Our Work and God’s Work
Christian growth is complex but simple. God does His part, we do ours. Put another way, God invites us into a cooperative work with Him. And part of that process involves how we treat each other. It really does matter. Our attitude toward each other often speaks louder than our words—especially before a watching world. And no matter our circumstances, we have reasons to rejoice!
Since we don’t earn, keep, or prove our salvation by works, what might it mean for you to “work out your own salvation”?
God is working in His children “for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13). Why is God’s pleasure so important? Compare Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10. How does pleasing God in this life relate to the Judgment Seat of Christ? Notice Paul’s words in Philippians 2:16.
Throughout history, God’s people have faced the temptation of grumbling and complaining, often with disastrous consequences. Why are grumbling and complaining so destructive (Phil. 2:14)? How do you confront grumbling and complaining in your life? How do you handle someone who is constantly complaining?
Believers are to “shine as lights” in a darkness that is pervasive (Phil. 2:15). What’s dark about the world? How are we to shine as lights?
In Philippians 2:17 Paul says his life is like a “drink offering” (compare 2 Tim. 4:6). In what sense was his life being poured out? What does it mean for you to offer your life to God?
Learning Contentment
Contentment is one of those difficult to define qualities that’s even more challenging to put into practice and actually experience. Growing in this quality is a continual process that can’t be rushed. Whether you are very aware of your discontent or feel mostly...
Stand
What would it look like for you to stand strong in your life right now? At different times in life, internal and external pressures can force us to lose our footing and direction. As we near the conclusion of the letter to the Philippians, we find encouragement to...
Eyes on the Prize
It’s not uncommon to find people who begin to pursue Christ with unbridled enthusiasm only to see them falter when life gets hard. A believer who pursues Christ must do so with a Spirit-empowered perspective. Paul had a deep desire to know Jesus more and more. And he...
Finding Your Confidence
So many factors conspire against our living in a way that pleases God. We not only deal with our inner struggles, but we must also face people who sound well-intentioned but oppose the ways of God. We can unwittingly embrace a conspiracy of confidence in our...
Connecting and Reconnecting Others
As followers of Jesus we are able to share with one another the rewards and joys of our faith as well as its demands and sorrows. In doing so, we come to experience the love and comfort of belonging to a community of believers that is as concerned for us as we are for...
Really Living
Have you ever had a moment when you thought, “Now, I’m really living!”? Maybe that feeling came with a thrilling moment, significant achievement, or meaningful experience. All of us want to experience that good life, but those feelings of “really living” seem to fade...
A Clear Perspective In Unclear Circumstances
Experiencing hardships is a normal part of life that can cause us to focus on negative feelings and anxiously anticipate negative outcomes. Being courageous followers of Jesus Christ doesn’t exempt us from these experiences and may, in fact, be the cause of them and...
Your Lens for Seeing Life
Like the lens of our eyes (or eyeglasses), we all carry around internal thoughts, feelings, and ideas composing core beliefs that filter our everyday experiences and help us make sense of life. As the Apostle Paul writes a “thank-you” note to the church at Philippi...