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This Podcast is part of season 24 of a project to complete an in-depth study of the entire Bible, chapter by chapter, verse by verse.

This podcast is entirely the work of Jeremy R McCandless...

Follow and support me on Patreon.

Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | Patreon

Episode Notes:

Have you ever experienced a major setback in life? Perhaps you lost your health, or perhaps you lost a job. Perhaps a marriage ended, or perhaps a friendship you deeply treasured came to an end. Maybe it was a financial reversal, a disappointment, a dream that never materialized, or years of your life that seemed to be swallowed up by circumstances beyond your control.

The question is not whether setbacks happen; the question is: How do you handle them when they do? How do you respond when life doesn't go according to plan, and how do you keep going when the road suddenly takes an unexpected turn?

Today I'd like to tell you about a man who experienced one of the greatest setbacks imaginable,, and I'm talking about the Apostle Paul. From reading his letters, it is clear that one of Paul's great ambitions was to take the gospel where it had never been preached before. But when he arrived in Jerusalem, everything changed. He was arrested and falsely accused. He was dragged into a legal and political nightmare. Then, when threats against his life increased, the Romans transferred him to Caesarea, where he sat in prison for two years.

After that, he appealed to Caesar and was shipped to Rome, survived a shipwreck along the way, and eventually found himself under house arrest in the capital of the empire.

Think about that for a moment. The man who wanted to take the gospel to Spain spent years sitting in jail…. Years. The very years he probably thought would be among the most productive years of his ministry.

From a human perspective, it looked like a massive setback.

So how did Paul handle it?

The answer is found in Philippians chapter 1. And what Paul teaches us in this passage may be one of the most practical lessons in resilience you'll ever find in Scripture.

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This podcast is entirely the work of Jeremy R McCandless...

Follow and support me on Patreon.

Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | Patreon

To receive my weekly newsletter and keep up to date with all five of my podcasts, subscribe at:

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Check out my other Podcasts.

My History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

The L.I.F.E. Podcast: Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment.

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

The Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

The Classic Literature Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906

To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle, and now also on Audible, Visit:

Amazon.com: Jeremy R Mccandless: books, biography, latest update

Send us Fan Mail

This Podcast is part of season 24 of a project to complete an in-depth, chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse study of the entire Bible.

This podcast is entirely the work of Jeremy R. McCandless.

Follow and support me on Patreon.

Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources |

Is there someone in your life you'd like to see change?

Maybe it's your spouse.

Maybe it's one of your children.

Maybe it's a parent, a co-worker, or perhaps that one person who always seems determined to make life more difficult than it needs to be.

Most of us would probably agree on one thing: changing people is hard. In fact, if we're honest, it's difficult enough to change ourselves, let alone somebody else. That's why many people would say it's impossible to change another person.

Yet I do believe people can change. I'm not talking about manipulation, coercion, or some secret formula for controlling people. I know of no such formula. And I'm certainly not suggesting that you or I have the power to transform another human heart. But what I do believe is that God does have that ability. All of us who know Christ have experienced that firsthand. God changes people. He changes attitudes, desires, priorities, and lives. So where do we fit into that process?

The answer is simple: we pray. God has invited us to participate in His work through prayer. We cannot change people, but God can. And one of the ways He does His work is through the prayers of His people.

But that raises an important question: If we want to pray for someone to change, what should we pray? Should we simply say, "Lord, change that person"? Or does Scripture teach us how to pray more specifically and more effectively?

The apostle Paul prayed often for believers, and one of his prayers stands out above the rest. It gets right to the heart of what produces genuine spiritual growth and lasting change. So today we're going to discover what a people-changing prayer sounds like, and in the process, learn how we can partner with God in the transformation of those around us we care about.

Support the show

This podcast is entirely the work of Jeremy R McCandless...

Follow and support me on Patreon.

Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | Patreon

To receive my weekly newsletter and keep up to date with all five of my podcasts, subscribe at:

Jeremy McCandless | Substack

Check out my other Podcasts.

My History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

The L.I.F.E. Podcast: Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment.

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

The Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

The Classic Literature Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906

To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle, and now also on Audible, Visit:

Amazon.com: Jeremy R Mccandless: books, biography, latest update

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Welcome to our next episode in our study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Today we begin a new section—one that speaks directly to the heart, and to something every believer longs for but often struggles to cultivate: an attitude of gratitude.

I used to know two quite elderly Christian ladies. They’re the same age, and they attended the same church. They had both walked through similar tragedies, but that’s where the similarities end.

One of them is consistently negative and critical. I’ve known her for years, and I honestly cannot recall a single conversation where she didn’t have something harsh to say about someone or something. Her criticisms are sharp, and they come easily.

The other lady is her exact opposite. She is positive, warm, and deeply grateful. I’ve also known her for many years, and in every conversation—without exception—she finds something to thank God for. Something good to notice. Someone to appreciate. Some blessing to acknowledge.

I remember walking away from conversations with the first lady thinking, “Lord, deliver me from becoming like that.” And walking away from conversations with the second lady thinking, “Lord, help me become more like her.”

So let me ask you a personal question:

How can we become more like that second lady, and how can we develop an attitude of gratitude? So how do we develop it?

Well, one of the best ways to learn any virtue is to look at someone who possessed it—and ask how they got it. And when we turn to the New Testament, one man stands out: The Apostle Paul.

So today we ask: How did Paul develop such an attitude? What was the key to his grateful spirit, and how can we cultivate the same attitude in our own lives?

Support the show

This podcast is entirely the work of Jeremy R McCandless...

Follow and support me on Patreon.

Jeremy McCandless | Creating Podcasts and Bible Study Resources | Patreon

To receive my weekly newsletter and keep up to date with all five of my podcasts, subscribe at:

Jeremy McCandless | Substack

Check out my other Podcasts.

My History of the Christian Church: https://thehistoryofthechristianchurch.buzzsprout.com

The L.I.F.E. Podcast: Philosophy and current trends in the Arts and Entertainment.

https://the-living-in-faith-everyday-podcast.buzzsprout.com

The Renewed Mind Podcast. My Psychology and Mental Health Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568891

The Classic Literature Podcast:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2568906

To visit my Author page on Amazon and view my entire back catalogue of books on both Amazon and Kindle, and now also on Audible, Visit:

Amazon.com: Jeremy R Mccandless: books, biography, latest update