Today I'm beginning a new study coming from the Sermon on the Mount. It is found in Matthew chapters 5-7. I start this new study at the beginning- the Beatitudes. Far from being a checklist that leads to successful living, it is a call to a life that is counter to the normal way of thinking- Upside Down Living, if you will.

The spiritual discipline of giving is a two way street. The giver needs to give out of obedience to God. The recipient, whether an individual or church must receive it with integrity as though it came directly from the hand of God. Paul describes this dynamic in the last verses of Philippians chapter 4 as I bring this study of Philippians to a close.

When we are separated from the ones we love, we are always happy to hear from them. Nowadays it's so easy to send a text or FaceTime someone to let them know how things are going.
In Paul's time, however, news was hard to come by. So when he was visited by a friend from the church in Philippi, it did Paul a world of good.
But as much good as sending Athene's did for the Philippians, and as much good as hearing this news did for Paul, he was quick to point out that his strength came from a deeper source- from Christ alone.

This week's scripture reference is Philippians 4:10-13 (NLT)

Have you ever been thinking about something that makes you mad and then snap at someone who has nothing to do with what you were thinking about? At that moment, you weren't in a peaceful state. What you chose to dwell on affected your behavior. The Apostle Paul tells us the kind of things we should be thinking about so that we can have God's peace instead of our emotions affecting how we represent Christ. Today's teaching comes from Philippians 4:4-9 (NLT)

Disagreements are going to happen, but they don't have to balloon into a relationship ending conflict. If we will stay true to the Lord, and remember that we belong to the Lord, we will find that choosing to stay full of the joy of the Lord will allow us to get over anything. This week's study comes from Philippians 4:1-5 (NLT)

Say what you will about the apostle Paul, but he was no quitter. When he was an opponent of the early church, he opposed it with a single minded ferocity. And after his encounter with Jesus turned him into a missionary and church planter, he devoted that same level intensity to proclaiming the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. He accomplished a lot but he never stopped pressing on. And he encourages us to do the same. The study in this episode comes from Philippians 3:12-21 (NLT)

The apostle Paul is an extraordinary teacher and mentor. He constantly reminds us to have a joy that will hold up to all of the difficulties and challenges that life can bring. This is not hypothetical teaching- Paul displays joy even while he is imprisoned for the very faith that gives him that joy. And he warns against letting anyone place barriers that would hinder us from finding that same strong joy that comes through faith in Jesus.

Reference: Philippians 3:1-11 (NLT)

Why do we love dogs so much? Because we believe that they love us. And since they love us, we will do anything we think they need. At the end of Philippians chapter 2, Paul shows that leadership by love and respect of those we work with and those we lead yields great benefits even during the toughest of times.