Truth really can be stranger than fiction.

First Page - Now launched! All the stories are true, or based on real events. Unlimited reading for $4.99 / month. No downloads. Read on your phone, tablet or computer.

La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.

First Page - ¡Ya está en marcha! Todas las historias son verídicas, o están basadas en hechos reales. Lectura ilimitada por $4.99 / mes. No hay que descargar nada. Lea en su teléfono, tableta u ordenador.

Manna Minutes Podcast: Eye-opening Bible study in less than five minutes! Access all episodes here.

Manna Minutes en español:

Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.

Manna Minutes Podcast auf Deutsch:

Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.

Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?

The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!

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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried

Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.

Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6

Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.

Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6

Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!

Depression Among Christians: What Does The Bible Say?

It can't be denied that depression affects millions of people around the world. They come from diverse backgrounds, some are Christians others are not, and they belong to all age groups. Included in this group are males and females, the rich and poor, the educated and the unlearned. There may be truth to the statements that depression can be caused by certain chemical imbalances in the brain. But, it is usually unwelcomed circumstances in life that tend to trigger a state of mind bound for depression--unhappiness and hopelessness. Some Christians wonder why they seem to struggle with depression as much as someone who has no faith in God. This is usually because of what they've read in the Bible or what they've been taught.

The scripture of Isaiah 26:3 says, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee...." There certainly is no peace in depression. Sometimes even sleeping binges offer little help as dreams that tease and torment seem to fabricate to prevent even a temporary escape from consciousness. So, if scriptural advice such as that of Isaiah is true, why are Christians who truly love the Lord still battling depression? Have they failed to keep their mind on God and, consequently, are found without peace? To quickly say such without knowing anything about what's going on would only serve as an easy way to give someone an answer--a careless answer.

Unfortunately, many such answers are being thrown at Christians who seek counsel from other Christian "leaders." This mistake has definitely caused a good number of believers to keep their troubles to themselves. Sadly, this is not the way it's supposed to be in the church. If believers have such little interest in each other, how can they be expected to have interest in those who don't believe?

So, should the scripture of Isaiah 26:3 be dismissed when speaking of depression among Christians? Of course it shouldn't, but the Bible does remind every believer that the Word of God must be correctly used. Second Timothy 3:15 reads, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (correctly using) the word of truth." Christians who truly love God don't just serve Him on Sundays. They're not Christians only until it comes to certain areas of their life in which they want immediate success and pleasure. They didn't accept Christ only to receive blessing from Him, while not serving. These are the people that sooner or later will find themselves fighting with all of their might the good fight of faith of which the Bible speaks.

Some go through depression connected to choices they made which were sin such as in the case of king David. He clamored to God in great weariness asking how much longer it would be before his Lord would deliver him. Job faced depression for a different reason. The prophet Elijah and the apostle Paul became so depressed that they lost their will to live (I Kings 19:4, II Corinthians 1:8). In the book of Lamentations, Jeremiah, also known as the "weeping" prophet, appears to have several outbursts fueled by depression. All of the original apostles, except Judah, fell asleep due to depression and helplessness (Luke 22:45). The list could go on and on.

It should be quite obvious that Christians can and will experience debilitating depression when they serve God with their whole being as did the aforementioned saints. This is why the right division of the scriptures will call to the believer's attention the words of I Peter 1:3-7 which say, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

Note:
The Christian ministry of Heavenly Manna is one of a few that offers life-changing Bible studies on a variety of topics rarely discussed from a biblical point of view. Also, the power of music should never be underestimated. The lyrics of some songs offer scripturally based encouragement and the melodies can prove very uplifting to one's mood.

Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.

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