Why does this world not understand the CAUSES for so much human worry, fear, and mental depression?
Why has humanity rejected the one source that reveals the way to escape these problems?
NEVER have so many needed right values, hope, faith, courage and power to deal with personal problems and fears in life.
Never have so many needed a way to deal with a world plunging headlong into worsening difficulties.
Missing Knowledge
Why is it that critical understanding about the human mind and human nature is missing in education at all levels of life?
Why do so many medical and mental health care personnel not understand the real causes of today's problems?
Where is the true knowledge that would prevent problems before they arise — rather than today's false knowledge that attempts a cure after the problem arises?
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge . . .," reveals the Creator in the Holy Bible, Hosea 4:6, Revised Standard Version. Where is that knowledge today?
>Jesus promised, " . . . you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free" (John 8:32 RSV). Where is that truth today?
Jesus plainly meant truth would set you free — free from unresolved fears and worries, free from mental depression, free from sin.
The knowledge that is missing in so many lives is revealed spiritual knowledge. Man, by nature, knows only physical knowledge, revealed by the five senses. And from that limited knowledge they speculate. But most of man's mental and emotional problems are spiritual in nature. Man is violating immutable spiritual laws, as well as physical laws, set in motion by the Creator. The consequences are grievous mental and physical suffering.
Many modern minds think it educated to reject biblical revelation and the reality of immutable spiritual laws. They do not recognize why they think this way. As a result, they cannot find the solution to many of mankind's mental illnesses. They are not dealing with root causes!
There are laws of sound mental health! There are laws of success! They produce hope, peace of mind, joy, happiness and guarantee every need. But untold millions daily violate the laws that produce these results. They consequently set themselves up for fear and depression.
The Bible reveals how to receive the help and power you need to overcome your human nature, your worries and fears in life. It reveals how to deal with every adverse situation with faith and hope.
But first, you need to comprehend why humanity has jumped the track. Why has mankind failed to learn such critical knowledge? Why do most of us respond with damaging negative fears — even hopelessness — to many of our problems and setbacks in life? The Bible explains it!
Cut off from the Source
God created the heavens and the earth that we can see with our eyes (Genesis 1:1). But before this physical creation, the great God had created powerful spirit beings, angels, differing in rank.
These spirit beings at the first obeyed the laws and Government of God. But during a period before the creation of man, a new way of doing things — the "get" and competitive way — was introduced to many of the angels by a great archangel whose name meant Light Bringer. We know him by the Latin name Lucifer. He was one of God's most powerful and beautiful spirit beings. He was set by God to administer God's laws and ways over the earth.
Lucifer's name — Light bringer — meant he was to be the bringer of God's truth and laws to the earth. But he chose to exalt himself. He wanted to kick God off his throne. Through subtle slander he swayed many angels to believe that God's laws were unfair, that God's way of "give" was foolish, that his — Lucifer's — "get" and competitive way was more liberating, a better way of existence.
One third of the angels chose to rebel against God and his ways (Revelation 12:4). Their minds were perverted by wrong ways of thinking — by attitudes of strife, resentment of authority and selfishness. They rebelled against God's laws. As a result they lost understanding and power to do true good. Their assault on God's throne was overwhelmed by God's superior power and they were flung back to earth.
The leader of this rebellion, Lucifer, became the devil, or Satan, meaning the Adversary. His fallen angels became demons. You can read of this rebellion in Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:12-19. Jesus referred to Satan's fall in Luke 10:18.
Ever since man was created, it has been the major objective of these fallen spirit beings to keep humans, created in the image of God, from understanding the awesome purpose of their human existence and from fulfilling their incredible human potential (2 Corinthians 4:4). You may not want to believe it, but Scripture reveals there is a devil who has deceived the whole world (Revelation 12:9). Part of that deception involves causing educated people not to believe that there are spirit beings who rebelled. And to reject God's spiritual laws that would bring us peace and harmony.
Of course, Satan hasn't thwarted God's Plan or ultimate purpose for mankind. Here is why.
When God created the first man and woman, he revealed to them his purposes and immutable laws. He gave them the opportunity to qualify to replace Satan as ruler over the earth. He taught them that violation of his laws and commands would end up in death — the cessation of life (Genesis 2:17).
But they chose to believe the deceptive lies introduced by a clever Satan. They chose to disbelieve God, and that they could not die. They came to believe they had "immortal souls." They thought they could become like God and be able to determine good and evil for themselves by taking something (forbidden fruit) that was not theirs (Genesis 3).
The first human pair disobeyed their Creator and rebelled. So God drove them from his presence on earth. He cut them off and all humanity to be born of them from contact with God, except as God chose to intervene and deal with humans from time to time. For what great purpose?
God chose to allow mankind the experience of six thousand years of man's way — Satan's way — of disobedience, rebellion, of doing their own ways — that is, to experience their own ways of thinking and reasoning under Satan's sway.
Mankind was left to human devices and power, apart from Cod. Mankind lost the spiritual understanding of how he should live, of how to constructively deal with his problems, fears and needs. When man lost contact with God, he lost the way to peace and happiness — for the Creator was the ultimate resource of true wisdom, hope, power and blessing.
Mankind has been, instead, under Satan's influence without realizing it. The Bible reveals Satan as "the prince of the power of the air" (Ephesians 2:2). He works to influence wrong values, wrong attitudes and ignorance in human cultures and among people. The result is hate, strife, lust, fear and hopelessness. Satan broadcasts wrong attitudes and moods into unwary minds (see again Ephesians 2:3 and 6:12). No wonder so many do not understand some of their negative feelings and moods!
From the beginning of human life to now, most all humanity has attempted to gain security, prosperity and needs through the "get'' way of life — through competing governments, warring armies, ideologies and religions. They have trusted in human strength and competition at the expense or hurt of others.
Most humans have not chosen the way of true love — the way of peace and cooperation, the way of giving and consideration, encouragement and service to build up those around them.
God's way of living and helping is guided by God's laws. It is the way of up-building and construction. It is the way of trust in God and love of fellow man equal to concern for oneself.
On the other hand, look at the results of wrong ways of living.
Most humans, in their practical daily living, rely on their own human strength and wisdom. They are limited to their own values and ideas, to their own resources, or that of their culture, to solve their problems or to secure their needs, wants and desires.
Here is why true peace of mind, happiness and security has eluded most of mankind! Millions base their lives on values or ways of thinking and living that eventually produce problems they don't have resources to solve. They wake up and find their thinking and resources inadequate; that they have based their security and sense of personal worth on values, things or persons (themselves or others) that are transitory or limited in power to help them. They then suffer feelings of fear, loss and hopelessness. For millions, the results are unresolved anxieties, fear and depression.
It is time you analyzed your life, now, to see if your values and thinking have set you up to experience depression, fear and hopelessness.
Trusting Wrong Ways and Resources?
It matters greatly where one's ultimate trust and hope is. It matters greatly what one's values and resources are!
Many totally look to, or totally place their hopes and security in various man‑devised governments or parties or ideologies. But every one of them eventually fails, becomes corrupt or collapses.
Individually, humans commonly put their deepest trust, identity or feelings of self-worth in themselves — or other humans. But many who trust in themselves, deep down, know they have secret weaknesses, areas where they lack confidence in themselves.
And other humans in whom they put their trust do not always understand or uplift them; they may even lie, deceive or hurt them.
Many put their total security and hope in continuing prosperity. They live as if it will last forever. But man‑devised prosperity doesn't last. It is based on the "get" way of life, enriching a few at the impoverishment of many. This kind of prosperity booms, then shakes, totters and collapses — destroying many misdirected minds, hopes and lives with it.
Lacking any deep spiritual purpose or hope in life, many have placed all their hopes and sense of personal worth in material goods or gadgets or possessions that wear out, rust or corrode. Or that can be swept away in some sudden accident or mishap.
It's no wonder so many feel totally worthless, hopeless, powerless. Life, for them, is not worth living when any of their transitory hopes or resources are lost or threatened with loss. Of course! — "For the creation [cut off from God] was subjected to futility . . ." said the apostle Paul (Romans 8:20, RSV).
Many fears in life are caused by worshiping false status symbols — material things one really can't afford and which are making one poor financially and spiritually. That's not true success!