Good article on spiritual discernment. Pope Francis as a Jesuit has a unique Ignatian training on discernment that can help many understand their role and how to interpret things in their spiritual life. Please also review our Christian Counseling Certification

The article, Pope Francis teaches discernment for coping with spiritual battles, by Thomas Reese states,

“For Francis, the devil is not a mythical figure but real. “It is precisely the conviction that this malign power is present in our midst that enables us to understand how evil can at times have so much destructive force,” he writes. “We should not think of the devil as a myth, a representation, a symbol, a figure of speech or an idea. This mistake would lead us to let down our guard, to grow careless and end up more vulnerable.”

To read the entire article, please click here

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Christian Counseling Certification: The Ascension of Christ and How Christians Perceive it

For the longest time, Christians believed Christ would return soon.  After his departure, the perscutions of Rome waged on without mercy.  Christ did not come.  Then the fall of Rome and the barbarian invasions which led to the dark ages in the West befell Christendom, still Christ did not come.   Famous dates have come and gone, still Christ has not returned.  What does the Ascension mean to us as we await his return?  How should Christian Counseling address it when someone is always talking about the future instead of focusing on the present?

Does it mean we are to continually await doomsday prophesies of supposed “prophets” like in the recent year?  How many actually feared the date 2012 or felt our Lord would return?  Christ was quite clear that only the Father knows the day and hour.

When Christ gloriously ascended into heaven, body and soul, he left the pilgrim Church with leadership and on Pentacost, the Holy Spirit.  The last two-thousand years have not been about Christ rescuing us from the world but teaching us patience to exist in it.

The patriarchs of old waited eras for the Messiah to come, so shall many of us await his return.  Whether it is tomorrow or another thousand years, we as Christians know he will return, but in the meantime, we must live our faith and care for the issues that plague us today instead of window watching in a hope of his return that we may not see in this life time.

Ultimately let us take consolation in the Ascension, for Christ has given us a chance to mend his garden and expects us to show great returns–for the day the master returns to it, he will expect great things.  Will we have great things to show him?

If yoyu are interested in Christian Counseling Certification, then please review the program.  By taking the required courses, you can become eligible for the Christian Counseling Certification.

Christian Counseling Certification: What is a Petrine Relationship?

In Christian Counseling, do ever notice different types of Christians who possess different characteristics in their relationship with the Lord?  One relationship to view is Peter. When we look at Peter and our Lord, we see a definite relationship that was special beyond the other apostles.  It contained certain qualities of leadership, inspiration and a deep bond.  This unique relationship played itself out from the very first time Christ and Peter went aboard his fishing boat to Peter’s ultimate end and martyrdom in Rome.

Peter as a Leader

Peter is seen as the leader of the apostles.  Christ chose him among the first to follow him.  He also challenged Peter more than any other because he saw the seed of leadership in him.  On one occasion, Peter is the first to proclaim Christ Lord.  On other occasions, we see the faith of Peter explode as he jumped out of the boat to walk to our Lord on the water.   While the other apostles remain hesitant, Peter stood out and led.  Later in Peter’s life, Christ will tell Peter that he will be the rock of the church and to feed his sheep.

Peter as a Fallen Human

Yet with all this expectation, we still find in Peter a true person.  A human much like ourselves.  Peter is filled with love for God but is so imperfect on so many occasions.  Even when Peter walked upon the water to our Lord, he lost concentration of Christ and began to drown.  In other stories, we see Peter’s insistence to never deny our Lord and even in the garden, he raised his sword to defend his master, yet hours later, he denied his Lord three times.

Later after Christ’s resurrection, Christ asked Peter three times if he loved him.  Many contend that Peter was given a chance to renounce each of his previous denial through this.  While I believe this is true, it is also true that each time Christ asked Peter if he loved him, he asked for a certain type of love.  A type of love that is lost in the English translation from the Greek.  Christ three times kept asking Peter for the ultimate love of self denial and total giving.  Yet Peter’s response was always a lower type of love of intense emotion and friendship.  Yet, Christ still saw the potential in Peter and asked for a lesser love in his final declaration, but forewarned Peter that one day he would feed his sheep and die for him because of his intense love.

Even in Peter’s later days, among the intense persecution in Rome, legend has that as Peter fled the city he was met by the glorified Lord, who was returning to Rome.  Legend states that Christ warned Peter if he would not stay with his flock that Christ himself would die again with his people.  While legend, -or maybe not, it does point to Peter’s spiritual evolution of finally accepting his cross and showing his ultimate love for his master.

Peter the Final Product

So from this simple fisherman came the first leader of the Christian Church.  A simple Jewish man who would take the reigns from Christ and guide the church, through his leadership and inspired writings.  This final product was a soul that willingly died for Christ and found himself unjust to die as his master, hence insisting upside down crucifixion.  This amazing transformation was due to a consistent commitment to Christ despite any pitfalls or failures.  It relied on hope from the Holy Spirit to guide him and allow him to constantly return to Christ with even more fire than before.  Yes, Peter always had that fire, but it needed fed and refueled.

Do We Have A Petrine Relationship?

Most of us do have a  Petrine relationship with Christ. !  We have a fire for Christ.  We love him and say we will do anything–and probably mean it at the time of saying it!  But it is so difficult to carry through.  Our broken human nature, our fears and the temptations of the world sometimes push us away and we lose focus–much like Peter did when he stood before our Lord on the water.   However, unlike others who despaired, like Judas, Peter never gave up.  Even after denial, he wept bitterly and became a better man and Christian.   How many times do we see this same pattern in our own life?   While many of us would like to see ourselves like John, steadfast and devout, most of us are more like Peter.  We have a strong love for the Lord but sometimes fail.

I feel Christ has a special love for “Peter” types.  Maybe its because I feel I fit into this group as well!  Those who have a Petrine relationship with Christ are almost paralled to Christ the way a loving father is to his son.  The father sees the good intent of his child and the potential of his child to be the very best son no matter his current short comings.  Peter was this type.   And ultimately, the finished product of his soul was something we should all hope to emulate.

If you are interested in learning more about Christianity, or counseling, then please click Christian Counseling Certification

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Counseling Certification : Not Worthy That You Should Come Under My Roof

The faith of the centurion was the greatest faith that Christ had witnessed in all of Israel.  Upon meeting our Lord and begging for a cure of his servant, his faith  was illuminated by the mere words, “merely say the word”.   He did not require that our Lord should come to his home, nor grace his unworthiness by entering his lowly home, but his faith only required Our Lord’s word of healing.   His humility and faith earned him the cure he so desperately sought for his servant.
Christian Counselors should try to cultivate such faith in their spiritual children.  Our faith in God’s love for us should be so strong that it does not require visions, heavenly visits or spiritual favors.  The words of Our Lord should be enough, as they were for the centurion.

Liturgical Application of the Centurian’s Faith

In Catholicism and maybe some denominations of Protestantism, the centurion’s faith is memorialized before communion, when the faithful recite, “Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my soul shall be healed”.  This phrase reiterates one’s faith and humility before reception of the Eucharist.  It acknowledges one’s unworthiness but also one’s faith that Christ can spiritually and physically heal our weaknesses.
While all who are baptized are infused with the gift of faith, we still must cultivate it on this earth.  This supernatural virtue will cease to exist in the next life when our faith is realized, but in the meantime, we need to strengthen it with ferventacts of faith, as the centurion did.
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Courses, please review the program.  Our Christian Counseling Certification is granted to qualified professionals who complete the required course work.

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Counseling Certification : Care of the Poor During Christmas

While care of the poor is vocation all Christians must undertake the whole year, it is especially important to remember the poor during Christmas.  Christian Counselors should lead and partake in various ministries that alleviate the suffering of the poor during Christmas.  There are a multitude of ways this can be accomplished.
First, donating various articles.  Clothes, coats, and other articles of use can be donated to various charities in your community.  One should take the time to go through old and unused materials that could be useful for a poor family.
Second, donation of food is critical.  Many shelters have Christmas dinners.  One can volunteer or donate various canned goods or even donate a Christmas Ham.
Third, toys give great joy to children.  Be sure to sponsor a child or give to an organization that finds toys for poor children.

Christ Had A Special Ministry For the Poor

Christ’s love for the poor was a large part of his ministry.  Many of his parables and deeds correlate with a message to care for the poor.  Christ’s first and foremost purpose was our spiritual salvation, but he also understood the need of our physical well being.
When he fed the thousands, he was concerned for the people’s hunger.  He had already satisfied their spiritual hunger with his words, but through an act of charity, he also satisfied their physical hunger by multiplying the bread and fish.  This miracle would later foreshadow the Last Supper where Christ gave us His Body and Blood to feed our spiritual hunger.
This Christmas, let us try to spread the message of the Incarnation to spiritually feed others but let us also physically feed the hungry and care for the poor via acts of charity.  Remember, when you do a charitable act for a least of your brethren, you do it for Christ.
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Certification, please review the program

Mark Moran, MA

Christian Counseling Certification: Trick or Treat or Good and Evil

How do Christian Counselors address Halloween?  Halloween has it origins from the ancient Druids who would seek sacrifice of children for their pagan deities.    This dated back to the Samhein.  This was the last harvest of the Fall and was also associated with the coming of Winter.  The dead were considered to have more power on this day and variety of sacrifices were offered for protection–some of which were human.
Later the feast would represent All Hallows Eve, or the eve before all Saints Day.  Still the day in accordance with its pagan history and its influence in the occult is far from saintly.  While secular society has commercialized it into a day of fun and tricks with parties, trick or treating and costumes, many neo pagans maintain its sacredness.
Christians contend it is a day of evil where pagan deities are once again revered and the power of Satan is at its highest.  The neo-pagan connection with the dead is highest this day as various pagan celebrations commerate the last harvest and the memory of the dead.
While many neo-pagans may deny any satanic activity, Christians contend the evil nature of the feast and practice pious traditions of prayer and protection.  In such ways, even the ancients prayed for protection with the carving of Jack-O-Laterns.  While Christians instead seek the protection of Christ, one can still see the fear and dread people have of evil spirits on this day!
Christian Counselors should not entirely deny people the festivity of Halloween.  Instead, they should emphasize how the eve gives way to the dawn of All Saints Day and of Christ’s ultimate victory over evil.  Furthermore, one should not avoid the secular festivities of the day but enjoy the fun of costumes and the chance to play tricks and scare one another.  If one wishes, wear a costume that reflects goodness instead of evil.
Yet underneath the festivities,  Christians should still say at least a small prayer and remember the evil roots of this obscure holiday.
If you are interested in a Christian Counseling Certification, please review the program.  Our Christian Counseling Certification program covers core courses that the qualified professional must pass to become certified.

Mark Moran, MA

What Can You Do With A Christian Counseling Certification?

As a Christian therapist, I see all sorts of people with a variety of issues in my practice. I operate out of a large church that has therapy programs available to their congregation and outside individuals. This particular church I have worked out of for over ten years. I love my work and can not imagine doing anything else. When I went to college, I majored in psychology and then obtained a christian counseling certification. This degree and certification allows me to work with Christians who for whatever reason have decided to seek out therapy. Some people may want to work on their marriage, others may have addictions, while some may have weight issues or anxiety. Whatever the situation, I always take a non-judgmental approach and use therapy along with their faith to try to help them. It really makes my day when I am told after therapy that I have saved a marriage or helped a person struggling with an addiction to see what they need to do.

Christian Counseling Certification: Counseling “Boot Camp” for Good Husbands

We all know in Scripture, Paul says for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the Church

Below is a short article that adds a few ideas to this on how to be the husband God wants men to be to their wives.

Stormie Omartian in “Five Ways To Be The Husband God Wants You To Be” writes about this topic.  The article is from crosswalk.com

“In the Bible, God commands, “All of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be ten­derhearted, be courteous” (1 Peter 3:8). Paying heed to these five directives can change your life and your marriage and make you the man and husband God wants you to be. It’s definitely something well worth praying about.”

To read the full article, click here

In the end, being a good husband is about being willing to lay one’s life down for his wife and family.  Counseling sessions should emphasize the love and devotion a husband must have for his family.  Ultimately, are husbands imitating St. Joseph?  Was it not St. Joseph who best cared for the Holy Family putting his own life on the line to defend it?
If you are interested in Christian Counseling Education, please click here. Our Christian Counseling Certification is offered to qualified professionals.  To achieve Christian Counseling Certification, one must take the core courses offered at AIHCP.