Paul instructs the Church to Philippi to live with joy - always. This instruction is made all the more remarkable as he himself is in chains. How then can we live in joy when so much of life is tough?

Deuteronomy 6 closes with Moses recounting the story of the people of Israel. It is a story of having been slaves in Egypt, of being rescued by God and rescued for the purpose of living in God’s land under His rule. We explore how this story is the story of all Christians. How we were once slaves to sin, but God in Christ rescued us in order that we might live as He calls us.

As with all of Jesus’ parables, there are many layers of meaning to the story of The Good Samaritan. What is Jesus really trying to say through this famous story?

Paul uses the imagery of an athletic race to urge the church in Philippi to stay the course and chase after Christ. What can we learn from this picture, and how does it apply to us today?

The Christian church worldwide is the fulfilment of the promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 that 'all nations on earth will be blessed through you'. A critical event enabling this fulfilment was the preaching of the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles, which began with St Peter's vision in Joppa and his visit to the home of Cornelius in Caesarea. Generations of Christians since then have passed on the gospel to their successors in each generation, and it is our responsibility to make sure that we do the same.

In these verses from Deuteronomy 6, Moses urges the people of Israel to live with a perspective of grace, and gives them – and us – some ways of doing just that.