First Timothy

First Timothy.  The Holy Bible.  New King James Version.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

The Bible includes two letters from Paul to his protégé, Timothy.  Timothy traveled extensively with Paul on his missionary journeys and sometimes served as his messenger.  Timothy is mentioned in several of Paul’s letters and in the book of Acts.

At the time of this letter, Timothy was serving as a pastor at Ephesus.  Though there were many Christians in Ephesus, they met in small, home-based groups.  In this sense, Timothy was more a pastor to pastors.  Paul wrote to him with encouragement and instruction.

Paul opens his letter with a theme that occurs in many others: doctrinal purity and false teachers.  Then, as now, there were people who wanted to draw followers, fame and fortune to themselves and found an opportunity in religion.  They presented themselves as scholars discriminating the finer points of the law and engaged in disputations.  Mostly, they sold what was selling and lived immorally, making excuses for themselves.  Paul encouraged his disciple to stick to the Gospel he had received.

Because of this, Paul gave instructions about who would make suitable leaders in the church.  These were to be mature, of good character, with orderly lives, especially in their family.

Speaking of family, Paul was very concerned about relationships, especially how Christians relate to each other.  He wrote about who Christians should treat each other.  He discussed how pastors and congregations should relate.  He wrote about charity to the poor.  He gave direction to masters and slaves, husbands and wives, parents and children.

Though he doesn’t address it directly in this letter, you can see in his discussion of relationships Paul’s vision of authority and submission in a context of loving relationships.  God is the model and source of all authority.  Of course, no human rules with the absolute authority of God; human authorities are trustees and agents of God, in the church, government and family.  God not only rules, He loves.  Jesus Christ suffered agony and death to atone for our sins and give us everlasting life with Him.  No one can repeat what Christ did, nor is it necessary, but his sacrificial love and submission to His Father are a mode for human rulers.

On the flip side, we are all to submit to God.  This submission to God is a model of our submission to authorities, who are all appointed by God.  We love, reverence and obey authorities just as they love, care for and thoughtfully lead us.  The notion of submission is unpalatable to many, but it is possible, even good, in the context of God’s love and authority working through people.

Paul’s love for Timothy comes through the letter.  The terms of affection, the concern for his health, the encouragement to face problems with calm faith, the reminders of friends and family break up the teaching sections.  Paul himself was a model for the things he was teaching Timothy.  Paul was an authority and Timothy served him for years.  Paul was also a loving friend who cared about his wellbeing and success.   As both an authority and one under authority, Timothy had a good teacher in the apostle.

Paul also wrote

Colossians

First Corinthians

Galatians

Philippians
Romans
Second Corinthians

Second Thessalonians

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Second Timothy

Second Timothy.  The Holy Bible.  New King James Version.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Paul’s second letter to his protégé Timothy begins with a look back.  He connects the heritage he received, no specifically mentioning his Jewish heritage but I think implying it, to the Christian heritage Timothy received from believing family members.

The encouragement continues in the following paragraphs.  Specifically, he urges Timothy to remember what Jesus Christ did to save them (and all Christians) and be faithful to the Gospel.  Not only that, Timothy was called to preach the Gospel and to show others how to do the same.  He was to be a pastor, and like Paul, a pastor to pastors.

Diligence and focus are needed in a pastor, or really any Christian.  There are many distractions and temptations.  Even if one doesn’t fall into heinous sin, it is easy to slip into fruitless disputes and worldly worries.  How can Christians stand up for the truth in the face of opposition when they are debating minutia with their brothers or exhibiting character that is no better than anyone else’s?

Timothy was faithful, though.  He was living worthy of his calling and Paul wanted him to continue.

Paul was anticipating the end of his life as he wrote this letter.  He asked Timothy to come to him, bringing a few things and a few friends.  The old apostle had few friends around to help him, but he continued to trust in God.

Paul also wrote

Colossians

First Corinthians

First Timothy

Galatians

Philippians
Romans
Second Corinthians

Second Thessalonians

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Pauline Letters

The apostle Paul wrote most of the New Testament.  His letters to the early churches mix doctrine, biography, advice, and personal messages.  Paul was Jewish and belonged to a sect of zealots called the Pharisees.  He was an up-and-comer with a prestigious education and leadership roles beyond what was typical for a man his age.  He prosecuted the early church, especially congregations of Jewish converts to Christianity.  He gave it all up, though, after having a vision in which he was confronted by Jesus Christ and he eventually became a missionary and apostle to the Gentiles, planting churches in Europe and Asia.

Several themes recur in Paul’s letters.  Some of these are: the Gospel and doctrinal purity, Christian living, and relationships.

The Gospel

Paul was a preacher of the Gospel.  He frequently reminded people to remember and stick to the Gospel he taught with directness and simplicity.  There were a lot of false teachers who taught alternatives, often to draw followers and enrich themselves.  In Paul’s teaching, everything depended on Christ and what He accomplished through His life, death and resurrection; nothing could be added or subtracted from it.

Of course, some tried to add or subtract.  Some of the teachings Paul opposed were Judaizers, Gnostics, and legalism.  Judaizers proposed that to be Christian, one must be Jewish first.  This included conversion to Judaism, including circumcision, and observance of the law of Moses.  According to the Gospel, everything needed was satisfied in Christ.  The Gnostics came from the tradition of mystery religions, taught “secrets” and proposed a Christ who was resurrected as a spirit.  Paul would have none of that either.  The Gospel was plain and all significant events of Christ’s life for our salvation were publicly known, including his physical resurrection.  Both of these groups touched to some degree on legalism.  People wanted to establish rules to live by, either to control people or to aggrandize themselves or to suggest people had a part in their own salvation.  Paul’s Gospel asserted that Christ is all, His sacrifice atoned for our sins and His power in us enables us to do good.

Christian Living

If Christianity wasn’t about following rules, how were we to live?  Could we do whatever we wanted?  Of course, it is silly to think that God would save us from our sins just so we could do whatever evil came to us.  It was equally naïve to think we could, on our own, live up to any rule that is truly pure and perfect.

Instead, a Christian life should be typified by love, humility, gratitude, and obedience to God.  We are to honor Christ our rescuer by imitating Him.  This isn’t to win his favor, but to return the love He showed us and express gratitude for the mercy we did not deserve.  Christ empowers us to live in a new way, knowing Him and doing good instead of sinning and becoming more estranged from God.

Relationships

One of the most important ways we can show our love for God and be Christ-like is in our relationships with others.  Paul wrote about all kinds of relationships: marriage, parent-child, employer-employee (in those days sometimes master-slave), and fellow in the church.  We should treat others with the love, kindness and generosity that Christ shows to us, especially in the church.

The Pauline Letters appear in most Bibles generally from longest to shortest: Romans, First Corinthians, Second Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, First Thessalonians, Second Thessalonians, First Timothy, Second Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.  First and Second Timothy, Titus and sometimes Philemon are called the Pastoral Letters because Timothy and Titus were young pastors.

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Pastoral Letters

The Bible includes three letters from Paul to young men he had left to build churches, First and Second Timothy and Titus.  Collectively, they are called the pastoral letters.

A few themes run through the pastoral letters.  Some of these you might expect to letters addressed to young pastors.  First is doctrinal purity.  Paul didn’t want false teachers pushing their way into pulpits and teaching something other than the Gospel.  Related to this, he addressed qualifications for church leadership because Timothy and Titus were on temporary assignments and church builders and would be leaving their work in the hands of others.  Church leaders weren’t only to have a good grasp on the Gospel, but were to be people of good character who demonstrated it in their family life.

Family and other relationships is another theme in these letters.  As in most of Paul’s letters, he expresses great concern for how Christians treat each other.  Jesus Christ said his followers would be known for their love for each other and Paul drove this point home in practical terms.  He strongly opposed strife in the church and theological disputes that were intended to make someone seem superior to others.

Paul also wrote

Colossians

First Corinthians

First Timothy

Galatians

Philippians
Romans
Second Corinthians

Second Thessalonians

Second Timothy

Titus

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The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

Ferriss, Timothy. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich. New York: Crown, 2007.

The 4-Hour Workweek sounds like a dream only the independently wealthy and part-time retirees can enjoy. Timothy Ferriss has written about how the new rich enjoy independence now, without spending decades saving up for it.

Ferris describes four steps the new rich follow to achieve their lifestyle. They make a handy acronym: DEAL.

The deal starts with definition. You cannot live the lifestyle you want until you clearly define it. The dream-lining method he describes will encourage you to reach out for those big goals now and not wait.

The next step is elimination. The currency of the new rich is time. They ruthlessly cut out anything that wastes time. If it is not what they want to do, or contributing significantly to their income, they drop it. Ferriss applies the Pareto principle that 80 percent of the results come from 20 percent of the effort. The daring step taken by the new rich is actually cutting out the 80 percent of unproductive activity.

Automation is about freeing up time and making money. The new rich are not interested in accumulating wealth. The idea is to have a stream of income that supports your lifestyle without taking up a lot of your time. Ferriss calls these income sources “muses.” They amount to automatic business that run with very little of your direct involvement.



This part of the book focuses on how to lead the lifestyle you want, especially if it involves travel. Ferriss likes to travel and found it is inexpensive to spend extended periods in other countries. There are many temptations to go back to working for works sake and waste time on things that do no contribute to your lifestyle. The new rich do not allow that stuff to draw them away from the liberation they have won.

The bottom line of the new rich is that it is not about having it all. It is about enjoying what you want most.

Titus

Titus.  The Holy Bible.  New King James Version.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Like Timothy, Titus was a young pastor who traveled with and assisted the apostle Paul.  At the time of this letter, Titus was in Crete providing leadership for the church Paul had established there.

Titus was not only to serve as a pastor on Crete, he was to help build the church there so that he could return to aiding Paul’s missionary work.  He was a church planter.  Because of this, Paul’s advice and direction deals a lot with church leadership and conduct.

As in his some of his other letters, notably First Timothy, he give specific qualifications for church leaders.  Because good leadership begins at home, they were to have an orderly family life.  In addition, they were to have good character and a good reputation in the community.  Leaders were to serve as examples in conduct as well as be teachers of sound doctrine.

Good character should be typical throughout the church, especially in relationships.  Paul discusses how we are to treat each other as husbands and wives, parents and children, employers and workers, government authorities and citizens.

The grace of God doesn’t stop working with our salvation.  It continues in use, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to help us be better people, more pure and more ready to receive Christ when He comes again, as we anxiously await.

Paul also wrote

Colossians

First Corinthians

First Timothy

Galatians

Philippians
Romans
Second Corinthians

Second Thessalonians

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100 Ways to Happiness by Timothy Sharp

What if happiness is something you could practice? You co do certain things and those actions would lead to and support happiness. I’m simplifying, but that is the basic premise of psychologist Timothy J. Sharp in 100 Ways to Happiness.

Practice and doing are the aim of the book, so Sharp does not dwell on theory. Of course, many people want to bring more happiness into the lives they have. Only a few of them want to delve into psychology, and there are plenty of other books they can read.

The book is divided into five main sections. It seems to me that this is intended to help people get to the area where they want to increase happiness most and pick up the others later. You can read this book out of sequence. Each section stands on its own and so do many of the short chapters.

I do not mean to imply that the book is shallow. It is not easy to condense a topic into a few pages; most of the chapters are two pages long. I was impressed that Sharp could provide clear, action-oriented summaries of subjects that other books would take many pages to explain. The point is to do something. Instead of thinking about how to be happy, pick a tip that resonates with you and do it. Work on it until it becomes a habit and then work on another.

Some of Sharps tips that resonated with me are:

-Make time to regularly do something you enjoy.

-Make small changes. When you make a small change stick, you can start another. They add up to big changes.

-Practice gratitude. I’m convinced that a grateful attitude is immensely important for a joyful life.

-Move more and take care of your body. Feeling good, rested and healthy contributes to feeling happy.

-Build good relationships. That means making the best of the intimate relationships you have and making friends with positive people who can encourage you to live a happier life.

-Know your values and take action consistent with them.

-Challenge your thoughts and feelings. Are they true? Are they helpful?

-Use your imagination. Sharp suggest several simple ways you can visualize the life you want.

If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in

How to Get Control of Your Time and Your Life by Alan Lakein

Just Say Thanks! by R. T. Kendall

Little Shifts by Suzanna Beth Stinnet

One Small Step Can Change Your Life by Robert Maurer

Small Move, Big Change by Caroline L. Arnold

Thanks! by Robert A. Emmons

Why Good Things Happen to Good People by Stephen Post and Jill Neimark

Sharp, Timothy J. 100 Ways to Happiness: A Guide for Busy People. New York: MJF Books, 2008.

Philemon

Philemon.  The Holy Bible.  New King James Version.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Paul’s letter to Philemon appears last in most Bibles because it is his shortest epistle.  It stands out in other ways.  Most of the apostle letters are addressed to churches rather than to individuals.  His pastoral letters are directed to individuals who were aides in his ministry, but they focus on issues of church building.

Philemon is a very personal letter to a friend addressing a touchy subject.  The letter was delivered at the hands of Onesimus, a runaway slave who probably stole some money when he took flight from Philemon’s home.  Onesimus ended up seeking out Paul in Rome.  Under the apostle’s teaching he became a Christian.

So what is the right thing to do?  Paul wrote a lot about the importance of authority and of submitting to civil laws.  He also wrote about the essential equality of all Christians, including free people and slaves, and by extension the equality of all people.  Paul does both.  He respected authority by sending Onesimus home to his master.  He appealed to Philemon’s Christian ethic by sending the letter asking him to forgive the slave, now a brother in Christ, and to free him.

This little letter is rich with lessons in Christian ethics, firm teaching, gentle persuasion, and friendship.  It is hard to write about it without going on longer than the letter itself.

Paul also wrote

Colossians

First Corinthians

First Timothy

Galatians

Philippians
Romans
Second Corinthians

Second Thessalonians

Second Timothy

Titus

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Epistles

Most of the New Testament is epistles, or letters, sent from church leaders to the churches.  Most of these letters were written by Paul, which are collectively known as the Pauline Letters.  The other epistle writers are James, Peter, John, and Jude.

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The church was growing rapidly and dispersed through the nations around the Mediterranean Sea.  Both in Jerusalem and in the churches founded by missionaries or Christians fleeing persecution, there was a need for sound teaching and a way to bind them together into the larger body of Christ.  The epistles served this purpose.

The epistles cover a lot of ground.  Some of them are fairly long and heavy on instruction.  Others are short, more newsy and encouraging.  Themes that I find recurring in the epistles are: a reiteration of the Gospel emphasizing the centrality of Christ, living as a Christian with character and good relationships, and words of warning and encouragement.

Reiterating the Gospel: The Centrality of Christ

The epistles repeatedly summarize the Gospel.  We have all sinned. Christ came to atone for our sins through His death on the Cross.  His righteousness is imputed to those who receive Him.  He was resurrected, as foretold, as proof of that He was Christ and as evidence of the resurrection we will experience.

The epistle-writers vigorously defended who they knew Christ to be.  He was God (he was divine, God-the-Son, a person of the godhead).  He was incarnated; God became flesh and lived as a human being.  He died on the cross, physically dying as a man.  He was resurrected, and that resurrection was a bodily restoration and transformation, not merely a spiritual continuance.

Christian Living: Character and Relationships

Now that these Christians were saved, what did it mean for the way they lived?  This is still an important question for Christians.   We are to abandon sin and do what is right, exhibiting a Christ-like character.  That character is typified by faith, self-control, humility, and especially love.

One of the toughest problems we face in life, and one of the most important, is our relationships.  The epistle-writers address how we are to relate to each other in church, marriage, family, work, and business.

Warning and Encouragement

The early church was beset by false teachers.  These people twisted the scripture to suit their own purposes.  It has not stopped.  These letters warn us to look out for falsehood and show us how to spot it.

Even more than this, though, these letters are full of encouragement.  We are not alone; God is with us always as the Holy Spirit indwells us.  Whatever trials, temptations, or opposition we face, we can live the life God has called us to in Christ.  Not only that, the difficulties we face in ourselves and around us in this sinful world will pass, and we will be resurrected to live forever in the perfect love and peace of God.

The epistles are:

Romans     1 Corinthians     2 Corinthians

Galatians     Ephesians     Philippians

Colossians     1 Thessalonians     2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy     2 Timothy     Titus

Philemon     Hebrews     James

1 Peter     2 Peter     1 John

2 John     3 John     Jude

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God has not given us a spirit of fear

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.

-2 Timothy 1:7

150 Book Reviews Posted on Keenan’s Book Reviews

We’ve posted reviews of 150 books on this blog so far. The most recent 50 are listed below in alphabetical order by title.

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
8 Minutes in the Morning for Extra-Easy Weight Loss by Jorge Cruise
Acres of Diamonds by Russel H. Conwell
Attitude is Everything by Jeff Keller
The Beethoven Factor by Paul Pearsall
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler
Changing for Good by James O. Prochaska et al
The Christian’s Secret to a Happy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith
The Club of Queer Trades by G. K. Chesterton

The Complete Verse and Other Nonsense by Edward Lear
Copernicus’ Secret by Jack Repcheck
The Dangerous Duty of Delight by John Piper
The Dain Curse by Dashiell Hammett
Descarte’s Secret Notebook by Amir D. Aczel
The Difference Maker by John C. Maxwell
The Elements of Technical Writing by Gary Blake and Robert W. Bly
The Emotional Energy Factor by Mira Kirshenbaum
Fathered by God by John Eldredge
Follow Your Heart by Andrew Matthews

Genesis
The Golden Age of DC Comics by Les Daniels et al
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
The Hunter adapted by Darwyn Cook
Idea Mapping by Jamie Nast
The Innocence of Father Brown by G. K. Chesterton
Instant Self-Hypnosis by Forbes Robbins Blair
The Invention of Air by Steven Johnson
Keeping a Journal You Love by Sheila Bender
Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

Language and the Pursuit of Happiness by Chalmers Brothers
The Man Who Loved Books too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett
Mastering Fiction Writing by Kit Reed
Maus by Art Spiegelman
The Mindful Way through Depression by Mark Williams et al
The Numbers behind NUMB3RS by Keith Devlin & Gary Lorden
The Numbers Game by Michael Blastland & Andrew Dilnot
The Once and Future King by T. H. White
Peace of Mind through Possibility Thinking by Robert H. Schuller
The Private Investigator’s Handbook by Chuck Chambers

Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary
The Richest Man Who Ever Lived by Steven K. Scott
The Secret of the Ages by Robert Collier
Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck
Triumvirate by Bruce Chadwick
Water by Marq de Villiers
The Way of the Wild Heart by John Eldredge
When the Rivers Run Dry by Fred Pearce
You Can Write a Column by Monica McCabe Cardoza
Your Intelligence Makeover by Edward F. Droge, Jr.

Additional or expanded reviews have been posted on these books:
The Amazing Adventure of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
The Big Necessity by Rose George
Blink by Macolm Gladwell
The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril by Paul Malmont
The Emotional Energy Factory by Mira Kirshenbaum
Epic by John Eldredge
The Ghost Map by Stephen Johnson
God Wants You to be Rich by Paul Zane Pilzer
The Gospel of Luke
Gratitude by Melody Beattie
The Great Divorce by C. S. Lewis
His Excellency by Joseph J. Ellis
How to Write Mysteries by Shannon OCork
The Joy of Supernatural Thinking by Bill Bright
Mastering Fiction Writing by Kit Reed
No More Christian Nice Guy by Paul Coughlin (see comments)
The Numbers Behind NUMB3RS by Keith Devlin & Gary Lorden
One Small Step Can Change Your Life by Robert Maurer
The Physics of Superheroes by James Kakalios
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization by Anthony Esolen
Proverbs
Red Harvest by Dashiell Hammett
The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson with Miriam Z. Klipper
The Spirit by Darwyn Cooke
Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose
The Unfinished Game by Keith Devlin
Walking with God by John Eldredge
The Water Room by Christopher Fowler
Why Good Things Happen to Good People by Stephen Post & Jill Neimark
Wisdom from the Batcave by Cory A. Friedman

Additional reviews:
First 25 Reviews
Reviews 26-50
Reviews 51-75
Reviews 76-100

First Thessalonians

First Thessalonians.  The Holy Bible.  New King James Version.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Paul covers several topics in this letter to the church at Thessalonica.  The main theme is that Jesus Christ will return and believers should be reassured in that fact.  He mentions the second coming twice before teaching about it in some detail.

Paul praises the church for their faithfulness and godly character in the face of persecution.  Their behavior was a sign to all of their faith in gospel of Jesus Christ.  They could bear troubles with patience because they new He is coming again and He had already rescued them from the judgment he will deliver on His return.

Part of the persecution the church face appears to involve attempts to discredit Paul and the gospel he taught.  He presents two defenses.  First was his conduct during his time in Thessalonica.  He did not try to take advantage of the people, but worked hard to take care of them.  Second, the proof of the gospel was the endurance and faithfulness of the people who believed it.  Paul concludes this section of his letter with another reference to the second coming, stating how much he will delight in them with the Lord at that time.

The letter was prompted in part by Timothy’s visit to Thessalonica and his report on the state of the church there.  Paul is encouraged by what he hears and encourages the Christians to continue in the faith.  It may seem disheartening that he reminded them to live lives of sexual purity, good order, and peace.  A glance around almost any church even today will show how much we need such reminders.

Before wrapping up, Paul gets deeper into the subject of the second coming.  First, he addresses the question of those who die before Christ’s returns.  Is that the end for them?  Will they not be with the Lord?  They though Christ might return in their own lifetime, and were concerned about Christian brothers who had passed away.  Paul reminded them of Christ’s resurrection, and taught that dead Christians would be brought back to life in the same way.  When He comes again, all of His people, alive and dead raised to new life, will join Him.  We don’t need to worry, those who God calls He will keep forever.

The other question about the second coming, one that people still ask, is: When will it happen?  Only God knows.  The rest of us will be caught by surprise.  For Christians, though, this is no cause for fear.  At any moment we could be with the One we long to be with, our God, our Savior, our Helper, with a kind of unveiled intimacy we have barely tasted.  In the meantime, we should live with faith, love, and hope as we have been called.

Paul’s message to these Christians, and by extension to us, is simple.  You believed the truth and God has saved you.  Keep living well.  Don’t worry.  Jesus Christ is coming and we will be with Him.

Paul also wrote

Colossians

First Corinthians

Galatians

Philippians
Romans
Second Corinthians

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In Pursuit of Happiness by Frank Minirth

Happiness is something we can produce, at least in part, from the choices we make and the things we do. Psychiatrist Frank Minirth emphasizes the choices that lead to happiness in his book, In Pursuit of Happiness.

Minirth is particularly known for his work in Christian psychology. The book is full of references to the Bible, with scriptures selected to provide advice in several areas of life that have a strong effect no happiness. I found this to be one of the best parts of the book.

The author is also a medical doctor. As such, he also believes that some can benefit from drugs, other medical treatment and psychological counseling. He emphasizes the power of God, but he does not minimize the benefits of medicine. The main body of the book does not deal much with the medical treatment of depression, anxiety or other treatable disorders that affect happiness other to point to the potential benefits of medical treatment. However, the book includes several appendices on the biological causes and medical treatment (including drugs) of anxiety, depression, dementia and other diseases.

Most of the book is very easy to read. Each chapter plainly follows an outline and flows from subject to subject. To a great degree, readers may skip around to the chapters that are most relevant to them and still make sense of the book.

If you’re interested in this book, you may also be interested in

Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado

The Beethoven Factor by Paul Pearsall

The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die by John Izzo

Happiness is a Choice by Barry Neil Kaufman

Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar

I Can Make You Happy by Paul McKenna

The Instinct to Heal by David Servan-Schreiber

It's Not Always Depression by Hilary Jacobs Hendel

Language and the Pursuit of Happiness by Chalmers Brothers

Lost Connections by Hari Johnson

The 100 Simple Secrets of Happy People by David Niven

100 Ways to Happiness by Timothy Sharp

Rewire Your Anxious Brain by Catherine M. Pittman & Elizabeth M. Karle

Solve for Happy by Mo Gawdat

Secrets You Keep from Yourself by Dan Neuharth

The Solution by Lucinda Bassett

Think 4:8 by Tommy Newberry & Lyn Smith

Vital Friends by Tom Rath

Minirth, Frank. In Pursuit of Happiness: Choices that Can Change Your Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell, 2004.

Philippians

Philippians.  The Holy Bible.  New King James Version.  Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982.

Compared to some of Paul’s other letters, his message to the church at Philippi jumps all over the place.  Sadly, his more focused an organized letters are organized so out of the necessity of providing teaching and correction to troubled churches.  Happily, the Philippians seemed to need little of this.  Paul writes this letter mostly to share news and encourage a church he had not visited in years.

Paul founded the church in Philippi, a city in what is now Greece, possibly the first European church.  Early on, they had been supporters of his mission, though it appears they had not been in contact for several years.

The arrival of Epaphroditus, a messenger from the Philippian church, prompted Paul to write.  They had heard of his imprisonment and hardships and, though they had long been out of contact with the planter of their congregation, they wanted to take care of him.  Paul doesn’t say what they sent, but it seems that Epaphroditus spent some time in Rome seeing to Paul’s needs before Paul sent him back with Timothy and this letter.

The only note of correction in the book is and admonishment to be humble.  He also wanted a couple of prominent women in the church to settle their differences.

Much of the letter is encouragement.  Paul encourages the Philippians to continue faithfully in the Gospel, assured of their home in heaven.  In spite of his troubles, Paul is joyful and he wants them to be full of joy, too.  He praises their generosity.

A special point of joy is that the Gospel was advancing.  Paul was happy to endure imprisonment because it gave him opportunity to preach the Gospel.  Even people working in Caesar’s palace had become Christians.

The reason for all of this is Christ.  The salvation, assurance, and power to live a new life, for the Philippians and all believers to this day, are from Jesus Christ.  The best a man be on his own is little compared to the perfect righteousness of Christ, which God freely imparts to us His gift.  The temporary hardships of this life, with which Paul was very familiar, were nothing compare to the eternal joy and perfection God has in store for His people.

In many of his letters, Paul opposes those who preach something other than the Gospel.  Often it was Judaizers, but it was sometimes Gnostics or others who would twist the Gospel into something else.  He strongly objected to teachers of false doctrine.  In this letter, though, he mentions people who preach the Gospel for selfish reasons—even to hurt him.  This doesn’t seem to bother him much, his main concern being that the truth of Christ be proclaimed.

Paul also wrote

First Corinthians

Galatians
Romans
Second Corinthians

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