(Summary of Chapter 12, “Spiritual Depression, Its Causes and Cures” by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Granted Ministries Press) This passage is one of the most magnificent statements in Scripture. In Romans 8:15-17, Paul wants to save the readers from a spirit of discouragement. He practices his usually form of writing practical truth through pastoral care. Here he…
Shame is such a debilitating malady that many of its sufferers often are ashamed of their shame. In friends and patients I have seen how it binds hearts and hands to pain but also shields from relief. I recognize it because like all others it has touch my life at various points producing despair and…
Introduction by me Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) lived 82 years from 1899 to 1981 and served as minister of Westminster Chapel in London for almost 30 of those years. He was first a physician but over time devoted more and more time to the ministry. He was known for his preaching ability which was replete with…
My chapter summaries of Biblical Healing for Modern Medicine, Franklin E. Payne, Jr. M.D. Covenant Books Scripture and Biblical Wisdom II Chronicles 16:12-13 recounts how King Asa did not find healing from the physicians of his time and died. This could quickly turn into a proof text for Christians to avoid doctors altogether. Biblical wisdom…
(My summary of first chapter of book by Franklin Ed. Payne, MD, titled “Biblical Healing for Modern Medicine”) Considering James 5:14-16, first century Christians had minimal healthcare except the anointing of oil by their elders. This might cause us to pity their plight. We could then finish reading the Bible and consider that not once…
(the opening paragraphs of my recent seminary paper on Food Theology) The Church is mostly silent while its members suffer not only the same lifestyle related physical consequences of the world, but also succumb to the legalistic false teachings of today’s diet prophets. Some estimate that 350000 people die every year from obesity related disease…
Pudgy, one of our three little pigs, is caught again rooting around for midnight snacks in the garden. His brothers have been working with him at mealtimes to keep his portions under control, but Pudgy, his nickname, kept growing more rotund until they realized where his extra calories were coming from. He has long known…
(An Excerpt from my seminary paper called Food Theology) (From a section addressing normative principles in the Bible regarding how we eat) The Bible also stresses the importance of fellowship which was primarily in the context of sharing meals. In one example of endangered table fellowship, Paul confronted Peter in Galatians 2:11-14 about Peter’s not…
(This post provides the first few and last two paragraphs from a much longer paper I wrote for a seminary class last year. I have linked the entire paper in between for those who want to read more. Forgive the occasional fancy words, but reading the entire paper will make sense of those words.) Opening…
Technology can be a wonderful thing. This weekend, live streaming allowed me to attend an educational event in California while sitting in my Tennessee home-office. The Institute for Functional Medicine organized its first live streaming event for a Cardio-metabolic model in its certification program. Watching 20 hours of lectures about improving heart health and being…