The doctrine of the second coming of Jesus Christ is, sadly, one of the most divisive and speculative in the church. The truth, properly understood, however, is actually one of great hope, as Paul shows in his first letter to the Thessalonians.

Every believer wants to finish his or her race well, to fulfil the purposes for which God has saved him or her. How do we do that? What is essential in order for us to run well and finish the race so that we will be able to receive the promised reward? How do we press on in a way that is glorifying to God? Philippians 3:12–4:1 helps us to answer that question.

Psalm 141 is the prayer of the individual. The spirituality reflected in this prayer is decidedly more reflective and introspective than what is found in most. The speaker admits the possibility that the line between himself and the wicked is not sharply drawn. They are not merely enemies; they are also a temptation (esp. v. 4). Moreover, God is called upon not only to ensure the wicked are entrapped (v. 10) but also to direct the speaker’s heart (esp. vv. 34). God is to influence social circumstances as well as one’s internal choices and will.

In Philippians 3:1–11, Paul writes about the gospel that saved him and produced in him true joy. He recalls his pre-conversion experience of striving for a works-based righteousness, and contrasts it with the joy-inspiring gospel of the free grace of God in Jesus Christ. If you want to know how Paul could maintain his joy while in a Roman dungeon, even as he prepared to send away his two closest companions (2:19–30), this text gives us the answer.

Psalm 46 is one of the most beloved in the book of psalms. It speaks to us of God as our strength and refuge and encourages us that we can be still and know for sure that our God is in control.

In Philippians 2:19–30 Paul presents, almost incidentally, two examples of the self-renouncing attitude of Jesus Christ. Timothy’s unselfish service to Paul and genuine concern for other Christians, and Epaphroditus’s devotion to his mission and great rise to his health and live, display the unselfconscious care for others enjoined at the beginning of this chapter and reinforced by the powerful example of Christ’s self-emptying.

What you believe to be true of God will affect how you respond to him. What you believe about God will therefore determine the type of person you will be. In Psalm 139, David gives us reasons to have confidence in God’s character.

In Philippians, Paul writes to exhort his readers to embrace and express joy. But he realises that his readers may be tempted to lose their joy, and so he writes in Philippians 2:12–18 to show his readers how to maintain their joy—how to save themselves from sadness.

Jesus Christ is supreme. No one even comes close. Nothing can be compared to Him. John the Baptist understood this truth and, in John 3:22–36, he pointed his disciples to the absolute supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ. John’s message has much to teach us today.

The principled instructions of the first four verses of Philippians 2 are made intensely practical through the application of the example of Christ Jesus. In His humiliation and subsequent exaltation, Jesus models the God-honouring attitude that produces unity in His body, the church. By savouring Christ from these verses, we too can develop the same mindset that unifies the church and brings glory to the Father.