The following blog post contains notes and application questions from our December 9, 2018 message, Don't Worry... This Message Is for You. For more from this series, check out Philippians: To Live Is Christ.
Summary
As we wrap up our series “Philippians: To Live Is Christ,” Todd Wagner teaches through Philippians chapter 4. Philippians chapter 4 is home to some of the most frequently misquoted Bible passages in the entire Bible, and Todd teaches us how to battle worry and be content with the truth of Christ.
Key Takeaways
- One of the reasons folks avoid Watermark is because we ask you to become the church.
- The number one characteristic of people who have a good marriage is that they don’t get a divorce.
- Working through conflict is an all hands on deck event. It’s one of the most important things you can do as a follower of Christ.
- There is no reason ever to leave your spouse if you are a Christian.
- There is never a reason to not pursue unity and intimacy if you are a Christian.
- All conflict isn’t sin, but all sin leads to conflict.
- Every single mental illness is a spiritual problem. Not brain illness, but mental illness. There is a different between the two.
- “Worry does not empty today or tomorrow of its sorrow, but it empties today of its strength.” -Corrie Ten Boom
- 90% of all things people worry about never happen, and the other 10% are things they have no control over.
- Worry is asking for tomorrow’s grace today.
- People in terrible situations are better off than people who worry about being in a terrible situation.
- It’s amazing how uncomfortable people can be in comfortable situations when they are outside of God’s will, and it’s amazing how comfortable people can be in extremely uncomfortable situations when they are inside God’s will.
- Don’t just talk about things that are true and honorable and excellent...practice them!
- Never memorize a Bible verse. Memorize chunks of Bible so you don’t take Scripture out of context.
- Paul learned the secret of being content in all circumstances by being in a lot of circumstances and finding that Christ was enough in every single one of them.
- The Bible doesn’t promise you health and wealth and prosperity at all. It tells you you should rejoice when you face trials.
Questions for Reflection, Discussion, and Application
- Do you have any unresolved conflict in your life? A relationship that isn’t fully firing on all cylinders? Read through the Watermark Conflict Field Guide, and then reach out to the person you have conflict with and spend time together working through it.
- What in life are you most prone to worry about? Ask those closest to you what they think you are most prone to worry about? Are the answers the same? In the next week, what can you do to worry less and trust in the truth of Christ more?
- Have you ever quoted Philippians 4:8 or Philippians 4:13? Instead of reading, memorizing, or quoting either of those verses in isolation, read, memorize, and quote the entire chunk: Philippians 4:4-9, and/or, Philippians 4:10-13.
Mentioned or Recommended Resources
- Suggested Scripture study: Philippians 4:1-23; James 4:1-4, 5:7-9; Matthew 6:25-34; Isaiah 26:3; Psalm 101:3; Proverbs 20:21; Hebrews 5:7-9, 6:10
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- Real Truth Real Quick: Is it Okay for a Christian to Go to a Counselor?
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- Sermon Series: Philippians: To Live is Christ