BIBLICAL THEOLOGY: SCRIPTURE INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE


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The Deathbed Recantation of Famous Atheists!

2/12/2024

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The Last Hours on Earth of Voltaire 

Voltaire was a Famous Deist of the 1700's and an Outspoken Critic of Christianity Comparable to Richard Dawkins ​as an Outspoken Atheist in Modern Times 
When Voltaire felt the stroke that he realized must terminate in death, he was overpowered with remorse. He at once sent for the priest, and wanted to be "reconciled with the church." [Note: Roman Catholicism could not reconcile Voltaire to God because it was riddled with heresies that are dangerous and contrary to the Bible.] Voltaire's infidel flatterers hastened to his chamber to prevent his recantation; but it was only to witness his ignominy and their own. He cursed them to their faces; and, as his distress was increased by their presence, he repeatedly and loudly exclaimed:

"Begone! It is you that have brought me to my present condition. Leave me, I say; begone! What a wretched glory is this which you have produced to me!"

Hoping to allay his anguish by a written recantation, he had it prepared, signed it, and saw it witnessed. But it was all unavailing. For two months he was tortured with such an agony it led him at times to gnash his teeth in impotent rage against God and man. At other times, in plaintive accents, he would plead, "O Christ! O Lord Jesus!" Then, turning his face, he would cry out, "I must die -- abandoned of God and of men!"

As his end drew near, his condition became so frightful that his infidel associates were afraid to approach his bedside. Still they guarded the door, that others may not know how awfully an infidel was compelled to die. Even his nurse repeatedly said, "For all the wealth of Europe she would never see another infidel die."

It was a scene of horror that lies beyond all exaggeration. Such is the well-attested end of the one who had a natural sovereignty of intellect, excellent education, great wealth, and much earthly honor. We may all well exclaim with Balaam, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!" (Num. 23:10). 
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This shocking testimony is an excerpt from a book that was written and compiled by Solomon B. Shaw in 1898, entitled, "Dying Testimonies of the Saved and Unsaved". 

“Not only have millions upon millions of God’s children witnessed in life and death of Jesus’ power to save, but most infidels, skeptics, and sinners of every grade are constrained to acknowledge the truth of the Christian religion before they die.” - S.B. Shaw 

“Multitudes, while dying, see and hear things that are not seen or heard by others.” - S.B. Shaw ​
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I was Awakened & Anxious about My Soul!

2/12/2024

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"Oh! I Have Missed It At Last!" 

​Some time ago, a physician called upon a young man who was ill. He sat for a little while by the bedside, examining his patient, and then he honestly told him the sad intelligence that he had but a very short time to live. The young man was astonished; he did not expect it would come to that so soon. He forgot that death comes "in such an hour as ye think not."

At length he looked up into the face of the doctor, and, with a most despairing countenance, repeated the expression, "I have missed it -- at last."

"What have you missed?" inquired the tenderhearted, sympathizing physician.

"I have missed it -- at last," again he repeated.

"Missed what?"

"Doctor, I have missed the salvation of my soul."

"Oh, say not so -- it is not so. Do you remember the thief on the cross?"

"Yes, I remember the thief on the cross. And I remember that he never said to the Holy Ghost, 'Go thy way.' But I did. And now He is saying to me, 'Go your way.'"

He lay gasping a while, and looking up with a vacant, starting eye, he said, "I was awakened and was anxious about my soul a little time ago. But I did not want to be saved then. Something seemed to say to me, 'Don't put it off, make sure of salvation.' I said to myself, 'I will postpone it.' I knew I ought not to do it. I knew I was a great sinner, and needed a Savior. I resolved, however, to dismiss the subject for the present. Yet I could not get my own consent to do it until I had promised to take it up again, at a time not remote and more favorable. I bargained away, resisted and insulted the Holy Spirit. I never thought of coming to this. I meant to have made my salvation sure, and now I have missed it -- at last."

"You remember," said the doctor, "that there were some who came at the eleventh hour."

"My eleventh hour," he rejoined, "was when I had that call of the Spirit. I have had none since -- shall not have. I am given over to be lost. Oh! I have missed it! I have sold my soul for nothing -- a feather -- a straw -- undone forever!" This was said with such indescribable despondency, that nothing was said in reply.
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After lying a few moments, he raised his head, and looking all around the room as if for some desired object, he buried his face in the pillow, and again exclaimed in agony and horror, "OH! I HAVE MISSED IT AT LAST!" and died.
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Reader, you need not miss your salvation, for you may have it now. What you have read is a true story. How earnestly it says to you, "Now is the accepted time!" "Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts" (Heb. 3: 7, 8). 
"Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." - Isaiah 55:6-7 
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This shocking testimony is an excerpt from a book that was written and compiled by Solomon B. Shaw in 1898, entitled, "Dying Testimonies of the Saved and Unsaved". 

“Not only have millions upon millions of God’s children witnessed in life and death of Jesus’ power to save, but most infidels, skeptics, and sinners of every grade are constrained to acknowledge the truth of the Christian religion before they die.” - S.B. Shaw 

“Multitudes, while dying, see and hear things that are not seen or heard by others.” - S.B. Shaw 
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Anxiety Disorders

2/9/2024

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Anxiety Disorders: “An intense and excessive uneasiness, worry, nervousness, fear, & dread in your everyday life.”

Death anxiety is widely regarded by mental health professionals to be the most important underlying problem which gives rise to all other mental disorders. Illustrating the point, an Australian psychologist said that death anxiety is "the Worm at the Core of Mental Health" (Rachel E. Menzies). She borrowed this statement from the famous American philosopher, William James, and adapted it to mental health. Originally, William James was emphasizing that mankind's fear of death is "the worm at the core" of the human condition. Other psychologists, like Sheldon Solomon, have agreed with this assessment, especially when it comes to anxiety disorders. 
“This idea is based on evidence that death is a significant feature across a range of anxiety-related disorders.” – Lisa Iverach PhD
​Do you agree? You don't need to go through thousands of counseling sessions of psychotherapy to realize this commonality among all mental health patients. Rather, you could just read the Bible. 
“…deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” – Hebrews 2:15

“…the spirit of bondage again to fear” – Romans 8:15
According to the Word of God, lost sinners are trapped in a spiritual "bondage" that makes them psychologically tormented by the "fear of death" (Heb. 2:15, Rom. 8:15). This is a spiritual problem with only one real solution! Consequentially, the LORD has authored a divine plan of salvation that liberates sinners from this terrible bondage. Read more scripture from Romans and Hebrews for the details.​ True Christians are no longer afraid to die because of a divinely granted assurance of eternal life ministered to the soul through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” - John 14:26-27
Suffice it to say, even the best minds of psychology cannot improve upon the message of the Bible (1 Cor. 1:21). They have a lot to learn about the worm as it pertains to the Doctrine of Mortality. No manmade coping mechanism will bring relief to this problem. Terror management tools are futile and useless when divine justice is making sinners afraid (Prov. 1:27-33, 3:25-26, 10:24-25, Ps. 9:20, Lk. 12:26, Rev. 6:15-17, 1 Thess. 5:3). The endless philosophical discussions about terror management theories are circular and self-defeating. ​One thing is certain! Death is coming for all of us. This is a judgment from God upon sinners. 
“Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.” - Psalm 9:20

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Rom. 6:23
This whole situation needs to be reevaluated in the light of Holy Scripture. A professional diagnosis of normalcy is subjective based upon the worldview of psychology (Col. 2:8). What is a diagnosis like this worth if these people refuse to read the Bible? The end goal of your Doctor is to get you feeling better based upon a worldview that needs to be informed and corrected by the Word of God.

Sin, righteousness, spirituality, and God should be a part of the diagnosis. These factors of life have a massive impact upon your environment and the stress that can be produced by any given situation. Given the unique circumstances of your environment, some fears are reasonable. Other fears are unreasonable! Some anxiety is necessary, advantageous, and realistic. Other forms of anxiety are fantastical and absurd! The interpretation of these things will determine when peace is warranted or delusional. Who is to be the judge of these things? 
“Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker?” - Job 4:17

“God forbid: Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.” – Rom. 3:4

“The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.” - Psalm 19:7-8
In reality, most people who are deemed mentally healthy are too comfortable and happy in this world (Ps. 10:6-7, 36:1, 1 Jn. 2:15-17). This is made possible through a delusional peace that suppresses the fear of death to the point where the anxieties of these people are insignificant and seemingly under control. Nevertheless, such people will quickly lose their composure when tragedy strikes. Ignorance is not bliss! 
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”  - 1 Thess. 5:3
Until tragedy strikes, it is easy for proud sinners to point the finger at others (Ps. 73:5-6). They are deluded by a false peace because they are blinded to the real danger at hand (Ps. 73:17-20). Meanwhile, others who are deemed mentally ill by the system are fearful of death for good reason. Experiencing more tragedy in life often brings a needed sobriety and wisdom (Eccl. 7:2-6). Notwithstanding, an even larger company of people are deemed mentally ill and diagnosed with an anxiety disorder because their fear of death is outrageous and unreasonable. Literally, these people are harassed by many delusional fears that don’t make any sense! This brings us to three possible categories of people in this complicated situation. 
  1. Mentally healthy people who are comfortable and fearless because of a delusional peace.
  2. Mentally ill people who are uncomfortable and afraid because of justifiable concerns that are supported by the Bible.
  3. Mentally ill people who are uncomfortable and afraid because of unjustifiable concerns that are delusional fears. (There are demons at work in this situation.) 
Ultimately, we need grace to proceed in this matter by discerning the difference between rational and irrational fears according to the Bible. Firstly, our study will focus on the people in categories one and two. The bulk of the population in America should be able to relate. However, category three is unique and therefore unrelatable to most people. This situation is extraordinary because most of the delusional fear of anxiety disorders is demonic activity. Literally, the intrusive thoughts, graphic images, voices, and whispers are coming directly from the presence of a demon that is living inside the person. This news should come as a relief to those who are suffering this cruel bondage. Why? Because if you expel the demon, then the mental illness will be healed. 

​Health Anxiety

People struggle with anxiety out of concern for their health and physical wellbeing. Essentially, they fear becoming sick or dying. Given the frequency of random people getting horribly sick and dying through virtually inescapable diseases like the flu, this concern isn’t unfounded (Job 33:19-29). “The CDC estimates that the flu has resulted in 9.4 million – 41 million illnesses, 100,000 – 710,000 hospitalizations, and 4,900 – 52,000 deaths annually between 2010 and 2022.” (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention). Likewise, if the statistics of all such diseases were reckoned up and accumulated with all the other known threats to mortal life, the numbers would communicate a message that would invoke fear in people. 
“Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.” - Psalm 90:3
Making things worse for some, science has graphically brought into view what used to be invisble. The fact that there could be a lingering presence of microscopic germs all around you is now something that can be visualized by the common people. The pathogens could be airborne! They could be creeping about your living quarters! Sometimes, albeit rarely, these little bugs can be extremely dangerous. Therefore, you could say that there are a lot of reasons to be afraid of “the pestilence that walketh in darkness” (Ps. 91:5-6).

Pestilence and disease have left an indelible mark upon human history. One way or another, people eventually come to realize how life is fragile and beauty is fading. Suddenly, people die! It all happens so quickly. Over 153,000 people die worldwide every day! Mortality is a force to be reckoned with (Job 4:17-21). 
“For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.”  - James 4:14
Death is inescapable! While living, we are all in the process of dying. It is inevitable. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our heart unto wisdom.” (Ps. 90:12). Statistically, a staggering 56 million people worldwide die every year! This comes out to around 6,000 people every hour, 106 people every minute, and ≈2 people dying every second of the day. Immortals looking on at this situation are amazed to behold the destruction. 
“They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.” – Job 4:20-21
Are you ready to die? Most people are unprepared because they are deluded by a false peace (Lk. 12:16-21). Most people are far too happy and at home in this evil world (2 Cor. 4:4-7, 1 Jn. 2:15-17, James 4:4). Therefore, for many, death comes like a thief in the night! People don’t see it coming. 

Agoraphobia & Claustrophobia ​

People spend a fortune on homes and properties because they are grasping after a sense of security, identity, stability, and peace. They depend upon it. They trust in it! In reality, they trust in themselves (Jer. 17:5). Home is an environment they imagine to be completely under their control, even though nothing at all is really under their control. 
“Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.” - Psalm 49:11-12

“And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the LORD.” – Amos 3:15
Deception breeds delusion! Proud bones will be broken (Lam. 3:4). False peace is a nightmare situation (1 Thess. 5:2). When a delusional sense of security is suddenly and violently disrupted, sinners can become permanently traumatized as a result. These same people come to feel extremely vulnerable when faced with danger in other locations or places. This leads to agoraphobia and claustrophobia. Such experiences should inspire men to seek God (Ps 107:25-31)! However, only a minority of people ever come to do this (Matt. 7:13-14). Therefore, divine sovereignty arranges more bad thunderstorms, car accidents, turbulent flights, and near death experiences to get the attention of the people (Ps. 107). 
“And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” – Matt. 7:26-27
This is the robbery of the undying soul from its refuge of false security. Seeking security in earthly things is like grasping after the wind, especially if the LORD intends to disrupt the harmful fantasies of carnal security. Feeling safe, sound, secure, and at peace as a sinner isn’t a good thing! “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7). If divine wisdom acts to break the object of our trust, it is so that we will put our faith in God. 

Social Anxiety & Separation Anxiety ​

Manifold insecurities fuel anxiety! Insecurities about your body, called health anxiety, and insecurities about your location or place, called Agoraphobia or Claustrophobia, are common because people are chiefly concerned about the protection and preservation of themselves. Coincidentally, the same could be said about the glorification of self in how it fuels social anxiety and separation anxiety.

Sinners crave attention! You can call this glorification. Everything that they do is deeply motivated by a desire to be seen and recognized by men. They are lonely and miserable without it! Therefore, they don’t ever desire to be separated from their acquaintances, friends, family, and loved ones. 
“But all their works they do for to be seen of men…” – Matt. 23:5

“This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings.” - Psalm 49:13
Furthermore, when sinners get the attention that they so earnestly desire, if it isn’t positive and reinforcing to their self-esteem where they are receiving the honor and acceptance of their peers, it will then lead to feelings of social anxiety like embarrassment, self-consciousness, and shame. People just want to be successful and live with pride. This kind of thinking resonates with people because they all lust for the honor of men. 
“How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” - John 5:44
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“Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.” – Prov. 16:5

“…for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” - Luke 16:15
No real happiness is achieved by godless sinners (Mal. 3:15). People are secretly plagued with a tormenting sense of loneliness and anxiety as they worry about the relationships of their social life. Don’t let the sparkle and glitter of those who appear to be happy deceive you! Living for the glorification of self is hurtful, horrendous, animalistic, and deadly. 
“Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.” – Psalm 49:20
Death is inevitable. It is the ultimate deglorification of self! It is inescapable. Therefore, death anxiety fuels separation anxiety for many people. Nevertheless, there is an alternative to death and condemnation. It is the Cross of Jesus Christ!
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”  - Matt. 16:24-27
The Cross is an instrument of execution! The Cross will eliminate the problem of self and bring salvation to the soul. This is good news from a perfect Creator who promises everlasting life to sinners. 

Anxiety Disorders with Delusional Fears, Panic Attacks, & Demonic Possession ​

It is foolish for mental health professionals to omit God from the national conversation about Mental Illness. Consequentially, when speaking about the stress factors of the environment, there is no discussion about sin, righteousness, condemnation, salvation, the Holy Spirit, or demons. Nevertheless, all these things will have a massive impact upon our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. Think about it! What if our desires are evil? Similarly, due to ongoing sin, what if someone is experiencing a demonic attack?

Sinning will not help your sanity! Rather, sinning is a real path to insanity and demon possession. Oh, that men would taste and see that sin is bitter! Nobody gets demon possessed who doesn’t deserve it. Sin opens the door to the devil. Of course, God doesn’t want anyone to be inhabited by devils! Therefore, universally, when we sin against God, we are forced to hear about it in our conscience. This is because mankind has been endowed by God with the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17, 3:22). Therefore, when we commit sin our conscience acts as a mental reprover. The word “con-science” literally means “with-knowledge”. 
“And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.” – Acts 24:16
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“…their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another” – Rom. 2:15
Our conscience will make us know when we have done something good or evil. In other words, an offended conscience makes people feel guilty. Having a knowledge of the good and discovering that we have done evil brings guilt and shame. This is also called conviction in the Bible. The conscience brings conviction as an enforcer of guilt when sin is committed. This is a good thing. 
“And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.” - John 8:9
Men and women have been created in the Image of God. Consequentially, we are intrinsically conscious of morality and immorality. We are not amoral creatures, like the animals, who are oblivious to morality and exempt from divine judgment. Therefore, for us, a guilty conscience is a heavy burden! This is just the tip of the iceberg. Sin is more bitter than death! The knowledge of it being committed in our lives is a mental, emotional, and spiritual affliction. In other words, it is painful to realize the wretchedness of our sinful condition before God.

This realization makes us sorrowful and afraid (Gen. 3:8-10). However, most people try to ignore this pain as they go about their life. They don’t know that this causes the problem to fester and get worse. A lifetime of sin causes these fears to grow into ferocious and uncontrollable anxiety disorders. 
“The foolishness of man perverteth his way: and his heart fretteth against the LORD.”  - Prov. 19:3
There are a lot of anxious people in America! “Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. and affect over 40 million adults, or 19.1% of the population.” (Forbes Health). Anxious sinners pay a visit to a local Doctor and are immediately prescribed benzodiazepines. Mental health professionals will tell you that these anxiety disorders are not referring to the common experience of stress and worry in your everyday life, but something much more intense. Therefore, the people go away believing that they have a chemical problem instead of a sin problem. They continue on a path of rebellion against God without even realizing that they are suffering demonic attacks as a result of ongoing sin.

There is a cause and effect to everything. The Holy Spirit uses the conscience to bring conviction to sinners (John 16:7-11). Yielding to this work will compel people to repent of sin and seek God for salvation. Contrastingly, when sinners ignore the conscience and disregard sin, this will eventually warrant demon possession. Demons will then harass and afflict these lost souls with temptations, enticements, accusations, and threats! In other words, this is a demonic attack that makes people panic through delusional fears.

Statistically, a majority of mentally ill people who are diagnosed with anxiety disorders are uncomfortable and afraid because of unjustifiable concerns that are delusional fears. Out of the 40 million Americans who are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, a staggering 36 million of them experience panic attacks every year! These panic attacks are in fact demonic attacks. Hence, in the scientific community, it is widely recognized that delusional fears are closely associated with repeated episodes of panic attacks.

Naturally, even one panic attack can be so traumatizing that it changes the trajectory of life for people and severely inflames anxiety disorders. Literally, the fear of having another panic attack can itself provoke subsequent panic attacks. It is a downward spiral. The suffering of these people is so intense that many find themselves drifting into delusional fears without even realizing it.

Have you ever experienced a panic attack? A pounding heart, a racing pulse, chest pain, sweating, chills, trembling, hyperventilation, suffocation, stomach pain, nausea, weakness, dizziness, numbness, tingly hands, and even the inability to walk, move, or speak! All this happens because you are experiencing a feeling of unexplainable dread and terror at your own impending doom. This is the fear of death! Even though you are certain that you are going to die, so it seems, you feel completely helpless about it. You feel lost! You are unable to do anything but wait until this violent storm passes by and you return to sanity. 
“And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” – Mark 4:37-41
Whatever storm you encounter in life, if Jesus Christ is with you in real time, this changes everything. The storm vexed seas fall silent and still before the Lord! Do you believe this? The most important thing about you, is what you think about Jesus Christ. The Miracle Worker of Israel often said, “…as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.” (Matt. 8:13). Do you believe? 
“And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.” – Luke 6:17-19
Indeed, you may be vexed by the unclean spirits of devils! Nevertheless, even though perhaps no one else can understand your situation, Jesus Christ knows exactly what you are going through. To be vexed by a demon literally means that you are teased, provoked, irritated, troubled, agitated, disquieted, and afflicted (Websters 1828). The Greek word for “vexed” (ὀχλέω) is used only two times in the New Testament, and both times it is describing how people are basically being harassed and mobbed by demons (Lk. 6:18, Acts 5:16). Sound familiar? You don’t have to keep going through this torment! You need Jesus Christ. 
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;” – Isa. 61:1-2
Every time the Son of God encountered a demon possessed person in Israel, the spiritual prisoners were immediately liberated from the power of the devil. Even so, you will be treated no differently if you come into the presence of Jesus Christ. It is time for you to come! You should not delay any longer. It is time for you to seek the Lord (Jer. 29:13)! If you believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the promise of the Gospel. Herein, you will find rest and quietness (Isa. 30:15, Php. 4:6-7). Demons cannot enter a house that is occupied by the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:28-29, 43-45, 1 Jn. 3:8, 5:18). 
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"Death Anxiety. The Worm at the Core of Mental Illness" - Rachel Menzies

2/5/2024

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Death anxiety is widely regarded by mental health professionals to be the most important underlying problem that gives rise to all other mental disorders. Illustrating the point, an Australian psychologist said that death anxiety is "the Worm at the Core of Mental Health" (Rachel E. Menzies). She borrowed this statement from the famous American philosopher, William James, and adapted it to mental health. Originally, William James was emphasizing that mankind's fear of death is "the worm at the core" of the human condition. Other psychologists, like Sheldon Solomon, have agreed with this assessment, especially when it comes to anxiety disorders. 
“This idea is based on evidence that death is a significant feature across a range of anxiety-related disorders.” – Lisa Iverach PhD
​Do you agree? You don't need to go through thousands of counseling sessions of psychotherapy to realize this commonality among all mental health patients. Rather, you could just read the Bible. 
“…deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” – Hebrews 2:15

“…the spirit of bondage again to fear” – Romans 8:15 
According to the Word of God, lost sinners are trapped in a spiritual "bondage" that makes them psychologically tormented by the "fear of death" (Heb. 2:15, Rom. 8:15). This is a spiritual problem with only one real solution! Consequentially, the LORD has authored a divine plan of salvation that liberates sinners from this terrible bondage. Read more scripture from Romans and Hebrews for the details. True Christians are no longer afraid to die because of a divinely granted assurance of eternal life ministered to the soul through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
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Suffice it to say, even the best minds of psychology cannot improve upon the message of the Bible (1 Cor. 1:21). They have a lot to learn about the worm as it pertains to the Doctrine of Mortality. No manmade coping mechanism will bring relief to this problem. Terror management tools are futile and useless when divine justice is making sinners afraid (Prov. 1:27-33, 3:25-26, 10:24-25, Lk. 12:26, Rev. 6:15-17, 1 Thess. 5:3)! The endless philosophical discussions about terror management theories are circular and self-defeating.

The Worm in the Doctrine of Mortality 

​One thing is certain! Death is coming for all of us. This is a judgment from God upon sinners. Are you prepared to face it? The worm feeds upon the dead. 
"The womb shall forget him; the worm shall feed sweetly on him; he shall be no more remembered; and wickedness shall be broken as a tree." - Job 24:20 [Job 17:14, 24:20, Ps. 49:14, Isa. 14:11, 51:8, 66:24, Mk. 9:44, 46, 48]
THE WORM. It is one of the smallest of God’s creatures. It is harmless to the living and defenseless when attacked. Nevertheless, it is a fierce consumer of the dead! The dead are violated by the worm. A corpse is defenseless before the worm. And the rotten meal is sweet to the worm! These are tokens of divine wrath: “…the worm shall feed sweetly on him” (Job 24:20).

The presence of the worm is nearly indistinguishable from death. It is a minister of corruption (Job 17:14). It is as the presence of death itself (Ps. 49:14). Unless you have beheld the worm at work you couldn’t possibly understand. When the worm meets with mortal men in the end, this can only mean one thing: humiliation. “Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.” (Isaiah 14:11). Death is the deglorification of sinners. The worm defeats them. God is demonstrating divine wrath in real time through creation. He that hath an ear, let him hear.

The Creator designed creation to preach sermons to mankind. The worm sweetly feeding on the dead carcasses of wicked sinners is a process that satisfies the wrath of God. Divine justice kills sinners and removes them from the face of the earth (Heb. 9:27, Ezek. 18:4, 20). The world is made better by one less sinner. The holy heart of God is cheered at a little less sadness (Gen. 6:7, Ps. 104:35).
“Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.” - Psalms 104:35
Nevertheless, what about the afterlife? The same dreadful marvels accompany the 2nd Death. The tokens of divine wrath that accompany the 1st Death are harnessed by God and adapted to meet with tormented souls in Hell, or what we could call the 2nd Death (Rev. 2:11, 20:6, 14, 21:8). In retrospect, we can see that the 1st Death was teaching sinners about the horrors of the 2nd Death all along! It pleases a benevolent God to force sinners to encounter the rotting corpses of dead things as they go about their business in their earthly lives. As a medicine to the soul (Eccl. 7:2-5), it would do them good to take a long hard look at the unsightly mess of rotting death: see how it looks, imagine how it feels, and be nauseated with horror at the smell!
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The worm, as an instrument of divine wrath in the 1st Death, is employed by God even after physical death – the worm will sweetly feed on the spirits and bodies of sinners in the Lake of Fire for their outrageous and unthinkable wickedness before a Holy God! Herein, God’s wrath will be forever satisfied in the destruction of transgressors (Rev. 14:10, Matt. 8:29, 2 Thess. 1:7-10). God has appointed the worm for this cause (Jonah 4:7)! Speaking of this, Jesus of Nazareth spoke about the torments of Hellfire, quoting Isaiah, saying that it is a place "where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched" (Mk. 9:44, 46, 48)! This should make mortal men and devils horribly afraid (Matt. 8:29, James 2:19). 
Have you ever heard the words of this song? 'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed! This is God's plan for your life. Will you let divine grace teach your heart to fear? It is my prayer that divine grace would then relieve those fears by directing your heart to repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 
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“Correlation does not Imply Causation”

2/3/2024

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Marc Soller

“Correlation does not Imply Causation”, while Psychotropic Drugs do Cause Neurochemical Imbalances and Dysfunction of Neurotransmission 

Dr. Preethi David Morris 
​Abstract: Mental health professionals often prescribe psychotropic drugs to patients diagnosed with mental health illnesses under the premise that neurochemical imbalance is a cause of mental health disorders. In this paper we discuss reasons to believe that there is no scientific research which provides evidence that neurochemical imbalances or problems with neurotransmission in the brain are causative factors in the etiology of mental health illnesses. Behavioral and neurochemical research studies in animals show an association between mental health states and alteration of neurotransmitter signaling. However, correlation does not imply causation. To the contrary, stress paradigms in rodents show a diminishing of the activity of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward pathway as a result of long-term stressful stimuli. Furthermore, studies in human cases of mental health disorders show that psychotropic drugs cause disturbances in neurotransmission or neurochemical homeostasis as seen in biochemical research studies, and this is manifest by the behavioral consequences experienced during withdrawal in humans and animals. 
Significance: This paper presents reasons to question the safety and efficacy of the common use of psychotropic drugs in the mental health industry. 

​Introduction to Psychotropic Drugs

​Mental health disorders are commonly believed to involve pathophysiological processes in the brain. Of note, many doctors and researchers have come to believe that imbalances and impairment of neurotransmitter signaling in the brain is the underlying cause of disorders such as depression, insomnia, somnolence, ADHD, PTSD, Bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Under this premise, the use of psychotropic drugs has greatly increased in the past several decades, and it is reported recently that over 24% of Americans are taking prescription mental health medication (Vinzant, 2022). Psychotropic drugs have several mechanisms: they either mimic the effects, block the function, or in some form change the storage, release, and uptake of neurotransmitters (Vaughan, 2024). Thus neurotransmitter signaling is the target of psychotropic drugs. The following are the neurotransmitters that are commonly targeted: dopamine, GABA, Serotonin, acetylcholine, glutamate, adrenaline (epinephrine), and oxytocin.
 
As of 2017, there were 108 psychotropic drugs available according to Neuroscience-based Nomenclature (Sathyanarayana, 2016). Psychotropic drugs fall into these categories: antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, stimulants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers. However, these drugs often have multiple effects on neurotransmitter signaling. For example, quetiapine, a drug taken for schizophrenia and major depressive order, is a dopamine, serotonin, as well as an alpha-2 noradrenergic receptor antagonist. The drug clozapine also has multiple targets of action. (Sathyanarayana. 2016). Furthermore, with all the psychotropic drugs, there are 1 or more of 10 modes of action: 1) receptor agonist, 2) receptor partial agonist, 3) receptor antagonist, 4) reuptake inhibitor, 5) reuptake inhibitor and releaser, 6) reuptake inhibitor and receptor antagonist, 7) an enzyme inhibitor, 8) ion channel blocker, 9) positive allosteric modulator, 10) enzyme modulator (Sathyanarayana, 2016). 

Proposed Cause of Mental Health Illnesses

Many research scientists and doctors believe that mental illnesses are a result of “problems” in communication within the brain. This is an inference based on research studies which reveal neurochemical abnormalities in individuals with mental health disorders. For example, in individuals with depression, a low level of serotonin is a common finding (NIH, 2007). This finding led to the use of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), which reduce the amount of serotonin taken back into the presynaptic neuron leaving more serotonin in the synaptic space nearby the postsynaptic neuron. This in turn increases serotonin levels and signaling. However, it is important to note that mental health disorders are diagnosed based on symptoms rather than with blood tests, pathogen culture, urinalysis, x-ray, etc. Family doctors and pediatricians will often refer suspect individuals to mental health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists) who will closely examine the mental health symptoms in conjunction with general health status, and prescribe psychotropic drugs accordingly (NIH, 2007). Thus, this leaves the diagnosis of mental health disorders highly subjective.
 
Of interest, the neurotransmitter dopamine, and its signaling pathways are implicated in the pathophysiology of many mental health disorders. Dopamine neurotransmitter signaling occurs in three common pathways. The nigrostriatal pathway involves dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta that project to the dorsal striatum. This pathway is involved in locomotion and movement. The mesocorticolimbic pathway involves dopaminergic neurons in the ventral tegmental area that project to the nucleus accumbens and limbic systems (mesolimbic pathway), which is also called the dopaminergic reward pathway, and the prefrontal cortex (mesocortical pathway) (Luo, 2016). The tuberoinfundular pathway projects from the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus to the median eminence and regulates the secretion of prolactin in the anterior pituitary gland.
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The Four Dopaminergic Pathways in the Brain: Mesocortical, Nigrostriatal, Tuberoinfundibular, Mesolimbic
Researchers have for decades been looking at the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway as relates to the etiology of major depressive disorders and other mental health disorders. They believe that dysfunction of the dopaminergic system is “hallmark” in the pathology of Parkinson’s disease, drug addiction, depression, and schizophrenia (Baik, 2020). The dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway is also known as the dopaminergic reward system because of many behavioral studies in rodents which have examined the effects of both reward and stress on neurotransmission within this pathway which extends from the Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) to the Nucleus accumbens and amygdala. Of interest, it is observed that both reward and short-term stress excite the mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway (Baik, 2020). Whereas long term stressful aversive events can depress the dopaminergic reward system by decreasing sensitivity to reward while subjects are in the state of anhedonia.

​The effects of stress on the mesolimbic dopaminergic system as observed in rodents shows an increase in dopaminergic activity in the VTA following short term stressful events, such as chronic restraint for 1 hour a day for 10 consecutive days, or chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) which involves introducing a single male intruder for 5-10 minutes a day, leaving sensory exposure for the remainder of the day for 10 consecutive days. In the case of CSDS, two categories of rodents were observed to respond differently (resilent and susceptible rodents). Whereas another stress paradigm in which rodents are subjected to a variety of stressful events administered randomly over the course of 4-6 weeks called Chronic Mild Stress (CUMS) showed a decrease in activity in the dopaminergic nerurons of the VTA and in D2 receptor binding in the nucleus accumbens (Baik, 2020). Thus, researchers hypothesize that repeated exposure to stressful stimuli over the course of a prolonged period of time may lead to impairment of neurotransmission as well as behavioral phenotypes of depression and anhedonia (lack of responsiveness to reward or failure to fight to survive). However, the discrepancies of results in various studies and circumstances have left scientists uncertain how exactly this stress and reward system works and how directly applicable it is to human cases of major depressive disorder. What is important to consider in light of these studies is that regardless of the differing effects based on the time scale and the manner of experimentation, stressful stimuli were upstream to any observed changes in dopamine signaling in the dopaminergic mesolimbic pathway.

Flaws in the Theory of Neurochemical Imbalance/Problems with Neurotransmission as the Cause of Mental Health Illness​

The above research is a primary example of behavioral studies that are often performed in which abnormal neurotransmission is observed in the brain in conjunction with the behavioral phenotype of major depressive disorder or another mental health illness. In rodent studies, stress paradigms are employed. Whereas in human studies which examine neurotransmission through measuring levels of neurotransmitters and their signaling, the subjects are already indicated for mental health illness. For example, it is observed that GABA and glutamate levels as well as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine homeostasis are altered in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Teleanu, 2022). Similarly, depression in humans is associated with atrophy of neurons in the cortical and limbic brain regions and general decrease in concentration of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine (Teleanu, 2022). Furthermore, therapeutic strategies to offset these abnormalities (“finetuning brain NT homeostasis”) through administration of psychotropic drugs has proven to mitigate symptoms in affected individuals both in animal and clinical studies. Nevertheless, the entire premise that mental health illnesses are caused by or a result of problems in neurotransmission is based on flawed science.

​All young and upcoming research scientists are taught the fundamental principle of science theory and research practice: “Correlation does not imply causation!” To the contrary, as we discussed, rodent studies of the dopaminergic reward pathway from the VTA to the nucleus accumbens shows that prolonged states of “stress” resulted in perturbations in dopamine signaling, and not the other way around! Furthermore, the term “stress” is ambiguous as in some studies there were both resilient and susceptible types of rodents, all of which were subjected to stressful stimuli.  In fact, even within mental health research it is reported: "Indeed, the term stress has been used to indicate both a response (or a set of responses) and the stimuli that promote the response” (Cabib, 2012).
 
Doctors are treating the associated abnormalities in neurotransmitter signaling without ever determining the true cause of mental health disorders. The major health associations of the United States can only hypothesize what are the causes of these disorders, and often note the difficulty of biochemical assessment of diagnosed individuals due to the presence of the blood brain barrier. Genetics (due to the fact that mental health illnesses tend to run in families with similar behavioral and neurochemical manifestations), environmental factors such as traumatic events and “stress”, as well as “chemical imbalances” in the brain are proposed as likely causes of mental health illnesses. Yet there are tremendous differences among the human population observed in the coexistence of these potential causes and mental health disorders, and no clear research-based evidence that chemical imbalances in the brain (abnormalities in neurotransmission) is a causative factor. Thus, mental health professionals are subjectively diagnosing a condition with no objective means of testing by biochemical assay, and then treating these conditions which have no clear biochemical causes. They are seeking to correct a supposed perturbation of neurotransmitter homeostasis with a seemingly effective therapeutic approach, albeit, a dangerous one! What is the result? Withdrawal symptoms, dependence, and addiction! 

A Dangerous Therapeutic Approach!

Withdrawal symptoms in discontinuing, switching, or attenuating psychotropic drug medication are the most dreaded aspect of patients and mental health professionals who treat these patients. A recent review article which examined conventional and new withdrawal symptoms (related to the drug use), rebound symptoms (related to original mental health illness), and persistent withdrawal effects found that all of the following drugs may induce withdrawal symptoms, and rebound effects, even with a slow tapering off of use: benzodiazepines, nonbenzodiazepine benzodiazepine receptor agonists, antidepressants, ketamine, antipsychotics, lithium, mood stabilizers (Flammetta, 2020). The authors of the study gave warning about the introduction of new psychotropic drugs into the market, while the long-term persistent withdrawal effects have not yet been catalogued and taken into account.
 
If we are going to speak about problems in brain neurotransmission, we need to speak about problems in brain transmission that occur as a result of the introduction of new psychoactive substances into the brain. The brain is known to consistently, and often quickly and dramatically, respond to the primary effects of any psychoactive substance. This can occur through impaired neurotransmitter receptor function or sensitivity, decrease in the number of receptors, decreased neurotransmitter production, impaired neurogenesis, increased stress hormones, decreased stress response, and brain cell death (neurotoxicity) (Renoir, 2012). For example, SSRIs, which are administered in hopes of increasing the amount of serotonin available to the postsynaptic cell, cause the brain to respond with biochemical mechanisms which reduce or even completely reverse the effect of the drug (Breggin, 2012). Similarly, the potency of anti-anxiety drugs which increase GABA signaling can be weakened and reversed through compensatory mechanisms in the brain. Withdrawal and dependence in the case of psychoactive drugs are shown to occur through decrease of activity of the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system and decreased activity in the nucleus accumbens and amygdala (Lerner, 2019). Thus, when patients decrease or discontinue use of drugs, withdrawal symptoms often appear with devastating effects. A recent study of 585 users of anti-psychotic drugs who stopped taking their drugs found that 72% of users reported experiencing classic withdrawal symptoms associated with other types of psychotropic drugs (Read, 2022). Of these, 52% categorized the symptoms as severe. Psychosis was reported by 18% of the participants. While we do not have evidence to say that neurochemical imbalances cause mental health illnesses, we do have substantial evidence through behavioral and neurochemical research studies of withdrawal that psychotropic drugs themselves cause neurochemical imbalances and impairment. And when individuals have been on psychotropic drugs for months at a time, withdrawal can feature immediate as well as prolonged serious effects not only on the brain, but on body weight (promoting obesity), metabolism, cardiovascular function, sleep, menstruation, alertness, bowel health, and many others (Mazareel, 2020. Furthermore, a study found that from 1999 to 2019, 51,446 psychotropic-drug-implicated deaths occurred with a dramatic increase over time due to the rise in prevalence of these drugs among the US population (Vuolo, 2021).
 
​The real effectiveness of psychotropic drugs for improving the symptoms of psychotropic drugs also needs to be closely examined. Dr. Peter Gøtzsche explains that most studies looking at the efficacy of psychotropic drugs are looking at a short time scale, and the effectiveness often drops within days beyond the latter end of the study duration, while adverse effects increase. He also points out that many of the study participants in notable studies were originally taking a psychotropic drug and are experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms upon starting the placebo course, thus leading to an overly optimistic view of the efficacy of the drug tested. He also notes that studies looking at withdrawal effects and suicide are also flawed because of too short of a timespan of observation. For example, he reports based on his research that there were 14 suicides among 9956 patients in study trials of fluoxetine and paroxetine, whereas the FDA only reports 5 suicides among 52 960 patients. He attributes this to the 24-hr time span of observation by the FDA for suicide after discontinuing the drug (Gøtzsche, 2015). 
“Psychiatric drugs are responsible for the deaths of more than half a million people aged 65 and older each year in the Western world, as I show below.1 Their benefits would need to be colossal to justify this, but they are minimal... Given their lack of benefit, I estimate we could stop almost all psychotropic drugs without causing harm—by dropping all antidepressants, ADHD drugs, and dementia drugs (as the small effects are probably the result of unblinding bias)1 24 and using only a fraction of the antipsychotics and benzodiazepines we currently use.1 This would lead to healthier and more long lived populations…..1 22” (Dr. Peter Gøtzsche) 

Conclusion​

In summary, there is no scientific research which provides evidence that neurochemical imbalances or problems with neurotransmission in the brain are causative factors in the etiology of mental health illnesses. Behavioral and neurochemical research studies in animals show an association between mental health states and alteration of neurotransmitter signaling. However, correlation does not imply causation. To the contrary, stress paradigms in rodents show a diminishing of the activity of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward pathway as a result of long-term stressful stimuli. Furthermore, studies in human cases of mental health disorders show that psychotropic drugs cause disturbances in neurotransmission or neurochemical homeostasis as seen in biochemical research studies, and this is manifest by the behavioral consequences experienced during withdrawal in humans and animals. 

References 

  • Baik, JH. Stress and the dopaminergic reward system. Exp Mol Med 52, 1879–1890 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s12276-020-00532-4
  • Breggin, Peter R. Psychiatric drug withdrawal: A guide for prescribers, therapists, patients and their families. Springer Publishing Company, 2012.
  • Cabib, Simona, and Stefano Puglisi-Allegra. "The mesoaccumbens dopamine in coping with stress." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 36.1 (2012): 79-89.
  • Fiammetta Cosci, Guy Chouinard; Acute and Persistent Withdrawal Syndromes Following Discontinuation of Psychotropic Medications. Psychother Psychosom 26 August 2020; 89 (5): 283–306.
  • Gøtzsche, Peter C et al. “Does long term use of psychiatric drugs cause more harm than good?.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.) vol. 350 h2435. 12 May. 2015, doi:10.1136/bmj.h2435
  • Lerner, Alicja, and Michael Klein. "Dependence, withdrawal and rebound of CNS drugs: an update and regulatory considerations for new drugs development." Brain Communications 1.1 (2019): fcz025.
  • Luo, Sarah X, and Eric J Huang. “Dopaminergic Neurons and Brain Reward Pathways: From Neurogenesis to Circuit Assembly.” The American Journal of Pathology vol. 186,3 (2016): 478-88. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2015.09.023
  • Mazereel, Victor, et al. "Impact of psychotropic medication effects on obesity and the metabolic syndrome in people with serious mental illness." Frontiers in endocrinology 11 (2020): 573479.
  • National Institutes of Health (US); Biological Sciences Curriculum Study. NIH Curriculum Supplement Series [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health (US); 2007. Information about Mental Illness and the Brain.
  • Read, John. “The experiences of 585 people when they tried to withdraw from antipsychotic drugs.” Addictive behaviors reports vol. 15 100421. 17 Mar. 2022, doi:10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100421
  • Renoir, Thibault, Terence Y. Pang, and Laurence Lanfumey. "Drug withdrawal-induced depression: serotonergic and plasticity changes in animal models." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 36.1 (2012): 696-726.
  • Sathyanarayana Rao, T S, and Chittaranjan Andrade. “Classification of psychotropic drugs: Problems, solutions, and more problems.” Indian journal of psychiatry vol. 58,2 (2016): 111-3. doi:10.4103/0019-5545.183771
  • Teleanu, R.I.; Niculescu, A.-G.; Roza, E.; Vladâcenco, O.; Grumezescu, A.M.; Teleanu, D.M. Neurotransmitters—Key Factors in Neurological and Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Central Nervous System. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23, 5954. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23115954
  • Vaughan, Don. "psychotropic drug". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Jan. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/science/psychotropic-drug. Accessed 27 January 2024.
  • Vinzant, Nick (2022) https://quotewizard.com/news/mental-health-prescriptions
  • Vuolo, Mike et al. “Trends in psychotropic-drug-implicated mortality: Psychotropic drugs as a contributing but non-underlying cause of death.” Drug and alcohol dependence vol. 226 (2021): 108843. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108843
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This is when Drugs from the Pharmacy are Witchcraft & Sorcery!

1/31/2024

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Pharmakeia in the Mental Health Industry

Modern medicine has dramatically improved the quality of life for mankind in providing cures for infectious diseases that have plagued the world for thousands of years. Life expectancy has skyrocketed! A staggering number of hospitalized people are regularly saved from death and given another chance at life through the hard work of medical professionals. Nevertheless, the power of modern medicine is limited in scope. It can heal the body but not the soul! Only Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, can heal the souls of hurting sinners. 
“They that are whole need not a Physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” – Jesus Christ (Luke 5:31-32) 
Many of the problems that plague mankind are strictly spiritual in nature, and spiritual problems require spiritual solutions. However, the spiritual realm is totally ignored by the philosophies of modern science. Literally, the Word of God has no place in Medical School. Are you surprised? These are secular institutions that pride themselves in being unbiased and irreligious. Therefore, medical professionals are capable of diagnosing and healing physical problems, but their science is incapable of doing the same for spiritual problems. It is our responsibility to consult the Bible to discern the difference between these two problems (2 Chron. 16:12).

Doctors do their best to help people. However, despite their good intentions, they are not trained or qualified to diagnose and treat people in the area of Mental Health. Why? Sin has massive consequences when it comes to the mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of people, and mental health professionals will not dare to speak about sin. This is nothing new! Academics began rejecting the teachings of the Bible a long time ago. They shut God out of the conversation ever since the Enlightenment in the 1700’s. Historically, this is also called the Age of Reason because a revolutionary change of opinion took place in society through which people tried to diagnose and solve their own problems without regard for the teachings of Scripture. This is called rebellion in the Bible! It was then that Psychology was born. 
“Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.”  - Prov. 26:12

“Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” - Isa 5:21

“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”  - Prov. 3:7
Psychology is the brainchild of the Enlightenment. It was all very primitive in the beginning. Learned men embarked upon a journey to study mankind to define what is right and wrong about them. The goal was to identify the problems and provide solutions. Eventually, they managed to present to mankind the character and personality of a person who is deemed to be mentally healthy. Any deviation from this is deemed to be mental illness. Another common term for mental illness is mental disorder. This philosophy then became a competing alternative to religion when therapists and counselors were trained and sent to every sector of society to spread the message. Naturally, sinners found psychological therapy to be a more comfortable path to becoming a “good person”. 
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” - Prov. 14:12

“There is none that doeth good, no, not one.” – Rom. 3:12
The primitive form of Psychology was then transformed into a sophisticated monster of influence due to advancements in modern technology which brought about the rise of Neuroscience. This only intensified the battle for truth in our generation! For, while the Word of God directs sinners to behold their need for the salvation of the soul in a spiritual new birth, many famous academics and intellectuals are causing everyone to admire the brain instead (Jn. 3:3).

Neuroscientists discovered chemical imbalances in the brain that are associated with human behavior and mental illness. Then they created a host of synthetic drugs to manipulate signaling in the brain to bring about behavior modifications. Hereby, Neuroscience armed Psychology with weapons making it much more dangerous to mankind. Psychologists are now using an arsenal of mind-altering drugs to bewitch the nations! Furthermore, the diagnosis and administration of drugs to patients is highly incentivized for the profit of filthy lucre. This is why prescription drugs in the USA are so expensive. Big Pharma has turned Mental Illness into a money-making enterprise.

Physicians are not immune to corruption. “For the love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Tim. 6:10). Accountability for them is virtually nonexistent! Rogue doctors are able to give some bogus diagnosis without fearing any retribution. They are ruining the lives of countless sinners as people feel forced to take these drugs! Sadly, it isn’t likely that these people will ever get off these drugs either. They are fearmongered by their doctors to stay on the drugs! Can you believe it? The doctors do this by telling their patients about all the terrible things that have happened to people when they tried to get off the drugs. Nobody wants to be the next horror story in the record books of Psychiatry.

The class of drugs that alter the mind in this way are known as psychotropic drugs. Around 80 million hurting sinners in America are regularly consuming these drugs! Meanwhile, the global mental health market has grown to be worth 400 billion dollars; and the cost of these drugs alone brings in around 60 billion dollars annually. Conflicts of interest in the Medical System are never a good thing (1 Tim. 6:10, Matt. 6:24).

Are you depressed? They will give you antidepressants. Are you having difficulty sleeping? Do you struggle with falling asleep or staying asleep (insomnia)? They will give you sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Are you so tired that you find yourself sleeping too much (somnolence)? They will give you antidepressants and benzodiazepines. Are you disinterested, distracted, and unable to focus (ADHD)? They will give you stimulants.

Are you experiencing PTSD from a traumatic experience? They will give you mood stabilizers. Do you suffer from anxiety? They will give you benzodiazepines. Do you experience fits of anger and sorrow in sudden changes of mood (bipolar)? They will give you antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. Are you tempted to commit suicide? They will give you antidepressants. Do you experience sudden and uncontrollable changes in your personality (schizophrenia)? They will give you antipsychotics.

You will have to pick up these prescription drugs from your local Pharmacy. Consume it regularly and your mind will be altered through a synthetic manmade solution to a sin problem. There is a biblical word that describes this medical practice: “Pharmakeia” (Gal. 5:20, Rev. 9:21, 18:23). Sound familiar? Essentially, the Doctors are telling you that your brain is the problem, and their drugs are the solution to mental and emotional behaviors that are categorically called sin in the Bible. There is a biblical word that describes these Doctors: “Pharmakeus” (Rev. 21:8). Sound familiar? Doing this will condemn your soul to hell. 
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, Pharmakeia (witchcraft), hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” – Gal. 5:19-21

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and Pharmakeus (sorcerers), and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” – Rev. 21:8
Did you read Galatians 5:19-21 and Revelation 21:8? This is a warning from God. The word, Pharmacy, is an English word that comes from the Latin word, Pharmacia, which was derived from the Greek word, Pharmakeia. Obviously, this means that people are committing the damning sin of Pharmakeia through a seemingly innocent trip to the Pharmacy! However, not all drugs at the Pharmacy fall into the biblical category of Pharmakeia. This is why the Greek word, Pharmakeia, was translated into “witchcraft” in Galatians 5:19-21. This is why the Greek word, Pharmakeus, was translated into “sorcerers” in Revelation 21:8.

Holy Scripture has employed this word to identify and forbid a very specific kind of drugs. Most of the drugs found at the Pharmacy do not fall into this category. Therefore, in general, there is nothing wrong with the preparation, administration, and use of drugs from a Pharmacy, unless in doing so people are committing the damning sin of Pharmakeia. The mind-altering drugs are the problem.

The mind, heart, & soul of mankind belongs to God. The mental, emotional, and moral functions of the heart and soul are sacred. This is what makes us different than the animals (Gen. 1:26-27). Mankind was endowed with the dignity of these functions by our Creator to enable us to find righteousness and life in a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:5-10). Satan has devised a plan to invade into this holy place! The dark force of mind-altering drugs is being used by the Devil to trespass into this sacred place where a redeeming God meets with sinful Man in the Temple of the human body (1 Cor. 6:19-20). An invasion into this sacred arena is a violation that usurps the role of a Savior and replaces the work of salvation.

Historically, the witches, wizards, and sorcerers of the occult are known to harness the power of mind-altering drugs in their spells, powders, herbs, and potions. If there was no power in the punch of these forbidden arts, then the people would be much less enchanted by them as they eat, drink, and inhale things at the hand of sorcerers. Getting sedated, stoned, or high is a fast way to make contact with the invisible world of demons! The unsuspecting public is now getting the same stuff from mainstream medicine at the Pharmacy without any warning signs of “hocus pocus”.

Even if no one is getting sedated, stoned, or high in the process, sorcery and witchcraft is still being done anytime people are being deceived to put their faith in something or someone to resolve a spiritual problem of sin and its consequences. Beware! Salvation is the only solution to sin. We are living in a new era of healthcare that is fraught with spiritual danger. Serpents are covertly hiding in the Garden of Medicine. 

Which Mental Illness Do You Have?

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Is there something wrong with your brain? No. But your local Psychiatrist will tell you that you have a Mental Illness because you have brain problems in the area of neurochemicals and neurotransmission. Hopefully, your Psychiatrist will talk to you about how stress from your environment has contributed to this condition, but now that you have arrived at this point mentally – “where your brain is malfunctioning” – they are going to tell you that you need mind-altering drugs.

Do you need the drugs? No. The real source of the problem at hand is stress. Science proves it! If the stress of your environment is reduced, then the brain abnormalities will also be corrected. Most Doctors will not share the details of this matter because they have skin in the game. Nevertheless, divine providence has raised up at least one dissenting voice among the Doctors of Neuroscience, Dr. Preethi David Morris, and she is making this point exactly in a recent article. 
“Mental health professionals universally prescribe psychotropic drugs to patients which are diagnosed with mental illnesses such as depression, sleep disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, and so on. This is based on the theory that mental illnesses are caused not only by environmental factors, but inherent neurochemical imbalance and dysfunction of neurotransmission within the brain. However, the latter remains unproven by modern day scientific research.
Numerous human and animal studies show an association between the behavioral states of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety and abnormal neurophysiology. Yet, correlation or association does not imply causation. Furthermore, animal studies show that stressful stimuli are upstream to observed changes in neurochemical imbalance, and similarly human studies often examine abnormalities in neurophysiology in patients already presenting with one or more mental health illnesses while exemplifying the field’s definition of “stress” as relates to humans. In other words, various forms of “stress”, or what the American Psychological Association defines as “an emotional response to an external trigger”, is treated with one main remedy in modern medical practice: mind altering drugs. Yet, again, there is no evidence in medical research literature that inherent abnormalities in the brain are the source of mental health illnesses.” – Dr. Preethi David Morris (“Correlation does not Imply Causation”, while Psychotropic Drugs do Cause Neurochemical Imbalances and Dysfunction of Neurotransmission) 
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The stress of your environment should be evaluated in the light of Holy Scripture. Why? Sin causes stress! Stress is manifested in the presence of sorrow and fear and the absence of joy, peace, & comfort in your daily life. Accordingly, salvation relieves stress! Are you saved? The Bible has a lot to say about joy, peace, and comfort (Isa. 26:3, Rom. 14:17, Php. 4:7, 2 Tim. 1:7). Realistically, if stress is going to be reduced or removed from your life, the problem of sin is going to have to be addressed. Moreover, all the major questions of life need to be asked and answered with the truth of the Bible in full view.

Is something wrong with your mind? Yes. According to the Bible, the mind of sinners is spiritually dead and at enmity against God because of sin (Rom. 8:6-7). Literally, it is alienated from God and defiled by sin (Col. 1:21, Eph. 4:17-19, Titus 1:15). It is unsound in its motivations, emotions, and desires (Eph. 2:3). Only God can renew, restore, and make the mind sound in its moral function (Rom. 8:6, 2 Tim. 1:7, 1 Cor. 2:16, Php. 2:5, Heb. 8:10). The gift of the Holy Spirit will perform the needed transformation (Acts 2:38). 
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” - John 14:26-27

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Rom. 8:5-6

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” – Gal. 5:22-23
Is something wrong with your heart? Yes. According to the Bible, the heart of sinners is wicked to the core and desperate to commit sin (Jer. 17:9, Job 15:15-16, Matt. 13:15, Acts 28:27). Literally, every thought, desire, and imagination of the heart is only evil continually (Rom. 8:7, Gen. 6:5, Ps. 10:3, Eph. 4:18). Only God can make it clean and pure from sin (Ps. 51:10, 24:4, 1 Pet. 1:22, 2 Tim. 2:22). Salvation in Christ restores the moral function of the heart to make it righteous by nature (Heb. 8:10, Jer. 31:33).
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”  - Jesus Christ (John 3:3) 
If you don’t experience it for yourself, then you will never know what is on the other side. We are all born sinners! A radical change must take place. Not the betterment of your current life. A new life! Not the improvement of sinners. Morality will only mask the problem. Psychological programs of rehabilitation or reeducation will not work. 
“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”  - John 3:7
A miraculous new birth will change your world! This is not something that we can do for God. This is something that God does for us (Eph. 2:8-10). We cannot save ourselves! We cannot change ourselves! Sin is a hereditary problem that has infected the entire human race. We inherited a sinful nature from Adam & Eve (Rom. 5:12-14). The whole family tree of mankind is fallen! A divine intervention must take place (2 Pet. 1:2-4). God, the Creator, is the only one who has the power to make all things become new.
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  - 2 Cor. 5:17
The sin problem at conception can be remedied by the new creation. God can remake and reform those who have been “shapen in iniquity” (Ps. 51:5). The Potter has power over the clay (Jer. 18:1-6). Those who are born in sin can be reborn in righteousness! The generations of men can be regenerated (Titus 3:3-7). Hereby, the Children of the Devil become Children of God (1 Jn. 3:7-10). The miraculous difference will be felt “as soon as they be born” (Ps. 58:3, Rom. 5:21). Can you believe it? Believe in the Gospel. This is true freedom (Jn. 8:31-36)! Literally, the Gospel is good tidings to hurting sinners. 
“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach Good Tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.” - Isaiah 61:1-3
This good news is powerful enough to make everyone feel better. Tell your friends and family about it! Let the prisoners of Mental Illness come out of the Garden of Medicine and ascend the hill of Calvary. God wants you to see something! Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins. This revelation will bring the needed healing.
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“Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” – Isa. 53:4-5
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

1/30/2024

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): “A mental disorder that is characterized by an overly active mind, impulsive decisions, and disinterested behavior where individuals experience difficulty focusing for sustained periods of time.” ​

Children in recent generations are notoriously distracted, undisciplined, and detached from reality. “ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopment disorders of childhood.” (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention). A staggering 129 million children and adolescents worldwide are on ADHD mind-altering medication! This is a tragedy. We are witnessing the disintegration of the nuclear family, and the children are suffering the most. 
“…a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” – Prov. 29:15 
Parents need to own their guilt in this matter. Generations of children have been practically orphaned in a culture of abandonment. The feminist movement has slandered and deglorified the role of biblical womanhood. Women have left the home and gone to work by the droves for decades! Consequentially, the children are left to themselves in daycare, with babysitters, at school, and other secular programs. Considering the signs of the times, this is a dangerous situation: anything is possible in schools that have eradicated the Bible from the curriculum. Remember, the schools in former generations freely distributed Bibles, and now they proudly distribute condoms. 
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.” – Jer. 6:16
Society belittles the honorable vocation of “childbearing” (1 Tim. 2:15). Women find identity and worth in their careers rather than in marrying, bearing children, and guiding the house (1 Tim. 5:14). The peer pressure upon young ladies to do the same is overwhelming. Can you hear the voices of strange women loudly mocking at the thought of showing “piety at home” (1 Tim. 5:4)? Scoffers think that the teachings of the Bible are ancient, irrelevant, and outdated. 
“…teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” – Tit. 2:4-5
Parents, if you abandon your God-given responsibilities, then you will suffer the consequences. You will find that even when your family is at home, their hearts are somewhere else. In the evenings or on the weekends, even when everyone is together, your children are enslaved to the addictions of entertainment. Parents, what about you? Your children prefer the fantasy world of television, movies, videogames, and toys more than reality. The formative years of vulnerable children are spent in this vanity, and parents wonder why they have difficulty sustaining the attention of their children. 
“Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.” – Prov. 4:25-27
Distracted, undisciplined, and hyperactive children pay a visit to a local Doctor and are immediately prescribed stimulants. They are told that the chemical problem will be solved by these mind-altering drugs. No lectures are given to the parents about how absorbing information as a primary form of entertainment makes the children feel that thinking productively and accomplishing tasks is unpleasant, unreasonable, and burdensome. Why? Follow the money. The drug business is booming with filthy lucre. Constructive criticism might offend the parents, and this is bad for business.

Most parents are not being role models for their children. Instead, the fictional characters of the entertainment business are their role models. Have you ever observed the behavior of these cartoon characters? It isn’t good. Don’t be surprised if your little ones emulate and copy their character traits. Hyperactivity and impulsivity in cartoon characters is something that attracts and sustains the attention of the children. 
“There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.” – Prov. 30:11 
The children then grow up and repay their parents in kind. When mom and dad grow old, instead of taking care of them, they put them up in Old Folks Homes and other available programs. The cycle of abandonment continues without repentance. Tragically, the adults of modern times are equally plagued by ADHD! A staggering 366 million adults worldwide have been diagnosed with ADHD and are regularly consuming mind-altering drugs. 
“Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.” – Eccl. 6:9
This is not a chemical problem! This is a sin problem. The city of the soul is broken down and without walls. Any fleeting lust can come and occupy the city. There is no rule over the spirit (Prov. 25:28). Sinners are distracted with the pleasure of wanderlust in cyberspace (1 Tim. 5:6). The hellish sin of covetousness burns with unquenchable fire (Prov. 27:20, Hab. 2:5, Rom. 3:16-17, Matt. 6:22-23)! Sinners are distracted and dissatisfied and feel no danger. 
“Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.” – James 5:5
The only remedy to a sin problem is salvation! Upon repenting and believing in the Gospel of Jesus Christ you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and this will produce life and peace in your mind, heart, & soul. The wandering of human desire will then be at rest when the soul is anchored by divine love. 
“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” – Isa. 57:20-21

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Rom. 8:6

“For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” – 2 Tim. 1:7
This is good news. The presence of God will change your presence of mind. There is power in the Gospel! Jesus Christ taking up residence in your heart will empower you by giving you the temperance, discipline, and self-control of a “sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7). Sanity and soundness are not a problem for those who have “the mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:16). 
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SOMNOLENCE

1/30/2024

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Somnolence: “A mental disorder characterized by drowsiness, weariness, or excessive sleepiness.” ​

We are born sinners (Rom. 5:12-14). We live in a cursed world of hardship and difficulty. The thorns and thistles of life make sinners sorrowful and weighed down, but most people just try to ignore it (Gen. 3:17-19, Ps. 107:12). People try to stay positive and make the best of things! Meanwhile, God is trying to get everyone’s attention. Divine providence has caused this message to fall into your hands for a reason. You need God’s help! A divine finger is pointing at all the problems on earth so that you might seek heaven for answers. 

Sin is an inconvenient leech upon your life that you cannot ignore! Do you feel it? I’m speaking about all the “evil” (Eccl. 2:21), “grief” (Eccl. 1:18, 2:17, 23), “vexation” (Eccl. 1:14, 17, 2:17, 22, 26), “travail” (Eccl. 1:13, 2:23, 26), “sorrow” (Eccl. 1:18, 2:23), “despair” (Eccl. 2:20), dissatisfaction (Eccl. 1:8), and restlessness of sinners in a fallen world (Eccl. 2:23). How do you cope with it? Honestly, for most people, the daily grind isn’t making them feel alive, awake, alert, and energized. 
“All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.” – Eccl. 1:8
Many people feel that the daily workweek is a prison of meaningless repetition. They feel worn out and fatigued in both body and soul. They want to do something else! They want to be someone else! They feel trapped in their present circumstances and can’t foresee any way out for many years to come. 
“Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.” - Ecclesiastes 1:2

“What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?” – Eccl. 1:3

“What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?” – Eccl. 3:9
Pleasure seekers and dreamers feel the vanity of life in the obligation to work. The grumbling of dissatisfied workers comes from deep within! The inaudible complaining is constant! The people feel that they can’t go anywhere or do anything that they want to do. Therefore, a dark cloud of melancholy hangs over the soul. The Bible teaches that melancholy and worldly sorrow can have an intoxicating effect of tiredness, weariness, and sleepiness (Lk. 22:45, Jonah 1:5-6). 
“And when He…was come to His disciples, He found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” - Luke 22:45-46
People try to escape the confines of their own reality by television and movies. There is little thought about turning to God in prayer because nobody is telling them that they have a sin problem. Meanwhile, the thrill of fiction and fantasy allows for a semblance of freedom to live a different life. Living rooms are furnished with couches and recliners to indulge in the mad indifference of idle entertainment. Feeling no real purpose in life, or the power to do anything about it, people become slothful, sluggish, and lazy. 
“Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.” – Prov. 19:15

“The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason.” – Prov. 26:15-16
The sin of slothfulness brings the body under a spell of sleepiness. For one reason or another, it is common for people to come to hate life itself (often because of the hardships that accompany work), so when they get off work they resort to the same private getaway at home in the Living Room. 
“Therefore I hated life because the work…” – Eccl. 2:17

“Yea, I hated all my labour…” – Eccl. 2:18 
What is life? Mostly, it is a bunch of eating, sleeping, and going to work! When people get off work, they come home and sluggishly expire the evening in the Living Room. Some people call it rest and relaxation, but if they were honest, they would admit that they are tired and hurting on the inside. They mourn the fact that they have to wake up tomorrow and do the same thing all over again! Considering the circumstances, if the scenery in the Living Room is one that invites slothfulness, the people are probably going to come under a spell of sleepiness. Lost souls are void of real purpose and feel enslaved to the workweek; therefore, they are plagued with slothfulness, sluggishness, and sleepiness. 
“Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thine eyelids.” – Prov. 6:4

“How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep:” – Prov. 6:9-10
Eventually, many people come to feel that they have nothing better to do than relax. They indulge in sleep!  They take a vacation! Modern enthusiasts tell them that they owe it to themselves. Nevertheless, one way or another, somehow, they begin to feel tired all the time. Tired and drowsy sinners pay a visit to the Doctor and are immediately prescribed antidepressants or benzodiazepines depending on the circumstances. They leave having come to believe that they have a chemical problem. Now these people will not let anyone tell them that they have a sin problem! This is how the souls of sinners sink deeper into the mire. People are coming under the power of mind-altering drugs for a lifetime of addiction! Meanwhile, those who are getting saved from sin are experiencing an awakening of heavenly power in a real encounter with the person of Jesus Christ. 
“Wherefore He saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Light.” – Eph. 5:14
Reconciliation to God is a miraculous experience of spiritual regeneration. Everything is made new (2 Cor. 5:17)! Credit should be given to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:1-7). The empty tomb is a good testimony. There is power in the Gospel! The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead can get any sinner out of bed and on his feet - feeling good: alert, alive, focused, energized, sober, meditative, watchful, circumspect, & resolved (Ps. 57:8, 63:6). Can you relate? “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.” (1 Thess. 5:6). When your eyes are clear and your priorities are heavenly, then staying awake, energized, and alert isn’t a problem (Matt. 6:19-24, Ps. 132:3-5). Meanwhile, the souls of condemned sinners are haunted by a phantom ghost of sleepiness that seems inescapable (Isa. 29:10, Rom. 11:8). 
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INSOMNIA

1/30/2024

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Insomnia: “A common sleep disorder which entails difficultly falling asleep or staying asleep.” ​

The quest for worldly happiness in the daytime leads to restless hours of trouble at nighttime (Job 20:4-8). The wages of sin is death! All the security of the First World cannot make the soul feel safe and sound for a good night of sleep. Silk sheets cannot soothe the soul! Good food doesn’t produce good sleep! Friendly company doesn’t bring about serenity! A good day isn’t necessarily welcomed with a good night. 
“And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.” - Isa. 8:22
Restless and weary sinners pay a visit to the Doctor and are immediately prescribed sleeping pills and tranquilizers. Around 61 million Americans are taking sleeping pills! They don’t want to encounter nightfall without them on hand. Some are disturbed at night by a noisy mind and racing thoughts. The constant chatter going on in their heads doesn’t stop! Only because fleshly ambitions and earthly goals are fueled by the hellish sin of covetousness (Prov. 27:20). Some people can’t sleep because they have been estranged from their lovers! Meanwhile, others lay awake in bed at night because they are stricken with a poisonous feeling of envy, jealousy, and hatred which then makes them devise mischievous plans to solve their problems on the morrow. 
“the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep” – Eccl. 5:12

“for also there is that neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes” – Eccl. 8:16

“For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.” - Prov. 4:16
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“Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.” – Micah 2:1

“But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.” – Isa. 57:20-21
There is a resting place for sinners in the presence of God! Divine love conquers and quiets the souls of restless sinners (Matt. 11:28-30). This is how true Christians find peace to lay down and sleep without any regrets plaguing the conscience. There is a heavenly security to this serenity! There is a divine power in this peace! Needy souls are swaddled and carried by the omnipotent arms of an everlasting Father both now and forevermore. 
“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep…” – Ps. 4:8

“…He giveth His beloved sleep.” – Ps. 127:2

“When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.” - Prov. 3:24

“For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul. Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my sleep was sweet unto me.” – Jer. 31:25-26
What about you? It is time for you to taste and see that the LORD is good. Indeed, sin will not suffer sinners to sleep! However, a real encounter with Jesus Christ will clear the skies and silence the storm. No matter how bad you feel! Remember, salvation is the miracle of miracles. A good night of sleep is one of the many benefits of this divine work upon the human soul. 
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DEPRESSION

1/30/2024

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Depression: “A serious mood disorder involving a loss of interest and pleasure.”

​All the bells and whistles of modern society aren’t enough to remove the plague of depression that is smothering millions. A staggering 49,449 people in America died by suicide in 2022! Generations of kids have been reared in a culture of entertainment and have never been more depressed. The experts will tell you, “Depression is the most prevalent mental health disorder.” (American Association of Suicidology). This kind of sorrow is a spiritual poison that is produced by sin. 
“Many sorrows shall be to the wicked…” – Ps. 32:10

“God distributeth sorrows in His anger.” – Job 21:17

“Mine eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, and all my members are as a shadow.” - Job 17:7

“For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.” - Psalm 38:17

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”  - 1 Tim. 6:10
Depressed sinners pay a visit to a local Doctor and are immediately prescribed antidepression medication. They leave with empty promises that everything is going to get better as they begin consuming mind-altering drugs (Jer. 6:14). Meanwhile, these people don’t feel right about taking the weird medication! This compels them to suddenly get off the drugs repeatedly in a battle for sanity. It is then that the dark nights of hopeless despair grow blacker and longer (1 Sam. 16:14-15). Time itself seems to torment the heartsick people! Why? They feel trapped in an unending cycle of misery. Therefore, sadly, these same people often end up killing themselves hoping to find relief from the suffocating presence of sorrow. One person dies by suicide every 40 seconds! According to the World Health Organization, a staggering 700,000 people worldwide die by suicide every year! 
“Therefore I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and vexation of spirit.”  - Eccl. 2:17

“For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.”  - Eccl. 2:23

“…the sorrow of the world worketh death.”  - 2 Cor. 7:10
Salvation from sin is the only solution to the problem! Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can heal the pain of badly hurting sinners. Only the free grace of God can transform the minds, hearts, and souls of sinners (2 Cor. 4:6, 5:17). “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” (Matt. 4:16). Immediately, when the face of Jesus Christ begins to shine upon lost souls, sinners are brought out of the dungeon of despair and into the glorious presence of God! A strong chorus of happy saints has borne witness of this heavenly experience for generations. 
“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” – Isa. 35:10

“Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but Thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.” – Isa. 38:17

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise Him.” - Psalm 28:7 (Ps. 19:8, 119:111)

“Thou hast put gladness in my heart...” – Ps. 4:7, 16:9

“…in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” – Ps. 16:11 (Jn. 17:13)

“Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:” – 1 Pet. 1:8
The salvation of the soul will put an end to all the loneliness. The Face of God will illuminate the darkness. When those who are separated from God are finally reconciled to God, they will then experience the peace and rest that heaven is offering to weary souls who are burdened by sin. This can be your testimony if you repent and believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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    Seminary, Psychology,
    ​& Science 

    Article #1: This is when Drugs from the Pharmacy are Witchcraft & Sorcery! 

    Article #2: Depression 

    Article #3: Insomnia 

    Article #4: Somnolence 

    Article #5: ADHD

    Article #6: Anxiety Disorders 

    Article #7: ​The Age of Fear: Psychiatry's Reign of Terror

    ​    Article #8: "Correlation does not Imply Causation" 

    Article #9: Death Anxiety. The Worm at the Core of Mental Illness 

    Article #10: ​Legacy Standard Bible Exposed
    ​
    Article #11: ​Stargazer, Read Your Bible! 

    Article #12: ​Hebrew, Greek, & English 
    ​
    Article #13: ​An Encounter with a Prophet of God 
    ​
    Article #14: ​Theology | The Study of God | Knowing God 

    Article #15: ​WHEN CELEBRITY PREACHERS CONFESS! ...Is Matt Chandler Unconverted?

    Article #16: ​Seminarian, Do You Pray? 

    Article #17: Are You Depressed? 

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