Compassion Church Suffolk

09/06/2026

Pastor Mark kicked off a new sermon series WELCOME BACK Week 1 "Welcome Home" The Link Below is the Study Guide for your week in devotion. WEEK 1 Welcome Back Study Guide

https://1drv.ms/b/c/00588fc9d342f2ef/IQDtGJqr8BKfSaii2zoGl2beAaDEpTck7mjTaug5SXvJ5g4?e=PRT3G4

09/06/2026

Join us this morning at 9:30 or 11:30 for the start of a new sermon series:
“Welcome Back-Come Home”

We’re saving a seat for you!

09/02/2026

09/01/2026

You're Invited:
Hope Center Ministries - Suffolk, VA Annual Gala will be held Sept. 24th @ Hub757. Doors open at 5:30. Event begins @ 6:00 pm.
Join us for a wonderful evening celebrating the hard work and dedication of all the residents over the last year.
This resource is available because of your support. Without it, we would not be able to continue to change lives, restore families and restore communities.

We lead addicts and their families to become fully devoted followers of Christ

07/27/2026

SUMER OF PSALMS Wk9
HOW LONG, O LORD: FINDING GOD IN THE WAITING ROOM
A Study of Psalm 13

1. HOLY GROUND IN THE WAITING ROOM
Every one of us knows a waiting room — literal or spiritual — where the coffee's cold, the news is muted, and the only question is 'how long?' Psalm 13, just six verses long, is David's prayer from exactly that kind of place. Though the psalm never explains why David is waiting, it shows us that the waiting room itself is not a place of God's absence. It's a place where honest faith is formed. Waiting rooms are still holy ground.

2. THE COMPLAINT: 'HOW LONG, O LORD?'
David asks 'how long' four times in two verses — this is raw, persistent prayer, not polite religious language. He accuses God, in covenant terms, of forgetting him and hiding His face. Yet Scripture preserves this complaint without editing it out. Honesty is not the opposite of worship — it is a form of worship. Bringing your 'how long' to God is itself an act of faith, because it means you haven't walked away from Him.

3. THE PLEA AND THE PIVOT: CRYING OUT, THEN WATCHING GOD MOVE
In verses 3-4, David moves from complaint to petition: 'Consider and answer me... light up my eyes.' Prayer isn't just venting OR asking — it's both together. David even ties his request to God's reputation, not just his own relief. Like the mother who prayed for years before her prodigal son finally called, the waiting itself is not evidence of failed faith — it's the substance of persistent faith.

4. SETTLED TRUST: 'I HAVE TRUSTED IN YOUR STEADFAST LOVE'
Nothing in David's circumstances changes between verse 4 and verse 5 — yet his posture shifts completely. 'But I HAVE trusted' is past tense, settled, decided — before the outcome is known. David anchors not in his circumstances but in God's hesed, His covenant, never-quitting love. The question for us: can you trust God's character even when you can't trace God's plan? The waiting room door doesn't have to open before you decide to trust the One who's in the room with you.

5. A WORD FOR THOSE WHO'VE WALKED OUT
If you've already walked out of a waiting room — healing came, the prodigal returned, the job opened — don't forget the room you used to sit in. Go back. Sit with someone who's still there. Let them say 'how long' as many times as they need. Then remind them: God did not forget you, and He has not forgotten them either.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Psalm 13:1-2
"How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?"
(ESV)

Psalm 13:3-4
"Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, 'I have prevailed over him,' lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken."
(ESV)

Psalm 13:5-6
"But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me."
(ESV)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Describe a 'waiting room' season — literal or spiritual — you've experienced or are experiencing now. What made it hard to see it as 'holy ground'?

2. David complains to God four times in two verses with raw honesty. Why do you think this prayer was preserved in Scripture? What does that tell us about how God wants us to bring our pain to Him?

3. In verses 3-4, David both grieves AND asks God to act. Have you ever felt like you had to choose between honest lament and confident petition? How does this psalm show they belong together?

4. David's plea in verse 4 connects his situation to God's reputation ('lest my enemy say...'). How might remembering that our stories testify to God's character shape the way we pray in hard seasons?

5. Verse 5 says 'I HAVE trusted' — past tense — while circumstances haven't changed. What is the difference between trusting God's plan and trusting God's character? Which is easier for you, and why?

6. Who is someone in your life currently sitting in a waiting room? What would it look like this week to sit with them without rushing them past their 'how long'?

7. If you've walked out of a hard waiting room before, what story or scar could you share with someone still waiting?

Main points to remember and apply
1. Waiting rooms — literal or spiritual — are still holy ground; God is present even when He feels silent.
2. Honesty in prayer, including complaint and lament, is not a lack of faith — it is a form of worship.
3. Prayer can hold both raw complaint and bold petition in the very same breath.
4. Trust in God does not require the waiting room door to open first — it is anchored in His steadfast love (hesed), not in resolved circumstances.
5. 'How long, O Lord' can shift from a cry of desperation to a declaration of trust — same words, new posture.
6. Those who've come through their own waiting room are called to return and sit with others still waiting.

ADDITIONAL NOTES
• This week's practice: Whenever the question 'how long?' rises in your heart, pray it honestly to God, then add: 'God, help me trust you in the waiting.'
• Consider journaling one situation where you are waiting on God right now, and write out your own 'verses 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6' as a personal prayer.
• This message is part of a summer series through the Psalms called 'God's Playlist' — consider reading Psalms 23, 46, 51, 42, and 73 for additional context.

07/22/2026

SUMMER OF PSALMS
Week 8 "THE COMPARISON TRAP"
A Study on Psalm 73

1. INTRODUCTION: PIECES THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE
Life often feels like a puzzle piece held in isolation—confusing, disconnected, hard to make sense of. Our circumstances, struggles, and disappointments can feel meaningless when we only see them in isolation rather than as part of a larger picture. Psalm 73 was written by Asaph, a worship leader, who wrestled honestly with exactly this kind of confusion. He opens with strong faith—"God is good"—but almost immediately admits he nearly lost that faith entirely. This study explores how comparison distorts our view of God and ourselves, and how His presence restores clarity and eternal perspective.

2. COMPARISON BREEDS CONFUSION
Asaph looked at the prosperity of the wicked and compared it to his own faithful but difficult life. The scale didn't seem to balance, and it made him bitter—he began to question whether obedience to God was even worth it. This same trap catches us today, often through social media: we compare our full, complicated, real lives to other people's curated highlight reels. Comparison doesn't just steal joy—it quietly rewrites what we believe about God's character and goodness. Left unchecked, it can cause our 'feet to slip' spiritually, just as it nearly did for Asaph.

3. GOD'S PRESENCE BRINGS CLARITY
Asaph tried to reason his way out of his bitterness, but logic alone couldn't fix his heart. The turning point came only when he entered the sanctuary of God (v. 17). His circumstances didn't change—but his perspective did. Nearness to God, not new circumstances, restored his clarity. Practically, this means worship, honest prayer, and Scripture reading can reorder our emotions when comparison creeps in. Clarity comes before circumstances change, not after.

4. ETERNITY CHANGES EVERYTHING
Once Asaph stood in God's presence, his outlook on both the wicked and himself transformed. He confesses his envy was foolish and 'beast-like,' but then declares that God alone is his portion and strength forever (vv. 25-26). The prosperity of the wicked, however dazzling, is temporary—it will not last into eternity. What truly endures is nearness to God. This eternal lens changes the questions we ask: not 'why don't I have what they have,' but 'do I have what actually lasts?'

5. PRACTICAL APPLICATION
The next time you feel the tightening of comparison—scrolling, career envy, relationship envy—pause and practice what Asaph did: step out of the comparison scroll and step into God's presence. This could look like pausing to pray honestly, opening a Psalm, or playing worship music. Let God's truth reorder your emotions instead of letting emotions dictate your theology. Remember: comparison steals joy; God's presence restores perspective.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Psalm 73:1-3
"Truly God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked."
(ESV)

Psalm 73:12-14
"Behold, these are the wicked; always at ease, they increase in riches. All in vain have I kept my heart clean and washed my hands in innocence. For all the day long I have been stricken and rebuked every morning."
(ESV)

Psalm 73:16-17
"But when I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task, until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end."
(ESV)

Psalm 73:18-19
"Truly you set them in slippery places; you make them fall to ruin. How they are destroyed in a moment, swept away utterly by terrors!"
(ESV)

Psalm 73:23
"Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand."
(ESV)

Psalm 73:25-26
"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
(ESV)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
For personal reflection or group discussion

1. Have you ever felt like Asaph—like your faith was 'almost slipping' because life didn't seem fair? What triggered that feeling?

2. How does social media or daily life specifically tempt you into the comparison trap? What emotions does it stir up?

3. Asaph tried to 'think his way out' of his bitterness before finding clarity in God's presence. Have you ever tried to reason your way out of envy or discontent? What happened?

4. What does it practically look like for you to 'step into the sanctuary' when comparison creeps in—through worship, prayer, or Scripture?

5. Read Psalm 73:25-26 aloud. What would it look like for you to say 'God is my portion' in the specific area where you struggle with comparison?

6. How does thinking about eternity change the way you view someone else's success, wealth, or ease?

7. What is one comparison trap you want to surrender to God this week, and what step will you take to walk into His presence instead?

Main points to remember and apply
1. Comparison distorts not just how we see our circumstances, but how we see God's character.
2. Clarity and peace come from God's presence, not from changed circumstances.
3. Asaph didn't get every answer—but he got Someone: God's presence became his perspective.
4. What lasts forever (nearness to God) can never be threatened by what is temporary (others' prosperity).
5. Key phrase to remember: Comparison steals joy; God's presence restores perspective.

ADDITIONAL NOTES
• Psalm 73 is part of the 'Summer of Psalms' series, following studies on Psalm 23 (anxiety), 46 (chaos), 51 (shame), 42 (spiritual dryness), and 103 (gratitude).
• Asaph was a worship leader in ancient Israel, credited with writing several psalms, showing that even spiritual leaders wrestle honestly with doubt and envy.
• Consider journaling one 'confusing puzzle piece' in your life this week and revisiting it in light of God's presence and eternity.

07/22/2026

SUMMER OF PSALMS
Week 7 "BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL"
The Power of Gratitude — A Study on Psalm 103

1. PHOTOS WE FORGET TO SCROLL BACK TO
We store thousands of photos on our phones but rarely scroll back to actually remember them. We do the same with God's faithfulness — He does real, specific, unmistakable things in our lives, and we keep moving forward without pausing to remember. Key truth: What you remember determines how you respond. If you only remember what's unresolved, that shapes your response to today. But if you train yourself to remember what God has already done, it changes how you face what's still unfolding.

2. FROM THE DRY SEASON TO REMEMBERED GRACE
This message continues the Summer of Psalms series, following weeks in Psalm 42 that dealt with dry seasons, unanswered questions, and God feeling distant. Gratitude is not the opposite of lament — it's a tool to get us through dry seasons, not around them. In Psalm 103:1-2, David commands his own soul to bless the Lord and 'forget not all his benefits' — he doesn't wait for feelings to catch up. This is defiant remembering: acknowledging the dry season while refusing to let it be the final word.

3. REMEMBER HIS FORGIVENESS
David remembers that God forgives ALL iniquity, not some (v.3). As far as the east is from the west — an infinite, never-turning-back distance — so far God removes our transgressions (vv.10-12). Unlike north/south which have poles and turning points, east/west never meet. God's forgiveness is total and permanent. We often keep digging up sins God already buried at the cross. This builds on David's confession in Psalm 51 — Psalm 103 is what comes after: not just forgiven, but removed.

4. REMEMBER HIS COMPASSION
God is 'merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love' (v.8), like a father who shows compassion to his children (v.13). This isn't a harsh, distant, or scorekeeping father — it's one who picks you up when you stumble rather than lecturing you. Many of us project the hardest authority figure in our lives onto God, assuming He's frustrated or disappointed. But His posture is compassion, not exasperation — even in your dryness and doubt.

5. REMEMBER HIS FAITHFULNESS
God's steadfast love is 'from everlasting to everlasting' (vv.17-18) — this describes His character, not just duration. Empires rise and fall, circumstances shift, even our own faith fluctuates — but God's faithfulness doesn't move with any of it. It's tied to His consistency, not ours. Even when God feels silent (as in Psalm 42), His faithfulness is still operating. Silence is not absence. Your feelings tell a story about where God seems to be right now; your memory tells the truer story of who He has always been.

6. WHAT YOU REMEMBER DETERMINES HOW YOU RESPOND
This week, actually scroll back through your life — not just your camera roll. Remember the job that came through, the diagnosis that turned around, the relationship restored, the season you didn't feel God but can now see He never left. David didn't leave remembering to chance — he preached to his own soul intentionally. Schedule time this week to remember what God has done: journal it, say it out loud, tell your family, share it with someone. Don't let His faithfulness stay buried under newer, unremembered, unthanked memories.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Psalm 103:1-2
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."
(ESV)

Psalm 103:3
"Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases."
(ESV)

Psalm 103:8
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love."
(ESV)

Psalm 103:10-12
"He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us."
(ESV)

Psalm 103:13
"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him."
(ESV)

Psalm 103:17-18
"But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments."
(ESV)

Psalm 42:9-11 (Referenced)
"I say to God, my rock: 'Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?' ... Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God."
(ESV)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
For personal reflection or group discussion

1. What is something specific God has done in your life that you haven't intentionally 'scrolled back' to remember in a while?

2. David commands his own soul to bless the Lord rather than waiting for his feelings to line up. What would it look like practically for you to 'preach to your own soul' this week?

3. Which of the three things (forgiveness, compassion, faithfulness) is hardest for you to remember about God right now, and why?

4. How does the image of 'east to west' change the way you think about sins or failures you're still carrying guilt over?

5. If your picture of 'father' has been shaped by a difficult or absent earthly father, how does David's description in verse 13 challenge or reshape that image of God?

6. Can you think of a season where God felt silent, but looking back now, you can see His faithfulness was still active? Share it if you're comfortable.

7. The sermon says 'silence from God is not the same thing as absence.' How does remembering God's past faithfulness help you respond to present silence or unresolved situations?

8. What is one practical step you will take this week to intentionally remember and recount God's benefits (journaling, telling someone, setting aside time)?

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Main points to remember and apply
1. What you remember determines how you respond — to today, to hardship, and to unresolved seasons.
2. Gratitude is not denial of pain; it's defiant remembering that anchors you through dry seasons.
3. God's forgiveness is total and permanent — as far as the east is from the west — so stop digging up what He's already buried.
4. God's compassion toward you is like a father who picks you up, not one who keeps score or grows exasperated.
5. God's faithfulness is 'everlasting to everlasting' — steady and unchanging, even when your felt experience of Him fluctuates.
6. Remembering must be intentional — schedule time to recount God's goodness rather than letting it get buried under new memories.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
• This sermon is part of the 'Summer of Psalms' series, following weeks in Psalm 42 that addressed lament and God's felt absence.
• Consider pairing personal reflection this week with a specific spiritual practice: journaling answered prayers, verbally recounting God's faithfulness to a friend or family member, or creating a written 'remembrance list' to revisit during future dry seasons.
• For further study, read Psalm 51 (David's confession after his sin with Bathsheba) alongside Psalm 103 to see the fuller picture of confession followed by remembered grace.

07/13/2026

SUMMER OF PSLAMS WEEK 6
PRAISE IN THE RUINS
Singing When Everything Falls Apart — A Study on Psalm 42

1. WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS

Life has a rhythm — until it doesn't. A diagnosis, a job loss, a relationship ending, an unexpected season of loneliness — and suddenly the music stops. Psalm 42 was likely written by the sons of Korah during a season of exile, far from Jerusalem and the temple worship they once knew. Verse 1 describes a soul panting for God like a deer desperate for water — not casual longing, but life-or-death intensity. Big Idea for today: Even in the ruins, hope has the final word.

2. THE HONESTY OF THE RUINS (VV. 1-5)

The psalmist doesn't fake it. He names his tears, the mockery of others ('Where is your God?'), and the ache of remembering better days. He 'pours out his soul' — grief and lament laid bare before God. Then he does something unusual: he talks to himself, asking his own soul why it's cast down. Lament is not the opposite of faith — it is faith speaking honestly in the dark. Like David's honest repentance in Psalm 51, honest lament is the doorway to authentic worship.

3. PREACHING TRUTH TO YOUR SOUL (VV. 6-8)

Same feeling of being cast down (v.6), but a different response. The psalmist deliberately remembers God even in exile. Verse 8 declares that God's steadfast love is 'commanded' — a fact, not a feeling — and His song is still with him even far from home. Worship isn't dependent on circumstances lining up; it's the discipline of rehearsing who God is when everything else says otherwise. When you're in the ruins, don't just ask 'How do I feel?' Ask 'What is true?'

4. DEFIANT HOPE, UNFINISHED STORY (VV. 9-11)

The psalm doesn't end with resolution — the enemies still taunt, the soul is still cast down, the questions still linger. Yet the psalmist repeats his refrain with a twist: 'I shall AGAIN praise him.' This is defiant hope — declaring the ending of the story before the circumstances have changed. Psalm 42 teaches us to hold lament and hope together, sometimes in the very same breath.

5. LIVING IT OUT

Whether you're in a season of ruins or a season of ease, this truth applies: hope doesn't wait for resolution. If you're hurting today, be honest with God — but don't stop there. Preach truth to your own soul: His love is commanded, not conditional; His song is still playing, even in exile. If you're in a good season, store this truth for the valley ahead.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Psalm 42:1
"As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God."
(ESV)

Psalm 42:3
"My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me continually, 'Where is your God?'"
(ESV)

Psalm 42:5
"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation."
(ESV)

Psalm 42:8
"By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life."
(ESV)

Psalm 42:11
"Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God."
(ESV)

Matthew 26:38
"Then he said to them, 'My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.'"
(ESV)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
For personal reflection or group discussion

1. Describe a season when your 'music stopped.' What did that silence feel like?

2. The psalmist is brutally honest about his pain in verses 1-5. Why do you think honesty with God is a necessary first step toward real worship?

3. In verse 5, the psalmist talks to his own soul rather than just about his feelings. What might it look like practically for you to 'preach truth' to your soul this week?

4. What is the difference between merely feeling cast down and choosing to remember/declare truth about God, as seen in verses 6-8?

5. The psalm ends unresolved — the psalmist is still struggling. Why do you think it's comforting that Scripture doesn't tie this up neatly?

6. What does 'defiant hope' mean to you? Can you think of a time you had to declare hope before you saw any change in your circumstances?

7. How can you support someone in your life right now who is in the 'ruins' — honoring their pain while gently pointing them toward hope?

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Main points to remember and apply

1. Even in the ruins, hope has the final word.
2. Lament is not the opposite of faith — it is faith speaking honestly in the dark.
3. Worship is not dependent on circumstances; it's the discipline of remembering who God is.
4. God's steadfast love is commanded, not conditional — it doesn't fluctuate with your day.
5. You can declare future praise into present pain, even before the story resolves.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• This message is part of the 'Summer of Psalms' series — Week 6.
• Psalm 42 is attributed to the sons of Korah, likely written during a time of exile away from Jerusalem's temple worship.
• Consider journaling your own 'Psalm 42' this week — honestly naming your pain and then preaching truth to your own soul.