Stone's Hill Community Church
Letters from Prison - Philippians
Our new series is called "Letters from Prison" - which is a study of Paul's prison epistles. One of these prison epistles is the book of Philippians. It's predominant theme is "joy." Have you ever talked to someone and they said to you, “I just want to be happy. I want to enjoy life. I want to be able to laugh again; to see the beauty that I’m now living. I just want my family to get along. I want my important relationships to work right. I want to understand life purpose better.” Quite honestly, we have probably all said these things to ourselves at one time or another. This series is for all of us who have ever had thoughts like this. It’s about releasing the tension that is already there and learning how not to create more relational tension going forward. It’s about refusing to allow circumstances to dominate our attitudes. And ironically enough, the words to Philippians were written by an incarcerated man! Welcome to Stones Hill Community Church and Online Notes!
Locations & Times
Stone's Hill Community Church - Ligonier Main Campus
151 W Stones Hill Rd, Ligonier, IN 46767, USA
Saturday 4:02 PM
We welcome you to Stone's Hill today!
A typical Stone's Hill service has music (feel free to sing out); some announcements (things that are upcoming that you can be a part of); a message out of the Bible (God speaks to us through his Word); and an opportunity for you to respond to the message (either immediately in the case of a decision that needs to be made OR in the future as you live out the message in your life.)
So relax and enjoy your morning! We're so glad you are here!
Letters from Prison
The key word is focus.
Here is how you focus.
Regarding Your Past – Forget It!
Forgetting what is behind… Are you carrying some major life regret? The scholarship you turned down? The error that cost your team the championship? The way you raised your child? The times you ignored your parents? Are you carrying some major life regret? The crime you committed? The date you went on? The move you made? The words you spoke? Will you just come to the Lord and respond to his love today?
Regarding Your Present – Live It!
But one thing I do… right now! When Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he didn’t sit there resting, thinking about all the things he couldn’t do because he was in jail or bemoaning all of his bad decisions in life. He wrote letters to churches. He dispatched messengers. He resolved problems. He built relationships. He enlarged the lives of those around him. He led Praetorian guards to Christ. Paul had a “can-do” spirit. He was surrounded by so many negative people at times. But he had settled the question of who he was going to live his life for.
Regarding Your Future – Seize It!
I press on toward the goal to win the prize… Paul said, “I’m not quitting. I’ve made some wrong turns in the race, but I’m on track now.” Your whole life is about one thing. Your whole life is pushed into one thing. As a result, you become a person of enormous energy and power. There will be times of exhaustion that will make you want to quit. There will be times when other runners make you mad enough to quit. There will be times when you feel that you can’t win anyway so you might as well quit. Stay in there anyway. Endurance or stamina is the key. Run for the satisfaction of knowing that you please your Master-Coach. And remember, Paul is in his senior years. There’s a lot of mileage on that body. But I don’t get a feeling that Paul is going to coast any.
Are you weak? -- Press on. Are you weary? -- Press on. Are you worried? -- Press on. Are you weeping? -- Press on. “Press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”