A List of Some Common Biblical Counselling Topics

Here are some of the more common Biblical counselling topics that I know of. I am sure this is not an exhaustive list though. And some topics have related sub-topics. Each has a methodology that works best, but the common denominator of course, is Jesus Christ and His ability to identify sin, forgive sin, and heal all transgressions and idolatries.

I will often give this list to a counselee to identify any areas that need healing even though they have often come for a certain topic(s). Once they see this list, they inevitably are stirred to identify other issues. Many issues on this list are in groups and it is wise to counsel on those other things in a group.

Counselling Topics

 Abuse

 Addiction

 ADHD

 Anger

 Anxiety

 Authority

 Bipolar

 Bitterness

 Burnout

 Children

 Communication

 Conflict

 Depravity

 Depression

 Deprivation

 Disorders

 Faith

 Fear

 Forgiveness

 Friendships

 Gospel

 Grief

 Health

 Honesty

 Identity and Self-Image

 Idolatry

 Intimacy

 Love

 Manhood

 Marriage

 Money

 Paranoid Personality

 Parenting

 Prayer

 PTSD

 Relationships

 Repentance

 Sanctification

 Self-Care

 Self-Control

 Self-Esteem

 Self-Harm

 Self-Mutilation

 Sex

 Sin

 Spiritual Life

 Stewardship

 Stress

 Substance Abuse

 Suffering

 Suicide

 Teenagers

 The Bible

 Thoughts

 Trusting God

 Wisdom

 Worship

List of Some of God's Attributes

 

 

List of God's Attributes (author unknown)

Infinitude of God - God is Infinite (limitless). God is not limited by anything outside of His character. This applies to all of God’s attributes. (Example: The goodness of God means God is infinitely good, God is also infinitely just, infinitely immutable, etc...) 

God is Personal - God is a self-conscious Being capable of thought, will, and interaction with His creation.

Creator - The whole of creation came into existence through the will and power of God.

Life Giver - All of life was and is created by God and is dependent on Him.

Immateriality of God-The state or quality of being immaterial. God’s existence is non-physical, and is distinct from His creation.

Self-Existence of God - God has always existed. God does not have a beginning.

Self-Sufficiency of God - God has no needs, cannot improve and does not change. We, on the other hand, as created beings rely completely on God for our every breath.

Omnipresence of God - God is present everywhere at all times.

Omnipotence of God - God can do all things that are consistent with His character. God is all powerful.

Omniscience of God - God has all knowledge.

Sovereignty of God - God created everything and therefore all things are under His sovereign control.

Eternality of God - The Eternality of God refers to his timeless nature. God had no beginning, and will have no end.

Immutability of God - The Immutability of God means He cannot change in His nature, Character or dependability.

Perfection of God - God is completely flawless, lacks nothing and has no moral imperfection.

Holiness of God - God is set apart from His creation.

Wisdom of God - (omnisapience) By His omniscience, God perfectly knows all possibilities and what would happen if they came to pass. By His omnisapience, His wisdom is perfect so that He knows which course of action is the best.
 
Wrath of God - God’s moral Character leads Him to judgment and punishment of unrighteousness.

Grace, Mercy and Love of God - God’s dealing with His people are based on His goodness, compassion, concern and generosity; instead of what we truly deserve.

Impassability of God - God is without passions. He is not overwhelmed by any emotion, he is not incapacitated or weakened or stifled by any event or any amount of grief or love. Rather, God is totally self-controlled. While God does grieve, and does passionately love, he does so completely on purpose.

God is Truth - Absolute truth has its foundation in God Himself, because God is truth.

Justice of God - All of God’s judgments are infinitely and perfectly just.

Freedom of God - The freedom of God, also called divine freedom, designates that God is free and "not constrained by anyone other than himself. He does what he pleases and therefore he is always free... He is not bound to the dictates of anyone else. He does make promises, to be sure, which obligate him to do certain things, but he makes those promises voluntarily."
 
Jealousy of God -Throughout the bible, from Genesis to Revelation God always draws his people's attention to himself - not to personal holiness or social justice or any of the other good things that follow from a good relationship with God, but to himself. When his people's attention wanders from him, he's quick to draw them back. This attribute of God is known as his ``jealousy''. We usually think of jealousy as an ugly emotion, as when we want the success or money that someone else has. But there is also an absolutely right kind of jealously, and that is the reluctance of someone to allow others what is rightly his and his alone. The  classic example is of a husband and wife - each of them is, in the right sense,  jealous for the other. Neither will share the other with anyone else: the very  idea is abhorrent to them. In the same way, God will not accept the idea that he  has to share our passion and affection with anyone or anything else.[1] 

Simplicity of God  - "The simplicity of God means that God is a unified being, without parts, – He is one essence. God is not composed of a variety of substances. In this sense he is different from humans who are made up of matter and spirit. Jesus is not an exception to this truth. While he took a human body while here on earth he is still absolute spirit in his essence.

Goodness of God - There is such an absolute perfection in God’s nature and being that nothing is wanting to it or defective in it, and nothing can be added to it to make it better.

Solitariness of God - There was a time when creation, even heaven, didn’t exist, but God’s glory did because He is from everlasting. There was a time when angels, nor humans were praising Him and He was still altogether wonderful. He is self-contained, self-sufficient, and  self-satisfied. He was under no compulsion to create out of necessity or deficiency. He created all things simply to display His glory. God could’ve very well chosen not to create and He still would be The Perfect One.[2]    

Veracity of God - This is that perfection of God in virtue of which He is  true in His inner being, in His revelation, and in
His relation to His people.  He is the true God over against the idols, knows things as they really are.

Decrees of God - The decree of God is His purpose or determination with respect to future things.

Foreknowledge of God - The fact is that "foreknowledge" is never used in Scripture in connection with events or actions; instead, it always has reference to persons. It is persons God is said to "foreknow," not the actions of those persons.[2]

Patience of God - the Divine patience is the power of control which God exercises over Himself, causing Him to bear with the wicked and forebear so long in punishing them. In Nahum 1:3 we read, "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,"[3]

Immanence of God - The literal meaning of the immanence of God is "to be within" or "near" in relation to God's creation. Immanence is closely related to God's omnipresence, in that God is always present within the universe, though distinct from it. God is 'within' the universe in that God is its sustaining cause. God is active within His Creation. [4].

The Majesty of God -Sovereign power, authority, or dignity. It is also a reference to greatness or splendor of quality or character. 

Seven Spiritual Disciplines for Men in Biblical Counselling

Here is a short document showing what I encourage the men whom I counsel to practice as life disciplines. It is certainly not an exhaustive list but is a start to get men in the Word and demonstrate their desire to seek the Lord in their lives.

Seven Spiritual Disciplines for Men

1) Individual Bible Reading, Bible Study or Bible Plans,

2) Praying - Yourself and with Others,

3) Personal and Corporate Worship,

4) Confession and Repentance of sins,

5) Sacrifice of Time, Talent, and Treasure in service,

6) Submission to God and other authorities in all things,

7) Fellowship with other believers, in church and outside.

I counsel them to write a brief description of where they presently are and where they would like to be in these seven areas.

I also encourage them by saying that there is no condemnation in any of these if they are not presently part of their Christian walk. There is great opportunity to be blessed and to bless others as they participate or take hold of any or all of these.

Two Primary Scriptures For Biblical Counselling

Biblical counselling is really based on two significant Scriptures.

First is 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 which talks about COMFORT and second is James 5:16 which talks about CONFESSION and HEALING.

Praise God for His abundant Word on all of life's issues.

The Bible is Clear About KUWA.

The Bible is quite clear about the progress from knowledge to understanding, to wisdom and finally to application.

Proverbs has many verses about this. To me it comes down to KUWA... Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom, Application.

(K)NOWLEDGE... the awareness of facts.

(U)NDERSTANDING... the comprehension of such facts.

(W)ISDOM... the Biblical application of that knowledge and comprehension.

(A)PPLICATION... putting that wisdom into daily practice.

Many of us stop at knowledge. Others then do gain an understanding or comprehension of that knowledge. Fewer go on to gain wisdom from that understanding and even fewer actually apply the Biblical wisdom.

A simple example is our system of traffic lights.

KNOWLEDGE... there is a mechanical/visual system that controls traffic flow.

UNDERSTANDING... when a light in front of us is GREEN it is usually safe to GO or proceed. But when it is RED, we are to immediately STOP.

WISDOM... if we do not obey the lights, we can be in danger ourselves or be a danger to others. We can even face death and are certainly disobedient to the laws of the land. This is against Biblical teaching about authority.

APPLICATION... when I am driving, I am to stop at the red light and not proceed until is turns green. Even then, I am to observe from side to side to make sure it is safe to proceed, this is obedience to the traffic laws of the land. This is pleasing to the authorities and the Lord.

A wise-Christian, is one who is pleasing to the Lord, not because they know a lot of Bible verses (Knowledge). Nor even that they understand these verses or have gained Spiritual insight from these verses (Understanding), nor even know how to apply this wisdom (Wisdom)... but the one who lives out this wisdom in their day-to-day living for Christ (Application).

Try taking any Bible verse that has a promise, or command or wisdom about it and apply KUWA to it. Let me know how it works for you.

Examples: Prov 16:3, 1 Peter 5:7, Phil 4:6-8 etc, etc

Ian YBC

Counselling in the Church and Outside the Church. Both Are Blessed.

I have the privilege of Biblical counselling inside my church (Grandview Baptist Church in Kitchener, Ontario) and outside the church though my "Your Biblical Counselor" ministry.

Grandview has a team of six Biblical counselors all fully trained and busy with attendee needs. As the Fall church activities get going, I am sure all the counselors will be busy. They also have  a new cohort of students who will be taking the ABC training this year. The Lord is at work in all Biblical counselling.

Christian Ministries Slow Down Over The Summer - Why?

I know churches tend to stop or at least reduce their ministry activities over the summer. Staff need holidays for sure, but the needs for ministry don't really change - especially in the counselling arena. Churches really need to be cognizant of the summertime needs and address these, even with alternate staff and volunteers.

In some cases, counselling needs can actually increase with children home from school for at least eight weeks and when both parents work outside the home, extra stresses can occur when trying to keep the children occupied. 

Our society creates conditions that require both parents working in order to meet the costs of  housing, food, and more. Add to this vacations, which tend to increase the outgoing of money, it is no wonder that stress levels increase in households.

I am surprised that more Christians don't reach out to counsellors over the summer. Biblical counselling has the answers to all life's situations - whether in-church Biblical counsellors or out-of-church ones.

I know of many Biblical counsellors including myself, who would love to help brothers and sisters in their extra-stress situations.

I can be contacted through my website at: https://www.yourbiblicalcounselor.ca 

In Christ's love,

Your Biblical Counselor

MALE BIBLICAL COUNSELORS and MALE BIBLICAL COUNSELEES - the numbers.

MALE COUNSELORS and MALE COUNSELEES - the numbers.

I just had a great Zoom dialogue with Jim Burke, the Director of Certification and Training at the Association of Biblical Counselors as we discussed the issue of male counselors (or lack thereof) and the small number of men compared to women seeking Biblical counselling.

There is a lot of commonality between Canada and the US (and I am sure elsewhere) in terms of training male counselors and attracting male counselees.

Jim gave me a wise saying concerning men and it is,

"Men become men in the presence of men."

There are many aspects to this statement that pertain to Biblical counseling. Jim mentioned two great reads for men and they are,

1. "New Morning Mercies" by Paul David Tripp

2. "Take Heart" by David Powlison.

He also talked about the three main struggles that men have in life. PRIDE, ANGER and LUST. He called them (PAL) and for women, the big struggles are, WORRY, INECURITY and CONTROL (WIC).

Jim has his own counseling ministry under the name, "Burke Care" and can be found at https://www.burkecare.org

I really challenge all Biblical counselors and Biblical counseling organizations to look at their ratios of male/female counselors and male/female counselees.

Thanks,

Your Biblical Counselor

Marriage Anniversary - July 19, 1997

It is a blessed day today as my earthly bride and I celebrate 27 years of marriage. The Lord has been so gracious to us, both individually and as a couple. We consider Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 as the representation of our marriage. Two are better than one and the third strand that makes us strong is Christ.

Thank you Lord for your favour and blessing on us. Amen

Who Is God To You? 29 Questions For Counselees

Here is my take on 29 things that God is to me. It is long. I try to share these with each of my counselees to get clarity on who God is to them.

WHO IS GOD TO YOU?

1. He is my HEALER (Psalm 103:3) “[The Lord] who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”

• Do you believe or do you not believe this Scripture? This is a basic question, not that we believe in Jesus, but do we believe Jesus?

• If He doesn’t do these (forgives and heals), is He a liar? No, God cannot lie [Num 23:19], [1 Samuel 15:29], [Heb 6:18] [Psalm 89:35].

• Does He forgive all our sins, past, present and future? Yes. [Col 2:13-14]

• If not, what sins does He not forgive? The only unpardonable sin is described as lying to or blaspheming the Holy Spirit. [Mark 3:29] A born-again believer cannot do that, so to the Christian, there is no sin that cannot be forgiven.

• Does He heal everyone, all the time here on Earth? It depends on what you call healing and it depends on what you call diseases. In this case, disease can mean spiritual or soul maladies as well as physical maladies. We know that ultimate healing will always take place in heaven where there will be “no more tears, no more death, no more mourning, no more crying nor pain.” [Rev 21:4]

• Why doesn’t He completely heal every one of every ailment all the time? Then there certainly wouldn’t be any need for doctors or medicines or hospitals and everyone would live forever, disease-free. [Hebrews 9:27].

2. He is my REDEEMER (Isaiah 59:20) “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins.”

• What does it mean to redeem something? It means to exchange one thing for another – ie a coupon for a product or a ticket for a sports event. There is always a cost in any redemption.

• Why do we need redemption? Biblically, redemption means ‘to buy out’ like purchasing a slave’s freedom. Prior to Christ’s death on the cross, we were slaves to sin [Romans 6:20-23] but were bought by the price of His blood.

• Who redeems us? Christ and Christ alone. [Gal 3:13]

• Why does He redeem us? There was a problem (Houston). Sin that originated in the Garden of Eden came about because of disobedience and pride. God created us to know Him, obey Him and live unselfishly for Him. [Rom 3:23]

3. He is my DELIVERER (Psalm 70:5) “But as for me, I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; Lord, do not delay.

• What is a deliverer? Someone who brings us something we want or someone who saves us from receiving something we don’t want. It is someone who rescues us from the wrath of a just God.

• Why do we need delivery? Because God wants that no man to go through His wrath unnecessarily. We are destined not for wrath because of Jesus Christ. [1 Thess 5:9]

• Who is our deliverer? Jesus Christ is our one and only deliverer. [Rom 10:9]

4. He is my STRENGTH (Psalm 43:2) “You are God my stronghold…”

• What is a stronghold? A stronghold is a safe place to go for protection. It was used in Bible times to describe a fortress or fortified place of refuge. A stronghold can also be an area dominated by a special group of people with one mind.

• Why do we need strongholds? We need safe places to run to physically, emotionally and even spiritually when danger is apparent in our lives in any of these areas. On our own, we are open to attacks that we are unable to defend ourselves by against.

• Who is our ultimate Stronghold? God. He wants us to run to Him through Jesus Christ whenever we are experiencing attacks. Paul was clear when he said that we are not fighting against flesh and blood but against evil rulers and authorities, and against the spiritual forces of evil. [Eph 6:12]

• Why do we not use God as our stronghold but run to idols or people or other things? We often run to ‘comforts’ such as substances or addictions because they are often tangible, easily obtainable and give short-term relief. Ultimately, they all fail us then we realize that God is our only refuge, strength and strong tower.

5. He is my SHELTER (Joel 3:16) “The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the heavens will tremble. But the Lord will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.”

• What is a Shelter? Similar to a stronghold, a shelter is a place of safety. A shelter can also be a refuge where we will find safety and calm and peace.

• Why do we need a Shelter? Because we are unable to shelter or protect ourselves from all the bad in this world. (See Stronghold above)

• Who is our Shelter? The Lord, God. It is also described in verse one of a well-known Psalm which says, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High (Elyon) will rest in the shadow of the Almighty (Shaddai). I will say of the Lord (Yahweh), “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God (Elohim) in whom I trust.” [Psalm 91:1] Notice the four separate names of God in his verse.

6. He is my FRIEND (John 15:15) “I no longer call you servants because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from the Father I have made known to you.”

• What is a friend? A friend is someone who knows us well and stands up for us and loves us in bad times and good times.

• Who is our best friend? It is Jesus who called us for His glory as friends and not strangers. He knows us the most. He stands up for us always and He surely loves us as no human can. Jesus calls us friend even if we do bad things and forget Him. He never forgets but always forgives.

7. He is my ADVOCATE (1 John 2:1) “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin, But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous One.”

• What is an advocate? An advocate is a person who speaks, pleads or argues in favour of us, especially in the case of a court case. He also supports us and offers us strength when necessary. [John 14:16, 26 and 15:26]

• Why do we need an advocate? We need an advocate because we have no right standing with God by ourselves. We cannot defend ourselves or our actions before God because He is absolutely Holy and we are not.

• Who is our advocate? Jesus Christ is our only advocate before God. God actually sent us the Holy Spirit through Christ in order to be our current, daily advocate.

8. He is my RESTORER (Psalm 23:3) “…He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake.”

• What does restoration and restorer mean? Biblically, restoration means to be brought back into alignment, or its original state, according to the plans and purposes of God. A Restorer is one who can do that. Restoration can be physical or spiritual, and we need both.

• Why do we need restoration? Because we were broken by sin ever since the Garden. Sin is the destroyer of our bodies and our spirits. We need restoration to gain back the perfect health that God wanted for us – to live forever in Him and with Him and to gain wholeness in our spirit that is aligned to the perfection of His Holy Spirit. We are broken vessels and need mending. [Jeremiah 2:13, Psalm 69:20]

• Who is our only Restorer? Jesus Christ (and His Holy Spirit) are the only ones who can mend, repair and restore our brokenness. “The Lord is near the brokenhearted” [Psalm 34:18] and the Potter repairs us as clay pots are repaired [Jeremiah 18:4]. No attempt by man can completely heal a broken body, a broken heart and a broken spirit. God’s word is clear that only the Triune Godhead has the power and authority to restore us back to the Garden.

9. He is my EVERLASTING FATHER (Isaiah 9:6) “For to us a child is born, a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’”

• What is a father? Many people have a fondness for their earthly father but some do not have such good memories. In either case, an earthly father is the man who begat us and along with our mothers, nurtured us to adulthood. He was often the teacher of life and a longtime advocate.

• Why do we then need a Heavenly Father? Earthly fathers are imperfect and therefore cannot teach perfectly or nurture perfectly. Only God the Father can.

• God is our Creator, Sustainer and Perfect Father (Abba)

10. He is LOVE (1 John 4:16) “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”

• What is love? Well, this is an age-old issue that has defied definition. But the love of God mentioned here is best explained from what the Greek term ‘agapao’ means. That is, unconditional affection, desire and concern for His children, with no strings attached. The nuances of this have taken laymen and scholars millennia to perfect the definition that addresses all the variations of love.

• Why do we humans need love? Humans are created after the image of God, male and female, to be in relationship with each other and with God. Love could be considered the ‘glue’ that holds these relationships together. Love promotes only positiveness and never negativeness. Love builds up and never tears down. I believe the human spirit and body need love to be made complete and love just feels good!

• Who is our greatest source of love? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the epitome of love. That is, His love is sacrificial, true, never ending and pure.

11. He is my MEDIATOR (1 Timothy 2:5-6) “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people.”

• What is a mediator? A mediator is a person who knows both sides of a situation and brings wisdom to it in order that both parties are reconciled. A mediator is part of the conflict only to the extent of assisting the two parties without favouring either one.

• Why do we need a mediator? We need a mediator because, even though we can now go boldly into the Throne Room of Grace, by Christ’s death and resurrection [Hebrews 4:16], we still cannot stand in the physical presence of God and stare into His glorious face. Yes, we do have His presence within us by the indwelling of His Holy Spirit. Now in His presence, Jesus continually intercedes on our behalf so that God only sees the Mediator and not us.

• Who is our only mediator? Jesus Christ.

12. He is my STRONGHOLD (Nahum 1:7) “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for us who trust in Him.”

• What is a stronghold? See #4 and #5 above. He is our strength and our shelter and our refuge or safe place in times of trouble. All these terms can apply to a stronghold.

• Why do we need a stronghold? Because we are attacked on every side by Satan, the World and our flesh and we cannot defend ourselves from these attacks by our strength. Zachariah 4:6 says, “So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by my might or by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”

• Who is our strong tower? Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He is the Lord and He is good, a refuge in times of trouble, and He cares for us.

13. He is the BREAD OF LIFE (John 6:35) Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever comes to me will never go hungry and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

• Why do we need bread (food)? Food is necessary to maintain physical life. Food provides energy in the form of glucose, to power each and every cell in our body. That not only keeps our bodies functioning as they were designed but also allows us to do things physically and think things mentally.

• Why do we need Spiritual food? We need spiritual feeding on the Word of the Lord in order to:

1) understand our Creator, 2) know His will for our lives, 3) know the reason for our existence, and 4) experience the best in life that God has for us. Jesus knew this when He said that He is the bread of life’. Even more importantly, He knew that as we taste and see Him as the Bread of Life here on earth, we are being equipped for our eternal life with Him in glory.

• Who is our only Spiritual food? Jesus Christ is our only source of Spiritual food. There is no one else in all creation who can save us, deliver us and sustain our spiritual lives.

14. He is my HIDING PLACE (Psalm 32:7) You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

• What is a hiding place and why do we need one? A hiding place is a place where we can go for protection and safety. Unlike a strong tower, a hiding place is not necessarily a building or structure, but a place, room or area where we can be with God, out of sight, so to speak from Satan and the world. God promises that when we are with Him, He will be our hiding place. A hiding place is not necessarily a place where we escape from reality, but a place where we run into Spiritual security.

• Who is our hiding place? Without exception, Jesus is the only safe place for Spiritual security. Many run to substances or relationships or even physical places to hide from the world, but they will always take themselves there, so they are never secure in this type of hiding place.

15. He is the EVERLASTING LIGHT (Isaiah 60:20) “Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.”

• What is light? Light is a form of energy that allows us to perceive our surroundings. It makes things visible to our eyes.

• Why do we need light? Light fuels photosynthesis that allows plants to live. The sun produces both heat and light that allows us to live. Without these, life on earth could not exist as we know it.

• Who is the ‘light of the world’ The ultimate ‘light’ for our lives is Jesus Christ, who brings all wisdom and understanding. His light will never end as long as He exists.

16. He is a STRONG TOWER (Proverbs 18:10) “The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and are saved.”

• What is a Strong tower? (see #4, #5, #12 and #14) In this case it is a place where we are indeed saved. Yes, we are saved by grace through faith [Eph 2:8], but it is good to think about our salvation as a place as well. So, words from before like Shelter, Fortress, Stronghold and Hiding Place, can all help describe the fact that we are safe and secure in Christ.

• Why do we need a Strong Tower? Because we are unable to save ourselves or protect ourselves. The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. [Matthew 26:41]

• Who is our Strong Tower? Jesus Christ is. The Trinity in total assures us of our future in safety and security for ever.

17. He is my RESTING PLACE (Jeremiah 50:6) “My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray and caused them to roam on the mountains. They wandered over mountain and hill and forgot their own resting place.”

• What is a Resting Place? It is often described as a place, location or even a person in which we can find peace or shalom from the storms and dangers of the world, Satan and our flesh.

• Why do we need a Resting Place? The human body was not designed for 24/7 operation. That is why rest and sleep are a necessary part of life. We were also not designed to handle all the stresses that are thrown our way, all the worries or anxieties, be they external or internal. Jesus said, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” [Matthew 11:28-30]

• Who is our Resting Place? Jesus Christ is our Resting Place. He is the ultimate place of our peace and our ultimate source of love.

18. He is the SPIRIT OF TRUTH (John 16:13) “But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes. He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own, He will only speak what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.”

• What is Truth? This is an ancient question that even Pilate asked of Jesus in John 18:38. The dictionary says that truth is the conformity to fact or actuality. The world says that here absolute truth and there is relative truth. The problem is that humans view things differently depending on many things like their mood, belief system, even the societal norms they live in. For Christians, truth is the reality of a situation that only comes from a Biblical world-viewpoint.

• What is the Spirit of Truth? God gave us His Holy Spirit through Christ to bring us the absolute truth in all things.

• Who is the Spirit of Truth? The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. [John 14:17]

19. He is my REFUGE FROM THE STORM (Isaiah 25:4) “You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm.”

• What is a Refuge? A refuge is a place where we can go for security and safety. The place may be inside a house or in an actual shelter, but it is always a place where we can feel and be safe.

• Why do we need a Refuge in life? There could be physical dangers from which we need to flee. There could be people who want to harm us or a situation where we feel anxious. In any case, our ‘fight or flight’ instincts come into action we often choose ‘flight’ in order to feel safe. Even in feelings of discontent or uncertainty or confusion, we need to seek refuge.

• Who is our ultimate Refuge? God is our ultimate refuge from dangers in life, be they physical, emotional or spiritual. Physical danger may happen, but our souls will always be at rest in the Lord.

20. He is ETERNAL LIFE (l John 5:20) “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true by being in His Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”

• What is Eternal Life? Eternal life is the real life after this life on earth has ended. Eternal life lasts forever.

• Why do we need Eternal Life? It is not so much a need but a gift of grace by God so that we will forever be with Him in His Paradise, called Heaven. It is a place of ultimate security and love.

• Who gives us Eternal Life? Jesus Christ gives us eternal life and is what believers have their hope in. All people will die a physical death but only believers will have eternal life with God in Heaven.

21. He is the LORD WHO PROVIDES (Genesis 22:14) “So Abraham called the place “The Lord Will Provide” (or in Aramaic, Jehovah Jireh). And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

• What are Provisions? Provisions can be anything that we receive for life or health or to meet our basic human needs. In the Bible, provisions are also spiritual things that God provides for our spiritual growth or even safety.

• Why do we need Provisions? We need physical provisions to keep living; that is, food, water, shelter and clothing. But we also need provisions in the form of grace that sees us through emotional catastrophes. In this verse, God provided a goat for the sacrifice that Abraham was making, so that he would not have to actually sacrifice the life of his son Isaac.

• Who is our present Provider? Jesus Christ provides every physical and spiritual need that we have. He often does this through our work and labour, but always through His grace.

22. He is the LORD OF PEACE (2 Thessalonians 3:16) “Now may the Lord of Peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

• Why do we need Peace in our lives? Peace is often defined as the absence of war. But God’s peace or shalom is the internal state of rest in man’s heart, in any circumstance. It is not a “don’t care” state but one that says I don’t need to care to the degree that I become anxious or frustrated or in turmoil.

• What does Jesus say about Peace? In John 16:33, Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” In other words, it is not that we will never have trouble, for surely, we will. But that in the trouble, He will give us His peace through His Holy Spirit.

• Who is our source of ultimate Peace? Jesus Christ.

23. He is the LIVING WATER (John 4:10) “Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and Who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water.”

• What is Water? Scientifically, water is a chemical compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen, H2O. It is one of the most abundant materials on earth, making up about 70% of its surface. Not all water is potable though. Water can be in a liquid form, gaseous form or solid form,

• Why do we need water? Physically, all living creatures need water and need it often. It is said that a human can only last a few days without water. In most cases, this amounts to only three days. Water hydrates living organisms down to the cellular level.

• Why do we need more than just physical water? Jesus said above that He would give the woman at the well, living water (John 4:10). What does that mean? It does not mean that Jesus is the drinkable liquid that she needs to survive. It does mean though, that spiritually, He is the source of spiritual life to her and to us.

• Who is our Spiritual Living Water? Jesus Christ is our only source of true Spiritual, life-giving water.

24. He is my SHIELD (Psalm 144:2) “He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield in whom I take refuge who subdues peoples under me.”

• What is a Shield? A Shield is a hand-held piece of armour that a soldier carried in order to protect him from sword thrusts, knife jabs, thrown rocks and arrows and spears. Nowadays, a shield is of little use against bullets and bombs.

• Why do we need a (Spiritual) Shield? Nowadays we probably don’t need a physical shield in our lives but we do need to be shielded or protected from the schemes of Satan. Our Spiritual Shield is one of the pieces of the Armour of God that is described in Ephesians 6, verses 10-18.

• Who is our Shield? The Bible clearly says that God (Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) is our shield against the schemes of the enemy, Satan.

25. He is my HELPER (Hebrews 13:6) “So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

• What is a Helper? A helper is a person who comes alongside us to assist us in a situation in life. It may be physical help, or emotional help or even spiritual help that is given. Helpers most often do their assistance as a volunteer or friend.

• Why do we need a Helper? Mankind, right from the Garden, was deemed to need a helper. [Gen 1:20b-25] and God created one for Adam and Adam named her Eve (Woman). God knows that we cannot live a full life without Him first of all, and without help in some form at various stages of our lives. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 also shows us the importance of having helpers in our lives.

• Who is our Ultimate Helper? Of course, it is the Triune Godhead that is our ultimate helper in all things. The father, Son and Holy Spirit help us understand life through the Scriptures and by looking at those who came before us as examples.

26. He is my HOPE (Psalm 71:5) “For You have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.”

• What is Hope? This a great question for Christians. The word hope often times means a wish or a desire that something will or will not happen. There is not much of a degree of certainty though in this definition of hope. Christian hope, on the other hand, is the assurance of what will happen to us as believers, after our years here on earth.

• Why do Christians need Hope? In this life, there are hardships, disappointments and at times disillusionments. The world around us offers no permanent respite from these. Christians have been given such a respite, especially for our next life. Christians will still fall prey to worldly hardships and disappointments but these are ‘momentary and light’ compared to the weight of Glory (of God) awaiting us – with 100% assurance [2 Corinthians 4:17-18].

• Who is our only Hope? Psalm 71:5 says the Lord is. Jesus is our Lord and Saviour and our only hope in Glory. Amen

27. He is the LORD WHO HEALS (Exodus 15:26) “… for I am the Lord Who heals you.”

(See #1 above)

• Nothing has changed in His healing ability from the time of Moses (above) until the time of Christ, from today and into the future. Jesus is our Great Physician.

28. He is my WONDERFUL COUNSELOR (Isaiah 9:6) “For unto us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

• What is a Counsellor? A counsellor is a person who, through training and study, can help bring positive meaning to life situations. There are professional psychoanalysis-type counsellors and professional Christian counselors and lay Biblical counsellors.

• Why do we need Counsellors? There are many times in life when pressures, both internally and externally, cause us to mis-interpret or not fully understand life’s circumstances. Other humans can counsel other humans to varying degrees of success in many area of life. Even modern medicines can help alleviate the effects of trauma and other events but the Bible says that there is a Wonderful Counsellor available to all believers. He is able and willing to come alongside us and heal our hurts, hang ups and habits.

• Who is this Wonderful Counsellor? It goes without saying that Jesus Christ is our ultimate healer and counsellor, friend and Saviour. When we come under His counsel, we will always see the correct meaning of life.

29. He is the GOD OF COMFORT (Romans 15:5) “May the God Who gives endurance and encouragement (comfort) give you the same attitude of mind towards each other that Christ Jesus had.”

(2 Corinthians 1:3-7) “Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort…”

• What is Comfort? There are many facets to comfort which can be described as lack of pain, anxiety and stress. Comfort in Biblical terms means knowing and living in the rest or peace (shalom) of God and it being evident in all of life’s circumstances so that the one who is comforted by God, can go and comfort others.

• Why do we need Comfort? Living in a state of constant anxiety, stress and discomfort affects all parts of human existence. It affects our body, which may be in constant pain, it affects our mind, which can be in constant turmoil, and it affects our very soul which can be in a state of flux and uncertainty about such things as our ultimate future. These discomforts negatively affect our relationship with God and with others around us. We need comfort in order to best live out God’s purposes for us to comfort others in their distresses.

• Who is our Comforter? Jesus Christ is our ultimate source of comfort. Physical pain may not be fully gone nor emotional pain be fully alleviated, but through Christ, we are able to stand (endure) and be a blessing (encouragement) to others through Christ.

(c) 2024 by Your Biblical Counselor