Final Calls

Dennis McCallum
Philippians 4:1-7

As Paul begins to wrap up his letter to the Philippians, he gives a final call to live in harmony in the Lord and to rejoice always in the Lord. He exhorts them to pray with thanksgiving to God who guards their hearts and minds with a peace that is beyond comprehension. Like the Philippians, we have a choice between trying to generate peace by our own efforts or we can accept the immeasurable peace God offers.

The Fear of the Lord

Gary DeLashmutt
Psalms 33-34

Most Christians know the fear of the Lord is not being afraid of God, but few know what it is. The fear of the Lord is to stand in awe of God's greatness and express your awe by praising Him. It is waiting on and hoping in God's lovingkindness. It is following and obeying His moral instructions. In other words, fear of the Lord is to be humble before God.

Jesus and the One Who Came Back

Ben Foust
Luke 17:11-17

God wants us to be people who give thanks to him specifically. God wants us to live in reality. The reality is God is deserving of our thanks and gratitude is good for us physically, spiritually, mentally, and relationally. Gratitude does not ignore trials but places them in the proper context of reality. It is our inherent tendency to focus on the one thing that is not good in a situation rather than the 99 things that are good. The reality is even trials are a blessing from God.

Thanking God for His Promises

Gary DeLashmutt
Psalms 138

The God of the Bible is the only god of the world religions who makes and keeps promises. King David, who wrote Psalm 138, gives thanks to God who has fulfilled past promises, will fulfill future promises and is keeping His present promises. David had his flaws and made many mistakes, but his default was to submit to God and depend upon His promises.

A Servant's Joy

Jim Leffel
Philippians 1:21-25

Cultivating joy begins with cultivating a heart of gratitude to God for his generous grace toward us. A thankful heart is a joyous heart. In Christian community, when we are servants to one another, we will experience peace with God, delight in the truth, love relationships, and progress in our areas of struggle. The life of joy for a servant of God comes through a calculated decision that to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Biblical Provisions for Handling Anxiety

Ben Foust
Philippians 4:4-9

The Bible acknowledges that anxiety is a part of the human experience. It also does not condemn all forms of anxiety. It is good to have concern or care for others. Pride and trying to control things that cannot be controlled drives much of our anxiety. The Bible does offer provisions for combatting the undesirable forms of anxiety. We cannot choose our circumstances or our feelings, but we can choose our attitude about them. We can humbly acknowledge God's sovereignty and prayerfully tell God about our fears, give thanks for his promises, and ask for what we need.

Dimensions of True Spirituality

Jim Leffel
Romans 12:1-8

What does it look like to live the Christian life in the framework of Christian community? Because of the crazy times we are living in today, we want to be deliberate in bridging the gap between where the lost and hurting people are and where there is real hope in Christ. Instead of being defeated by all the dismaying obstacles in our way, we can ask, "Where do I see opportunities to build up God's Church? Where can I share the gifts God has given me?" True spirituality recognizes what God has done and what it means to be His children.

Be Filled with the Spirit

Gary DeLashmutt
Ephesians 5:18-21

The most concise passage in the New Testament on how to be filled with God's Spirit. A helpful and practical look at what it means to: 1) speak God's truth to ourselves; 2) give thanks; and 3) be subject to one another. Habitual submission to the Holy Spirit's control results in progressive health.\r\n

Spiritual Growth under Trial

Dennis McCallum
James 1:1-8

Spiritual growth under trial takes a believer from the point of having begun a relationship with God to the level of a mature, strong follower who God can use in advancing His plan in the world. A believer who lives out James' teaching will be able to actively practice gratitude in the midst of trials, gradually become incredibly stable, be shaped by brokenness so God can use him more, and become wise.