Praying the Psalms: Emotions at Work #4 - Joy and Anger (Chris)

Joy and anger are the focus of this lesson on Psalms.  True joy reflects our connection with God.  Its absence may indicate that we are not as well aligned with God as we should be.  Anger can be a righteous reaction to injustice, but more often it is a prideful response to not getting our own way.  Connecting these emotions to Easter week, we see how Christ's disciples found true joy after the resurrection while those who despised Christ were consumed even more by their unrighteous anger. How do we find righteous joy?

Listen to Emotions at Work #4 - Joy and Anger
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Praying the Psalms: Emotions at Work #3 - Trust and Fear (Chris)

This lesson continues the connection between prayer and emotion.  How do the Psalms provide guidance for us in addressing life's challenges and opportunities, specifically "Trust" and "Fear"?  We are taught to trust in God in order to overcome fear.  What does that really mean and how do we do it?  The answer comes back to the most basic teaching in all of the Bible: love God and love each other as ourselves.

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Praying the Psalms: Declaring the Glory of God, Psalm 19 (Randy)

C.S. Lewis said of Psalm 19, “I take this to be the greatest poem in the Psalter and one of the greatest lyrics in the world.”  Indeed, its effusive praise for God’s general revelation through nature and special revelation through Scripture introduces us to an integrative understanding of God that moves us to a response.  Knowing that Jesus embodies the full law only heightens the response.

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Praying the Psalms: Emotions at Work #2 - Anticipation and Sadness (Chris)

The lesson is the second in a sub-series connecting the Psalms to our emotions and everyday lives.  This week, we examine "Anticipation" and "Sadness".  Anticipation has both a negative side (anxiety) and positive side (confidence).  How do we harness this emotion productively?  Likewise, sadness is a natural part of life.  How do the Psalms teach us to support others who are sad and to act when we are sad ourselves?  Most of all, how does Jesus model anticipation and sadness for us?

Listen to Emotions at Work, Anticipation and Sadness
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Praying the Psalms: Emotions at Work #1 - Surprise and Disgust (Chris)

If the Psalms are "Jesus Own Prayers," how do we use them in everyday life?  Truthfully, the language can be old-fashioned and some of the references off-putting.  Yet, the the Psalms speak to universal human experience and are meant to support us and our faith as much today as they did hundreds or thousands of years ago. 

This lesson is the first in a sub-series exploring "8 Primary Emotions" and how the Psalms teach us how to harness them positively in our lives.  We also will connect the message of specific Psalms to Jesus and his teachings.  This week starts with "Surprise" and "Disgust".  We will explore the negative side (disappointment, betrayal) and positive side (excitement) of surprises.  We also look at how to react when we are disgusted or if we disgust someone else.

Listen to Emotions at Work, Surprise and Disgust (Chris)

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Praying the Psalms: Praying Through Fear, Psalms 3 and 27 (Randy)

More than any other emotion, fear drives our behavior in ways that we don’t even recognize.  We try to manage our fears and the behaviors that manifest from them, but fall short every time. This hurts our relationships and costs us peace.  God wants us to fear him, however, and that begins by turning to him in prayer to work through our natural fears.  Only when we do that can God give us the peace that passes all understanding.

Listen to Praying Through Fear, Psalms 3 and 27
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Praying the Psalms: The Sovereignty of God, Part 2 (Chris)

The Psalms are a guide to prayer to and to effective Christian life.  This lesson continues the exploration of how the Psalms offer a unique perspective on God and human experience.  We also consider how Jesus is at the heart of each Psalm as he inspired them, prayed them himself while he was on earth, and walks beside us as we seek to harness their power.  Using Psalms 8, 13, 18, and 19, we then take an initial look at how God’s sovereignty as Creator and Giver of the Law is reflected in the Psalms.  The word for us in response is “confidence.”  The Psalms should make us confident in the ultimately positive outcome of whatever we face in life.

Listen to The Sovereignty of God, Part 2
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