Philippians 3: 7-11
(7) But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Repeating the verse we ended with yesterday, we will continue Paul's conversation.
(8) More than that, I count all things to be loss
Everything that comes between him and Christ is drawing him away from Christ, whether they are things that benefited him in the past or not.
in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
There is no comparison between material, physical things and knowing that Christ Jesus has redeemed you. Nothing of this world has any value against the eternal, magnificent future He has planned for us.
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
Everything that gave Saul of Tarsis standing and respect has been lost to Paul the Evangelist, and he now sees all that as no more valuable than garbage. He now has standing and respect with the Son of God Himself!
(9) and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law,
All the righteousness he had been able to claim before was according to what he was able to do in following the Law of Moses, which is earned and not acceptable to God.
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
Because of his faith, his belief that Jesus took his death for him on the cross, he now has a righteousness that Jesus earned for him, placed on him by God the Father as a gift, on the basis of his trusting Christ.
(10) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection
To know Him, not just know about Him; and to experience the power of Jesus' rising from the dead, the power to also raise us from the dead, with a spiritual body that is fit to live in the presence of God.
and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
Everything Paul had to suffer, and everything we have to suffer in this life, is participating in the sufferings Jesus went through for us, human suffering and death.
(11) in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Now Paul is again considering that he may be put to death. As Christ died for us and was resurrected first, He showed that we also will be resurrected after we die. And Paul was looking forward to it.
O my Father, please help us realize that this physical life on this material Earth will always produce suffering in its brokenness. Let us feel Your presence with us, and strengthen us in all the trials and troubles and sorrows we face here. May we all grow up in Christ, to attain the spiritual and emotional maturity to the full stature of the Son of God.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Friday, March 27, 2020
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Use These Times We're In
Philippians 3: 4-7
We were just told yesterday that our flesh was cut away from the new Spiritual life we have now, so we're not to depend on the flesh, the physical world for anything.
(4) Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
Paul will now list all his achievements, his resume:
(5) circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
(6) as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
All these things were expected of a good Jewish boy growing up in Israel to advance, to climb the ladder of success. And he succeeded.
The "dogs" he warned them against in v. 2 have nothing on him; if they are claiming authority to teach, then Paul has more credentials than they.
(7) But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Everything that gave him standing and prestige in society is what he is now saying is actually detrimental to him. It is a loss. It is what he depended on instead of Christ, which makes it all an idol.
So are we not to seek advancement in our society today?
Not if we're focusing on it instead of on Christ. Not if it is a substitute for the Spirit. Not if we're just looking to be admired by other people, instead of honored by God.
Physical things are not evil in themselves, it's our attitude toward them that determines if they draw us toward or away from God. We can use the things of this world in the power of the Spirit to promote the Kingdom of God, or we can use them instead of the Spirit and idolize them.
Like the internet: whatever you are looking for, you will find: from the very best, God-honoring content, like your church service on Sunday morning, all the way down to the most depraved and twisted porn. And everything in between. It's all there.
So when we try to get ahead in business, is it because we want more and more of this world's luxuries to spend on ourselves, or is it to increase our ability to finance God's Kingdom by giving more to the church and missionaries who are preaching the Gospel?
It all starts in our minds, our thinking processes and attitudes. How do we see things? Do we look at all the chaos and get depressed? Or do we see God using all these chaotic times to draw people to Himself, a great revival?
Do we criticize our government leaders for their totalitarian edicts? Or do we see how to use them for sharing the Gospel? How will we respond as we live through these times?
When people are in need, they're looking for an answer. Will they find it in the world's systems, or will we give to them out of God's bounty?
O my Father, please open our eyes to see how You are working in all these things that are happening all over the world. It looks very negative and dangerous, but that is just the time a hero is needed; and Your Holy Spirit in Your children makes us all super-heroes, supernatural warriors.
Father, show us how to be Your hands and feet in these changing times. Teach us how to minister to our neighbors in safe and helpful ways. Let us show Your light in these dark times.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
We were just told yesterday that our flesh was cut away from the new Spiritual life we have now, so we're not to depend on the flesh, the physical world for anything.
(4) Although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:
Paul will now list all his achievements, his resume:
(5) circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
(6) as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.
All these things were expected of a good Jewish boy growing up in Israel to advance, to climb the ladder of success. And he succeeded.
The "dogs" he warned them against in v. 2 have nothing on him; if they are claiming authority to teach, then Paul has more credentials than they.
(7) But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Everything that gave him standing and prestige in society is what he is now saying is actually detrimental to him. It is a loss. It is what he depended on instead of Christ, which makes it all an idol.
So are we not to seek advancement in our society today?
Not if we're focusing on it instead of on Christ. Not if it is a substitute for the Spirit. Not if we're just looking to be admired by other people, instead of honored by God.
Physical things are not evil in themselves, it's our attitude toward them that determines if they draw us toward or away from God. We can use the things of this world in the power of the Spirit to promote the Kingdom of God, or we can use them instead of the Spirit and idolize them.
Like the internet: whatever you are looking for, you will find: from the very best, God-honoring content, like your church service on Sunday morning, all the way down to the most depraved and twisted porn. And everything in between. It's all there.
So when we try to get ahead in business, is it because we want more and more of this world's luxuries to spend on ourselves, or is it to increase our ability to finance God's Kingdom by giving more to the church and missionaries who are preaching the Gospel?
It all starts in our minds, our thinking processes and attitudes. How do we see things? Do we look at all the chaos and get depressed? Or do we see God using all these chaotic times to draw people to Himself, a great revival?
Do we criticize our government leaders for their totalitarian edicts? Or do we see how to use them for sharing the Gospel? How will we respond as we live through these times?
When people are in need, they're looking for an answer. Will they find it in the world's systems, or will we give to them out of God's bounty?
O my Father, please open our eyes to see how You are working in all these things that are happening all over the world. It looks very negative and dangerous, but that is just the time a hero is needed; and Your Holy Spirit in Your children makes us all super-heroes, supernatural warriors.
Father, show us how to be Your hands and feet in these changing times. Teach us how to minister to our neighbors in safe and helpful ways. Let us show Your light in these dark times.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, March 25, 2020
Spiritually Circumcised
Philippians 3: 1-3
(1) Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
No matter what is going on around us, we all who are Christ's have the joy of the Lord, which should display even in the middle of the mess. We can't be reminded enough to continue to rejoice in the Lord. This is our "normal" state of mind.
(2) Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
Even in our positive mindset, we are to be wary of all the false teachers. They claim to be Christians, but their teachings are not according to the Truth. Their circumcision is only done in the flesh, their flesh has not been separated from their spirit.
We see how God cut away our flesh from our life in His Holy Spirit, cutting off the connection so that our flesh has no more addictive pull on our life (in Colossians 2: 11-14).
(3) for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.
We who have been born into God's family have been spiritually circumcised. When God cleansed us and put His Holy Spirit in us, making our dead human spirits alive, he cut the connection between the flesh and the spirit, so we are free to do what is right, and not go back to the old bad habits that had trapped us before. So we put no importance on the flesh, since our life is spiritual, and we live our lives in worship of our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
O my Father, You are so good, and great, and gracious to us, to provide the means of breaking the addictions and bad habits that were destroying us, and teaching us how Your Holy Spirit is our life now.
Father, Your Spirit gives us the strength and power to live our lives in positively joyful days, even when the world around us is swirling negativity around us. We are still in the world, but we are not of the world. We're in it, but it's not in us any more. You have cut off that connection to the flesh that pulled us down and unshackled us; now we can fly!
Send us out, Father, to show the world how much You love them, too, and want to unshackle them also from their destructive ways. How You want to give them Your joy, to wipe away their tears and depression. To redeem them also into Your glorious paradise.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(1) Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
No matter what is going on around us, we all who are Christ's have the joy of the Lord, which should display even in the middle of the mess. We can't be reminded enough to continue to rejoice in the Lord. This is our "normal" state of mind.
(2) Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision;
Even in our positive mindset, we are to be wary of all the false teachers. They claim to be Christians, but their teachings are not according to the Truth. Their circumcision is only done in the flesh, their flesh has not been separated from their spirit.
We see how God cut away our flesh from our life in His Holy Spirit, cutting off the connection so that our flesh has no more addictive pull on our life (in Colossians 2: 11-14).
(3) for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.
We who have been born into God's family have been spiritually circumcised. When God cleansed us and put His Holy Spirit in us, making our dead human spirits alive, he cut the connection between the flesh and the spirit, so we are free to do what is right, and not go back to the old bad habits that had trapped us before. So we put no importance on the flesh, since our life is spiritual, and we live our lives in worship of our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
O my Father, You are so good, and great, and gracious to us, to provide the means of breaking the addictions and bad habits that were destroying us, and teaching us how Your Holy Spirit is our life now.
Father, Your Spirit gives us the strength and power to live our lives in positively joyful days, even when the world around us is swirling negativity around us. We are still in the world, but we are not of the world. We're in it, but it's not in us any more. You have cut off that connection to the flesh that pulled us down and unshackled us; now we can fly!
Send us out, Father, to show the world how much You love them, too, and want to unshackle them also from their destructive ways. How You want to give them Your joy, to wipe away their tears and depression. To redeem them also into Your glorious paradise.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Close To Death For The Work Of Christ
Philippians 2: 25-30
(25) But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;
Epaphroditus carried this letter to the Philippians. Paul send him back right away to ease the whole situation between him and his home church. He has high regard for this brother who has worked and faced dangers along with Paul, and is the Philippians' messenger and their representative in ministering to him.
(26) because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
The word Paul used for "distressed" is the same one used for the Lord's emotions in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26: 37; Mark 14: 33), which indicates the intensity of Epaphroditus' feelings of longing for them concerning his sickness. This suggests more than mutual concern.
(27) For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
Paul admits that he had almost died, but God allowed him to get well, not only for his own sake but also so Paul would not have mourning on top of all his other sorrows and concerns.
(28) Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.
By sending him back, they will see for themselves how he is, and dispel any gossip that disparaged him in their eyes. Then Paul's mind will be set at ease, knowing that any conflict would be resolved and put to rest.
(29) Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;
He's telling them to give him a hero's welcome. Why he felt it necessary to do this indicates that there may have been some misunderstanding concerning Epaphroditus' illness.
(30) because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.
Paul said that the sickness was not his fault, that he had become ill in his working in Christ's ministry, and that he had "filled in the gaps" of what the church at Philippi had provided, maybe in being there with Paul when they couldn't be.
O my Father, thank You for allowing Epaphroditus to get well from the illness he contracted, so that Paul could write of him and we could read of Your gracious mercy on him and Paul and the believers at Philippi. And also so we could rejoice with them, and learn to rejoice in all of our trials and tribulations, knowing that Your plans for us are for our good and Your glory.
Father, whenever we do things Your way, You grant the benefits to us. This is how You designed this world to work on the beautiful Earth You made for us. And we prosper and You get the glory.
O Father, continue to be with us in our everyday living. Continue to show us Your ways, Your views, Your understanding of what is going on around us. You know how it will all turn out, just like You knew that Epaphroditus would get well, without a healing miracle from Paul. And we don't need miracles, either; we just need to trust that You hold us in Your hand and will protect and guide us.
My Father, You are great, and You are good, and You have planned out the whole time-line of the era of Mankind in this world. You have given us our whole human history, from before the beginning to after the end, and the Star of the whole story is the Son! He is the Lord God who gave the prophets all the laws and prophesies of what He would do for us, then He came as Jesus and fulfilled them all!
Now we can be washed clean and sanitized, made fit to dwell with You in Your presence, where You live. We would never be able to look at You with our physical eyes without being completely destroyed, so You arranged for us to receive spiritual bodies. You made us the very body of Christ, to sit in His throne to rule, just as He sits in Your throne, Father, as sovereign King and God of all.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
(25) But I thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger and minister to my need;
Epaphroditus carried this letter to the Philippians. Paul send him back right away to ease the whole situation between him and his home church. He has high regard for this brother who has worked and faced dangers along with Paul, and is the Philippians' messenger and their representative in ministering to him.
(26) because he was longing for you all and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
The word Paul used for "distressed" is the same one used for the Lord's emotions in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26: 37; Mark 14: 33), which indicates the intensity of Epaphroditus' feelings of longing for them concerning his sickness. This suggests more than mutual concern.
(27) For indeed he was sick to the point of death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, so that I would not have sorrow upon sorrow.
Paul admits that he had almost died, but God allowed him to get well, not only for his own sake but also so Paul would not have mourning on top of all his other sorrows and concerns.
(28) Therefore I have sent him all the more eagerly so that when you see him again you may rejoice and I may be less concerned about you.
By sending him back, they will see for themselves how he is, and dispel any gossip that disparaged him in their eyes. Then Paul's mind will be set at ease, knowing that any conflict would be resolved and put to rest.
(29) Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard;
He's telling them to give him a hero's welcome. Why he felt it necessary to do this indicates that there may have been some misunderstanding concerning Epaphroditus' illness.
(30) because he came close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was deficient in your service to me.
Paul said that the sickness was not his fault, that he had become ill in his working in Christ's ministry, and that he had "filled in the gaps" of what the church at Philippi had provided, maybe in being there with Paul when they couldn't be.
O my Father, thank You for allowing Epaphroditus to get well from the illness he contracted, so that Paul could write of him and we could read of Your gracious mercy on him and Paul and the believers at Philippi. And also so we could rejoice with them, and learn to rejoice in all of our trials and tribulations, knowing that Your plans for us are for our good and Your glory.
Father, whenever we do things Your way, You grant the benefits to us. This is how You designed this world to work on the beautiful Earth You made for us. And we prosper and You get the glory.
O Father, continue to be with us in our everyday living. Continue to show us Your ways, Your views, Your understanding of what is going on around us. You know how it will all turn out, just like You knew that Epaphroditus would get well, without a healing miracle from Paul. And we don't need miracles, either; we just need to trust that You hold us in Your hand and will protect and guide us.
My Father, You are great, and You are good, and You have planned out the whole time-line of the era of Mankind in this world. You have given us our whole human history, from before the beginning to after the end, and the Star of the whole story is the Son! He is the Lord God who gave the prophets all the laws and prophesies of what He would do for us, then He came as Jesus and fulfilled them all!
Now we can be washed clean and sanitized, made fit to dwell with You in Your presence, where You live. We would never be able to look at You with our physical eyes without being completely destroyed, so You arranged for us to receive spiritual bodies. You made us the very body of Christ, to sit in His throne to rule, just as He sits in Your throne, Father, as sovereign King and God of all.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Monday, March 23, 2020
Genuinely Concerned
Philippians 2: 19-24
(19) But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I may also be encouraged when I learn of your condition.
Paul wants to send Timothy to Philippi right away, so that he can return to Paul with a report of how they are doing.
(20) For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.
Timothy was with Paul when he went to Philippi and founded the church there (in Acts 16), so he was of "equal soul" with Paul in caring for the Philippians. When he says he has "no one else" he is not disparaging his other companions, but just saying that they don't have the same connection to this particular church that Timothy has.
(21) For thay all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
Paul has already mentioned those who were concerned with furthering their own interests (1: 14-17), but is not unduly harsh on them. He is just noting that their hearts are not with the church in Philippi, as Timothy's is.
(22) But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.
Timothy was with Paul as he founded the church in that city, as already noted in Acts 16, so they knew him. And Paul wanted to encourage him and them.
(23) Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;
Paul didn't know how his trial would end, but expected a resolution pretty soon.
(24) and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.
He was hoping that he would be set free; if so, then he would immediately go to see them right away.
Paul had peace about either prospect, whether he would be executed or set free. For him to live was Christ, and to die would be gain (1: 21), so it really didn't matter that much. He wanted to be further benefit to those he loved, who he had relationships with in the churches he founded, but he didn't stress about it at all.
So we shouldn't stress about life, either. Whether we can meet together physically or just virtually, we can still communicate a lot easier today than Paul did. And we can trust God to protect us or see us through whatever hardships we face. And He will still comfort us in our sorrows, and we can still praise Him for His goodness and greatness.
God does not change, and everything He said will come to pass. And we need to remember that life on this Earth will never be easy, but as Christians, God allows into our lives everything He deems helpful for us to learn the lessons we need to learn, and nothing that will harm us. And when we're taking a test in this school of life, it is for us to hone our spiritual awareness and grow in Christ.
O my Father, thank You for all You do for us. Thank You for telling us what to expect, and for preparing us for everything You know will come to pass. And thank You that nothing ever comes to stay, only to pass, in this time-stream. And when time is over, then we will go into an eternity of never-ending heavenly bliss, which I strongly suspect will be intensely interesting, never boring.
Strengthen us, Father, to go out into all the world, spreading the Good News of Your Son. Be with Your children who are undergoing severe persecution even today, and grow Your Kingdom both in maturity and numbers.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(19) But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I may also be encouraged when I learn of your condition.
Paul wants to send Timothy to Philippi right away, so that he can return to Paul with a report of how they are doing.
(20) For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare.
Timothy was with Paul when he went to Philippi and founded the church there (in Acts 16), so he was of "equal soul" with Paul in caring for the Philippians. When he says he has "no one else" he is not disparaging his other companions, but just saying that they don't have the same connection to this particular church that Timothy has.
(21) For thay all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
Paul has already mentioned those who were concerned with furthering their own interests (1: 14-17), but is not unduly harsh on them. He is just noting that their hearts are not with the church in Philippi, as Timothy's is.
(22) But you know of his proven worth, that he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel like a child serving his father.
Timothy was with Paul as he founded the church in that city, as already noted in Acts 16, so they knew him. And Paul wanted to encourage him and them.
(23) Therefore I hope to send him immediately, as soon as I see how things go with me;
Paul didn't know how his trial would end, but expected a resolution pretty soon.
(24) and I trust in the Lord that I myself also will be coming shortly.
He was hoping that he would be set free; if so, then he would immediately go to see them right away.
Paul had peace about either prospect, whether he would be executed or set free. For him to live was Christ, and to die would be gain (1: 21), so it really didn't matter that much. He wanted to be further benefit to those he loved, who he had relationships with in the churches he founded, but he didn't stress about it at all.
So we shouldn't stress about life, either. Whether we can meet together physically or just virtually, we can still communicate a lot easier today than Paul did. And we can trust God to protect us or see us through whatever hardships we face. And He will still comfort us in our sorrows, and we can still praise Him for His goodness and greatness.
God does not change, and everything He said will come to pass. And we need to remember that life on this Earth will never be easy, but as Christians, God allows into our lives everything He deems helpful for us to learn the lessons we need to learn, and nothing that will harm us. And when we're taking a test in this school of life, it is for us to hone our spiritual awareness and grow in Christ.
O my Father, thank You for all You do for us. Thank You for telling us what to expect, and for preparing us for everything You know will come to pass. And thank You that nothing ever comes to stay, only to pass, in this time-stream. And when time is over, then we will go into an eternity of never-ending heavenly bliss, which I strongly suspect will be intensely interesting, never boring.
Strengthen us, Father, to go out into all the world, spreading the Good News of Your Son. Be with Your children who are undergoing severe persecution even today, and grow Your Kingdom both in maturity and numbers.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Don't Complain About Earning Rewards!
Philippians 2: 14-18
(14) Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
Because God is working in us to want and to do His will, as we saw yesterday, we are to cooperate with Him willingly, without complaining or having a bad attitude.
(15) so that you will prove yourselves to be be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach
We are responsible to display God's family traits in our own attitudes, showing that He has cleansed us thoroughly and completely, restoring innocence and blamelessness.
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
We're still in the middle of the mess here, but we're not part of it any more.
among whom you appear as lights in the world,
Twisted and perverted people live in the darkness of this World, where God's light needs to shine. We are the bright lights He wants to use to expose all the wickedness in our midst, showing those who are caught up in this bondage the much better way of living, the way God has outlined for us in His Word. Only His ways will bring to us the freedom, peace and joy of the Lord He wants for all of us.
(16) holding fast the word of life,
We need to keep on keeping on thinking and acting as God's family members. It is up to us to show those in the world God's way of living, to draw them and lead them to God. The more winsome we can be in our right living, the more attractive we show our Lord to be, in His great love for all of us.
so that in the Day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
Just as Paul wanted to glory in the Philippians, I anticipate being able to glory in you, my readers, as you apply God's word to your own lives, so that I will not be sharing this blog every day in vain, to no purpose.
I want you to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through this technology, so the Kingdom will grow in both maturity and numbers.
(17) But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
Paul thought he might be convicted and put to death for his witness and testimony, considering it to be his part of their sacrifice of faith, and was rejoicing in the prospect. And he wanted them to rejoice with him.
(18) You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
As he was sharing his joy with them, he wanted them to also share their joy with him, to make it reciprical. So they could all rejoice together.
O my Father, I pray for Your children: I pray that we would all grow up to maturity, so that the body of Christ will reach the full stature of the Son of God; and I pray that we would disseminate Your word to the whole world, so that every living being would hear and understand to choose to turn to You or reject Your gracious offer. And I pray that Your protection would be on Your children from all the filth and deception and traps.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(14) Do all things without grumbling or disputing;
Because God is working in us to want and to do His will, as we saw yesterday, we are to cooperate with Him willingly, without complaining or having a bad attitude.
(15) so that you will prove yourselves to be be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach
We are responsible to display God's family traits in our own attitudes, showing that He has cleansed us thoroughly and completely, restoring innocence and blamelessness.
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
We're still in the middle of the mess here, but we're not part of it any more.
among whom you appear as lights in the world,
Twisted and perverted people live in the darkness of this World, where God's light needs to shine. We are the bright lights He wants to use to expose all the wickedness in our midst, showing those who are caught up in this bondage the much better way of living, the way God has outlined for us in His Word. Only His ways will bring to us the freedom, peace and joy of the Lord He wants for all of us.
(16) holding fast the word of life,
We need to keep on keeping on thinking and acting as God's family members. It is up to us to show those in the world God's way of living, to draw them and lead them to God. The more winsome we can be in our right living, the more attractive we show our Lord to be, in His great love for all of us.
so that in the Day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.
Just as Paul wanted to glory in the Philippians, I anticipate being able to glory in you, my readers, as you apply God's word to your own lives, so that I will not be sharing this blog every day in vain, to no purpose.
I want you to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through this technology, so the Kingdom will grow in both maturity and numbers.
(17) But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
Paul thought he might be convicted and put to death for his witness and testimony, considering it to be his part of their sacrifice of faith, and was rejoicing in the prospect. And he wanted them to rejoice with him.
(18) You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.
As he was sharing his joy with them, he wanted them to also share their joy with him, to make it reciprical. So they could all rejoice together.
O my Father, I pray for Your children: I pray that we would all grow up to maturity, so that the body of Christ will reach the full stature of the Son of God; and I pray that we would disseminate Your word to the whole world, so that every living being would hear and understand to choose to turn to You or reject Your gracious offer. And I pray that Your protection would be on Your children from all the filth and deception and traps.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Both To Will And To Work
Philippians 2: 12-13
(12) So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,
Paul really loves these brothers and sisters in Philippi. He encourages them to continue to follow the teachings he brought them from the Lord. He says that they followed his instructions while he was with them, and it's much more pressing now that they continue to obey since he's not with them.
work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
He's not saying to work "for" salvation, but to work "out" the salvation Christ won for them, and that the Father placed in them in His Holy Spirit. They are to work out in their lives what God has already put in them.
(13) for it is God
God is the one doing the work in us, it's not us; this is at His initiative, not ours.
who is at work in you,
He is doing something inside us.
both to will and to work
God puts both the "want to" into our minds and emotions for us to desire what He wants for us; then He also gives us the power, authority and ability to do the things He wants us to do, through His Spirit; things we could never accomplish on our own. He gives us the impossible dreams, then He enables us to accomplish them, in His strength, as His hands and feet. These are the plans He planned out for each of us, to accomplish His great Plan of the Ages.
For His good pleasure.
God is good, and how God planned and designed this Universe and this World to work is for our good. When He sees what He made operating well, that gives Him pleasure. When we do the things He planned for us to accomplish in His strength, then He is "having fun with His toy" (big boys have big toys), deriving pleasure, and we get the benefits.
It's so wonderful how God designed this Earth to function! When we follow His rules for living, the result is beneficial to us here in this life; and God will even reward us eternally for doing what He enables us to do here. He is such a Good God!
O my Father, You are such a wonderful God! You designed this whole universe to run smoothly, like a fine instrument. And Your Spirit is the oil that keeps it humming!
And You use our decisions to move along Your plans for each of us and for all of us. Even the horrible, sinful, evil things that rebels devise, You use for good. Father, the cleverness of Your wisdom is amazing! You have given us a will that is free to choose anything within the parameters You place upon us, so that there is nothing that we can do that will put You off Your game. You see to it that everything continually moves toward the conclusion that You have planned all along.
O Father, when Your Son returns, He will have a glorious time, defeating all the forces arrayed against Him, gaining the great victory over all! It will be magnificent!
And You have given to us, Your children, to reign with Him on His throne, as He reigns with You on Your throne.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim the lordship of Christ Jesus, as the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come mightily, Lord Jesus!
(12) So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,
Paul really loves these brothers and sisters in Philippi. He encourages them to continue to follow the teachings he brought them from the Lord. He says that they followed his instructions while he was with them, and it's much more pressing now that they continue to obey since he's not with them.
work out your salvation with fear and trembling;
He's not saying to work "for" salvation, but to work "out" the salvation Christ won for them, and that the Father placed in them in His Holy Spirit. They are to work out in their lives what God has already put in them.
(13) for it is God
God is the one doing the work in us, it's not us; this is at His initiative, not ours.
who is at work in you,
He is doing something inside us.
both to will and to work
God puts both the "want to" into our minds and emotions for us to desire what He wants for us; then He also gives us the power, authority and ability to do the things He wants us to do, through His Spirit; things we could never accomplish on our own. He gives us the impossible dreams, then He enables us to accomplish them, in His strength, as His hands and feet. These are the plans He planned out for each of us, to accomplish His great Plan of the Ages.
For His good pleasure.
God is good, and how God planned and designed this Universe and this World to work is for our good. When He sees what He made operating well, that gives Him pleasure. When we do the things He planned for us to accomplish in His strength, then He is "having fun with His toy" (big boys have big toys), deriving pleasure, and we get the benefits.
It's so wonderful how God designed this Earth to function! When we follow His rules for living, the result is beneficial to us here in this life; and God will even reward us eternally for doing what He enables us to do here. He is such a Good God!
O my Father, You are such a wonderful God! You designed this whole universe to run smoothly, like a fine instrument. And Your Spirit is the oil that keeps it humming!
And You use our decisions to move along Your plans for each of us and for all of us. Even the horrible, sinful, evil things that rebels devise, You use for good. Father, the cleverness of Your wisdom is amazing! You have given us a will that is free to choose anything within the parameters You place upon us, so that there is nothing that we can do that will put You off Your game. You see to it that everything continually moves toward the conclusion that You have planned all along.
O Father, when Your Son returns, He will have a glorious time, defeating all the forces arrayed against Him, gaining the great victory over all! It will be magnificent!
And You have given to us, Your children, to reign with Him on His throne, as He reigns with You on Your throne.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim the lordship of Christ Jesus, as the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come mightily, Lord Jesus!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)