by James Serio
Chapter 3
Now, in the fullness of time, God's people became known as Christians and the Gospel of Jesus Christ became well-known and was proclaimed throughout the world. But the Serpent had hardly been idle: There were now many new religions and over one hundred different psychological theories—and no shortage of true believers!
Aside from fundamentalist Christians, relatively few people believed in the existence of a Devil or demons. About all you would hear about this is "The Devil made me do it!"—a popular line among comedians.
But the mental health industry had matured and was now thriving, perhaps even beyond the wildest dreams of the Serpent. Politicians of all stripes worked in concert to provide real 'mental health solutions.' And this meant more and more money for psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists of all stripes.
Just about everyone was placed on drugs. The consensus in the profession remained, as always, that mental health issues involve 'chemical imbalances.' Clients continued to be told that, just as diabetics need insulin, so they also may need to be on medication for the rest of their lives.
Some might question how such a situation could have come about when real mental health solutions are found in the Bible. Solutions that don't require drugs. But such sacrilege is not well-tolerated by a now enlightened society. When these voices are heard at all, they are dismissed as the ravings of the ignorant.
And so it was and now is that to be recognized as a true 'mental health professional,' you must first be trained by the Devil. And the Serpent's wisdom is usually unquestioned, even in the churches.
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Scriptures to Ponder
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8 NKJV)."
"Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:14-15 NLT)."
"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers (2 Corinthians 1:8-11 NIV)."
"It is good for me that I was afflicted,That I may learn Your statutes (Psalm 119:71 NASB)."
"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life (2 Peter 1:3 NLT)."
"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31-32 NKJV)."
About the Author
James Serio LMFT is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in private practice in the San Diego, California area. He is also the publisher of a popular website that provides a Christian perspective on most mental health issues. That website is www.TheMentalHealthSolution.com
Disclaimer
Legal Disclaimer: No medical advice is being provided. Discuss mental health concerns with a licensed medical or mental health provider. If you are taking psychotropic drugs, do not make any changes without first consulting with your doctor.
Copyright Notices
Scripture quotations marked "NKJV(tm)" are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org).
Regarding This E-Book: Copyright James Serio 2014. All rights reserved.