INTRODUCTION

1. I usually embarrass myself in some way.
2. Become very pessimistic.
3. Rain on somebody else's parade.

DISCUSSION

I.   WHY PEOPLE FEEL INFERIOR

A    The way we talk to ourselves.  "I never can do anything right"

B.   The way others talk to us. "You don't every do anything right."  

C.   Negative circumstances.  Somebody rains on your parade.

D.   The value that people place on looks, brains and wealth.

E.   Envy 

F.    Negative messages that reinforce our poor self image.

II.   CONSEQUENCES OF LONG TERM NEGATIVE FEELINGS ABOUT
      YOURSELF.

A     Unhappiness.   We create unrest within ourselves and happiness
        is an illusion.

B.    The tar baby effect.   "A denigrated self image is a tar baby.
       The more we play with it, embrace it, the more bound we are to
       it." William Gayling

C     They damage our relations with other people.  "A man who is at
       war with himself will be at war with others." Dag Hammarsjkold

III.  WHAT WE TELL OURSELVES MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE
      WORLD IN THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT OURSELVES.  (check the
      responses that most accurately describe what you tell yourself
      about yourself)


____      I am dumb


____      I am unattractive


____      People don't like me


____      I have no talent


____      I'm miserable


____          I'm lonely


____      I'm poor


____      I'm uninteresting


____      I'm no good


____      I'm sick


____      Thank you Lord for giving me intelligence

____      Thank you Lord for making me attractive

____      Thank you Lord for making me likeable

____      Thank you Lord for giving me talent

____      I'm content

____      Thank you Lord for my friends

____      Thank you Lord for prospering me

____      Thank you Lord for marking me unique

____      Thank your Lord for your righteousness in me

____      Thank you Lord for my health

IV.   HOW TO OVERCOME NEGATIVE FEELINGS.

A     Become aware of what you are doing.  Write down your negative
        thoughts for a two week period.

B.    Recognize the fact that you can never make yourself happy by
        comparing yourself to other people.

C     Replace negative thoughts with positive ones. See Phil 4:8.  2
        Cor. 10:5  Psalm 34:13-14.

D     Contact friends who will build you up; not those who will tear
        you down.


                                CONCLUSION

Making  yourself happy can be a lot of fun.  Be creative.  Remember
that you're created in God's image and "God didn't make no junk."

QUESTIONS FROM THE E - MAIL BAG

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT MARRIAGE AND OTHER THINGS
BIBLICAL INTEGRITY

A.
I do not know what may have happened in some other corner of the universe. I am certain that Jesus came from the Father. According to John 1:14 " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." There is no archeological evidence that would suggest that scripture has been "tampered" with. Interpretation is an entirely different thing. The best scholarship available suggest that existent copies of scripture are far purer in terms of preserving the original message than any other ancient documents such as the works of Homer and so forth. R. H. Mounce (Phd - University of Aberdeen) writes, "The claim of the Bible to divine origin is amply justified by its historical influence. Its manuscripts are numbered in the thousands. The New Testament had barely been put together before we find translations in Latin, Syriac and Egyptian. Today there is not a language in the civilized world that does not have the word of God." In my mind there is no substantial problem concerning the integrity of the Bible text.

I am willing to hang my hat on my faith in the accuracy of the Biblical text itself. I am not so trustful of human interpretation. With respect to the subject of life from other planets and the speculation that Jesus might have come from such a planet, I have no opinion. The Bible does not speak plainly and directly on the subject of live "out there" and I'm willing to leave it in the realm of silence.

A.
With regard to your comment that it is best not understand how another person's brain works, I think you and I are comparing apples to oranges instead of apples to apples. I'm not talking about taking way the mystery. That's part of what makes marriage interesting and unique. I'm talking about understanding the emotional needs of each other. That would prevent us from doing a lot of insensitive things in a marriage relationship. I am totally opposed to manipulation by either sex, but it will enhance, deepen and improve our relationships if we try understand each other. The King James Version rendering of 1 Peter 3:7 confirms this wisdom of attempting to gain understanding of each other. "Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." The NIV suggests that husbands should be "considerate." An excellent book that helps with understanding is "His Needs: Her Needs" by Willard Harley."

Norman

NEXT WEEK'S FEATURE ARTICLE: Communication Interference"