Things God has Done for Us

Dennis McCallum
1 Peter 1:1-9

Peter in 1 Peter 1 opens his first letter with a description of the things God has done for us who are in Christ. God has chosen us, set us apart. He has sprinkled us with the blood of Christ, allowing us to be spiritually reborn. We and all his promises to us are kept safe and secure by the power of God. We have the healing of our souls so damaged by sin. And finally we have the gift of suffering, which among other things, teaches us to truly depend upon God and not ourselves.

The Secret of Contentment

James Rochford
Philippians 4:10-13

Most people assume good circumstances equals contentment, bad circumstances equals discontent, but Paul tells us we can learn the secret of being content in all circumstances, whether good or bad. The way to contentment involves giving voluntarily to others, receiving from others, making love an ongoing lifestyle, and finding confidence in and from Christ. Paul really, truly believed that Jesus would always love him, never leave him, and will continue to empower him.

The Good News of Christ

Jim Leffel
Colossians 1:1-8

Paul was grateful for the Colossian church for the way they were bearing fruit after hearing and understanding the gospel. They embraced a living hope that was at that time unimaginable to the Greek culture. Their faith, hope and love resonated with spiritual seekers. This living hope changed them and knit them together in community that was attractive to their neighbors.

Paul's Greatest Secret

Dennis McCallum
Philippians 4:10-20

Paul's greatest secret was having learned to be content in all circumstances. He didn't learn this secret in one momentous moment but it came to him over time, bit by bit. God had to stress his faith in order to make it grow. Growth comes in the areas of life when no one is watching. Your little steps of faith grow over time and you learn to to trust God with the bigger things. When we learn to trust God with our money and start giving it away as a "sweet-smelling offering" God will reimburse us. Just as the Philippians had no idea their simple monetary gift resulted in untold number of people benefitting from the prison epistles Paul wrote, we have no idea how our giving freely may be used by God to bless people we have never met.

The Newness of Life

Conrad Hilario
Philippians 3:9-14

Paul tells us God wants to forgive our sins and give us new life based on the work Jesus did on the cross for us. Some people never progress beyond receiving His forgiveness, but those who desire to grow and walk with Jesus will encounter suffering and failure. But this the only way for God to break through our fleshly resistance and conform us to the likeness of Christ.

Jesus and Simon Peter

Ben Foust
John 21:1-17

Peter's three-fold denial of Jesus was a failure of faith. As fallen humans, we over-estimate the strength of our intentions and faithfulness. Jesus anticipates our failures but has a vision for us beyond our failures. He forgives our failures and restores us relationally. He refines our character through our failures and redeems our failures.

Two Ways God Gives His People Joy

Gary DeLashmutt
Psalms 126

Sometimes God brings joy to His people with sudden, dramatic displays of His power, as He did with rescuing the Israelites from Pharaoh in the days of the Exodus. But God often calls us to be faithful over a long period of time before He blesses us with the fulfillment of His promises.

Dumping Religion

Chris Hearty
Philippians 3:1-9

If there ever was a person who could claim righteousness under the law it was Paul, but he denounced all his accomplishments as worthless dung in comparison to the surpassing value in knowing Jesus. Instead he proclaims that righteousness only comes from Jesus not our good works. Paul warns the Philippians to beware anyone who presents a gospel other than righteousness through faith in Jesus.

Jesus and the Woman in the Crowd

Ben Foust
Mark 5:21-43

The story of the woman in the crowd who had a bleeding disorder demonstrates that Jesus is a man of compassion, the healer of hopeless situations, the inviter of outcasts, the rewarder of faith, and that Jesus' power is absolutely adequate. Sickness and death are symbols of our alienation from God. Jesus' power over them is proof he has the power to fulfill his mission to reconcile us. All of us will encounter hopeless situations at some time. When that happens, Jesus invites us to put our faith, however small it might be, in him.