Project: Philippians

(Phil. 1:13) Do you remember stereographs -- those crazy looking posters that used to be popular in the malls? You would walk past one and it would look like a jumble of random nonsense. But if you looked at it long enough and hard enough, and stared at it in just the right way, you would suddenly see an entirely new picture pop out at you in 3-D! All of a sudden, what looked at first like specks...

(Phil 1:13) One of my favorite things to do as a child was to go on "Scavenger Hunts". Have you ever been on one? Some thoughtful friend of yours would have to set it up: they would plant clues -- hide them all over the house or neigborhood -- and your job was to search for them, each clue leading to the next one, until finally, if you were persistent, you would reach the treasure at the end. Such...

(Phil 1:12) We're finally back in the book of Philippians after a long detour studying the biography of Paul. But that gigantic rabbit trail through Acts has led us back to the path, now, and has set the stage to help us understand this verse in a way you probably never have before. Today we're going to listen as Paul bears witness to how he has totally recalibrated his perspectinve on suffering a...

(Acts 28: 11-31) Winston Churchill is famously remembered to have said on one occassion, "This is not the end. This is not even the beginning of the end. But it is the end of the beginning."  In today's episode we come to an end of sorts. We have finally reached the end of the book of Acts and our little mini-tour with the Apostle Paul from Asia to Jerusalem to Rome. And we are going to disco...

(Acts 28:1-10) Have you ever read a biography before -- a story about someone's life? I love to read them because they are rarely ever boring. Imagine reading a biography about someone who literally never had any problems. What a dull book that would be! No, all the good stories (just like all the good lives) are filled with unexpected twists and precarious turns. That's what makes a story interes...

Today's episode is an intermission from our regular routine. I hope you don't mind, but I chose to take a short break from our normal cadence of podcast recordings to reminisce about a dear saint who gave me life and taught me the way that I should go. I was on a road trip to my hometown of SLO, quietly remembering my mother's passing, earlier this year. And so I thought it might be appropriate to...

(Acts 27:27-44) In our last episode, we heard the first of Paul's "speechlets" to the crew of this ill-fated ship beset by the Mediterranean "Nor' easter". Today we will hear two more of Paul's little speeches, and we will be reminded once again of Paul's commanding and resonant voice. But more than that, we will learn from his example that when someone fully surrenders their life to the Creator o...

(Acts 27:1-26) I'll never forget the time I went on a white-water rafting trip... and fell off the boat into the rapids! I was sucked under the boat into those turbulent waters, and I wasn't sure how I would get back out. Or even if I would. It was a terrifying moment, I'll be honest. But I look back on it now as a moment where I saw the hand of God on my life. There is something about the sheer p...

(Acts 26) I have two children that are passing through the Middle School/early High School years, and one thing I can tell you about most kids that age: they are keenly aware of what other people think about them. And, you know what? I think it's pretty normal for adolescent children to be hyper-sensitive to the judgement of their peers. But here's the problem: a lot of us never outgrow that. It's...

(Acts 25-26) Today we're going to hear Paul's testimony one more time. This is the third time in Luke's historic text that this story is recounted, so it is clearly an important theme to him. As we read it, I think you'll see why: it represents, in compact form, the story of the dawn of all Christianity: a light from heaven that shines down and transforms self-confident sinners into self-sacrifici...

(Acts 25) Have you ever gone to an art museum and stood in front of an awe-inspiring work of art -- a beautiful portrait, perhaps? If so, has it ever occurred to you that artwork like that doesn't just give you a view of the subject? If you look closely enough, you can see through the painting to the artist on the other side. In fact, if the artist was a true master, you can often look through the...

(Acts 24) Sticks and Stones can break your bones, but words ... can rip you to shreds ! That's not exactly how the nursery rhyme goes, but it's more accurate, don't you think? Nothing hurts worse than bearing the brunt of ridicule and false accusations. It has been the weapon of bullies throughout the ages. And, as a matter of fact, it is the single most devastating weapon of the ultimate Bully: t...

(Acts 23) Are you still young enough to enjoy roller coasters? I'll have to admit, the older I get, the less my rattley ol' brain can endure those metal mountains. But once in awhile I decide to "man up" and accompany my children on one of the wild rides. And I have to say: whether or not you consider them "fun", you can definitely admit that they certainly are exhillerating! Of course, the best r...

(Acts 22-23) ~~~~ I'd love to hear from you! KevinMote@live.com. Music: "Most Holy Place," by Doug Beiden. https://www.beidenmusic.com/music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(Acts 21-22) Imagine working on a grand ambition for years, painstakingly pressing on towards a goal despite repeated warnings and setbacks. And then imagine finally attaining to your ultimate objective, only to watch it collapse and crumble before your very eyes. That was the experience of the Apostle Paul when he finally set foot in Jerusalem. His dream of uniting the church through a generous o...

(Phil 1:12; Acts 18-20) Have you ever had a teacher that you got to know as a friend outside of class? If you did, I'll bet it transformed the way you listened during the classroom lessons. There's something about knowing your teacher personally that really makes you appreciate their teaching all the more. In the same way, to really understand Philippians, we need to spend some more time getting t...

(Philippians 1:1-11) If you've ever gone hiking in steep hills or mountains you know that it's often easy to be so focused on the trail right in front of your boots that you forget to pause occasionally, look up, and survey the beautiful vista of the terrain you've already covered. So today I want to do just that: In this episode we're going to take a break from our normal routine of "close readin...

 (Phil 1:11) Years ago I lived near a fruit orchard. It was one of my favorite places to visit on my daily runs. I still remember the joyful pleasure of jogging up and down the rows of those gorgeous trees, especially near harvest season. The splendid beauty and aroma of those fully-laden fruit trees always had a way of bringing peace to my soul and a smile to my face. Those hallowed halls be...

(Phil 1:10b) The end of the race. The end of the road. The end of life as we know it. There is a moment of time on the edge of the horizon -- but approaching closer with each passing breath -- that will be the final curtain call for this groaning universe. It will be a day of finality: the day when cement will finally be poured into the forms that we have been shaping and building all our lives. I...

(Phil 1:10a) Strap on your archaeologist hat and grab your pick ax, because we are going to be digging for treasures today! We are going to pull out every excavation tool in our treasure hunter's toolbox, and we'll be digging deep. But, trust me, I'm confident you will find that this dig is worth the effort and sweat. I believe today's episode contains one of the most important insights that I've...

 (Phil 1:9b) What if Jesus invited you on a backpacking trip, would you want to go? I know I sure would! But what if he said that this was going to be a 10-week excursion up the most challenging mountain range in the world? What if He told you it was going to be the hardest thing you've ever done, but then he assured you that the view from the top would make it all worthwhile? Would you be wi...

(Phil 1:9a) Today I just want to take a seat on the bench next to Paul and listen in as he demonstrates that activity that I believe was the beating heart of his ministry and the real power behind his explosive apostolic influence: PRAYER.I believe it is critical for me to pay close attention to his prayers because, whatever was on Paul's heart and mind when he bent his knees and turned his soul t...

In honor of the Christmas holiday, I'm taking a break from our normal trek through Philippians to bring you something entirely different... I'd like to share with you a play I wrote years ago, inspired by the extraordinary events in the hills outside Bethlehem on the original Christmas night. Although fictionalized, this account is drawn from my research into the story and background of the Bethle...

I am convinced that one of the main differences between a thriving, flourishing, life-filled Christian, and one who is just barely surviving, comes down to the presence or absence of spiritual soul-mates. But where do friendships like that come from? They are forged in the fox-holes and battlefields of life. Today we will discover that one of the secrets of Paul's own power and effectiveness in mi...

(Phil 1:7-8) Today I want to point out for you an element of Paul's character that you may never have seen in him before. And, my friend, it is critical that we get a very clear picture of it because it just may be the single-most important missing ingredient from the lives of Christians (and especially Christian men) in out country today. It is a character quality that is stunning and beautiful t...