With all that we’re facing in uncertain times, we all need a little more joy in our lives. It’s not just some casual thing that would be nice to have. We have a fundamental emotional need for joy. God wants to meet our deepest needs - including our need for joy.

We’re beignning a journey through the Book of Philippians on November 16th. We’ll explore how God has given Chrisitans an internal climate control that includes a number of joy-builders to help us experience life the way God intended - regardless of what’s going on around us.

I hope you can join us!

The New Testament refers to three words for love: eros, phileos, and agape.

Erotic comes from eros. The city of Philadelphia (“the city of brotherly love”) comes from phileos. And agape refers to a love that goes well beyond eros and phileos.

Eros love is sensual kind of love and it asks the question, “WHAT CAN I GET OUT OF THIS?”
Phileos is relational love and it asks the question, “WHAT CAN WE GET OUT OF THIS?”
Agape is unconditional, deeper love and it asks the question, WHAT CAN YOU GET OUT OF THIS?”

Another way to think of these is,
EROS LOVES WHEN…
PHILEOS LOVES BECAUSE…
AGAPE LOVES IN SPITE OF…

For love to last for a lifetime in a marriage relationship, agape love is a better way of loving (1 Cor 13).

Perhaps the greatest threat to a healthy marriage relationship is temptation. Temptation is like a relational parasite. A parasite sucks the life of whatever it’s attached to. In the same way, relational parasites diminish the quality of our connection with each other.

For example, these parasites come in many different forms such as addictive behaviors like alcoholism, sexual addictions, workaholism or addictions to gambling or drugs. We need to do whatever it takes to say no to unhealthy parasites like these examples. Men may need close friends that they can turn to for help. Women need each other. As a church, we encourage everyone to find a neighborhood small group for frienship, spiritual connection and also accountability with each other - especially men with men and women with women. We need to create safe places where people can be real about whatever is going on in their lives. That may happen in a small group or in one-to-one relationships. Temptation seems to take root when we isolate. If we feel alone it’s harder to say no to the unhealthy things and yes to the healthy things (Galatians 6:1-4).