Apologia! Every word of God is tested… Proverbs 30:5

If God Became A Man, then… Unusual entrance Sinless life Supernatural wonders Apex of history Greatest words ever Fulfill our spiritual needs

Do We Have A Spiritual Need? People who attend religious services, or who feel they are spiritual, experience lower levels of depression and anxiety; display signs of better health, such as lower blood pressure and fewer strokes; and say they generally feel healthier. -- WebMD

Jesus Addressed Spiritual Needs Matthew 5:6 – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Blessing comes to the one who recognizes a soul need only Jesus can satisfy.

Recognizing Spiritual Importance “An article in the Journal of Religion and Health (Vanderpool and Levin, 1990) claims that through these two channels, medicine and religion, humans grapple with common issues of infirmity, suffering, loneliness, despair, and death, while searching for hope, meaning, and personal value in the crisis of illness.” Ethics in Medicine University of Washington School of Medicine by Thomas R. McCormick, D.Min.

Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Our souls need rest only Jesus can supply.

John 7:37-39 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive….

John 4:13-14 “Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”

God Made Man Addressed Soul Thirst Deeper than physical need. Unable to be satisfied by daily eating of food and drinking of water. One person finds spiritual satisfaction in Christ and he becomes a channel of spiritual satisfaction for others.

John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

Spirituality And Medicine “Many physicians and nurses have intuitive and anecdotal impressions that the beliefs and religious practices of patients have a profound effect upon their existential experiences with illness….Many are comforted in the face of a health-crisis with an inner calm that is founded on their deep trust in God’s loving care for them in all situations.” OpCit

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Living vs. Abundant Life

Interesting Studies Cited Some studies suggest that people who have regular spiritual practices tend to live longer. Religious commitment may improve stress control. Those with spiritual beliefs tend to have a more positive outlook. Prayer can help a person deal with pain.

Do We Have A Spiritual Need? “When he follows the creed of his profession, a scientist believes what he does because of the evidence he can find. I became a Christian because I found in myself a need that could be satisfied only in Jesus Christ. R.L. Mixter Professor of Zoology Wheaton College