For this study I used “The Passionate Life Bible Study Series, Philippians Heavens Joy”, an 8-week study guide by the Passion Translation. I reference the bulk of the passages in the Passion Translation unless otherwise noted, but you do not have to use the Passion Translation to do this study. I usually use at least 3 different translations myself. The questions encourage 4 points of view: discover God’s heart, explore God’s heart, experience God’s heart, and share God’s heart. I have used them to provide a personal testimony of my own discovery, exploration, and experience that I can share with you. I highly recommend the study guide as the questions really allow you to search out the Word and what it says to you.

Philippians is a letter that Paul, the Apostle wrote to the church of Philippi reminding them to rejoice and be thankful in all things. While the main theme in this letter is joy, I have to be honest you wouldn’t think Paul has much to be joyful about being imprisoned and awaiting quite possible a death sentence.  But as we will learn, perspective is everything.  Do we have a worldly perspective or a Biblical one?  A perspective centered around our trials or a perspective centered around the explosive power of Jesus?  We often think of joy as relating to our happiness, but Paul shows us that joy is found much deeper in us and is a state of being that is rooted in the continuous growth of love that God pours into us.

In our journey to becoming like Christ we will face trials.  These trials can serve to not only make us stronger but to further spread the message of the gospel because of our choice to remain joyful in the midst of them.  There is a heavenly prize that awaits those who endure to the end and Paul gives us some very effective and powerful tools to help us endure and still rejoice and be thankful in all things.

As you read through the scripture for each session, I encourage you to ask yourself the 3 questions asked in every session from the study guide: What did you notice, perhaps for the first time? What questions do you still have? What did you learn about the heart of God?

I hope you enjoy this series on the Joyous Gospel of Christ.