Philippians 4: 10-14
Paul now turns to the gift of support he had just received from the Philippians.
(10) But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity.
He says that he appreciates their care and concern for him, and that now finally they had been able to send him some support.
(11) Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
He wasn't desperate, because even if he didn't have everything, he could still cope.
(12) I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
Paul had learned the secret to be grateful and to thank God for everything He gave him, even if it wasn't very much at all. If he had food to sustain life and clothing to cover his nakedness, that was enough.
And when God saw fit to give him an abundance of food, and warm and stylish clothing, and a roof over his head, and a bed to sleep in; then he would also be thankful for all that, and not relax in the luxury, but continue to serve Him to the best of his ability.
(13) I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
This verse is true for all of us. We are enabled and strengthened to do everything God wants us to do, whether we are impoverished or whether we have the means to live in extreme luxury. If we're looking to Him to serve Him with everything we have, then we will live in His peace and contentment, satisfied with His provision.
(14) Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.
But Paul still appreciates their support, as they recognized his need and sent what they could, and God will reward them for their generosity.
O my Father, You have promised to give us everything we need, and Your provision is sometimes far more than we expect. Even when we feel that only our basest needs have been met, it's still enough, and we are still grateful for Your provision.
We are always able to turn to You for everything we need, and we know that when You hear our prayer, then You have already answered our request. If we don't see the answer yet, then we will just expect it to show up in Your time. Just in time. You're never late. And often Your provision has human finger-prints all over it.
O Father, You are with Your children in every situation and circumstance. These days of "sequestering in place" can be either very stressful or a time of closer family togetherness and fun.
Help us to see one another as You see us, Father. You love us with a Love that is beyond what we can understand, and our forced togetherness can foster a deeper care for one another, as we allow our rough edges to be smoothed and our concern will grow for the betterment of each other.
And we will emerge from this time stronger than ever, with our family bonds more resilient and lasting. And may our family bonds in Your family also be stronger, and more demonstrative of Your royal qualities of character.
Use this time, my Father, to grow us each in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and grow us up as the body of Christ into the full stature of the Son of God.
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!
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
Be Happy Thinking Positive Thoughts
Philippians 4: 8-9
Paul is now going to give us "God's Thought List," a nuts-and-bolts list to check off everything we think about.
(8) Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
This word is alethes; valid, reliable, honest, trustworthy; not concealing, the opposite of false. This is one of God's attributes which should also characterize His children.
whatever is honorable,
This is semnos; venerable, honorable, honest, noble, worthy of respect.
whatever is right,
This word is dikaios; just, right, righteous, equitable (in character), innocent, up to God's standards, holy.
whatever is pure,
This is hagnos; clean, innocent, modest, perfect, denoting moral purity, chaste.
whatever is lovely,
This word is prosphiles. This is the only place this word appears in the New Testament, and in the LXX (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), in Esther 5: 1 for her "royal apparel." It means: pleasing, agreeable, amiable, acceptable, lovely.
whatever is of good repute,
This is euphemos, which refers to a good reputation; admirable, praiseworthy, attractive, what conforms to the highest standards.
Now Paul changes the sentence structure to conditional clauses--"if anything is...." This forces the reader to exercise his own discernment to choose.
if there is any excellence
Is there any arete; virtue, valor, praise, intrinsic or attributed excellence.
and if anything worthy of praise,
Is it epainos; (based on laudation) commendable, praiseworthy, a story of praise. Is it a story that will encourage and build up? Or does it tear down someone else?
dwell on these things.
When we continually center our minds on these kinds of thoughts, to judge our thoughts using this list and choose to think this way, then we will live our lives as children of God, modeling His character and characteristics, His family traits.
(9) The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things,
Paul is the model that they are to follow. They and we need to "learn and receive" the Christian doctrine and lifestyle that he taught them, and to follow what they "heard and saw" Paul personally demonstrate to them in his words and example.
and the God of peace will be with you.
Those of us who follow this guidance from the apostle and scriptures have the promise that God will be with us and will give us His peace, right in the middle of whatever hardships, troubles, heartaches, and disappointments we may face in this life. This is something that will convince the world around us that God is real, and that He wants to be good to us all. They will notice it when we're in the middle of the same situation they're in, but not depressed or angry or have anxiety about it at all.
So, let's all put up this list on our refrigerators and bathroom mirrors to be able to remember to use it in all that we think about.
O my Father, You are true, You are honorable, You are right and just, You are pure, You are so lovely, Father, You are beautiful in all Your being. You are most excellent and worthy of all praise.
O Father, teach us to live like Your children, displaying Your family traits to the world around us, growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Help us, Father, to remember to be like You, especially when the world presses in on us, and we are not able to resist, except in Your strength and power.
Let us remember that with Your Holy Spirit inside us, we have supernatural abilities to make us super-heroes to those around us. We are the ones You have tasked to show the world who You are, and how You are. It's up to us, it's our job while we're here.
Grant us the confidence in You to be bold and courageous in our witnessing of Your power and grace. Lead us to all of those who are seeking answers to their questions, to show them that You are the only answer to every question!
Draw all of Your embryonic children to the birth in Your family, my Father, that Your house will be filled full of all Your uncountable kin. And may every place at Your grand Banquet Table be filled, that we will enjoy sweet fellowship with You and with one another forever.
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!
Paul is now going to give us "God's Thought List," a nuts-and-bolts list to check off everything we think about.
(8) Finally, brethren, whatever is true,
This word is alethes; valid, reliable, honest, trustworthy; not concealing, the opposite of false. This is one of God's attributes which should also characterize His children.
whatever is honorable,
This is semnos; venerable, honorable, honest, noble, worthy of respect.
whatever is right,
This word is dikaios; just, right, righteous, equitable (in character), innocent, up to God's standards, holy.
whatever is pure,
This is hagnos; clean, innocent, modest, perfect, denoting moral purity, chaste.
whatever is lovely,
This word is prosphiles. This is the only place this word appears in the New Testament, and in the LXX (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), in Esther 5: 1 for her "royal apparel." It means: pleasing, agreeable, amiable, acceptable, lovely.
whatever is of good repute,
This is euphemos, which refers to a good reputation; admirable, praiseworthy, attractive, what conforms to the highest standards.
Now Paul changes the sentence structure to conditional clauses--"if anything is...." This forces the reader to exercise his own discernment to choose.
if there is any excellence
Is there any arete; virtue, valor, praise, intrinsic or attributed excellence.
and if anything worthy of praise,
Is it epainos; (based on laudation) commendable, praiseworthy, a story of praise. Is it a story that will encourage and build up? Or does it tear down someone else?
dwell on these things.
When we continually center our minds on these kinds of thoughts, to judge our thoughts using this list and choose to think this way, then we will live our lives as children of God, modeling His character and characteristics, His family traits.
(9) The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things,
Paul is the model that they are to follow. They and we need to "learn and receive" the Christian doctrine and lifestyle that he taught them, and to follow what they "heard and saw" Paul personally demonstrate to them in his words and example.
and the God of peace will be with you.
Those of us who follow this guidance from the apostle and scriptures have the promise that God will be with us and will give us His peace, right in the middle of whatever hardships, troubles, heartaches, and disappointments we may face in this life. This is something that will convince the world around us that God is real, and that He wants to be good to us all. They will notice it when we're in the middle of the same situation they're in, but not depressed or angry or have anxiety about it at all.
So, let's all put up this list on our refrigerators and bathroom mirrors to be able to remember to use it in all that we think about.
O my Father, You are true, You are honorable, You are right and just, You are pure, You are so lovely, Father, You are beautiful in all Your being. You are most excellent and worthy of all praise.
O Father, teach us to live like Your children, displaying Your family traits to the world around us, growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Help us, Father, to remember to be like You, especially when the world presses in on us, and we are not able to resist, except in Your strength and power.
Let us remember that with Your Holy Spirit inside us, we have supernatural abilities to make us super-heroes to those around us. We are the ones You have tasked to show the world who You are, and how You are. It's up to us, it's our job while we're here.
Grant us the confidence in You to be bold and courageous in our witnessing of Your power and grace. Lead us to all of those who are seeking answers to their questions, to show them that You are the only answer to every question!
Draw all of Your embryonic children to the birth in Your family, my Father, that Your house will be filled full of all Your uncountable kin. And may every place at Your grand Banquet Table be filled, that we will enjoy sweet fellowship with You and with one another forever.
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 31, 2020
Peace In The Storm
Philippians 4: 4-7
Paul has been encouraging us to live our lives according to God's ways, following the pattern He gave us in Jesus and in Paul.
(4) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
When we live this way, giving grace to one another, then we will be able to rejoice in the Lord! We will be able to "practice the presence of God" in our lives continually, and the Joy of the Lord will fill us.
(5) Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Then God's gentle Spirit will show forth in our spirit, so that people will see the difference in us. Our whole attitude and thinking processes will be turned around, and others will see Christ in us. The Lord is near in us, and with us, and will soon come to be King over us.
(6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
So, we don't need to worry or be anxious about any of the chaotic panic that surrounds us; we can be protected from it all, sharing all our concerns and needs with God. Praying and talking with our Daddy about everything will open us up to His embrace as we curl up in His lap!
(7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
That's when the peace of God will overpower the effects of this world on us and we will experience release of stress. His peace, surrounding and permeating our hearts and minds, will be God's bubble shutting it all out. It is incomprehensible to those around us, who are still being battered by the storms; and we won't even understand it, even while we enjoy His sweet presence with us.
O my Father, You are God, You are Creator of everything that is. You know us down to the molecule, and Your love for us is beyond our understanding. Your care for us provides shelter in the storm, provision in our poverty, and protection from attack. You have already met all of our needs: physical, emotional, financial, social, spiritual, and eternal.
O Father, continue to hold us in Your arms, even as You send us out into the world to seek and save the lost. Lead us to Your embryonic children to bring them to the birth into Your family, and open the ears of every living being to hear and understand how You love us 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 hastily, Lord Jesus!
Paul has been encouraging us to live our lives according to God's ways, following the pattern He gave us in Jesus and in Paul.
(4) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
When we live this way, giving grace to one another, then we will be able to rejoice in the Lord! We will be able to "practice the presence of God" in our lives continually, and the Joy of the Lord will fill us.
(5) Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
Then God's gentle Spirit will show forth in our spirit, so that people will see the difference in us. Our whole attitude and thinking processes will be turned around, and others will see Christ in us. The Lord is near in us, and with us, and will soon come to be King over us.
(6) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
So, we don't need to worry or be anxious about any of the chaotic panic that surrounds us; we can be protected from it all, sharing all our concerns and needs with God. Praying and talking with our Daddy about everything will open us up to His embrace as we curl up in His lap!
(7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
That's when the peace of God will overpower the effects of this world on us and we will experience release of stress. His peace, surrounding and permeating our hearts and minds, will be God's bubble shutting it all out. It is incomprehensible to those around us, who are still being battered by the storms; and we won't even understand it, even while we enjoy His sweet presence with us.
O my Father, You are God, You are Creator of everything that is. You know us down to the molecule, and Your love for us is beyond our understanding. Your care for us provides shelter in the storm, provision in our poverty, and protection from attack. You have already met all of our needs: physical, emotional, financial, social, spiritual, and eternal.
O Father, continue to hold us in Your arms, even as You send us out into the world to seek and save the lost. Lead us to Your embryonic children to bring them to the birth into Your family, and open the ears of every living being to hear and understand how You love us 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 hastily, Lord Jesus!
Monday, March 30, 2020
"Help These Women"
Philippians 4: 1-3
(1) Therefore,
When there's a "therefore" we need to understand what it's there for:
We saw yesterday that we were to live our lives according to the pattern God has showed us in Jesus and in Paul.
my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
These brothers and sisters in Philippi are so dear to Paul, he really loves them deeply. He misses them and wants them to grow into spiritual maturity.
(2) I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.
These two women were apparently quarreling. He didn't ask them if they wanted to make up, he simply encouraged them to make allowances so they could live in harmony, as sisters in the Lord. To live according to God's pattern.
(3) Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel,
And he asked a brother there to counsel with them, and help them learn how to get along with each other. Both of these sisters had helped Paul in his founding of this church, and he knew they needed to resolve whatever issues they had and put aside anything that irritated each other; and that they could need counseling to work through this.
together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Euodia and Syntyche and Clement and all the other Christian brothers and sisters there had been helpful to Paul in all the myriad and sundry things that needed to be done in the founding of the church there at Philippi, and Paul had come to love them all very dearly. He had won them to Christ and let them know that Jesus had put their names into His book of eternal life. And he wanted them to all get along as family members and be able to work effectively together in the work of the Lord.
When there are two people in the same congregation who are not getting along with each other, someone in that assembly needs to confront them and work with them to be able to get along and work together. Don't ask them if they want to work on it, encourage them to share what it is between them, and help them work it out. Counseling is sometimes necessary to help two people face what is separating them, and if it's really serious, they may even need to "agree to disagree" in an agreeable manner.
And if either has a bad attitude, then they sould be encouraged to forgive and give grace, and change their thinking to think God's thoughts.
We all need to submit to the Lord, and learn of Him as our example, and follow His attitudes with our own. Even if it means changing our thinking about some long-held views.
O my Father, please help us all to be able to get along with one another in this broken world. We all have issues because of the brokenness of our own human nature, and we need Your remedies for all of our maladies.
Father, I pray that You would reach Your healing hand down to Your children, and mend our deficiencies and shortcomings. Heal our physical and mental and emotional and spiritual ills, to mold and make us into the pure, perfect character of Christ.
Help us to live our lives here and now as royal children of the King, granting others the grace allowances to be able to get close enough to make a difference in their lives, to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to grow up into the full stature of the Son of God.
Then send us out, my Father, into all the world, broadcasting the good seed of Your gospel, so that everyone will know how much You love us all, and want every one of us to be in Your family.
So that all Your embryonic children will come to the birth, and no one will have any excuse.
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) Therefore,
When there's a "therefore" we need to understand what it's there for:
We saw yesterday that we were to live our lives according to the pattern God has showed us in Jesus and in Paul.
my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
These brothers and sisters in Philippi are so dear to Paul, he really loves them deeply. He misses them and wants them to grow into spiritual maturity.
(2) I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord.
These two women were apparently quarreling. He didn't ask them if they wanted to make up, he simply encouraged them to make allowances so they could live in harmony, as sisters in the Lord. To live according to God's pattern.
(3) Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel,
And he asked a brother there to counsel with them, and help them learn how to get along with each other. Both of these sisters had helped Paul in his founding of this church, and he knew they needed to resolve whatever issues they had and put aside anything that irritated each other; and that they could need counseling to work through this.
together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Euodia and Syntyche and Clement and all the other Christian brothers and sisters there had been helpful to Paul in all the myriad and sundry things that needed to be done in the founding of the church there at Philippi, and Paul had come to love them all very dearly. He had won them to Christ and let them know that Jesus had put their names into His book of eternal life. And he wanted them to all get along as family members and be able to work effectively together in the work of the Lord.
When there are two people in the same congregation who are not getting along with each other, someone in that assembly needs to confront them and work with them to be able to get along and work together. Don't ask them if they want to work on it, encourage them to share what it is between them, and help them work it out. Counseling is sometimes necessary to help two people face what is separating them, and if it's really serious, they may even need to "agree to disagree" in an agreeable manner.
And if either has a bad attitude, then they sould be encouraged to forgive and give grace, and change their thinking to think God's thoughts.
We all need to submit to the Lord, and learn of Him as our example, and follow His attitudes with our own. Even if it means changing our thinking about some long-held views.
O my Father, please help us all to be able to get along with one another in this broken world. We all have issues because of the brokenness of our own human nature, and we need Your remedies for all of our maladies.
Father, I pray that You would reach Your healing hand down to Your children, and mend our deficiencies and shortcomings. Heal our physical and mental and emotional and spiritual ills, to mold and make us into the pure, perfect character of Christ.
Help us to live our lives here and now as royal children of the King, granting others the grace allowances to be able to get close enough to make a difference in their lives, to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ to grow up into the full stature of the Son of God.
Then send us out, my Father, into all the world, broadcasting the good seed of Your gospel, so that everyone will know how much You love us all, and want every one of us to be in Your family.
So that all Your embryonic children will come to the birth, and no one will have any excuse.
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!
Sunday, March 29, 2020
According To The Pattern
Philippians 3: 17-21
(17) Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
Paul has been seeking God and His ways in how to live his life, and now he's telling his hearers to live their lives also according to how He has learned, and to watch those who also have conformed their lives to God's ways instead of the attitudes of the world.
(18) For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,
He's thinking of people he knows, who he's come to love, that have turned away from the Lord and are teaching other things than the Truth of God, to gain followers for themselves.
(19) whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
If they don't turn back to the Lord as Paul preaches, because he teaches the truth, then they will be destroyed. Their first priority seems to be their own pleasure and comfort in material things and worldly activities.
(20) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
We know that we will only be here in this world temporarily, we're just passing through, on our way to our real home in heaven. Jesus will be returning to the Earth soon, to gather all of His people to carry us with Him into eternity.
(21) who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
Jesus has been given Lordship over all Creation by the Father when He created everything. I see God the Father as the Brain, God the Son as the Brawn, and God the Holy Spirit as the Life and Light. This is my personal idea, and is very simplistic. But John says that God spoke and the Word He spoke is the Son who created everything that exists. And the life in Him is the light of mankind, the Holy Spirit He gives (John 1: 1-4; 14: 26).
Jesus will transform our physical bodies into spiritual bodies of light, like His body as He appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1: 13-15). This is His redemption: He has bought us out of the slave-market of sin, cleaned us up, put His Holy Spirit into us to make our human spirit alive, and severed the connection to the flesh body, so it has no more pull on us to sin. He is now leading us to live lives of purity and integrity.
That's why Paul advises us all to pattern our lives after his and others who live godly lives, so that we will grow up in Christ into the maturity of the full stature of the Son of God. We are His body, and the final Redemption will be completed when He returns to this Earth to set up His Kingdom here. We will rule with Him, sitting in His throne as He sits in the Father's throne as sovereign Lord and King and God over all.
O my Father, You gave Moses the pattern for the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and You gave us Jesus as our pattern for living. You taught Saul how to be Paul and live according to that pattern, and You want all of Your children to think and act as members of Your family.
Teach us all, Father, how to pattern our thinking processes and attitudes after Yours instead of our own. Your thoughts are not our thoughts, as so often our ideas are opposite to Yours, and therefore detrimental. O Father, our enemy has deceived the world so deeply, and blinded their eyes to see reality! Please help us, strengthen us to stand firm against the onslaught of negativity hurled at us constantly. Show us how to show the world Your ways, that will rescue them from the snares and traps that hold them.
Father, help us to reach out to all who are searching for You, that we might be able to teach them Your ways, how much You love them and care for them, and want to save them from themselves.
Fill Your house with Your uncountable children, my Father; surround Your grand Banquet Table with all of Your family, to feast and fellowship with You and one another forevermore!
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 swiftly, Lord Jesus!
(17) Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us.
Paul has been seeking God and His ways in how to live his life, and now he's telling his hearers to live their lives also according to how He has learned, and to watch those who also have conformed their lives to God's ways instead of the attitudes of the world.
(18) For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ,
He's thinking of people he knows, who he's come to love, that have turned away from the Lord and are teaching other things than the Truth of God, to gain followers for themselves.
(19) whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
If they don't turn back to the Lord as Paul preaches, because he teaches the truth, then they will be destroyed. Their first priority seems to be their own pleasure and comfort in material things and worldly activities.
(20) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
We know that we will only be here in this world temporarily, we're just passing through, on our way to our real home in heaven. Jesus will be returning to the Earth soon, to gather all of His people to carry us with Him into eternity.
(21) who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
Jesus has been given Lordship over all Creation by the Father when He created everything. I see God the Father as the Brain, God the Son as the Brawn, and God the Holy Spirit as the Life and Light. This is my personal idea, and is very simplistic. But John says that God spoke and the Word He spoke is the Son who created everything that exists. And the life in Him is the light of mankind, the Holy Spirit He gives (John 1: 1-4; 14: 26).
Jesus will transform our physical bodies into spiritual bodies of light, like His body as He appeared to John on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1: 13-15). This is His redemption: He has bought us out of the slave-market of sin, cleaned us up, put His Holy Spirit into us to make our human spirit alive, and severed the connection to the flesh body, so it has no more pull on us to sin. He is now leading us to live lives of purity and integrity.
That's why Paul advises us all to pattern our lives after his and others who live godly lives, so that we will grow up in Christ into the maturity of the full stature of the Son of God. We are His body, and the final Redemption will be completed when He returns to this Earth to set up His Kingdom here. We will rule with Him, sitting in His throne as He sits in the Father's throne as sovereign Lord and King and God over all.
O my Father, You gave Moses the pattern for the Tabernacle in the wilderness, and You gave us Jesus as our pattern for living. You taught Saul how to be Paul and live according to that pattern, and You want all of Your children to think and act as members of Your family.
Teach us all, Father, how to pattern our thinking processes and attitudes after Yours instead of our own. Your thoughts are not our thoughts, as so often our ideas are opposite to Yours, and therefore detrimental. O Father, our enemy has deceived the world so deeply, and blinded their eyes to see reality! Please help us, strengthen us to stand firm against the onslaught of negativity hurled at us constantly. Show us how to show the world Your ways, that will rescue them from the snares and traps that hold them.
Father, help us to reach out to all who are searching for You, that we might be able to teach them Your ways, how much You love them and care for them, and want to save them from themselves.
Fill Your house with Your uncountable children, my Father; surround Your grand Banquet Table with all of Your family, to feast and fellowship with You and one another forevermore!
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 swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, March 28, 2020
Forgetting And Reaching
Philippians 3: 12-16
(12) Not that I have already obtained it (the resurrection, see yesterday's entry) or have already become perfect,
Paul is not claiming to have reached the goal of maturity, the word he used here for perfect is teleioo, which means "to finish," which he considers will be accomplished when he is resurrected.
but I press on
He will keep on keeping on.
that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Jesus laid hold of Paul when He knocked him to the ground on the road to Damascus. Now Paul is working out what Christ worked into him.
(13) Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;
Paul knew he still had a ways to go yet. As we all do.
but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
He is single-minded and focused like a laser-beam. He doesn't let any distraction pull him away from his goal. He doesn't think about the past, he is stretching forward, to whatever God has placed in front of him, to go where He leads, and talk with the people He puts in his path. To share with as many as possible. And when he can't go, he writes. He never lets up.
(14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul is really longing for his Lord! He will stay here in the world as long as God lets him, doing everything he can, every way he can, to promote God's Kingdom, helping his brothers and sisters to grow and sharing with everyone else to draw them into God's family, also.
(15) Let us therefore, as many as are perfect,
Paul uses a different form of the word for perfect here, telios, that means "mental and moral character," which refers to their maturity in Christ.
have this attitude;
He wants them to focus on doing the Lord's work, not letting themselves be distracted by worldly things or opinions.
and if in anything you have a different attitude,
If anyone doesn't agree with Paul's mindset in this ...
God will reveal that also to you;
He trusts that God will get hold of them, if they are true Christians. We don't need to nag them.
(16) however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
He says to be careful not to slide back into any less godly thinking. Continue to make your lifestyle as closely aligned with Christ as we can, and continue to follow His leading in the paths He is leading each of us in.
O my Father, thank You for all You are and all You do and have done already for us! You have taken care of all of our needs, even those we weren't aware of, and still aren't. You know us better than we know ourselves, and You love us more than we will ever be able to imagine!
Father, continue to be with us now. So many are floundering in this sea of confusion. Show us Your Truth in the midst of all the deception rampant in the world around us. Let us help one another whenever and wherever we can, to hold You close as You hold us.
Let our love for one another show the world that Jesus really did come to be their Savior, and draw all of Your embryonic children to the spiritual birth into Your family. And no one will have any excuse.
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!
(12) Not that I have already obtained it (the resurrection, see yesterday's entry) or have already become perfect,
Paul is not claiming to have reached the goal of maturity, the word he used here for perfect is teleioo, which means "to finish," which he considers will be accomplished when he is resurrected.
but I press on
He will keep on keeping on.
that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Jesus laid hold of Paul when He knocked him to the ground on the road to Damascus. Now Paul is working out what Christ worked into him.
(13) Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;
Paul knew he still had a ways to go yet. As we all do.
but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
He is single-minded and focused like a laser-beam. He doesn't let any distraction pull him away from his goal. He doesn't think about the past, he is stretching forward, to whatever God has placed in front of him, to go where He leads, and talk with the people He puts in his path. To share with as many as possible. And when he can't go, he writes. He never lets up.
(14) I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul is really longing for his Lord! He will stay here in the world as long as God lets him, doing everything he can, every way he can, to promote God's Kingdom, helping his brothers and sisters to grow and sharing with everyone else to draw them into God's family, also.
(15) Let us therefore, as many as are perfect,
Paul uses a different form of the word for perfect here, telios, that means "mental and moral character," which refers to their maturity in Christ.
have this attitude;
He wants them to focus on doing the Lord's work, not letting themselves be distracted by worldly things or opinions.
and if in anything you have a different attitude,
If anyone doesn't agree with Paul's mindset in this ...
God will reveal that also to you;
He trusts that God will get hold of them, if they are true Christians. We don't need to nag them.
(16) however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
He says to be careful not to slide back into any less godly thinking. Continue to make your lifestyle as closely aligned with Christ as we can, and continue to follow His leading in the paths He is leading each of us in.
O my Father, thank You for all You are and all You do and have done already for us! You have taken care of all of our needs, even those we weren't aware of, and still aren't. You know us better than we know ourselves, and You love us more than we will ever be able to imagine!
Father, continue to be with us now. So many are floundering in this sea of confusion. Show us Your Truth in the midst of all the deception rampant in the world around us. Let us help one another whenever and wherever we can, to hold You close as You hold us.
Let our love for one another show the world that Jesus really did come to be their Savior, and draw all of Your embryonic children to the spiritual birth into Your family. And no one will have any excuse.
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!
Friday, March 27, 2020
Surpassing Value
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!
(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!
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