So here’s a secret treasure map. X marks the spot: you. God is as close as your breath, as at home within you as your very own voice. The word for this “within-ness” is called “the Christ,” authorized heir of God’s whole inheritance. This Christ isn’t archeology or history. This Christ is so much vaster... The post Where The Treasure Is Hidden appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Ok, take the plunge. The treasure’s not at the surface. It’s underneath. If you try to read Colossians with those dull insider/outsider glasses then you’ll be forever frustrated with instructions like, “complete Christ’s suffering” or “wives, submit this way.” But read it like Paul the mystic, the adult convert who literally moved to Arabia for... The post Take The Plunge appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Paul wrote this love letter to his new friends in groovy Thessalonika. When he first met them they were pleasure-chasing, in-it-to-win-it N-O-N-E Nones. Then they stayed up all night together talking about Jesus, and lightning struck. It was love-bomb, first-kiss, summer-camp sparks. They were a human bonfire of kindness. Then when morning came, Paul left... The post Act Like Jesus appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

In this letter, Paul writes, I’m grateful for you, Church. You have been faithful and steadfast even in the face of terribleness. And yet not all is terrible. Because we’re not doing this thing called life and faith by ourselves. We’re in this together. So stand firm. Hold on tight. The way isn’t easy and... The post Faithful & Steadfast appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Everyone needs a little encouragement now and then. We all want to be reminded that we’re not alone. Sometimes when we’re surrounded by critics and antagonists, we just want to be reminded that there are still people around us who love, support, and pray for us. The Good News is that the mysterious work of... The post We Belong appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

When we’re living for ourselves, gobbling up pleasure and running like hell from pain, despair is always nipping at our heels. But the good news is: we don’t have to live this way in the world. We can live for each other and have heaven here and now: the Jesus-magic love-bombing all-nighter, where ego boundaries... The post We’ll Never Be Alone Again appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Paul is in prison and, having received help from the church in Philippi, he writes a letter to these friends, who probably understood his circumstances the same way we would understand the imprisonment of a leader: disastrous. Imprisonment halts the leader’s work. Imprisonment reflects poorly on the cause. But in his letter, Paul is adamant... The post The Imprisonment Of A Leader appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Paul models the practice of narrating his own life into the ongoing story of God’s salvation of the world. He teaches the Philippians to do the same, and through these examples, we learn how to apply the same pattern of thinking to our own lives. Paul’s good news in his letter to the church in... The post Love Remains appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Philippians. A letter of encouragement, of rejoicing, of rebuke, of reminder. Reminding us that the God who rules the cosmos isn’t a domineering dictator but a sacrificial servant, giving his life for the good of all of creation. A reminder that this faith that we cling to is worth more than our lives and that... The post This Is Philippians appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.

Have this attitude. The attitude of Christ. Although he is God, he does not exploit his position of power and privilege. Rather he empties himself, coming to serve and not be served, taking on frail and fragile flesh of humankind. He humbles himself, not retiring evil for evil, rather he lays down his life, shattering... The post Have This Attitude appeared first on Thirty Seconds or Less.