God created man an emotional being, with each person's emotional makeup as unique as his own fingerprint. Emotions bring color to personalities and meaning to relationships. Studying human emotions, like studying the physical sciences, makes one stand in awe of God. Only He could have created the beauty and complexity of man's emotional makeup.

When mankind fell in Eden, he fell not only spiritually, but physically and emotionally as well. The emotions God created to bring joy to Him and to man can now cause pain and suffering. And, while many emotional difficulties arise from man's fallen spiritual state, others do not. Our physical bodies are no longer perfect either.

This book is written in an effort to help those with emotional needs and those who are counseling them to discern whether the problems arise from spiritual and/or physical issues. It points back to the Bible, God's handbook for dealing with all the problems that arise from man's fallen state. It also stresses the God-given place the church fills in helping the emotionally challenged. It is hoped that this book will inspire those who need help to take advantage of the blessings of the church and find the help they need within the brotherhood.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
  • The Scope of This Book
  • The Premise of This Book
  • Developing These Concepts
• 1. Understanding God-Given Emotions
  • Emotion and Personality
  • Godly Emotion
  • Childhood Discipline and Emotional Stability
  • Emotions Affect the Body
  • Understanding Emotional Difficulties
  • Expressing Emotions
• 2. Spiritual Life and Emotional Health
  • What Happiness Is
  • Testing Our Emotions
  • The Gospel Norm
  • Life in Christ Jesus
  • A Spiritual, Disciplined Life
  • Coping With Emotional Weakness
• 3. A World of Emotional Difficulty
  • A. Spiritual Issues
  • B. Social Issues
  • C. Physical Issues
• 5. Train Up a Child
  • A. Home Basics
  • B. Parenting Emotionally Secure Children
  • C. Training in Emotional Stability
  • D. The Value of Emotional Maturity
  • E. Coping With Less Than the Ideal
  • F. Raising Emotionally Stable Children
• 6. The Emotional Value of the Church
  • A. Our Spiritual Home
  • B. The Church Tending Its Emotional Needs
  • C. Responsible Church Membership
• 7. Relationships, Counseling, and Doctoring
  • A. Relationships
  • B. Counseling—the One Giving It
  • C. Counseling—the One Receiving It
  • D. Doctoring
• 8. Common Emotional Difficulties
  • A. Home Stresses
  • B. Church Stresses
  • C. Outreach Stresses
  • D. Occupational Stresses
  • E. Neighborhood Stresses
• 9. Severe Emotional Needs
  • A. Extreme Difficulties
  • B. Crime
  • C. Abuse
  • D. Suicide
• 10. Perceiving Hope
  • Biblical Hope
  • Life Is Worth Living
  • Job's Hope
  • God's Care
  • The Church's Help
  • Personal Hope
• 11. The Garment of Praise
  • Praise the Lord!
  • A Garment of Wear
  • The Praise Initiative
  • Praise Is a Sacrifice
  • Rewards of Praise
  • Praise and Thanksgiving
  • Praise Therapy
  • Failure to Praise
• Appendix I. Finding Help for Mental Illness
  • A. Special Needs
  • B. Understanding Terms
  • C. Medical and Spiritual Therapy
  • D. The Mental Health System
  • E. The Christian Community
  • F. Spiritual and Physical Dimensions
• Appendix II. Anointing for Emotional Healing
  • God's Care
  • Right Responses
  • God Heals
  • Holiness, Humility, and Contrition
  • Anointing With Oil
  • God's Grace
• Appendix III. Suggested Answers to Study Questions

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