Philippians on Opportunities

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Yesterday I was a Dog…

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:22-24, Galatians 6:9, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 40:1-3, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Philippians 3:13-14

Some people find themselves stuck in a rut. Without challenge or new opportunities, they begin to sound like Snoopy from the Peanuts cartoons: “Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll p...

liturgy

God of Love and Mercy—Father, Son and

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

John 16:33, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, James 5:14-15, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Romans 15:13, Philippians 4:13, Isaiah 40:31

God of Love and Mercy—Father, Son and Holy Spirit: As those beloved by You...You give us the privilege of loving others and praying for them ... as we do today. We pray on behalf of those for whom th...

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Author

Henry Drummond

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 6:10, John 13:1-17, Luke 10:25-37, Colossians 3:14, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Philippians 2:3-4, 1 John 4:7-8

Is life not full of opportunities for learning love? Every man and woman every day has a thousand of them. The world is not a playground; it is a schoolroom. Life is not a holiday, but an education. A...

Quote

Author

Eugene H. Peterson

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 8:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, James 1:2-4, Philippians 4:11-12, Colossians 3:23-24, Proverbs 3:5-6

The only opportunity you will ever have to live by faith is in the circumstances you are provided this very day: this house you live in, this family you find yourself in, this job you have been given,...

blog

A New Experience of Advent: Thoughts from the Founder's Desk

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Advent

Scripture

Romans 8:28, Philippians 1:6

As I was trying to think of something to write for this weekly email, I began to wonder if living in this season of life actually prepares us to better experience the Advent season. We live in a time...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Philippians 3:4b-14

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 3:4-14

Ancient Lens What can we learn from the historical context? Broader Context of Philippians Paul is concerned that Judaizers (those that require Christians to follow the Torah) are going to corrup...

lectionary

16th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 16:19-31, Philippians 2:5-11

Introduction Our text falls within a larger section (Luke 16) in which Jesus deals head-on with questions of money, specifically the need to choose God over mammon (the worship of money), in other wo...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Luke 16:19-31

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Luke 16:19-31, Philippians 2:5-11

Introduction Our text falls within a larger section (Luke 16) in which Jesus deals head-on with questions of money, specifically the need to choose God over mammon (the worship of money), in other wo...

lectionary

Maundy Thursday

Author

The Pastor's Workshop

Keywords

Scripture

John 13:1-17, 31b-35, Philippians 2:3-11

"Maundy" What? Maundy Thursday takes its name from the Latin version of John 13:34: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are ...

liturgy

Thankful for God's Abundant Blessings

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Deuteronomy 8:7-18, Genesis 1:26-28, Philippians 4:13, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Psalm 121:1-2

Pastor: Heavenly Father, You created a wonderful world for us. You give us all we need for our body and life. We thank You for all the blessings that come from Your hand: food and drink, house and h...

liturgy

Lord God Almighty: our Creator,

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Isaiah 41:13, John 14:26-27, Psalm 34:18-19, Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 11:28-30, 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Lord God Almighty: our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer: There is no place where You are absent. There is no corner of our world that’s hidden from You. There is nothing about us You do not know, no ac...

liturgy

God–our Father, Lord and indwelling

Author

Richard Herman

Scripture

Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, Psalm 133:1, 2 Corinthians 9:13-14, Matthew 28:19-20

God–our Father, Lord and indwelling Spirit of grace and power: Thank you for hearing us when we pray whether in songs of rejoicing or through tears of sorrow. Thank you for gifts–for the gifts of musi...

blog

A Different Kind of Entitlement

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Philippians 2:null

September 2018 The Millennial Stereotype There is perhaps no stronger stereotype of the millennial generation than that of “entitled.” For those of us who were born between 1981-1996, we’ve been lab...

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The Art of Followship

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 3:16, Philippians 2:5-7, John 13:34-35, Matthew 11:29, Mark 8:34-35, Luke 9:23

Editor’s Note: The following illustration came from one of my own (Stu’s) sermons, as I was trying to help the congregation make a paradigm shift from the church as a building, to the people of God: ...

illustration

Growing Deeper in Existing Strengths

Author

Tom Nelson

Keywords

Scripture

Exodus 18:17-23, Proverbs 9:9, Nehemiah 2:17-18 , Matthew 25:14-30, Philippians 4:11-13, Psalm 90:12

Peter Drucker suggests that we should always sustain two streams of learning and self-improvement. And though he is speaking specifically about work and career, what he says is equally applicable whet...

Quote

Author

Nelson Mandela

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 29:11, Isaiah 41:10, 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:15, Psalm 27:1, Philippians 4:6-7

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.

Quote

Author

Napoleon Bonaparte

Keywords

Scripture

2 Timothy 2:1-2, Philippians 2:3-4, Romans 15:13, Isaiah 40:31, Hebrews 13:7

A leader is a dealer in hope.

Quote

Author

Barbara Kingsolver

Keywords

Hope

Scripture

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 23:3, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Romans 15:13, Psalm 30:5, Isaiah 40:31

Hope is a renewable option: If you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over in the morning.

liturgy

True Love

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 12:1, Isaiah 58:10, Philippians 2:3-4, Matthew 20:26-28, 1 Timothy 6:17-19, Luke 9:23

Merciful Jesus Give us courage to deny privilege to lay down favor and safety in order to take up the cross of opportunity and justice Too often we fail to do this Merciful Jesus Give us courage to d...

liturgy

Blessing Ministry Event or Initiative

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

Micah 6:8, Matthew 25:35-40, John 6:1-14, Zechariah 4:6, Judges 6:11-16, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Acts 4:32-35, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:1-4, Proverbs 16:3, Nehemiah 2:17-20, Philippians 4:19, Acts 18:1-4, Ephesians 2:14, John 4:4-26

This blessing includes prayers for the initiative/event itself, the volunteers for the event, the leaders organizing the event, the resources to be distributed at the event, and any community partners...

illustration

Our Hope Gets Manipulated

Author

Elyse M. Fitzpatrick

Keywords

Hope

Scripture

Philippians 1:6, Romans 5:3-5, Jeremiah 29:11, 2 Peter 3:18, James 1:2-4, Psalm 121:1-2

It’s part of the life cycle of every living thing to grow and mature. It’s also natural for us to hope that we will be better people today than we were yesterday and that the things that trouble us at...

Quote

Author

Fredrick Langbridge

Keywords

Scripture

2 Corinthians 4:17-18, Hebrews 11:1, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 5:3-5, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 42:11, Philippians 4:8

Because of this we have hope: Two men look out through the same bars One sees mud, one sees stars.

Quote

Author

Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 43:19, Song of Solomon 4:7, Philippians 4:8, 2 Corinthians 4:16, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 61:3

If the too obvious, too straight branches of Truth and Good are crushed or amputated and cannot reach the light—yet perhaps the . . . unexpected branches of Beauty will make their way through and soar...

liturgy

Lead Me Out of My Doubts and Fears

Author

Ted Loder

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 41:10, Jeremiah 1:6–9, Matthew 14:28–31, 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, Philippians 4:13, Psalm 46:1–2

Eternal God, lead me now out of the familiar setting of my doubts and fears, beyond my pride and my need to be secure into a strange and graceful ease with my true proportions and with yours; ...

illustration

Just Ask

Author

Dave Peterson

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 7:7, Philippians 4:6, Jeremiah 33:3, 1 John 5:14, Luke 11:9-10, Mark 11:24, John 14:13-14

Steve Jobs was one of the biggest somebodies of our time. He said, "Most people never pick up the phone and ask, and that's what separates the people who do things from the people who just dr...

Quote

Author

Helen Keller

Keywords

Hope

Scripture

Matthew 17:20, Luke 1:37, Ephesians 3:20, Philippians 4:13, Mark 11:24, 2 Corinthians 4:18

Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.

Quote

Author

Paul David Tripp

Keywords

Scripture

Jeremiah 1:7-8, Hebrews 13:21, Deuteronomy 31:8, Philippians 4:13, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Isaiah 41:10

God never calls you to a task without giving you what you need to do it. He never sends you without going with you.

Quote

Author

A. W. Tozer

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 17:20, Matthew 19:20, Mark 10:27, Luke 1:37, Luke 18:27, Colossians 3:23-24, 1 Corinthians 15:58, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 4:13, Philippians 2:13

God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible. What a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.

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Identity and Achievement at L'Arche

Author

Henri J. M. Nouwen

Keywords

Scripture

Galatians 1:10, Philippians 2:3-4, Matthew 23:1-12, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, James 4:1-10, 1 Peter 5:1-11

All of us struggle with our own desires for accomplishment and ambition. Christians especially find it difficult to discern their own worldly ambitions vs. following Jesus’ comand to seek first the ki...

Quote

Author

Ken Untener

Keywords

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15:58, 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Hebrews 11:13, Galatians 6:9, Philippians 1:6

"Oscar Romero's Prayer" It helps, now and then,to step back and take the long view. The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts, it is beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime onl...

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