Conquer Your Mind With Positive Thinking: Free Yourself From Depression, Worry, Anxiety, And Fear

Negative thoughts reduce energy in you and make you to lose focus The more you give in to your negative thoughts, the stronger they become. Likewise, a small positive thought can have the same effect blossoming into a beautiful outcome. Negative thoughts should be avoided at all cost. When we start to have negative thoughts, it's hard to stop them. And it's much easier said than done to shift your focus to positive thoughts. But it's the only way, especially if you want to avoid going down a path that is painful and unnecessary.

Please find below what I did that help me overcome my negative thoughts

I Exercise for at least 5 minutes early in the morning everyday

Any form of exercise is OK. It took my focus away from my thoughts and brought my attention to my breath. Exercise is very relaxing, which helped ease my mind. You could also practice Yoga. Yoga is one of the best exercises that get rid of negative thoughts in your mind.

I surround myself with positive people and I make friends with them.

When you are feeling depressed, or various negative thoughts just fill your heart, talk to people of integrity to help you. People have a huge impact on your life. "You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with," says American entrepreneur and motivational speaker Jim Rohn. With this in mind, you should think about the people you're spending time with the same way you think about what you eat and how you're exercising. Some people can be parasites. They suck out your happiness, energy and maybe some of your tangible resources as well. Some people will even help you to instinct negative thinking into your mind, so be very careful whom you associate yourself with. Who are good people by the way,

They are people that will inspire you to be a better person, provide you with motivation to achieve your goals, empower you to make the changes you need to succeed and cheer on your success.

In the workplace, good people tend to be productive people. They're organized, create schedules they stick to and don't get easily distracted from the end goal. And all this help you be more productive!

I Smile regularly

Smile regularly preferable every day. Smile prevents negative thoughts, improves your mood, helps reduce stress, and makes you more appropriate.

I change the tone of my thoughts from negative to positive.

For example, instead of thinking negative, I think positive. Always allow positive thinking to occupy your mind. Believe that God, our creator is always there for you, so why thinking negative. "We will face some challenges in our living situation, but we will come up with solutions that we will both be happy with."

I help people in need and in most cases solve their problems. Helping someone will help in removing negative thoughts from your mind, take the focus away from you and do something nice for another person. I decided to make a tray of food and donate it to the Salvation Army. It took my mind off of things and I felt better for helping someone else.

Remember that no one is perfect and let yourself move forward.

It's easy to dwell on your mistakes. I felt terrible that I acted this way and that I wasted our weekend. The only thing I can do now is learn from my mistakes and move forward. I definitely don't want to have a weekend like that again.

I sing especially gospel songs

I don't remember lyrics very well and it's probably the reason that I don't enjoy singing, but every time I do sing I always feel better. When we sing, we show our feelings and this provides an amazing stress relief.

I List five things that I am grateful for right now.

Being grateful helps appreciate what you already have. Here's my list: my children, health, a four-week trip to West African Countries, a new yoga class that I'll be teaching, and for my mom's speedy recovery from illness.

I Read positive quotes.

I like to place Post-It notes with positive quotes on my computer, fridge door, and mirror as reminders to stay positive. Also, I'd like to share with you a quote by an unknown author that was shared in a meditation class that I attended:

Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become your character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

Prayer Points

O Lord, allow me to promote understanding and peace, and rid me of negative thoughts, in my mind in the name of Jesus Christ.

O Lord, let me understand that ignorance isn't bliss; allow me to be wise and steadfast

O Lord, help me see the good in life, and prevent me from thinking negative thoughts.

O Lord my Father, forgive me for my impure thoughts.

O Lord, turn me away from the darkest thoughts, that I may learn to view things in a different light.

You said to your apostles, "I give you peace, my peace I give you." Grant me peace, Lord Jesus.

O Lord, I pray to you, Lord, to let goodness reign in my heart and good thoughts in my mind.

O Lord, help me see my true calling. That I may discard the thoughts of taking my life because of all the failures I have done.

O Lord, may I learn to control my temper to avoid hurting others in what I may say or do that I could never take back.

With everything that happened in my life, I have become so bitter. I pray to learn to be free of this and live life with happiness in my heart.

I ask you, Heavenly Father, to put my thought processes in order so that faith, hope, and love will be in my main thoughts.

O Lord, help me, Lord, to think of and meditate on things that are pure, noble, true, and praiseworthy. Change my way of thinking, Father, as you mold my life into your ways.

Heal my thoughts, O Lord. Purify them, Lord Jesus.

Grant me peace of mind, so I may do your will, O God.

O Lord, free my mind of evil thoughts, and Cleanse me of negative and impure thoughts.

At times the Devil put negative thoughts into our mind.

Scripture: Isaiah 12:2 "God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior"

At times, the devil apparently does put evil thoughts in our head, or even directly incites us to do evil. According to John 13:27, Judas made a secret arrangement to betray Jesus to His enemies. When Judas went to inform them where they could find Jesus, the Bible says that "Satan entered into him". Judas did not really believe John 12:6, the Bible let us know that Jesus was the Savior sent from God to save us from our sins. In fact, the Bible further says that Judas "was a thief; as keeper of the money bag (for the disciples), he used to help himself to what was put into it" The lesson is clear: The farther we are from God, the more vulnerable we will be to Satan's attacks.

Don't be like Judas, but make certain of your commitment to Jesus Christ. If you've never done so, turn to Him and by faith ask Him to come into your heart and life. Then ask Him to fill your mind with His truth and His Spirit every day. The Bible says in James 4:7 "Submit yourself, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you"

Not all evil thoughts come directly from Satan, however. Often they come from within - from our own sinful hearts. When they do, ask God to cleanse your mind and fill it with Christ.

Prayer points

I decree and I declare that all negative thoughts from the Devil in my mind is removed right now by the power in the blood of Jesus Christ.

By the power in the blood or Jesus Christ, I bind and rebuke any demon that will try, have tried and succeeded to disturb our peace o mind by polluting mind our soul and body in the name of Jesus Christ.

I command you Evil and Misfortune to live me a lone so that I can get rid of any type of hardship caused by you, nature and circumstances which includes financial hardships, emotional battles, spiritual burdens, frustrations caused by you right now in Jesus name.

O Lord, my Father, I ask for healing, abundance of blessings and miracles to reinstate what I have lost, I regain confidence in God and His people and I live peacefully without the fear of people's evil thoughts, words, deeds and even bad spirits in the name of Jesus Christ.

I bind and rebuke any evil and misfortune that would try to come against my prayer for the goodness of my soul, sound finances, great health, and peaceful living in Jesus name.

I pray and command that anyone or any spirit who causes trouble will never come back to hurt me, to take anything from me, never come back to my life as thieves, blasphemer, and nature's wrath in the name of Jesus Christ.

O Lord my Father, help me to renew my life for your glory and salvation of my soul. Help me to forgive and forget all the evil done against me in Jesus Name.

O Lord, I claim and proclaim the richness of life here on earth as well as in heaven.

O Lord, I claim and proclaim, peace, contentment and true happiness from within.

O Lord, I claim and proclaim, freedom from fear the of the unknown.

O Lord, I claim and proclaim complete confidence and dependence on God. I will be triumphant in life without the evil works, thoughts and doings.

O Lord, I claim and proclaim that I will all live with the abundance of God's provisions and promises as wealthy children of God who inherited His choicest blessings and the salvation of souls.

O Lord, I claim and proclaim that I am accepting Jesus as my Lord and personal Savior and through baptism I became son/daughter of the Father.

I thank You, Heavenly Father for Your Love. I thank You, Holy Spirit for empowering me to be aggressive against Satan and evil spirits. I thank You, Jesus, for setting me free. I thank You, Mary, for interceding for us with the holy angels and the saints.

O Lord Jesus, fill me with charity, compassion, faith, gentleness, hope, security, humility, joy, kindness, light, love, mercy, modesty, patience, peace, purity, tranquility, trust, truth, understanding, and wisdom. Help me to walk in Your Light and Truth, illuminated by the Holy Spirit so that together I may praise, honor, and glorify Our Father in time and in eternity. For You, Lord Jesus, are, "... the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6 ), and You "... have come that I might have life and have it more abundantly" (John 10:10 ).

How can your brain stay positive? The following exercises will help.

Be thankful every time, show gratitude,

"Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. When you wake up each morning, make it a habit to write down at least three things you're grateful for. It can be anything from family and work to a good night's rest or the morning sunrise - whatever is positive in your life deserves a little thank you note from your soul. If it's difficult to think of something right away, realize that something JUST happened that you can be grateful for... you woke up today. Not everyone gets that opportunity.

Balance your mind with many activities

You can find balance in many activities, such as yoga, meditation, deep breathing, walking in nature or any other activity that puts your mind at rest. When you the mind ceases, the soul is allowed to speak. The calming energy produced from a good centering exercise surrounds the body, bringing about an unshakable spirit that will surely help you stay positive.

How to Free Yourself from Anger

a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. Anger is often nothing more than an intense emotion caused by an apparent injustice. The destructive outcomes of anger are well known. When even a slight annoyance arises, it is capable of growing quickly and overwhelming your state of mind.

Anger results in (1) a loss of perspective and judgment, (2) impulsive and irrational behavior that is destructive to both yourself and others, and (3) loss of face, compassion, and social credibility.

Anger is often pointless, as the following Buddhist parable will illustrate.

In the New Testament, Ephesians 4:26-27 advise, "In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."

Free yourself from anger

There is no benefit to anger at all. All anger can beget is negative energy, which can aggravate an already volatile situation. Anger can also impede sound judgement and inhibit your ability to consider the negative consequences of your abrupt reactions.

The next time you're angry, consider the following response:

Stop. Don't respond immediately. Walk away from the situation that has instigated your anger.

Breathe deeply. Become fully aware of your state of mind. Assess what's going on.

Calm down and compose yourself. Invoke mindfulness to appeal to your wisdom. Anger and other emotional arousals often stem from a lack of self-awareness or mindlessness, and can simmer down if you just wait long enough.

Consider the matter from other points of view. Ask if there could be other possible explanations for what happened.

Identify the reasons for your anger by asking three questions:

a. "Is this matter serious enough to get worked up about?"

b. "Is my anger necessary and warranted?"

c. "Will getting angry make a difference?"

Reflect about what response will be most effective. Try to develop a wise and measured course of action.

Idea for Impact: A low-anger life is a happier life

Patience is the definitive antidote to anger and aggression. With patience, you may not always be able to eliminate anger, but you can usually control it. Patience can build and fortify your intellectual and psychological resources.

As Proverbs 19:11 tells in the Hebrew Bible, "A person's wisdom yields patience; it is to one's glory to overlook an offense." Ultimately, developing greater patience enhances your romantic, personal, professional, and casual relationships-as well as that all-important relationship: the one you have with yourself.

How to free yourself from worry

Worry pollute your mind and it can never be positive, But in the last decade I have found several habits that have helped me to greatly decrease my worrying and to more easily handle such thoughts when they pop up.

1. Most of things you worry about have never happened.

I love this quote by Winston Churchill:

"When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened."

I have found it to be very true in my own life.

So when you feel worries starting to pop up ask yourself this:

How many of the things I feared would happen in my life did actually happen?

If you are anything like me then the answer will be: very few. And the very few ones that actually happened were mostly not as painful or terrible as I had expected.

Worries are most often just monsters you build in your own mind.

I find that asking myself this question regularly and reminding myself of how little of the worries that actually came to life makes easier and easier to stay calm and to stop a worried thought before it becomes a big snowball of negativity.

2. Avoid fears. Be bold, don't be afraid of anything. Believe in God at all times. When fears feel vague in your mind, when you lack clarity then it is very easy to get lost in exaggerated worries and disaster scenarios.

So find clarity in a worry-inducing situation by asking yourself:

Honestly and realistically, what is the worst that could happen?

When I have answered that question then I follow it up with spending a bit of time on figuring out what I can do about it if that pretty unlikely thing happens.

In my experience, the worst that could realistically happens is usually not as scary as what my mind could make up when it is running wild with vague fears.

Spending a few minutes on finding clarity in this way can save you whole lot of time, energy and suffering.

3. Don't try to guess what is on someone's mind.

Trying to read someone's mind usually doesn't work too well at all. Instead, it can very easily lead to creating an exaggerated and even disastrous scenario in your mind.Communicate and ask what you want to ask. By doing so you'll promote openness in your relationship and it will likely be happier as you avoid many unnecessary conflicts and negativity.

4. In a situation you cannot think straight, say stop, don't say anything

From time to time when I am hungry or when I am lying in bed and are about to go to sleep I can become mentally vulnerable. And so worries can more easily start buzzing around in my head.

5. Remember, people don't think about you and what you do as much as you may think. They have their hands full with thinking about what other people think of them. And with thinking about what is closest to their hearts like their children, pets, a partner or the job or school. So don't get lost in worries about what people may think or say if you do something. Don't let such thoughts hold you back in life.

6. Work out.

Few things work so well and consistently as working out to release inner tensions and to move out of a headspace that is extra vulnerable to worries. I also find that working out - especially with free weights - makes me feel more decisive and focused.

7. Share your worry with someone close to you. This is one of my favorites. Because it tends to work so well. By letting someone close to you know about your worry, it becomes a whole lot easier to see the situation or issue for what it really is.

Just venting for a few minutes can make a big difference and after a while you may start to wonder what you were so worried about in the first place.

If you do not have anyone to talk to at the moment about the worry bouncing around in your mind then let it out by writing about it. Just getting it out of your head and reasoning about with yourself either on paper or in a journal on your computer can help you to calm down and find clarity.

8. Spend more time in the present moment.

When you spend too much time reliving the past in your mind then it easy to start feeding your worries about the future. When you spend too much time in the future then is also easy to get swept away by disaster scenarios.So focus on spending more of your time and attention in the present moment.

9. Refocus on the small step you can take to move forward.

To move out the worried headspace I find it really, really helpful to just start moving and taking action to start solving or improving whatever I am concerned about.

Prayer Points

Father, I thank you so much for delivering me from the activities of the kingdom of darkness

Because, Jesus Christ has set me from the law of sin and death I commit to live free from worry in the name of Jesus,

I humble myself under your mighty hand that in due time you may exalt me.

I cast away from myself, my husband, my wife and children, - all my anxieties, all my worries, all my concerns - once and for all in the name of Jesus Christ.

O Lord, take wrong thoughts captive, because you care for me affectionately and care about me watchfully. You sustain me. You will never allow the consistently righteous to be moved - made to slip, fall, or fail!

O Lord, I cast down imaginations (reasoning's) and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of you, and I bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

O Lord, I lay aside every weight and the sin of worry. I run with patience the race that is set before me, looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith.

O Lord, help me fix my mind on those things that are true. I thank You Father, that You are able to keep that which I have committed unto You. I thank you for fixing my mind on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or good report, virtuous, and deserving of praise. I will not let my heart be troubled.

I abide in Your Word, and Your Word abides in me. Therefore, Father, I do not forget what manner of person I am. I look into the perfect law of liberty and continue therein, being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the Word and, thus, blessed in my doing!

Understanding the Bible, Book Summary

Chapter 1: The Purpose of the Bible

The author laments that people normally ask varying questions and employ diverse strategies to read the Bible. Others, he asserts, give up Bible reading altogether or never start reading because they cannot see the relevance of accounts of people in the distant part for them today. However, Christians believe that although the Bible has a wide variety of human authors, there is a single unifying theme for a divine Author. It is perhaps most succinctly presented by Paul to Timothy in I Tim. 3:15-17. The apostle brings together the origin and object of Scripture. The writer investigates the nature of the Bible's usefulness and analysis three words used Paul - salvation, Christ and faith.

Stott presents the central idea that the supreme purpose of the Bible is to instruct its readers for salvation, implying that Scripture has a practical purpose which is moral than intellectual. Since this is neither scientific nor literary, the Bible could be rightly seen as a book neither of literature nor of philosophy, but of salvation. He notes that salvation, in addition to forgiveness of sins, includes the entire sweep of God's purpose to redeem and restore mankind and indeed all creation. The main thrust is God's love for the rebels who deserve nothing but judgment.

God's plan, originating in His grace, Stott emphasizes, took shape before time began. He made a covenant of grace with Abraham, promising through his prosperity to bless all the families of the earth. The rest of the Old Testament tabulates His gracious dealings with Abraham's posterity, the Israelites. Although they rejected His Word, He never casts them out. In the New Testament, the apostles emphasize that forgiveness is possible only through Christ's sin-bearing death, and a new birth leading to a new life only through the Spirit of Christ. The New Testament authors insist that though people have already in one sense been saved, in another sense their salvation still lies in the future. Conceived in a past eternity, achieved at a point in time and historically worked in human experience, it will reach its consummation in the eternity of the future.

Stott's hypothetical argument is that if salvation is available through Christ and if Scripture concerns salvation, then scripture is full of Christ. Christ's assertion was that in each of the three divisions of the Old Testament, the Law (the Pentateuch/First five books of the Bible), the prophets [history books or former prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings) and latter prophets (major-Isaiah to Daniel- and minor prophets- Hosea to Malachi)] and the Psalms (writings), there were things concerning Him and all these things must be fulfilled. Discovering Christ in the New Testament is not strange. The gospels, acts, epistles and revelation vividly portray Him. In the latter for instance, He appears as a glorified man, a lamb, majestic rider on a white horse and a Heavenly Bridegroom. The survey of the two testaments demonstrates that we must turn to the Bible if we want to know about Christ and His salvation. The writer puts faith in its right perspective after lamenting its misuse.

Chapter 2: The Land of the Bible

Stott observes that some knowledge of the historical and geographical setting of God's people is absolutely necessary to put the study in perspective. The reason for the recording of God's dealing with Israel in general and individuals in particular is to teach us (Rom. 15:4; I Cor. 10:11). Scripture refuses to conceal the faults of great characters in the Old and New Testaments.

The writer dismisses the claim that Jerusalem was the centre of the earth as a sheer geographical nonsense even though Christians would defend it theologically. However, Christians believe in the providence of God whose choice of Palestine cannot be an accident. An obvious feature is that it acts as a kind of bridge between Europe, Asia and Africa. Strategically, therefore, God set Jerusalem in the centre of the nations (Ez.5:5).

When God told Moses that He'd bring the Israelites out of Egypt into Canaan, He described it as good and spacious. Joshua and Caleb, unlike the other spies, confirm that the land was exceedingly good. Several popular expressions were used to refer to the whole country from north to south. The commonest simply is from Dan to Beersheba. Stott suggests that perhaps a simpler way to remember Palestine is to visualize four strips of the country between the sea and the desert - the coastland, the central highlands, the Jordan valley and the eastern tableland.

Stott affirms that God's revelation as the 'Shepherd of Israel' was natural because of the intimate relationship which grew over the years between the Palestinian shepherds and the sheep since the latter were kept more for wool than for mutton. Jesus further developed the metaphor, calling himself the Good Shepherd. Though many Israelite farmers kept livestock, even more cultivated the soil. The three main products of Palestine (grain, new wine and oil) are normally grouped together in many biblical passages (Deut. 7:13; Joel 2:19). The writer notes the tremendous importance of the early (autumn) rain and the latter (spring) rain to harvest. Without them the corn would remain thin and desiccated. God Himself linked the rain and the harvest together and promised them to His obedient people. Three annual festivals had an agricultural as well as a religious significance. In them they worshiped the God of nature and the God of grace as the one God, Lord of the earth and of Israel. They are the Feast of the Passover, the Feast of the First fruits/Harvest and the Feast of Booths/Tabernacles/Ingathering. The observance of these was obligatory. They commemorated the signal mercies of the covenant God of Israel who first redeemed His people from their Egyptian bondage and gave them the Law at Sinai and then provided for them during their wanderings in the wilderness. From another standpoint, they are all harvest festivals marking respectively the beginning of the barley harvest, the end of the grain harvest and the end of the fruit harvest. Stott's use of three maps showing the Fertile Crescent, the historical and natural regions of Palestine clearly puts the study in perspective.

Chapter 3: The Story of the Bible - Old Testament

Stott observes that Christianity is essentially a historical religion and that God's revelation is an unfolding historical situation, through Israel and Jesus Christ. The writer forcefully argues that biblical historians quickly sank in the quicksand of subjectivity since they were writing 'sacred' history, the story of God's dealings with a particular people for a particular purpose. They were selective in their choice of materials and in the eyes of the secular historian, unbalanced in their presentation of it. Other regions were only included if they impinge on the fortunes of relatively unknown Israel and Judah. Great heroes were either scarcely mentioned or introduced obliquely. Christians believe that Christ's advent is the watershed of history, dividing time into BC and AD and the Bible into the Old and New Testaments.

The order of the thirty nine books is dictated neither by the date of their composition, nor the date of the subject matter but their literary genre. Broadly speaking, the three types of literature in the Old Testament are history, poetry and prophecy. The historical books (Pentateuch) and then twelve more tell a continuous story. After these come five books of Hebrew poetry or wisdom (from Job to Song of Solomon) and finally the seventeen prophetical books [five major prophets (Isaiah to Daniel) and twelve 'minor' prophets (Hosea to Malachi)]. Stott describes the creation, observing that God was not a national mascot. He observes that several forms of pre-Adamic 'homicid' seem to have existed previously for thousands of years and believes Adam was the first 'homo divinus'. The writer highlights the call of Abraham, the groan of the Israelites under Pharaoh and their eventual release. Subjectively dismissing the Red Sea crossed by the Israelites as probably some shallow water, he observes that the miracle lay in the fact that God sent it as the moment Moses stretched his hand. At Sinai, God gave Israel three precious gifts - a renewed covenant, a moral law and atoning sacrifices.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness and none of the adult generation which brought a negative report - except Joshua and Caleb - entered the promised land. God appointed Joshua to succeed Moses. Israel's history was a cycle of backsliding, oppression and deliverance. God raised judges who combined several functions. The greatest was Samuel who remonstrated with the Israelites and warned them that future kings would be oppressive. They did not listen and Saul became the first king, ending the theocratic state ruled by God directly. David was designated heir to the throne of the disobedient Saul. As king, David unified Israel and devoted himself to God. His son Solomon, who succeeded him, did not love God with all his heart. The kingdom was divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah after his reign.

Stott highlights the Babylonian captivity which lasted for fifty years. The hardest trial was religious for the Israelites felt spiritually lost in their separation from temple and sacrifice. Ezekiel was among them as a guide. Israel had to wait for another four hundred years before the Messiah was born. Throughout the uneasy period of Maccabean rule, important movements were developing in the Jewish community which later hardened into the various religious parties of our Lord's day.

The writer, in addition to end notes, arranges dates in chronological order at the end of the discourse.

Chapter 4: The Story of the Bible - New Testament

Stott observes that it is an account of the words and deed of Jesus of Nazareth. The gospels, strictly speaking, are testimony and not biography, bearing witness to Christ and the good news of salvation. He highlights five reasons why the gospels would be approached with confidence and not with suspicion. Four evangelists were Christians, honest men to whom truth matters. They give evidence of their impartiality. Thirdly, they claim either to be themselves eye-witnesses of Jesus or to report the experience of eye witnesses. Jesus seems to have taught like a Jewish rabbi. Lastly, if God said and did something absolutely unique and decisive through Jesus, it is inconceivable that he would have allowed it to be lost in the mists of antiquity. The gospels tell the same story, yet differently. The first three are usually known as Synoptic Gospels because their stories run parallel and present a synoptic - that is, similar- account of Jesus' life. Every reader of John's gospel is immediately struck by the differences between it and the synoptic gospels in subject matter, theological emphasis, literary styles and vocabulary. Commenting on the birth and youth of Jesus, each evangelist begins his story at a different place. Mark plunges almost immediately into Jesus' public ministry, heralded as it was by John the Baptist. John goes to the other extreme and reaches back into a past eternity to the pre-incarnate existence of Christ. He was brought up in Nazareth in Galilee. The only incident from His boyhood recorded in the Gospels took place when he reached the age of twelve and was taken up to Jerusalem for the Passover. He eventually noted that His duty is to spend time in the Father's house. Growing in wisdom and stature in favour with God and man, the evangelists did not give a strictly chronological account of the Lord's public ministry which appears to last approximately for three years. The writer refers to the first year as the year of obscurity, the second year of popularity and the third the year of adversity.

Stott traces Jesus' final hours of liberty which he spent privately with the twelve disciples in a furnished room. In the garden of Gethsemane, He prayed with an agony of desire that He might be spared having to drink 'this cup'. Crucifixion was a horrible form of execution. How Jesus viewed and endured his ordeal is shown by the seven words which He spoke from the cross. Finally, He commended His Spirit to the Father, indicating that His death was a voluntary, self-determined act. The writer traces the story of the resurrection on Easter Day. The Lord eventually began to appear to people. These appearances continued for forty days. The last one took place on the Mount of Olives. After promising them power to be His witnesses once the Holy Spirit had come upon them, and having blessed them, He was taken up into Heaven.

The writer vividly highlights the dawn of the infant church. Waiting for the promise, the Holy Spirit came and filled them all. Stott affirms that Pentecost must also be understood as a fundamentally missionary event when three thousand people were converted, baptized and added to the church that day. Unable to crush it by external pressure (persecution), the devil tried to undermine it from within. The writer also comments on Paul's missionary journeys, his arrest and journey to Rome and the deeds of the apostles after the book of Acts. The map of Paul's missionary journey and significant dates to remember at the end of the chapter further illuminates the discussion.

Chapter 5: The Message of the Bible

Stott re-echoes that the message of the Bible concerns salvation through Christ. He expresses the Bible's own claims that it contains neither a ragbag of miscellaneous contradictions, nor a gradual evolution of human ideas but a progressive revelation of truth by God. The author concedes that there are several differences between the Old and New Testament revelations. The revelation was given at different times, to different people and in different modes. This notwithstanding, God is the ultimate author of both testaments. The Bible is essentially a revelation of God. There are two basic truths about God to consider which Scripture emphasizes. The first is that He is a living and sovereign God and the second is that He is consistent and does not change like shifting shadows. He is constantly contrasted with the dead idols of heathenism. Stott further observes that the principal way in which the living God has expressed Himself is in grace. The God of the Bible is the God of all grace (1 Pet. 5:10). Grace is God's free unmerited people. God's grace is covenant grace. The writer further investigates what may be described as three stages in the outpouring of God's covenant, expressed in the three dynamic words - redemption, adoption and glorification.

Redemption was originally not a theological but a commercial word. To redeem, Stott confirms, is to purchase someone's freedom, to recover by payment of a price something which had been lost. New Testament authors draw an analogy between the Passover, which initiated Israel's redemption from Egypt, and the death of Christ which has secured our redemption from sin. The New Testament fulfillment is dramatic. John showed in his gospel that by one reckoning Jesus was shedding His blood on the cross at the precise time when the Passover lambs were being killed. Christ, the Lamb of God, offered Himself as our Passover sacrifice. Now He is seated at God's right hand, resting from His finished work of redemption and crowned with glory and honour. He has won an eternal redemption for us.

Redemption from sin by Christ's blood is to be redeemed from slavery and adopted into sonship. It is because we are sons that God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts (Gal. 4:6). To be a son is to be an heir. Suffering is the pledge of glory. This leads to the third stage in God's unfolding plan of salvation, which is glorification.

The New Testament is full of Christian hope. It reminds us that in spite of what we are presently enjoying, there is still far more to come. Paul referred to it as the hope of glory which has several meanings outlined by Stott. Firstly, the return of Christ (Matt. 24:27); secondly, the resurrection in which our incorruptible body will be a body of glory like Christ's (Phil.3:21; I Cor.15:35-37). Thirdly, the judgment. We shall be judged according to our works (Matt. 16:27; Rev. 20:11-15). Fourthly, the new universe will make everything new.

Stott brilliantly compares Genesis and Revelation. He observes that the Bible begins with creation of the universe and ends with the recreation of the universe. It begins with the fall of man and concludes in a garden with Paradise regained. God's kingdom will be ultimately consummated. All creation is subject to Him. His redeemed, adopted and glorified will share His reign for ever (Rev. 22:5).

Chapter 6: The Authority of the Bible

Stott attributes the confusion of the contemporary church to the lack of an agreed authority and argues that it will never recover its moral or mission unless it first recovers the source of its authority. Christians normally use three interrelated but distinct words in connection with the special nature of Scripture - revelation, inspiration and authority. Inspiration indicates the chief mode God has chosen to reveal Himself - in nature, Christ and by speaking to particular people. Authority is the power or weight which Scripture possesses because of what it is, namely a divine revelation given by divine inspiration. It carries God's authority.

The writer identifies three disclaimers which may anticipate objections and disarm possible criticism. Firstly, the process of inspiration was not mechanical since God did not treat the human authors as tape recorders or dictating machines but as living and responsible beings. His second is that every word is true in its context and Job is cited as a classic example when he noted that he spoke of things he did not understand. The 'anthropomorphic' descriptions of God, representing Him in human form and referring to His eyes, ears, outstretched arm, mighty hand, fingers, mouth, breath and nostrils. We do not interpret these literally simply because God is a Spirit and therefore has no body. His third disclaimer concerns the nature of the inspired text of Scripture, which alone can be regarded as God's written word. This is the original Hebrew or Greek as it came from the author's hand. He argues that no special inspiration/authority is claimed for any particular translation as a translation. He dismisses the absence of the actual autograph presumably as God's deliberate providence probably to prevent us giving superstitious response to pieces of paper.

Stott further treats the grounds Christians base assurance that the Bible is God's written word, originating with God and authoritative for men. Firstly, the historic Christian churches have consistently maintained and defended the divine origin of Scripture. Secondly, the prophets introduced their oracles with formulae like 'Thus says the Lord' or 'The Word of the Lord came to me saying...' The third is supplied by the readers of Scripture. Fourthly, the authority of Scripture is believed because of what Jesus said. He gave His reverent assent to the authority of the Old Testament Scripture for He submitted to its authority in His personal conduct, the fulfillment of His mission and in His controversies. He endorsed the New Testament differently. This is evident in His appointment of His apostles. Secondly, they had an eye-witness experience of Christ. Thirdly, they had an extraordinary inspiration of the Holy Ghost. Lastly, according to Stott, they were empowered to work miracles. Our impression of the uniqueness of the apostles is confirmed in two ways. Firstly, they themselves knew it and so exhibit in the New Testament their self-conscious apostolic authority. Secondly, the early church recognized it, dismissing both the 'kenosis' and 'accommodation' theories.

Stott concludes by providing reasonable justification for submitting to the authority of Scripture. Firstly, it is a Christian thing to do. Secondly, to submit is not to pretend that there are no problems. However, problems do not overthrow our belief. Thirdly, it confirms the Lordship of Christ. It is reasonable to bow to the authority of Scripture because, according to Stott, we bow to the authority of Christ.

Chapter 7: The Literature of the Bible

Stott firmly asserts the infallibility of God's Word and observes that He has given us three teachers to instruct and guide us. These include the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit, the Christian's disciplined study and the teaching of the Church. Our foremost teacher is the Holy Spirit Himself and Stott believes He enlightens four groups of people - these are the regenerate/born again (John 3:3), the humble (Matt. 1:25-26), the obedient (John 7:17) and the communicative. He notes that if the Holy Spirit is our first and foremost teacher, there is a sense in which we ourselves must also teach ourselves, implying that we are expected to responsibly use our reason. The spiritual person, unlike the natural, has the mind of Christ. Paul's conviction leads him to appeal to his readers' reason. Stott argues that we cannot deny the place of the church in God's plan to give His people a right understanding of His Word. The pastoral ministry is a teaching ministry. Luke gives a striking example of the role of the teacher (Acts 8:26-39). Although it is true that no human teacher is infallible, Stott vehemently argues that God has appointed teachers in His church for a purpose. It is our Christian duty to treat them with respect and to feed on God's Word when faithfully exposed, cautiously examining the Scriptures to verity the truth of the teachings received (Acts 17:11). The writer believes that it is by receiving the illumination of the Spirit, reasoning and listening to the teaching of others in the Church that we grow in our understanding of Scripture.

Stott presents three principles which, he believes, will guide us in our interpretation of Scripture. These sound principles of interpretation include the natural, original and general sense. He refers to the natural sense as the principle of simplicity. One of our basic Christian convictions is that God is light. He chose human language as the vehicle of His self-revelation. He used the language of men in speaking to men. Since it is ordinary because human, we must study it like every other book, paying attention to the rules of vocabulary, grammar and syntax. Stott believes that no serious bible reader can escape the discipline of linguistic study. He recommends knowledge of the original languages (Hebrew and Greek), acquisition of an 'accurate' modern English version and an analytical concordance. Stott refers to the original sense as the principle of history since God chose to reveal Himself in a precise historical context. Questions that should be asked when the reading the Bible include, what did the author intend to convey by this? What is he actually asserting? What will his original hearers have understood him to have meant? This enquiry is commonly referred to as the 'grammatico-historical method' of interpretation. The writer critically considers the situation, style and language of writing. The third principle of interpretation is referred to as assortment of contributors. Divinely speaking, the entire Bible emanates from one mind. It therefore possesses an organic unity. Implicitly, we must approach Scripture with the confidence that God has spoken and has not contradicted Himself in so doing. Scripture, therefore, must be interpreted as one harmonious whole. These three principles, Stott believes, arise partly from the nature of God and Scripture as a plain historical, consistent communication from God to men. The solemn responsibility to make our treatment of Scripture coincide with our view of it is apparent.

Chapter 8: The Use of the Bible

Stott's discussion on the use of the Bible to punctuate his text is deliberate. He observes that the conviction that our God is living and vocal, rather than dead and dumb, is basic to our Christian faith. He explains the sound reasons for accepting the Bible's authority and sound principles to guide us in its interpretation. He identifies two possible attitudes to God's Word. These are to either receive or reject it. Jesus similarly warned His contemporaries about their response to His teaching. Those who build on a rock and will ultimately survive the storms of adversity and judgement are those who demonstrate His teachings.

Stott outlines basic principles of Christian living, stressing the importance of quality time in meditating on God's Word. The practice of daily quiet time, Bible reading and prayer, he reiterates, is an inviolable tradition which has certainly stood the test of time and brought immeasurable benefits to countless generations of Christians. Christian meditation and prayer, however brief, at the beginning of each day prepare us to bear the day's responsibilities and face its temptations. Stott emphasized the importance of personal, family and group Bible studies, and above all the public exposition of Scripture in Church. He observes that very often the pew blames the pulpit when the former actually determines the kind of pulpit ministry it wants. Congregations, he argues, have far more responsibility than they commonly recognize for this kind of ministry they receive. He recommends that they should encourage their minister to expound Scripture. They should come to church in a receptive and expectant mood. They must come with their Bibles earnestly eager to hear what the Lord says through the lessons and sermon.

Stott lists five facets of the life-cycle of the doer of the Word. The first is worship which is impossible without a knowledge of the truth. Since it is a response to the truth of God, it is only God's Word (His self-revelation) which evokes the worship of God. In all public worship, there should be Scripture reading and an exhortation/instruction based on it (Neh. 8:8; I Tim. 4:13). The Bible's place in private and public worship is indispensable. The second is repentance. God's Word tells us what we are as well as what He is, discloses to us our sin and calls us to confess and forsake it (Jer. 7:3). The third is faith which is an integral part of the Christian life. The fourth mark is obedience. Yet obedience involves submission (John 14:15) and this, Stott argues, appears to be out of fashion today. The fifth mark is witness. Stott impresses that truth cannot be concealed or monopolized.

The Bible then has an essential place in the life of a Christian simply because God's revelation leads to worship, His warnings to repentance, His promises to faith, His commands to obedience and His truth to witness. God's Word is indispensable to us, irrespective of the medium through which we receive it. Indeed, Stott realistically observes that it is through His Word alone that the human being becomes equipped for every good work (2 Tim. 3:17).