True Biblical Counseling: Part 3

Last time we examined what it means to Counsel someone Biblically, discovering that this idea is rooted in Scripture and is used in the context of the local church. Next, we need to discover the differences between Biblical Counseling (from a Biblical perspective) and Christian (Psychology) Counseling, that is Christians that counsel using Biblical language while supplementing (or even substituting) their material with secular sources. We learn that Biblical Counseling and Christian Psychology have five divergent points. We will examine these in the these final three or four posts.

Lets examine our first point of difference; that is from the perspective of Scripture. In this idea of the use of the Scriptures in counseling there are stark contrasts, while some would see these as only slight. Many Christian Psychologists acknowledge that the Bible has a role of inspiration in counseling with the main focus is for them to adapt a personalized model secular psychology and attempt to counsel and speak from human knowledge and wisdom. Biblical (Nouthetic) Counselors, on the other hand, use the Scriptures as the source for how to understand people and the problems that they face. Let me explain why the latter is superior to the former. Only God knows the heart of man. Who better understands man than his Creator? Jeremiah tells us that the "heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9)"; Paul says, "There is none righteous"( Rom 3:10). This foundational principle explains that, Freud, Skinner, and Rogers (the authorities on psychological counseling theories) could not have known the heart of man, and could only approximate the emotional part of man. They simply devised clever, albeit intellectual, frameworks of how man's emotions work. Is this an arogant statement? No, these men, although brilliant, were not saved; they were aetheists or agnostics. God's Word on the other hand delivers a clear verdict. The end state of a psychologist (no matter their intentions) using his flawed theories can only lead to flawed analysis. On the other hand, 2 Tim 3:16-17 tells us that the Bible is Inspired and is "profitable for doctrine (what is right), reproof (how to stay right), correction (how to get right), and instruction in righteousness (keeping on the right course). The Bible presupposes man's sinfulness, prescribes an inward change (that is salvation); then promises His Spirit as a Divine Agent to use the Scriptures to guide us. This is astoundingly clear! God's Way delivers change that does not want! Respectfully. Merry Christmas! Sherrell

True Biblical Counseling: Part 2

We learned in the last posting that Biblical Counseling is understood from the meaning behind the use of the term nouthesia; that greek word carries the idea of confrontation, concern and change. According to Jay Adams, the leading scholar on Biblical or Nouthetic Counseling, there are three ideas found in the word nouthesia. They are confrontation, concern, and change. To put it simply, nouthetic counseling consists of lovingly confronting people out of deep concern in order to help them make godly changes in their lives. It is godly change that we need in order to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only life that is adorned with gold, silver and precious stones, not wood hay and stubble.

What do these ideas encompass? The following explainations are provided by the Institute for Nouthetic Studies:

Confrontation means that one Christian personally gives counsel to another from the Scriptures. He does not confront him with his own ideas or the ideas of others, but limits his counsel strictly to that which may be found in the Bible, believing that "All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.(2 Timothy 3:16,17)

Concern means that counseling is always done for the benefit of the counselee. His welfare is always in view in Nouthetic counseling. The apostle Paul put it this way: "I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn [you].(1 Corinthians 4:14) There is always a warm, family note to Nouthetic counseling which is done among the saints of God who seek to help one another become more like Christ.

Change means that Nouthetic counseling is done because there is something in another Christian's life that fails to meet the biblical requirements and that, therefore, keeps him from honoring God. All counseling -- Biblical or otherwise-- attempts change. Biblical counselors know what a counselee should become as the result of counseling: he should look more like Christ. He is the Standard. Biblical counseling is done by Christians who are convinced that God is able to make the changes that are necessary as His Word is ministered in the power of the Spirit. The importance of such counseling in churches is underscored by the words of Paul as he described his ministry in Ephesus: "Therefore, be alert, remembering that for three years, night and day, I didn't stop counseling each one of you with tears." (Acts 20:31) The regularity and intense nature of Paul's counsel during his three-year ministry at Ephesus is emphasized by these words. If Paul found it necessary to counsel nouthetically for that entire period, as he said, surely our churches need it, too.

More to follow---In His Service! Sherrell

On True Biblical Counseling: Part 1

We are often torn by the reality of living in a fallen world. We Christians understand that this life on earth is the worst that we will ever experience. God's Word does clarify that the "wise man built his house upon the rock" and the "foolish man built his house upon the sand"; in both cases there are storms; the rains come down and the floods come up. One stands firm and the other falls.... and ...great is the fall of it. You will notice, regardless of the circumstances of whether one is wise or foolish, the storms come. We may as well build that house on the rock! Amen? I want to briefly launch a number of posts dealing with Biblical Counseling, because there can be confusion here, and I want to help clear it up.



True Biblical Counseling is based on a genuine understanding of the Holy Scriptures and thorough grounding in an understanding of man and who he is and how he can change. The Apostle Paul writes: "I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and competent to counsel one another." Romans 15:14

The word Counsel here is Noutheteo and is translated "admonish, correct or instruct." We see the context of the term counsel then (here and elsewhere in the New Testament) is in the context of the local Church, that body Paul is addressing. It is a common part of our sanctification and we are to hold each other accountable. This will be the thrust of the next series of posts that I will share....to examine the differences between so-called Christian Counseling and Biblical Counseling. They are different and are based on fundementally different presuppositions. In His Honor! Sherrell

On Ministering with Our Spiritual Gifts

My spouse and son were recently involved in a severe auto crash. By God's grace they were spared, but did suffer broken bones. My wife has been hospitalized for the better part of twelve days as of this writing. This casted me in a temporary role of single parent and has granted me a rich appreciation for my wife's daily tasks of getting the children ready, taking care of the home, nursing sick kids, and pressing homework, etc. Frankly, I have led close to a thousand soldiers in the military, have commanded billions of dollars in budgets, but being a single parent has been the most difficult task to date, and I have a deeper understanding and compassion for widows and the fatherless. God's Word is repleat with verses of His strong Love for these oft-forgotten children.



I have drawn deep encouragement from God's people during these days. Our precious church has rallied around us with prayers, meals, compassion and help with shuttling kids and offers for cleaning and other chores. Frankly I am overwhelmed with God's Grace and His people's generosity and love during these trials.



Do you belong to a local Body of Christ? Paul exhorts in Hebrews 10:25: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching". Here we are pressed to come together in the local body of Christ, that is the church. It is not only fitting and proper, but a command. We cannot be spectators in the body of Christ; we must be participators. God endows us with spiritual gifts for the ministry. 1 Corinthians 14:12 says, "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church". You see this? We are called to ministers to those in our local church, to edify and build each other up. When we abandone church attendance for the sake of television or radio ministers we neglect the use of our spiritual gifts and are in disobedience of God's Word.

ON THE NEWNESS OF LIFE

A. R. Bernard said, If you don’t have a vision for the future, then your future is threatened to be a repeat of the past.

There is a maxim that advises that it is lunacy to expect a different outcome when we continue the same behavior. In Alabama speak that is, “if you keep doin’ what you’re always a doin’, you’ll keep a gettin’ what you always get’.” While this may be amusing, it rings true for many Christians. We live a life that is incongruous with the portrait that is resoundingly clear in Scripture then we fail to understand how we are not appreciating the blessings of God. We cannot understand why we are depressed or unfulfilled. Comparing ourselves to the unsaved around us, our lives are not really contrasted. Something is wrong, and we know it.

Yes, we are sinners for it says so in Romans 3:23. Yes our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked according to Jeremiah 17:9, but if we are saved it is different. How? Because according to God’s Word we are changed: “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things are become new.” II Corinthians 5:17. Why does God provide us with normative truth in the Bible? Why does He provide us a path for righteous living? Why does He provide us the Holy Spirit? Why, because He expects us to live a victorious life. He expects us to move towards progressive sanctification to maturity.

Let me unpack this. In Romans 6:4 it says: “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”. You see this? At salvation we are freed from death and sin and its power, and by so are enabled to walk in righteousness. Paul goes on to say in 6:18, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness”. Are you saved? Yes, then live righteously by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Humbly, Sherrell

Thoughts on Culmination

I just lost my only brother. Due to some unforeseen events, there were several weeks that passed between his death and our family's memorializing him. There are some things that you can learn by waiting...by pause after such a shocking event; you learn to be still and listen to quiet voice of God. Ronnie was 45; seemingly healthy, but cancer and fatal circumstances can be larger than all of us. In our frailness we can only grasp that it is decisively the sovereignty of God that can transcend all science and healing. Life is paper thin, and our veneer it shredded away and stripped when we face the mortality of those close to us. Whether your earthly life amounts to fame or not means nothing in the grand scene of eternity.

When faced with the planning of Ronnie's memorial service details seemed to materialize somewhat on their own. My work right now is unforgiving and overwhelming. God just works things out. In eulogizing Ronnie, I attempted to cast an image of long ago. You see in the twenty-five years since we had been apart we had scarcely seen one another, talked to one another or even had a glance at our mutual lives. It was at our mother's funeral in 2005 when it became clear to me and I realized that my brother had become a total stranger. At his memorial service, I could only muster up some childhood stories...could only cast out some faint memories....could only offer glimpses of what he once was.

The only message of hope that I could offer those listening that night was the message of eternal life; the Gospel. For twenty minutes I unashamedly shared a timeless message of God's Plan for Salvation for the lost and the dying. Paul said in Romans 1:16 that the Gospel "is the power of God unto Salvation..." I am wondering how many reading this post right now are ready for death? You can know for sure that you are indeed ready. Jesus said in John 10:10b, "I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly". But also listen to John 3:36: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Friend, you are faced with the choice of everlasting life or the wrath of God. Read more at http://www.fbtministries.org/heaven.htm with love and encouragement...I am Sherrell

The Sweetness of Christ Flowing Out of Our Lives

Have you ever been really thirsty? I mean having such a dry parched mouth that it sticks together? You’re in a place of oppressive heat; its consuming and you cannot escape it. You walk left and walk right and cannot find a place of solace, a place of respite. You venture over the sandy hill and there in the distance at the bottom of your view is a beautiful glade, green and lush. You hurry your pace and find a flowing beautiful shady brook. Your hand discovers cool and clear water so clean. You satisfy your thirst and a coolness sweeps over you like a calm of a gentle rain; it is sweet and it satisfies. What a picture.

In Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul starts with this idea. He says, “If [there be] therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind. He uses the term consolation, that is simply, a “sweetness” in Christ. You get that? Think about this: the sweetness of Christ should so exude from our lives that we are like a refreshing drink of cool water to the dry around us; that we are a cool calm to the hot torrent of life to those who are our friends in Christ, and to the thirsty world….a satisfying drink. Ah, but read on dear friend.

You will notice that Paul teaches here to illustrate this thought: Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, [being] of one accord, of one mind. [Let] nothing [be done] through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. He calls us to a place of humility, one contrary to strife or vainglory. Each of us is to esteem others better than ourselves. Contrary to the world, we are to put others before our own life. Jesus taught, to die to ourselves; He taught to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is sacrifice; this is sweetness. How is your sweetness towards others? Do you have the “mind of Christ? Paul commands us to have the Mind of Christ, verse 5, one that embraces sacrifice and slavery to God; one that commands sweetness to others. Let your sweetness wrap its splendor to reach the thirsty. In His Honor! Sherrell

ON Removing Anemia from our Churches

I am burdened about the lack of clarity when dealing with sin in our churches today. We modern Christians have bought into the satanic lie that judgment within the body of Christ is wrong. Modernistic philosophy and psychology has done much damage to the church; after all this is the enemy’s desire. Lets consider Paul’s admonition to the Christians in Corinth regarding the adulterer who was living in open sin with his mother-in-law. 1 Corinthians 5: verse 1 says “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you…” Here is the key: this man’s adultery was commonly known; it was public. Why even the gentiles (that is the pagan culture around them) were scandalized by this (1b). Paul goes on to say that they were prideful when they should be in mourning (verse 2). Look at verse 3, Paul said that he was in judgment about this even though he was not there. Why? He knew the Word of God; that is our standard. He preached the Word of Truth, that is the only measure (1 Tim 3:15-16). Paul knows that fornication is wrong! His admonition? “When you are gathered together” (verse 4); that is corporate worship, “…deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh…”(verse 5); that is cast him out of the church, where his leaven cannot infect the body.

Here is Paul’s key: verse 7 says to “purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened….” Paul understood that harboring sin as a corporate church body was to allow a cancer to destroy unity and fellowship, as it had done in this church.

What is our solution? Some would say that Christ said, “Judge not that ye be not judged”, that is Matthew 7:1, but Christ here is talking to those (hypocrites) who are blinded by their own sin. What does he go on to teach? That we are to first remove the beam from our own eye where we can see clearly to remove the mote (speck) from our brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). Let's face it friend, we must all be on our knees asking for God’s forgiveness everyday, but we must exercise discernment in dealing with the open sin of others within the church. The point is that we cannot have a clean hearted congregation until we corporately deal with open sin in accordance with Paul’s loving admonition. It is the loving thing to deliver church discipline in a humble and loving manner, with the grave hope that such a transgressor would recognize the wickedness of their openly sinful ways and come back to be lovingly restored to fellowship. Such acts can help remove the anemia that churches experience today, and will restore God’s power to save the world through the Great Commission. Humbly submitted.

Godliness and Contentment

The great Apostle writes "....godliness with contentment is great gain" I Timothy 6:6. I have been most intrigued in these last days with the world of business and its enterprise. Our nation, indeed the world, is carried away with its necessity to stoke its engines with the fodder of economy. Our leaders are pressed to balance the grand scales of economic justice and seemingly strive to equate wealth and substance with liberty itself. It is this freedom to thrive and flourish that sparks hope to a budding entrepreneur; one that makes it a cherished prize. It is this ideal that is attractive about industry, and there is nothing wrong with hard work; "consider the ant..." Proverbs 6:6. From practitioner to strategist, they are all fueled with the one thing that gives momentum to that engine; marketing.

Further, there are popular spiritual books today that make purpose a divine. They play on an inner spiritual hunger to matter, be relevant and say that there is a destiny for everyone. The spiritual and business gurus carefully orchestrate their cacophony of clever terms (thats a story for another entry); decisively, they too are engaged in the second oldest profession, selling, that is, highlighting a need and filling it.

We are swarmmed with media images, those Madison Avenue servings thousands of times per week. We are absorbed with culture and the material being of our lives. We can be trite about materialism; I can say much here, but I am more concerned with a more insidious product of the flesh, that is a lack of genuine contentment and rest in Christ. Remember the admonition of Hebrews 13:5 which encourages: "Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have, for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" . Are you able to rest in Christ? Our goal is not the temporal prizes of this earth; they are of another plain. The writer of Hebrews goes on to summarize, "For here (that is this earth) have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come" 13:14. We rest in Christ when we lose ourselves, that is dying to ourselves. We press into Him when we serve Him and serve others. Godliness with contentment is a precious refreshment; one that satisfies our souls. With love.

The Natural Man's Way: Failure at a Deeply fulfilling Life

Are you finding your life woefully inadequate to fulfill some deeply seated longing? It is little wonder today. You see, the natural man, that is our natural disposition from our birth is inadequate: Proverbs 14:12 says "There is a way which seemeth right to a man, but its end is the way of death." God's Word further clarifies; "The natural man doth not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." I Corinthians 2:14.

It is no surprise that we sputter through life trying to satisfy a spiritual need with a fleshly solution. It would be foolish for me to tell you to go and read your Bible if you are starving, having not had a meal for a week. This would be a spiritual solution to a physical problem. The same thing can be said of the reverse. You cannot solve a spiritual problem with a physical solution; nor a financial solution, nor a better job..... You get the idea. The problem in life is not that we must get better nor try harder in solving our deep emotional issues or longings. No matter how much we attempt to alter our program, it always crashes. The answer is that we need a spiritual overhaul; a complete heart replacement!

The natural man is self-centered and rebels against God and God's Way. Jeremiah tells us in scripture that "The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it? (vs17:9). Paul summarized in Romans 3:10, There is none righteous, no not one".

How do we solve this heart problem? Nicodemus, a Jewish Teacher of the Law came to Jesus by night and inquired of Him the source of His miracles and power. Nicodemus knew that Jesus was different than his Pharisaical colleagues, and he desired to know the truth. Jesus' answer was profound but simple. He said "Verily, Verily I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3. He goes on to explain that "....that which is born of flesh is flesh, but that which is born of Spirit is spirit" verse 6. You see Christ here is explaining the real key to man's heart problem. It requires a spiritual birth to experience the true change inside; the true peace and joy that surpasses any known to common man. Jesus said, 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. Thats John 14:27. Do you want peace? Confess your sins to God and repent; Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and that God raised Him from the Dead; and call upon the name of the Lord for salvation. Drop me a line and I can share more from Scripture. Paul said "... behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2. Friend, you do not have time to wait. Sherrell

The Haunting Spectre

I am haunted by a spectre of unrest. It touches the shadows around me but eludes the slimest grapple at its breadth. It eases back into the recesses of my soul and nags at the slightest crisis of life. In solitude, it appears to creep closer as a timid creature of the wild, revealing its full extent. It is elusive and complex, like a wisp in the Wind. The Wind, revealing its exterior brings it closer; the Wind does its proving work.

Sometimes its downed (consumed) by the loudness of life; the hurried pace screams for attention, haranguing the spectre. It is like this, the spectre wants to tarry....it must have its space. It needs to have its own existence, but it fights for both its need to survive by resigning, and its hunger to haunt its hunter; it is embroiled in battle.

I strolled through my neighborhood the other evening, and to my delight I saw a small fox. There, the furtive little creature was elusively darting through the shadows like my spectre of unrest, looking for its quest but not wanting the full measure of attention.

This spectre of unrest is much like the fox. He must forage for existence. It must continually be fed. Its privation though, is manifested by the Wind. "He will reprove the world of Sin..." John 16. The spectre of unrest is rightly bludgeoned by the Holy Spirit's illumination. C. S. Lewis said, "God whispers to us in our pleasure, but screams at us in our pain". But we push back....we numb it with generous amounts of chloroform in the fashion of pastime or labor. We must allow the Wind its due, to bring the scapel to bear on the spectre of unrest. It must be in this fashion. The pervasive aura of unconfessed sin.

The Psalmist said, Blessed [is] the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit [there is] no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Psalms 32: 1-4. Here it is; the chronic malignancy that unconfessed sin renders. Notice here the language, the physical results of unconfessed sin, the ailment when "one keeps silent"; "bones grow old"; that is they waste away". The hand of God's chastisement upon the wayward, who carry the palpable pain and the physical torture of unconfessed sins. This is a heavy burden.......this is a spectre of unrest. But notice the solution David describes. In verse 5, observe: I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord," and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

God's Word tell us that confession will rid us of the spectre. I John 1:9 states, "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to fogive us of our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness". Friend, today you may be suffering from anxiety or depression, or even some physical ailment. You may not understand why your prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. God may not hear your prayers due to your lack of a clean heart before Him. Sin sent Christ to the cross and it will keep you from a victorious life; it will rob your joy and it will destroy your life. Praise be to God for His solution; his restoration. Praise the Lord for I John 1:9! Confess and repent today. Now that is good news!