Golden Nuggets: Food for the Mind, Body & Soul: Theme: Places, Vol. 1

By Dr. Elect Star

Golden Nuggets is a wonderful teaching series designed to help readers who are struggling with mental, emotional and spiritual issues. The lessons are biblically based, with unique topics and daily life situations that are relevant. Each lesson is designed to inspire, motivate and encourage readers as well as help readers see themselves and their situation through the lens of the One who created them in His image and likeness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jun 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512736106

Dr. Elect Star

Dr. Elect Star is a soloist, writer, speaker, teacher, counselor and minister with a heart of compassion for individuals suffering from mental health disorders as well as emotional and spiritual issues. Her education includes a Master of Theological Studies and a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care and Counseling. Dr. Star is blessed with spiritual gifts and specialized training that has opened many doors for her to minister in homes, hospitals, mental health facilities, and congregations. A mother of three children and 2 grandchildren, she resides in Indianapolis, IN.

Book preview

GOLDEN

NUGGETS

FOOD FOR THE MIND, BODY & SOUL

Theme: Places, Vol. 1

Lessons that improve the quality of life

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?

Jeremiah 23:24

Dr. Elect Star

39412.png

Copyright © 2015, 2016 Elect Star.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by

any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher

make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book

and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Unless otherwise indicated, all in text, Scripture quotations are

from the King James Version. All rights reserved.

For purposes of clarity, masculine pronouns and familiar

references to the Godhead have been capitalized.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

844-714-3454

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3611-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3610-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016905056

WestBow Press rev. date:  01/20/2023

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

INTRODUCTION

LESSONS

1. Where Are You?

2. Martha’s Syndrome

3. The Leper’s Spirit

4. The Diary of a Prisoner

5. Let Us Alone!

6. The Spirit Realm

7. Danger, Pride on the Rise!

8. The Scapegoat Phenomenon

9. The Carpenter Mentality

10. Are You My Neighbor?

11. The Dark Side

12. Caught in a Time Warp

13. Special Delivery!

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special thanks to the following individuals for their invaluable contributions to this book.

Dr. Byron Johnson, Indianapolis, IN (deceased)

Dr. Jane Sims, Columbus, IN

Bishop James E. Tyson, Indianapolis, IN (deceased)

Eld. Andrew Valentine, Kihei, Hawaii

Marsha Hedgerman, Indianapolis, IN

BrideSong, Denver, CO

INTRODUCTION

As an Ordained Minister of the gospel and a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, I have provided counseling to countless individuals from various walks of life who struggled in various places of their lives. Some of these places included grief and loss, domestic violence, substance abuse, low self-esteem, self-rejection, self-harm, child pornography, childhood sexual abuse and neglect, just to name a few. Although my life has been enriched by these individuals, Places describes experiences that Christians, including myself, have experienced at some point or another. As you journey through each chapter, you will get a glimpse of the issues of everyday Christians. The hope is that you will come to understand more clearly some of the challenges Christians face, as well as what Christians must do to overcome these challenges.

As you reflect upon each chapter, you will not only come to understand these places, but also you will begin to understand why Christians respond to their places in the manner in which they respond. Often, a Christian’s response will depend upon what they know or understand about their place. The more we know and understand about our place, the more we can respond in a manner that is favorable for us. Ignorance is not always bliss, just as knowledge does not necessarily produce power! Rather, it is what we do with the knowledge that determines whether or not our knowledge is power. Also, it depends upon the accuracy of the knowledge we receive as well as how we interpret the knowledge received that determines whether or not our knowledge is indeed power!

For all practical purposes, we begin by defining the word place as: (1) a portion of space; an area with definite or indefinite boundaries, such as a house, apartment, or other residence, e.g. my place or yours? (2) A space in which one person, as a passenger or spectator can sit or stand. (3) A position regarded as belonging to someone or something else. (4) A particular point that one has reached. (5) An appropriate right or duty. (6) A location or situation requiring a particular mode of behavior.

As we study the lessons in this book, our focus will be on a particular point that one has reached; an appropriate right or duty and a location or situation requiring a particular mode of behavior. Places, Vol. 1 will identify various places and illustrate how these places affect the way Christians think, feel and often respond. Unfortunately, some Christians have made shipwreck of their lives all because they were not aware of their place and as a result they could not respond appropriately in their place. When we don’t know where we are (emotionally, mentally and spiritually) or why we are living in the situation we occupy, the devil will use our ignorance to cause us much anguish and pain. Remember, ignorance is not bliss!

There are Christians who are struggling with depression, sickness (mental, emotional, physical and spiritual), fear, anxiety, hopelessness, failure, and even death; all because of one word, ignorance. The word ignorance means lack of knowledge, mental darkness, unawareness and confusion. Ignorance can result not only in mental weakness and instability, but also in physical and spiritual weakness and instability.

The Word of the LORD says in Hosea 4:6, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. To destroy simply means to spoil so that restoration is impossible, consume, tear down, get rid of, silence, stop the existence of a thing, or render useless or ineffective. This is exactly what the devil wants to do to God’s people! But, we declare war against the powers of darkness! 1 John 4:4 tells us that Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world. We intend to overturn Satan’s plan with the knowledge of God’s Word which will give us overcoming victory! With the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word, we will not only have mental, physical and spiritual power, but supernatural power as well. One thing that is certain, the Lord Jesus does not want us to be ignorant nor confused of our place or position in life; but rather