Thoughts as a Source of Distress

[birdelljerome]

Thoughts as a Source of Distress
What are the things that really frighten you? What are ways that you can learn to trust the Lord, despite that fear? After all, isnt the Lords power greater than whatever threats you face?
Much suffering can occur through thinking. Psychologist Philip Zimbardo, in his book Psychology and Life, reports the case of a young woman taken to a hospital because she was terrified of dying. Apparently there was nothing wrong with her, but she was admitted overnight for observation. Hours later she died. Further investigation showed that years before, a psychic had predicted her death on her twenty-third birthday. This woman died, victim of her own panic, the day before she would have become 23. No question, people can suffer seriously from their negative thoughts; hence the need of wholesome thinking (tomorrows lesson).

Also, just as important to remember: we can also adversely affect others thinking by expressing our negativity to others. Words are very powerful tools, either for good or for evil. Our words either build up or tear down. There is life and death in the words we speak. How careful we need to be with the thoughts and sentiments that come out of our mouths.

Read Acts 14:2, 15:24, and . What do they tell us about the power to impact people negatively?

Acts 14:2 "But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the other Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers."

Acts 15:24 "We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said."

Galatians 3:1 Faith or Works of the Law "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified."

"If you do not feel lighthearted and joyous, do not talk of your feelings. Cast no shadow upon the lives of others. A cold, sunless religion never draws souls to Christ. It drives them away from Him into the nets that Satan has spread for the feet of the straying." - Ellen G. White, The Ministry of Healing, p. 488.

Think about times someones mere words tore you down in a big way. How can you be sure you never do that to anyone else?

[tina martin]

Why must the Jews be dragged into this? Isn't there enough anti-semitism?

[newrunner]

I don't think that quoting a factual excerpt of the Bible is anti-semitic. He is not saying that other people were not also stirring up trouble. Trouble stirring is an equal opportunity sport.

[Flyer99]

Pardon me, but the Jews weren't dragged into anything. This is simply one biblical quote along with the other bliblical quotes in the post. Please don't make an issue of it.

[tina martin]

Tragically it is and was a HUGE issue for the millions of us destined to be brutally and mecilessly murdered. Entire populations went along with the murders. WHY? The quote reads, "But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers." Can you explain this quote? Or is my English not good enough? My language of origin is German. Maybe that will give a clue to history.

Once upon a time I was silent, shamefully silent. In fact, most of my life I was silent. Need I remain silent?

[Flyer99]

You have to look at the entire scenario and not take one quote out of context. Paul and Barnabas had just arrived in a town called Iconium and went to the meeting place there to deliver their message. Iconium was, as were all the other towns in the area, made up of Jewish people and non-Jewish people (the Gentiles, or people of the street). The Jews believed in the strict following of Moses' laws and that of the Old Testament (the Pentateuch). Paul was able to convince the majority of the Jewish people about Christ. However, some Jewish people didn't accept it (their choice). It was this minority of the strict Jewish population of Iconium that started a campaign against Paul and Barnabas as this group desired to maintain the laws of Moses. In today's language this passage simply means that their campaign consisted of throwing suspicion and mistrust of Paul and Barnabas to the minds of the Gentiles and also to the minds of the Jewish people that believed Paul's message. They wanted them to convert or revert back to the laws of Moses. In the opening passages of Acts 14, there was a great division of the Jewish population, some of the Jewish people believed Paul's message, others became militant against the gospel. This was simply an example of a town divided and we find this throughout the bible.

[tina martin]

Thanks for the explanation. The problem in the Bible, then, is that it pits Jews against Gentiles for all time with ghastly results. Convert, or else. Even that was not good enough.The Holocaust could not have happened if populations throughout Europe (mostly Christian) had not been prejudiced in this direction.The US closed its doors too. Sent a ship back into that hell. The world cooperated only too willingly with the murderers. There were few isolated exceptions. Where was Christian Love?

But you need not be concerned: it does not take much to silence me. I'm silenced. I already had one stroke, go on with this and I'll have another.

[Flyer99]

Tina, please do not be disconcerted. The Jewish people are wonderful people, as are you! The Bible doesn't pit Jews vs Gentiles forever and ever. There are Jews today who are atheists and do not believe in any God (same goes for Gentiles). There are Jews today who believe that Jesus is the Messiah (same goes for Gentiles). There are Jews today who believe that their Messiah has not yet come (same for Gentiles). It is as hard to say what Jews (or Gentiles) really believe as it is to say what Americans believe. Belief is individualistic. There are Jews who believe in Jesus, as their are Gentiles who believe in Jesus. However, the majority of Jews today do not believe in Jesus, even as the majority of Gentiles today do not believe in Jesus but have other faiths, keeping in mind that a Gentile is ANY non-Jewish person. By the way, I really enjoy reading your posts as it gives me the opportunity to contemplate and reflect. Thank you for that, Tina.

[tina martin]

Flyer, I am now collected enough to read your kind post without the words dancing wildly about me. You may guess I am an agnostic at best after having lived through WWII. I was young but knew, even in the womb, that this was no time and place (Vienna) to be born.

Also want to thank you for Anxiety Zone, a fine place. Here they are lucky to have you as you pay attention. You're a great guy and I'm glad I met you. Thank you for hanging in with me. Thank you for your nice words......Tina

[Paisleegreen]

Hi all--Great thoughts posted by everyone. Particularly the first one that told how a person's thought caused her to die before she turned 23 years old. Pretty much the message of letting us realize how powerful our thoughts are, for good or evil.

Now to just control them! Paislee