By Dan Lentz 1. Some things in life give you energy; other things sap your energy. Ask group members to make a list of the things in their lives that require energy output and include an approximate percentage of energy each item consumes. (For instance: 50 percent of my energy output goes into parenting, […]
By Sam E. Stone Paul’s epistle to the Philippians reads more like a personal letter than a theological treatise. Today’s text (chapter 2), however, ranks as one of the most significant passages in all the New Testament regarding the coming of God’s Son to earth. It is filled with practical lessons for us as […]
By Dan Lentz 1. What personal goal would you like to accomplish in the coming year? Read Philippians 1:12-26. 2. When you observe people who are “preaching Christ” or are very public with their faith, does their perceived internal motivation ever impact the effectiveness of their message? 3. In these verses, […]
By Sam E. Stone Philippians is a letter of encouragement. Although Paul wrote it while a prisoner of Rome, it is not a “Woe is me!” message. The Christians in Philippi and countless believers since have found in this letter reason to rejoice, no matter what life’s circumstances may be. Pat Edwin Harrell called […]
By Ray Stites “I didn’t see that coming.” “Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!” Even today I can clearly hear Jim Nabors as Gomer Pyle delivering his signature line. TV viewers of yesteryear knew the unexpected had happened—again—to help Private Pyle, or thwart his sergeant, or turn someone’s day upside down. Surprises can be humorous. They can […]
