|
PASTORAL COUNSELING
By Dr. R.K. Hester
There is no greater field of labor for the Pastor than in
the ministry of counseling. It has not been until recently that pastors are realizing how important this part of their ministry
really is. In the past, most pastors only had to concern themselves with preaching and the administration of the church affairs.
This is frankly not the case today.
The pastor is not only called upon to teach, preach and administer the affairs
of the church, but, he is often
called upon to fill the roll of a counselor. Not only to those in the congregation, but
many in the community as well. The roll of the pastor as a counselor is ever expanding, and pastors are facing a greater demand
upon their time. They must prepare themselves to meet these new and pressing needs in the area of counseling.
The
word "counsel" is defined as: "To give advice; to recommend, or to the urge the adoption of." Pastors have always been counslers
according to this definition. It has been their responsibility "to give advice" and "to urge the adoption of", certain facts
concerning both the physical and spiritual good of others.
Today the roll of pastor comtinues to expand. It is imperative
that the pastor have an understanding not only of who to help, but how to help them. The pastor who is not trained in the
area of counseling will become more of a hinderance instead of a help to the kingdom of God.
INTRODUCTION OF OUR
GUEST WRITER
I have been surfing the internet looking for
ministries that would trade banners with us. By trading we could help spread the Gospel through their calling... and they
could return the favor for us.
I came across a page that was almost entirely women's ministry... but men who will
listen are also spoken to. For too many years men have incorrectly interpreted parts of the Bible so that women could not
be involved in ministry though God had called them.
Rev. Marie Magruder heads a ministry for Women and Men who will
listen that I believe is outstanding. Because of my support for all women in ministry (I also support my wife who is a licensed
minister) I have asked Rev Magruder to write an article for us or submit one she has written. This may not be exactly what
you might expect from a Christian counseling web page... But the Spirit moves on us as He will... and He has impressed me
strongly to invite Marie to write for us.
Read the article below and see how Women are being encouraged to throw off
constraints and follow God as He calls them in ministry. And Men listen... there is something here for us also. And after
her article follow the link and find out more about this FANTASTIC ministry.
Blessings
Dr. Gary Barkman
President,
AACT
Woman of the Last Hour Part III
By
Maria Magruder
Jeremiah 8:21-22 For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am
hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me. Is there no balm (healing) in Giliad, is there no physician there?
Why then is there no recovery for the health of the daughter of my people?
9:1 Oh that my head were waters, and my
eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
There is a cry
from Gods daughters that has reached His ears, and His heart. Have you not heard the cry? Have you not felt His heartbeat
for these women who cry for freedom? A cry for healing? A cry for a Savior? Who will stand in the gap for these women?
Jesus
stood in the gap for the woman caught in adultery, Jesus defended the woman with the alabaster box, Jesus healed the woman
with the issue of blood, Jesus delivered the woman who needed to be set free of seven demons. Is there no healing for these
women? Are you hurt for the daughter of His people?
Jeremiah 46:11-12 Go up to Gilead and take balm (healing), O virgin,
the daughter of Egypt (women of the world); in vain you will use many medicines; you shall not be cured. The nations have
heard of your shame, and your cry has filled the land.
Women of the world are searching everywhere for their healing.
They go to psychics, they go to spiritual healers, to their psychiatrist, to spiritualist, to counseling, to drugs, yet they
find no healing! They are looking for freedom from bondage, they are looking for Jesus, yet they dont know where to find Him.
Women oppressed in many foreign countries by their government, unable to even show their face in public or face possible
consequences by death! Women who are being circumcised in their land, and other sick and un-human acts that are done to them,
just because they are women, and considered less. Who will stand in the gap for these women? Who will go to these women?
Woman
of the Last HourYOU HAVE BEEN CALLED
Woman of the Last HourYOU HAVE BEEN ORDAINED
Woman of the Last HourYOU ARE ANOINTED
Woman of the Last HourYOU ARE LOOSED
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS!
God has been preparing you O woman of the
Church, O woman of the body of Christ, God has been healing you, refining you, and getting your ready for this moment in history.
NOW is the time, TODAY is the day, this IS THE LAST HOUR.
Again, God says to you:
Enlarge the place of your
tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes.
Its
time to stretch and lengthen into Gods dwellings AGAIN. To reach, grab a hold of the things of the Spirit, the realms of Glory,
reaching into the supernatural. For it is YOU O Woman who carries the balm of Gilead! God is IN you, YOU are a carrier of
the anointing. YOU are a carrier of healing. YOU are a carrier of deliverance. YOU are a carrier of salvation!
Just
as mother Mary was a carrier of the anointing, when she said Yes, Lord be it unto me, according to thy Word. It was right
at that moment that she immediately became impregnated by the Holy Spirit by the anointing of God, and became a carrier of
the anointing. Even so, you, women are a carrier of Gods anointing, and His presence. You have abided in Him, therefore His
resurrection POWER dwells within you!
1st John 2:6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself/herself also to walk
just as He walked.
Jesus WALKED in POWER and ANOINTING my friends! He is calling you to walk as He did, setting the
captive free, healing the sick and brokenhearted, preaching good tidings to the poor, opening the prison doors to those who
are bound, to comfort all who mourn, and lets not forget to raise the dead!
1st John 4:17 because as HE IS, so ARE
we in this world!!!
Its not going to just be one woman who sets these women free in this last hour. In the past you
have heard of great women such as Kathryn Kuhlman, Amy Simple-McPherson, Maria Woodworth-Etter, Joan of Arc and many othersin
this last hour its an ARMY of women, its an army of Kathryn Kuhlmans an army of Amy Simple-McPHersons, an army of Joan of
Arcs!
If one woman, such as Esther or Joan of Arc can save a whole nation, what can you do as you yield to Gods Spirit?
Joan of Arc not only saved a nation, but she had VISION. What was the vision? To put the rightful KING on the throne of France.
You will do the same! You will put the King of Kings and Lord of Lords on the throne of peoples hearts all over the world!
You are brought into this last hour for such a time as this, women! Rise up! Take your stand. For the vision of God is that
none should perish!
God is sending and raising up godly men in this last hour, to come along side the women! Glory!
We are all a part of the body of Christ and we must work together.
Just as Peter said, Arise, Tabitha (Dorcus)
Then
he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. Acts 9:40-41
Even so God is sending godly men, who have a pure heart after Him and have heard His voice, are stepping out in obedience,
to raise up women in this last hour. They are coming to equip, under-gird, support and nurture the anointing God has given
you. These men see the gift God has placed upon you. These men are coming in the power of the Holy Ghost, to say Arise, women!
and they will present women ALIVE! It will be a quick work. And there will be healing between the genders, from the men who
are called to step into this position.
Jeremiah 30:17 For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,
says the Lord, because they called you an outcast saying; This is Zion; no one seeks her.
Men of healing, you also
have been brought into this world, such a time as this! Rise up and take your position that God has been putting forth on
your heart. Youve wondered if youve heard Him correctly. Could this really be God? you have said in your heart. Surely, you
know His voice!
Women of the Last Hour, women of Egypt, women of the world, are waiting for you. They are DYING to
receive the gift God has put in you! Come forth women! This is your hour! The last shall be first and the first last! God
is still calling you into His vineyardare you ready to work?
Email: maria@lifelineoutreach.com
Web: www.womanofthelasthour.com
|
|
Following the Anger
Trail to Repentance
Dr. Daniel L. Moore, C.P.P.T.
The man sat before me and said, Pastor, I cant explain
it. I have prayed for forgiveness. I know God is supposed to forgive me when I confess my sins. I still feel anger. What can
I do? The man, Ill call him Bill, was a work to put it bluntly. He was not a member. He had hopped from church to church looking
for simple solutions to his problems. He was going through a divorce, had been involved with another married woman, and was
facing a court date for a filing a false police report. He had started visiting the church I pastured and asked for my counsel.
I looked at Bill and said, Anger is an emotion that most people mismanage. Anger is the emotion that says, Something
is wrong and needs correction. The problem is simple: most people have not been taught proper anger management. We learn anger
from our parents and lifes experience. The first biblical record of anger is found in Genesis chapter 4:
The LORD
accepted Abel and his offering, but he did not accept Cain and his offering. This made Cain very angry and dejected. "Why
are you so angry?" the LORD asked him. "Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you respond in the right way.
But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it."
(New Living Translation)
Cains anger was the result of something wrong. God pointed out that it was an internal problem
in Cain and needed adjustment. Cain had the option of dealing with his anger as the Lord pointed out. Sin took over when Cain
refused to follow Gods Word.
God has created man in His image. This includes emotions. Anger is a neutral emotion
that God has given man. Paul encourages believers to Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor
give place to the devil (Eph. 4:26-27) (New King James Version).
I asked Bill why he continued to be angry. He just
did not know. I told him that his anger was pointing to some unresolved issues inside himself. I believed that the Holy Spirit
was convicting him of the need of further repentance. So I asked him, Bill, what have you repented of? He told me he had stopped
seeing that woman and had prayed to the Lord over it. Pastor, I still have feelings for her and I am so lonely. I began the
process of confrontation with Gods Word to lead this man to further repentance. His anger revealed that his repentance was
incomplete. I gave him the following passage as we studied and prayed together:
The preparations of the heart belong
to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs
the spirits. Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. (Prov. 16:1-3) (NKJV)
As I have
learned long ago from listening to people, anger often is a symptom of a deeper issue. Often, I have found that there is something
that the person needs to repent of or the repentance is incomplete. Bills life was missing the blessing of a committed life
to the Lord and to His people because of the incompleteness of repentance in his life. What I have learned along the way is
to help people process the anger by:
When angry, ask: What is making me angry? What is the real problem?
If
the answer is slow in coming, to pray to God, Show me what you see. Lead me where I need to be corrected and to repent if
necessary. Lead me to change. Lead me to seek the forgiveness of others.
Study the Bible on what it teaches and begin
applying it.
Seek the counsel of others in the body of Christ. If it is a bad habit, put it off and put on a new and good
habit.
With Bill, we worked through the process together. He discovered he needed further repentance in his thought
life, with his relationship with the Lord, and to make a commitment to a church. He is still a work in process (like us all)
but God is beginning to bless his life per His Word.
PRESIDENT'S PONDERINGS
Greetings in the Name of The Lord. I hope the Peace
that passes all understanding was yours in this past Holiday season.
Here we are at the threshold of another year.
What does this next year bring for us as we step through that door to our future??? I hope it brings promise to you and yours
as you continue to keep Christ in your life, full in your heart, and the center of your coundeling ministry.
We here
at AACT continue to experience growth. God has indeed blessed us... bringing persons across our path that choose to join this
ministry... and with not much remuneration. Thank the Lord for committed Christians and committed Christian counselors and
therapists.
Read these outstanding articles and refresh your self with the information on this web page or pages.
If you are still not a member of this prestigeous association NOW IS THE TIME TO BECOME A PART!! Print the applications or
call or write for a catalog. Show your church members or your clients that you have been recognized by an association that
cares how you do your work. ...
Look back to this article for more comments early in the month of January... Well
here it is January already... and the new newsletter has been published for almost two weeks.
You who have seen the
newsletter while it was under construction and now see it after the late additions can almost see visible growth. We have
finally added the long awaited "800" number so that those inquiring may do so toll free. We have added two new staff persons
at the Wichita Falls location. And Sunday the 6th of January I will be interviewing two persons who may help set up our new
local "AACT Christian Counseling Center."
Look for two more additions to our staff in this letter or next months.
Pray for our growth and become a member of our ever growing association. Look for some more notes from me in February
Blessings
to you all
Dr. Gary Barkman
Would you like to have one of these beautiful prayer journals? Click on the picture
and go to our Positive Solutions web site. It can be yours for a small $15 donation.
|
