Suffering can become a Blessing.

 A Peruvian man had a hunger for adventure. Adventures can be exciting but they can also be fatal.

This man lost his way in the Amazon jungle. His family was sure he was dead, but he was adopted by an indigenous tribe and learned to live in the jungle. He not only learned their language and customs, but he learned to use jungle plants to treat tropical diseases. 

After seven years, he somehow found his way back to his own people, but he found a community in a tragic crisis. People were in the grip of an epidemic. Modern medicine was not working and many people were dying. 

He was not a doctor but he applied his knowledge of natural medicine he had learned in the jungle. It proved so effective that many lives were saved. 

The news of this success spread far and wide. Many botanists and medical experts came to learn from him. 

This man, who had been given up for dead, lived to the age of 91.

I have never known anyone who was lost in the jungle, but there are different kinds of terrible experiences which can lead to great blessings.

I have met people who have come out of prostitution, long prison terms and terrible drug addictions, but they have found faith in God and become a life saving help for many people.

I had a Christian conversion experience in my twenties but the first church I joined turned out to be a cult, where people were brainwashed and spiritually abused. After I was expelled from the cult, I spent a whole year in intensive full time psychiatric treatment.

It took me many years to recover, but God did not give up on me.

Corrie ten Boom was a Dutch Christian woman whose family protected Jews in the wartime Nazi occupation. She and her sister were captured and spent nearly a year in German prisons and concentration camps. Her sister died in the camp but she was released due to a clerical error. 

After this terrible suffering, she toured the world, bringing faith and hope to people without hope.

What kind of suffering have you been through? Prison, domestic violence, rape, human trafficking, cult brainwashing, severe mental illness?

No matter where you are, God loves you and has a plan for your life. In heaven there are murderers, ex prostitutes, people who have been witches, and also victims. 

In heaven there are babies who were aborted and mothers who aborted their babies.

No matter what you have been through, no matter what you are going through now, never, never, never give up.

Gaby Wentland is a German missionary preacher. She ministers to prostitutes and victims of abuse. She says there is more prayer in brothels than in many churches. 

God loves you no matter where you are, who you are, what you are doing, what you have done or what has been done to you.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Jn 3:16 NRSVue

No matter whether you are the worst abuser or the most broken victim, Jesus died to take your punishment on himself. He hung naked on the cross to bare your shame.

But there is a condition. You must be willing to turn away from your cruelty, your selfishness and dishonesty. God loves you but you must be willing to change.

Call to me, and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jer 33:3 NRSVue

God is waiting to hear you cry for help.

Not only does God want to save you from guilt, from shame and abuse. He wants to use your painful experiences to help others. I have been wonderfully encouraged by people who have been in very dark places. 

The Peruvian man learned jungle medicine to save lives. If you have been in prison, in psychiatric treatment, in drug addiction or prostitution, God can use your experience to help people with similar experiences.

God wants to help you.

 Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee. It was a long walk, and at noon he took a break at a well in Samaria. 

There he found a woman drawing water from the well.

 It was taboo for Jews to talk to Samaritans. Jesus was also a Bible teacher, and no rabbi was allowed to speak to a woman alone. 

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”

Jesus was alone with this woman because his disciples had gone to the nearby town to buy supplies. The woman was surprised that Jesus spoke to her.

So the Samaritan woman said to him, “How do you, being a Jew, ask from me water to drink, since I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jn 4:9 LEB

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you had known the gift of God and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me water to drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” Jn 4:10 LEB

Are you a little religious, virtuous and idealistic? That's a good start, but there's more. Many pastors preach humanistic philosophy, and their listeners have nothing more than vague ideas about God and eternal reality.

Are you a Christian? Do you expect an eternal future in heaven? That's good. But if you knew what Jesus wants to give you here on earth, you would pray from the heart and expect miracles.

Are you entangled in drug addiction, prostitution, pornography or the occult?
 
The woman in this story was despised in her society, but she may not have been to blame.

The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband,’ 

for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!” Jn 4:17–18 NRSVue

In this society, only the man had the say. Five husbands had rejected her? Why?
Was she unable to bear sons? 
Had she been sexually abused and was unable to satisfy her husband? 
Was she extremely depressed, traumatised and moody?

How could she survive as a woman who had been divorced five times? As a beggar? As a prostitute?

Jesus did not look at her sins, but at her need. He simply loved her.

Jesus died on the cross for you and your sins. He simply loves you.

No matter where you are, Jesus wants to bless you.

When you entrust your life completely to Jesus, God's Spirit comes and dwells in your spirit.

Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, Eph 3:20 NRSVue

Why do we expect so little from God? What is your problem?
Have you failed? Jesus can give you strength and wisdom to live a new life.

Are you caught up in a colourless, decent religious routine? Jesus freed the decent Jews of his time from their religious treadmill. Jesus gave his disciples a new life filled with joy, freedom and adventure.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Jn 10:10 NRSVue

Are you addicted to pornography? You can never enter God's heaven with pornography, but Jesus can set you free.

Jesus was tortured on the cross. Through his suffering, he took the punishment for all your sins upon himself.

If only you knew how God can and wants to help you, you would cry out for God's help and have a new life.

What is your true Identity?

 We have forgotten who we are.

I once met a refugee from a cruel dictatorship.

He told me how he was abused as a political prisoner.

He had to stand in a pitch-black tiny cell, not sitting and not lying down, and not just for a few hours.

There came a time when he no longer knew his own name.

So many people struggle with insecurity. They ask questions that no one seems to be able to answer.

Who am I?

Why is this world so senseless?

Why are women and children being abducted and why is there no justice?

We read the newspapers and see that child abuse rings are found in churches that are supposed to care for children, and bishops, instead of being holy church fathers, act like cunning politicians and try to protect perverted criminals among the priests.

We must not delude ourselves with the idea that this abuse is only found in the Catholic Church.

It would also be pointless to think that this undercover abuse does not also take place in other religions because the media only shines the spotlight on Christians.

What is going on?

We humans have lost our identity. We have forgotten who we are.
 
A girl dreams that she could become a wife with children, or a doctor or a teacher.

But her home is ruined by political greed for power and corruption. Her family becomes hopelessly poor. She looks for work in a wealthy country, but she is cheated.

She is enslaved and abused as a captive prostitute. In the beginning, she fights against everything. But her resistance is futile. Her situation is hopeless. She is repeatedly raped and drugged until she cannot live without drugs.

She still dreams of finding her old life. She holds the dreams of her childhood in her heart. But when she clings to her true identity, the dirty sexual labour becomes even more terrible.

The conflict between her true identity and her hideous slavery becomes unbearable and the drug helps her to forget her situation a little, but she also begins to lose her original true identity.

How can we react as sincere Christians. Everything looks hopeless.

The problem is that we sincere Christians have also forgotten who we are.

If you belong to Jesus, you are a son or a daughter of God.

But what does it mean to be a son or daughter of God?
 
We have access to God's immeasurable love. But it is not enough to profess this love as a statement of faith.

We must experience this immeasurable love, savour it, be overwhelmed by it.

Without God's glory, we can only save a few lost people.

We need much more from God to free many slaves. Tens of millions are waiting for God's help.

Many Christians are stuck with little more than dry doctrines.

Genuine faith consists not only of conviction and virtue, but should also include wonderful experiences.

So do you have to have heavenly experiences on earth in order to have eternal life?

No. But without wonderful experiences with God, our effectiveness as disciples is limited.

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD shines over you.
For look, darkness will cover the earth, and total darkness the peoples; but the LORD will shine over you, and his glory will appear over you. Is 60:1–2 CSB

Love Your Neighbour

 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” Gal 5:14 NIV

I must love my neighbour, says Jesus.
Who is my neighbour?

• My neighbour is my workmate or my boss.

• My neighbour is the pimp who kidnaps my daughter.

• My neighbour is the homosexual who wants to seduce my son.

• My neighbour is the terrorist who threatens me.

• My neighbour is the prostitute down the street.

A Christian woman had a daughter who went astray. She had a bad boyfriend who led her away from God's ways.

Then the unthinkable happened. The mother heard that the bad boyfriend had murdered her daughter. She was devastated.

On the way home, the Holy Spirit spoke to her heart. She must forgive the murderer. But not only that, she must visit him in prison. Then the challenge became really extreme. She had to accept him into her heart as her own son.

She couldn't do it all. She prayed fervently for the help of the Holy Spirit and received the grace to do the impossible.

As she continued to visit the man in prison and pray for him with God's love, his heart softened and he turned to Jesus.

After many years, he was released from prison. Now the mother and adopted son are a team. They go around sharing their testimony.

Should we pray for our enemies? According to Jesus, yes. But should we seek close friendship with every prostitute and drug dealer? Of course not.

If your husband rapes you, throws you against the wall and brutally hurts you over and over again, should you stay with him? Of course not.

It's about placing your heart in the hands of Jesus so that God can cleanse your soul of resentment.

God is love. You can ask God to help you see difficult people through the eyes of God's love.

Love Your Enemies

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  Mt 5:43–44 NIV

It goes against our human nature, but this is what Jesus taught.

But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; Mt 5:39 NRSV

If you are a Christian, then hatred and revenge are strictly forbidden.

Some Christians want to obey these commands to such an extreme that they become pacifists. But are victims of bullying or violence not allowed to defend themselves? If you see a weak person being attacked or abused, should you just stand by and pray? Does a Christian, as some claim, have no rights?

When Paul cast a demon out of a fortune teller, he and his partner Silas were beaten and thrown into prison.

How did he react?

So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks.
Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Acts 16:24–25 NLT

No matter what happens to you, your love for God must never diminish. Anyone who blames God for injustice makes their situation even worse.

And how did God react?

Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations. All the doors immediately flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off! Acts 16:26 NLT

I know an ex-Muslim from Arabia who registered in Jordan as a persecuted refugee. The Muslim UN officials did not want to let him move to Australia as a refugee. As he sat in a UN office, an official was on the verge of rejecting his application, but then God intervened.

God sent an earth tremor. The building began to shake. The officials were shaken. They sensed that God was at work. Suddenly the official said, ‘Application approved,’ and she stamped the visa application.

How did Paul react when he was released by the Holy Spirit?

The jailer thought the prisoners had escaped and he wanted to kill himself, but Paul loved his enemies.

But Paul shouted to him, “Stop! Don’t kill yourself! We are all here!” 

The jailer called for lights and ran to the dungeon and fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.
Then he brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.”
And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household. Acts 16:28–32 NLT

Some Christians claim that a Christian should have no rights, but this is not the case.

When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.”
The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.”

But Paul said to the officers: “They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” Acts 16:35–37 NIV

Victims of bullying and abuse often make one of two mistakes.

Some learn to passively accept abuse and see themselves as inferior victims. Many sexually abused girls, but also boys, become prostitutes.

Then there are others who seek justice or revenge with hatred and anger. It is not a mistake to seek justice, but we must learn, like Jesus and Paul, to love our enemies.

God Heals and Transforms Trauma

 The way of love can be hard. You have sincerely tried to be a faithful Christian, but you have been overwhelmed with all kinds of obstacles for years.

Joan Hunter is the daughter of Charles and Frances Hunter, who were pioneers in the healing ministry. She too was faithful and gifted to proclaim healing and salvation.

She married a man who was supposed to be a faithful Christian, but it turned out that he was homosexual and committed adultery with men.

Her heart was broken. She had children she had to raise alone. What happened to her ministry? Through her own experience, she became deeply familiar with trauma. Her tragedy became a treasure of healing for many traumatised women and men.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 

who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Cor 1:3–4 NASB95

If you are deeply traumatised in your soul, you must understand that it is not just your thoughts and feelings that are hurt. Your whole being is damaged: your brain, your heart, your health.

Forgiveness is a necessary aspect of the healing process, but many counsellors go wrong when they give good advice. ‘Just Forgive.’

Forgiveness is not easy and it is not painless. Forgiveness is also only part of the healing process.

Abuse and trauma can ruin your whole being. There are people who must be rebuilt all over again.

‘Just forgive’ as formulaic advice is a poisoned chalice.

Traumatised people need healing, as do patients who are dying with cancer.

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NASB95

Are you perishing? Your pain can become medicine for other suffering people.

I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. Eph 3:13 NIV

Paul had to suffer a lot as a missionary. He wrote his letters to the Ephesians and Colossians in prison. As a suffering prisoner, Paul received and passed on marvellous revelations.

His suffering became a marvellous blessing for the Ephesians.

He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NASB95

Are you crushed? Your pain can become medicine for other suffering people.

The Problem of Loneliness

 Those who trust Jesus have a hope and a good future, but we can be lonely along the way.

Loneliness is a sad reality of our life on this earth. Sadly there are so many broken relationships, divided families, displaced refugees and isolated victims in wars, victims of abuse, workplace bullying or human trafficking … The list is endless in troubled times.

Loneliness can be dangerous. In lonely times, we can experience heightened negative moods and emotions. You can be depressed or despondent. Behind many posts and comments on the internet is panicked fear.

In loneliness we seek comfort, and that is good. We can call friends or listen to nice music. We can have a pet as a friend or read a good novel. You can study something that fascinates you. A young German in an American prison was a fitness freak.

There are good ways to ease the pain of loneliness, but unfortunately there are also bad ones.

 You can drink, eat, smoke marijuana or watch porn. There are men who visit brothels and women who seek wild sexual experiences. This only makes your loneliness worse.

Eating, drinking and sex are part of a normal, healthy life, but when they become addictions and take you away from good human companionship, they make you even lonelier.

There are Christians who claim you don't need friends if you have Jesus. Either they have never experienced deep loneliness, or they have an exceptional spiritual gift to enjoy a close friendship with God and a calling to walk alone, like John the Baptist.

There are also introverts who like to be alone, but you must not expect others to be like you.

If you are a very strong believing Christian who likes to pray alone for hours and are content as a single intercessor, you must never expect that lonely and depressed Christians without partners or friends should be like yourself.

Such advice is not only misguided, but life-threatening. It can lead to despair and suicide.

In the Bible before the Fall, Adam was alone. What did God say?

Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” Gen 2:18 NRSV

If you are alone and friendless, some Christians will blame you if you are not involved in a church.

But there are Christians who repeatedly have negative or traumatic experiences in churches.

There are so many churches where you are expected to conform and think just like everyone else. You don't need manipulation. You need friendship.

There are Christians who see psychiatry, medication and psychotherapy as worldly and evil. But there are Christians who, despite active membership in churches, find better understanding and compassion in a clinic than in church.

As a young Christian, I had traumatic experiences in churches. For a while, I got more help in a psychiatric hospital than in church.

I am grateful that I have not needed psychiatric care for many years now. I have also been actively involved in good Christian fellowship for years.

If you are lonely, please never give up. God hears your prayers. There are other Christians who understand your pain and loneliness. Ask God that you find the right people.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer 29:11 NKJV

Freedom from False Guilt

 A girl is sexually abused as a small child. As a toddler, she is sexually aroused and at first understands nothing about sin.

Her family is Christian, and the man convinces her that this sweet experience is real love.
Only later does she learn that this is taboo and forbidden.

As a teenager in the church, she learns about sexual sin. She is no longer sexually active with the man in the family, but she has strong sexual urges and satisfies herself.

Then the church tells her that masturbation is a sin because it is supposedly unclean.
She feels overwhelmed by shame and guilt because she feels responsible for her forbidden sexual experience with the man she loved.

She then tries to suppress her sexual urges. When her desire becomes almost irresistible, she satisfies herself and then thinks she is a dirty, condemned sinner, and she is terrified of ending up in hell.

Is this girl or young woman really guilty in God's eyes, or is it about false guilt, guilt in her own eyes or in the eyes of the ministers in the church?

Where do I find a teaching in the Bible that little children are responsible for such sin? I do not find it.

Where do I find a teaching in the Bible that masturbation is wrong in all circumstances? The subject is not mentioned in any biblical text.

Why should I discuss such a controversial topic? I want to save lives. There are victims in such situations who become prostitutes or commit suicide.

The victims of such abuse are not only girls but also boys.

If guilt has been imposed on you with teachings that are not in the Bible, you no longer need to bear that guilt.

When Jesus hung stark naked on the cross, he bore your guilt but also your shame. He not only bore the guilt for your own sins, but also the guilt of the people who abused you and the guilt of the people who put false guilt on you.

If this post is relevant to you personally, please don't let false guilt ruin you anymore.

Masturbation is unfortunately often entangled with porn addiction and dirty fantasies, but maybe often not. Please don't misunderstand me. I am not advocating porn or pornographic thoughts.

Some find masturbation to be a kind of safety valve that can also help resist strong temptation.

Hold fast to God's word. Ask Jesus for help. He totally understands you, just as you are.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom 5:1 NIV

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, Rom 8:1 NIV

God Hears when Women Cry

A young woman employed in the Australian parliament was raped by a male colleague, but it was treated as a political problem by the ruling party and hushed up.

A few weeks ago, this courageous woman protested publicly. This unleashed a "Me Too" movement in the Australian political world.

This week we have seen a new scandal. I was so outraged that I had great difficulty praying about it without anger and resentment.

At last I made an effort to pray for justice without anger. Then I had the clear impression that God was answering me.

"I have heard the cry of the women."

Then I said to the Lord. "But many of these protesting women are not Christians. They are not praying in Jesus' name."

Then the Lord spoke clearly in my mind.

"When the Hebrew slaves cried out in Egypt, you think they were all holy and righteous."

Then the LORD told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. Exodus 3:7 NLT

And do you think all these angry women are unbelieving feminists? Not at all.

I know Christian women who have been victims of brutal bullying in supposedly pious churches.

One of the most prominent preachers in Germany is Gaby Wentland. She rescues women from human trafficking and prostitution. She is also a political activist against human trafficking.

I heard her say, "There is more prayer in brothels than in the churches in Germany."

"I have heard the cry of the women."

God speaks clearly in our hearts when we ask for justice with all our hearts.

God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 NLT

Most English translations do not speak of “Justice” but “Righteousness”.

In Hebrew, NT Greek, French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch and German, the word in Matthew 5:6 means Both Righteousness AND Justice.

Jesus saves victims of Abuse

It hurts when you see Christians in leadership and they use the same dishonest political tactics as unbelievers. I have often felt I was being manipulated by Christian leaders and I was not wrong to think this way.

It hurts when you are pressured into supporting Christian leaders who are promoting themselves and  their party, faction or ministry more than justice and mercy.

Every time there is an election coming, I feel stressed because of the twisting and manipulation going on around me.

When I asked God about it, I believe the Holy Spirit gave me a very clear answer.
Politics is all about manipulation. It is what it is.

What does the Bible say about this?

There are leaders who want to hide their mistakes, or the sins of their colleagues.

For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. Mark 4:22 NKJV

There are leaders who demand unconditional submission.

The Apostle Paul was a true and faithful leader. Paul himself denounced the practice of dictatorial leadership.

For you bear it if someone makes slaves of you, or devours you, or takes advantage of you, or puts on airs, or strikes you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:20 ESV

Then Paul defines the foundation of true Christian fellowship.

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. Ephesians 5:21 NIV84

 Some Christians might assert that this mutual submission should only apply to Christians of equal rank. But how did Jesus apply this truth?

The first Christian chosen by God to witness to the resurrection was not an apostle but but Mary Magdalene. When she and other women told the fearful apostles they had seen Jesus, they did not believe. How did Jesus respond?

Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. Mark 16:14 ESV

When a leader goes wrong, some Christians claim he was not chosen by God, but King Saul was chosen by God.

There are Christians who claim that you must never publicly criticise a chosen leader, but David openly accused Saul.

Suppose you have been abused, bullied, gas-lighted and cast out by Christian leaders, pastors or politicians.

What does Jesus think about this?

In John 9, Jesus healed a blind man. When the man testified that Jesus had healed him, the religious leaders excommunicated him.

Jesus didn’t just heal the man. He sought him out to help him when he had become a persecuted outcast.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 

He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?”

Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 

He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshipped him. John 9:35–38 ESV

Have you been bullied and cast out by religious leaders? Please don’t blame Jesus. He wants to help you personally. The same religious leaders crucified Jesus, but he returned from the grave.

As a young Christian I was excommunicated but I learned that the cruel leaders were not the source of my salvation but Jesus Himself.

The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel.
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Psalm 147:2–3 ESV

Jesus gathered the outcasts of Israel and he also gathers the Christian outcasts today.

Just leave ...

Are you one of those people who is always right?
What does the Bible say about that?

If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:2–3 ESV

Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.
But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognises. 1 Corinthians 8:2–3 NLT

The apostle John said of Jesus, He is full of grace and truth.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 NKJV

Truth is so important. Bible knowledge is essential because the Bible is God's Word.

But if Bible knowledge is your first priority, if you think your job from God is to always correct Christians, where is your humility? Where is your Christian love?

John did not say Jesus was filled with truth and grace. He said Jesus was filled with grace and truth.

Grace and truth, not truth and grace.

What did Paul say about Christians with different opinions?

Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.

Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. Romans 14:1–5 NKJV

Perhaps you are a trained Bible teacher with impressive spiritual gifts. You have a calling as a pastor or church leader.

Be careful. Being self-righteous is not a virtue. A know all attitude does not come from God!

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 NKJV

Do you always know better?

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 1 Corinthians 13:9 NKJV

But maybe you're not a trained church leader, but your pastor or an elder is authoritarian and expects you to agree with everything he says. You are not obliged to always give in.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 ESV

If the leaders in your church are domineering, if they demand unquestioning submission, if they always put you down when you express your own ideas, then just leave ...

But Paul himself could also be very sharp and dogmatic. He was especially tough on legalism and lawlessness. Some sensitive issues are important and others not so important. We need the wisdom that comes only from God.

But if you experience bullying in a church, just leave ...

Paul himself admonished Christians not to give in.

In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes himself forward or slaps you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:20 NIV84

Healing for Broken Souls

Are you overwhelmed, or perhaps really traumatised?

Maybe you are in a church where they preach the Bible, where you see healings, where you hear good testimonies.

You have learned Bible verses by heart and you quote the promises of God.

But it doesn't seem to work for you. You have really tried to do everything right, but you are still deeply hurt. Your spirit is broken.

The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? Pr 18:14

You talk about your abuse and trauma, and they say you simply have to forgive. 

Simply forgive? What do you mean, simply?

Unfortunately, there is no simple prescribed method for healing your soul.

There are preachers and pastors who think their methods are from God, and if it doesn't work for you, you must be to blame.
But this is often not the case.

I believe in miracle healings, even for deep traumas.

In the Bible, Jesus met a demonised man who was running around naked. Jesus told the demons to leave the man and the man was instantly delivered and healed.

In the Acts of the Apostles we see how Peter and Paul performed amazing miracles in Jesus' name, and there are a few preachers today who call corpses back to life.

But please be careful. There are genuine preachers, but there are also false preachers.

Jesus promised that we can expect real miracles.

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Jn 14:12

But Jesus also warned against false preachers.

Beware of false prophets. They come like harmless sheep, but in reality they are dangerous wolves who want to tear you to pieces.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 

By their fruit you will recognise them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Mt 7:15-17 

Paul warned against preachers who intimidate and dominate Christians.

You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face. 2 Corinthians 11:20 NLT 

But we must not condemn all preachers because of this, but it is important to mention this, because deeply broken souls are often manipulated by dominating ministers.

In the New Testament we find false preachers but also good preachers and it is the same today. Those who are spiritually hurt need real pastoral care and sometimes even deliverance.

• But beware of preachers who only see demons behind all the problems of the soul.

• Beware of preachers who demand to control your whole life.

• Beware of preachers who forbid their members to visit other churches.

• Beware of preachers who have only one method of dealing with all spiritual and emotional problems.

• Beware of preachers who claim to be faultless, because this is just not true.

If you are traumatised and cannot find a way out, please recognise that God loves you in spite of everything, that God stands by you, that God wants to accompany you as a friend. 

If you can find good pastoral care, all the better. But if it takes some time to find the right help, ask God to be your guide.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV