Anxiety in the Bible Part 4

How God's Presence can Heal our Relationship with God.

Sometimes when we experience church hurt or spiritual abuse, one of the inadvertent casualties is our relationship with God because He becomes paired with trauma. In this episode, we introduce you to a wonderful song by David Tolk called Pray, and discuss how doing nothing more than just pursing the presence of God itself is the most important aspect of our ability to heal. We highly recommend you purchase David Tolk's song from his album blessings!

Anxiety in the Bible Part 4

This week, we began talking about the proactive strategies the Bible gives us to combat anxiety. Here is the application (AKA Launch assignment) from this week's lesson. When we think about how we think in relation to anxiety, we understand that this is the focus point of many types of therapy such as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Those approaches are certainly worth investigating, and so is this. In a way, they can both be applied to this thought process. When we think about situations which make us anxious, we can analyze them and apply this litmus test to them. 1.    What about this situation is or could be Godlike? 2.    What about this situation is or could be honorable? 3.    What about this situation is or could be fair or equitable? 4.    What about this situation is or could be a sign of dedication? If we can dwell on these things, it can help us find the good and find God in that which frightens us. This will be continued next week, but for now, think about something which makes you anxious and give these questions a try! It’s a proactive strategy, so don’t wait for the anxiety to strike.

Anxiety in the Bible Part 3

Nikki and I continue our discussion on anxiety in the Bible by focusing in on Philippians 4:7. We also give an application challenge which you can find below. If you wish to share, either email us at lovefaithtacos@gmail.com or interact with our discussion post on Facebook. Emotion and perception are extraordinarily powerful things! 2 Kings 6:1-22 tells of how an enemy army decided to hunt Elisha and his servant down and kill them. When you read this story, think about and answer the following questions: 1.    How did Elisha’s servant feel when he saw the enemy army? 2.    What was his perception of his chances of survival in verse 15? 3.    Do you think what Elisha said in verse 16 was a comfort to the servant (in isolation before verse 17)? 4.    How do you think the servant’s emotions changed after verse 17? 5.    What do you think the servant’s perception of their chances were after verse 17? 6.    In your life, do you have something that seems hopeless? Reflect on events in 2 Kings 6 as well as from Philippians 4:6-7, and consider, “What scouts, spies, guards, and garrisons has God put in my life and in my path to protect me?” 7.    How does this change your emotions and perceptions about your situation?

Anxiety in the Bible Part 1 & 2--Philippians 4:6-9 Overview and Reactive Strategy

We continue our study on anxiety in one of the most well known passages of Scripture on the subject, Philippians 4:6-9 where we read "Be anxious for nothing" or "Be careful for nothing." We review two hermeneutic principles, define key words, and exegete (to pull out of) the overall passage as well as focusing heavily on verse 6. Here are two hermeneutic principles: Investigate the Original Languages: The Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). While we have excellent translations in English, it is important to reference the original text to understand what words mean. This will be a vital principle over the next several weeks as we spend time in this passage. Slow Down: The tendency is to just read passages and get past them or try to see them in the “big picture.” While the big picture is important, it is also important to slow down, looking more closely for hidden treasures as well as clearer instruction. Here are some key words and their definitions: Anxious/Be Careful: This comes from the Greek word merimnao and its base word merimna which means, “To be anxious about, be careful, take thought” and “Through the idea of distraction, solicitude, care.” Everything: This comes from the Greek word pas which means, “All, any, every, the whole, all manner of, all means, always, anyone, daily, every way, as many as, thoroughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever.” Prayer: This comes from the Greek word proseuche which means, “Prayer (worship), by implication an oratory, pray earnestly.” Supplication: This comes from the Greek word deesis which means, “A petition, prayer, request.” Thanksgiving: This comes from the Greek word eucharistia which means, “Gratitude, actively grateful language (to God as an act of worship), thankfulness, giving of thanks.” Requests: This comes from the Greek word aitema which means, “A thing asked, petition, request, required.”

Does Perfect Love Really Cast Out Fear?

In this episode, David and Nikki discuss 1 John 4:18 and the often misquoted, "Perfect love casteth out fear." They discuss the common misinterpretations, how they know it is misinterpreted, and what the verse really means. If you have ever struggled with anxiety, this is a big one!