When I was a kid my mom would tell me to clean my room. When she said to do so leaving it as a directive it was one thing. When she said to do so telling me she’d be back in twenty minutes to check on my progress it was another. The awareness that she was coming back changed my perspective about what I was supposed to be doing. Largely this is the perspective Paul is trying to give these believers in Thessalonica. Jesus is coming back so lets be sure we are doing what we should be doing.

Many people today consider Jesus important kind of like Buddha, Moses, Socrates, Muhammad, along with other personal favorites they may select. For these people, Jesus is important, but not central. This is heresy and is the very issue Paul addresses in the book of Colossians.

Philippians is called The Epistle of Joy. At the core of Paul’s teaching Jesus is revealed as the humble servant who meets our every need and this is the source of our joy!

Happiness is about a certain set of circumstances.

Joy is about a certain set of attitudes.

We all know what it's like to be driving on the highway behind a slower driver noticing another lane that moves faster. Something clicks inside and we realize, “I was born for more than this!”

It’s interesting how unfulfilled and dissatisfied our lives can be when we have so many things we want. Truthfully life is not about having the most of what we want but rather making the most of what we have.

In Ephesians Jesus is revealed as The One Who Awakens God’s Blessing In The Earth.

Eph 1:3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. NIV

Jesus awakens God’s blessing in all of the earth for all humanity!

If you ever give somebody directions when they are lost you know the first question you must ask is, “Where are you?” If you don’t know where somebody is coming from it’s almost impossible to help. This rule applies physically, spiritually, emotionally and in every way. Where you are coming from always matters!

It really must be one of the most frustrating things ever for the devil to be able to catch us red-handed and never be able to get a ruling against us!  Jesus is your advocate and your heavenly Father is the judge. The ruling is always the same. NOT GUILTY!

Any level of leadership in your life provides you with the ability to relate to working with people who aren’t always going to be happy with you. In Paul’s case it was pastoring. Perhaps for you it is parenting, coaching, managing, teaching or being involved in your neighborhood association.

When people become Christians, they don’t at the same moment become nice. I’m not sure why this is so surprising but salvation doesn’t automatically download Christian Manners 101. 1 Corinthians reveals how Jesus conquers sin when we cooperate with his Word.

We are all are becoming the more exaggerated version of ourselves. Over the years I’ve seen happy people grow happier, sad grow sadder, crazy grow crazier.

We must learn to be purposeful about this process of becoming.

Recently my family and I were watching unthinkable feats of athletic ability on the X Games. Human beings have the incredible ability to hone our faculties, senses and abilities to do unimaginable things. Just think about a time you were blown away by somebody musically, intellectually, athletically. Incredible abilities can be awakened within all of us if we focus in that direction. 

How much more capacity exists within our spiritual faculties, senses and abilities? Perhaps if we took distractions out of our lives we would find out just how spiritually able we truly are.

Effectively discipling begins in the home! For the Jews, the ministry center of the family is the home. For Christians, the ministry center has become the church. Making disciples begins in the home. Family meals, communion, prayer, Bible reading, and overall time together as a family.