Shining Like Stars

Scott Risley

Philippians 2:12-18

The Christian witness depends on joyful unity and is completely incompatible with grumbling and disputing. We need to hold forth the truth and pour our lives out in sacrifice for others.

God's Good Work

Scott Risley

Acts 16:13-34

Paul begins his letter to the church in Philippi. He describes the good work that God can do to change His followers. The change, part of the sanctification process, is rooted in growing in love and truth.

Following Jesus

Gary DeLashmutt

John 13:1-17

Jesus lays out two different paths: the self-serving path and the self-giving path. Those who choose to serve self experience increasing disappointment, relational failure, and an unhealthy emotional life and slavery; while those who choose to give of self experience increasing contentment, relational success, a healthy emotional life, and freedom. True happiness is not something attainable as an end in itself, but a by-product of following Jesus by receiving God's love and giving it out to others.

A Servant's Lord

Jim Leffel

1 John 3:2

Paul urges Timothy to cling to his standing and hope in God to endure the trials of life, and take real lasting meaning. The relationship we have with God offers true meaning and purpose to our lives. We can trust in God because we have seen His power and knowledge in His Word and through how he has provided for us.

Our Pride and Joy

Jeff Gordon

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20

The Thessalonians accepted Paul's words as the very Word of God which continued to work in them after he left. As a result, they were persecuted because they were transformed by the Word and lived to serve rather than to be served. Paul intensely longed to see them because he loved them and they were his pride and joy. What is your view of God's Word and what is your pride and joy?\r\n

A Meditation on Joy

Gary DeLashmutt

John 13:3-17

When you come into a relationship with Jesus Christ, God indwells you with His Spirit. This kind act by God gives His followers the ability to experience joy at any time because the Holy Spirit is powerful. God wired us to be joyful and He is the one who offers true joy. It is in this joy that we can influence others to trust God and give their life to Him. To continue in a life full of joy, it is crucial to focus on the Gospel of God's grace and give His love out to others.

Truly Living While You're Dying

Beth Chilcoat

Bev DeLashmutt

John 17:17

David Chilcoat, a devout Christian and the founder of the Columbus Young Life branch, experienced intense suffering as his body decayed slowly due to ALS, a devastating disease. His wife Beth and Bev DeLashmutt use his journal entries at the time of his illness to explore how to remain faithful and experience peace and joy even amidst this kind of physical and emotion pain. Three key points that emerge are: 1) the need to ask God for what we need and desire, 2) to remember God's goodness and affirm our faith, and 3) to wait for Him to fulfill His promises to us. These help us to respond to suffering in a way that allows us to persevere through it instead of crumbling under it.

Suffering and Joy: Challenges and Opportunities

Jim Leffel

1 Peter 1:3

Suffering is an inevitable part of life, but how we suffer matters. Suffering provides opportunity for personal transformation and exposes our actual beliefs and the extent to which we're convinced of them. As Christians, we can suffer victoriously because of the hope that we have through the resurrection of Christ.

The Relationship Between Joy and Pain

Ajith Fernando

James 1:2-3

Many people settle for what is less than joy in their lives - success, sexual experiences, comfort, the list continues. But Christians can experience true joy because of our personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an extreme comfort and joy to know that we are immensely loved by our Creator, and it is that joy that helps us in our pain. In our sufferings, we can rejoice because we can trust in God's faithfulness to us and His ability to bring about good. Of course, that is easier said than done, and it requires that we both surrender to and embrace God.