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.

Psalm of Praise to the Lord of All

Jim Leffel

Psalms 145:1-21

This psalm focuses on God's amazing character and is instrumental in cultivating a vibrant relationship with God. It unpacks God's grace to all people, God's authority over all things now and forever, and God's power that sustains us in a broken world. As we praise God in prayer, we will experience intimacy with Him and deep joy in our soul.

Spiritual Goals, Discipline and Reward

Jim Leffel

2 Timothy 4:5-16

All people make goals, whether they realize it or not. Christians can participate in God's ultimate goal of reconciling people to Himself by setting spiritual goals within God's Will by using the gifts and talents He's given us. God also rewards Christians who participate in His plan: they hear from God; live a full, purposed life; and will experience the joy of sharing in God's family of believers in heaven.

Freedom, Rights and Calling

Jim Leffel

1 Corinthians 9:1-23

Believers have the supernatural, God-given freedom from being controlled by self-interest, and can instead use their freedom to serve other people. Indeed, the Gospel requires setting aside some of our rights. By doing so, Christians fulfill God's purpose to share and show God's grace to all people, as well as personally experience joyous freedom.

The Great Secret

Dennis McCallum

Philippians 4:10-20

A life of contentment consists of daily choices to trust God to meet our needs and responding to God in faith. This life is in direct opposition to a life of covetousness in which one can never be satisfied and constantly demands more from others and this world. Paul's confident assertion in Philippians that he has learned the secret of contentment is not an impossible goal for Christians, but rather a perspective that is available to anyone who knows God personally.