Keeping Yourself from Bitterness
Someone has defined bitterness as “a chronic and pervasive state of smoldering resentment." We repeatedly run through our minds how we have been victimized and meditate on the unfairness of our life’s circumstances. What we find in Ephesians chapter 3 is unfairness taking place in the Apostle Paul’s life, yet there is no hint of any bitterness at all. What was his secret?
What identifies a person as being a spiritual person? Some think certain clothes or hairstyles identify them as being spiritual. Others think it’s based on the frequency that they attend church services. Paul tells the Galatians three behaviors will identify them as spiritual people. Join us as we cover the first six verse of Galatians 6.
Prominent or Preeminent
Every false teacher seeks to make Jesus less than who He is. Many false faiths give Jesus a prominent position. Prominent means, “leading, important, or well-known." But where the Apostle Paul takes us in Colossians Chapter 1, is Jesus is to be “PREEMINENT” which means, “above or before others; superior; to be first, hold the first place." Join us in our study of Colossians Chapter 1 to see why Christ is far more than just prominent.
What Should We Pray For?
The Apostle Paul was excited about was happening in the ancient city of Colossae. He wanted to see the good things that God was doing in and through His people to continue, and so to that end he prays for them. Often, we struggle to know what to pray for when we think about those we care about. Paul offered up four request for those that were on his heart. These same four requests are needed in the lives of believers today. Join us as we start a new verse by verse study in the book of Colossians to discover how to better pray for those that we care about.
Giving in shark infested waters
As we close out our study in Philippians the Apostle brings up the subject of giving. Often as Christians we’re conflicted because on the one hand we know we should give but on the other hand we know there are many who say they are of God and are not and should therefore not be supported. As the Apostle Paul told us earlier, there are many in the church whose god is their own belly. Join us in our study of the fourth chapter of Philippians, as the Apostle shares with us some guidelines for giving.
Seek to be ReconciledThe wonderful church in the ancient city of Philippi was being threatened of being torn apart because of an unwillingness of some to be reconciled with each other. Paul the apostle uses strong tactics and strong language to get this church back on track. Join us as we begin chapter 4 of Philippians as we deal with the issue of reconciliation.
Many Enemies of the Cross
We are warned at the end of Philippians chapter 3 that there are many Enemies of the Cross. But what Paul gives us, is insight on their motivation and what to look for so that we are not taken in by their deception. Remember Jesus told us, “Take heed that no man deceives you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” Matthew 24:4-5. Join us in our study of Philippians chapter 3, to gain insight on the tactics of those who oppose the Cross.
Beware of Dogs
The warning of “beware of dogs”, is not one that we’d expect to find in the Bible, yet we read it in Philippians chapter 3. The Apostle Paul was dealing with people who were more captivated by man’s devotion to God, than God’s devotion to man. Whatever devotion someone has for God, that devotion is not what will save them from the judgment to come. In the opening verses of chapter 3 we will continue to look at that age old struggle in the Church between Works and Grace.
Dealing With Warning Signs
Church splits like divorces rarely happen without warning. You can look back from these events and see that there were troubling signs that were neglected. As we come to the end of Philippians chapter 2, the Apostle Paul is seeking to deal with the problem before it gets out of control. In this chapter, he gives us four examples to follow so that our lives can be used to bring peace to the family of God and division.
Working Out Your Own Salvation
The Philippian church was struggling with what many churches struggle with which was division. The Apostle Paul was encouraging them to be unified. And to that end he tells them not to work “for” their salvation, but to work “out” their salvation. Join us as we continue to study the second chapter of Philippians dealing with healing divisions in the Church.
The mind of Christ or the mind of satan?
There are only two paths that we can live our life upon, the false and the true. We can follow the example of the fallen Cherub or the example of the descended Son. In Philippians chapter two we look at the emptying of the Son of God, and how we are called to follow His example.
What’s your Philosophy of Life?
As we come to the end of chapter one in Philippians the Apostle Paul gives us his philosophy of life. What we believe is the purpose of our life is huge because it in many ways sets the direction of our life. The Apostle Paul was no doubt used by God in such a tremendous way because of his view of the purpose of his life. He said, “for me to live is…”. How would you finish that sentence? Join us in our study to see how Paul finished it.
God Uses Everything
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi from his prison cell in Rome. He is assuring them that God has not made a mistake by allowing him to be placed in prison. But rather God was at work using what all would agree were less than favorable circumstances. Join us in our study of Philippians chapter 1 as we see God at work even when life doesn’t make sense.
Source of our Joy
As we begin our study in Philippians we see that the word “joy” is found sixteen times in four chapters. The theme of this letter is joy. Joy is different than happiness. Happiness is a delight based upon some present circumstance. Joy is rooted in something very different. Join us as we study the opening verse of chapter one and discover what the scriptures sat about the source of our joy.
A Christian’s obsession
A Christian can become fascinated with an aspect of Christianity. And that fascination can evolve into an obsession. A believer’s entire focus can become “end times”, “baptism”, and even “satan”. In our final study in the book of Ephesians the Apostle Paul shows us what a balanced approach to the study of satan looks like. Join us this week to see what the Church should be obsessed with.
The Mystery in three stages
The Apostle speaks of a mystery in Ephesians chapter five. What we are going to discover is that this mystery has been revealed, is being revealed, and will be revealed in the future. If we understand what all of this is about, our minds will be blown by the depth of God’s love for us.
The Spirit controlled wife
As we are moving through the fifth chapter of Ephesians we have discovered that part of our response to God’s grace and goodness towards us is to allow ourselves to be controlled by God’s Spirit. What does that control look like in a Christian marriage? Please join us as we begin with the Spirit controlled wife.
Be filled with the Spirit
In Ephesians chapter 5, we are reading what a life that is dedicated to God looks like. One of the facets of such a life is being filled with the Spirit. Two important questions that we deal with in this chapter is how can one be filled and what is the evidence that a person’s life is filled with God’s Spirit?
Are you a worshipper of God or of idols?
There is no shortage of opinions on how the followers of Christ are to order their lives. Our lifestyles are not to be governed by the opinions of people, but by the simple instructions found in God’s Word. In Ephesians chapter 5, we are given a clear comparison between the true worshipper of God and someone whom the Bible identifies as an idolater.
What grieves God?
What causes grief in the heart of God? Not what makes God angry, but what makes heavy sorrow to come upon His heart? Every parent knows the difference between anger and to be grieved. The fourth chapter of Ephesians lays out those things that can take a hold of our lives that will cause sorrow to come upon the God that loves us. Join us as we look into Ephesians 4:25-32.
