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Much of the Christian life is learning to wait well and, more than anything, the process of waiting well for complete salvation and restoration through Jesus. Paul shows us worrying is a waste of time and the way we think determines how well we wait.

Paul’s goal is to “know Christ Jesus,” and he says everything else is “garbage” by comparison. May our sole goal be to walk so closely with Jesus that the way we see God, ourselves, and others is completely transformed and everything else is garbage.

What we respect is what we reflect. Paul tells us the more we begin to respect the attitudes and characteristics of those who are driven by the desires of Jesus, the more we begin to imitate those same attitudes and characteristics in our own lives.

As followers of Jesus, our actions matter, but Paul reminds us where our actions ought to flow from and what they ought to be for. The source of our transformed lives and actions is not our own tenacious effort, but the very work of God in us.

Paul tells us, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” He invites us to stand firm on an unshakable foundation—and to reframe our attitude to be as that of Jesus toward every situation and relationship.

Paul encourages us that, through Jesus, we can reframe the way we see the world, understanding that our struggles and setbacks can be used by God. Often the first step is lifting our eyes up from our situation to focus on how God is at work.

As Paul, who is writing from prison, begins his letter to the Philippians, he frames his entire life in confidence that no matter what he faces, God has purpose within it. Paul reveals a mindset that we, as believers, want to take hold of.

Forgiving Paul for how he persecuted believers in Christ, Barnabas gives a strong example of the fruit of forgiveness. Think of all those who came to know Jesus through Paul because Barnabas was willing to forgive him and stick up for him.

Like in Acts 18 where Priscilla and Aquila corrected Apollos in a gentle, humble manner as they “explained to him the way of God more adequately,” that should be our goal when we admonish one another.

Just as God has accepted us, we are to accept those who are different from us. By doing so, we share His love, bringing Him praise.

Hebrews 10:24 calls us to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and other good deeds.” Paul shows us what this means when, as he is preparing to leave, he encourages his friends in Ephesus to remain faithful and to follow his example.

We are to comfort one another with the hope we have in God, providing encouragement to remain true to the Lord.

Just as the lame beggar in Acts 3 was literally carried, we are to carry the physical and spiritual burdens of others so they can experience the restoration that comes only through Jesus.

Marriage is to be viewed in light of eternity. Seasons of marriage—good, bad, and bittersweet—will come and go, but marriage only finds its meaning when it is used to honor the Lord and enjoyed as a blessing from Him.

Marriage is meant to be a tangible expression of the unity between Christ and the Church, but it is a profound mystery. Because of this, the health of a marriage can make it easier or more difficult to understand God’s loving heart for His people.

Pastor and author Ben Stuart joins us to speak from God’s Word as he shares a message about marriage.

SE Online is more than a video—it is a community that we are advancing wherever God has placed us. We are to take advantage of our unique location. No matter the situation we find ourselves in, we are to be used by God for the good of our community.

Living the real life is a distinctive way to think about everyday things: encounters with people, successes, failures, and so on. When we live in Christ, peace is the dominant trait we have with life’s curveballs.

False teaching is one of the most common obstacles we face to living the real life in Christ. The mystery of the Gospel is that we are made alive in Him alone. Just as we received Christ by a mysterious miraculous power, so also do we live in Him.

Everyone is searching for their best life, trying to find meaning to life’s most important events. We know the real life is found in knowing Christ and having faith that in Him alone we are made perfect. It is what you are searching to find.