"bewilder"; "damn."8 Webster defines the verb damn as:
"to condemn to an unhappy fate"; "doom"; "to criticize
adversely"; "to cause the ruin of"; "make fail."9</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.7pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-right: 19.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">If you will take the time to really study these definitions, you may
discover that the root of your</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section10">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page117"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">problem
is shame.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Dealing With Shame</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">My life
was filled with confusion because I was trying desperately to do right (so I
could "feel right"), but no matter how hard I tried, I always failed.
It seemed as if I were doomed to failure. I did not fail at everything,
however. I was successful in the corporate world, and in a few other areas, but
I was a failure at godly behavior. I always felt defeated because no matter
what I accomplished on the outside,I still felt bad about myself on the inside.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.85pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I was ashamed of me!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 2.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I did not like who I was. I did not like my basic personality. I was
continually rejecting my real self and trying to be someone or something I was
not and never could be. (I will discuss this topic more fully in another
chapter.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 104%; margin-right: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Multiplied thousands of Christians spend their entire lives in this
pitiful condition-living far, far below their rightful position as heirs of God
and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. I know, because I was one of them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.5pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Paul wrote that the suffering we endure now will one day be worth the
glory of the inheritance due to us:And if we are [His] children, then we are
[His] heirs also: heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ [sharing His
inheritance with Him]; only we must</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section11">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page118"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">share His
suffering if we are to share His glory.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">[But what of that?] For I consider that the sufferings of this present
time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is
about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us! (Romans
8:17-18)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">It was a
great day when the Holy Spirit led me to understand that shame was the source
of many of my problems! There are promises in the Word of God that assure us
that we can be delivered from a sense of shame. For example, it is written in
Isaiah 61:7: "Instead of your [former] shame you shall have a twofold
recompense; instead of dishonor and reproach [your people] shall rejoice in
their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double [what they had
forfeited]; everlasting joy shall be theirs."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Let's examine more closely this passage, which offers "a twofold
recompense." Are recompense is a reward or compensation for injury. In
other words, if you trust God and do things His way, He will see to it that you
are repaid for every injustice ever done to you. You will receive double what
you have forfeited or lost, and everlasting joy will be yours! That is a
wonderful promise, and I can vouch for the reality of it. God has done that
very thing for me, and He will do it for you too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Another promise from the Lord is
found in Isaiah</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section12">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 2.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page119"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">54:4: "Fear not, for you shall not be ashamed; neither be
confounded and depressed, for you shall not be put to shame. For you shall
forget the shame of your youth, and you shall not [seriously] remember the
reproach of your widowhood any more."How inspiring and encouraging it is
to know that you will forget the harm of your past and will never have to
seriously remember those hard, hard times! This is even a promise that you can
stand on if you are still being abused or mistreated.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Perhaps
you feel that the Lord has told you to endure for a season some verbal or
emotional abuse while He is doing a work in the person who is hurting you. How
can you protect yourself from developing a shame-based nature? The prayer of
the psalmist can be yours also: "O keep me, Lord, and deliver me; let me
not be ashamed or disappointed, for my trust and my refuge are in You"
(Psalm 25:20).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">God can keep you from shame. I suggest that every time you suffer from
verbal or emotional abuse, simply pray and ask God to keep you from the shame
that tries to build up within you. Use this word in Psalm 25:20 as a
double-edged sword against the enemy (which in this case is shame).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.7pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 103%; margin-right: 5.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Following is an example of how this approach will work for your benefit.
I know a pastor's wife who has no problems at all in her sexual relations with
her husband, even though relatives sexually abused her for many years. On the
other hand, as a result of</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 103%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section13">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-right: 9.0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page120"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">my sexual abuse, I had many, many problems to confront and overcome in
my sexual relations with my husband.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">What made the difference? While questioning my friend, I discovered that
throughout her childhood she had maintained a strong faith in God. The abuse
began when she was about fourteen years of age. By that time she had already
enjoyed many years of good Christian fellowship and an active prayer life. She
prayed each time her abusers molested her, asking God to cover her so it would
not affect her sexual relationship with her future husband. She knew that one
day she was going to marry a pastor because the Lord had already revealed it to
her. Her prayers protected her from shame and bondage in that area.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.05pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 14.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">In my case, I did not know enough about God to activate my faith through
prayer. Therefore I did suffer from shame-until I discovered that I was
shame-based and learned about God's promise to deliver me. You can also be
delivered from shame, which is the source of many complex inner problems, such
as:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-line-height-alt: 0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Alienation</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.3pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 104%; margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: .5in; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Compulsive behaviors (drug/alcohol/substance abuse; eating disorders;
addiction to money, work, or other objects or activities; sexual perversions;
excessive need to be in control;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 104%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section14">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 3.0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page121"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">lack of self-control or self-discipline; gossiping; judgmental spirit;
etc.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-line-height-alt: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Depression</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.3pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 2.0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Deep sense of inferiority ("There-is-something-wrong- with-me"
thinking)</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.75pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-line-height-alt: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Failure
syndrome</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.3pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-line-height-alt: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Isolating
loneliness</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.3pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-line-height-alt: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Lack of
confidence</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.3pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 105%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 4.0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Neurotic behavior (A neurotic person assumes too much responsibility; in
times of conflict he automatically presumes that he is at fault.)</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-line-height-alt: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Perfectionism</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.3pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-line-height-alt: 0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Timidity
(fear of all types)</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.3pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 32.0pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: .5in; text-align: justify; text-indent: -18.1pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">•<span style="font: 7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Inability to develop and maintain healthy relationships</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 15.6pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Depression</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 105%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">What we believe in our heart about ourselves deeply influences how we
act: "For as he [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he" (Proverbs
23:7, paraphrased). If</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 105%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section15">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page122"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">we think
poorly of ourselves, we will be depressed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Extreme numbers of people suffer from this terrible condition of
depression, which has many complex causes, one of which is shame. If you are
prone to depression, it may be a sign of a deeper problem- a root of shame.
Those who are shame-based think and speak negatively about themselves. Such
wrong thinking and speaking places a heavy weight on the spirit. This is a
major problem because God created human beings for righteousness, love, and
acceptance. God is always pouring forth these virtues upon His children, but
many of His children do not know how to receive them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%; margin-right: 2.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">You cannot receive love and acceptance from God if you are against
yourself. If you have a problem in this area, do not just sit by and allow the
devil to destroy you. Confront your spiritual enemy with spiritual action.
Change your thinking and your speaking. Begin purposely to think and say only
good things about yourself. Make a list of your best qualities and what the
Word says about you, and confess it several times a day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 16.85pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Meditate
on truths from God's Word such as: "For our sake He made Christ
[virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might
become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of
God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship
with Him, by His goodness]" (2 Corinthians 5:21).</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="Section16">

<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page123"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Then say,
"I am the righteousness of God in Christ."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 14.2pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Say out
loud "God loves me" when you read, "For God so greatly loved and
dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son,
so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not
perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life"
(John 3:16).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 12.8pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 101%; margin-right: 1.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 101%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Read Romans 12:6-8: "Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities)
that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift
is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith; [he
whose gift is] practical service, let him give himself to serving; he who
teaches, to his teaching; he who exhorts (encourages), to his exhortation; he
who contributes, let him do it in simplicity and liberality; he who gives aid
and superintends, with zeal and singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy,
with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness." Then confess, "I
have gifts and abilities given to me by the Lord."Ponder in your heart the
words of the Lord when He said, "Because you are precious in My sight and
honored, and because I love you, I will give men in return for you and peoples in
exchange for your life" (Isaiah 43:4). Rejoice as you admit, "I am
precious and valuable to God."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.55pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 110%; margin-right: 67.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 110%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Search the Word of God for other positive confessions about yourself.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 11.55pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-line-height-alt: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Another wise practice is to get a
thorough medical</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>

<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="page124"></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">examination to rule out the possibility of any physical condition that may be affecting your mental and emotional outlook. Unless your depression is caused by some health problem, it can usually be traced to negative thinking and speaking. Even when the depression is caused by some physical condition (hormonal or chemical imbalance, etc.), the devil will take advantage of the situation. He will offer many negative thoughts, which, if received and meditated upon, will only make the problem seem many times worse than it actually is.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 10.0pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 17.15pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 102%;"> <span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 102%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">I repeat:
When you feel depressed, check your thinking. It is not God's will for you to be depressed. Align your thoughts with the Word of God. Isaiah 61:3 says that the Lord has given us "the garment [expressive] of praise instead of a
heavy, burdened,and failing spirit." Nehemiah said, "The joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold" (8:10). Believe what the Word says you are, and that is what you will become. Believe what the devil says you are, and you will become that. The choice is yours: "therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).</span></div>