Desert Breeze Community Church

Paul had shared the gospel in Galatia and as a result several churches had began to grow and thrive in the area. However, there were some who started a smear campaign against Paul and his gospel message. Paul gives his thesis consisting of three denials and one affirmation (v.11-12) and then defends it with the evidence and power of story (v. 13-24). We see that the story of the gospel transformed Paul’s story and can transform ours.

Linger

Partying is rarely associated with the Bible and Christ-followers… but it should be! The Bible’s many references to singing, dancing, celebration, feasts, and festivities depict not only worship but also fun, laughter, and pleasure. The Kingdom of God is a Party – and everyone is invited!

Everyone lives for something. That something is the Lord of your life whether you want to call it that or not. Jesus is the only Lord that forgives you when you fail Him and fulfills you when you follow Him. Any other Lord is terribly unforgiving and ultimately unfulfilling.

What is greatness? What does it mean to live a great life? Besides Jesus, who has been the greatest and most influential person in your life? When you die will people say at your funeral that you were a great person?

There is a life in Christ that all the success in this world can’t give you and all the suffering in this world can’t take from you (John10:10). The only way to experience this life is by believing in Jesus Christ. Belief is truth about the person and work of Jesus entering the head (content), igniting the heart (conviction) and outworking through the hands (commitment). John shows us in his prologue (vv1-18) what it means to believe in Christ by answering three questions:

Unbelief is at the root of all our problems! Whenever you are terribly anxious, angry, or depressed or struggling with pride and/or idolatry it’s because at that moment you’ve forgotten who the God of the Bible is, or you’ve never really known Him. There is nothing more powerful and practical than to know the God of the Bible intimately through His Son Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:10-14 1) Be Connected to God’s People. 2) Be Comfortable with God’s Providence. 3) Be Confident in God’s Presence.

The Apostle Paul has learned to be content in all circumstances. Now it is our turn as Fully Devoted Followers of Jesus Christ to learn how to be content and experience JOY in Discontentment.

Anxiety issues in our modern times are out of control. The key to finding joy (peace) in anxiety is learning how to apply cosmic (eternal) principles to common (temporal) places through spiritual disciplines. You must get good at applying who Christ is and what He has done for you specific to where your heart is most restless.

Perseverance is essential for facing life’s challenges. It is much easier to quit than to persevere but in the long run the costs of quitting are much higher than the costs to persevere. Perseverance is about finishing strong. In this text Paul gives us a formula for finishing strong: Holy Discontent + Holy Ambition = Holy Life that Finishes Strong!

Most people think the Christian message is an invitation to be religious (moralism: get your act together, do good works, obey the 10 commandments, etc.) rather than entering into the most soul satisfying and life liberating relationship you’ll ever know. Paul shows us in this text from his own life that there is a major difference between being religious (works righteousness) and having a relationship with God (faith righteousness).

Deep soul satisfaction can only be found in Christ which will lead to a life of Sacrifice. Sacrifice is giving up something that you love for something that you love more. Paul uses two men as examples of the kind of people who have been transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are living lives of satisfaction and sacrifice.

Stuck points are those chronic hurts, habits and hang-ups that won’t go away but only seem to get worse through the years. If you don’t deal with your stuck points, then your stuck points will certainly deal with you. God doesn’t convict us (reveals our stuck points) to shame us but to satisfy us and set us free.

Conflict resolution skills are in short supply in our American Culture. Does the Bible offer any help for our relational conflict, divisiveness, hatefulness, and alienation that we see in our country, communities, homes, marriages, and even in churches? Yes, the joy in Conflict is found in Christ and the unity He brings.

Paul was going through difficult suffering as he faced imprisonment, the threat of death, separation from believers, antagonism from fellow Christians and much more. Paul now waited to go before Caesar to find out if he was going to live or die. Paul had trusted, obeyed and rejoiced in the Lord through past (1:12) and current (1:13-18a) suffering. But what about in the future?

Relationships are not a luxury but a necessity for our emotional and spiritual wellbeing (Gen2:18). Our sinful tendency is anonymity and individuality. Anonymity is not wanting anyone to know your struggles (Fear) and individuality is not wanting anyone’s help (Pride). Most people fight their battles alone and keep their interior world private, even in the midst of Christian community.

There is an unspeakable and glorious JOY in Christ that should be normal for every Christian! In Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi he not only personally demonstrates but also teaches us how we can have this JOY in every situation of life.

There is a difference between knowing about God and truly knowing God. One of the marks of truly knowing God is spiritual growth. The whole book of 2 Peter is all about spiritual growth.