Tim Keller’s sermons have impacted millions, including many of us.
I’m going to do a series of his most popular sermons, but because this is such rich meat, I’ll often divide them into two weeks.
The most popular one he preached is “Peace – Overcoming Anxiety” from Philippians.
He was in his late thirties and in his 2nd year at Redeemer, with a relatively small and young congregation, but so wise already, for God had gifted him.
This life is hard and full of trouble, and every single one of us needs this—such practical wisdom from a man God richly anointed. I am inserting the transcript in parts (it’s a big rough – I bought it from Logos) but it’s so essential that you listen to him, as his preaching is so anointed. Go here to download the sermon, and then you can review with the inserted daily sections of the transcript.
https://gospelinlife.com/sermon/peace/
On a personal note, I’d appreciate prayer for the “Bridges” man (liason for the 400 international students who work here in the season) in meeting with the pastor who was deeply offended by my gospel presentation to them tomorrow at 2:30 Central. Wisdom for the Bridges man, and God’s will.
Also, today I know is Charlie Kirk’s memorial. Certainly a reminder that spiritual warfare is real, yet as Keller says, “God only give Satan enough rope to hang himself.” So let us pray that great things will come from this, maybe even a turning point.
Sunday: With Thanksgiving
1. In our passage from Philippians, it says make your requests known with thanksgiving. Even though you don’t see how God will answer, you are to be thankful. Keller will explain this — but it is so important that we can see His hand in our lives and record our thanks. How did you see His hand this week?
Monday: The Passage
1. While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud, and then share what stands out to you and why.
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often?
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice?
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?”
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse?
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help?
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before?
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8?
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9?
Tuesday: Expectations
Listen to Keller and use this to either read along or to know when to stop listening:
EXPECTATIONS
TRANSCRIPT
Let’s end the reading of God’s Word right there Well, we’ve been doing the fruit of the Spirit. We’re going to something a little different tonight. We’ve been doing a fruit each week. We did love one week. We did joy last week, and this is week to talk about peace. What we’ll do is take about 10 minutes to summarize peace and joy and what the Bible teaches about them, but I want to focus a little bit more on the roadblocks to peace and joy. Someone was telling me a typical example of how different life is in New York from other places. He was in a taxi yesterday and another taxi came up and rammed the end of the taxi he was in. What did the taxi drivers do? What did they do? Nothing. They just kept on going. One guy rams into the other guy. Wham! Boom! What does he do? Put on the pedal and off we go. You say, “Well …” Just imagine any other town in which that sort of thing would happen. Can you imagine? Two people running into each other, you know, a crash. So what happens in your typical American town? Everybody goes, “Oh, no! Oh, my word! Oh!” It depends on your upbringing, of course. You’re either very distressed. “It’s the end the world. How am I going to face people? What a hassle. Oh, my word. Oh, my goodness.” You get on out, and you exchange cards. The other thing to do is to get out and say, “What did you do that for?” You get real angry. Here’s two taxi drivers, say, “Oh, I had an accident. Oh, well. It’s not so bad. It’s been three hours since the last one.” Right? Neither of them got out, isn’t that right? They just rear-ended. Okay, now look. The reason for the difference between the way the taxi drivers in New York operate and the way two people in Richmond, Indiana, would operate is because of expectations. Expectations. The taxi drivers expect turmoil. They expect conflict. Most places, when somebody runs into your car, you consider that a conflict. In New York, it’s not … yet. In New York, your expectations are of having people in your face all the time, elbows in your face when you’re on the subway, your nose in someone’s armpit, right? For a hundred blocks. Well, that doesn’t happen to me too often because of my size, but some of you, I know right where you live, and I really wonder how you do it. It’s a matter of expectations. You get used to a certain amount of conflict, and you kind of get out there, and you expect to be jostled around. You expect to have people try to grab your wallet. You don’t even get upset. You say, “Nice try. You don’t get it today.” It’s a matter of expectations. The fact is, as you know, since so many New Yorkers are from somewhere else, when you first get there, your expectations have to do with other places. You expect a certain amount of sunlight. You expect a certain amount of space. You expect a certain amount of peace and so on. As a result, it really is oppressive, tremendously oppressive, much more oppressive. Our buddy, C.S. Lewis says, “Expectations are everything.” If before I lead you into a room I say, “Now before we get into this room, let me just tell you what this room is. This is a honeymoon suite,” you say, “Okay. Let me see it.” You walk on in. You look around. “What a dump,” you say. But if, before you go into the very same room, the very same room, if instead of telling me it’s a honeymoon suite, instead you say to me, “I want you to realize this is a jail cell,” you walk in with very different expectations. You look around at the same room and you say, “Pretty nice place,” because expectations are the filter through which you’re reading and seeing what happens here. A lot of Christians are cast down all the time and are losing their peace and joy all the time because they don’t expect the attacks on peace and joy that are inevitable. I’d say one-half, two-thirds, maybe three-quarters of the depression we experience as Christians is depression over our depression. We’re sad that we’re sad. We’re surprised that we’re surprised. We’re upset that we’re upset, and if you weren’t so upset about being upset, you wouldn’t be as upset. At least one-half of being upset is the anger and the guilt and the frustration, and you say, “It’s not supposed to be like this!” because you don’t have the proper expectations. Christians do not come into the Christian life with the proper expectations.
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33?
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8? And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9?
5. What else stood out to you from this section and why?
Wednesday: Enemies
Listen and stop when the transcript stops.
ENEMIES
The Christian has more enemies. You have more enemies than when you were non-Christian, and I’ll tell you why. You had one enemy when you were non-Christian. Who was that? Really, one real enemy. It was God. It wasn’t because he’s a mean person. It’s because you were at war with him, all right? You declared war, and so there was a state of warfare. But God is a mighty, wonderful adversary. He tries to save all the people who are trying to kill him. He’s amazing. God reminds me (and God’s relationship to me) very much of a scene I remember some years ago when there was a little kitten. Nobody knows how he got there. Obviously, he was thrown into this large creek by somebody. He was on a stone in the middle of the creek and he was scared to death. A bunch of young guys were trying to get him, and they were going out to him. As they tried to get him, of course, what did he do? He was at war with anybody who tried to get him. “Somebody else is trying to drown me. I can just see it now.” He bit and scratched. Fortunately, he was small enough that finally one kid decided he would pick him up and he would just take all the cuts, he would take all the scrapes, and he would take all the scratches and the little tooth marks; they weren’t going to be that bad. He took it. Of course, then, comes this cat just absolutely screaming, kicking, and trying to kill the person who is trying save him. I mean, that is the picture the Bible gives us of all of our relationships to God in our natural state. That’s the way we are born. We’re born at enmity with God. Romans 8:7: “The natural mind is enmity with God. It cannot love the law of God. It can’t submit to the law of God.” It cannot. It’s incapable of it.
The minute you make peace with God (which we’re going to see is the heart of all other peace), instantly, all of God’s enemies declare war on you, and they’re not nice enemies. Before you became a Christian, your main enemy in life was a good guy, someone who loved you, someone who cared about you, someone who was doing everything he could to wake you up. Now when you become a Christian, all your enemies are bad guys, and the three enemies are the world, the flesh, and the Devil. If you don’t have proper expectations, you are going to get mauled. Think of warfare. If you don’t come in with proper expectations into warfare, you will be mauled. If you overestimate or underestimate, if your expectations are off at all, you’re going to be killed in a battle. If you overestimate the enemy, you will surrender or retreat too soon, and you’ll lose. If you underestimate the enemy, you will go in with inappropriate or insufficient resources. If you come into Christianity (and unfortunately, many of you have) without somebody immediately telling you have much nastier, meaner enemies, not greater enemies than you had before, but nastier, meaner, more spiteful enemies than you’ve ever had in your life … It’s sort of like, here is Switzerland, neutral in the middle of World War II. Switzerland is neutral during World War II, and the Allies are battling the Axis and so on. Because they’re neutral, they might have some skirmishes around the edges, but basically they’re not at war. If they come into the war on the side of either one, if they come in on the war on the side of allies, immediately, things heat up because suddenly they have half the world as their enemy. Before, it wasn’t that way. Somebody has to say to Christians, and I’m saying to you now, if you haven’t heard it before, you have enemies. They’re called the world, the flesh, and the Devil. If you’re a Christian, they cannot destroy your salvation. They cannot pull you out of God’s hands. Jesus Christ says, “My own know me. I have them, and no one can pluck them out of my hand.” That means the enemies can’t pluck you out of Christ’s hand. They can’t destroy your salvation, so the only thing they can do is make you totally ineffective and miserable by destroying your peace and joy. That’s what they’re out to do. I want to just talk a little bit more about the joy and the peace, and then I’d like to talk about those three enemies, and talk about attacks on assurance. I mean some of you are saying, “Boy, this is going to be a somber sermon,” one of those big “SSs,” the somber sermon. Not necessarily, but I would rather, instead of you thinking of it as a somber sermon, I would like you to think of it being a sobering sermon. Smelling salts are good things, right? You know a good drink of coffee when you’re trying to get sobered up is good. It’s not pleasant. It’s not sweet. Smelling salts, when you’re knocked out on the ground, aren’t pleasant and sweet, but you need it. Basically, I would just like to give you a good “smelling salts” kind of sermon about joy and peace.
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ?
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain.
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian?
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking?
Thursday: Smelling Salts of True Joy
SMELLING SALTS OF TRUE JOY
First of all, let’s not forget what joy and peace are. Joy is what? Joy is a buoyancy, a spiritual buoyancy, that comes when you’re rejoicing in God. Second Corinthians 4:16–18 is a terrific place (I don’t remember it all) where Paul is saying, “We’re down, but we’re not out. We’re crushed, but we’re not destroyed.” He’s talking about buoyancy. He says Christians have a joy. That doesn’t mean we’re impervious to suffering. It means we’re unsinkable. We’re constantly getting wet. We’re constantly being pushed down, but we don’t stay down, or at least we don’t sink. There’s a buoyancy about it. We’re constantly being pushed down. The buoyancy comes from a focus on the unchanging privileges we have in God, and we said, last week, the opposite of joy is not sadness. The reason the opposite of joy cannot be sadness is because the Bible is constantly talking about the fact that you can be joyful when you’re sad. If you don’t know what that means, you don’t have the hang of it yet. It doesn’t mean you’re not a Christian, but it really means you haven’t even begun to tap into the resources that are yours. If what I just said makes no sense at all, you may not be a believer at all. You may not understand at all. If, on the other hand, it’s just something very difficult to grasp, it could be you’re a believer but you just haven’t really gotten hold of something that’s critical. There’s a big difference between joy and happiness. Happiness comes from the comfort of having things you want. Joy is a deep kind of rejoicing, an assurance, a security, a mirth. I’m going to the word mirth. We don’t use that word much, but it’s better than the word happiness, I think, for our purposes. There’s a deep mirth, down deep, that says, “I have the only thing that really matters.” You constantly say that to yourself, and the more you say that to yourself, the more you say, “Hey, that’s pretty good.” You do that, frankly, in some small ways all the time. If one of your coworkers sits down and says to you, “That was a lousy script you wrote last week,” that may make you feel bad. But then suppose you had some award. Suppose you won some great award for a script just this year. You say, “Well, but I know what I’m capable of. Yeah, that probably wasn’t a very good script.” Okay. You admit it, but because you fall back on something deeper, you’re able to deal with that particular unhappiness. Christians do the same thing. In fact, the opposite, therefore, of joy is not sadness; it’s hopelessness. It’s having nothing to really rest in. First Thessalonians 4:13 says, “I want you to grieve,” Paul says, “but don’t grieve as those who have no hope.” We said the counterfeit of joy is happiness, which rests in the feeling of comfort or pleasure, and it’s resting in the blessings, not the Blesser.” In Psalms 4:7, there’s place where David says, “I have more joy in my heart than they have when their corn is full and their wine abounds.” What he is saying is, “They only have joy when the stock market is up, and I have joy all the time. Because their joy is in the stock market; my joy is in the One who owns all the wealth in the world and is going to give me everything I need.” To rejoice in the Blesser means you can enjoy pleasure. That’s the most interesting thing. If you really have a joy, that means you can enjoy pleasure. You can enjoy good food. You can enjoy a comfort. You can enjoy physical pleasures, but you know what they’re there for. They’re simply little samples, those sort of cruddy little things they stick out there and they say, “Here, come and taste something.” They put little samples up in the delicatessens. “Here, come and sample them.” You look at them, or usually somebody else has already looked at them with their fingers, and all that sort of thing. You taste them. They’re okay, but they’re stale. They’re not the very best thing you’re going to get, not the best dessert that comes out from the great restaurant. Even the best physical pleasures are just those kinds of dim hints. That’s the reason why our friend Lewis says (this was from last week’s talk, which I never got a chance read) a real Christian allows his mind to run up the sunbeam to the sun. He doesn’t sit and look at the sunbeam. He knows where it’s from. In other words, you let your mind run up the blessing to the Blesser, and that’s the way in which you can really enjoy the world. You can really enjoy a good meal. In a way, that actually makes you praise the One who you know, someday, is going to have you sit down at the wedding supper of the Lamb, and that will a meal that ends all meals, and it’s never over. You’re able to do that. You’re able to let your mind run up the sunbeam to the sun. So Lewis writes this: “We are to shine as the sun, we are to be given the Morning Star. For if we take the imagery of Scripture seriously, if we believe that God will one day give us the Morning Star,” as it says in Revelation, “and cause us to put on the splendour of the sun, then we may surmise that both the ancient myths and the modern poetry, so false as history, may be very near the truth as prophecy.” Then he says, “At present we are on the outside of the world, the wrong side of the door. We discern the freshness and purity of morning, but they do not make us fresh and pure. We cannot mingle with the splendors we see. But all the leaves of the New Testament are rustling with the rumor that it will not always be so. Someday, God willing, we shall get in. When human souls have become as perfect in voluntary obedience as the inanimate creation is in its lifeless obedience …” Did you hear that? “When human souls have become as perfect in voluntary obedience as the inanimate creation …” You know the clams and the sun; they’re all doing exactly what God created them to do. That’s why they’re so glorious. A clam is being perfectly a clam. That’s why it’s so neat. It’s just that you and I are not being, perfectly, men and women who God created us to be, so the clams have it all over us. That’s what he’s saying. He says, “When human souls have become as perfect in voluntary obedience as the inanimate creation is in its lifeless obedience, then they will put on its glory, or that greater glory of which Nature is only a first sketch.” Which is hard to believe. “The faint, far-off results of those energies which God’s creative rapture implanted in matter [in nature] when He made the worlds are what we now call physical pleasures …” Let me repeat that: “The faint, far-off results of those energies which God’s creative rapture implanted in matter when he made the worlds are what we now call physical pleasures; and even thus filtered, these physical pleasures are too much for our present management. What would it be to taste at the fountain-head of that stream of which even these lower reaches proves so intoxicating?” We can’t handle sex. We can’t handle drink. We can’t handle food. We can’t handle any of the physical pleasures, which he said are just far-off, dim echoes of the joy that comes from actually knowing not the blessing but the Blesser. So he says, “What would it be to taste at the fountain-head of that stream of which even these lower reaches proves so intoxicating? Yet that, I believe, is what lies before us. The whole man is to drink joy from the fountain of joy. As St. Augustine says, ‘The rapture of the saved soul will “flow-over” into the glorified body.’ ” What he’s saying is a Christian should know more about joy than anybody else. A Christian ought to be able to sit down and enjoy a good meal like nobody else can because we’re thinking of the wedding supper of the Lamb. We’re thinking of the God who created this incredible, faint, far-off, wonderful pleasure which is so intoxicating, which is just a dim reflection of what it’s going to be like to sit down at his feet. We should be experts in joy, and we’re not. We’re scared. We’re scared of joy. It’s partly because we focus on the pleasures and the blessings instead of the Blesser.
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
Our sole defence, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why?
B. How does this impact your expectations?
Friday: Smelling Salts of True Peace
THE SMELLING SALTS OF PEACE
Now look at the summary of peace, because we have to move here. What does the Bible say about peace? We just read the classic text, and, frankly, it’s pretty simple. The Bible says peace is confidence and trust in God’s wise control of your life. The opposite of peace is anxiety. There’s a difference. Some people say, “What is the difference between peace and joy?” The answer is joy is the opposite of hopelessness. Joy has to do with the mirth. Joy has to do with actually being “up.” Peace has to do with the steadiness, and the opposite of peace is not hopelessness or despair. The opposite of peace is worry or anxiety. Peace, therefore, has to do with confidence in God’s control of your life, and the way we can see that is right here. It says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God …” will result. Anxiety as opposed to peace. Where do you get peace from? This is a great verse. It says, “… in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Now many counselors have pointed out something I’m going to point out right now, which is really important about the verse. All your requests have to be presented with thanksgiving. What does that mean? How can you be thankful for something when you’re just making the request for it? That’s the key. That’s the secret. The answer is you thank God before you make the request because you’re saying, “Lord, whatever you do in response to this request is good. I thank you for it. If I’m asking for something which is at the wrong time and you don’t give it to me, I thank you for that. If you give something the opposite of what I ask, even though it’s going to be very, very difficult, I’m not going to be happy about it, I’m not going to try to force joy … that would be very wrong … but I know you’re a God who knows what he’s doing, and I thank you for your ordering of my life.” To thank God ahead of time for the things you request of him is the secret, and here you have peace, which, obviously, then is confidence and trust in God’s wise and good control of your life. A little note here: There’s a difference in the Bible between the peace of God and peace with God. Romans 5:1 says, “Now, because we’re justified by faith, we have peace with God.” In Philippians 4, it talks about the peace of God. What’s the difference? They are distinct, but they’re never separated. The peace of God is a frame of heart that is completely constant and solid and confident, no matter what the condition, and, boy, do we all want that or what? We want that so badly. Everybody wants it. That’s what they’re after in those seminars. That’s what they’re after in almost all of these things. A person who has confidence and stability and sort of a calm, no matter what, that’s what we want. There’s no doubt that the world doesn’t really understand that. What they really want is the Marlboro Man. You know, the Marlboro Man, he’s always cool. He’s always lighting up a cigarette. He never changes … It doesn’t really matter. People dying all around him. People giving him the Congressional Medal of Honor. “Yup.” It’s the same. We’re absolutely steady. “I don’t let anything bother me.” That’s a worldly version of it because (I may as well say it now, not wait a second later) don’t forget the fruit of the Spirit is one.
12. What is the opposite of peace?
13. Meditate again on Philippians 4:6 and write down everything you see.
14. How is it possible to give thanks before we know how God will respond to our request?
15. What is the difference between peace with God and peace of God?
16. Make a request of God here for a hard situation you are facing, and do it with thanksgiving. (Let us support one another.)
Saturday:
17. What have you learned or have been reminded of that will help you know more of His joy and peace?
151 comments
Sunday:
This week God really showed up for me and my family. For my family He provided for us financially, and I’m grateful for that. I’m thanking Him now for even those things we still hope and pray for.
And, God brought me and Mama Dee together! It’s the most exciting thing that has happened to me this year to be honest, because I didn’t even expect it. But God who knows my needs knew exactly what I needed and He gave me the grace to reach out and He gave Mama Dee the grace to respond. I’m thankful for that.
I’m thankful that He keeps reminding me to remember my Creator in the days of my youth. I love His intentionality with me.
I’m thankful for these things and even more.
I want you all to be welcoming mama’s to 16 year-old Eunice from Nigeria, who reached to me after reading The Friendships of Women. She’s a darling with God’s hand on her. She’s already in college! Father, I pray she will be blessed here.
Amen.
Thank you so much Mama Dee.
Welcome dear Eunice. It is a blessing to have you here dear daughter in Jesus. This is a welcoming, loving and safe place, where you will be loved by all the mamas here. May God continue to richly bless you. Blessings to you and your family.
Welcome Eunice, it is so nice to have you joining us. You are going to learn so much in this group.
Welcome Eunice…a beautiful godly name! So thankful for God’s provision in your life and that you are joining us here😊
Africa has a special place in my heart as my grandparents and parents were missionaries to the Congo.
Thank you so much for your warm welcome.
It’s so beautiful to hear about missionaries. It’s lovely that’s you love Africa. 🥹
Welcome, Eunice! It is good to see you here!
Thank you ma. 😊💜
Welcome to our little corner, Eunice! This is the best place to be online 😉.
Thank you so much Mama Laura.
I love this little corner very very much already, it’s very cozy. 🤭
You are already such a bright light here, Eunice. Please stay!
Welcome! You will be blessed here.
Amen, thank you ma.
Welcome Eunice! Glad to have you with us!
The man shot and killed last night in NH was my friend’s oldest son. Please pray for Evie and her family.
https://www.wmur.com/article/country-club-nashua-new-hampshire-shooting-92125/67984869
Our world is becoming unhinged.
Oh, dear Laura. I read about that. I will pray for your friend and her family.
So sorry to hear about this, Laura. Praying for Evie and their families.
Laura, this is terrible. Praying!
Oh Laura, may the Lord be with her.
Oh Laura so heartbreaking for your friend Evie. Praying for her.
Thank you everyone. Our church prayed over the whole family yesterday. I missed the prayer but did get to tell Evie how sorry I was and how I love her. His daughter is to be married in 6 weeks 😢
Oh, my that is so sad. Oh Lord, please protect your children and this world that you created and bring peace to this family who lost their loved one. Clean up the mess and those who oppose you and your Word. Make their hearts soften to your Word so they can see the goodness around them and flee from the grasps of the evil one. In your mighty name I pray. Amen.
How tragic! I’ll be praying for Evie and her family, especially Rob’s wife and daughter.
I’m so sorry about that. 🥺
I pray that the God of all Peace consoles them, and makes them feel better.
One thing that I am so thankful for this week and everyday, are the wonderful friends that God has put in my life that inspire and remind me to always look to The Light. I am so incredibly lucky to have Jesus walking with me always. I truly am not alone.
Becky! So great to see you on. You did it! Yesterday we were glued after church to the Charlie Kirk memorial and I knew you were working too – -but you did it without any help! Hurrah!
So true, Becky! You/we are not alone.
Amen, Becky! We are not alone! I loved the memorial to Charlie Kirk too. So many amazing testimonies and so much love of the Lord.
Sunday: With Thanksgiving
1. In our passage from Philippians, it says make your requests known with thanksgiving. Even though you don’t see how God will answer, you are to be thankful. Keller will explain this — but it is so important that we can see His hand in our lives and record our thanks. How did you see His hand this week?
Our little town of Rock Port had its share of a scare that nobody saw coming. Two 12-year-old girls were abducted by a man after Friday night’s football game. They ended up 7 hours away with the kidnapper when they were found. Amber alerts were sounded that night. With God’s help and the law enforcement officers, they were both returned to their respective families. School resumes this week; many are praying for the aftermath of this scary incident.
Our topic this week is very much needed, as I have continued to sense the urgency of being watchful and prayerful. Not only for our country but for our communities, our families. And I know I can pray with thanksgiving because God is sovereign and He is the ultimate victor over the forces of evil.
I am thanking God for deeper connections among the family of God in our community across denominations. We had the Old Fashion Saturday Night for our town and a community worship service today, followed by lunch. Good worship, 2 strong messages from God, and great fellowship over food. God is good. He is at work. I am thankful for many in our community who are joining hands in His work.
Praying for the meeting of the “Bridges” man and the pastor, Dee.
Oh my — so glad they were caught!
Praise God for his protection over the girls and I join in prayer for the BRIDGES man, wisdom and favor for him in this discussion and a soft heart for the pastor.
Praising God for the safety of these young girls.
Thank You Jesus, for protecting the girls!
Sunday: With Thanksgiving
1. In our passage from Philippians, it says make your requests known with thanksgiving. Even though you don’t see how God will answer, you are to be thankful. Keller will explain this — but it is so important that we can see His hand in our lives and record our thanks. How did you see His hand this week?
I am so thankful for the way the Lord uses this blog in my life. What a great message last week about the way we can lament- cry, promise, trust. I loved the sharing that came from this and how we can all affirm the message, as we have lived this lamenting in our lives. I appreciated Bev’s post summarizing our stories. I love the community we have built here and the opportunity to pray for one another. I was very nervous to bring cookies to my angry neighbor and put it off for a week! I was using the BLESS app and praying for her and remembered I had asked all of you to pray, so I got up my courage and went over. To my relief, she wasn’t home! Haha. I left the cookies on her porch and sent a text inviting her to our hay ride in October. I was completely shocked to get an agreeable text back. Thanks for praying and being in community with me from afar.
I cried with joy reading this answer to prayer, Chris. Praise God that you received an agreeable text back. I agree, I love that this blog community is a blessing and a comfort.
Good for you, Chris, overcoming evil with love.
Chris what a blessing to read about your neighbor. God is at work!
Chris, I would be nervous about reaching out to an angry neighbor, too. Praise God for an agreeable text. Your testimony to BLESS is an encouragement for me to do the same.
Yay! Good work Chris ❤️
Chris, I laughed when I read that you were relieved that your neighbor wasn’t home. I would have felt the same way. I’m glad that you followed the Spirit’s leading and took the cookies to your neighbor and that there was a positive response. God is at work!
Monday: The Passage
1. While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud, and then share what stands out to you and why. The peace of God guarding our hearts and minds, when we make our requests made known to God with thanksgiving. We all want peace and here is the path to get it, but do we use it?
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often? REJOICE in the Lord always..
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice? My health situation has caused my husband and I to turn to the Lord and consider his plan and purpose in it all and how our relationship can glorify him, even in the hard things.
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?” Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. Our focus is not to be on earthly matters, but on the eternal. We can be reasonable with others when our focus is on Christ.
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse? We are commanded not to be anxious about anything, but to make our requests made known to God by prayer with thanksgiving.
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help?I do whisper prayers regularly. I need to go directly to the Word more. I was convicted in the sermon last week about the promises in the Word that we neglect, simply because we don’t know them.
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before? Our minds and hearts will be guarded with the peace of God.
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8? Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, anything of excellence or worthy of praise-think about these things.
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9?
Oops.
I. Paul is our model. Such a high standard.
Like many of you, I’m sure, I have hopes that revival may be coming. The Charlie Kirk memorial was so Christ-centered with the gospel being explained over and over again.
Yes, praying for changed hearts.
Oh, it was so beautiful in every way! Loved hearing the gospel from so many. Charlie touched lives for Jesus. Over 200,000 attending, in the church and outside. Praising God! And Erika’s forgiveness of the assassin. God is moving in our world! Praying for gear revival!
Yes, Dee! I feel the Spirit’s move across the land. I love this old song, “Come Holy Spirit”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qUc0e305h8&list=RD6qUc0e305h8&start_radio=1
” Come, Holy Spirit, dark is the hour
We need your filling
Your love and your mighty power
Move now among us, stir u,s we pray
Come, Holy Spirit revive the church today.”
1. In our passage from Philippians, it says make your requests known with thanksgiving. Even though you don’t see how God will answer, you are to be thankful. Keller will explain this — but it is so important that we can see His hand in our lives and record our thanks. How did you see His hand this week?
I will pray for the Bridges man’s time meeting with the pastor. I Praise God for Charlie Kirk, being an example of a man who shared the truth of the message of Jesus, without watering it down to fit what young people are comfortable with. The gospel is the truth and I pray that we will not lose our privilege to share it openly in this country.
I am trusting the Lord each day for helping me to find community, in this village of Wakefield. I do feel safe and people are kind. I am learning to be fine with being alone and I am getting to know people. I had a sweet time sharing with Anna-Lisa’s, mom, Marilyn. She became a widow in February and she had known her husband, since he came to this country when he was 15. We even talked about the soul. It helped us both to share our experiences, as it is hard for people to relate to unless they have walked the path. Dee, you have been such a good example to me, in how to process grief, as a widow. I thank God for having you in my life, all of these years.
I feel the same, Patti. Was thinking how hard it was for me when I moved to Kansas City after Steve died, and praying all the more for you.
Patti, I’m so glad to hear about your friendship with Marilyn. Praying for you to continue experiencing the love of God in this season of life.
Sunday: With Thanksgiving
1. In our passage from Philippians, it says make your requests known with thanksgiving. Even though you don’t see how God will answer, you are to be thankful. Keller will explain this — but it is so important that we can see His hand in our lives and record our thanks. How did you see His hand this week?
—I have sensed God’s hand in leading me as I am reading through the Bible this year. I am now in the minor prophets. To be honest in the past when I read through the Bible I kind of read them to just get through them. Frankly they are not fun to read because there is so much awful stuff to read about. But this year I am using Paul David Tripp’s “Everyday Gospel” which is an accompanying daily devotional that makes meaningful application to our daily lives from each section of reading. It is not a commentary. It has been a blessing to read through the Bible this way. I am thankful and grateful for the richness of God’s Word and the resources He has provided for me to grow in my understanding of hard things. In this particular section of Bible reading I have also added looking at Warren Weirsbe”s Commentary to get a better understanding of the biblical history and theme of teaching from these books of the Bible. But it isn’t just theological comment but he also adds practical application as well that is valuable.
As I finished the book of Habakkuk yesterday. The end of the book is that famous passage which says “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places…. “
I then took time to read Warren Weirsbe’s commentary on it. He talks about “One of the marks of faith is a willingness to wait patiently for the Lord to work.” “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isa. 30:15). When you know that God is working in your life, you can afford to wait quietly and let Him have His way. No matter what we see and no matter how we feel, we must depend on God’s promises and not allow ourselves to “fall apart.” “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (Ps.37:7)
He ends his teaching on Habakkuk with these comments.
“Habakkuk teaches us to face our doubts and questions honestly, take them humbly to the Lord, wait for His Word to teach us, and then worship Him no matter how we feel or what we see. God doesn’t always change the circumstances, but He can change us to meet the circumstances. That’s what it means to live by faith.”
Great recommendation of Tripp!
Bev, thanks for sharing about Tripp and Wiersbe. I love the writings of these 2 men. Your last comment reminded me of Vroegop’s “U” illustration of how to lament. I bought his book, “Waiting is not a waste,” and have started reading it.
Thank you for this great and encouraging post, Bev. Thank you for the recommendation of the Paul Tripp book and themgreat verses.
Love this: “In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isa. 30:15). When you know that God is working in your life, you can afford to wait quietly and let Him have His way. No matter what we see and no matter how we feel, we must depend on God’s promises and not allow ourselves to “fall apart.” “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him” (Ps.37:7)
I have Isaiah 30:15 today to meditate on as I listened to Hillsong’s “Still”. To depend on God’s promises and not allow ourselves to fall apart. I was there yesterday and needed His Word to sustain me. And He did!
Monday: The Passage
1. While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud, and then share what stands out to you and why.
The Lord is at hand; then what follows are words not to be anxious about anything. The reason why we do not need to be anxious is that the Lord is near. ALWAYS.
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often?
Rejoice in the Lord and at all times. Always. Because He is near us. Always so we can rejoice ALWAYS.
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice?
Being caught in the middle of a conflict between people I love. I can rejoice because the Lord is near and He will provide wisdom in words and actions.
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?”
Let your gentleness be evident. The Lord is near, and we are to be like Him. He will provide what we need so his gentleness can shine through us.
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse?
He tells us not to be anxious about ANYTHING.
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help?
I am learning to come to Jesus consistently before seeking advice from others or even my own thoughts. I am working on telling Him what my tendencies are to solve my circumstances, and to humbly ask for clarity and humility.
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before?
He will give us the peace that passes all understanding.
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8?
Things that are true, right, noble, pure, excellent, praiseworthy, lovely, admirable
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9?
Paul
Monday: The Passage
1A. Verse 7 where Paul says “And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]” stands out to me.
I see it as God’s way of reassuring me that His very own peace is mine.
B. According to verse 4 we are to rejoice. And we are to do that ALWAYS.
C. God is faithful to His word, and Be has told me that He is near. With this I have to recognize His presence with me. He’s not far away, instead He is near. He is near enough for me to lean on, near enough to hold me and near enough to remind me that He is always with me.
D. The next command in verse 5 is to let my gentle spirit, my graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance and patience be known to all people.
Just like I said earlier on, it’s for me to live in all graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance and patience in rejoicing even as I face challenging situations because God is close enough, He is near enough to hold me so that I can stick to Him even in these situations.
E. He commands that we should not be anxious or worried about anything. He says that but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, we should continue to make our specific requests known to God.
F. I’m almost usually too weak to do anything, so I go to a Christian friends who is sure to speak with me and pray for me and bring me to God’s Presence for renewed strength.
G. That the peace of God which transcends all understanding stands guard over our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
H. In times when we face challenging situations we are to think continually, and implant in our hearts whatever is true, honourable and worthy of respect, right and confirmed by God’s word, whatever is pure and wholesome, lovely and brings leave, whatever is admirable and of good repute, any excellence and anything worthy of praise.
I. Paul.
I love this beautiful assurance, Eunice: I see it as God’s way of reassuring me that His very own peace is mine.
That’s wonderful to hear ma’am.
And yes, it certainly is yours.
Eunice, in your answer to F. It is so good you have Christian friends to pray with. I will say I am so grateful for my Godly prayer partners to whom I can go and pray with as I need to.
Yes, I really am grateful too.
And, I can’t wait to have the same testimony when I’m even older than this, just like you do.
It’s just that most of my friends are in school and when I’m on holiday I don’t see them till school resumes— and since it’s college we have longer holidays—I like to hold hands when we’re praying with each other, or in situations when I feel very overwhelmed I like to be held while being prayed for. 🙂
Good work, Eunice. You are doing so well! And just sixteen!
Thank you Mama Dee. I pray it only gets better.
Sunday: With Thanksgiving
1. In our passage from Philippians, it says make your requests known with thanksgiving. Even though you don’t see how God will answer, you are to be thankful. Keller will explain this — but it is so important that we can see His hand in our lives and record our thanks. How did you see His hand this week?
I saw His hand in a struggle I had this last week. During this I felt defeat, anger and sadness and I just had to turn it over to Him. Thanking Him for His unfailing love and compassion, knowing that He is in control and putting it into His hands.
Sharon, I love how He comes to us in struggle. He is faithful.
Monday: The Passage
1. While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud, and then share what stands out to you and why.
We are to always to be full of joy in the Lord – REJOICE. No matter our circumstances. Paul was in prison when he wrote this. I don’t think this means a joy that is jumping up and down, clapping our hands and yelling “yay,” I’m so glad this is happening to me but rather being focused on who God is, His faithfulness and rejoicing that He is waking right beside me.
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often?
Be full of joy in the Lord…always!
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice?
He is a God of compassion, mercy, unfailing love, righteous, faithful and His promises are true!
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?”
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.
In remembering that the Lord is coming soon we need to make the most of our time and act accordingly.
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse?
Don’t worry; instead pray about everything telling God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help?
I typically go to my husband first but I am learning to take it to the Lord in prayer and pour out my heart to Him first.
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before?
We will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand and His peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8?
What is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. Things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9?
Paul
Sharon, I certainly agree with your answer to A.
Sunday: With Thanksgiving
1. In our passage from Philippians, it says make your requests known with thanksgiving. Even though you don’t see how God will answer, you are to be thankful. Keller will explain this — but it is so important that we can see His hand in our lives and record our thanks. How did you see His hand this week? – Some of you know about my oldest son Kyle. He served in Afghanistan with the army and was injured a month before he came home. He has always been an independent (loner) and is not afraid to do things by himself. I worry about him because of the pain from the IED back in 2010 and the pills he’s on to try and function. I usually have to call him (he usually doesn’t answer) or check Facebook or Snapchat to see if he has posted anything, so I know he’s ok. But this past week, he called me just to see what was going on. That is huge! He normally doesn’t call at all unless he has a question or needs help with something. So, his call made this momma’s heart sing. Thank you God for that phone call, it sure did mean a lot to me.
Awww, I’m so happy you heard from Kyle just to talk! Yay!
Praise God, that Kyle called just to check in, Julie!! Love this!
PTL for that sweet happening. 💕
Wonderful that you son initiated a call!
Monday: The Passage
1. While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud and then share what stands out to you and why. – We need to rejoice in the Lord always and be in His Word. We need to not allow negative things to come into our minds, but we should be thinking on things from heaven and of God’s goodness. We don’t need to be anxious about anything, and we need to show our gentleness to all. It seems these verses are thrown together and are going all over the place, but they do remind us of many things we should do as a Christian and follower of Christ.
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often? – We are to rejoice always.
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice? – I can’t think of anything that is challenging other than living in this world that is going crazy, but I know God is seeing all of it and is in control of it all. He will use all that is happening for His good and for the glory of His Kingdom.
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?” – We are to let our gentleness be evident to all. What I see here is that we are not to take action against anyone, but we are to stay calm, and God will place judgement where judgement is needed because he is near and sees what is going on.
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse? – We are to go to Him in prayer and with petition and thanksgiving and make our requests know to him.
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help? – I usually go to the Lord and cry out to him to help me and to tell me what to do.
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before? – We will have the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, and it will guard our hearts and minds and keep them focused in Christ Jesus.
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8? – We are to think about all the blessings that come from God and label them as good.
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9? – The God of peace will be with us.
While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud, and then share what stands out to you and why.
Focus on what is true, pure, lovely, right, and honorable stands out to me. I don’t need to focus on the bad and hard things that we can’t control. I shouldn’t worry when God has got the plan!
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often?
Always be full of joy!
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice?
I know that He shows up when I least expect it. It makes me wonder when He will and what He will do. It’s exciting!
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?”
By showing consideration to others, I am showing the Lord’s way and that gives others an idea of how they should be as well. This, in turn is really showing the Lord is near.
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse?
Don’t worry about anything. Pray and thank God for everything.
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help?
I go to God now. It wasn’t always that way though.
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before?
We will have peace.
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8?
We are to focus on good things. Things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9?
Paul is our model and we will have the God of peace with us always.
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
The taxi drivers in NY expect accidents and do not consider it a big deal, just par for the course.
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33? We are to expect tribulation in the world, but Jesus has overcome the world, therefore, we should not be upset about our trials.
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8? And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9? We are to expect our sin and others or else we deceive ourselves and we are to confess our sin to Him who is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
5. What else stood out to you from this section and why? The section is about roadblocks to peace and joy and states “expectations are everything.” This thought is true in a broad sense and I completely agree with the application to our faith. I recently had a conversation with a young mom who was unhappy with her marriage. I suggested two things: 1. She change her expectations-she is in a tough spot with 3 kids 3 years and under-she shouldn’t expect lots of romance and attention from her husband. 2. Her husband is human. Give him a break and look at all the amazing things he IS doing. We should also consider this of our faith, as Keller says. Expect tribulation and be grateful for the blessings we have. Also, trust our sovereign Lord.
Sweet advice you gave, Chris! Amen! Our God is sovereign.
1. While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud, and then share what stands out to you and why.
‘Rejoice, have a gentle spirit, pray with thanksgiving, and God’s peace will guard your heart. We are first to have an attitude of Praise and thankfulness to God, who provides all that we have. And God will give us His peace. Dwell on things worthy of Praise to our Heavenly Father, who has provided all that we have.
We are to love, live and behave in an attitude of Praise.
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often?
Rejoice in the Lord, always.
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice?
I consistently see God answering my prayers and working out the challenges in His ways. His ways are always so much better than I can even imagine! (Ephesians 3:20)
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?”
We are all called to always treat others with consideration and kindness. The Lord’s return is near always, ever since He went to heaven.
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse?
Be anxious for nothing. Take your worries to the Lord in prayer.
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help?
I go to Jesus in prayer and to God’s Word.
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before?
The peace of God will guard our hearts and minds.
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8?
Dwell on the things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and worthy of praise.
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9?
Paul is writing this, but I feel that
Jesus was our true model. May I turn to Him daily and follow His example in my heart, my thoughts, my words and my actions.
It is evident that the Lord is at work in your life and that you have his peace. It is so true that when we see this in others, we want what they have.
Monday: The Passage
1. While we will look at auxiliary passages, meditate on the key passage: Philippians 4:4-9.
A. Read it aloud, and then share what stands out to you and why.
—First we are told to rejoice. That seems very hard to do in light of the troubling world we are living in. But he says rejoice in the Lord. We cannot rejoice apart from the Lord. It is only in living our lives in close relationship to Jesus that we experience true joy.
Secondly we can experience a supernatural peace of heart and mind as we cultivate a close relationship to our Lord. Just as we cannot have joy apart from an intimate relationship with Jesus we cannot experience peace apart from Him either.
B. According to verse 4, what are we to do and how often?
—Rejoice in The Lord , always.
C. Consider a challenging circumstance you are facing — what do you know about the Lord that can cause you to rejoice?
—I need to have a very personal conversation with a close friend. There is a need to come along side her and I seem to be the designated one. It is a hard conversation to be had about her future and the future of her husband who is now having serious memory issues. I sense God’s peace in approaching her but honestly finding joy associated with their situation is hard. There is no joy about their situation to be had. No good feelings. But as I evaluated the question it says what do I know about the Lord that cause me to rejoice. I do know God will be faithful to his own precious people in this situation and I fond comfort in that. I think perhaps the rejoicing part will forth coming as we seek Him to work out what is necessary. I do find a joy in the faithfulness of God.
D. What is the next command in verse 5, and how is that related to “the Lord is near?”
—The NLT says to be be an example of being considerate in all you do. It is good to remember that the Lord is close. The knowledge of God’s presence calls us to be like Him and He is always considerate in his ways.
E. What is the third command in verse 6, and how does the Lord tell us specifically to deal with anxiety in this verse?
—He basically says to not be anxious or don’t worry. The way to not worry is to pray. Prayer is how we draw close to Him and as we bring him into every situation in our lives and we ask Him to meet the needs and thank him for them we will experience his peace.
F. When you are facing a challenging circumstance, where do you typically go first for wisdom and help?
—To God in prayer. That is a learned response over many years. When I was young I too often turned to people like my Mom, my husband or my friends. Far too often I talked to people when I needed to be talking to God.
G. What is the promise in verse 7 if we obey all that has gone before?
—We can experience a supernatural peace and that peace will guard our hearts and minds. The enemy wants us stirred up because we make rash decisions in a troubled state of mind. His peace guards our hearts and minds as we listen to Him. He brings quietness.
H. What are we to think about in these times, according to verse 8?
—“what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 10:5 to “take every thought captive in obedience to Christ”.
I recite verses 4 & 5 often from there when my mind is going down unhealthy paths.
I. Who will be a model to us according to verse 9?
—Paul was calling the Philippians and calls us to follow his example but ultimately his model was the Lord Jesus Christ and only the Holy Spirit can give us the power to live godly lives as we submit ourselves to Him.
Prayers for you, as you meet with your friend going through this difficult time, with her precious husband.
Dear Bev, prayers as you approach your friend in answer C. The rejoicing part may be your sweet friendship in coming along side her in this trial. Blessings to you as you prepare and have that conversation. I know she will be glad you came.
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
The taxi drivers often bumped into each other, so that was common and expected. They responded calmly, and went on their way.
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33?
In the world you will have tribulation, yet He has overcome the world. In Jesus we will have peace.
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8? And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9?
If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
5. What else stood out to you from this section and why?
If we know to expect conflict, we know we have a source for peace, in spite of the conflicts. Life is full of conflicts, but on the midst of that we can have the peace of God. I need to live for Christ, not for self.
Good reminder to expect conflict!
Patti, your answer to 5 helped me a lot. And also live for Christ and not self.
Tuesday: Expectations
Listen to Keller and use this to either read along or to know when to stop listening:
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior? – They expect to have it happen so to them it’s not a big deal that someone rams into them every day. It is what they are used to in their environment.
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33? – He told us we would have trouble in this world. He told us so we would be expecting it and find peace in Him through the trouble. He also tells us to take heart, because he has overcome the world.
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8? And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9? – If we think we aren’t going to sin, that we are above sin, we are deceiving ourselves and we don’t have the truth in us. God is faithful and will forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness, if we confess our sins to him.
5. What else stood out to you from this section and why? – Our expectations of how we see things or think they should be, plays a huge part in how we react to situations that come up in our lives. When we think we are entitled to have things a certain way, and they don’t we will be all out of sorts and possibly angry for the outcome. But, if we read God’s Word and heed what it says, we will know things will happen and we can react with peace in our hearts and bring it all to Him.
Tuesday: Expectations
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
It’s common place for taxis to crash into one another in NY and therefore when that happens they do nothing and drive on.
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33?
We will have many sorrows and trials here on earth and in order to experience true peace we need to place our hope in Him, as He has overcome the world.
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8?
We will sin, and we’re only fooling ourselves and not living in truth if we claim we have no sin.
And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9?
That if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
5. What else stood out to you from this section and why?
It is interesting how our perspective can change according to our expectations. The example he gave of going to a room where we’re told it’s the honeymoon suite and it’s a dump. Whereas if we were told it’s a jail cell, our response would be different.
Wednesday: Enemies
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ? – My sinful mind, it wouldn’t submit or even know how to submit and follow God’s laws.
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain. – What I see is that the kitten knew he was stuck but didn’t want anyone’s help either. Perhaps the kitten didn’t trust anyone from a previous experience. I wasn’t perfect before I came to Christ and once I gave my life to Him I still wasn’t on fire for him for over a year. I felt I could still handle things on my own. That changed after my marriage fell apart and heard a sermon that finally woke me up. I’ve been growing ever since. Thank you, Lord, for waiting and not giving up on me.
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian? – My flesh, the world and the devil. I never thought of this before, but this was really good. I guess you can say they are the three lesser evils. I’d rather fight them than God.
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking? – They cannot give us eternal life and they will never be able to snatch us from the Father’s grasp. I am. I’ve seen it in my own life even before I gave my life to Christ. He has spared me and helped me to see the truth and the life is only in Him. He’s placed people in my life that didn’t give up trying. They stood for Him and helped open my eyes. My life is so much better and more peaceful now with Christ’s hand holding mine.
Wednesday
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ? The flesh…
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain. The kitten was stranded on a stone in the middle of the creek and was at war with his rescuers. When I think of Jesus being my rescuer, yes, I was like the kitten. I had been brought up in a very moral household, but not one of faith. I am a rule follower and so I linked following the rules with making me a good person. Whenever I failed to follow the rules, this created a break in that link and I, not knowing Christ, felt the need to hide this for fear of being discovered as a bad person. After learning of Christ in high school, it was so freeing to know that I didn’t need to do anything to be good. Christ had done it for me. Now this thinking did not come all at once to every area of my life, but came gradually over the years through sanctification. As it were, I was that kitten hanging onto the rock which I thought kept me safe.
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian? The world, the flesh, and the devil…
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking? Our enemies cannot take our salvation, so they are out to take our joy and peace. I am confident in my salvation. Certainly, the enemy tries to work in doubt when he can, but I find this happens very rarely anymore. I do struggle with joy and peace, which I am so glad to have this blog for helping in those areas. This is an amazing study and so helpful to me. I plan to share with my prayer group who are going through some really tough trials right now.
Thankful for your encouragement, Chris!
Tuesday: Expectations
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
—He explained that in New York when one taxi rear ended the other neither driver reacted but just went on as usual because they just accepted it as something that goes with the territory. Something like that was just part of their expectations of driving a taxi in New York.
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33?
—We are to expect trials and sorrows here on earth but He has overcome the world and in Him we can find peace.
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8? And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9?
—These are such wonderful and encouraging verses about the reality of sin in our lives. We are sinful people and should truthfully acknowledge it. But!! In confessing our sin Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from our unrighteousness. That is what He did for us on the Cross.
5. What else stood out to you from this section and why?
—When I was a young woman I had a wise older woman tell me that “Expectations are planned disappointments.”.
Keller said “A lot of Christians are cast down all the time and are losing their peace and joy all the time because they don’t expect the attacks on peace and joy that are inevitable.” He is saying that happens to Christians because we don’t have proper expectations about the Christian life.
Wednesday: Enemies
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ?
—“For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will.” Romans 8:7 NLT
My own sinful nature made me an enemy of God.
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain.
—The kitten was fighting against the very One who could save it from its hopeless situation.
Because I came to Christ as a child I have not experienced that kind of spiritual battle with God.
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian?
—The World, the flesh and the Devil.
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking?
—Those three enemies cannot take away the fact and reality that I have eternal life. I belong to Jesus and God my Father is the assurance that He as the all powerful, almighty God will never ever let me go. As a child I did not understand that assurance of being saved but when I was a teenager God in his wonderful grace to me sent a sweet Christian into my life who walked me through the scriptures that showed me and gave me a complete confidence that I was saved for all eternity and I have never questioned it since based on the power and truth of the Bible.
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
1 John 5:13 ESV
Bev, love this… When I was a young woman I had a wise older woman tell me that “Expectations are planned disappointments.”.
Put this in my notes…thanks for sharing. Enjoy your posts😊
Amen, Sharon! Thank you for the great quote, Bev!
Yes, Bev! Thank you!
Thursday: Smelling Salts of True Joy
SMELLING SALTS OF TRUE JOY
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point. – Where or to whom we put our focus is important and will be the path that leads us to joy in times of trouble or to a defeated spirit.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
Our sole defense, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why? – “We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.” I was in that spot at one time, and others could not understand how I was so at peace about my situation. It doesn’t matter what kinds of things we have, they can all be gone in an instant, but our relationship with Christ is forever and is the only thing/person, that can bring us peace and joy through our trials.
B. How does this impact your expectations? – When I am in lack, I only have to reach out to the Father and he will provide all of my daily needs. In some way, at some point in time, my needs will be met. It may not be instant, but I know it is coming. ‘Day 41’ is always around the corner.
Your faith is so deep and true, Julie. Thank you for sharing the hard times. Our God is faithful!
Mama Julie!
Your answers here are really on point. I needed this too. Thanks for writing this out. God bless you! 💜
Tuesday:
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
Even from their way out the taxis expected that sort of accident, so it didn’t even bother them at all because they already expected it.
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33?
He told us that in the world we have tribulation and distress and suffering, but that we should be courageous because He has overcome the world.
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8? And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9?
We should have it in mind that we’re sinners, admitting it.
And in verse nine we should expect that if we freely admit that we have sinned and we confess our sins, Be is faithful and just and will cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness.
5. What else stood out to you from this section and why?
The explanation and the illustration with the taxi drivers have shown me that expectations have a large influence on our reactions when things come up. If I expect that even though my friend really loves me and she is human and this is prone to mistakes I would feel as bad as I would when she eventually does because although I don’t anticipate her mistakes I already expect it.
Eunice — your answer to 5 is insightful. We do color our view of people with our expectations. I also like that you realize every human friend will let you down sooner or later!
Wednesday: Enemies
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ?
I took God as my enemy before I came to Christ.
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain.
He was trying to show us how we think the Good guy (God) who is trying to save us is the enemy and we try to get away from Him while remaining on the tree, which I’ll take as the bad guy (the devil) that can get us killed if we fall off.
I couldn’t show much restraint because my parents were, and are still very strict. But I did it in the ways I could. My disobedience was top notch. I just didn’t want to follow him. I wanted to be like my classmates who had boyfriends and were able to do all the stuffs they liked without their parents getting into their face. At this point I had come to realize that okay, there’s God and He’s trying to help me, but I just didn’t want Him to. Like that kitten. It recognized that okay, there are these guys done here and they want to take me away from this tree yet it kept scratching and all. But then, God eventually did His thing. And I’m sooo amazed at how much He loves and is intentional about me.
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian?
The world, flesh and the devil.
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking?
That they will never snatch me out of His hands. And that they are not able to snatch me out of God’s hands because He is grater and mightier than all.
I am confident of this, although it is hard to be sometimes. But then, over the years I’ve seen God hold me tight, reminding me that he is near when I felt like this is it, the devil is definitely snatching me out of God’s hands because of this sin I committed. And I’ve seen His reassurance that if I freely admit that I have sinned and confess my sins, He is faithful and just, and will forgive my sins and cleanse me continually from all unrighteousness.
I love your answer to #9…wish I had been that confident at 16 going on 17!
Thank you ma!
🥹
I’m grateful God caught me young too.
I love all of your answers, dear Eunice! You are very wise for 16 years old. I love this: And I’m sooo amazed at how much He loves and is intentional about me.
Dear Mama Patti!
Thank you soooo much! 💜
You know, whenever I get to come to America I’ll see all of you, God willing. 🥹
I can’t even begin to imagine the well of wisdom I’d draw from speaking with you in person!
Eunice, I love this sentence, “God is intentional about me”. Yes, he is- he has pursued each one of us in very personal ways. I love that you call us “mama”. In the Philippines, where I am from, we use the term “Nanay” to refer to women who are older than us.
Yessss, He has!
Aww, thank you Mama Ernema. 💜
I just thought about sharing this here.
First of all, I need you please mention Daniel Omari in prayers for me. He’s a coursemate and He really wants to believe in God but he thinks je’s too dirty to talk to God. I’ve shown him several bible verses and I’ve prayed for him and shown him that Jesus came for sinners like me and him, but he says he’s getting even worse in his sin. He gave me the specific sin he’s indulging in, he says he does other ones too, but that this one takes the most space and I tried to tell him about how God saved me from it and how he can be saved from it too, but He says it’s hard. I need prayers for him. He says we’ll talk about it today.
And, I’ll be turning 17 on the 7th of October. I want everything to go out perfectly fine because I’ve not really had memorable birthdays in a long long while. I don’t want to expect much, I just pray God makes it beautiful and that I see the beauty in whatever happens that day.
Thank you sooo much Mamas.
And, I call you Mamas because it’s disrespectful to call women old enough to be one’s parents and grandparents by their name over here, and I don’t know if it would be okay to call you Grandmas because you barely know me, that’s why I call you Mama. It’s a yoruba word— I’m from the Yoruba tribe in Nigeria— and it means Mother.
Eunice, praying for your friend Daniel, may God soften his heart and may you have His wisdom in what to say.
Also, praying that you see God’s loving hand on your special day, October 7th!
I do understand the “Mama,” as they use that in the Swahili language as well. 😊❤️
Amen. Thank you so much for this ma, thank you! 💜
I will join Mama Sharon and pray for your friend, Daniel, to understand the love of Jesus for him. My friend, Kemi, also from Nigeria, calls me her mama in Jesus too. She has her own children, but I am older than she is.
Thank you so much Mama Patti. 💜
Wednesday: Enemies
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ?
God…the sinful nature/the mind set on the flesh is always hostile to God.
7. What was his point with the kitten?
Just as the kitten scratches, claws, screams and tries to kill the person who is trying to rescue it from a rock in the middle of the river, that’s how people are in their natural state towards God.
Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain.
I’m sure I was, but coming to Christ at a young age I don’t remember ever having hostility towards God.
I do continue to scratch my head in thinking I have two siblings, raised in the same home, always attended church, were baptized but have now chosen to be the kitten😏
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian?
The world, the flesh and the devil.
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking?
These verses talk about those that follow Christ are His sheep. He gives them eternal life and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of His hand. The Father who gave them to Him is more powerful than anyone.
I love these verses and yes they give me confidence…He is my Shepherd!
This is a beautiful one ma.
I pray that your siblings come to the genuine knowledge of Jesus Christ. There’s nothing too hard for Him!
I’ll mention them in my prayers.
Thank you so much and yes, there’s nothing too hard for God…Amen!
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ?
The mind set on the flesh, is hostile to God, because it does not subject itself to the law of God.
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain.
The kitten was trying to scratch and hurt the one trying to save him. His expectation was someone wanted to hurt him.
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian?
The world, the flesh and the devil.
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking?
They cannot take away my eternal life. No one can snatch me out of His hand. Yes, I am confident. I have seen the other side and I do not want to be there. He is my Shepherd will not let anyone take me out of His hand. I need to follow Him and walk with Him.
Tuesday: Expectations
Listen to Keller and use this to either read along or to know when to stop listening:
EXPECTATIONS
1. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
In New York, having your car rammed into is not a big deal. They expected that to happen, and they just go their merry way. Somebody else in a different town or city, may get out of their vehicle and get mad at the one who rammed them.
2. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33?
In this world you will have trouble.
3. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8? And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9?
We sin and will sin. But if we confess, He is faithful to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness
4. What else stood out to you from this section and why?
Christians do not come into the Christian life with the proper expectations.
I am guilty of this. I am still surprised when trials come because I don’t expect them, even if God’s Word said they will come. But most of all, I sometimes do not expect to see His goodness in the small things of my life. I am praying that God will help me live out the truth of His promises, regardless of my circumstances or things that I cannot see.
2. What example did he give of the taxis and how their expectations affected their behavior?
The taxi drivers expected to get hit so they weren’t surprised when it happened. They expect turmoil and conflict.
3. What did Jesus say that should shape our expectations about life in John 16:33?
We will have trials and sorrow.
4. What should our expectations be about our propensity to sin in 1 John 1:8?
We are all sinners.
And what should our expectations be about God’s forgiveness in 1 John 1:9?
He is faithful to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from our wickedness.
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ?
God
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain.
The kitten was doing its best to fight against being saved. It was afraid!
Although I am totally in for God, I may be a bit like that at different times in my journey. I haven’t given up completely, you see. when I finally do, how joyous will that be??
8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian?
The world, the flesh and the devil.
9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29?
They are trying to take me away from God, but they can’t. It will not happen.
Are you confident of this?
Yes, I am His forever!
If not, what is wrong with your thinking?
I think that a person who isn’t confident of this should remember that God is in charge, not them. It’s not up to them.
Thursday: Smelling Salts of True Joy
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point.
—We have a hope even though our bodies are dying and we live in a world full of troubles because our spirits or as the ESV says (our inner selves) are being renewed every day. Our troubles are producing a glory that will be of eternal value and this happens as we look beyond our troubles and fix our gaze on spiritual truths and realities. The here and now is hard but it is those hard and painful things that if we belong to Jesus that God will use to produce glory in eternity. Our troubles in this life will end and will go away but the hidden works of God will bring glory and joy that will last for eternity.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
Our sole defence, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why?
—Keller said “To rejoice in the Blesser means you can enjoy pleasure”. Our focus has to be on the Blesser. It is Jesus who makes all the difference in our troubles. He is the source of any true joy we can experience in this life. Any blessings we experience come from his hand and serve as hints of what is to come in Heaven when they will be given in full measure and glory and joy will literally permeate our very being.
B. How does this impact your expectations?
—I come back to the word hope. Because of Jesus we have a deep and abiding hope in what is to come. Based on the teaching and truths given to us in the Bible I can expect and have real expectations of the good things God is doing for my good and his glory. Because of my relationship to Him I can experience his love and presence in the midst of this fallen broken world, this old body, and troubles all around.
There is a 55 year old woman in my Bible study at my church whose life is incredibly hard. Terri has a 30 something year old non verbal daughter with the mental age of an 18 month old who has life threatening seizures which cause her to stop breathing. That requires 24/7 care. Because of behavioral issues there aren’t any services available or willing to take this toddler in an adult body and handle her. Terri’s oldest daughter is married to a drug addict and her son was taken out of that home by social services so now Terri and her husband have custody of a two year old. Terri’s life is full of really hard stuff. At our study Tuesday she was sharing ( actually unloading) on this group of older ladies like myself who love on and pray for her. She still has a dry sense of humor that I love hearing but in a serious moment she said if it weren’t for God she could never do what she is doing right now. I have no doubt the hope and joy of Heaven keeps her going because of Jesus
I just want to add a comment for Eunice.
You are a delight and very real blessing to us on this blog. We love and pray for each other here and you bring a fresh voice to our discussions. Your explanation of Ma or Mama is good to know.
So glad you joined us. 💕
Bev, I agree about Eunice! She gives me hope, too, for our young people here in America. And wow on Terri! Only God can sustain us through hard times like what she and her husband are going through. His grace is enough for all of us.
Aww! 🥹
It’s so good to hear this Mama Bev, soo good.
Amen to you and Bing, on dear Eunice! It is so encouraging and I agree, Eunice, you are a blessing! My heart breaks for Terri! So thankful that she knows and trusts Jesus. He makes all the difference!
Thank you Mama Patti, thank you.
You don’t know how much it means for me to hear I’m a blessing. 🥹
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point. The things that we are experiencing now are fleeting in comparison to eternity.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
Our sole defense, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why? That everything that we are going through is all working toward our eternal good and is a testimony to others.
B. How does this impact your expectations? It should come as no surprise when we are met with opposition, and hatred. We should expect a negative reaction from the world.
So true that we shouldn’t be surprised by hostility.
I do have hope for a revival in America. I thought that most of the Charlie Kirk memorial was so Christ-centered with the gospel given over and over again.
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point.
The main point is that we are here only a blink of an eye so we should not focus on this life much, rather focus on the life eternal, given to us as a gift from our Dear Lord.
This reminds me of this Francis Chan message:
https://youtu.be/86dsfBbZfWs?si=pGHfnaB-hvVFoQ3y
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why?
I get to partake of the blessings of the Blessor! He has given me joy in the midst of the pain so that I can know Him a bit while I am here on earth; until I can meet Him in heaven and receive the full blessing there.
B. How does this impact your expectations?
I believe that some good will come out of each painful moment for me because He has His hand covering each dreadful moment. An example is that even though I am being “invited” to a meeting with my new boss and her boss today, not really understanding why, I can wisely know the truth of God, that He is with me, behind me, blessing me. This life is short and the best is yet to come. Thank You Lord Jesus!
Love your answer to B. , Laura! He has His hand covering each of us.
Friday: Smelling Salts of True Peace
12. What is the opposite of peace?
—Anxiety
13. Meditate again on Philippians 4:6 and write down everything you see.
—There is no ground given for worry. It says don’t worry or be anxious about anything. Nothing whatsoever. That feels impossible to do. At my Tuesday morning Bible study we talked about this verse and I heard a couple of gals actually give themselves permission to worry. They felt because it is what mothers do. Kind of like we can’t help ourselves. Or even like it is our right or responsibility as moms to worry. But as I pondered this verse it is very clear that we are not to do it. It challenged my thinking to see the very next command is to pray about everything. Instead of worrying we are to pray. It would seem the key to not worrying and being anxious is prayer. Praying about absolutely everything.
14. How is it possible to give thanks before we know how God will respond to our request?
—Taking everything to God in prayer with a heart and mindset of thankfulness comes out of an attitude that God can be trusted completely. We are called to walk by faith so it is deciding to trust Him with absolutely everything in our lives and giving Him place as the one who knows best. It says I am going to trust his sovereignty over my life.
It is possible but it is a challenge because we have an enemy who constantly seeks to get us to believe the old lie from the Garden of Eden when he said to Eve “Did God really say?” Our enemy wants us to question God.
15. What is the difference between peace with God and peace of God?
—Peace with God comes from being saved from our sin through the blood of Jesus. Jesus made the way for us to come to God and have peace with Him. We are accepted in the Beloved (Jesus) and have peace with God.
Keller said the peace of God “is frame of heart that is completely constant and solid and confident.” He referenced it as a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
The peace of God in our lives comes through the power of the Holy Spirit. “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace,……..” Galatians 5:22.
16. Make a request of God here for a hard situation you are facing, and do it with thanksgiving. (Let us support one another.)
—My husband and I have had a growing concern for two of our closest friends who live here in Broken Bow near us. We are together often and we see Larry starting to significantly lose ground with his memory. He has lost the ability to handle the needs of their home and is struggling with their affairs. Jane has been consumed with caring for her father for the last couple of years and has spent a good deal of her time in Kansas City (6 hours away) Her father went to be with the Lord a few weeks ago so that need is no longer there. Larry and Jane neither one seem willing to engage their children about their future. They have a son and daughter who are married and wonderful people. Both live in the St. Louis area. My husband had the opportunity to talk with them about their parent’s needs and they welcome our input to help guide Larry and Jane toward some major decisions. I feel I am the one to have a hard conversation with Jane now about their future needs.
I am asking God to orchestrate it for me to talk with Jane thanking Him for his love and care for two precious godly servants who have faithfully served Him in the pastorate for most of their lives.
Dear Bev, I will pray for the Lord to provide a comfortable circumstance for you to speak with these dear friends, Jane and Larry. Such a hard time of life.
🙏❤️
Oh, dear Bev! Praying for you as you and your husband care for your friends, Larry and Jane.
I smiled at your young moms saying worry is what mothers do. It reminds me when I was the mother of the groom a friend asked if I had a lot to do and I said, “Just worrying.” She said, “Someone has to do it!” 🙂
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point.
Our soul and spirit are renewed (the inner self) daily, even though our bodies (the outer self) wear down. Our affliction on this earth is small, compared to the glory we will receive in heaven. The things that are seen, on this earth are temporal, the things that are unseen are eternal. The eternal weight of glory in eternity is so much greater than all the pain we experience in this short life on earth.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
Our sole defence, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why?
Though we know pain and sorrow, our joy cannot be extinguished. It is a joy within, that overrides the pain of this life and it is found in giving our life to Jesus. And then, giving ourselves for others. What we have in our hearts is a gift that cannot be bought, it cannot be taken. Circumstances may be hard, but we walk in the light of Christ. Our every thought, word and action have the power to show another that joy. I must choose daily, to follow Jesus and His richness of love through, and in spite of circumstances.
B. How does this impact your expectations?
Life will always be challenging, but God is with us, wherever we are. I love Isaiah 43: 1-7. It always encourages me to know that God is constantly with us through all our trials, refining those whom He loves. It hurts to be refined, but it glorifies the Father and gives depth to our soul. It enhances our compassion and empathy; it draws us closer to God.
Thursday: Smelling Salts of True Joy
SMELLING SALTS OF TRUE JOY
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point.
The things of this world will pass, but what we do for Christ is for eternity.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why?
We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable…an experienced truth in my life as I know is true of others here. It is so encouraging to hear your testimonies and yet see/read the joy of the Lord in your posts because of His peace in your lives.
B. How does this impact your expectations?
Yes, I am going to experience sorrow, struggles and trouble in this life, but there is joy in knowing that He renews my spirit as my body is dying and in Him is my hope!
Friday: Smelling Salts of True Peace
THE SMELLING SALTS OF PEACE
12. What is the opposite of peace?
Anxiety
13. Meditate again on Philippians 4:6 and write down everything you see.
Don’t worry about anything.
Pray about everything.
Tell God what you need.
Thank Him for all He has done.
14. How is it possible to give thanks before we know how God will respond to our request?
We have confidence that He will answer according to His will because we trust Him and know that He is in control.
15. What is the difference between peace with God and peace of God?
Peace with God comes from being justified by faith.
Peace of God…”is a frame of heart that is completely constant and solid and confident, no matter what the condition.
Wednesday: Enemies
Listen and stop when the transcript stops.
ENEMIES
6. According to Romans 8:7 — who was your enemy before you came to Christ?
We were hostile to God.
7. What was his point with the kitten? Were you at all like that before you came to Christ? If so, explain.
The kitten expected that the boys were going to do him bad. So when one of them tried to save him from being stranded, he fought, crawled, and scratched his “savior”.
Yes, I was like that before I met Christ. I did not want him to get into my space. I wasn’t sure what He would ask of me. I wanted to do things my way. But just like the kitten, I did not realize the trouble I was in and that He was more than capable of getting me out of my predicament, much better than I could have done it on my own. 8. What are your three enemies after you become a Christian?
The world, the flesh, and the devil
<!– [if !supportLists] 9. What are those three enemies unable to do according to John 10:28-29? Are you confident of this? If not, what is wrong with your thinking?
These three enemies cannot take me out of Jesus’ and the Father’s hands.
Yes, I am confident of this. God has me in His keeping.
I am sorry about the numbering of my comments for Wednesday. I did not have enough time to edit it after the numbering got skewed.
I don’t worry about numbers!
Thursday: Smelling Salts of True Joy
SMELLING SALTS OF TRUE JOY
Wow, what an exposition from Keller here about joy!
1. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point.
Our physical body is experiencing the natural process of getting older and weaker as we age. Yet, our inner self is renewed day by day. The older the body, for the Christian, the younger the spirit inside. Everything here on earth is temporal, but that which we look forward to is eternal and so much more than what we can ever imagine.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
Our sole defence, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
By a life of integrity, it meant to me that I live for Jesus, and no performance or worldly sorrow can take the righteousness I have received from Jesus. My enemies, namely, the world, the flesh and the devil, have no hold on me because I possess the inheritance that cannot fade, spoil, or be destroyed.
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why?
That our enemies can continue to push us down, but our joy will not allow us to sink. Our joy is buoyant. Jesus buoys us!
B. How does this impact your expectations?
I should have an open heart and mind in terms of my expectations of the world-they never satisfy in the first place. And when they disappoint, as often they would, I can surrender those expectations to God. And He gives me His joy and peace despite my unmet expectations. But when I place my hope and expectations in the Lord, He will always be faithful according to His Word.
Friday: Smelling Salts of True Peace
THE SMELLING SALTS OF PEACE
1. What is the opposite of peace?
The opposite of peace is worry or anxiety.
2. Meditate again on Philippians 4:6 and write down everything you see.
Have NO anxiety
About what? Anything, everything
Give thanks for how God will answer, even if it is not what I expected
It is to God, MY Father, that I pray.
14. How is it possible to give thanks before we know how God will respond to our request?
When I give thanks before I know how God will respond to my request, I am acknowledging that however He answers my prayers will be for my good and for His glory.
15. What is the difference between peace with God and peace of God?
Peace with God has been taken care of by Jesus on the cross. Peace of God is that which we appropriate because we have access to it ALWAYS, regardless of our circumstances.
16. Make a request of God here for a hard situation you are facing, and do it with thanksgiving. (Let us support one another.)
Lord, you know my anxieties about our church these days. I want to thank you for how you are working in all of our lives. I want to thank you for saying that you are the builder of your church. I want to thank you that you are the keeper of our souls. I want to thank you for even if I cannot see, you are at work. I want to thank you that no weapon forged against us, your people will prosper. I come asking for your joy and peace. Joy unsinkable, and peace that frames my heart, solid, constant and of you.
Saturday:
17. What have you learned or have been reminded of that will help you know more of His joy and peace?
That the Lord is near, therefore, I can always call on Him to give me joy and peace.
Several verses about the Lord being near, especially this one:
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. Psalm 145:18
Such a good verse.
Saturday
17. What have you learned or have been reminded of that will help you know more of His joy and peace?
To know more of His joy and peace for me is remembering that I can have confidence in His character…
His Unfailing love, Great compassion, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Mercy, Grace, Sovereignty, Overflowing redemption, Shepherd, Creator, Righteousness, Healer, Holy, All-sufficient and Trustworthy.
Thursday: Smelling salts of true joy
10. Meditate on 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 and describe the main point.
The main point is even though all these things happen to our physical body we only get better spiritually.
11. Meditate on this from 2 Corinthians 6:8-10 in J. B. Phillips
Our sole defence, our only weapon, is a life of integrity, whether we meet honour or dishonour, praise or blame. Called “impostors” we must be true, called “nobodies” we must be in the public eye. Never far from death, yet here we are alive, always “going through it” yet never “going under”. We know sorrow, yet our joy is inextinguishable. We have “nothing to bless ourselves with” yet we bless many others with true riches. We are penniless, and yet in reality we have everything worth having.
A. What smelling salt of joy stands out to you in the above and why?
The fact that no matter what I face on earth there’s a beautiful life waiting fo me with God. Even if I feel down and it feels like I’m carrying the whole world on my shoulders I can still be at peace because my true life is hid in Christ Jesus and this world? No matter what I face on it is not my home.
B. How does this impact your expectations?
I don’t expect that everything goes well. Yes, I can pray and tell God what I want, but if life appears all hard I don’t need to feel upset or disappointed or depressed because I’m expecting trials and tribulations on earth already. I don’t expect the world to love me because it didn’t love Jesus in the first place. So, I’m able to take whatever occurs in good spirit.
I hope I answered this well, I found it very hard to put my thoughts to words.
Eunice, you express yourself well. I love your childlike faith and how you deal with expectations. We always have to remind ourselves of God’s truth. I believe that is the only way we can live our earthly lives.
Thank youuu Mama Ernema.
Have a lovely time in church today. 💜
I agree. Eunice is so mature for her age!
12. What is the opposite of peace?
Anxiety
13. Meditate again on Philippians 4:6 and write down everything you see.
* I shouldn’t be worried about anything at all, finances, academics, ANYthing!
* I should in EVERYthing CONTINUE to make my SPECIFIC requests known to God.
*I should pray and make my petitions known to God WITH THANKSGIVING.
14. How is it possible to give thanks before we know how God will respond to our request?
We should ALWAYS have it in mind that He wants the best for us. Our salvation is one beautiful example. And for Him to give us something so beautiful and special such as that He’ll definitely give us more beautiful things that He knows we need. And at the right time. He’s a wonderful father and He sees the end from the beginning. If He identifies what we want as fire that can destroy us He won’t give it to us, so we won’t burn ourselves in the end even though we badly want it. And if what we want is that same fire to burn something and He sees it’s for the right purpose and at the right time He’ll give it to us.
Bottom line is God always has us in mind, so He’ll definitely do everything that would end up well for us.
15. What is the difference between peace with God and peace of God?
Peace with God, is when we finally accepts that this Good Guy only wants to help us down from that tree and away from the world, the flesh and the devil. When we accept Christ’s provision for salvation.
While Peace of God is that same Peace God owns. It is OF Him. It’s that Peace that Jesus was talking about when He said Page I leave with you, my perfect peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, not let it be afraid. Let my perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.
16. Make a request of God here for a hard situation you are facing, and do it with thanksgiving.
Hmmn…🙂
There’s sooo much to put down.
So, God, I know you know that we are about to collect our filling station back from Mr Zee this coming February and it’s hard work because we need millions and millions of naira to do all of these, but I thank you because You’ve provided and You’re protecting us from whatever power he might want to use against us and I thank you because you’ll provide this money in such a way that we won’t need to lease it out again.
I thank you because you’ll allow Daniel to identify his need for help and that he’s able to pick my calls and reply my texts.
There’s sooo much more to thank you for, but I thank you because You’ve provided everything I need for the new session in college, financially, mentally, academically. I thank you.
And I thank you for every woman in this space because You know the fries of their hearts and You’re taking care of it accordingly.
Love your whole post — but especially this, Eunice:
We should ALWAYS have it in mind that He wants the best for us. Our salvation is one beautiful example.
Thank you Mama Dee. 💜
Saturday:
17. What have you learned or have been reminded of that will help you know more of His joy and peace?
I’ve been reminded that God’s peace that stands guard over my heart is mine and that God is near. Always. Even when I feel alone or lonely He’s near.