 A pastor was counseling a woman who was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She was powerless against the pressure she was facing so she asked her pastor, “What can I do?” The pastor responded, “Will you do what I tell you to do?” “YES” she whispered.
The pastor knew that the woman loved to cook so he instructed: “On Monday, I want you to bake some bread. Then on Tuesday, take it to the nursing home. Go into the area where the elderly fellowship and play games. Pass out the bread and talk to them. Stay for about an hour. Don’t worry about not knowing anyone, because you’ll know them all before you leave. On Wednesday, bake some cookies then on Thursday take them to the children’s hospital and find a worker to help you pass them out to the kids who most need a visitor. Talk to as many of them as you can. Stay for about an hour. On Friday I want you to come back and see me.” As she left his office it was obvious that she didn’t think much of his plan. In fact, she looked disgusted. When Friday came the pastor was very disappointed when she didn’t show for her appointment. Approximately three weeks had passed before she made her way back to the pastor. “Sorry I haven’t been back to see you,” she said, “But I’ve been busy working at the nursing home and the children’s hospital.” He asked, “Well, how are you coping with things?” Smiling, she said, “I’m doing super. I’ve never been so good. All the depression and darkness is gone.” The pastor helped this despondent woman turn her life around by getting her mind off of herself. She got busy helping others instead of sitting around meditating on her problems. Rather than camping out on her personal troubles, she began showing interest in other people and when she did, suddenly she discovered that not only were her plights not so bad, but that life has a purpose she had been missing for so long. The best cure for depression is: get out of yourself and begin doing something productive for others that will encourage them. There is nothing quite as encouraging as encouraging others. Set aside all the demands you have for yourself and start blessing others with your talents. If stress or worry is taking its toll on your mind try taking the advice of the pastor. Find your own version of a nursing home or a children’s hospital. It may not be the same where you live, but there are opportunities galore to help people. Invest yourself into others who cannot truly do for themselves and you will notice an electrical charge light up inside you. The best part of this is, the negative impulses inside your mind will give way to positive ones. I don’t know how to explain it, but when we see others being helped by our personal involvement all those ugly feelings just sort of melt away. So, the best medicine for stress or anxiety is to break out of one’s-self and start doing something amazing for others. For more info you can visit us at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com  A little banyan seed once said to a lofty palm tree, “I am so tired of being tossed hither and tither by the wind. Will you let me find shelter for a while among your great leaves?” “Oh yes,” said the large palm tree. “You are welcome to stay as long as you wish.” So the banyan seed nestled down among the leaves of the palm tree. Soon the palm tree forgot all about the little banyan seed. But the tiny seed was not idle. It sent out little roots and fibers which crept around the mighty trunk and under the bark of the palm tree. In time, the palm tree felt life being sucked out of his structure. Alarmed, he cried out, “What is this?” The banyan seed replied, “It is only me, the seed you welcomed to rest among your leaves.” “Now you must leave,” shouted the palm. “You are growing too large and much too strong to stay. You are sapping my strength.” “I cannot leave you now,” said the banyan seed, “for we have grown together. I should kill you if I tore myself away.” The mighty palm tree rustled its leaves and tried to throw off the banyan, but it could not. Gradually the palm leaves began to wither and the great trunk shriveled until at last only the banyan tree could be found. Here’s the analogy: bad habits and sin operate comparatively. They slide smoothly into a person’s life then with time take over. Eventually, they consume a person’s mind and character. I like the way God’s Word compares sin to yeast: “Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast” (I Corinthians 5:6-7). In the story, if the palm tree had been wise it would have never allowed the little banyan residence. Likewise, may we never allow the seed of bitterness or animosity to have a home in our lives, because they will eventually take us down. Wisdom speaks loud: “Don’t start a bad habit and you will never have to fight it.” When these culprits come knocking at your door tell them where they can go. Don’t entertain their lies and you will never have to struggle with the consequences. Several years ago there was a massive volcanic explosion in the state of Washington when Mount St. Helens erupted. Sheriff Bill Closner said, “People were in the danger areas around the mountain because they would not obey the obvious roadblocks. The bottom line is that nobody would listen.” As a result, there were needless deaths and injuries. Refusing to heed the warning has serious consequences. Why are we so shocked at their demise? They walked into the fire with their eyes wide open. In an upholstering shop, if a piece of material is cut too short, there is no way it can be stretched to fit the part for which it was intended. However, while the material is too small for its original purpose, it can be used elsewhere on the chair. Some sins have consequences that disqualify us from the original plan, but there is still hope. For more info you can visit us at www.JoyChristianMinistries.com.  Click on the picture for larger view of the Banyan tree
|
Pastor J.C. Myers, III
Pastor J.C. founded Joy Christian Ministries in 1992. He was Sr. Pastor at Joy Christian Ministries in West Sacramento, California from 1992-2016. He was succeeded by his 2nd son, Pastor Brandon Myers who had been under his father's ministry and teaching for 39 years. Archives
February 2017
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
COME RECEIVE ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU!
Joy Church is a Jesus loving, Spirit filled, Christian church in West Sacramento, California. We exist to 'Lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.' We are a church that honors the Holy Spirit, a church that wins souls, a church that makes no apologies and feels no guilt for believing the Bible, and a church that is a blessing to your family and to this nation.
Joy Church is a Jesus loving, Spirit filled, Christian church in West Sacramento, California. We exist to 'Lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.' We are a church that honors the Holy Spirit, a church that wins souls, a church that makes no apologies and feels no guilt for believing the Bible, and a church that is a blessing to your family and to this nation.
|
|
|
© 2024 Joy Christian Ministries, Inc | All Rights Reserved | 916-375-0066
|
825 Sunset Ave. West Sacramento, CA 95605
|