Good morning Happy Wednesday!

“For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God…”

Hebrews 2:17

I often hear people respond too readily with the statement “I know what you are going through…I can imagine what that must be like”. When I hear these types of statements being made, even as well-meaning, sincere efforts to provide comfort, it makes me wonder about their accuracy.

Based on our own experiences, we can have an idea of what someone’s pain is like. But can anyone really know exactly what we are going through when we are hurting? Or when we are anxiously waiting for that miracle that never seems to come?

People may be able to empathize with a problem, experience or heartache, but our experience of pain is distinctive because it is ultimately ours. We can freely take ownership of our heartache.

One of the amazing mysteries of Christ’s coming to earth is that God became one with humanity, and not just in the physical sense. He also joined us in our emotions and psychology. He found out firsthand what it was to hurt (John 11:35), lose a family member (Matthew 14:12-13), be misunderstood by family members (John 7:3-5), be angry (Mark 11:15-19) and to be betrayed (Luke 22:48). And so much more!

He really dove chest first into the vast sea of emotions and angst which constitute humanity. And with the power of His Holy Spirit living within us, He intimately knows how we feel. (1 Corinthians 3:16) He knows when we are hurting and to what extent because it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. (Isaiah 53:4)

So when we have the idea that we are the only ones who have ever felt a certain way, God looks at us and can accurately say, “excuse me….I’ve experienced those feelings too…I know what you are going through…I know exactly what you are going through”. (Hebrews 4:15)

Be encouraged!

Aren’t you glad that He Is?

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual

Good morning and Happy Tuesday!

“Come, let’s go down and confuse the people with different languages. Then they won’t be able to understand each other.”    Genesis 11:7

I think the most difficult yet underappreciated thing for us to do as human beings is to adequately communicate. An untold number of books have been written about this and still, even the authors have difficulties with their own efforts at communication.

One of the issues is that we communicate on several levels which include what we are saying and what we really mean to say. There is also the unspoken language of the eyes and body which often speak louder than words. Communication can be very complicated.

But the scriptures provide us simple advice on how to minimize the potential communication confusion.

We can begin by saying what we mean and meaning what we say (Matthew 5:37). And there is the part about speaking the truth in love and not just expelling our emotional reactions impulsively. (Ephesians 4:15)

These things are impossible to do consistently in the natural, but with the power of His Holy Spirit, we can do all things. (Philippians 4:13).

What would we do without His holy spirit?

Thank God that He Is!

Be encouraged!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Friday!

“O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” 2 Chronicles 20:12

I have had times where a critical decision had to be made and I was at a loss as to what to do. I certainly didn’t stay in the dark all alone. I reached out for help. I consulted with thoughtful and wise friends whose intelligence I respected. And still, many times, no one was able to provide me with the much needed clarity.

Have you been in such a place of anxious ignorance where a decision had to be made quickly and you just didn’t know which way to go?

Are you there now?

Well, there is no greater wisdom than that of God’s Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

Just ask King Nebuchadnezzar and he’ll tell you who is the revealer of mysteries. (Daniel 2:46) And He freely and generously allows us access into His wisdom to provide us with the right direction for our lives if we just ask Him. (Daniel 2: 21 & James 1:5)

Be anxious for nothing, and ask Him about everything. This is the will of God for your life. I have found that His answers will often come in the form of a sense of peace about the situation. (Philippians 4:7)

Be encouraged and have a blessed weekend!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Thursday!

“ I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” - Psalm 121:1-2.

It is interesting that when we are in trouble, we have access to the greatest help in existence, but unfortunately not everyone takes advantage of this helpful hand of the living God.

Rather than looking outwards and upwards to God, many of us look inwards to our own limitations and fold under the burden of responsibility, anxiety, guilt or just not knowing what to do. (Proverbs 12:25)

It is He who invites us to exchange our heavy self imposed burdens for His gentle will for our lives.(Matthew 11: 28-30) We need only to accept the invitation for a blessing. And the scriptures add that when the Lord blesses, there is no burden of trouble.(Proverbs 10:22)

He is truly an ever-present help in times of trouble.(Psalm 46:1)

So lift up your head and look up to the help that is so near to you. (Luke 21:28)

Be encouraged!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Wednesday!

“For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12

How long does a person to have to wait to be forgiven?

How many acts of penance does a person have to perform to merit forgiveness? For some, the acceptance of their atonement is a vain hope.

As human beings, we at times may be hesitant or unwilling to forgive an offense because we doubt the sincerity of the apology. That is if an apology is offered.

We may have justifiable reason for that doubt. And of course, offenses may span from small slights to cuts that are so very deep. So we may hold onto unforgiveness, and build a resentment that feeds its insatiable appetite.

But God, who is perfect and has every reason to take offense to our unmentionable thoughts, jealousies, envies and a host of other short comings doesn’t make us wait to be forgiven. With the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the onus is placed on us. His love for us is so intensely passionate and immeasurable that He only asks us to be reasonable, acknowledge the sin committed, sincerely ask for forgiveness and He will remove the stain of our offense from us.(Isaiah 1:18).

Clearly His ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) If He pardons us of even our unmentionables, we need to take examine how we pardon others of their offenses towards us. (Luke 11:4)

What an awesome God we serve!

I am so glad that He Is.

Be encouraged!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Tuesday!

“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ” 2 Timothy 3:1-3.

Recently, I read about a public presentation where the speaker condemned the Bible as nonsense. And here, I am being kind with my words. Several members of the young audience walked out…some in tears. They weren’t ready for that type of assault on the book that presumably, they held as the very word of God; the compass for their lives here on earth and hope for their existence afterwards.

Interestingly, many others in the audience cheered the speaker on. But the bible that was being publicly misrepresented and condemned for daring to raise a standard against the oscillating and temperamental morals of society tells us how it would be during these last days.

We as Christians need to be diligent students of the scriptures in order to better understand the times that we live in and have an accurate, knowledgeable and appropriate response for any who would question the reason for our faith. (2 Timothy 2:15)

That very same bible that was being condemned also tells us that at some point in existence, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God. (Hebrews 9:27)  And at place, the knee of every person, be they proud or humble, will bow before God and every tongue shall give praise to God. (Romans 14:11)

Be encouraged and know the reason for your faith!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Thursday!

“Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the LORD God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” 1 Kings 19:10

Ever felt so overwhelmed by a particular situation that you were confident that God had abandoned you to let you go through it alone?

If so, you need to know that you are not alone. Many have experienced feeling alone and abandoned by God.

Job felt that way and cried about it. (Job 30: 20)

David felt that way and wrote about it. (Psalm 22: 1-2)

Elijah felt that way and complained to God about it. (1 Kings 19:10)

Christ felt that way and questioned His father about it. (Matthew 27:46)

C.S. Lewis felt that way and challenged God about it (A Grief Observed by the author).

I have felt that way during dark times that I would rather forget. But those times helped to shape who I am today.

Wait! I see a space for your name on this list.

But no matter how dark or long is the night, each morning brings new evidence of the Lord’s faithfulness towards even those who doubt His love for a moment or a season. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

He is an ever present help even if we don’t feel His presence.

Aren’t you glad that He Is?

Be encouraged!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Wednesday!

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed” Luke 4:18

Working in the field of addiction medicine gives me a unique perspective in seeing how a person can be held captive by an object or thought.

Yesterday, I met a woman just 21 years of age who told me that she was just unable to stop smoking marijuana, even though ACS is monitoring her urine for contaminants. The consequences may be the removal of her child from her custody. She tells me she loves her child. And she just can’t stop smoking.

I certainly can’t judge her because I am not in her shoes. I don’t live her life…and my heart goes out to her family.

I saw my face reflected in her eyes as I was compelled to examine my life and search for those hidden things that lurk in the dark…the things that have me physically chained, mentally oppressed and spiritually blind.

This may have been the experience of the accusers of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:9).

I examined the concrete things such as my access to the Internet, my busy schedule and the conceptual things such as my pride, ambition, sense of entitlement and insecurities.

Then I looked down at my desk to consider the divine grace that freely came down from heaven and was shed into me to free me from all that has me bound. (Romans 5:5)

I am so glad that He Is.

Be encouraged!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Tuesday!

“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul” Psalm 143:8

Although this is a rainy Spring morning, can you take a moment to recall the anticipation that you might have felt as a child going to sleep on Christmas Eve? For most of children, the hope was that the morning would be filled with gifts to unravel, revealing toys that would be played with throughout the day.

Unfortunately, some children keep the doctors busy by accidentally hurting themselves with the same gifts meant for their pleasure. They fall off of bicycles, swallow the button of the teddy bear, or get their fingers stuck in something that they had no business going into.

But it is with that sense of anticipation for something good that we should wait for responses to our prayers laid out before God. We are waiting for something immeasurably good. But as gracious and thoughtful as we may be in wanting to give gifts to our own, God calls us evil in comparison to His desire to give us good gifts and respond to our prayers ( Matthew 7:11). And He would never give us anything to harm us. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Don’t be afraid to anticipate His good gifts. He wants to give them even more than we want to ask for them.

Aren’t you glad that He Is?

Be encouraged!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Good morning and Happy Friday:

“This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.” Psalm 34:6

Ever desperately needed the Lord’s help, but somehow, it didn’t seem to come through? You prayed and fasted and the reward for your troubles was the empty echo of your own voice pleading for help. Times like that can make you want to shake your fist to the heavens and shout to God, “hey…I could use some help down here! C’mon already. You deaf?”

Ever been there? Are you there now? Be honest. There is no shame in that experience.

Job, a very righteous man according to God spent some time there. (Job 1:8) I felt that way when my mother was sick and I was anxiously waiting for some miracle.

There were times I was angry and screamed out to God. And then there were times I just begged with tears.

Truth be told, most times I was not reverent. I never did get the result I initially prayed for. But He somehow broke me, changed me, and gave me the strength to go through that season to get to the other side of some painfully turbulent waters.

It seems that God’s idea of answered prayer may be radically different from ours…and it somehow always leads to a greater good. I’ll be the first to say without hesitation that is not an easy lesson to learn. I’m still processing my lesson. But anything less is to darken the wisdom of God with our ignorance (Job 38:2).

He is such an awesome God!

Be encouraged!

- P

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Dr. Pierre Richard Arty is a medical doctor who is Board Certified in Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He serves as an Elder at Abounding Grace Ministries on New York’s Lower East Side. Dr. Arty is also an active member of the Medical Missions Team at The Brooklyn Tabernacle, and travels to other nations to provide medical and spiritual care to the underserved. Dr. Arty was born in Cap-Haitien, Haiti and  lives in Brooklyn, New York.