Mike,

Thanks again for going over all of this. I don’t really feel like I did earlier in the week in that “crisis”. It’s like there’s been some type of calming or comforting. There’s still physical pain (though maybe not quite as bad), and now some depression, but I don’t seem to mind nearly as much about it.
Well, I printed out this last email, along with some of the “essential reading material” from your website, and have been trying to go over some of this. I’ve been keeping that stuff you are saying about Job coming to be acceptive of God’s will in mind. It’s hard to tell if there’s more negativity I need to go through with Him for me at this point or not right now.
A lot of the stuff you’re saying in this last email about how the resurrections work and the lake of fire, I’m not sure if I really understand. This is some of the stuff that I think I’ve understood differently from how you explain it. But with whatever has been going on with my “interpretation”, it seems to change around over time, and not really have the solidity it seemed to have previously. As time has gone on, I’m being more receptive that maybe whatever you’re saying is likely to be right, but I don’t understand how it really works. Like is this material you feel fits the same category when you mentioned that God has to “open my eyes” to be able to understand it, or when you go over this, am I supposed to be able to receive it now? I remember you said something about how only God knows where I am with all of this, so maybe asking that question was pointless.
Anyway, I’ve been feeling more need to go over that “essential reading” section material you have on your website.
You were mentioning that God heals through his word. Are there certain sections of the Bible I should try reading, or should I just be trying to go over as much as I can, hoping it will “put itself together” over time? I think that’s how I’ve perceived it working in the past.
All of this exchanging has been very helpful… thanks again.

S____

Hi S____,
Thank you for your questions.
You say:

There’s still physical pain (though maybe not quite as bad), and now some depression, but I don’t seem to mind nearly as much about it.

Then you ask:

Are there any certain sections of the Bible I should try reading, or should I just be trying to go over as much as I can, hoping it will “put itself together” over time?

The answer that question is that God has placed teachers in His church and as the Ethiopian eunuch asked Philip:

Act 8:30  And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
Act 8:31  And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
1Co 12:28  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

So read the articles in the essential reading section of the home page. Read them all and read them several times if necessary. Try the spirits and be a good Berean and search the scriptures to see whether the things are so.

Act 17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

That is what you need to do. If you can get the words and thoughts of Christ to replace the thoughts you spend thinking of yourself and your problems, then God will have “sent His word and healed you.”

Psa 107:20  He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

But as a friend asked me just yesterday “Have you ever noticed that when you ask for something before God knows you are grateful for it or before you are prepared to receive it, God actually turns up the heat like He did on Job, before Job learned to “sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving even for his trials.”

Psa 107:22  And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

My friend was exactly right. I can vouch for that myself. So thank God for His wonderful works to you.

Psa 107:24  These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
Psa 107:25  For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
Psa 107:26  They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
Psa 107:27  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end.
Psa 107:28  Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
Psa 107:29  He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.
Psa 107:30  Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Psa 107:31  Oh that [ men] would praise the LORD [ for] his goodness, and [ for] his wonderful works to the children of men!

So thank Him even for your trials. Put your mind to pleasing Him by becoming and example to those around you of how Christ can and does change a person though His Word.
I look forward to hearing about how Christ is working in you.
God bless you as you thank Him for all the things He is doing after the counsel of His own will.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike