Other books by the author Pearls: Scriptures To Live By Mental health Bible concordance. Over 2,500 Scriptures for counsel and guidance. Compiled under 172 mental health topics. Christlike: Walking The Walk A Scripture-based description of what it means to be a mentally healthy Christian, and how to become more Christlike. Visit the author at Counseling4Christians.com The #1 Christian Counseling Internet Site on the Web To schedule a presentation at your church or organization, please email us at: Counseling4Christians@gmail.com
Personal Study Version GODLY COUNSEL Scriptures For Today s World Written by Dr. Brian Campbell In Collaboration with Rev. Jim Angelakos
Acknowledgements A special thanks to Rev. Jim Angelakos for his help and encouragement throughout this project. To my father and mother, who dedicated their lives to me, and who raised my brother and me in a Godly household. Copyright Copyright 2010, by Dr. Brian Campbell (All Rights Reserved (Revised Edition)) Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com Note: In this book, the words of Christ are printed in italics. Consistent with modern editing practices, beginning and ending ellipses have been omitted when only partial quotes of Scriptures have been utilized. Also, quotation marks have been omitted except where they were necessary for clarity. Because of these editing practices, please always consult the original biblical text before quoting any Scriptures in this book.
Contents Foreword: This Book is About God s Word 7 Lesson: 1. Abortion 9 2. Addictions 15 3. Adolescent Rebellion 24 4. Anger 31 5. Anxiety/Worry/Fear 39 6. Backsliding 43 7. Belief/Salvation 53 8. Christ, Who He Is 62 9. Citizenship 66 10. Communication 70 11. Death and Dying 83 12. Depression 91 13. Divorce 104 14. Forgive/Forgiveness 108 15. Grief 112 16. Judgmental 116 17. Love 121 18. Marriage 132 19. Money/Riches 136 20. Parenting 140 21. Persecution 146 22. Prayer 151 23. Pride 167 24. Self-Esteem, Low 171 25. Sexual Sin 181 26. Sin 188 27. Suffering 197 28. Temptation 204 29. Thinking, Healthy 214 30. Trouble/Hardship 219 31. Truth 223 32. Unemployment 229 33. Weak/Tired 235 Topical Index: 239
For our children and grandchildren, Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed. (Robert Schuller) Pass it on. (9-12.15.22.5-25.15.21: 13.1.3.11.5.14.26.9.5; 3.1.12.5.2; 8.5.14.18.25; 2.1.2.25)
Foreword This Book Is About God s Word The Word of God is living and active and relevant to today s world and to today s problems. There is no greater authority for Christian living than God s Holy Word. Whatever your problem, concern, or question may be, God has provided valuable guidance and counsel in the Bible. This book is a follow-up and companion to a previous book authored by Dr. Campbell entitled: Pearls: Scriptures To Live By. Pearls grew out of Dr. Campbell s work as a Christian psychologist. It consists of over 2,500 Scriptures for counsel and guidance, compiled under 172 topics relevant to Christian mental health. The idea for the current work, Godly Counsel, was first suggested by Rev. Jim Angelakos, who saw a need for a Synopsis (summary) of topics covered in Pearls. Many of the subjects covered in Pearls are synthesized and subsumed under the major headings in Godly Counsel. Focus On The Scriptures This book is primarily about Scriptures how they speak to mental health issues prevalent in our society. As you read the Synopsis for each chapter, take time to read the Scriptures that relate to the summary text. The Scriptures are conveniently located at the bottom of each page. Please take time to read the Scriptures supporting the text. The Scriptures will change your thinking, and ultimately change your life. Topical Index
If you do not see your problem/concern among the major Lessons included in this book, please consult the Topical Index (p. 239).
9 Self-Esteem
Lesson 23 Self-Esteem, Low The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4) Self-Esteem: the appraised value or worth of oneself Despite biblical evidence to the contrary, many Christians have extremely low self-esteem. They have listened to the lies that the world has taught them, and believe they are dumb, ugly, unimportant, worthless, etc. The Bible paints an entirely different view of Christians. As Christians, it is important to realize that we are extremely valuable in God s eyes. Understanding who you are in Christ can be critically important to a mentally healthy life. The following is a partial list of Scriptures that relate to your value and worth in the sight of God.
11 Self-Esteem, Low WHO I AM I AM A CHILD OF GOD You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26) Yet to all who received him [Jesus Christ], to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12) And by him we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God s children. (Romans 8:15-16) I AM MADE IN GOD S IMAGE So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27) I AM GOD S TEMPLE Don t you know that you yourselves are God s temple and that God s Spirit lives in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)
Self-Esteem, Low 12 I AM A WONDERFUL HAND-MADE CREATION OF GOD For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother s womb. (Psalm 139:13) I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) I AM ONLY A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE HEAVENLY BEINGS You made him [man] a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:5) I AM CHRIST S AMBASSADOR ON EARTH We are therefore Christ s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. (2 Corinthians 5:20) As God s fellow workers, we urge you not to receive God s grace in vain. (2 Corinthians 6:1)
13 Self-Esteem, Low I AM A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20) I AM A NEW CREATION IN CHRIST Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17) I AM BEING TRANSFORMED INTO CHRIST S LIKENESS And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18) And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:49) In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. (1 John 4:17)
Self-Esteem, Low 14 I AM GOD S WORKMANSHIP For we are God s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10) I AM CHRIST S FRIEND I no longer call you servants Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15) I HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY GOD You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit fruit that will last. Then the father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 15:16) He appointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
15 Self-Esteem, Low I AM A SAINT Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:1) I AM A MEMBER OF CHRIST S BODY Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:27) I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit. (John 15:5) GOD LISTENS TO MY PRAYERS This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. (1 John 5:14) I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 16:23)
Self-Esteem, Low 16 I AM AN HEIR TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD Now if we are children, then we are heirs heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Romans 8:17) Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God s possession to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14) I AM STRONG IN CHRIST I can do everything through him [Christ] who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13) CHRIST DIED FOR ME But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
17 Self-Esteem, Low I AM FORGIVEN Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will never count against him. (Romans 4:8) So if the Son sets you free [from sin], you will be free indeed. (John 8:36) I AM FREE OF CONDEMNATION Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVES IN ME God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5) The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. (John 6:63)
Self-Esteem, Low 18 I AM RIGHTEOUS, BLAMELESS, AND HOLY BEFORE GOD Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. (Romans 10:4) But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. (Romans 8:10) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. (Romans 6:22) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. (Ephesians 1:4) I AM LOVED BY GOD For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) This is love: not that we loved God, but the he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
I CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM GOD S LOVE For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39) 19 P a g e