Enemies of the Cross

Gary DeLashmutt
Philippians 3:17-4:1

Materialism defines fulfillment and security in terms of material possessions in this life. Christians in this present world are particularly vulnerable with the massive cultural pressure to engage in materialism. To resist this pressure, Christians must cultivate deep convictions about Jesus' return and His eternal kingdom, see through materialism enough that they are emotionally affected by its impact, and prioritize and treasure fellowship with committed Christians.

Experience New Life

Chris Hearty
Ephesians 4:17-24

Without God, humans have no point of reference for meaning or morality. Paul urges us to live out our new identities, not resorting to our old ways of living.

Identity

Gary DeLashmutt
Philippians 3:1-9

All humans are identity-seekers. We are not able to generate an identity isolated from others. We need to be given an identity in comparison to other persons. There are only two sources of identity:from other humans or from God. Paul refutes human-originated identity and instead promotes the superiority of a God-bestowed identity which is a one-time gift but a daily decision to reaffirm.

What's Wrong with Humans?

Dennis McCallum
Ephesians 2:1-10

Our sin is a big barrier between us and God. Our fall from grace has led to alienation from God. But God in His mercy offers us forgiveness through the death of His son Jesus. When we believe and accept this offer of forgiveness, God gives us a new identity which we then gradually grow into it. Religion is the performance of religious laws, but Jesus offers instead a relationship based on personal love.

Opening the Eyes of Your Heart

James Rochford
Ephesians 1:15-23

Opening the eyes of your heart involves transitioning from propositional truth of knowing God in a head-knowledge sort of way to a personal knowledge of God that goes deep into your heart. We need God's enlightenment to understand the depth of these truths. We can access this enlightenment of the heart by prayer, meditation and recognition and redirection throughout the day.

Do Versus Done

James Rochford
Ephesians 1:1-14

When you put your faith in Jesus to pay the price for your sins, you instantly inherit every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Whatever is true of Jesus becomes true of you. When God looks at you, He sees Jesus and all His perfection. Do you deeply know these truths? Are these truths becoming the greatest treasure of your life?

The Proper Response to Our "Alien" Status

Gary DeLashmutt
1 Peter 2:4-10

Peter encourages the believers who are experiencing some persecution for following Jesus. He calls them to expect and embrace societal rejection, just as Jesus did while here on earth. He tells them to focus on their privileged status with God, because we have constant access to Jesus, through whom we are God's priests. We will never be disappointed that we trusted in Him and our opponents will ultimately fail. We are members of God's royal family, because we have received His mercy.

A Solid Foundation in All Circumstances

Chris Hearty
2 Timothy 2:8-26

Paul writes to Timothy to have hope in Christ, even if our circumstances our bad, reminding ourselves of our eternal salvation. He urges us to turn away from wickedness and watch out for false teachers. Lastly, Paul calls us to pursue a life of righteousness, peace, faith, and love so that we may be used as instruments to the Lord.

Parenting Rooted in the Word

Laura Stoddard
2 Timothy 2:8-26

As parents, when we are rooted in the Word, we can rest in the goodness of God, our new identity as his beloved child, and we have confidence in the direction God will give us. When we are rooted in in Him, we know have a loving God who will never leave us or forsake us, he communicates to us through the bible, and we know our needs will be met and we can grow. As we wrestle through these truths, we model for our children how to learn them as well.