Kelly Preston

John 7 Part 4

2011-07-29T12:06:00.001-07:00

What We Need, He’s Got

John 7:31-39 (NIV)

31 Still, many in the crowd believed in him. They said, “When the Messiah comes, will he perform more signs than this man?”

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering such things about him. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees sent temple guards to arrest him.

33 Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. 34 You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

35 The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36 What did he mean when he said, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me,’ and ‘Where I am, you cannot come’?”

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Background: Jesus is still at the Feast of Tabernacles. It is interesting to note that during this feast, the Israelites ceremoniously remembered the provision of the Lord in the wilderness (Exodus) by pouring water and wine into silver bowls and then by pouring them out before the Lord. They celebrated the fact that God provided water in the desert and that in the last days He would pour out His Holy Spirit. They looked back at what He had done and looked forward to what He would do in the future.

Our key verses focus on this context.

Let’s look at 3 key verses in this text:

V 37: Jesus stood and He spoke loudly! Teachers usually sat so Jesus was intentionally getting the crowd’s attention. He had an important message and promise to share with them! “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” He is the Source. He alone possesses what we need to access God and unlock our intended potential in the Kingdom of God. There is nothing and no one better to bring completion to our lives than Christ.

V 38: Jesus’ promise was that His followers would not be thirsty again! How is this possible?

John 4:10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” This is the promise that Jesus offered to the woman at the well and He enthusiastically offers it to us today. In Christ, we have EVERYTHING we need.

V 39: This promise involved the Holy Spirit and this followed their initial belief.

Acts 2 – 1 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Jesus prepared them for the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I can hardly keep from shouting words of praise as I type these words! We have the privilege of receiving this promise! All we have to do is believe and receive! The book of Acts says they waited in prayer and the Holy Spirit came upon them. That was the day they received the wonderful outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the Church was born!

We know the Church moved forward boldly proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and endured under severe trials and tests. They were given power and authority that was unprecedented! They did not have to be appointed as priests or leaders to receive this gift – they simply had to believe in Christ and be open to receive the gift of His Holy Spirit.

Questions for Reflection:

· Is there anything that holds us back from going to Christ to receive everything we need?

· Is there something in my past that keeps me from fully accepting the Living water Christ is offering me?

· Have you received the promise of the Holy Spirit? If so describe your experience. If not, is there an obstacle standing in your way…perhaps fear or not knowing the blessing that follows this experience?

Lesson written by Kelly Preston, 2011.

Sources consulted:

NIV Study Bible, 10^th Anniversary Edition, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1995.

The Message Bible Remix/Eugene Peterson, NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 2003.

M.H. Commentary, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1992.

D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1991.

N.T. Wright, John for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.

Don’t Judge By What You See

2011-07-11T09:48:00.000-07:00

John 7 Part 3

John 7:19-30 (NIV)

19 Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” 20 “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?” 21 Jesus said to them, “I did one miracle, and you are all amazed. 22 Yet, because Moses gave you circumcision (though actually it did not come from Moses, but from the patriarchs), you circumcise a boy on the Sabbath. 23 Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? 24 Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.”

25 At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? 26 Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? 27 But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” 28 Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, 29 but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.” 30 At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.

The crowd Jesus is speaking to once again tries to make sense out of who he is. They like what he says and does sometimes, but it does not always line up with their expectations of what the Messiah should be like.

Our focus verse (28) Jesus challenges the listeners – He says, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him,” Jesus accused them of not knowing God – the One they claimed to know all along. If they knew God the Father then they would know that Jesus was operating in His authority. They would know his actions were pure and pleasing to God.

· It appears they are still hung up on the fact that Jesus healed the paralyzed man at Bethesda on the Sabbath! (John 5) Jesus responded to the need of this paralyzed man in a truly loving and miraculous way! So what if it was the Sabbath? Jesus’ action enabled the man to live out his God-given potential and bring glory to God.

· Many people today want to be whole. They crave wholeness and feeling complete. Jesus is the source of wholeness. Only he can make each of us complete. Some of us even pray for wholeness, but when it comes, we decline because it is not the way we expected. Jesus knows the best way to make us complete. “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” (Philippians 1:6) We can count on him to make us whole, but there is no guarantee of how that will be accomplished. When we allow God to work in our lives either through expected or unexpected avenues, we will be unleashed to live out our full God-given potential and we will be enabled to give glory to God.

Questions for Reflection:

· Is there an area in your life that causes you to feel incomplete?

· Would you be willing to allow God to make you complete even if it involves the unexpected?

· If you said yes to the previous question, in what ways have you already seen him at work in your life?

· In what ways have you perhaps declined his help?

Lesson written by Kelly Preston, 2011.

Sources consulted:

NIV Study Bible, 10^th Anniversary Edition, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1995.

The Message Bible Remix/Eugene Peterson, NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 2003.

M.H. Commentary, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1992.

D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1991.

N.T. Wright, John for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.

We are God's Front Door

2011-07-05T18:32:00.000-07:00

1) We are God's House

Our text: John 14:1-4 (NIV)

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Let’s take a closer look at John 14:2, “My Father’s house has many rooms…”

Now let’s consider a couple of important points about this particular verse:

A) Here the NIV uses the word, “rooms” which comes from the Greek word, mone which correlates with the word meno, these words translate, “to stay, to remain, and to dwell” they signify a “dwelling place.” (“rooms” = “dwelling place”)

B) The only other time this word for “rooms” is used is in John 14:23, “My Father (and I) will come to him and make our home with him.” The believer indwelt by the Spirit, becomes the “dwelling place” or the “home” of God.

Our text refers to Jesus going to heaven to prepare a place for us, it also refers to us, (in verse 2) as God’s dwelling place here on earth. This is the perspective we will be drawing from this morning as we talk about God’s house and more specifically the “Front Door.” (attn. to door on stage)

2) We Are His Front Door

John 14:4-6 (NIV)

4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Verse 6 is the most controversial passage of scripture because Jesus is declaring that He is the ONLY WAY. This goes against the popular notion that all roads lead to heaven. It is troubling for many of us when someone accuses us of being narrow minded about the Christian faith. How can a loving God insist that the only way to heaven is through Christ?

Christ is the only One who provides a direct route to God the Father.

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons others find this arrogant is that the Church as a whole has struggled at times to represent the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus himself is the way. We are talking about the Jesus who served others. He washed his disciples feet and commanded them to follow his example. He gave his life as the final sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world! This is not arrogant; this is true love and service. When we as the Church, follow Christ’s example, we will be able to stand on our claim that truly He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

How can we demonstrate this to others? As believers we are the dwelling place of God, let’s look at the entrance to that dwelling place, the front door.

The front door represents the entrance to the dwelling place and how it can be used to live out Christ’s example.

Here are 2 specific ways we can represent Christ’s example:

A) We must guard what we allow into our house (literally and spiritually)

(Literally) It’s important and safe to lock our doors. It is necessary to look through the peephole before opening the door. It is wise to not let random strangers in the house. These seem like no brainers, but how often do we vigilantly guard the front door, and yet allow other potentially harmful things into our home through media? What we read, watch, listen to, and view online are just as important to guard as who we allow to enter through our front door.

(Spiritually) How we talk to our loved ones, what we say on the phone, how we serve Christ in the privacy of our homes is just as important as how we live in public. When we are at home behind closed doors it is so easy to “loosen up” and not be vigilant, but it is just as crucial, to be careful what we say and do. Our families are watching, our kids are watching, but most of all God sees what we do in private.

Proverbs 4:23 (The Message) Guard your heart 

23-27 Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts. Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth;  avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; ignore all sideshow distractions. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.

We follow Christ’s example by guarding what we let into our house and

also by being open to people and relationships.

B) We must be open to people and relationships (hospitality as individuals and as a congregation for the purpose of glorifying Him)

This is exactly how Christ intended the Church to reach people with the Gospel. Relationships are what it is all about. For the extraverts this may be a confirmation of what comes more natural to you. For the introverts, like me, “God will not give us more than we can handle.” J Relationships are at the center of the heart of Christ. He loves people and wants to love them through you and me. “He is not willing that anyone die without knowing the truth.”

 2 Cor. 5:20

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his

appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

We are His ambassadors, the front door, the first impression 

Acts 2:42-47

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the

breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the

many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers

were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and

possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued

to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes

and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and e

enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number

daily those who were being saved.

Community, openness, sharing lives together. Hospitality. 

Matthew 5:14-16 (The Message)

“Be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

“Only when his followers are themselves continuing to do what Jesus did may they be believed when they speak the earth-shattering truth that he spoke.” N.T. Wright

We have this hope to offer to others, so let’s not barricade our front door by not letting anyone in embrace the people God puts in our lives and offer to them what we have – Jesus! 

We know the way home… (v4) this challenge today may seem daunting. How can we change what we have allowed into our homes? Jesus assures us that we know the way “home” in verse 4. The “Way” is through Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life….

We can weigh every decision against this truth. Does what I am doing or allowing into my home point to the way of Christ?

Jesus told his disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them so they

would be comforted. He will not require more of us than we can handle. He will

stretch us to trust in Him, He will ask us to take leaps of faith, He will prompt us to

reach out to someone when we are tired but He will provide what we need to do

anything he asks of us. He doesn’t ask us to do things beyond our God-given

ability. Yes, beyond our human ability, but not beyond His ability to do it

through us.

He loves when our front door is open and porch light is on welcoming others into

our lives. He is not asking us to wait until our lives are perfect to invite others in –

he is asking us to invite others to journey with us.

This is not aimed only at the extraverted –

this is a God-given command that Jesus gives to all believers. Matt 28:19-20. This

was Christ’s mission here on earth – to be the Light, to invite people to get to

know his father.

Part of following Christ is continuing to embrace others, not shutting down or

barring the front door because of past hurts.

Oh that we would let our lives be used like that! How different our relationships

would be! How different our schedules would be!

Questions to consider:

Am I willing to:

... be God’s dwelling place

... forgive those who have hurt me in the past

... be intentional & vigilant on what I allow into my home

... follow Jesus’ example to serve others openly

The Will of God

2011-06-24T12:48:00.001-07:00

John 7 Part 2

John 7:10-18 (NIV)

10 However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. 11 Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” 12 Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” 13 But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. 14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” 16 Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. 17 Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. 18 Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

Let’s take a closer look at this text:

V 10: Jesus ended up going to the Feast of Tabernacles but not in the way his brothers suggested (John 7:4) Jesus remained behind the scenes at first.

Vv 12-13: “Whispering” is the key word here – nobody was safe to openly talk about Jesus because he was a controversial person in the Jewish community. Some of the religious leaders accused him of being a false prophet – this was due to the fact that He healed a paralytic on the Sabbath and asked him to “get up and carry his own mat.” (John 5) To the religious leaders, this was a breech of the Sabbath law.

V 14: At just the right time, Jesus made himself known to the crowds. It was the middle of the festival and the crowds were at their peak. Many would have the opportunity to hear his teachings. Jesus’ timing is perfect!

V 15: Jesus was never a student under a recognized Jewish teacher. He amazed the crowds both commoners and leaders because of the authority with which he spoke. The people could not believe that he was not “formerly” educated in one of the rabbinical schools.

· We see a similar reaction when Peter and John address the crowds (Acts 4). “They confounded the religious authorities because they were ‘unschooled, ordinary men’ but they had been with Jesus and apparently drew their knowledge and authority from that exposure.” (DA Carson, The Gospel According to John, p. 311)

· Even though we are living hundreds of years after the time that Christ was here on earth, we have His Word with us. The more we are exposed to His Word and the more time we spend in His presence, the more our speech and life style will reflect Who he is.

V 16: God the Father was his “Rabbi.” Again we see that Jesus came for the purpose of fulfilling God’s work here on earth. (John 4:34) He was not operating on his own, but in direct alignment with the will of the Father.

Vv 17-18: Jesus was not seeking his own glory but glory for God the Father. He is focused and intentional about his mission to complete the work of God for humanity. If someone embraces God, then he or she must receive the words of Christ also. Not unlike today, the people then were not willing to hear everything God wanted to speak to them about. They were “selective” listeners.

· There are times when I want to cover my ears during a sermon or skim over a convicting passage of scripture because it is simply not what I want to hear. However, Jesus words here are a reminder that as believers, it is imperative to embrace the whole message and when we do, we will be able to discern the wonderful will of God.

Wrap up:
Jesus was actively engaged in doing the will of God. “He was totally committed to working for the honor of the One who sent him.” (DA Carson) Psalm 40:8 says, “I desire to do your will. O my God; your law is within my heart.” When we desire to do God’s will, we will not miss it! We will hear His Words of truth and feel the promptings of His Holy Spirit. We will have peace to rest on His Word and on Who he is. We will also have faith to take risks. Jesus has so much in store for us. He asks us to believe in Him and follow Him so we can be a part of the work of the Kingdom here on earth and in eternity! His rewards are incomparable and His grace is unbelievable!

Lesson written by Kelly Preston, 2011.

Sources consulted:

NIV Study Bible, 10^th Anniversary Edition, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1995.

The Message Bible Remix/Eugene Peterson, NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 2003.

M.H. Commentary, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1992.

D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1991.

N.T. Wright, John for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.

Look Up!

2011-06-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

^{Psalm 46:8-10 (The Message)}
"Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. "Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything."

Recently, the familiar passage, "Be still and know that I am God," (Psalm 46:10 NIV) has been repeating in my mind.

This passage in the book of Psalms reminds me of a time years ago when Greg and I were stressed about our wedding day. The day before the wedding it seemed like chaos took over, from my rehearsal dress tearing to petty family feuds. The well planned details seemed to unravel one at a time and both Greg and I were in tears before the rehearsal began. This was supposed to be the happiest time of our lives, but instead we were feeling miserable.

I will never forget, our brother-in-law took us aside and asked us to look up. As we literally looked up at the ceiling, we wondered why he asked us to do this. He told us to, "Look up at God." Then he said, "Now, look at each other." As we stared into each other's eyes, we were reminded that God was the most important and that this time was about Him and about our commitment to spend the rest of our lives together. We hugged and cried. And the peace of God rested on us both.

As I look back on that day, those problems now seem small, but at the time they were overwhelming. Over the years we have experienced bigger problems and crazier chaos, but the Lord has never let us down. Of course God has not changed, but our perspective of him certainly has. He is able to take on any challenge and make the impossible possible.

Jesus said that in this world we will have trouble, but that He has overcome the world! (John 16:33 NIV) We have nothing to fear! Jesus conquered the chaos and invites us to celebrate the victory he had on our behalf! No matter what size obstacle lays in our path or chaos surrounds us, let's look up and see Him.

The Faith in Waiting

2011-06-16T10:06:00.000-07:00

Lessons from John
John 7:1-9 (NIV)
1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
6 Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. 8 You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” 9 After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee.

John 7:1-9 (The Message)
1-2 Later Jesus was going about his business in Galilee. He didn't want to travel in Judea because the Jews there were looking for a chance to kill him. It was near the time of Tabernacles, a feast observed annually by the Jews.
3-5His brothers said, "Why don't you leave here and go up to the Feast so your disciples can get a good look at the works you do? No one who intends to be publicly known does everything behind the scenes. If you're serious about what you are doing, come out in the open and show the world." His brothers were pushing him like this because they didn't believe in him either.
6-8Jesus came back at them, "Don't crowd me. This isn't my time. It's your time—it's always your time; you have nothing to lose. The world has nothing against you, but it's up in arms against me. It's against me because I expose the evil behind its pretensions. You go ahead, go up to the Feast. Don't wait for me. I'm not ready. It's not the right time for me."
9He said this and stayed on in Galilee.

Jesus was on a mission and no one and nothing could deter him from accomplishing it. He knew what He came to do and was actively doing it. It was not important that everyone understand what he was up to, but rather that they put their faith in what God was doing through Him.

In the previous chapters in the book of John, Jesus desires for his followers to see with eyes of faith. In John 6:33 & 51, “Jesus identifies himself as his flesh as the true bread of life that must be given for the life of the world.” (DA Carson, The Gospel according to John, p.268) In the Old Testament, God provided manna for the Israelites, but Jesus not only fed the crowds with bread and fish, He told them that he is the Bread of Life. If they eat of him they will never be hungry again! Just like the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4), Jesus is asking the people to have eyes of faith.

Let’s look at several observations from this text in John 7:

V 2: The Feast of Tabernacles: The holiday on the Jewish calendar that celebrated the end of the of the harvest and remembered how God took care of the Israelites who roamed in the desert. (Leviticus 23:33-43; Deut. 16:13-15)

·       The Israelites were vigilant in celebrating and remembering what God had done for them.
·       How and when do we celebrate what God has done for us?
·       Paul challenges believers in Philippians 4:4 to, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” We can celebrate God everyday, not just on sacred holidays.

Vv 3-5: These verses are referring to the actual brothers of Jesus, the ones he was raised with. Some scholars say they had knowledge of miracles that Jesus did that no one else was aware of because of their relationship to him. Even if they saw him perform miracles that others did not know about, John points out that they still did not fully believe in Who he was.

·       Seeing is not always believing
·       Are there times when it is difficult to believe? (Why or why not?)

V 6: God’s timing was what Jesus was following not the timing suggested by others. “Jesus moved in accordance with the will of God.” (NIV Study Bible notes)

·       Is it difficult to wait for God’s timing? (Why or why not?)
·       Describe the last time you waited for God’s timing, what were the circumstances and what happened as a result of waiting?

V 7: Jesus’ brothers belonged to the world and could not be hated in the way Jesus was because he did not belong to the world. John is pointing out here that the brothers are still “in the dark” about who Jesus is and therefore do not know the ways in which he works.

·       They thought they knew what was best for him. Peter also thought he knew best when he told Jesus he would not allow him to die (Mark 8:33) but Jesus rebuked him.
·       How have you learned to trust in Christ’s plan for your life?

V 8: Jesus did not refuse to go to the Feast of Tabernacles, but he did refuse to display himself the way his brothers advised.

·       Jesus was not impatient. He knew that waiting for the right time was part of His mission. He did not attempt to hurry things up.
·       Who likes to wait? J Most likely none of us, but what usually happens when we hurry too much? Often something gets overlooked and it ends up taking longer than originally planned.
·       What can we do while we are waiting?

Lesson written by Kelly Preston, 2011.
Sources consulted:
NIV Study Bible, 10^th Anniversary Edition, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1995.
The Message Bible Remix/Eugene Peterson, NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 2003.
M.H. Commentary, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1992.
D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1991.
N.T. Wright, John for Everyone, Westminster John Knox Press, 2002.

The Peace of Christ

2011-06-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

Lessons from the Apostle Paul

Philippians 4:1-9

Historical Context for the book of Philippians: There are several reasons Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians. Paul wanted to remind and to urge believers to stand firm in the face of persecution, to rejoice in the Lord, and to be examples of humility and unity. Paul had a personal connection to the Philippians. He was thankful for how they ministered to him and he believed in their potential. It was important to affirm them in the Lord and to challenge them to live out the best possible life Christ offered.

As we study these verses in depth, take note of one thing that stands out to you. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your strength and or weakness in that particular area and ask Him to help you become more like him.

Philippians 4 (NIV)
1 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Philippians 4 (The Message)
1 My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don't waver. Stay on track, steady in God. 2 I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn't want his children holding grudges. 3And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you're right there to help them work things out, do your best with them. These women worked for the Message hand in hand with Clement and me, and with the other veterans—worked as hard as any of us. Remember, their names are also in the Book of Life.

God is not expecting that we live in a perfect world. We WILL have conflict and we WILL have differences but we are to walk in godliness and gentleness. Paul sees that these 2 women (Eudia and Syntyche) have so much to offer the church, but they have a present obstacle thwarting their potential. The time until Christ’s return is short, not too mention life is short, so keep the bigger picture in mind people!

I recently heard this phrase, “Take responsibility for the energy you bring into this space.” (Dr. Klein) We are responsible for the way we conduct ourselves at all times. We are responsible for the way we enter a room and the way we interact with people.

Philippians 4 (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Philippians 4 (The Message)
4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

· How can we celebrate God? (“Celebrate” means to rejoice, praise, commemorate, party, have fun, enjoy yourself, and revel)

· Describe gentleness? (mildness, quietness, calmness, kindness, tenderness – the opposite of harshness and roughness)

Philippians 4 (NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4 (The Message)
6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

· Define anxiety? (nervousness, worry, concern, unease, apprehension, angst, fretfulness, apprehension, fear)

o It is counter productive worry

o Giving thanks cures worry!

o When we let God know about our worries – it’s not news to Him, He already knows what we are concerned about, and he wants us to come talk to him about it!

· Define peace? (harmony, reconciliation, ceasefire, amity) Scripture describes it as “inner tranquility – the peaceful state of those whose sins are forgiven. (John 14:27)

o “The full dimension of God’s love and care are beyond human comprehension.” (NIV Study Bible) (Ephesians 3:18-20)

· “Guard your heart and your minds” “God’s protective custody of those who are in Christ Jesus extends to the core of our beings and to our deepest intentions.” (NIV Study Bible) (1 Peter 1:3-5)

Philippians 4 (NIV)
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4 (The Message)
8-9Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

· What are we thinking about? “Our inner thoughts influence our lives and will sooner or later determine our speech and our actions.” (NIV Study Bible)

o What we dwell on comes out in our conversation

· What are we practicing? What do we do when we hear or read God’s Word? Are we putting it into action? Paul was not putting a guilt trip on believers; he knew that actions are a result of thoughts and faith without deeds in dead. The world will know that we are true followers of Christ by the love we display. Paul is urging all of us to put our faith into practice!

Lesson written by Kelly Preston, 2011.

Sources consulted:

NIV Study Bible, 10^th Anniversary Edition, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1995.

The Message Bible Remix/Eugene Peterson, NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO, 2003.

M.H. Commentary, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI, 1992.

The Reliability of God

2011-06-04T13:17:00.000-07:00

Circumstances change all the time but Jesus stays the same. It is difficult to believe that Jesus never changes. Life changes so frequently, people change, and our understanding of things change, but Christ never does. He is the same One who fed the hungry crowd with only a small amount of bread and fish. He is the same One that died for our sins. And he is the same One that connected us to God.

He provided yesterday and ten years ago and he still provides today. There is no cap to his provision. There is no limit to his goodness. There is no quota of healing that he cannot exceed. We can count on his sameness. He has not changed and will not change ever.

We do not deserve his blessings, but because of Christ, his life, death, and resurrection make us worthy to receive all that God wants to give to us.

What are you longing for today? What need do you have? Ask him. Ask the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The Favor of God

2011-05-28T12:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, life can be foggy and seem impossible to see progress. When God leads and one follows, there is a time of waiting to see if God will come through. There is also a time of faith building, when you continually look back to make sure you heard him right in the first place, especially when the evidence isn't lining up with the quest.

Though I have no reason to doubt God, I certainly have reason to doubt myself. I have made mistakes before and do not want to take for granted that I hear him accurately each time. This recent uncertainty caused me to dig in to God's Word, pray continually, and cry out my praises and concerns to him. The circumstances did not change, in fact, the reality seemed more sobering, but the peace I received was unmistakable!

In the past few months, we have stepped out in faith for a change in vocation and ministry. In the midst of these changes and decisions, finances and patience have been keeping us in uncertainty mode.

Yesterday, we received two answers to our prayers - both financially and emotionally! My husband commented that, "Even though it has been a confusing and foggy time, we have been walking around in the hand of God without realizing it." This visually struck me and I began to imagine that God was reminding us to open our eyes and see that we were right where he wanted us.

I could not think of a better post to start this blog with than to share how good God is and how he orchestrates every detail in our lives.