The Bible Explored with Rico Tice

As Christians, we should give our secular work the same commitment as we give to our spiritual life according to Rico. He looks back to his own secular employment before he became an evangelist to show us lessons he learned then.

We will cope better during difficult circumstances if we develop an attitude of gratitude, according to Rico. It will be seen in our relationship to Christ, to one another, to our family, to our work and to the outsider.

Rico challenges us to examine our daydreams and nightmares to see if we have put other things in place of Christ in our lives. He encourages us to clothe ourselves with kindness and compassion towards others.

Rico shows us the significance for the believer of being 'in Christ' and what difference that makes when a Christian feels insignificant. He shows us that we are just as much in Christ as a bookmark is inside a book.

With most of the apostle Paul's letters being written in the midst of controversy, Rico unpacks the letter to the Colossians to show what havoc false teaching was wreaking on the fledgling church at Colossae and the effect on the believers there.

Rico explains how our circumstances can have a huge impact on our contentment and how easily adversity can cause us discontentment. He shows how the apostle Paul had learnt contentment despite tremendous discouragements.

Rico highlights the danger to the believer of spiritual drift. He uses the acrostic of DRIFT: Draw together, Rejoice in the Lord, Imminence - the Lord is near, Focus on prayer and Think on these things.

In a world that offers us so many ways to make us happy, Rico shows us that happiness comes from our circumstances, whereas joy comes from what's in our hearts. He shows how this can be found even when we are under great pressure.

For some believers, sharing the gospel may be conditional upon their favourable circumstances. But Rico challenges us, using the situation of the apostle Paul in prison, to have confidence in sharing the gospel whatever our circumstances.

Rico shows how the prayers that the apostle Paul prayed can be a pattern for our personal prayers. Using Paul's prayer in Philippians chapter one, Rico draws out love's priority, love's character, love's fruit and love's goal.