Of Like Passions: Navigating Our Emotions
The Bible presents us with men "of like passions" - individuals who had to learn to understand, wrestle with and master their emotions. This series will examine emotions in scripture to understand the role they play in the life of a believer, help us identify them in ourselves and see the scripture's instructions on how to control, direct and escape the sometimes paralyzing and consuming nature of them.
Classes
Class 1: The Thoughts and Intents of the Heart: Why we do what we do
The class explores the motives behind human actions, drawing from 1 John, Mark, and Hebrews to discuss the natural inclinations of the heart and the importance of guarding one's thoughts and intents. It emphasizes the need to align motives with God's will and the role of the Bible in discerning and transforming our hearts.
Class 2: Be Anxious for Nothing: What to do with Worry
This class addresses anxiety and worry as emotional struggles affecting believers, examining biblical definitions and dangers. God's solution involves centering thoughts on his promises and character, replacing worry with trust, prayer, and thanksgiving.
Class 3: I was Naked: Understanding and Recovering from Shame
The class explores the concept of shame, its origins in Genesis, and its role in human experience. It discusses how shame is connected to sin and exposure, and how it can be a tool for repentance and drawing closer to God. The class also addresses unjust shame and how to support those who face it.
Class 4: Be ye Angry and Sin Not: Responding to Anger
The class explores the biblical perspective on anger, emphasizing the importance of controlling and directing this emotion rather than letting it control us. It highlights the dangers of hasty responses and the benefits of patience and wisdom in dealing with anger, drawing from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Epistles of John.
Class 5: Pride Cometh before a Fall: Glory to whom Glory is Due
The class explores the nature of pride and its various forms, emphasizing the importance of humility and obedience to God. It uses biblical examples and teachings to illustrate how pride can lead to destruction and how to respond to emotions in a way that glorifies God.
Class 6: I Poured out my Complaint before Him: Knowing God as our Father
The class explores the role of prayer in overcoming emotional lows and depression, emphasizing the importance of knowing God as a loving and patient Heavenly Father. It highlights the necessity of honest prayer as a path to repentance and reconciliation, using examples from the Psalms.