Philippians is sometimes referred to as the epistle or hymn of joy. Of course there are many events that pop up or loom ahead of us in day­to­day life that might challenge this message. This final session focuses on the realities of this life and the...

Paul gives us life-changing practices based around praise, prayer and the power of peace at work in our minds. He teaches us how to guard our hearts and how to live as he lived - even when he was chained to a Roman soldier and being guarded by a...

The apostle Paul capitalizes on a sport analogy (not too far from the home of the original Olympic games) about having a higher goal for our lives. Setting higher goals requires working towards them, incrementally perhaps, but with focus, effort and...

Being in the culture has its benefits for God’s people. Recall God’s communication to Israel when the people were sent into exile, in essence to carry on living there (Babylon, Susa, etc.) and to prosper. Life, for about 70 years, was good (in the...

We live in a workout culture as a kind of cult of the body. Even self­help books and YouTube videos pander to improving self as though it is all about My Self. We see something different in Philippians about what it means to work out with the Lord as...

It’s hard to be humble or to have steady, clear thoughts when there are conditions and events in our lives that either work against us or fan the flame of self­centeredness. Nevertheless, there’s joy to be had as we seek humility.

It can be difficult to appreciate the extent of the spiritual battle that surrounds us 24/7. And that spiritual battle actually spills out into our world. Without the Holy Spirit as our strength and the Word of God to direct us, the battle can be...

With so many things all around us that vie for our attention and desire, it can be a struggle to return to our first love either regularly or consistently.

Fellowship and community are common terms bandied about in the church. It’s one thing to meet together but quite another to commune as family.