Beyond Sunday - Philippians 2
Beyond Sunday, Week of August 11, 2024
“Joy Ride” Week 2, Philippians 2:1-16
“Living out our joy”
Thoughts: There is a great scene in the movie “Man of the House.” The lead character (played by Tommy Lee Jones) is asked, “Where’s your happy face?” With his stern, serious expression unchanged, and mockingly imitating his inquisitor’s southern drawl, he responds, “This is my happy face!”
Some, especially my family, might say that perfectly describes me. I am a serious person most of the time. So, this series has really gotten my attention. I am committed to training myself to be more joyful, to “live out” my joy as Pastor Lacey put it. Of the many excellent points Lacey presented, there were two that resonated most deeply with me. Others may have had more relevance for you, but mine were Lacey’s points 6—that we must control the patterns of our hearts and words, and 8—that we must hold tightly to God’s Word, to live out our joy.
Let’s look a little deeper into Scripture and learn more about what God has to say about living out our joy.
Read: Romans 12:2, Proverbs 4:23, 2 Corinthians 10:5
• I realized some years ago that we all carry on a silent conversation in our minds, talking to ourselves all the time. We sometimes say (think) things to ourselves that we would never say to a friend. I also realized that our thoughts control our emotions, and our emotions drive our actions.
o How has your relationship with Jesus, and your knowledge of God’s Word renewed or transformed your mind and your life?
• The Scriptures mention the heart almost 1,000 times. In essence, it identifies the heart as the source of our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and actions. How do you go about guarding your heart? Where is yours most vulnerable?
• How would you explain what it means, and what is involved in taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ? What kind of disobedient thoughts interfere with living out your joy?
Read: Luke 4:1-13, Hebrews 10:15-16, James 1:22-25
• What does that passage from Luke reveal to you about Jesus? What does it tell you about how we can fight off the attacks of the devil?
• What does it mean to you that God puts His laws in our hearts and writes them on our minds? What is our role/responsibility in that covenantal relationship?
Read: Mark 9:35, Hebrews 12:2, John 3:22-30, Matthew 5:14-16, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 4:1-6
• Lacey offered other keys to living out our joy: serving others; sacrificing anything that interferes with our relationship with Jesus; seeking God’s glory instead of our own; shining God’s light into the world; living humbly, in community with other Christ followers.
o Of those things, which if any do you need to do more of and/or differently to live out your joy?
o How can Rock Hills help?
Pray: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any way you could live out your joy more completely. Ask Him for the wisdom, courage, and strength to do whatever it takes to live more joyfully and walk closer with Jesus.
Next Steps:
• 21-Days of Prayer and Fasting is still going on. It is a wonderful way to connect with other Christ followers and to deepen your prayer life. To learn more and to sign up, click here.
“Joy Ride” Week 2, Philippians 2:1-16
“Living out our joy”
Thoughts: There is a great scene in the movie “Man of the House.” The lead character (played by Tommy Lee Jones) is asked, “Where’s your happy face?” With his stern, serious expression unchanged, and mockingly imitating his inquisitor’s southern drawl, he responds, “This is my happy face!”
Some, especially my family, might say that perfectly describes me. I am a serious person most of the time. So, this series has really gotten my attention. I am committed to training myself to be more joyful, to “live out” my joy as Pastor Lacey put it. Of the many excellent points Lacey presented, there were two that resonated most deeply with me. Others may have had more relevance for you, but mine were Lacey’s points 6—that we must control the patterns of our hearts and words, and 8—that we must hold tightly to God’s Word, to live out our joy.
Let’s look a little deeper into Scripture and learn more about what God has to say about living out our joy.
Read: Romans 12:2, Proverbs 4:23, 2 Corinthians 10:5
• I realized some years ago that we all carry on a silent conversation in our minds, talking to ourselves all the time. We sometimes say (think) things to ourselves that we would never say to a friend. I also realized that our thoughts control our emotions, and our emotions drive our actions.
o How has your relationship with Jesus, and your knowledge of God’s Word renewed or transformed your mind and your life?
• The Scriptures mention the heart almost 1,000 times. In essence, it identifies the heart as the source of our thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and actions. How do you go about guarding your heart? Where is yours most vulnerable?
• How would you explain what it means, and what is involved in taking captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ? What kind of disobedient thoughts interfere with living out your joy?
Read: Luke 4:1-13, Hebrews 10:15-16, James 1:22-25
• What does that passage from Luke reveal to you about Jesus? What does it tell you about how we can fight off the attacks of the devil?
• What does it mean to you that God puts His laws in our hearts and writes them on our minds? What is our role/responsibility in that covenantal relationship?
Read: Mark 9:35, Hebrews 12:2, John 3:22-30, Matthew 5:14-16, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Ephesians 4:1-6
• Lacey offered other keys to living out our joy: serving others; sacrificing anything that interferes with our relationship with Jesus; seeking God’s glory instead of our own; shining God’s light into the world; living humbly, in community with other Christ followers.
o Of those things, which if any do you need to do more of and/or differently to live out your joy?
o How can Rock Hills help?
Pray: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any way you could live out your joy more completely. Ask Him for the wisdom, courage, and strength to do whatever it takes to live more joyfully and walk closer with Jesus.
Next Steps:
• 21-Days of Prayer and Fasting is still going on. It is a wonderful way to connect with other Christ followers and to deepen your prayer life. To learn more and to sign up, click here.
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