Listen to this hymn: if you are in trials this song witl be a blessing!

For All the Saints is one of my favorite hymns. It  has often 

encouraged me during the episodes of  major depression, and after 

 the loss of our daughter Lindsay,who was nineteen years old, when she went

to be with the Lord.

In 1985, after an internship, my wife Robyn and I moved to Scranton, 

PA. We did  this to get much needed familial  help ,when my depression 

had come on me suddenly, and for a period disabled me.

While attending my brother's church we sang it often. 

 I was especially

 drawn to the  fifth and sixth verses of the song below.

Here are the verses, and my running commentary.

5. And when the fight is fierce, ,
I was battling the fiercest  of foes.
and the warfare long,
 It seemed like forever to get the help I needed.
But then came a great reminder  from God.

Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
It was not a loud song.It was not boisterous. It 
stealed on the ear. It was like what happened 
to the British during the Boer/War. The discouraged, soldiers
had  been almost outflanked by the enemy . It was a terrifying situation. 
The British soldiers,heard the  distant sound of the bagpipes.
 This meant Scottish Re-enforcements were coming.

And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Their hearts were brave again.

Brave hearts spawn strong arms. The battle
must go on. The devil is  strong. But this fallen angel,
is no match for  our Champion, the Lorded Jesus Christ,
who is  omnipotent and will soon "crush Satan under 
your feet, Romans 16:20 (NASB)

6. But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

But that was not the end of my trials
Someday, the King of Glory, the Lord Jesus Christ
will break into  history not to die again for sin, but, He
will extinguish Satan and all that are evil. He will take
his soldiers to heaven, where they can rest from their labors

(Revelation 19:11-21 NASB). 

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their

eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall  be any more pain. For the former things are passed away.

                                           

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is the song below.

For All the Saints Who from Their Labors Rest"

by William W. Howe, 1823-1897
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JAz0EUZqu0 

1. For all the saints who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confess,
Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blest,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

2. Thou wast their Rock, their Fortress, and their Might;
Thou, Lord, their Captain in the well-fought fight;
Thou, in the darkness drear, their one true Light.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

3. Oh, may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold,
Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old
And win with them the victor's crown of gold.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

4. O blest communion, fellowship divine,
We feebly struggle, they in glory shine;
Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

5. And when the fight is fierce, the warfare long,
Steals on the ear the distant triumph song,
And hearts are brave again, and arms are strong.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

6. But, lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day;
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

7. From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son,and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia! Alleluia!

8. The golden evening brightens in the west;
Soon, soon, to faithful warriors come rest.
Sweet is the calm of Paradise the blest.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Many times because my brain chemistry was not working I would began
to sob in front of the pew/ It was third verse which encouragement. An encouragement that is rarely realized in the deep darkness that depression brings/
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: Heb. 12:1
Author: William W. How, 1864,

The Pastoral Handbook of Mental Illness

Steve has a new book, published by 

Kregel Publications of Grand Rapids, MI. 

The name of it is, The Pastoral Hand book

 of Mental illness a Guide for Training and Reference.

If you are a professor in a college or seminary, Kregel Publications will advise you on how to teach using this book as a curriculum. I also will be available for questions and advice..

From Julius

Book Review-This review is condensed

This book can be used by Pastors and Laity alike. This book isn't a hard read, matter of fact, its a book that I think will benefit the entire church, not just our pastors and pastoral counselors. 

If utilized in both seminaries and Christian counseling programs, I think this book will make the Christian counselor understand that not everything is spiritual matter. Sometimes, you cant pray the sadness away or the anger away. But more than that, it gives our pastors a tool, a much needed tool to be able to confidently help someone who needs to be seen by a medical professional. 

How do I get  these books?
You can pay by check for The Pastoral Handbook of Mental Illness The price by check including shipping is $22.00
 The mailing address is,Heartfelt Counseling Ministries,12370 Sawgrass Court, Wellington, Florida 33414 .

If your mailing address is in Canada, you pay 24.00

 As soon as Steve receives the check, he will send the book  to your address,which should be  on your check.  . 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


If you wish to  buy Broken Minds Hope for Healing When You Feel Like You' Losing It. the price $19. including shipping.

If you live in Canada the price would be 

  $22.00 and that includes  shipping.

If you wish to pay by Pay pal, you must  go on-line http://heartfeltmin.org/join-us.html
 You  scroll down to the donation button, click on the donation button ,and put in the amount needed.The amounts are the same as paying by check.
If you wish to pay by credit card andnot online, you can call Heartfelt Counseling Ministry at 561-909-9109.
If you wish to purchase both  books, Use your payment  method and pay $43.00 and  that includes shipping.

i

Spurgeon, God does not send, "special messages"

 Our Lord'sPrayer for His people's Sarncification No. 1890 Sermon delivered March 77, 1886, by C.H. Spurgeon at the Mertropolitan Tabernacle, Newington   “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth.” John 17:17.

 But what is the truth? There is the point. Is the truth that which I imagine to be revealed to me by some private communication? Am I to fancy that I enjoy some special revelation, and am I to order my life by voices, dreams, and impressions?






Brethren, fall not into this common delusion. God’s Word to us is in Holy Scripture. All the truth that sanctifies men is in God’s word. Do not listen to those who cry, “Lo here!” and “Lo there!” I am plucked by the sleeve almost every day by crazy persons and pretenders who think that they have revelations. One man tells me that God has sent a message to me by him, and I reply, “No, sir, the Lord knows where I dwell, and He is so near to me that He would not need to send to me by you.”

Another man announces in God’s name a dogma which, on the face of it, is a lie against the Holy Spirit.. He says the Spirit of God told him so and so, but we know that the Holy Spirit never contradicts Himself. If your imaginary revelation is not according to this Word, it has no weight with us, and if it is according to this Word, it is no new thing.

 Brethren, this Bible is enough if the Lord does but use it, and quicken it by His Spirit in our hearts. Truth is neither your opinion, nor mine; your message, nor mine. Jesus says, “Your word is truth.” That which sanctifies men is not only truth, but it is the particular truth which is revealed in God’s Word—“Your word is truth.”

What a blessing it is that all the truth that is necessary to sanctify us is revealed in the Word of God, so that we have not to expend our energies upon discovering truth, but may, to our far greater profit, use revealed truth for its divine ends and purposes! There will be no more revelations; no more are needed.

 The Canon is fixed and complete, and he that adds to it shall have added to him the plagues that are written in this Book. What need of more when here is enough for every practical purpose? “Sanctify them through Your truth: Your word is truth.” This being so, the truth which it is necessary for us to receive is evidently fixed. You cannot change Holy Scripture. You may arrive more and more accurately at the original text, but for all practical purposes the text we have is correct enough, and our old Authorized Version is a sound one. Scripture itself cannot be broken; we cannot take from it nor add to it. The Lord has never re-written nor revised His Word, nor will He ever do so. Our teachings are full of errors, but the Spirit makes no mistakes.

 We have the “Retractations” of Augustine, but there are no retractions with prophets and apostles. The faith has been delivered once for all to the saints, and it stands fast forever. “Your word is truth.” The Scripture alone is absolute truth, essential truth, decisive truth, authoritative truth, undiluted truth, eternal, everlasting truth. Truth given us in the word of God is that which is to sanctify all believers to the end of time; God will use it to that end. Learn, then, my brothers, how earnestly you ought to search the Scriptures! See, my sisters, how studiously you should read this Book of God! If this is the truth, and the truth with which God sanctifies.

http://sbloemreflections.blogspot.com/2018/07/why-should-every-church-have-copy-of.html

Denial Runs Deep

All in the Family;  Facing the Stigma

If you are having trouble seeing this, press the control button and the + sign at the same time.

 As I look back, I can hardly believe that we waited so long to seek help, but we had no idea what was going on.

Prior to this time, I had never for a moment entertained the possibility that I would have a form of mental illness. When I first began to exhibit symptoms of major depression ,at the age of twenty nine, I completely suppressed  any thoughts that that I might have mental illness in my family history. I could not tolerate the thought of actually having the disease.

I did remember hearing that my dad’s mother had been admitted to a local hospital with “schizoid tendencies.” From what I can piece together about her life, she may have had a form of bipolar disorder. 
                              



My father’s family has a history of bipolar and unipolar depression. My dad’s brother recalls that when he was a little boy, his mother would sometimes become angry and throw good plates down the basement steps. He would hand the plates to her, one by one, and watch as she smashed them.

Bipolar disorder also has been diagnosed in one of my aunts. Later her son that helped with the plates would become clinically depressed himself. In my opinion, he was under treated, and suffered horrendously throughout his life time.

Many times family members have similar responses to medication and successes with forms of medication, so ignoring my family’s history was not in my best interests. But I denied anything pertaining to mental illness in my life for as long as I could.

I was in denial.

Part of my denial was that, as a born-again believer and a trained theologian, I did not want to entrust myself to a “system,” where I would be vulnerable to mistreatment, or psychological brainwashing. A deeper reason was that I had been taught that depression was for wimps. Surely if Christians walked with God, they would not get depressed.It wasn’t that I hadn’t heard the other side of the issue. One of the professors during my pastoral internship was a psychiatrist who spoke to us about the chemical imbalance that causes depression. 

I’d listened to part of a radio program devoted to the story of a man who had depressive episodes. I heard only part of the program because, I was so afraid of identifying with the symptoms that I changed the station. God was working in subtle ways to prepare me, in spite of my denial.

Another reason for the denial was that I had a family I desperately wanted to care for my family.    As symptoms grew more acute, it increasingly was a burden on Robyn—in addition to her responsibilities with an infant and two other young children. I felt I was failing to live up to her expectations. She had worked hard and lived with insecurity long enough. But instead of stepping up to the plate, I was making her life miserable. My illness was a burden on everyone who cared for would like To buy this book: This blog for the most part was taken from the book which was co-authored by Robyn and Steve Bloem.



If you would like to order the book, Broken Minds Hope for Healing It, please go to our site website: heartfeltmin.org/join-us.html You can have a copy for a donation of twenty one dollars.


I

To buy the book The Pastoral Handbook of Mental Illness: A Guide for Training and Reference, go on line to the website. Scroll down to the  donation button, click on  it and put the donation of twenty dollars or more  we will send you a copy of it.

Shipping price is included the amounts that are given.
Go our web site www.heartfeltmin.org/join-us.html  Scroll down to the  donation button, click on that button, and put in a donation of at least twenty two dollars or more.  

If you wish to  buy both books.  go to the link below, click on/donation button, and get them both for a donation  forty dollars or more.
www.heartfeltmin.org/join-us.html

Asaph the Backslider- Psalm 73

 Asaph was miserable

 
  
In a more general sense, He could not reconcile a Righteous God, who failed blessing the righteous and allowed the wicked to be prosperous. Asaph had lost  his joy and life had become a monotonous grind.
In this blog, I am interested in the process that enabled him to get out of his present state of mind and to submit to His Lord God. 

Asaph's reflection
The way back to the Lord became evident to him when he reflected on the reason why all these things had happened to him. The (Hebrew word that is used for reflection is s Chashab' which means to  consider, be mindful of, to reckon).. In fact he says in 73:21-22, When my heart was embittered and I was pierced within, then I was senseless and ignorant; It is a short jump between not reading the word of God and being a beast before .." Beasts do not have the ability to self reflect. Every thing they do is driven by instinct. It is easy in our "pace-addicted world" to rush through our days and not even think about what God may be doing in our lives. Asaph started pondering  and then after being troubled he went to the temple of God. It was there that the LORD revealed to him that the wicked would be judged under the wrath of God.  If you want to ponder and meditate on something, go to the word of God, in both the Old and New Testaments.

The turning point for Asaph

(Psalm  73:17 tells us: "Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end)."The temple  was where the priests read the word of God and taught it to the people of Israel. It was there where the Triune  Holy God dwelt above the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. Today the sanctuary of God is the church, not the building but those who together to worship God, to hear his word, and to pray.
Asaph further says about the wicked in 
Psalm 73:18-19; "Surely You set them in slippery places;
You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment!
They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!"

But that wasn't all; he had learned other things during this enlightenment by the Holy Spirit. 

The first lesson. He learned that no matter what the circumstances, God was holding on to his right hand.

Another lesson  was that the Lord would  guide him daily by the word of God (his counsel.

A third lesson he learned  was,that at the end of his life the LORD would transfer him from earth to heaven.  There in Heaven, he would experience the outcome of His salvation, perfect joy and without sin.

A fourth lesson he learned was that no matter how great the perceived injustice and how deep the sorrow,the greatest thing on earth and in heaven was that he knew and loved God and needed no one else but Him.

A fifth lesson , he learned that even though his  flesh and his heart  failed,  God was the strength of his heart and his portion forever. SB.

Please look at our two books, The  Pastoral Handbook of Mental Ilness and Broken Minds Hope for Healing When You Feel Like Your'e Losing It. 
How do you get them.http://sbloemreflections.blogspot.com/2018/07/why-should-every-church-have-copy-of.html

Honey, I love you dearly.

Editor - I think this is a great article.  It was posted on our new CAMI (Christians Afflicted with Mental Illness) group..  We will pray for her and those who suffer like she does. SB


This is our new CAMI page! We would like to invite you to join this group if you or someone you love suffers from depression or the other mental illnesses. It is a closed group, meaning only members will see your posts and we want you to feel free to share your struggles and prayer requests in a safe environment. https://www.facebook.com/groups/459882490863734/



Dear Husband,
I love you dearly, more than anything in this whole world. I think you already know this. I know you love me too, I just forget sometimes. Depression clouds my mind and fills me with horrid thoughts about how unlovable and worthless I am. Sometimes I believe you, sometimes I believe depression.
I know you prefer the good days when I’m happy and not anxious or snappy, and I wish I could have these days every day. But I can’t. I feel the cloud approaching and it petrifies me. Sometimes I tell you and sometimes I don’t. Please, if you notice the cloud before I tell you, just hug me tight and tell me we’ll fight it together. Please don’t ask me if I’m OK — my automatic answer will be yes. In reality, it’s a big no. You see, depression can make you feel ashamed.


I know sometimes I overreact about the smallest things and get angry, but please be patient with me. Forgetting the bread will not be the real reason. It’s that I feel like I’m losing control over my mind. Depression is very clever, you see – it builds up a wall of anger piece by piece, and you never notice it until it’s so big it begins to topple over. I’m sorry you get the brunt of my anger on cloudy days. Please forgive me. Please. Just tell me you love me and leave me to calm down.

I know it’s hard to help somebody through depression if you’ve never experienced it yourself. I understand. I totally get it. Just listen to me and ask about the cloudy days. I can’t just bring it up in conversation. Depression clouds your mind. I need you to break the silence.
 
There will be lots of times I feel like you’d be better off without me, or that my children deserve a better mamma. Sometimes I’ll tell you. Most of the time I won’t. Sometimes I can go for months without those thoughts crossing my mind, and other times I think about them every second of every day for weeks. That’s the scary truth. Depression is vile — a vile, nasty monster. Please always keep an eye on me, but know no matter how many times you tell me I’m worth it I probably won’t believe it on cloudy days – but please never stop telling me. Ever.

 

I love our children more than anything, but sometimes I feel like a failure. I feel like a rubbish momma. My mind nags me and tells me other mommas do things better and love better than me. I feel like I always fall short. I find it so hard being a momma on cloudy days, but I try so hard to not let them notice the clouds. I hope you know I try.

I haven’t self harmed since February 2010, but the urge often consumes me. When the black cloud is here it consumes my mind. I fight it so hard for myself, my children and for you. I know it’s hard to  understand why I crave it, I can’t explain it myself. It’s like an old addiction that comes to hurt me when it smells the dark cloud. One day I hope it won’t ever cross my mind again.

I know I don’t talk about these black clouds often, but I want to. I hate the silence it forces me to keep. There’s a certain freedom when it comes to talking openly about the monster. Help me find that freedom.

 
Depression makes me feel tired. Sometimes the fatigue is so bad I just want to cry. Every bone hurts. Sometimes I lay awake at night and worry about things that won’t even happen. Squeeze my hand tight if you’re awake too.

Sometimes it takes every bit of motivation to get up in the morning, but I never let you in on this. A new day often scares me. I wonder, will I cope? Will the sky be blue or black? Is the weather nice? Every single morning is hard, but seeing you makes it easier.

I want to publicly thank you for loving me and supporting me. You are the best.
Yours forever,

Here is our latest book.

 

Here is what Dr. Steve Brown had to say about it,

“I have been a pastor and a seminary professor for many years, and I don’t thinkI’ve ever encountered a book as helpful, as complete, and as biblical as Steve Bloem’s

The Pastoral Handbook of Mental Illness: A Guide for Training and Reference."

This will become one of the most important books in your library.Steve Bloem is incredibly knowledgeable and refreshingly authentic. The compassion and sensitivity of these pages is Christ like. Get this book and, when you do, you’llthank me for having commended it to you.” See on the next line, for more information about this book please go the link below. 

This will tell you how to buy it. 

 Professor of Practical Theology Emeritus,

Reformed Theology

Founder of Key Life Ministries

http://sbloemreflections.blogspot.com/2018/07/why-should-every-church-have-copy-of.html

Founder of Key Life Ministries