Discipleship Conditioning

Rejection can impact us to our core. For me, it often makes me rethink my worth. As a child you felt worthless after his parents divorce, I am subject to unique attacks from evil. The devil knows he can play the card of rejection and have it manifest itself in me as worthlessness.

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do” (ESV Bible, 2001, 1 Peter 2:1-8).

We are valuable by the Creator of the universe. We are unique in our calling. So, when rejection rears up in the future, I pray we both can understand that this life is not conducted according to our ways, but His ways are greater than ours.

We pray that our message today has encouraged you and that you will seek the Bible more fervently than ever. Blessing to you our brothers and sisters.

Stress is not the goal, be well.

— Daniel Miller, Ed.S., C.S.C.S.

AraratPhysiology.com

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Trauma leaves a victim. Said victim moves past trauma with a choice; 1) succumb to the trauma, letting it become definitive or 2) forgiving the perpetrator of the trauma the way Christ forgives us.

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (ESV Bible, 2001, Colossians 3:1-10).

We are made new in light of our sin because we choose to turn to God and away from sin. Our new home, a new Jerusalem, in heaven is our destiny in Christ. We can say goodbye to the sins of this world and be comforted in our struggle, knowing we are temporary visitors on earth.

We hope that my story encourages you and that you find application. We pray that our message today has encouraged you and that you will seek the Bible more fervently than ever. Blessing to you our brothers and sisters.

Stress is not the goal, be well.

— Daniel Miller, Ed.S., C.S.C.S.

AraratPhysiology.com

[email protected]

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Assessing a the Biblical nature of man without using the Bible is mute. God’s word provides all we need. It is the only written truth we have access.

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (ESV Bible, 2001, Ephesians 5:25-32).

It is clear that man is called to love woman, specifically in marriage, the way God loves the church. Man is called to provided selfless love that is unconditional, service to the needs of his wife, and sacrifice by valuing her flesh more than his own.

Lastly, competition in a marriage is unhealthy and moreover, I would argue unBiblical. As Christians we should focus on the talents each member of the marriage has; supporting those talents and contributing to the progress of the couple as one flesh. Do not be a hinderance by trying to mimic the same talents better. Let men do what they do best and women do what they do best in unison as one team.

We pray that our message today has encouraged you and that you will seek the Bible more fervently than ever. Blessing to you our brothers and sisters.

Stress is not the goal, be well.

— Daniel Miller, Ed.S., C.S.C.S.

AraratPhysiology.com

[email protected]

[email protected]

Fear can control our lives by limiting our start and continuity. Although fear can be healthy when in fear of the Lord, the majority of us fear irrational things. We believe that we are too skinny, monotone, ugly, uneducated, etc. We use fear to stitch these cruel thoughts into the fabric of our being. We go from lying to being a liar; from having a bad hair day to being unattractive. In other words, we take acts in noun form and make them traits of nouns.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (ESV Bible, 2001, Isaiah 41:10).

In the instance of unhealthy fear, it is important to consult prayer and Scripture. As noted above, the Bible tells us that God is with us. We can do all things through Christ.

We pray that our message today has encouraged you and that you will seek the Bible more fervently than ever. Blessing to you our brothers and sisters.

Stress is not the goal, be well.

— Daniel Miller, Ed.S., C.S.C.S.

AraratPhysiology.com

[email protected]

[email protected]