Philippians is known as the “epistle of joy.” And it was written from prison. What’s the connection between joy and the thankfulness in his heart?
Speaking the Truth in Love
Speaking the Truth in Love
Sermons on Attitude and Character (Page 8)
Researchers have carefully investigated the causes, symptoms, and treatments for depression. But what about happiness? University of Pennsylvania researcher Martin Seligman has identified the characteristics of happy people. Surprise, surprise — the Bible said it first.
We have a good number of words to describe the person who gets angry over nothing – hotheaded, hot-tempered, quick-tempered, short-tempered. Why isn’t there a word meaning long temper? Actually, there is. The word is “patience.”
In his dedication to Judaism, young Saul of Tarsus (later to become the apostle Paul) always did his best. He wanted to prove his moral and spiritual excellence to God. As a Christian he did his best for an entirely different reason (Tit. 3:12-15).
Why do so many healthy and prosperous people feel empty and discontented? Maybe they don’t understand that joy is God’s gift for those who yield to his leading (Phil. 4:4).
Slavery was commonplace in the first century, and many early disciples were converted slaves. Their new faith didn’t excuse them from giving faithful service. On the contrary, Paul urged the Christians in Crete to “show entire and true fidelity” (Tit. 2:10).
Nehemiah personally joined the workers laboring to rebuild the city walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 4:23). Why? He was the governor of Judah. Didn’t he understand that becoming a servant is beneath the dignity of a good leader?
The Bible teaches both slaves and masters to remember the Master in heaven (Eph. 6:5-9). The basic principles implied in this teaching also apply to workers and employers in a free society.
Nehemiah was a great leader. He saw a serious problem, prayed about it for months, formulated a vision for resolving it, and boldly asked the king of Persia to support it. But the plan to rebuild ruined Jerusalem would have failed if the people had refused to work (Neh. 2:18).
Paul urges the church to put off the old nature and “put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24). But what do real “righteousness and holiness” look like?
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