Changing Times

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Christian Counseling of Mine

Dear Friend,
As a Christian counselor I have learned to rely on the Holy Spirit to convey the Biblical truths I use and apply to solve people's problems (Isa. 11:1-4; John 14:26) . As a Christian counselor I apply God's Word to people's problems with:
--the respect of the Lord and His ways (Proverbs 9:9-11) and not having the fear of man and his foolish ways as my foundation (Proverbs 29:25; Luke 12:4; I Corinthians 1:17-31),
--seeking and discerning the root sin patterns coming out of breaking the ten commandments (Ex. 20:1-17) that underlay their symptoms of: fear, anger, and/or depression that people often show and/or describe in relating their problems to me (James 1:19-27; 5:16-20),
--humility, knowledge, and wisdom gained through my own sin and need of repentance that I share with them and then as to what Scriptures best fit their situation (II Timothy 3:6-17). I then pray to bring them to confession and repentance (II Chron. 7:14; Proverbs 28:13; I John 1:9) and break their strongholds (II Cor. 10:4-5; Gal. 6:1; James 4:6-10).

So I share this with you Christians to help you when you are sometimes called upon to help others with their problems (Prov. 9:9; I Cor. 11:1; Philippians 3:17; 4:9).
Let us Christians counsel those in need, not with atheist psychology's ideas, but with God's Word, our Creator's manual of how to live (Colossians 1:9-23; II Timothy 3:16-17).
Brother Joe "a Christian counselor" Sturz
‎Tuesday, ‎January ‎21, ‎2025 www.sturzchristiancounseling.com

Sharing what the Lord has taught me through: His Word, 42 years of marriage before my beloved went to heaven, my mistakes, failures and successes including 50+ years as a Biblical counselor.

See my short daily messages on Facebook that are thought through Biblically https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094503147133
and for more type in your search box youtube/joesturz

Gospel Story Note:
I led a self-centered life until I heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ again at a church revival meeting, at age 28, while in the Air Force in Puerto Rico.
The Gospel message was that Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross to pay the penalty due my sin and rose again from the dead to secure a place in heaven for me if I believed in and followed Him (John 14:1-3; I Corinthians 15:1-4).
This caused me to later kneel by my bed at home and pray and repent of my sinful self centered life and surrender all to Him (I John 1:9). I have followed Him ever since and am now age 85 (John 8:31-32).
If this message has touched your heart to know more about coming to Christ, seek out a Christian to help you learn more (Matthew 11:28).

Helpful Links:
A great help in my Christian counseling was Jay Adams, Christian Counselor's Manual and The Self Confrontation Manual, by John Broger. Here are their links:

--learn Biblical counseling online and through books by Dr. Jay E. Adams such as Competent to Counsel www.nouthetic.org
--Self-Confrontation Manual, A Manual for In-Depth Biblical Discipleship, by John C. Broger. This manual is used by many Christian counselors to help Christians apply the Bible to their personal lives to get victory over their sin.
https://www.bcfministries.org/matls-01sc-scman.html
www.sturzchristiancounseling.com

Conflicts in Marriage, Joe's Testimony

Dear Friend,
In the younger days of my marriage my wife and I often would get into heated angry arguements. Our voices would get loud and we would say ugly things to each other. My wife was a very smart woman and had a sharp tongue that was very discerning of my faults.

I would get so angry and frustrated with her criticisms that I would leave her in the kitchen and go walk around in the living room, talking to God about that woman and how angry she made me. As I poured out my frustration to God I began to calm down. A still small voice brought thoughts into my mind such as: "is she right about anything?"(I Kings 19:11-13; Psalm 139:17) Was your attitude right in responding to her?" I would respond saying: "she said such hard things in such a mean way!" "She should come and ask my forgivness."

The thought would come: "was she right about anything?" "Why don't you humble yourself and admit what some of the things she said was true? I would then answer in my thoughts "but what about the right things I told her?" The thoughts then would come: "aren't you the head of the house and are to set the example for her?" Why don't you humble yourself and go first and ask her forgivenes for your mean and harsh words you used to speak to her?

I would then keep pouting and struggling with my angry feelings but gradually continued to calm down as the Lord dealt with me. Finally I would humble myself and ask the Lord for forgiveness of my sin and then go back in the kitchen and face her and say: "I was wrong to get so mean and angry, please forgive me." She would usually calm down and admit her angry words were said with a bad attitude and ask my forgiveness and we would end in each others arms.

I realized I had a lot of growing up to do as a Christian man and husband (Ephesians 5:22-33).

Brother Joe "still growing up" Sturz
‎Friday, ‎December ‎27, ‎2024

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Prayer of Mine for Reforming America in 2025

Holy Father in heaven have mercy upon us (Psalm 86:5; Hebrews 4:16) and awaken Your people (Isaiah 52:1; Romans 13:11; Ephesians 5:14) to help expose and remove the covenant breakers in leadership(Dt. 28:15-68; Romans 1:21-25; Gal. 5:19-21) and help bring about:

--Biblical law and order to the chaos in our cities and borders (Genesis 9:5-6; Ex. 20:1-17; Romans 13:1-7),

--decentralization of the towers of Babel monopolies of power (Genesis 11:1-9) in our: church denominations, governments, businesses, educational and health systems (Isaiah 14:13-14; II Thessalonians 3:1-2; I John 5:19-21),

--reduction of the huge unelected bureaucracies in our government that take away our freedom by helping privatize their overreach functions (Isaiah 58:6-7; II Corinthians 3:17; Galatains 5:1, 13, 16),

--reduced government taxing and spending to help us get free of debt and defund wicked programs such as Planned Parenthood's abortion centers (Leviticus 18:21; Proverbs 22:7; Luke 19:1-10).

Move upon us by Your Holy Spirit (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18; I John 2:20, 27) to have the boldness and courage to fight the good fight of faith (I Ti. 1:12; II Timothy 1:7) in helping to bring about the time of reformation of our country (Hebrews 9:10) to glorify You (I Corinthians 10:31) in advancing Christ's kingdom (Matthew 6:33; 13:31-33).

In Jesus name (John 16:23-24).
Amen

Brother Joe "praying for a great awakening" Sturz
‎Tuesday, ‎December ‎31, ‎2024
www.sturzchristiancounseling.com

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Future, What it Holds For Us

Dear Reader,
Here is my view of the future that I see from God's Word (II Timothy 3:16-17).

God is progressively advancing His kingdom here on earth (Psalm 2:1-12; Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 2:44; Matthew 13:31-33; Luke 11:2) by causing (Romans 11:36):

--the destruction of His lawless enemies as they are cursed (Deuteromony 28:16-18) with progressive self destruction as they reap the consequences of their lawless choices under God's footstool (Proverbs 8:36; John 3:36; I Corinthians 15:24-28; Galatians 6:7-8),

--His people and His church (Matthew 16:15-18; Ephesians 2:19-22) as they grow in faith to do spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:10-18) in their fulfilling their dominion calling (Genesis 1:26-28; Deut. 28:1-15) and Christian outreach (Matthew 28:18-20) as they reap the blessed consequences of their lawful choices (Galatians 6:7-10),

--the saturation of the world with the light of His Word through more and more effective technology that is causing a huge worldwide harvest of souls in more and more language groups as some people are being saved but more and more are develping a Biblical worldview in their thinking and hungering for freedom
(Psalm 22:26-28; 36:9; 68:11; Isaiah 11:9; Hab. 2:14; Matthew 5:14-16; John 1:1-18; I Corinthians 3:17).

So let us seek to do our part in advancing Christ's kingdom (Matthew 6:33) by fighting the good fight of faith in spiritual warfare against the world, the flesh and the Devil (II Corinthians 10:3-6; I Timothy 6:12; James 4:7-10; I John 2:14-17).

So let us look forward to a greater and greater spiritual harvest of souls and victories as Christ's kingdom advances (Matthew 6:10; 24:14; John 3:16-17; 4:34-38). God seeing to the restraining and removing of His and our enemies until He returns to destroy the last enemy death in the general resurrection of saints and sinners in the last great day of judgment (Dan. 7:27; Rom. 2:6-8; I Corinthians 15:22-58; Revelation 20:11-15).

Brother Joe "seeing God's progressive victories" Sturz
‎Thursday, ‎August ‎8, ‎2024 www.sturzchristiancounseling.com

See my daily messages for personal spiritual growth and teaching others on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094503147133
for more type in your search box you tube/joesturz

Gospel Note:
Jesus Christ fulfilled God's law by living a sinless life (Matthew 5:17-20) and completely overcame sin and its penalties at the cross (I Corinthians 15:3-4) as well as defeating Satan (Genesis 3:15; Colossians 2:12-15).

It is my faith and eager expectation that Jesus Christ, using His church and kingdom, equipped with:
the invincible Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4:6; John 16:7-11; Acts 1:8), the infallible Word of the Bible

(II Timothy 3:15-17), and the incomparable Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:15-17) will have subdued all rule, authority and power so that the last enemy He will subdue is death at His next coming (Psalms 2:1-12; 22:26-28; 72:1-20; I Corinthians 15:24-28). Glory to His Name!

Additiona Note: this magazine has helped open my eyes to the great moves of the Holy Spirit going on all over the world

www.missionfrontiers.org
www.sturzchristiancounseling.com

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God's Sovereignty, the Big Picture

Dear Friend,
My understanding of God's sovereignty is getting progressively greater as I grow in studying and meditating on His Word (Josh. 1:8; Psa.1:1-3; I Timothy 4:15). Here is my understanding so far as I see now (I Corinthians 13:12). God is sovereignly glorifying Himself in:

--salvation as He saves from sin His called, chosen, and faithful people and keeps them through the renewing power of the Holy Spirit (John 10: 14-18, 26-28; 17:12; Col. 3:12; Titus 3:5-7; Revelation 17:14),

--covenantal agreement to progressively punish the covenant breakers who are always in conflict with the covenant keepers who are progressively blessed in the unfolding of His plan of salvation in history (Genesis 3:15; Deuteronomy 23:1-68; Proverbs 19:21; Isaiah 46:10; John 3:16-21; Acts 2:23; Eph. 1:3, 10-11),

--giving us His Law Word that reveals His will for us in our overseeing and progressively having dominion over all areas of life (Genesis 1:26-28; Exodus 20:1-17; II Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 2:7-10; I Peter 4:11; I John 5:3-5),

--His Word being the starting point in all our faith assumptions in dealing with opposition that govern how we are to see all of life (Psalm 36:5-9: John 1:1-5; Ephesians 6:10-18; II Timothy 3:16-17; Hebrews 4:12),

--progressively building His kingdom here on earth as He uses His people to grow and in faith to overcome His and their enemies until He comes back to defeat the last enemy which is death (Psalm 2:6-9; Daniel 2:44-45; Matthew 13:33; Luke 11:2; John 6:40; I Co. 15:25-28, 58),

--helping His people fulfill their calling to have dominion (Genesis 1:26-28) and reach the whole world for our Lord Jesus Christ so that all nations will be taught and discipled for His kingship (Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 7:27; Matthew 28:18-20; I Timothy 6:11-15).

So I am growing in my understanding of how big God is as i see His sovereign plan and purpose for His creation as all things are from, through, and to Him (Romans 11:33-36; Ephesians 1:11; Philippians 1:9; Colossians 3:11).

Brother Joe "seeing His sovereignty more" Sturz ‎ Thursday, ‎August ‎1, ‎2024 www.sturzchristiancounseling.com

See my daily messages for personal spiritual growth and teaching others on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094503147133
for more type in your search box you tube/joesturz

A man's greatest challenges are:
--first to secure his eternal destiny by repenting and turning from His sin and trusting in Jesus Christ alone for his eternal salvation in heaven and becoming a witness for Christ (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).

--second to fulfill the cultural mandate to do dominion work and get married and be fruitful and multiply and repopulate the next generation with at least three children (including adoption)(one or two children are not enough to repopulate due to accidents and disease (Genesis 1:26-28).

A website that encourages Christian families to be fruitful and multiply: https://www.quiverfull.com/

Gospel Note:
I became a Christian as a little boy raised in a Christian home and always going to our little country church (II Timothy 3:15;Hebrews 10:25). I came under the influence of worldly friends at age 18. I backslid until I rededicated my life to Christ at age 28.

This is when I repented of my sins (I John 1:9) and trusted personally in Jesus Christ's suffering and dying on the cross in my place to take God's punishment due for my sin and rose again from the dead to secure a place in heaven for me (John 14:1-3; I Corinthians 15:1-58).

I am now 84 and am still all out for Him (John 8:31-32; Romans 12:1-2) in praying, reading and obeying the Bible every day, belonging to a Bible believing church, and sharing my faith with others (Acts 2:46-47) as I seek to bring His kingdom to earth in all areas of my life (Matthew 6:33).

If God is calling and convicting you of your sin, repent of your sin and trust in and begin to follow Him today (I John 1:9).

www.sturzchristiancounseling.com

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Teaching from the "BOOK OF JOHN"
by Paul Sturz.

Audio captured from cassette tapes made by Joe's Dad.

Click links below to listen
tape #1, 61 min - Chapter 3
tape #2, 92 min - Chapter 15
tape #3, 94 min - Chapter 15, 16
tape #4, 32 sec - Chapter 16
tape #5, 61 min - Chapter 16
tape #6, 90 min - Chapter 17
tape #7, 88 min - Chapter 20,21
tape #8, broken
tape #9, 61 min - Chapter 17
tape #10, 56 min - Chapter 17
tape #11, 60 min - Chapter 17,18
tape #12, 61 min - Chapter 18
tape #13, 61 min - Chapter 18
tape #14, 53 min - Chapter 18
tape #15, 61 min - Chapter 18
tape #16, 60 min - Chapter 18-19

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Joe's Past Articles

Joe's Testimony page

Joe's Newsletters

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I have seen in the last 50 years in the body of Christ a growing unity in the midst of a rich and growing diversity. This appears to be in answer to Jesus Christ's prayer for His people (John 17:9-23). We Christians are maturing as we learn to humble ourselves and accept criticism and disagreement from others as we work together in the global expansion of Christ's kingdom. We continue to test all things by God's Word, the Bible (I Thess. 5:21-24).

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Some of the leading ministries that have helped equip me to be more effective in ministry (Ephesians 4:11-16) and greatly helped me in my growing understanding of God's Word are the following:



--Outstanding Christian world news magazine for any thinking person. Its columnists are outstanding and challenging and far from predictable. There's a good amount of humor, too, not the least of which is found in its editorial cartoon feature in each issue. http://facebook.com/WORLD.Magazine

--Free inspirational booklets sent quarterly in the USA and and some other countries http://chapellibrary.org

I used the Topic # in the back of the Thompson Chain Reference Study Bible for a rough outline of this message. It's the unique Chain-Reference® System that allows you to follow any subject, person, place or idea, from the front of your Bible to the end. Developed by Dr. Frank C. Thompson and used by many Bible students and teachers for over a 100 years. Order a copy for yourself new from the publisher http://kirkbride.com

--The magazine Mission Frontiers that opened my eyes to the great moves of the Holy Spirit going on all over the world. http://missionfrontiers.org

--Books by R. J. R u s h d o o n y in enlarging my vision to apply all of the Bible to all of life as I grow in being a disciple of Christ. http://chalcedon.edu

--After almost 50 years of ministry the Institute of Creation Research http://ICR.org remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, the institute exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and Earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through graduate and professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations.

--Find articles that provide some Biblical and practical information on how to help people gain deliverance from demons by Derek Prince http://derekprince.org

--Bible Gateway App: This free Bible app allows you to read the Bible in any of 90 different translations and listen to the Bible in several different languages. It works on or offline. It has search tools, daily Bible Verses, reading plans, and Bible commentaries. You can take notes, highlight text, and bookmark your favorite verses. The app also allows you to share verses on Facebook. Find it on iPad, iPhone, Android, and Kindle Fire http://biblegateway.com

--The best free online resource I have found for my computer that provides me with the basic tools and reference books to study the Bible. http://e-sword.net

--A very useful website for memorizing Scripture http://scripturememory.com also a great help is the VerseLocker app for your smartphone

--Here is to be found a great Bible teacher, R.C. Sproul, and his rich exposition of the Bible. http://ligonier.org

--Enrich your Bible teaching with the Library of Free Online Seminary Courses that I highly recommend at http://monergism.com/topics/education

--Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively. We focus on providing answers to questions about the Bible—particularly the book of Genesis—regarding key issues such as creation, evolution, science, and the age of the earth http://answersingenesis.org

I encourage you to check out these websites and learn from the ones that appeal to you.

http://sturzchristiancounseling.com Facebook Group YouTube
Sharing what the Lord has taught me through: His Word, my mistakes, failures and successes and 47+ years as a Biblical counselor.

Look for my short daily morning Bible counseling messages on my Facebook Group and timeline.

The Good News of the Gospel is: Jesus suffered and died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin (and remove the guilt of anticipating sin's punishment & secure forgiveness for His own) & was buried & raised on the third day and so gained their justification and a place in heaven for His people (I Cor. 15:1-4; Romans 4:25; 5:1).

Repent and trust in Him today! (I John 1:9).

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