A Life Worth Living

Ryan Lowery

Luke 12:13-34

Our culture has many definitions of a full life, but God as creator has radically challenging things to say on the subject. In many cases, the pursuit of material things can get in the way of love relationships. The problem with materialism is that it can never satisfy, because God has designed us for love. Being rich toward God means living a true, full, and meaningful life from an eternal perspective.

The New Wine

Gary DeLashmutt

John 2:1-11

Jesus performs his first miracle at a wedding in Cana of turning water into wine. This miracle reveals three important aspects of Jesus' character. First, Jesus is life affirming and his existence enables joy in our life. Second, he is a humble servant who uses his authority to serve in a non-boisterous way. Third, he replaces external religion with internal life; this is deliberately symbolized by the way he performs the miracle.

Building A Healthy Prayer Life

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Paul gives instructions for prayer to the Thessalonian church. Prayer should be talking with God in an ongoing and personal way, with an emphasis on gratitude. Gratitude in prayer is a vital component in light of what's been done for Christians because of Jesus' death on the cross. Cultivating this habit can lead us to a more joyful life and relationship with God and others. As we practice thankfulness before God, we should consider looking at Biblical passages to help remind us of the promises God has made and make regular attempts to thank God for what He's done.

Parable of the Vine and Branches

Jim Leffel

John 15:1-11

Jesus uses a parable to describe himself and God and how he wants to relate to us as human beings. He offers us the life that we desire if we abide in Him. To truly abide in Christ, we must understand and move towards our identity and intimacy with God, dwell in God's mind, and dwell in God's heart. When we truly abide we will bear the fruit of the Spirit, bring glory to God's name, and effectively pray.

Serving Love and the Body of Christ (Part 3)

Dennis McCallum

John 15:4-5

Paul commands Christians to rejoice, pray continually, and to be thankful. Rejoicing is a choice made in faith to remember God's promises, and it often leads to abiding to God's presence through prayer. Lastly, thanksgiving focused on specific events and circumstances leads to spiritual maturity, and these three commands together promote living by faith in God's goodness no matter what the circumstances.

Overcoming Obstacles to Love Relationship: An Ungrateful Spirit

Gary DeLashmutt

Philippians 4:8

Paul practiced and taught gratitude as a key ingredient in finding true joy in our relationship with God. Humans naturally are often entitled and we need to fight to count our blessings. Expressing gratitude to God and other people can be a very satisfying and life changing practice.

Spiritual Friendship

Scott Risley

1 Thessalonians 3:5

Paul stresses the importance of spiritual friendships by describing his relationship with the Thessalonians. Hindrances to spiritual friendships involve 1) Satan's attack on spiritual relationships; 2) codependency; 3) being disengaged. The strengths and weaknesses of the tribal and diffuse approach to relationships are also explained.

Life Lessons From a Dying Guy

Beth Chilcoat

Bev DeLashmutt

John 17:17

David Chilcoat, a devoted Christian and the founder of the Columbus Young Life branch, experienced intense suffering as his body decayed slowly due to ALS, a devastating disease. After his diagnosis, he began journaling about his experience, and these entries are what his wife, Beth, and Bev DeLashmutt share in order to illustrate his faithfulness during such an intense trial. Through David's journal, we see an active example of enacting three important steps amidst suffering: asking, affirming, and waiting. As we explore and act on these three principles, we can begin to respond to suffering in a way that allows us to persevere through it instead of crumbling under it.

Victory in the Pressure Cooker of Life

Jim Leffel

James 2:20-22

James explained that enduring suffering strengthens your faith. Suffering is painful, but God can use it in our lives, and so it is not in vain that we suffer. Suffering is confusing, but it is also an opportunity for us to turn to God and rely on His strength.