When people in one nation move permanently to another nation in the modern world, there is often a clash of cultures. Old customs and behaviors have to be evaluated, and often changed, in order to fit in with one's new neighbors.

Christians in this...

Christian fellowship exhibits these qualities:

• Humility. Fellowship cannot exist without humility.
• Unity. Saints in the NT are those in unity with one another.
• Diversity. The Philippian believers, though as diverse as people could be,...

Joy can arise out of any circumstances. Joy appeared when Paul:

• Prayed for others (1:4). Paul took his eyes off his own circumstances and focused on the Philippians.
• Saw God's plan being fulfilled (1:18). Although other preachers were vying for...

The apostle Paul considered the advantages of both life and death:

If he remains here, he has a temporary residence, like a tent dweller.

If he departs to be with the Lord, he will have a permanent home.

If he remains here, he experiences suffering mixed...

People often ask why suffering is present in the lives of believers. Scripture teaches us at least three reasons:

1. Suffering draws us closer to God (Job 42:5, Ps. 119:67, 2 Cor. 4:10, Heb. 12:6). God knows that most of us cannot be trusted to...

Scripture describes Jesus's service to sinful humanity in the following ways:

1. He made himself of no reputation. Are you willing to sacrifice your reputation for the Gospel?
2. He took the form of a bondservant. Are you motivated to have the...

In the second half of chapter 2, Paul gives the Philippians three solid Christian role models to emulate:

• Paul, an example of selflessness (2:17, 18). He was selfless in the discipline of his own life. He was selfless in disciplining Timothy...

Paul lists seven reasons why he could have "confidence in the flesh" (3:4), or trust in following Jewish laws and practices.

1. He was circumcised the eighth day. The law required this for every Jewish boy, and Paul's parents complied with this...

In the early church, certain gifted pastor-teachers were given the title of "exhorter." They used their gift of exhortation to encourage and motivate their listeners toward holiness in their Christian walk. Unfortunately, the church today has...

To reduce stress in our lives, Christians should remember these facts about prayer:

• Prayer is meant to be a preventative more than a remedy. Prayer is to be our first thought, not our last thought.
• Prayer teaches us to depend...

During the final moments of a great performance in a concert hall, when the orchestra sounds the final notes and the music fades away, a brief silence engulfs the hall as listeners revel in the masterful work they have just experienced. The sense of...

• Learned Behavior. If we are waiting for contentment to "kick in," it never will. We lost our natural contentment when our first parents lost theirs in Eden. We must, like Paul, learn to be content in the same way babies learn to walk. We can learn...