FAF 1022022

Dr. Faye discusses the importance of reading the Bible daily and how it can transform lives. She addresses the current issue of mental health, which has reached an all-time high due to the pandemic. Dr. Faye emphasizes the need to cast away anxieties and find comfort in God's care. She encourages spending time with God and reading the Bible for activation. Dr. Faye also reminds listeners that God is always with them, even in isolation. She urges listeners to seek healing and reach out for prayer and support. Welcome to another Faith Alive in 5, a 5-minute Gospel. I'm Dr. Faye, your host, and now for today's teaching. Last month I started a series about the Bible, reading your Bible, how important it is and valuable it is to actually read your Bible every day. Many of you have begun to pick up your Bibles again, at least getting another level of interest in reading the Word of God, because it is transformative. It will actually take your life from zero to a place of cataclysmic change so that you will no longer be the same. And I want to take a dive this month in a teaching that I feel is so on point for this time, is so relevant, that we get into this area that so many people are struggling with right now, and it's the area of mental health. And you know I only have 5 minutes here on Sundays, so I want to make good use of this time. Many people are reporting depression and mental health issues. It has hit an all-time high. The suicide rate, the depression and anxiety and people needing antidepressants has hit an all-time high. And when we want to know what the Bible says about depression and loneliness, being quarantined, isolated from friends and family for as long as many people have been, it has hit them hard. It is not something to take lightly. People are struggling, still struggling with the post-pandemic mental illness factor. So we want to help people recover, reclaim identity, reclaim joy, reclaim peace. 1 Peter 5 and 7 says, casting away all of our cares because He cares for us. Another word for care is anxiety. Casting away your anxieties because He's able to take you in and care for you. We say those scriptures without having application in our everyday life. How does He care for us? He's already taken the burden upon Himself through Jesus Christ so that you don't have to carry it. When you're struggling with depression and anxiety, the first thing you want to do is to remember that Jesus has paid the price. And what you must do is acknowledge that and take time to fellowship with Him. Isaiah 41 and 10 says, fear not that He's with us. Don't be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. And so since God has already said that, it is up to us to understand that we spend time with Him to get this activated. It's not going to activate by osmosis, just waiting for it to just pop up in our lives. No, it does require some time. And open your Bible, blow the dust off of it, clean the dust off of it, clean the dust off your app, and read it anyway. I am an avid proponent of getting your hard copy, leather copy Bible back in your hands. Hebrews 13 and 5 says, keep your life free from the love of money. He didn't say from money. He just said from the love of it, so don't get that twisted. And be content with what you have, for He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So even when you were isolated, He was still there with you. See, look at you. You came out. You came out. I know you're not feeling like you're victorious. Maybe some of you had COVID and you're what they call now a long hauler, I believe it's a term. Listen, you don't have to stay in that place. You don't have to subscribe to everything the media puts out there. You are a child of God, and God has made a way out for you. Psalms 27, the psalmist says, when my mother and my father forsake me, the Lord will take me up. God wants to heal your broken heart and bind up your wounds, like He said in Psalms 147 and verse 3, I believe. He wants you to know that if you will just come to Him, you call upon Him, He will answer you. He wants to show you great and mighty things that you have not even imagined. My time is almost up on this five minutes, but I want you to know that you can reach out to me for prayer at coach at drfaye.com. Just email me and I'll definitely get back in touch with you. Or you can talk or text at 870-360-9758. That's 870-360-9758. I'm Dr. Faith, and we'll see you next time on Faith Alive in 5, the five minute gospel.