Practicing Christian Leadership, Mentor's Guide, MG11

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P R A C T I C I N G C H R I S T I A N L E A D E R S H I P

II. A Model for Effective Counseling: the Christian Leader as God’s Physician of the Spirit

A. The “medicine” of the Soul: the Living Word of God

A biblical model of effective counseling

Deut. 8.2-3 - And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. [3] And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 2 Tim. 3.15-17 - . . . and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. [16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

1. Humankind does not live by meeting its physical needs alone; full human life only comes from living by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

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2. The Scriptures are able to handle our fundamental malady: to make us wise for salvation through faith in Messiah Jesus .

3. All Scripture is breathed out by God : divinely inspired wisdom from God the Holy Spirit.

4. The Scriptures are the medicine of God for spiritual sickness: uniquely profitable in outfitting God’s person for spiritual counseling.