Topic > Christian Living
Practicing radical acts of kindness
Today on Discover the Word, the group encourages us to practice radical acts of kindness in Jesus’s name. It’s a discussion based on a letter the apostle Paul wrote from prison, to a friend, about a friend. We’re studying the book of Philemon, today on Discover the Word!
Embracing conflict in a godly way
No one likes conflict, but running from conflict can be as unhealthy and dangerous as stirring it up! Today on Discover the Word, the group encourages us to embrace conflict in a godly way. The discussion’s centered in the little New Testament letter to Philemon. But don’t let the size of this letter fool you, […]
All of Me
Young Isaac Watts found the music in his church sadly lacking, and his father challenged him to create something better. Isaac did. His hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” has been called the greatest in the English language and has been translated into many other languages.
Watts’s worshipful third verse ushers us into the presence of Christ at the crucifixion.
See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
The crucifixion Watts describes so elegantly stands as history’s most awful moment. We…
Praying for others
When a serious need comes up at home or around the world, have you ever felt powerless to do anything about it? Well, there’s One who can intervene in any circumstance! And today on Discover the Word, we return to Paul’s letter to Philemon to see what he says about praying for others. How much […]
4 Questions God Asked Me When I Got Attached
For some seven years of my life, I longed to be in a romantic relationship almost every single day. I imagined that a relationship would bring me someone who truly knew and loved me, and vice versa.
“Plea from a Friend”
Today on Discover the Word, we will kick off the second week of their conversation about the apostle Paul’s fascinating first-century letter to his friend Philemon. It’s a fairly short letter with a big message. This week’s discussions focus on a “Plea from a Friend,” so be part of the group on Discover the Word!
Confessions of a Single Guy
“When I was a child, I saw adults dating. When I became an adult, I saw children dating.” I laughed when I saw these words on a meme while scrolling through Instagram.
Wholehearted!
Caleb was a “wholehearted” person. He and Joshua were part of a twelve-man reconnaissance team that explored the Promised Land and gave a report to Moses and the people. Caleb said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it” (Num. 13:30). But ten members of the team said they couldn’t possibly succeed. In spite of God’s promises, they saw only obstacles (Num. 13:31–33).
Ten men caused the people to lose heart and grumble against God, which led to forty years of wandering in the desert. But Caleb never quit. The Lord said, “Because…
Finding common ground
Have you ever gotten caught in a dispute between two friends? It’s tough to be in the middle, and hard to avoid the pressure to take a side. But as we’ll see today on Discover the Word, when the apostle Paul was stuck in the middle of a situation like that, he focused on common […]
The Land of “What Is”
Even all these years after losing our seventeen-year-old daughter Melissa in a car accident in 2002, I sometimes find myself entering the world of “What If.” It’s easy, in grief, to reimagine the events of that tragic June evening and think of factors that—if rearranged—would have had Mell arriving safely home.
In reality, though, the land of “What If” is not a good place to be for any of us. It is a place of regret, second-guessing, and hopelessness. While the grief is real and the sadness endures, life is better and God is honored if we dwell in the world…
The Determination to Serve
Jesus also said, “Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27). Paul’s idea of service was the same as our Lord’s— “. . . ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5). We somehow have the idea that a person called to the ministry is called to be different and above other people. But according to Jesus Christ, he is called to be a “doormat” for others— called to be their spiritual leader, but never their superior. Paul said, “I know how to be abased . . .” (Philippians 4:12). Paul’s idea of service was to pour his life out to the last drop for others. And whether he received praise or blame made no difference.
A heart for prayer
What’s the point of prayer? Today on Discover the Word, we will discuss Paul’s heart for prayer and how it fueled his heart for others. It’s a conversation that comes out of our look at Paul’s letter to his friend Philemon—a short note, with a big message. Don’t miss a second of the conversation that […]
The Discipline of Spiritual Perseverance
Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen. Perseverance means more than just hanging on, which may be only exposing our fear of letting go and falling. Perseverance is our supreme effort of refusing to believe that our hero is going to be conquered. Our greatest fear is not that we will be damned, but that somehow Jesus Christ will be defeated. Also, our fear is that the very things our Lord stood for— love, justice, forgiveness, and kindness among men— will not win out in the end and will represent an unattainable goal for us.
A letter from Paul
Don’t you love getting mail from a friend? When you see a loved one’s name on the return address, or in your e-mail inbox, you’re filled with joy and anticipation. And today on Discover the Word, we’ll hear about a personal letter the apostle Paul wrote to Philemon—from one friend to another. But it was […]
