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Q3. (Joshua 1:6-8) What kinds of things might Joshua be tempted to fear if he were to allow himself to dwell on his anxieties? What does it mean to "be strong and very courageous"? What is the distinction between weakness and strength in Joshua's situation? What is the relationship between fear and faith? Can you be courageous and still be fearful? Joshua was no doubt unsettled by the prospects of facing strong hostile armies – military actions that would surely involve significant risk. There was also the question of crossing the Jordan River while it was in flood; it was a time when the river, being a rapid river, overflowed its banks (Joshua 3:15). If this was not daunting enough, he was told to lead his people. They were an obstinate people – grumbling about food, water, safety, and rules. Questioning Moses’ leadership, threatening to stone him, and even rebelling against God Himself. So, leading the Israelites out of the wilderness would be a massive task with great responsibility. He was, however, a man of great faith and courage, determined to obey God no matter what. Any uncertainty was replaced by boldness and purpose. He placed his faith in God, the One who had never let the people down. Joshua fully expected the Lord to be true to His word again and deliver them to the Promised Land. He would encounter giants and fortified cities, but God’s presence would make all the difference. Joshua probably had times when he felt weak, inadequate, and frightened. But God knew all about his feelings of personal weakness and fear and told Joshua three times - Be strong and courageous. God also urged him not to be afraid or discouraged. Joshua’s courage was based upon years of seeing God’s faithfulness and upon His Word. In the end it was the assurances of God – God’s promise, God’s power, and God’s presence that give him the strength to be victorious. The Lord pledged that He would be with the Israelites in the new land, never leaving or forsaking them. God promised to take care of the enemy before the Israelites arrived. They still faced battles, but He assured them of victory if they had faith and obeyed Him. When we put our trust or faith in our own resources or the abilities of someone else rather than in God, then we expose ourselves to all sorts of fears or anxieties. In doing so, we are governed by fear rather than faith. Yes, we can be courageous and still be fearful. It is only when we trust our Lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding that faith replaces fear. He has not given us a spirit of fear. Instead, He intends for us to live with His power, His love, and His self-control. Like Joshua, we face daily obstacles that seem to push our faith to the breaking point. And yet, it is in the throes of adversity that God perfects our faith (James 1:2-4). When we refuse to follow Him into risky situations, the results can be devastating to our spiritual growth. We must remember, that through Jesus, our spiritual battle has already been won. Our redemption has been eternally secured, our place in God’s family permanently established, and our heavenly inheritance guaranteed.

Q2. (Joshua 1:5b) Why is God's promise to be always with Joshua so important to him? Why is this promise so important to you in your present situation? If God is with you, what limitations do you have? Joshua knew he faced a massive and dangerous task, but he also knew that it was God’s command that had to be obeyed. God never gives impossible commands. Just the fact that He commands it is proof that He will make it possible. Without God’s promise of help it would have been a daunting task. He must have felt tremendous encouragement in knowing that the Lord will never leave him nor forsake him. What a promise! A promise of Divine presence, protection, and blessing throughout his life! It is the same with us. What peace and comfort we receive knowing our Heavenly Father is always near and that He will never abandon us. He will be there with us through thick and thin; through all our trials and temptations. What joy to know His unfailing faithfulness and feel His love. Having God on our side, there can be no limitations. He is infinite and sovereign. Perfect and all powerful in every way. Nothing whatsoever takes place apart from His plan and His rule.

Q1. (Joshua 1:3) In what way is God's promise to Joshua, "I will give you every place where you set your foot," a conditional promise? What's wrong with a faith that consists primarily of the philosophy: "If God wants me to have it He will give it to me"? What areas that God has promised you that you must press forward to receive? God’s promise to Joshua is conditional in that it demands Joshua to act in faith, to put his trust in God. This promise, to take possession of the Promised Land, was made hundreds of years ago to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and God always fulfills His promises. Our Heavenly Father is always faithful, He never forgets, He never makes mistakes, and His timing is always perfect. God has made the promise, now it is up to us to possess it. We cannot be passive about it; we must actively pursue whatever the Lord has promised us. We must remember it is not what we are, but what He is! It is the same with God’s grace, although a free gift, we must claim it. It all requires a faith that actively seeks God’s will. We are assured of success when we fill our hearts and minds with His Word and at the same time obeying it.

Q4. (4:19-20) In this context, what is the condition that must be met for the promise to be valid? What is the limit of the fulfillment of the promise? In your own words, what does the promise mean to you? This promise is dependent on our giving of our resources for His Kingdom work. As we give, out of what He has freely given us, He will give back to us and supply every need of ours, abundantly, overpoweringly, overwhelmingly. There is no limit to the riches in Christ Jesus. To me, this promise means that my Lord will supply all I need, and not all I want. So often my wants go far beyond my needs, and I trust Him fully to supply what is best for me. He has never let me down and I can truly say He has supplied all my needs!

Q3. (4:14-16) How were the Philippians' financial gifts credited to their heavenly account, do you think? How was their giving linked to temporal blessings? Whatever is given or done to the Lord’s servants is given and done to the Lord. As believers we are representatives of our King and it is our privilege to speak and act for Him. We do it all out of the love for our Lord, and not because of anything we might receive – it is a way of expressing our love for Jesus. Besides, our Lord Himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Our deeds might not always be appreciated and we will experience opposition, and rejection. However, none of this kindness will go unnoticed and all acts of compassion will be rewarded. There will be eternal rewards, but even here on earth God will be glorified, and by our giving we will be enriched to give even more.

Q2. (4:11-13) What is the basis of Paul's contentment? Does this contentment undermine ambition? What is necessary for us to achieve this kind of contentment? The basis of Paul’s contentment is his setting his mind on things above – on our Lord Jesus. This does not undermine any ambition we might have. I think it would have just the opposite effect, with our minds focused on Christ and not on earthly things, all things are possible in His power. To achieve this contentment, we need to rely completely on our Heavenly Father. Christ is the source of our strength, and He will provide, as He thinks best for us.

Q1. (4:11-12) How can a "prosperity doctrine" threaten Christian ministry? To what prime motivation in us does such a teaching often appeal? In balance, what does the Bible teach about poverty and riches? We have a natural strong desire for things of this world, and the more we have, the more we crave. So, any “prosperity doctrine” raises our hopes, but if we don’t prosper, we feel hard done by, and our faith suffers and we feel neglected by God. Besides, when is enough-enough – we will want more money, bigger and more luxurious houses, faster and better cars, etc., etc.? Nothing in the world can make a discontented person happy. Our Lord Jesus warned us in Luke 12:15: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Here Jesus warns us against the dangers of greed, and He also warned us many times about the dangers of riches. Today a person is measured by their wealth, by what he has, and not by what he is. Knowing that our Lord is in control, we should be content with whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

Q4. (4:8) Why is mind control necessary for success? For mental and spiritual peace? What have you decided to focus on instead of your anxieties? How is this working for you? We are what we think. It is when we have feelings of worthlessness, bitter resentment, and self-pity that our self-image and perspective on life becomes distorted and blurred. We live in an evil world, and it does not help us as Christians, to be filling our minds and hearts with such things. The opposite of this is also true. When we fill our minds with positive things our life becomes more meaningful. I never thought of this before, but all the virtues mentioned here are found in our Lord Jesus Christ! Everything that is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy is found in Him. We need something to think upon that will clean up our minds – we need to spend more time with the Word of God. The only way to grow spiritually is to spend time in the Word of God - it is the Word that reveals Jesus Christ. Knowing that our Lord is in control gives us mental and spiritual peace. So, instead of any anxieties, I will remain focused on my Saviour Lord Jesus Christ. This is the key to godly living - godly thinking.

Q3. (4:7) How does make our requests known to God help build a relationship and trust? What is God's part in the promise of peace? When we make our requests known to God, we are letting Him know that we are putting our trust in Him - in His power, love, promises, truth, and wisdom. We are telling Him that we acknowledge His sovereignty and that we know He is working everything together for His glory and our good. To me the bottom line for all my decisions is trust and obey, and that dependence on God is central to an abundant life. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-6). His wisdom is given to those who look to Him, lean on Him, and rely on Him. The more we depend on our Father for instruction, strength, hope, and guidance, the more abundantly He confers on us His divine wisdom. Trusting Him with all our heart means giving Him control over our families, finances, jobs, and everything else. We tend to worry about anything and everything – pressures of daily life, and the uncertainty about the future. But this is a useless, and weak way to bear the burdens of life and especially of the future, ourselves, and alone. The Christian answer is confident prayer, with thanksgiving, which results in “the peace of God which surpasses all understanding” that will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Q2. (4:6) How is a request in prayer altered by the presence of thanksgiving in the prayer? How does thanksgiving affect our faith as we pray? Thanksgiving is an attitude of heart which should always accompany our prayers. When we go to God with a request, we are to thank Him right then and there, knowing that we deserve nothing but wrath, and that our Heavenly Father will answer by providing what is best for us, and in His own time. We might be inclined to think that our Lord does not answer our prayers because we did not get what we requested. The fact that we did not get it, is an answer – God said no – does not necessarily mean God does not answer prayers. In time to come we will realize that it was the best answer! We need to count our blessings, remember what He has done in our lives, and how He embraces us with His loving-kindness. We acknowledge His love, and faithfulness when we add thanksgiving to our prayers. It also admits that we trust Him fully to be able to answer our prayers.

Q1. (4:4-5) Is rejoicing in the Lord a feeling or an action? How should you seek to fulfil this command if you don't feel like it? What is the effect of rejoicing? To rejoice in the Lord is an action, a commandment given to a Christian. It does not depend on how we are feeling at any moment or what we are going through at that given moment. So, irrespective of whether life is difficult or just plain sailing, and even if there are problems or temptations, we are commanded to rejoice always. Paul even repeats it: “I will say it again: Rejoice!” Joy is something we cannot produce ourselves; it is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing which was promised to those who abide in Christ, and is independent of circumstances. This is because it rests in God’s sovereign control of all things. The joy of the Christian is not a passing quality. Rejoicing is not to be reserved for special times of worship or praise - it is a continuous rejoicing. Unlike the world which is always trying to produce joy, which they call happiness - by using money, power, sex, alcohol, drugs and whatever. We only need to think of all the things God has given us to enjoy – that is to rejoice. The more we know God, the easier it is to rejoice. It is only when we have little knowledge of Him that we find it difficult to rejoice. We rejoice in the Lord, that is, because of our oneness with Christ. We rejoice knowing that God is always at work for the good of those who loves him (Rom 8:28). We know our Lord has risen and that He reigns, and we thank Him for our salvation won by Him for us. All of this brings us, in appreciation, closer and closer to our Saviour.

Q4. (3:18-21) Why is recognizing and affirming your citizenship and allegiance vital to discipleship? How does it keep us from the temptations outlined in verses 18 and 19? What are the dangers of a church combining and confusing the concepts of temporal patriotism with a Christian's true citizenship? We have to remain focused on Kingdom things, not allowing earthly things to become more important and eventually distract us. Things of the flesh like food, clothing, honour, comfort, sex, money, and pleasure, should be taking a back-seat. Once these things take root, we carry on as if we are going to live on earth forever. They are grounded into our lifestyles and not easily shaken off. Jesus emphasized that His true followers, the citizens of God’s kingdom, were to be entirely different from others. In Matthew 6:8a, Jesus told us: “Do not be like them.” As Christians, we are not to follow the example of people around us, but rather from Him, and so prove to be genuine children of our Heavenly Father. This will keep us protected from the earthly temptations since we have a completely different value-system, ethical standard, attitude to money, ambition, and mind-set – all of which are totally at variance with those of the non-Christian world. I try to remember that we are to shine like lights in the prevailing darkness. There is no time for complacency, we are all sinners by nature, and we are on a slippery slope and can easily give in to worldly values – becoming enemies of the Cross of Christ.

Q3. (3:17) How can Paul be so bold as to ask others to imitate him? Why are we so hesitant to do this? How does God use imitation in building disciples? Who is likely to imitate you? Paul was focused on becoming more and more Christlike, and it was this pattern he was asking others to follow. Paul has confessed his limitation, so he is pleading for people to follow him not in his failures and limitations, not in his achievements, but in that which really matters - being laid hold of by Christ Jesus. I think we should be careful in designating oneself as an example, since we make ourselves vulnerable, setting ourselves up for failure. One has to be either extremely arrogant, or transparently humble to project oneself as a model. There are too many arrogant people in the world who tell us that they have arrived and we would do well to follow them. Superstars and the super successful are presented as models, and if we use the products they advertise we will be like them. Rarely does a call to imitate come from the humble. In Jesus Christ we have the perfect example to follow - “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps (1 Peter 2:21).” Certain great men of God can become a great inspiration to us. There are so many but I think of people like Andrew Murray, Charles H Spurgeon, John Calvin, and of course Paul himself. Who is likely to imitate me? I’m not sure. All I can say is that if others can perhaps see just a tiny glimpse of our Lord in me – that would be my greatest compliment.

Q2. (3:14) What is it like to be called upwards by God? Have you ever experienced this? What causes God's call to become dim in our hearing? How can we renew our hearing of His call? What is the content or specifics of this message or summons or call? Like being “up in the clouds” - a most wonderful feeling; one that changed my life, and brought me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9), The busyness of daily life dims our hearing. This is a warning sign to get back into the Word. The upward call of God in Christ Jesus includes all the purposes that God had in mind in saving us. It includes salvation, conformity to Christ, joint-heirship with Him, a home in heaven, and numberless other spiritual blessings. What motivates us is to hear the Lord’s own “Well done!”, and the crown of righteousness we will be awarded on that Day. We read in 1 Corinthians 2:9: “However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.”

Q1. (3:13) How can the past get in the way of our quest to know Christ? What do you need to "forget" so that you may focus on Christ today and tomorrow? Is there forgiving you need to do so you can grow in Christ? There are many things of the past that we can dwell on, that may hinder our effort to know Christ better. They have the power to lock us into the past. We need to forget these things and hand them over to our Heavenly Father in confession and faith, knowing that He has put them away and has forgotten them. For example, our despair over past sins, which can make us doubt if we will ever be forgiven, or they can give rise to feelings of defeatism. We can easily harbour a persistent bitterness about past wrongs against us. Then there is a bereavement that can sometimes make believers live in the past. Looking backward we can easily focus on own unfaithfulness, our disobedience, and even our past coldness, deadness, and dullness – the little zeal we had for the Lord. However, I feel we need to put not only our sins and failures behind us, but also our attainments and successes; for pride has a way of getting in the way forward. Paul made a break with everything in his past, both good and bad. Religious achievements, virtuous deeds, great successes in ministry, as well as sins, missed opportunities, and disasters must all be forgotten. They do not control the present or the future, therefore we need to forget and remain focused on our Lord Jesus Christ. We have so much to look forward to – the crown of victory, our eternity with our Saviour, and the joys of heaven. Fortunately, I have done all the forgiving I needed to do, and it is all in the past, and I look forward to a closer relationship with my Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

Q4. (3:8-10) What does it mean to "know" Christ? Does this mean to have faith? Or to have a personal relationship? Is it possible to have a personal relationship with Christ without faith? Is it possible to have faith without a personal relationship? Where are you on your quest to know Christ? To know Christ is to participate in His sufferings, and to gain practical day-by-day acquaintance with Him, in such an intimate way that we would become more Christlike. Yes, to know Christ, does mean that we have to put our trust in Him, and have a close personal relationship with Him as well. We are in a right relationship with Him because of our faith. It is through this faith in Christ that we receive our righteousness. Without faith in our Lord, and without trusting Him for who He is, we can never have a personal relationship with Him. Yes, it would be possible to have faith without a personal relationship with our Lord. But, as we mature as Christians, our relationship with Jesus will grow more and more. In the end we find ourselves acknowledging Him in everything we do. I feel I have a good relationship with Jesus Christ, but I hunger for more! I long to know Him better and better.

Q3. (3:9) How does righteousness obtained through faith differ from righteousness obtained through law observance? How seriously does righteousness by law observance infect your congregation? Society's view of Christianity in general? Why is this concept of justification or righteousness by faith so difficult to grasp? The righteousness obtained through the law is a ‘do-it-yourself’ type of righteousness; it is through self-effort or personal good works. It is like issuing ourselves with a ‘certificate of good behaviour’, and for all practical purposes has no value before God. We can never hope to live a life without sinning. In contrast, the righteousness obtained on the basis of faith is the means of receiving the gracious free gift of righteousness. We accept that this righteousness comes to us through our Lord Jesus’ death on the Cross for our sins. We abandon works and efforts and we stop trying to save ourselves. I think it is so difficult for us to handover all to Jesus, we want to be in control and the world as such does not see Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Besides the world is so hostile and rebellious towards God (Romans 8:7), that the concept of righteousness is totally foreign to them.

Q2. (3:2-6) Why isn't Paul merely neutral about his religious pedigree? Why does he consider it loss, dung, an obstacle? In what way could your religious background be an impediment to your faith? He is warning the Philippians against the Judaizers. These false teachers who sought to put Christians under the laws of Judaism and taught that righteousness could be attained by keeping the Jewish laws and rituals. He lists his religious pedigree to show that his credentials are the best of the best, yet they are worth nothing in God’s eyes. Human achievement, no matter how impressive, cannot earn our salvation or eternal life with our Lord. Ancestry, nationality, culture, education, religion, or any personal accomplishments can be a hindrance to our faith. In order to gain Christ, we might have to turn our backs on the things we prize most highly.

Q1. (3:2-6) How does "confidence in the flesh" show up in your congregation? Have you ever struggled with it? We often see it when our sinful nature takes over. By putting our confidence in the flesh, we are putting our confidence in self - the same self that seeks to justify itself, resulting in self-effort, self-complacency, and self-importance. It is the opposite of the humble Christian who realises that they have nothing in which to glory, save the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and who have no confidence in themselves, but wholly rest upon the unmerited grace of God. In the flesh we have human ability apart from God, and it cannot do anything to please God - it is more concerned with gratifying the desires of the corrupt nature. As Christians we are not to walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we will be empowered to love God and neighbour, and that we become more occupied with the Word, prayer, worship, Christian service, and things eternal. Yes, when I have tried to do things my way and in my own time. Especially, when done without first praying and asking my Lord’s help and advice about any decision I have made. Something done in haste – normally resulting in not the planned consequences.

Q4. From what you've read in Philippians so far, what seems to be the Philippian church's chief problem? How does Paul's description of Timothy's character speak to this problem? How does Paul's call to honour men like Epaphroditus speak to this problem? In Timothy the church has a man who shows genuine and anxious concern for the welfare of others. He demonstrates a peculiarly Christian virtue, that of selflessness, affirming the presence of Christ within. This is what our Lord Jesus said of himself, "Learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart." Here the problem might be one of other members taking advantage of Timothy. Using him to forward their own hidden agendas. Then there is Epaphroditus, a man of a completely different temperament from Timothy. Paul calls him brother, fellow worker, fellow soldier, messenger, and minister. This all points to a man who is most helpful in many tasks, a faithful labourer, a man with selfless concern for others. The only problem I can see here is one of jealousy. The other congregation members might feel Epaphroditus is getting too much attention and feel left out, and try and undermine the work he does.

Q3. (2:22) What is the significance of serving Jesus as a "slave" as opposed to serving him as a preference? What does it say about the quality of our service? Of our commitment? What is wrong with leaders who serve out of preference? We owe our all to Jesus. Once I realised the enormity of His sacrifice and humiliation, I take on the most menial jobs not seeking attention on myself. I serve Him with the mind of a slave and of a creature of His. Knowing I’m doing it for Him I try and give 100%. We have to be careful of only wanting to serve Him with those jobs that are in the limelight – we must question our motives.

Q2. (2:22) Who has come alongside you to teach you? What potential leader in your church needs someone to come alongside them? Do you have a person or two that you are mentoring "as a son with a father" or "a daughter with a mother"? I have no experience of the above and can therefore not comment. I must say I would have loved to have had a mentor in my youth, but it was not to be. Our Lord had planned a different route for me becoming a believer very late in life.

Q1. (2:19-21) Why was Timothy's selfless concern so rare among church leaders? Rather than pointing the finger at others in your church, consider yourself. What things has Jesus had to deal with in your life that has helped you to become genuinely selfless and focused on the concerns of others? How has he refined you? (Of course, he is still at work in us!) Jesus mentions (Luke 8:14) about people being choked by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures. People become so engrossed with the cares of this life that there is no time for the things of Jesus Christ. I see Timothy as an example of selflessness – his life not being choked by side issues, and truly caring for the spiritual condition of the Philippians. This is a high commendation for one as young as Timothy. In the beginning of my Christian walk, in all ignorance, I placed Christians on a pedestal, and looked upon them as being kind and gentle, and not prone to sin. But upon discovering that churches were not much different from tennis clubs and having been ill-treated, and experienced the normal in-fighting, jealousies, and gossiping that was going on. I could not believe it, and this made me very critical of churches, and saw Christians as very poor examples of our Lord – never looking at myself to see an even poorer example! Only when I had matured a bit and had studied the Word did I begin to realise that we are all sinners saved by grace, and we are all at different stages of this walk in life, did I start overlooking the faults of others and became more critical of my own. He has started refining me in not be judgmental at all and rather to look inwards at my own faults. To work at becoming more Christ like and to pray for others rather that criticizing them.

Q4. (2:17) You have gone through struggles and obstacles to your faith. If you were to look at your sufferings as a "drink offering" poured out before God, how does that honour God? How does that bring value to your struggles? When we struggle, we are to put our trust in our Lord, knowing that whatever He allows to occur is always for our best will, and at the same time is character-building. All will be able to see a practical example of our faith at work bringing glory and honour to God. This will be coupled with a life of obedience, holiness, and witnessing.

Q3. (2:16) In what sense are we Christians to "hold fast" the Word of Life? In what sense are we to "hold forth" this Word of Life? How does this relate to the purpose of the church? As believers and churches we ‘hold fast’ the Word of Life, and our lights shine in this dark world. This Word is the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, and not any ‘feel good message.’ We are warned (Rev 22:18-19) not to purposely distort this message - we are to handle this Word of Life with care and great respect. We are not only to ‘hold fast’, but we are also to ‘hold forth’ the Word of Life by proclaiming the gospel to the lost world. Our message is a living message - those who hear and believe it, are made alive. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12)”. Jesus said in John 5:24: "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life”. “He who hears My Word, crosses from death to life”, means not only to listen to it, but also to receive it, to believe it, and to obey it. Many people hear the gospel preached, but do nothing about it. It is up to us as believers and churches to convince the world, in love, that Jesus is indeed the Saviour of the world.