FEBRUARY 29

Focus: Praying, ‘Your Kingdom come’

Matthew 6:9-13 Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

There is a lot of controversy about the kingdom of God. Ask a dozen people what they believe about the kingdom of God and you may get a dozen answers. There are a few ways we could interpret what Jesus might have meant as He said ‘Your kingdom come’ in the Lord’s prayer. Going back to the moment He spoke the words to His disciples—let’s recall they have just heard Jesus tell them to address Jehovah as ‘Our Father’—His and theirs. As He continues explaining to the disciples how they should pray—now He is saying to ‘Our Father’, ‘Your kingdom come’.

As the disciples hear Jesus say, ‘Your kingdom come’ it could be natural for the disciples to think Jesus is confirming something they may have already been suspecting. The concept of the kingdom of God is a little sketchy to them but they might have believed that a new political state was going to be established with Jesus as the ruler. They could have been thinking they would be leaders, too—or at least assistants to Jesus in this new kingdom. It’s hard to know, for sure.

These chosen twelve were tightly knit to Jesus. They had been hand picked by Him as His inner circle of friends and followers. They had learned so much from Him during their time together—yet on several occasions in the Bible, we observe how things Jesus was trying to teach them went right over their heads.

Jesus used Himself as an example to His disciples. He acted out the power of God for them. Jesus demonstrated the kingdom of God to His disciples through His ability to perform all kinds of miracles. Another way Jesus demonstrated the kingdom of God was by the way He spoke. His words carried divine authority that caused change to take place. Jesus told several stories called ‘parables’ that were almost ‘childlike’ in His efforts to try to help His disciples and others grasp what the kingdom of God was like. The common thread of these parables is seen as Jesus explains in different ways that the kingdom of God is a power that may seem small and almost invisible at first, but later grows to great proportions.

Even though Jesus lived and operated in holy authority—He was also the perfect example of one who was in complete submission. As the Son of God, He was in a position to have avoided the humility and death He suffered—yet He loved obedience and was completely faithful to the plan of God’s kingdom, which included that His life’s purpose on earth was to be offered as a perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. He was in such absolute agreement with the kingdom of God that He was willing to literally lay down His life. The ultimate demonstration to the disciples of the power of God is revealed as Jesus not only is resurrected from the dead—but ascends into heaven. Once again, Jesus is modeling what will one day happen for His disciples–and all of us who believe in Him.

Jesus wanted His disciples to do all of the things He did—but more than just ‘do things’—He wanted them to be carriers of the kingdom of God in terms of the authority that was His. When Jesus prayed ‘Your kingdom come’, it could be He was saying in a sense, ‘let Your authority flow through all people who are My followers. Let your power give believers the ability to do all of the things I have been showing them how to do. Let their lives spread Your love and righteousness throughout the world as they demonstrate and distribute what they have seen, learned, and received.

When we pray The Lord’s Prayer and say, ‘Your kingdom come’, we should be saying in our heart—“Let all of Your followers be living models to the world of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ—so that Your eternal love and righteousness will reign throughout the world.”

If we choose to live with kingdom vision—we choose also to draw strength from the power of God and find victory over depression and dependency. We commit to make the right choice when temptation comes. If drugs or alcohol are offered to us we say, “No thanks, I’ll take the kingdom of God, instead. I don’t need that—I have something better”. We joyfully accept the responsibility as heirs of Jesus Christ to live a life that honors His example. We gladly seek the kingdom of God more than anything else on earth.

Declaration: I will find new strength by studying the scriptures about the kingdom of God. I will do my best to learn all I can about the life of Jesus—so my life will be a faithful example of His love. I am committed to be a carrier of what I have seen, learned, and received about the kingdom of God. I will live to demonstrate and distribute the truth of His love and righteousness throughout the world.

Click here for: This Kingdom Come, by Hillsong

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

FEBRUARY 28

Focus: Transforming your mind

Romans 12:2 (NKJV) Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

It took a while for me to appreciate the importance of following directions. When I was younger, I was more interested in ‘results’ than ‘the process’ of how to do most things. Reading small print and any instructions that called for more than three steps seemed like taking the long way around to me. Part of the time things worked out okay. I had good mechanical skills and simple logic can go pretty far. But, as I got interested in doing things a little more complicated like wanting to be a TV Producer—I had to be willing to submit to “due process”. Which meant enrolling in courses, doing assignments, studying textbooks, showing up for class, and sometimes hiring a tutor.

As you learn to be a Producer, you study and learn to do all phases of what goes into a production. After the first year—most of what we did was projects—which required working with a team of people. The first few projects were simpler and we were given plenty of time to complete them. During that time—teamwork seemed like a nuisance. Some of the team members were slow and uninterested in sharing their part of the responsibility and it was hard for me to wait on others to do what I could have easily done myself in less time.

Later on, the demands became much more difficult. The assignments were a lot more complex and the amount of time we were given to finish them less and less. There was really no way to complete a project unless everyone did their individual part and we all worked together as a team. By the time I finished school—I had learned some very valuable information—but the most important thing that took place was the transformation of my mind.

I gained the understanding that the job of a Producer is to plan and make provision for every detail of a production. It’s the Producer’s job is to oversee the Directors. Sometimes, you will be the Producer and a Director, too. In either case, you will have to possess the ability to give clear directions to a team. The only way you can do that—is if you have done a lot of planning in advance and you have a complete and solid grasp on what it is you are setting out to produce. First, you learn to follow directions, then you learn to give them. Part of being a good Producer or Director is being able to write out and execute an intelligible ‘game plan’ for others to follow. When I enrolled in school—I had no idea that becoming a Producer had everything to do with following directions and teamwork—two things I wasn’t even good at. In order to become what I wanted to be—I had to be willing to change.

When we are in a deep hole of depression and dependency, we can want out—but wanting out might involve more than we think. In the process of recovery—you might find that it’s more work than you thought it was going to be. You might even question whether you really want to be free…because in order to stay free—your mind is going to have to be transformed. It would be so cool if the transformation could be done by the snap of your fingers. Usually, it’s not that way. So many things have contributed to your condition. You might blame others—but a lot of the responsibility rests on you and the choices you have made. If you don’t like how you’re feeling and you want to feel better—change is going to have to happen. Don’t expect others to change—the change has to begin in you.

The biggest reason we got messed up like this—is because we chose to think and operate in the ways of the world. We based our concept of what a happy and fulfilled life would be—on what we saw in the world that appealed to us. We tried to get what we wanted out of life without considering what the good and acceptable and perfect will of God might have to do with it.

Human beings aren’t naturally great at taking direction or following directions when it comes to God. Our instinct is that we can figure it out without following the instructions or being part of a team. Only thing is…we can’t. God thoughtfully designed a plan that works. When we don’t follow His plan—or we decide to skip parts of it—we end up with a problem. Sometimes, we want to re-write the plan ‘our way’. That doesn’t work, either. Even if you think you’re ready for change, a couple of big obstacles you face are that you don’t understand God’s language or His rules. Unless you submit to the process of allowing Him to transform your mind so it will work the right way and you can understand His language and rules—you can’t get anywhere.

It’s not hard to get started. God is very patient. In the beginning, the assignments will be simple and you will have plenty of time to complete them. As time goes by, you might have to be willing to be part of a team—His team. As you grow, you will see how much better things work when you are following His instructions and you’re functioning alongside others who have the same purpose you have. You will learn to live a happy and fulfilled life because you are conformed to His likeness and not the likeness of the world.

Declaration: I will find new strength by allowing God to transform my mind so I can understand His language and His directions. As I apply myself to His ways, the change in my life will prove that His will is good and acceptable.

Click here for: Surrender, by Lincoln Brewster

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

 

FEBRUARY 27

Focus: Progress

1 Timothy 4:15 (NIV) Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.

You’ve had some pretty awful days, right? Can you imagine an awful day that never ended?

When you are depressed and discouraged—you wonder how you will ever feel otherwise. It’s like having that awful day that doesn’t seem to end. You have trouble imagining the future and your mind often tends to be in the past.

When God created the universe–He could have actually made it so that our days had no end—and they just went on and on and on. When He made the galaxies–He could have done it any way He wanted to.

Have you ever stopped to consider the complex system of the planets, the suns, moons, and stars—which number in the millions? The detail of how the whole thing works can’t be comprehended and the order in which everything moves could not have been just a cosmic fluke. There is no way to explain a solar system as sophisticated as the one we live in—other than it occurred by an Intelligent design. For instance, where did the raw material come from in the first place? What caused the planets to rotate in order? What made the earth turn at a certain speed and distance from the sun that would create days, months, and seasons–and sustain human life?

Considering theses things can give you hope if you are depressed. Think about the constant progression in the universe. Our earth keeps turning. Each rotation of the earth creates a morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Have you ever stopped to marvel at how our bodies were designed to cooperate with the same cycle? Humans were made with a need to be regenerated. We don’t just keep going forever without rest and recuperation. The harmony of daytime and nighttime—and the human need to use energy and receive rest is an amazing thing to contemplate.

If you’re having a hard time facing the morning of another day—try thinking of morning in another way. When the sun comes up—it’s proof that yesterday is gone and you won’t have to live through it again. You won’t have to fight that battle again. Today is not yesterday—and the mercies of God are new every morning. Whether you feel like it or not—you are moving forward. What doesn’t look like progress to you—really is. The minutes keep ticking by, the hours continue to pass, and one day turns into the next. You can find comfort in the fact that a bad day is always going to come to an end—and tomorrow will be another day…maybe not as bad. By looking at the way God planned our environment—we can see He not only wanted us to have a rest from our labor during the night—but to wake up with  a chance to ‘start over’ every morning.

Have you ever thought of God as a source of power? His power created the universe—He is a power generator. The power of God never runs out. The same source of power that keeps the world turning has more than enough power to get you through another 24 hours…as you live one day at a time.

I haven’t always seen things this way. I know how hard it is to wake up and discover you’re still alive when what you really wanted was to die in your sleep. And I know how it feels when you think you’re not getting anywhere—that  there is no progress and it seems like one day is just as bad as the day before. All I can tell you is if you will keep trusting God—you will get through this. The power of God promises progress. He can’t fail. He is the God who heals you. He will heal your heart and mind of all the pain, sorrow, rejection, loss, and hopelessness you feel right now. He is the strength of your life.

So, don’t give up on yourself. God hasn’t. He has a great plan for you. He is your Redeemer. He will turn your trials into pure gold. You have come so far! You may not think so—but God knows you have. You can’t imagine right now the blessings that are just ahead. Soon, you will turn a corner and the way will become more manageable. The battles you have already fought have strengthened you in ways you can’t see. That strength will help you in the future. You will start to notice the difference as you are able to face a new day with God-given confidence like you’ve never had before.

The world is turning right this minute—moving forward on its cycle. You are doing the same. Your purpose is being defined in this time of testing, as God is accomplishing His will in your life.  He is watching your progress and writing a page for each day that tells the story of how you fought a good fight, finished your course, and kept your faith.

Declaration: I will find new strength by contemplating the God of the universe who holds my life in His hands. I will draw from His unlimited supply of power and see progress with the dawning of each new day.

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

Click here for: My Redeemer Lives, by Nicole C. Mullen

FEBRUARY 26

Focus: Being able to hear God’s voice and be shown His way

2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth.

At times, God purposely allows us to go to a low spot—a valley of decision, where He is sure He has our full and undivided attention. If we aren’t willing to listen any other way—He takes us to a place away from the roar of the crowd where our ears can be properly tuned to hear His voice. It is in the place of seeming despair that we might possibly be quiet enough to hear Him. While we are thinking we are in a period of depression—it just might be that God is at work in His own way—getting us into a condition where He can speak to us and we will hear.

Many people who have been called into the service of the Lord heard His voice at a time when their life was at a crossroads. They might have come to that turning point through no intention of their own—but suddenly or eventually—they realized doors were closing that they never dreamed would. When everything looked impossible, they felt the Lord’s presence in a way like never before. Because their heart was tender—they were able to feel a special touch from the Master.

It is my personal belief that people who have been through a lot of temptation and failure are perfect candidates for the Lord’s work—if they have realized they are nothing without Him. The knowledge that  you are ‘nothing’ is exactly what you feel–when you are the closest you have ever been to the Lord. In His presence—where there is no question about the fact that we are completely weak. We become totally empty of ourselves and because of that emptiness–we are able to be filled with His strength and power.

God doesn’t want to use our strength. He wants to use our weakness—so that His limitless power will be made manifest in our lack of power. All of our shame is washed away as our faults are covered in the blood of Jesus and we realize we are just another sinner saved by grace.

You may think you are failing because you can hardly stand on your own. It’s when you have nothing left—that you are ‘just right’ for God’s purpose. If you are at a place of particular weakness right now—good for you. You are ready and able to hear from God. Be listening for His voice. Be watching for revelation. He has things to say and plans to unfold. The only qualifications God needs in order for you to meet His approval is that you are teachable and willing to be conformed to His image, filled with His Spirit, and able to handle His Word properly.

The best thing you can do right now to prepare yourself for what He has for you—is to feast at His table. Feed on His Word. Let it fill you. In the desert—you are able to draw from His well that never runs dry. Drink from His cup. There are wonderful words of comfort and encouragement waiting for you. If you don’t know where to start, try meditating on the following Psalm that has given hope to so many people when they were desperately discouraged. Try to visualize it in your mind as you read it:

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; 
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. –Psalm 23 (NIV)

If your plans have not turned out like you thought they would—it doesn’t mean you aren’t going to have a meaningful, fulfilling life. All—and I mean all of my plans fell through before I was willing to give God complete control of my life…and I had a lot of plans. I had to reach the point where nothing was working—before I was willing for God to  lead me to His plan. If He hadn’t closed every other door, I’d probably still be trying to do what I thought would work best. Now I know my life has one purpose. My purpose–and yours, is to be available to follow where He leads—and to go through the doors He opens. Some doors I would like to go through—He closes. Other doors I may not choose—He takes me through.

If you are willing to say, “Show me Your way, Lord—that I may walk with You”…He will surely show you. If there is any part of you that is holding back and is unwilling—He will wait until you are ready. Truthfully, He will let you continue in a prolonged ‘wilderness experience’ because you are still trying to find your own way ‘out’. Deliverance soon comes when you stop looking for the exit and say, “Show me Your way”.

Declaration: I will find new strength by working at being emptied of myself. I will concentrate on the words of Psalm 23 and keep my ears tuned to hear my Master’s voice. I am willing for Him to show me His way.

Click here for: Show Me Your Ways, by Hillsong

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

FEBRUARY 25

Focus: Learning from our mistaken impression of ‘love’

1 Corinthians 13:1-2 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Let’s talk about love. As of today, the Google search engines have 8,860,000,000 results for the word, ‘love’. My guess is that most of those results are not about ‘love’ at all. I would venture ‘love’ is more searched for than anything in the world—especially on the internet. There are people who would give up everything they own for a lasting, true love relationship. Many people are looking so hard to find something they can’t even define. There are so many things that love is ‘not’.  But, before we can go very far in this ‘search’—shouldn’t we know a little more about what love ‘is’?

I used to think I didn’t have much right to say anything about ‘love’ and relationships because of all my past failure. I had a lot of ‘experience’, but not the kind that would qualify me to be an expert on the topic of ‘love’. As I considered why things didn’t work out—I kept thinking I had made mistakes in my choices—and truly, I could have done better by consulting God. But, now that I have a lot of years behind me and have been happily married for over a quarter of a century—I realize that a lot of my inability to find happiness was because of ‘me’.  I still have a lot to learn, but one thing I have discovered is that in order to find true love—you have to be lovable.

I have so much admiration for people who found a mate, stayed with the marriage, worked through all of the challenges—and after all the years—still had a romantic interest in one another, but more importantly the unconditional, enduring love that grows with time.

In this world we have so much to overcome about the impression we may have of ‘what love is’ because of the images we are bombarded with on a daily basis. If our idea of love has been formed through what we have read in books, seen in magazines, on TV, in the movies, and music videos—we have a distorted picture, to say the least.  It’s hard to find something real, when what you are looking for has been based on fantasy.

How can we ever expect that there is a person out there (or married to us) who will perfectly meet all of our needs—when we are so imperfect ourselves? Do we really think there is someone who will just adore everything about us if we are actually not very lovable?

I know I thought I was ‘in love’ quite a few times and yet those relationships failed. The Bible says, “love never fails”. Well, that’s pretty hard to swallow. Never fails? Is that possible?

The following is my own paraphrase of what the Bible says love ‘is’ in 1 Corinthians chapter thirteen:

Love is willing to wait—without complaining or pouting. Love speaks sweetly and does nice things for people—even if they don’t deserve it. Love doesn’t wish their mate were more perfect or try to get the attention of someone who doesn’t belong to them. Love doesn’t try to act like their way is the only way. Love isn’t stubborn about ‘who is right’—and is never unwilling to apologize. Love doesn’t mock another person’s weakness or do anything to defame or humiliate them. Love is always seeking to give pleasure rather than expecting to receive it. Love doesn’t get angry. Love keeps no record of other people’s failures and hardly notices when someone else does something wrong. Love does not enjoy doing things that are evil. Love is not eager to point out someone else’s flaws. Love rejoices in the Word of God and in seeking after truth. Love always sees the best in others and gives them the benefit of the doubt. Love is willing to take a risk in order to protect and defend someone in need. Love has a positive outlook. Love is willing to endure discomfort. Love never stops hoping the best things will happen for others. Love keeps trying against all odds and in spite of every temptation to stop. Love absolutely does not end.

Humans are not capable of being perfect at ‘love’. The only way ‘love’ can work—is if we constantly try to empty ourselves of ‘me’ and let God fill us with ‘Him’. He is perfect love. If we are filled with Him—we can love with His love and succeed.

Declaration: I will find new strength by letting go of ‘me’. As I become empty of myself and filled with the Holy Spirit of God—I will be lovable and able to love others more perfectly.

Click the video screen for: Love Song, by Third Day

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

FEBRUARY 24

Focus: Defining yourself by the Word of God

Psalm 119:105 (NKJV) Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Today I was thinking about what verses were the ‘most important’ to me. At first, I thought I would go for my ‘top 10’. But, after I had written ten verses out on index cards—there were still a lot of other ones that kept popping into my head. I was thinking, “Well, maybe I should trade this one for that one”, to keep it to my top ten best verses. Then, it occurred to me that maybe I could write out my ‘top 31’ and have at least one favorite verse for each day of the month.

As a way of growing your faith—I’d like to encourage you to do the same thing. Maybe you know a lot of Bible verses and maybe you don’t. Either way, it’s okay. If you want to use some of mine—you’re welcome to do that.  I use index cards for writing things down I want to remember. You could do that—or you could just copy and print the page you’re reading. If some of these are verses you’ve never memorized—work on doing that, too. Hide them in your heart.

1. 1 John 1:9 (KJV) If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

3. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.

4. John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

5. Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV) But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

6. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

7. 2 Corinthians 6:17 (NKJV)  Therefore, Come out from among them
and be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
and I will receive you.

8. Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV) But those who wait on the Lord
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint.

9. Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

10. Acts 1:8 (NKJV)  But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

11. Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

12. Jeremiah 1:5 (NKJV) Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

13. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

14. Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

15. Luke 1:37 (NKJV) For with God nothing will be impossible.

16. Romans 8:37 (NKJV) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

17. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

18. Psalm 30:5 (NKJV) For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
weeping may endure for a night,
but joy comes in the morning.

19. Psalm 139:23-24 (NKJV) Search me, O God, and know my heart;
try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

20. Matthew 22:37-39 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

21. John 8:32 (NKJV) And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

22. Galatians 6:7 (NKJV) Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

23.  Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct your paths.

24. Romans 8:39 (NKJV) Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

25. Revelation 21:4 (KJV) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

26. Revelation 12:11 (KJV) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

27.  James 1:5 (KJV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

28. Philippians 4:4 (NKJV) Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

29.  John 14:1-3 (NKJV) Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

30. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 (NKJV) Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

31. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Declaration: I will define myself by the Word of God. I will find new strength by meditating on my favorite scriptures and contemplating why they give me hope and encouragement.

Click the video screen for the song: Thy Word, by Amy Grant

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

FEBRUARY 23

Focus: What stress looks like

Isaiah 40:29-31 (KJV) ”He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”


I saw an older man today, not clean shaven. He was sitting on a bench waiting for a bus. His gray hair was protruding out from under a baseball cap. He was wearing a faded blue jacket and jeans. He was leaning forward—holding onto the top of his aluminum cane—resting his bearded chin on both hands. His eyes were studying the pavement and his whole appearance matched the overcast sky.

I wondered what kind of stress he was dealing with. Financial, physical, emotional…certainly loneliness, too. Overall, it was easy to see his outward expression matched his inner condition. I don’t think he was trying to draw attention to himself—but none of it was hard to miss in the few seconds I saw him. Clearly, somewhere along the way, he stopped trying to hide.

Stress manifests itself in different ways. In the early stages you’re able to cover it up—maybe it even embarrasses you–if you’re prone to be self-conscious. Like when someone asks how you’re doing and you quickly paste on a determined smile and say, “fine”. As though only failures are “not fine”—or as though you’re so used to accommodating people that you wouldn’t want to risk ruining anyone else’s day by saying, “not so great”.

In depression and dependency, a lot of ‘hiding’ goes on. By the time a person is not hiding and you can ‘see’ the stress–it might already be pretty advanced.

Some people ‘wear’ stress. Don’t be offended, if this is you. Remember, as we’re trying to recover—we have to see some things about ourselves that may not be totally positive.

The ‘victim’ wears stress to get attention. The ‘manipulator’ wears stress to get control. The ones who are in denial cover it up with bright colored clothing, make-up, and electronics. The ones who are totally stressed out aren’t thinking about any of those things anymore. They have stopped thinking about how they look and they might be out of touch with people in general—kinda like the man I saw today.

Stress and depression can have a lot of the same characteristics. Both issues can cause a person to display some unattractive traits—such as anger—feeling like if one more thing goes wrong, you’re going to ‘snap’. Resentment and bitterness are common problems, too. You may battle with insomnia, restless sleep, or lack of ability to stay asleep. On the flip side—some people who are having trouble with stress and/or depression may want to sleep all the time as a way to escape. Relationships almost always suffer when either stress or depression is present. It’s normal to feel a lack of strength. Fainting or feeling faint and weariness can be typical when you are under a lot of stress or in an especially low period.

The Bible often compares the Christian life to that of an eagle. There is nothing grander than seeing a healthy eagle coasting in flight. Eagles love storms. When bad weather comes—they don’t fly for shelter—they use the direction and pressure of the wind to soar into the heart of a storm. It is said that least once in an eagle’s life—it goes through a period of depression and stress. For all outward appearances–it looks like the eagle may be getting ready to die. Its claws weaken and its beak grows long and curves. During this time, the eagle loses its strength to hunt and eat. Its feathers thicken and the act of flying becomes difficult. The eagle is faced with a ‘do or die decision’ that involves a painful transition. For a transformation to take place—the eagle goes to a high rocky area to be alone. In a place of solitude–the eagle literally beats its beak until it falls off. After a long period of waiting—a new one forms. With that new beak, the eagle plucks out its feathers and pulls off its talons. In time, the eagle’s body is fully restored. Strength returns and the eagle once again has everything it needs to survive as well as an eagle half its age.

You may be facing a ‘do or die decision’ in your own life. You could go and crawl under a rock and give it all up—or this could be a time of transition and transformation. Maybe your life isn’t ‘over’ as you have assumed. Maybe you have just used up your ‘old self’ and its time to let God re-create you—as His Word says He can.

Declaration: I will find new strength as I wait on the Lord. I will overcome stress and depression like the eagle. I will receive power as I make the decision not to give in to weariness. Faintheartedness and weakness are things of the past. God is turning everything around so that I can keep moving forward.

Click the video screen for the song: Eagles Wings, by Hillsong

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

FEBRUARY 22

Focus: Doing what you don’t want to do

Romans 7:15 (NIV) I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do–I do not do, but what I hate, I do.

“Normal” is getting up once in a while and not feeling like facing the day. “Depressed” is getting up everyday and never feeling like facing the day. It’s not being able to think of any reason why your life makes a difference. It’s often the act of going through the motions for the sake of ‘other people’, but certainly not yourself–because nothing motivates you and nothing really matters. The hardest part is the feeling you have that nothing is ever going to be any different than it is today. And, if it wasn’t for those ‘other people’–it all could just ‘be over’ and it would be fine with you.

Several years ago, a book was written by Pastor Rick Warren, called “The Purpose Driven Life. I would suggest you look for it. Millions of copies were distributed. You can find it at many  retail stores, online, or at a library.

The reason I am suggesting it–is because I know when you are depressed, it’s hard to absorb anything unless it’s easy to read and simple to follow. This book will give you a 40 day plan. It will help you toward finding purpose for your life–even if you’re at “zero” when you start. Some people who aren’t going through the difficulties you are, might think it’s pretty basic and that they don’t need it. However, if you’re struggling to put one foot in front of the other–it might be just the treasure map that will help you.

You might have already read it–but, maybe when you did–things weren’t the way they are right now. It might speak to you in a whole new way if you try it again.

If you’re waking up in the morning more than half of the time–overwhelmed by discouragement, it’s time to take desperate measures whether you feel like it, or not. At the mention of words like I just wrote–you may have instantly reacted with the thought, “Why should I?” Well, there is a very good reason why, actually. A person like you–who has kept going for no other reason than ‘for others’, has proved an amazing point. You have proved your life is not about ‘you’–it’s about ‘others’. The enemy of your soul is out to destroy you and believe it or not–you aren’t his only target.

So, if you’re going to keep on living for others, why not put some purpose into it and use that huge bank account of experience in dealing with disappointment, rejection, anger, bitterness, and all the rest–and turn it into something that could help make a difference ‘for others’ like yourself. That’s what I’m trying to do right now.

Two weeks before the end of last year–someone very dear to me who struggled desperately with depression and addiction was rescued by our Heavenly Father. Her struggle was finally over but a new struggle began for those of us who were still here. The loss was devastating. I felt myself faced with two issues. #1, I deeply wanted to honor her memory and write some practical encouragement like I wish I could have put into her hands when she was alive. I sent many things–always feeling like what I was sending wasn’t exactly what she needed–but, it was the best thing I could find at the time.

Losing her made me realize–somebody needed to write a Bible based source of new strength for people in recovery–for everyday of the year. When you are battling like she was–the enemy never takes a day off from trying to annihilate you.

My other issue was myself and my own pain. I hurt so much I didn’t want to even put on high heels. The loss was so extreme–I couldn’t bear anymore pain. I normally love wearing high heels and just endure the discomfort they cause. But, it’s not normal for the daughter of your younger sister to die. And it’s not normal to see the life of someone so beautiful, funny, and bright–cut short at only 40 years old. I knew if I didn’t commit myself to a long term self-given assignment–I might not make it, either.

So, for this year of my life–I am completely purpose driven. I am focused on honoring someone I lost, focused on keeping my own sanity–and focused on writing something to help others who are going through an intense battle like she was.

All day everyday–I am seeking God for hope and encouragement to put into words ‘for others’. Do I always feel like it? No, but like I said–when you’ve stayed in the game ‘for others’–you might as well turn your losses into something that might make a difference.

Declaration: I will find new strength by turning what the enemy meant for evil into something good–facing forward with the optimism that God can use my pain and experience as building materials to make something beautiful of my life.

Click the video screen for the song: Blessings, by Laura Story

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

FEBRUARY 21

Focus: Right relationships 

Hebrews 10:23 (NKJV) Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

One of the best proven ways to keep moving ahead in recovery is to be a regular part of a support group. Meeting with a few trusted people on a consistent basis can help–by giving you something to look forward to and the knowledge you aren’t alone. If you’ve never done anything like that, maybe you should think about it. Alcoholics Anonymous, Christians in Recovery, Celebrate Recovery, and Overcovers are a few of the faith-based support groups you might find through churches. There are also various online support groups. Some may be geared more toward either depression or dependency—but people with either issue are usually welcome because depression is so closely related to dependency.

Another type of ministry you might try looking for offers help to people who need ‘inner healing’. There are groups with that type of focus all over the world. Inner healing ministries offer retreat weekends and meetings where you can receive guidance and prayer for specific memories that may be especially troubling to you.

If you aren’t able to find an actual support group, try looking for a Christian women’s or Christian men’s organization in your area. Most churches have fellowship groups or Bible studies for men and women. There are undenominational ministries in most cities that are open to people of all faiths, such as Aglow International, Christian Women’s Club, and Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International.

The most important thing–is to find a group of people who are non-judgmental—hopefully people like yourself who have, or are trying to make progress…led by a person who has had success over weak areas in their own life. It’s hard to get up the courage to seek support, but you will be amazed at how much it will help you–once you get involved.

You might feel more comfortable going to a meeting at a different church than your own–or one that meets in a nearby town or city. Sometimes it’s hard to open up around people you know. It could be easier for you to start fresh with people you’ve never met. When you’ve been battling a long time, people you know can sometimes be calloused to your condition—making it awkward for you to express your needs. When you’re worried what people are going to think of you, you probably aren’t going to have an easy time opening up and sharing some of your feelings. If you’re with people you don’t know that well, you may not have as many of your normal inhibitions.

If there is someone you trust who is also in recovery, you might consider asking them to go with you to a support group. You might go consistently if someone else is going with you–if that wouldn’t be too uncomfortable. One way or the other—at least make the effort to try.

I’m not going to suggest that you get involved with a secular group—one that isn’t Bible based. It would also be better if you go to a group that is either men or women, rather than co-ed. Right now, you need to keep building your faith foundation. Secular groups don’t share the same views as Christian groups. In a faith-based program, you will be constantly fed with scriptures and hear encouraging testimonies which will give you hope. At secular groups you will share your feelings and be encouraged to find strength from within yourself. Guess what? The strength you need isn’t in yourself or you’d already have it. When you don’t get true ministry for your needs you will probably come away wondering what you accomplished by going. If you continue to go and things aren’t improving, you may get more depressed—not less.

God wants you to have support from others who understand what you are going through. You don’t have to suffer alone. He wants you to have relationships that will stimulate you toward making improvement. He wants you to be encouraged—but also challenged. He wants you to keep moving forward by growing closer to Him and other believers.

When you are in a dark place, it’s hard to make a change. If your eyes are used to the dark and you come out into the light—your eyes may actually feel pain and maybe ‘tear up’. But once your eyes have adjusted to the light—you see so many things that you just couldn’t see when you were in that place of seclusion. You have probably been isolating yourself so long you don’t even know what you’re missing. Isolation isn’t just ‘being locked away’. You can feel isolated even though you’re surrounded by lots of people—if the people aren’t ones who you can trust to share your burdens.

Declaration: I will find new strength by seeking out a Christian ministry dedicated to the needs of people like myself who are committed to continue making progress in recovery. I will find a group where I can receive hope and encouragement from others who share a similar history—but who are creating a new future with the help of each other, and God.

Click the video screen for the song: Song of the Beautiful, by Christy Nockels

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all

FEBRUARY 20

Focus: Guarding our ‘eye gate’

Ezekiel 33:11 As I live, saith the Lord God, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live.

It’s no secret that depression is rampant in the world today. France and the USA have the highest rates of depression and are closely followed by Brazil, Netherlands, New Zealand, Ukraine, Belgium, Columbia, Lebanon, and Spain—according to the first cross-country survey of its kind. The study was conducted by researchers from the State University of Stony Brook, New York, as part of the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health Survey Initiative. WHO has also published ‘depression’ as the cause of suicide in an estimated 850,000 lives worldwide each year. Depression is known to be the fourth leading contributor to the world burden of disease.

Everyday–many people leave families, jobs, and responsibilities because they are unable to face overwhelming circumstances—they are depressed.

As human beings, we are able to encounter a considerable amount of trouble and stress and still be able to face ‘life’.  Nobody tosses up their hands after a disappointing day or two. It takes a while for things to become that extreme. For someone to be at the point of giving up completely—layers of problems have piled up creating mountains in their minds. Mountains they are just too weak to climb anymore.

Can you relate to that? Have you been there—or are you there right now? Let’s assume one or the other of those questions is true, if you’re reading this.

Depressing thoughts come because of many reasons. We know the largest contributing factor to major depression is relationships. Some things about relationships may be out of our control—except for a miracle. But, let’s shift our focus to things we are able to control. If you are suffering from depression, it is critical during this time to protect yourself in any way possible from things that may be making conditions worse for you. One important thing you should be able to monitor is what comes into your mind through your eyes everyday—what you see.

Sight is a very unique sense. Sometimes, we are forced to see things we would rather not see. At times, you might be able to close your eyes to avoid seeing an undesirable sight. But in most cases, a negative image has already made it into your mind when you make the decision to avoid seeing any more of it.

When you are struggling for your sanity—you have to guard your ‘eye gate’. It is a doorway to your mind. To some degree, you can control part of what goes in. Think about what kinds of things you are allowing yourself to see. What are you letting into your mind through TV? How about the internet, books, magazines, newspapers? Take an honest inventory of the type of images you allow into your mind through your eyes and how much time you let yourself to see them.

On one recent evening, my husband and I were interested in picking up a movie to watch. We stopped at a store where there was a movie vending machine outside and browsed the available films. It was shocking for us to see how few wholesome, ‘feel good’ movies were offered. I would estimate 80% of the genres were horror, suspense, thriller, and crime related. We walked away empty handed. The Bible says laughter does good like medicine. Often, it’s hard to find positive entertainment you can just laugh about—even when you’re trying.

But, sometimes we’ve stopped trying and we’ve fallen into a trap of willingly subjecting our minds to reading novels that take our thoughts in wrong directions—or looking at magazines or internet sites that are, let’s just say it—full of wicked images we should not be looking at. A large amount of negative and insulting material comes into the average home ‘by choice’…because we have become so dull of even considering what we are ‘letting in’.

In fighting depression and dependency, we need to have the courage to change the things we can–in order to keep moving forward in our recovery. If you want a balanced, healthy mind and outlook—challenge yourself to fill your ‘eye gate’ with the Word of God and other materials that agree with God’s ways.

Declaration: I will find new strength by not watching or reading things that disagree with God’s Word. I will become more disciplined in changing channels, walking out of movies, exiting internet sites, putting away books and magazines, and turning my eyes away from negative images that won’t help me keep moving forward.

Click the video screen for the song: Give Us Clean Hands, by Mark Schultz

All NEW STRENGTH posts are Copyright by Christina Cook Lee as of the date they were written and posted. Please request permission to re-post or re-blog. This material will be published as a book at the end of 2012, by the grace of God.

To subscribe to New Strength, select ‘follow’ in the upper left corner of this page.

For music selections that will help bring hope and encouragement during your recovery from depression and addiction, browse: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL99DD24252779F715&feature=view_all