How do we biblical counsel through stress? Stress is the fear of what IS and anxiety is what IF. Can God help you today? Give God the ability to work in the midst of your weakness so that you are made strong because He is strong.

Gospel Response: Are you doubting what God can do for you? Can God handle what you have before you today? Should this be a priority in my life?

- Recognize your freedom and forgiveness in Christ.

- Look at the priorities in your life and reprioritize around the mission of God.

- Write out your habits and influences and remove the stress.

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 37

Pastor Matt - Lead Pastor

I'm Grieving: We can delight in the Lord in our grief. In times of grief, are the things you are turning to for comfort, helping or hurting you? The greater the loss, the greater the grief. Grief will never be your friend, but it can be a teacher.

-- Stages of Grief:

- Denial

- Anger/Resentment

- Bargaining

- Depression/Alienation

- Acceptance

--

How can we delight in God as we grieve?

- Focus on God’s character.

- Control your emotions by controlling your thinking.

- Choose to walk by truth, not feelings and emotions.

I feel ____________ because _____________. But the truth is ____________.

Gospel Response: Are the things you are turning to for comfort, helping or hurting you?

- Grieve in community.

- Walk by truth, not feelings and emotions.

- Sign up for Grief Share.

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 6: 6-7; 23; 31:9-10; 34:18

Pastor Glen - Associate Pastor

I'm Anxious: Anxiety is a world of What Ifs and God is the truth of What IS! How to use God's Word to minister to those who are struggling with anxiety and who have slipped from Godly concern and fear to unhealthy sinful concern and fear. Sinful anxiety fears faith things and doubts real things.

Gospel Response:

- In what areas of your life are you doubting God and His goodness?

- When you find yourself doubting, are you moving towards God or further away from Him?

- Think back to a time when God was faithful and came through for you.

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 121

Pastor Matt - Lead Pastor

I'm Doubting: Do you want the Lord to move faster in your life? Are you asking How Long? Are you doubting God?

How to overcome the doubt...

- Prayer

- God's Word

- Community

Gospel Response:

- In what areas of your life are you doubting God and His goodness?

- When you find yourself doubting, are you moving towards God or further away from Him?

- Think back to a time when God was faithful and came through for you.

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 13

Pastor Bill - Family Pastor

I'm Lonely: Being alone is not the enemy, but being unable to escape being alone is the enemy. God conquers loneliness through His presence and His people. Are you seeking a biblical community? Are you seeking God's presence and voice? Do you need a biblical community?

--

God's Presence Brings Joy.

Physical Presence isn't a Biblical Community.

--

In God's Presence, there is Joy.

How Happy is the one who avoids the wisdom of wicked people?

--

Gospel Response:

- Give Thanks for His Presence.

- Enjoy His Presence.

- Surround Yourself with Biblical Community.

One Another Passages: Mark 9:50, John 6:43, Romans 12:6, 15:5 and 7, 1 Corinthians 11:33, Galatians 5:15, Galatians 5:26, Ephesians 4:2, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:15, James 4:11, James 5:9, James 5:16

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 16:11

Pastor Matt - Lead Pastor

I'm Lost: Do you have security in what God wants in your life? Give God control, follow His revealed plan, seek His answers. When there is something in front of you, where are you going?

--

First, He is all we have (1-4)

Second, He holds our future. (5-6)

Third, He is our counselor. (7-8)

Fourth, He's counsel is our joy. (9-11)

--

Minimize Worldly Voices

Maximize Bible Consumption

Pray for faithfulness AND answers

--

Gospel Response:

- Give Control to God.

- Trust God's Unrevealed Plan.

- Be Faithful with God's Revealed Plan.

- Seek God's Specific Plan.

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 16

Pastor Matt - Lead Pastor

I'm Physically Hurting: How can I live a faithful life in the midst of chronic pain? My sin, your sin, and the evil around us causes pain, but our God isn't distant.

--

Recognize God's Strength (v.1-2)

Recognize Our Weakness (v.3-17)

Recognize Our Savior (v.18)

Recognize Our Enemies (v.19-20)

--

Condemning Anger - Righteous Anger

Jealousy - Celebration

Pity - Compassion

Cursing - Praising

--

Gospel Response:

- Discuss Goals with a Spiritual Leader

- Discuss Goals with a Physician

- Memorize Three Promises Concerning Your Health Journey

- Joni and Friends Daily Devotional

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 38

Pastor Matt - Lead Pastor

Biblical lamenting is the process of turning your frustrations towards the world or towards God into faith in God. Share with God, Give it over to God - Sharing is different than giving!

Lament Psalms: Psalm 109, 94, 22, 102, 44, 69, 27

--

Pray the Psalms with One Another Memorize the Psalms Sing the Psalms

--

We have the freedom to ask why, but we should not answer why with an attack on God's character.

Gospel Response: What are you suffering with in this life that you have not lamented over to the Lord?

- Write out a lament.

- Delight in what and Who is Good.

🌟 𝓓𝓔ℒ𝓘𝓖ℋ𝑇 🌟

Psalm 42–43

Pastor Matt - Lead Pastor

New People Lead and Serve Different: Because of our salvation, we lead and serve different. The Elders are to bring wisdom to the younger, and the younger are to listen for wisdom and instruction. Do what is good as we wait for what is good.

- How we are to lead and follow in suffering.

- How we are to act and think in suffering.

- Our hope in suffering.

Gospel Response:

- Inventory your leadership status.

- Inventory the enemy's attacks against you.

- Encouragement for the suffering.

⛪ 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚗 𝙴𝚡𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚜 ⛪

1 Peter 5:1–14

Pastor Matt - Lead Pastor

New People Live Different: As we follow Christ, we follow Him into suffering and rejoice with Him in our suffering. God is trustworthy and we should entrust our lives and our actions to Him even if it causes suffering.

Gospel Response:

- Trust God

- Entrust to God

- Encourage Others

⛪ 𝙲𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚗 𝙴𝚡𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚜 ⛪

1 Peter 4:12–19

Guest - Nick Cappadora