Sermon Tone Analysis

We Live in an Improving World

Violent crimes per capita have dropped almost 13%

Divorce rates have decrease by almost 10%

Abortion rates have decreased by almost 230,000 a year (horrendously the number is over 800,000)

We are currently in a peacetime economy which aside from upstate NY is doing quite well.

Aside from rare circumstances there is no reason a person should go hungry or not sleep in a bed.

Despite These… There Are Signs We Are Not Doing Well.

Symptoms consistent with major depression increased 52 percent in adolescents

63 percent in young adults age 18 to 25 .

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There was also a 71 percent increase in young adults experiencing serious psychological distress in the previous 30 days from 2008 to 2017 (from 7.7 percent to 13.1 percent).

The rate of young adults with suicidal thoughts or other suicide-related outcomes increased 47 percent from 2008 to 2017 (from 7.0 percent to 10.3 percent).

There was also a 71 percent increase in young adults experiencing serious psychological distress in the previous 30 days

The rate of young adults with suicidal thoughts or other suicide-related outcomes increased 47 percent.

Anxiety, stress, depression is increasing at a rate that despite the surroundings is alarming.

No One Really Knows Why.

There a more and more counselors joining the work force as the need and the money grows… but despite the fact that more people are receiving counseling than ever before, the issue keeps growing.

Social media… debatable.

On one side it keeps a person from entering their immediate surroundings; however, it provides a place for people to connect in ways that can promote health.

They increased the defined amount is sleep that a person is supposed to get to 9 hours, but the fact of the matter is that the most successful people typically get 6 hours of sleep.

s sleep that a person is supposed to get to 9 hours, but the fact of the matter is that the most successful people typically get 6 hours of sleep.

The fact is that the world keeps throwing answers, but the issue isnt getting better… in fact, the numbers keep getting worse.

That does not mean I am against counseling and medication and am convinced that when handled correctly, they do help… but I don’t think they are the complete answer.

We will get to the answer in a minute.

Interesting Things About Brain Chemistry.

When hooked up to the machines, when you are remembering something or imagining the future, the same parts of your brain light up.

When you are depressed, anxious, etc. those same parts of your brain light up.

What that means is that in a typical person depression, which is typically caused by getting stuck in a negative thought pattern from something that happened in your past, or anxiety, which is typically caused by getting trapped in a negative thought pattern worrying about the future, they all come from the same part of your brain.

Trained Buddhist monks who have spent considerable about of time learning how to meditate… when hooked up to the machines not only have shown that they can shut off the part of the brain that cause depression and anxiety, but they turn on the part of the brain that releases all the chemicals needed to promote happiness..... THEY THINK THEMSELVES BETTER.

Now I’m not saying lets all become Buddhist because there are pitfalls

Only those that spend considerable time away from the world get the best results… and the Word of God has never said go lock yourself in a room on a mountain… It actually says the opposite.

Being around people for any length of time often destroys the benefits that the monks have received.

so again .... we don’t have an answer.. but we have a clue.

The Devils Best Trick

The devil is smart enough not to come up to you and say, “Hey, I’m evil.”

He simply tries to pervert the good by deception and trickery.

Adam and Eve.

Tempting Jesus to pick a “faster and easier” path to the same result… I’ll let you save the world if you bow to me.

The Buddhist (and all other religions and groups that teach meditation) teach a technique that requires you to “empty yourself” to find your “true self.”

But is Jesus is not connect to the disposing of depression and anxiety, worse things happen.

Luke 11:23-

emptying yourself is not the answer.

It is a trick… learning to quiet and empty your spirit is the opposite of the answer.

In the song drugs or Jesus… its the drug.

It’s a substitution and a deception from a paramount principle

The Principle

Psalms

How that applies.... do not turn to things that are substitutes… do not empty yourself.... fill your self..

Longest Intro to the Shortest Message.

TODAY WE BEGIN A SERIES ON CHRISTIAN MEDITATION AND START A PATH TO HEALTH BY EXPLORING GOD’S ANSWER TO RIGHT THINKING

Quickly… You will be BLESSED (happy and healthy) if

Don’t do these things

Do this.

What happens if you don’t.

Don’t Do These Things

Walk in the counsel of the wicked.

That is to heed the advise of those people or thoughts that are contrary to God’s word.

How do you know?

Well it’s not in God’s Word.

How do you know if it’s in God’s Word? - well, you read it or listen to it....... all the time.

Stand in the way of sinners.

That is to align yourself with the sinners agenda… even if you don’t necessarily agree.

The word is truth… There is nothing in the word that is incorrect.

The second you make and excuse for yourself or someone else for the sins that they are committing, you are standing in the way of sinners.

Is that harsh, yes.

Is it right, Yes.

Is it close minded, Yes.

GRACE DOESN’T MAKE SIN ANY LESS THAN SIN.

IT OFFERS FORGIVENESS FOR THE UGLINESS OF SIN.

MERCY DOESN’T MEAN WE DON’T DESERVE THE PUNISHMENT, IT JUST MEANS THAT WE AREN’T GETTING WHAT WE DESERVE… AND THAT WAS ONLY DONE BECAUSE JESUS TOOK THE PUNISHMENT.

Sit in the seat of mockers.

That is to count God as unimportant or take Him out of the equation.

Do These Things.

Only One.

Meditate on His Law.

We are going to define this a little better next week, but at the very least this word is intentional and deliberate.

It requires effort.

And it requires PRACTICE.

Litmus Test.

Does the thought of taking deliberate and intentional actions to filling yourself with God’s word fill you with delight?

Or is it a chore.

I want to help you with that.

Two things.

Start small.

Start with this verse… Think about what it means to meditate on the verse day and night.

As thoughts come up ask yourself how the Word might have helped you in that situation.

Imagine how things could have been different is you would have applied God’s Law.

Then ask God to forgive you for not applying His Law.

Imagine other situations that might come up … and apply God’s Law to your worry.

The second thing.... don’t stay small.

Grow.

If you want Him to fill you .... there has to be growth involved.

The devil knows this technique… almost every religion out there does this....

Relax.

Breath in.

Breath out.

Let the rest of the world just fade away.

They are saying.... start small.

Let’s focus on breathing.

Conclusion.

I am becoming convinced that the world’s answer is trying to teach us to get in touch with our true self.