Joy in Your Finances
As the Apostle Paul brings his letter to the Philippians to a close, he talks about how we can find joy in our finances. You and your money have a relationship. In fact, it’s a three-way relationship between you, your money and God. When you figure out that relationship and how it fits together, it puts things into proper perspective. Like with any relationship, if you get it wrong there’s frustration, there’s fear and there’s pain. But if you get it right there’s a refreshing experience of joy. The truth is, money is something like a wild stallion. If you don’t tame it, it can take you on a wild ride for the rest of your life. But properly managed, it can do much good and bring much joy.
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- Sep 3, 2017Joy in Your FinancesJoy in Your Finances
As the Apostle Paul brings his letter to the Philippians to a close, he talks about how we can find joy in our finances. You and your money have a relationship. In fact, it’s a three-way relationship between you, your money and God. When you figure out that relationship and how it fits together, it puts things into proper perspective. Like with any relationship, if you get it wrong there’s frustration, there’s fear and there’s pain. But if you get it right there’s a refreshing experience of joy. The truth is, money is something like a wild stallion. If you don’t tame it, it can take you on a wild ride for the rest of your life. But properly managed, it can do much good and bring much joy.
- Aug 27, 2017Joy in Your ThoughtsJoy in Your Thoughts
We often live without security, peace and joy in our lives because we’re filling our minds with the wrong things. It’s easy to do that. The thoughts and objectives that are all around us are so easy and accessible ... and yet they are not good for us, nor do they actually fulfill Godly purposes in our lives. Imagine if you went to a gas station to fill up on fuel for your car. But instead of gasoline, you grabbed some other things available at the convenience store: orange juice, beer, Pepsi, windshield washer fluid and a Slurpee. What would happen if you put that in your car? You wouldn't get very far and you'd ruin your engine. Yet we often do something similar with our lives. We pour a bunch of impure and inappropriate things into our minds and we wonder why our spiritual "engine" is not working right. Today we learn from the Apostle Paul, that what we give our attention to has an effect on the joy we experience in life.
- Aug 20, 2017Joy in Your FutureJoy in Your Future
As the Apostle Paul concludes Chapter 3 of his letter to the Philippians, he writes: "We eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” Do you ever feel like you’ve got a lowly body? One that just doesn’t do everything you want it to do? As a nation we're getting older, and for many that means getting lowlier and lowlier. Paul encourages us, however, that this is not the end of the story. The end of the story is that God's going to transform these bodies. He’s going to make them into something spectacular. He’s going to transform them into a body like Jesus Christ. Like His glorious body. What a promise! - Aug 13, 2017Joy in Your AccomplishmentsJoy in Your Accomplishments
As Christians w
e should well understand how Christ's work on the cross covers our guilt. We are freed from the guilt and shame that comes from our sinful actions because of what Christ has done for us. That's good news! But have you ever thought that the same applies to our pride? Christ's work on the cross covers our pride too! What does that mean? It means that guilt and pride are two sides of the same coin. Both say "look at me, and what I have done." The only difference is that guilt is burdened over the bad that we've done, but pride is puffed up over the good that we've done. Today we will look at the true value of our accomplishments. Paul says that for him they are garbage. - Aug 6, 2017Joy on the JobJoy on the JobIn the midst of his letter to the Philippians, Paul takes a moment to note the significance of two of his close associates, Timothy and Epaphroditus. These men are remarkable examples of devotion to the Lord's mission and service to a brother in the Lord - the Apostle Paul. How about you? Isn’t it easy to get so focused on yourself that you forget to recognize and reward the people that God used to make you a success? Who is it that needs to be rewarded in your life? Whatever job you may have, God has used others to get you to where you are today. Have you thanked God for them? Have you thanked them? You will find joy if you do.
- Jul 30, 2017Joy in Your PotentialJoy in Your PotentialIs it easier for you to spend when you know that you have an abundance? If you knew you had a million dollars in the bank would it be easier to spend than if you knew that you only had one hundred dollars as of the end of last month? When you know you've got an abundance of life in Christ, it’s a lot easier to spend your life for others. When you allow Him to work into your life what only He can work, then it frees you to spend your life for other people. That’s the kind of hard work that results in joy - spending a life that God's given to you to love people.
- Jul 23, 2017Joy in Your AttitudeJoy in Your AttitudeJoy begins with three words. Some people think joy begins with the three words “work is over.” Some people think that joy begins with the three words “dinner is ready.” Some people think that joy begins with the three words “stocks are up.” Some think joy starts with the pleasures that come into their lives, and so joy begins with the three words “I got it.” That’s not where joy begins. Joy begins with the three words “Jesus is Lord.
- Jul 16, 2017Joy in your CircumstancesJoy in your CircumstancesToday we continue our series on the epistle of JOY – Philippians. Today we will see how even the negative circumstances that happen in our lives can be used by God to accomplish His purposes and advance His kingdom. God uses the circumstances of our life to build our character.
- Jul 9, 2017Joy in Your RelationshipsJoy in Your RelationshipsEveryone struggles with experiencing the joy the Bible has promised us. Many of us, even Christians, endure life rather than enjoy life. We think the joy comes when we get to heaven, but the Bible says God created us to be joyful people beginning right now. This study in the book of Philippians will help us understand 9 different ways God wants to bring joy into our lives. Today we learn that the very places that we see joy being stolen away from us are often the very same places that God wants to give joy to us - including our relationships.