Posts with the category “everything-is-possible”

INTRODUCTION The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things. OPEN QUESTIONS What has been your favorite travel destination so far in life, and what is one you’d still like to visit? HEAD 1. Read Ph...  Read More

Philippians 4: 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! A...  Read More

Philippians 4:10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full ...  Read More

Philippians 4: 8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.This is such a great...  Read More

Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.Don’t worry about anything. . .Yeah, right. That would be great, wouldn’t it? To live a life that doesn’t have a...  Read More

Philippians 4: 2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—r...  Read More

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work. I love what Paul has to say here. He feels as if the joy that comes from this work is incarnated in the person he gets to share it with. His joy and reward are those people who accept the gospel and allow God to work t...  Read More

INTRODUCTION The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things. OPEN QUESTIONS Share about a goal or accomplishment that you are particular proud of, that took you some time to achieve. What kept you ...  Read More

Philippians 3:20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.Roman citizenship was a highly prized commodity in the ancient world. With it came many righ...  Read More

Philippians 3: 18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.Here, Paul does not seem to be speaking of those who do not proclaim C...  Read More

Philippians 3:17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.Does it sound arrogant for Paul to tell people to follow his example? He wants them to pattern their lives after his. I think if we heard a pastor or a preacher say this, we would be concerned. Should we be concerned that Paul throws this out like it is conventional wisdom? Paul d...  Read More

Philippians 3:15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.I know this is the same text, but I wanted to spend some more time on faith maturity. In fact, I have a little faith maturity test that I’d love for you to take today, I have left space to do i...  Read More

Philippians 3:15 Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. 16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.Let's talk about spiritual maturity for a moment. What actually does it mean to be spiritually mature? Hebrews says it this way: Hebrews 6:1-2 says: Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the elementary...  Read More

Philippians 3:12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race a...  Read More

INTRODUCTION The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things. OPEN QUESTIONS What’s one thing about your life, your accomplishments, or even your family and your ancestry that you are particularly p...  Read More

Philippians 3:10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!Resurrection. For Paul, and for Christians in general, the idea of resurrection cannot be underemphasized or undervalued. It is the foundation of Christian hope, and Paul...  Read More

Philippians 3:7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteous...  Read More

Philippians 3:4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the ...  Read More

Philippians 3:2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, In the previous verses, Paul warned them about this. We are to watch out for those who do evil and be ca...  Read More

Philippians 3:1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.Let's talk about Joy for a moment. It’s pretty important to the Christian believer. In fact, it is a by-product of our faith in Jesus. New life gives us a new perspective, and that new perspective brings us joy. Paul states that he ...  Read More

Philippians 2:25 Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co-worker, and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. 26 I am sending him because he has been longing to see you, and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. 27 And he certainly was ill; in fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him—and also on me, so that I w...  Read More

INTRODUCTION The following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things. OPEN QUESTIONS When you think back over your life about someone who had a great attitude no matter their circumstances, who comes to min...  Read More

Philippians 2:19 If the Lord Jesus is willing, I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then, he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. 20 I have no one else like Timothy who genuinely cares about your welfare. 21 All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. 22 But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he ...  Read More

Philippians 2:12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize...  Read More

Philippians 2:5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.6 Though he was God,    he did not think of equality with God    as something to cling to.7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;    he took the humble position of a slave    and was born as a human being.When he appeared in human form,8 he humbled himself in obedience to God    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.9 There...  Read More

Philippians 2:3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.All of this is good. No. All of this is exactly what the world needs right now and probably has always needed. Let's break it all down: Don’t be selfish. This one seems pretty simple. Look to others...  Read More

Philippians 2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.I know; we talked about this yesterday. However, I don’t think we have plumbed the de...  Read More

Philippians 2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.This week we are studying one of the most famous passages that Paul ever wrote. It be...  Read More

INTRODUCTIONThe following is a guide to help facilitate discussion between you and the person you’re studying with or with your Connect Group. Feel free to add, subtract, or change questions to fit the conversation, and pray for the Spirit to lead in all things.OPEN QUESTIONSSince Philippians has several favorite quotables for the Christian journey, share one or two of your favorite Scripture text...  Read More

27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them t...  Read More

Philippians 1:20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 ...  Read More

Philippians 1:12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.15 It’s true that ...  Read More

Philippians 1:3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns...  Read More

Philippians 1:1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.Yesterday, we did a lot of the background work for this little letter, but today, I’d like to jump into the exegesis of this text...  Read More

Philippians 1:1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus.I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.Philippi is located about 9 miles or so inland from the Northern Shore of the Aegean Sea. It became a colony of the Roman Empire ...  Read More

The Epistle to the Philippians is a well-known writing from which most Christians can quote. The top three quotes are listed below: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.” (1:6)“For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (1:21)“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (4:13)These are great texts from which to memorize and find inspir...  Read More