REVIEW:

Mark 12:30 (NIV) – Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

• Physical health requires time, attention and effort to obtain and maintain; mental health is no different
• This is a giant topic with tremendous nuance. Let’s discuss it accordingly.
• Mental health is a combination of both physiology and decision-ology.

Romans 12:1&2 (NIV) – 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

• Our mental health is impacted by the health of our relationships and how we rest.

PREVIEW: REMEMBERING

The next key practice of obtaining and maintaining a mentally healthy life is the practice of continually remembering truth.

When we remember God’s truths we transform and renew our minds and we strengthen our mental health

When we remember the truth about who God is and what he has done we strengthen our mental health.

When we remember the truth about who God says we are and how we are to live we strengthen our mental health.

WHAT TO REMEMBER?

1) God loves what he makes – especially you

Genesis 1:27 (NIV) – 27So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:31 (NIV) – God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

Genesis 2:25 (NIV) – 25Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

• “Man” means remember – Hebrew ‘zakar’ – to mark or to remember

2) God remembers (Noah, Abraham, Rachel, Joseph, Jacob, Psalms…)

3) God wants us to remember that he remembers us

• Entering the promised land (life) – Moses in Deuteronomy

HOW TO REMEMBER?

• People
  •  Relationships that encourage, challenge and disciple
•  Practice
  •  Walk the path of life with God and others and experience living out truth to remember truth
• Prayer & Praise

Psalm 63:1-8 (NIV) – 1O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. 3Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.5You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy. 6I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night. 7Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings. 8I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.

THE CALL TO HELP OTHERS REMEMBER AND DISCOVER – RELATIONAL DISCIPLESHIP AS THE CHURCH

The continual practice of remembering God’s truths results in a strengthened & healthy mind and life. This continual practice will result in a resilient mind and life.

PERSONAL AND SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS:

• When you have forgotten something, what helps you remember?
• Do you tend to remember positive or negative facts? How do you think this impacts your mental health?
• Take some time to think, pray and focus on remembering the times God has kept his promises in your life. Share them with someone.
• In order to remember God’s truth, we must first know the truth. What is one action step you can take to learning and remembering God’s truth?