Issues In Perspective

What we think about is important to God: Paul continues his call for Peace with a directive & thorough description of 'the right thoughts' for Peace in one's mind.

Paul makes a Call for Peace: Peace in the Church and Peace in one's inner self, encouraging believers to have gratitude, be gentle with others, and to not be anxious.

"Future promises determine present behavior" - Paul reminds the church at Philippi that because one has accepted Christ as a Savior, our thoughts & actions will be shaped & molded by Him.

Paul encourages the people of Philippi to continue in pursuit of holiness & maturity as a Christian. He offers himself as a model to follow, warns of false teachers, and reminds them that their true citizenship is in Heaven.

Paul's words to the Philippians are a perfect summary of the basic Christian principle of Justification: Once we accept Christ as our Savior, we have a new position in Him & are declared righteous, and the process of defining & shaping our new lives begins.

Paul warns the Philippians of false teachers, and reminds them that the hope of salvation is not based on one's genealogy, flesh, or works; Salvation comes through faith in Christ.

Paul teaches us that because we are children of God, we are to live pure & faithful lives in a crooked world. In modern terms, we are instructed to "live what we are" because how we live matters.

Dr. Eckman leads discussion on a short verse with big implications in our Christian lives: "Do everything without complaining or arguing."

Paul tells the Church at Philippi to pursue God & to be obedient to Him, because God is already at work in the lives of His people, shaping their thoughts, desires, and actions.

Paul makes an appeal for unity amongst the church at Philippi which applies to us today: because of our Christian characteristics, we should have unity of mind, love, spirit, and purpose. Unfortunately, man's selfish ambitions get in the way, so we are encouraged to follow the example of the humble & selfless Jesus Christ.

In this study, we discuss this verse that characterizes the God's values of love & compassion, and how we are to model this in our own lives.

In today's study, we see how despite his imprisonment, Paul is determined & focused with an eternal view, and he encourages us to conduct ourselves in ways that are honorable to the Gospel.

Paul tells the church at Philippi that his imprisonment is not hindering the gospel in any way. He also speaks of those who preach with impure intentions: God blesses the message, but not the motives.

Discussion of Paul's powerful prayer for the Philippians, and how it reflects God's desire for each of us today: that as we love God, we gain knowledge & discernment, so that we may be pure & blameless, and righteous.

Dr. Eckman leads in-depth discussion of Philippians 1:6 - "?He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus", and discusses Paul's teachings of how God ultimately wants us to see people as He sees them.

Join us as we begin a new study of the book of Philippians. We begin with a historical overview of Paul's writings, and break down the significance of how Paul greets the people of Philippi in this letter.

Solomon encourages us to live responsible lives in our youth, to set the stage for later years. He then concludes with his guidance for living life: trust God, walk with him in Faith, and obey Him, because everything we do is important.

As we near the end of our study of Ecclesiastes, Solomon explains what a life of Faith, Trust, and Obedience to God should look like.

Solomon shares his message of God's providence as it relates to human joy: man cannot begin to comprehend God & his infinite power & wisdom, so we are to walk in faith, while trusting & obeying Him, and enjoy all the days of our lives.

Solomon discusses the relationship between God's sovereignty & human character, and begins sharing perspective on a wise person's relationship with government.

Dr. Eckman gives final thoughts on God's perspective regarding adversity & prosperity in our lives, then begins discussion on the relationship between God's sovereignty & human character.

In Chapter 7, Solomon tells us that God is the author of both adversity & prosperity, and He mingles them together throughout life. We are encouraged to trust God by being happy in 'good' times, and to consider the purpose behind seemingly 'bad' times.

Final thoughts on truly enjoying fruits of one's labor as a Christian, and begin discussion on the Providence of God and Wealth.

Dr Eckman leads discussion on man's inability to enjoy the fruits of our labors, and how it conflicts with man's understanding of God's Providence over all.

We continue discussion of the factors of life that seem to contradict God's providence in our lives. In today's study, Solomon addresses labor and man's inappropriate motivations to work hard.