Philippians 3: 7-17
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
Paul has just gone through his resume of all the high accomplishments he had earned; but now he's saying that all these things he had counted on to give him standing, was just standing in the way between him and Christ.
More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
Even beyond that, he considered everything in this World as being a stumbling stone in the way of knowing, not just knowing about, Christ Jesus Himself.
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things,
Paul really has lost the value of all the items on the list of his accomplishments, because he doesn't need them any more.
and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
Now they're just trash compared to the extremely high value of having Christ Jesus.
and may be found in Him,
And not just having Jesus, but Jesus having him, living inside of him by His Spirit.
not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law,
This is what he had on his resume, all the legalistic rule-based living.
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,
The faith in Christ, trusting Him to have done it all for us. Righteousness comes from God, not from anything we can do, only what He has done for us. And this comes to us as a gift from God on the basis of our trusting Him and relying on Him alone.
that I may know Him and the power of His Resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;
Paul wants intimate communion with Him, and this would mean going with Jesus into Resurrection through His sufferings and dying with Him, as though it all happened to Paul while Jesus suffered and died. They went through it together.
in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
This is what it takes to get to Resurrection. Nothing less will do. But Resurrection is the end of this road. No other road will get us there.
Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on
Paul admits that he's not finished yet, he's still on the road, trudging along.
so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Here is the back and forth again: Paul wants what Jesus wants to give him. Jesus laid hold of Paul, now Paul is hanging on to Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet;
Paul knew he still had a ways to go before he would be ready to become all God had planned for him to be; he wasn't there yet.
but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
He's taken his focus off of all the stuff he left behind, and is reaching, stretching forward, toward what is ahead of him.
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
He is pressuring himself to keep on keeping on, to push through, keeping his eyes on the prize, that he knows is ahead, because that's what God has promised him in Christ Jesus. He's not letting anything get in his way, not being distracted by anything.
Let us, therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude;
He just said that he wasn't "perfect" yet, so here he means "mature." As many of us who consider ourselves mature in the faith, we will have this kind of thinking process going on in our heads, to produce this attitude of seeking Christ with single-mindedness.
and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you;
And if anyone thinks differently, then they must take that up with God our Father who will help them sort it out. It's a personal issue.
however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
However far each of us has gone in living our lives righteously according to God's standards for us, let's keep on getting better, not letting anything slide.
Brethren, join in following my example.
Paul says to follow him as he follows Christ. He's setting himself up as an example to follow.
I find this a rather dangerous position to be in. If someone is going to follow me, I would not want them to repeat any of the mistakes I still make. Paul sounded very confident here, much more confident than I am.
When I had my children, I knew that they would see all my imperfections, and would magnify those in their lives. So I let them know what to watch out for, and prayed for them (which I still do every day), and left them in God's hand.
Now that they are grown, they do have some of my better character qualities, but they also have their own weaknesses. So I still keep them in my Father's hand, who Loves them even more than I do.
Meanwhile, I endeavor to live a lifestyle of responsibility for myself and others, which includes a high moral standard of purity and compassion, with social and financial responsibility.
And I must keep on top of my own weaknesses so that they won't interfere with my goal of the high calling in Christ Jesus. So pray for me, too.
O my Father, You are so good to me, and to all of us. Please continue to help us all grow up as Your children, to keep our families in Your hand to call them also to repentance and faith in Your time.
Send out Your teachers and workers into Your fields to find all Your little lambs who are still lost out there, to bring them in to the safety of Your fold.
And may Your house be full, every place at Your banquet table taken.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess in every language, of every creature above, on the Earth, and below, Your glory and honor and authority. That the Lord Jesus Christ is Sovereign King and Almighty God over all Creation, to the glory of God the Father.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 20, 2019
Wednesday, June 19, 2019
How To Rejoice In Adversity
Philippians 1: 12-18
Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
So that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else,
The news of Paul's imprisonment in Rome has allowed him to reach the personal Body Guards of the Roman Governor with the Gospel, as well as everyone else in the whole district.
And that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
And most of the other Christians who lived in Rome at that time, knowing that Paul was there in the prison, had much more courage to speak out, preaching to others boldly.
Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife but some also from good will;
He knew that they were preaching with different motives.
The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Gospel;
Those preaching out of Love for God and love for Paul, were helping him get the word out, working with him.
The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
He also knew that others of them were preaching with selfish motives, because they wanted some of Paul's fame and were envious of his popularity.
What then?
So what?
Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in Truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.
Paul was glad that Christ was being preached, regardless of the motives of the preachers. He knew that God doesn't demand perfection in His preachers, only faithfulness to the Truth. And if the Truth of Christ was being proclaimed, then he would rejoice.
And he would continue to rejoice, and not take any of it personally. He was just focused on Christ, not himself. So he could rejoice.
I wonder how often Christian workers are envious of other Christian workers, and do their jobs just trying to be better than someone else. Well, if the jobs are getting done, then the Kingdom is being promoted; but those workers will lose their rewards for doing it.
O my Father, I pray for those who think they are your children, but do not have that relationship with You that You want to have with them, they just practice a religion. Father, I think those are the ones most likely to be envious of someone else's following. Please get a hold of them and show them how much You Love them.
And I pray for all Your lambs, Father, who have not found their way to You yet. They have lost their way. Please send Your workers into Your missionary fields, to share Your great Love for them with them.
I pray also for all Christians to be prepared for what You have told us what to expect. Please teach us all, Father, to be strong in Your Spirit; to carry out our responsibilities in our families, and in our neighborhoods and in our places of employment. And to be ready to face our enemies with a positive attitude of compassion and boldness, wearing the Armor of God; so that we will be able to stand against them, and when everything is done, to remain standing.
We are Your children, Father. We are Your princes and princesses. And we are also the living stones of Your Temple, and the soldiers in Your Military. Train us and shape us up to be good soldiers to face the battles, so we will learn to be good sons and daughters of the Great King.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,
So that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and to everyone else,
The news of Paul's imprisonment in Rome has allowed him to reach the personal Body Guards of the Roman Governor with the Gospel, as well as everyone else in the whole district.
And that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.
And most of the other Christians who lived in Rome at that time, knowing that Paul was there in the prison, had much more courage to speak out, preaching to others boldly.
Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife but some also from good will;
He knew that they were preaching with different motives.
The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Gospel;
Those preaching out of Love for God and love for Paul, were helping him get the word out, working with him.
The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.
He also knew that others of them were preaching with selfish motives, because they wanted some of Paul's fame and were envious of his popularity.
What then?
So what?
Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in Truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.
Paul was glad that Christ was being preached, regardless of the motives of the preachers. He knew that God doesn't demand perfection in His preachers, only faithfulness to the Truth. And if the Truth of Christ was being proclaimed, then he would rejoice.
And he would continue to rejoice, and not take any of it personally. He was just focused on Christ, not himself. So he could rejoice.
I wonder how often Christian workers are envious of other Christian workers, and do their jobs just trying to be better than someone else. Well, if the jobs are getting done, then the Kingdom is being promoted; but those workers will lose their rewards for doing it.
O my Father, I pray for those who think they are your children, but do not have that relationship with You that You want to have with them, they just practice a religion. Father, I think those are the ones most likely to be envious of someone else's following. Please get a hold of them and show them how much You Love them.
And I pray for all Your lambs, Father, who have not found their way to You yet. They have lost their way. Please send Your workers into Your missionary fields, to share Your great Love for them with them.
I pray also for all Christians to be prepared for what You have told us what to expect. Please teach us all, Father, to be strong in Your Spirit; to carry out our responsibilities in our families, and in our neighborhoods and in our places of employment. And to be ready to face our enemies with a positive attitude of compassion and boldness, wearing the Armor of God; so that we will be able to stand against them, and when everything is done, to remain standing.
We are Your children, Father. We are Your princes and princesses. And we are also the living stones of Your Temple, and the soldiers in Your Military. Train us and shape us up to be good soldiers to face the battles, so we will learn to be good sons and daughters of the Great King.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 18, 2019
God Will Finish What He Started
Philippians 1: 6
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the Day of Christ Jesus.
This verse is and has been so precious to me.
God is the one who started to work on me when He put into my heart to seek the Truth, even though I didn't know that He is Truth.
And He worked His Redemption in me on that day He showed me Jesus on the Cross, and I knew He took my place there.
And He has continued to work in my life, my attitudes, my circumstances; through all the decades--every year, every month, every day, even every moment of every day. He never rests.
He has been working in me, on me, with me, and even through me, all this time. He has never left me, for even a moment, He's kept His promise.
Philippians 2: 13
For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
God is the One who works in each one of His children, in the Person of His Holy Spirit. He is the One who woos us to want to do His works, and He gives us the ability to work toward His purposes for us.
He is the One who has Loved us first (I John 4:19), and has chosen us before He even started to create (Ephesians 1:4). We're in His Plan.
He planned out everything He would do, before He even started. Like my son, whose second grade teacher thought he was daydreaming, when he was thinking through the whole project before starting to write it down.
[Our little children teach us so much about God!]
God is in control, but He has still given us a free will. We can choose to do things His way, even when it's hard for us or costs us, and reap the rewards for doing so, furthering His program.
Or if we refuse to cooperate with Him, His plan will still be carried out, but we will suffer loss (Esther 4:13-14).
How much better for us to align ourselves with the Lord of the Universe, and think the way He thinks, and live our lives according to His attitudes and reasonings.
When we understand how He has fashioned this Earth for us to build our World upon it, and we cooperate with His Laws (natural and moral) to form our societies; then we all will reap all the benefits He put here for us to find.
But when we decide that we "know better" and want to do things some kind of newfangled way, then we find that it doesn't work like the "old-fashioned" way. It may benefit some people in some ways, but it will tend to pull down the rest of the population.
God wants all of us to prosper. And He wants all of us to know Him and His ways, so we can prosper.
It's our enemy who wants to kill, steal and destroy. And he has killed millions of people before they could even be born. And he has stolen the bounty of this Earth from many millions (billions?) of people all over the World. And he is still at work destroying our relationships in our families, so that our society and civilization will crumble.
This enemy will continue to kill more and more, and steal more and more, and destroy more and more, and he knows his time is short, so he is more furious than ever at his dastardly schemes.
O my Father, I pray that You would continue to work in all of Your children to want to seek Your Face, to curl up in Your lap and listen to Your bedtime stories.
You are our good Father, Father, and You Love us more than we could ever imagine! The good You want for us is better than we would ever want, because this World has surrounded us all our lives. And You know how strong is the pull of our own flesh we live in.
Father, strengthen us in Your Spirit. Help us to gain the victory over our own fleshly desires, to want only what You have determined is the best for us.
Don't let any of Your children fall prey to any of the lies of our enemy, Father. You are so much greater than he is, and Your strength overpowers him at every turn.
O Father, teach each one of Your children to turn to You for their every need, for the answer to every problem; and to imbibe, to drink in, the milk of Your Word, that they may grow thereby. And then to chew on the steak of Your Word, to grow up in the Spirit, and learn to be Your princes and princesses.
Father, Your plans for us are so much better than whatever plans we may devise for ourselves. We live in Time, Your view is Eternity. Time is just a moment, in view if Eternity. We tend to be so short-sighted, Father; let us put on Your "glasses" to see Your ways distinctly, and not be so myopic, or have deceptive rose-colored glasses. Teach us to see the reality, the Truth of what comes into our little worlds.
Then we will choose Your ways, Father, and we will grow up, learning all the lessons in this school of life You placed us in. And we will mature into Your kings and queens to sit with King Jesus on His Throne, ruling all the Kingdom of God in all the Universes You will create throughout all Eternity Future.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Pray, Pray, Pray
Ephesians 6: 18-20
Now having clothed ourselves with the Armor of God, here's the next step.
With prayer and all petition pray at all times in the Spirit,
We are to pray. Pray always, all day, in constant conversation with our Father through His Spirit.
and pray with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
This is what we are to focus on, praying for one another.
and pray on my behalf,
Paul asks these brothers and sisters in Ephesus to pray for him, too.
that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth,
That God would give him the words to speak.
to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel,
Even Paul thought he was not always bold enough in witnessing, in sharing God's Good News.
for which I am an ambassador in chains;
Paul is in prison in Rome, but he didn't use it as an excuse, he still wanted to reach out with God's message, even when he couldn't go himself.
that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
And he asks for boldness again. If Paul needed boldness, how much more do I!
But that you may also know about my circumstances, how I am doing,
Paul also wanted them to know how he was doing, so they would know how to pray for him. He didn't want to hide anything from them.
Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
Tychicus would be bringing the letter to them, because he had shown himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord, ministering to them. And Paul trusted him to fill them in with all the details of what was happening to him.
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
This is why he sent him, and also to assure them that everything would be all right, because God works everything out for our good.
Peace to the brethren,
God gives His Peace to all His children, we need to realize this and live it out in our thoughts and lives.
and Love with faith,
When we believe enough to trust Him fully, we will realize how much He Loves us.
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Father and our Lord both are giving us the gifts of faith and Love, and every blessing.
Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible Love.
Grace and graciousness has been given to us, and we are to pass it on to others as well. And the Love with which He Loves us lives in us, and is not able to be changed into any other form, any kind of fake or artificial "love."
O my Father, thank You so much for all You have done for us all. Thank You so much for who You are, and how You are. Thank You for giving us Your Word, Jesus Christ, Your only-begotten Son, sent to us to be our Lord and our Savior and Redeemer, our King and our Judge. Thank You for Your written Word, the body and blood of Jesus, that we are to ingest, to nourish our Life and become our daily living.
Help us, Father, to be faithful to You in our daily Bread and in our constant awareness of Your Presence with us, and our readiness to proclaim Your Truth boldly each time we open our mouth.
O Father, help me to walk with You in Your path for me. Keep my feet in Your footsteps, hold on to my hand firmly as my Good Father, not letting me pull away, or wander off, or veer off to the right hand or to the left, or to lag behind You, or run ahead of You. Keep me with You as You are with me.
And give me the boldness I need to proclaim Your Love to all who enter into my little world, with gentleness and compassion. Don't let my flesh get in Your way, Father, to show Yourself to others through me and my words and actions and lifestyle.
Use me, Father, make me useful in the promotion and growth of Your Kingdom and Your family. Help me to focus on others instead of myself, and to serve others in any way they need to be helped, whatever it costs me.
Teach me how to do this, Father.
Make my crown worthy of casting to the feet of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Now having clothed ourselves with the Armor of God, here's the next step.
With prayer and all petition pray at all times in the Spirit,
We are to pray. Pray always, all day, in constant conversation with our Father through His Spirit.
and pray with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
This is what we are to focus on, praying for one another.
and pray on my behalf,
Paul asks these brothers and sisters in Ephesus to pray for him, too.
that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth,
That God would give him the words to speak.
to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel,
Even Paul thought he was not always bold enough in witnessing, in sharing God's Good News.
for which I am an ambassador in chains;
Paul is in prison in Rome, but he didn't use it as an excuse, he still wanted to reach out with God's message, even when he couldn't go himself.
that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
And he asks for boldness again. If Paul needed boldness, how much more do I!
But that you may also know about my circumstances, how I am doing,
Paul also wanted them to know how he was doing, so they would know how to pray for him. He didn't want to hide anything from them.
Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.
Tychicus would be bringing the letter to them, because he had shown himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord, ministering to them. And Paul trusted him to fill them in with all the details of what was happening to him.
I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
This is why he sent him, and also to assure them that everything would be all right, because God works everything out for our good.
Peace to the brethren,
God gives His Peace to all His children, we need to realize this and live it out in our thoughts and lives.
and Love with faith,
When we believe enough to trust Him fully, we will realize how much He Loves us.
from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Father and our Lord both are giving us the gifts of faith and Love, and every blessing.
Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible Love.
Grace and graciousness has been given to us, and we are to pass it on to others as well. And the Love with which He Loves us lives in us, and is not able to be changed into any other form, any kind of fake or artificial "love."
O my Father, thank You so much for all You have done for us all. Thank You so much for who You are, and how You are. Thank You for giving us Your Word, Jesus Christ, Your only-begotten Son, sent to us to be our Lord and our Savior and Redeemer, our King and our Judge. Thank You for Your written Word, the body and blood of Jesus, that we are to ingest, to nourish our Life and become our daily living.
Help us, Father, to be faithful to You in our daily Bread and in our constant awareness of Your Presence with us, and our readiness to proclaim Your Truth boldly each time we open our mouth.
O Father, help me to walk with You in Your path for me. Keep my feet in Your footsteps, hold on to my hand firmly as my Good Father, not letting me pull away, or wander off, or veer off to the right hand or to the left, or to lag behind You, or run ahead of You. Keep me with You as You are with me.
And give me the boldness I need to proclaim Your Love to all who enter into my little world, with gentleness and compassion. Don't let my flesh get in Your way, Father, to show Yourself to others through me and my words and actions and lifestyle.
Use me, Father, make me useful in the promotion and growth of Your Kingdom and Your family. Help me to focus on others instead of myself, and to serve others in any way they need to be helped, whatever it costs me.
Teach me how to do this, Father.
Make my crown worthy of casting to the feet of my Lord Jesus Christ.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 15, 2019
Our Necessary Armor
Ephesians 6: 10-17
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
After all the instructions on how to live together in our families and our daily lives, in a manner that is supernatural; now we're given the armor that will help us do exactly that in the battles we face every day.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Armor is protective and defensive. Our flesh is weak, and we are not to face our enemies defenseless, but we have been given the supernatural means to have victory in the supernatural battles we must fight through on a daily basis.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the World forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies.
We are not fighting against people. The people who are fighting against us are just being used by these supernatural, spiritual forces. These are in the World around us, and they are also in the heavenlies above us. And they are very wicked and evil, fighting against everything good, because they rebel against God, who is good.
So these rebels take the good gifts God gives us and twists them into unrecognizable monstrosities: putting dark for light, bad for good, hatred for Love, death for Life, persuasive lies for Truth.
We cannot win against them in our flesh, we must arm and protect ourselves supernaturally.
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Only by taking up and using God's supernatural armor will we be able to resist and still stand.
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with Truth,
The very first piece of armor we need is to protect our loins, our chastity and purity. This is a picture of the belt that the Romans wore, that had a "skirt" of heavy leather flaps intended to protect the soldier to his knees. And the belt itself was where he hung all his equipment. This is the first and basic piece we need, to be able to use all the rest.
and having put on the breastplate of Righteousness,
This piece protects our heart. When we renew our minds to think God's thoughts, then our attitudes and feelings will go in accord with God's Righteousness. This will protect us from the negativity and deception of the World and the enemy. And our own flesh, too.
These are the two most important, most crucial and fundamental pieces of armor we are to use, to apply to our everyday living and working with others.
Then:
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace;
Our boots that must trudge through the mud of this World is the Gospel. The Good News. These boots are high-top, steel-toed, indestructible shoes. They can tread on nails, they protect from heavy stuff dropped on them, and will stand up to all the acid of the enemy's attacks.
This is the message of Salvation and Reconciliation that we proclaim to those in the World who are seeking. And also to those who know Jesus, but need to be strengthened.
In addition to all, taking up the shield of Faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
This shield of Faith is our bulwark behind which we are protected from all the flames and acid and explosives our enemy hurls at us. It puts out the fire, neutralizes the acid, and extinguishes the explosives.
Our certainty of what our Father has told us is rock-solid Truth, imperviable to all the deceptive lies and twistings of thought our enemy uses.
And take the helmet of Salvation,
The Helmet protects our head, our brain, that processes all our thoughts. This is the control center of our body, and it must function properly for our bodies to be healthy.
God's saving us from the power of sin right now, today, where we live, enables us to defeat the enemy's lies and run from all the temptations we face.
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God
This is our only offensive weapon. It is a very dangerous, two-edged sword, that we must wield with much training and skill, with great care.
Too often we swing it and lop off someone's ear (like Peter did!). God wants us to know Him and to study His Word so we will have an understanding of His ways. To do the training and skill-building to be able to wield this Sword with grace. As Jesus did.
When we haven't done our homework, but we know some of what He said, then that little knowledge is dangerous, and can do much harm.
I invite you, dear Reader, to go back to my previous posts, and work through this blog. I try to give you my source of each concept I expand on; but I want you to be noble, like the believers in Berea, who searched the Scriptures daily, [to see] whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).
If you take exception with any of my pronouncements anywhere here, please tell me about it, leave me a Comment, and I will investigate your sources, and will get back to you.
My prayer for each one of you is that you may grow in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I hope reading my blog will help you do that.
O my Father, You are so great. You are so good to tell us everything we need to know and practice in this life here, and how You make us fit to live with You in Eternity Future.
Help each one of Your children to learn to know You and Your ways. Help us all to help one another in our needs and our sorrows and troubles.
Teach us all to put on our Armor every day, and to gain skill in the use of our Sword, to spread Your Good News over all the World and find all Your lost sheep.
Strengthen our families and our neighborhoods and our work situations, so that the society we build will be a civilization that brings You the glory You deserve.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess in every language, that King Jesus, our Lord and Christ, is God Almighty; to the glory of God the Father!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.
After all the instructions on how to live together in our families and our daily lives, in a manner that is supernatural; now we're given the armor that will help us do exactly that in the battles we face every day.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
Armor is protective and defensive. Our flesh is weak, and we are not to face our enemies defenseless, but we have been given the supernatural means to have victory in the supernatural battles we must fight through on a daily basis.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the World forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies.
We are not fighting against people. The people who are fighting against us are just being used by these supernatural, spiritual forces. These are in the World around us, and they are also in the heavenlies above us. And they are very wicked and evil, fighting against everything good, because they rebel against God, who is good.
So these rebels take the good gifts God gives us and twists them into unrecognizable monstrosities: putting dark for light, bad for good, hatred for Love, death for Life, persuasive lies for Truth.
We cannot win against them in our flesh, we must arm and protect ourselves supernaturally.
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
Only by taking up and using God's supernatural armor will we be able to resist and still stand.
Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with Truth,
The very first piece of armor we need is to protect our loins, our chastity and purity. This is a picture of the belt that the Romans wore, that had a "skirt" of heavy leather flaps intended to protect the soldier to his knees. And the belt itself was where he hung all his equipment. This is the first and basic piece we need, to be able to use all the rest.
and having put on the breastplate of Righteousness,
This piece protects our heart. When we renew our minds to think God's thoughts, then our attitudes and feelings will go in accord with God's Righteousness. This will protect us from the negativity and deception of the World and the enemy. And our own flesh, too.
These are the two most important, most crucial and fundamental pieces of armor we are to use, to apply to our everyday living and working with others.
Then:
and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace;
Our boots that must trudge through the mud of this World is the Gospel. The Good News. These boots are high-top, steel-toed, indestructible shoes. They can tread on nails, they protect from heavy stuff dropped on them, and will stand up to all the acid of the enemy's attacks.
This is the message of Salvation and Reconciliation that we proclaim to those in the World who are seeking. And also to those who know Jesus, but need to be strengthened.
In addition to all, taking up the shield of Faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
This shield of Faith is our bulwark behind which we are protected from all the flames and acid and explosives our enemy hurls at us. It puts out the fire, neutralizes the acid, and extinguishes the explosives.
Our certainty of what our Father has told us is rock-solid Truth, imperviable to all the deceptive lies and twistings of thought our enemy uses.
And take the helmet of Salvation,
The Helmet protects our head, our brain, that processes all our thoughts. This is the control center of our body, and it must function properly for our bodies to be healthy.
God's saving us from the power of sin right now, today, where we live, enables us to defeat the enemy's lies and run from all the temptations we face.
and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God
This is our only offensive weapon. It is a very dangerous, two-edged sword, that we must wield with much training and skill, with great care.
Too often we swing it and lop off someone's ear (like Peter did!). God wants us to know Him and to study His Word so we will have an understanding of His ways. To do the training and skill-building to be able to wield this Sword with grace. As Jesus did.
When we haven't done our homework, but we know some of what He said, then that little knowledge is dangerous, and can do much harm.
I invite you, dear Reader, to go back to my previous posts, and work through this blog. I try to give you my source of each concept I expand on; but I want you to be noble, like the believers in Berea, who searched the Scriptures daily, [to see] whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).
If you take exception with any of my pronouncements anywhere here, please tell me about it, leave me a Comment, and I will investigate your sources, and will get back to you.
My prayer for each one of you is that you may grow in the Grace and Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And I hope reading my blog will help you do that.
O my Father, You are so great. You are so good to tell us everything we need to know and practice in this life here, and how You make us fit to live with You in Eternity Future.
Help each one of Your children to learn to know You and Your ways. Help us all to help one another in our needs and our sorrows and troubles.
Teach us all to put on our Armor every day, and to gain skill in the use of our Sword, to spread Your Good News over all the World and find all Your lost sheep.
Strengthen our families and our neighborhoods and our work situations, so that the society we build will be a civilization that brings You the glory You deserve.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess in every language, that King Jesus, our Lord and Christ, is God Almighty; to the glory of God the Father!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 14, 2019
Work Relationships
Ephesians 6: 5-9
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh,
Today we would say, Employees, do what makes your boss look good at work.
with fear and trembling,
Respecting them, giving them the credit for what is accomplished.
in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Honestly, not a put-on, but sincerely wanting to do what will benefit the whole company, regardless of who gets the credit, just as you would if your boss was Jesus, because He is.
With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
Do your job to the best of your ability, as though you're working for Christ and His Kingdom, not just the company you work for.
knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
Because we know that whatever we do for the Kingdom, we're sending on ahead, and we will reap the benefits there. And it doesn't make any difference whether we are the boss or the worker, we're all working for Christ.
And masters, do the same things to them,
Have the same attitude that you are administering the Lord's business, and He has given you your employees to walk with you in your service the Lord.
and give up threatening,
Don't be hard on them, treat them as valuable assets, encouraging them to do their tasks, showing them the benefits of doing right.
knowing that both their Master and yours is in Heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Keep in mind that God set up the order of authority, and no matter where He put you on the ladder, there are those both above and below you, but you are all valuable, all on the same ladder, all walking the same path of Righteousness, and all precious in His sight.
I have been both the boss and the employee at different times, but I am the same person, at different stages of development. And those both above me and below me in responsibility, I must see as just as precious to the Lord as I am, and I am to serve them and lead them to the best of the ability I have been able to attain so far in my walk.
The family and work responsibilities we have been given sometimes seem to require more of us than we think we have to give, and they are. God does not expect us to fulfill His will in our own strength, because He knows we are but flesh.
That's why He gave us His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God in us teaches us, informs us, molds us, strengthens us, and enables us to supernaturally live our lives each day, obeying those who are above us, and humbly leading those who are following us.
Tomorrow we will see something else God gave us to help us in this quest.
O my Father, thank You for Your Spirit to live in us. Thank You for telling us and showing us the right ways to think about life and our relationships, to see things and people the way You see them, and to help one another in our journeys along the path of life.
Father, continue to teach me how to be the daughter of the King You made me to be. Continue to help me learn and practice the good and proper things to do and accomplish each day to obey You according to Your will for me.
Help me to redeem the time, and to use every resource You have given me to further Your Kingdom, as Your worker, Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh,
Today we would say, Employees, do what makes your boss look good at work.
with fear and trembling,
Respecting them, giving them the credit for what is accomplished.
in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Honestly, not a put-on, but sincerely wanting to do what will benefit the whole company, regardless of who gets the credit, just as you would if your boss was Jesus, because He is.
With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
Do your job to the best of your ability, as though you're working for Christ and His Kingdom, not just the company you work for.
knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
Because we know that whatever we do for the Kingdom, we're sending on ahead, and we will reap the benefits there. And it doesn't make any difference whether we are the boss or the worker, we're all working for Christ.
And masters, do the same things to them,
Have the same attitude that you are administering the Lord's business, and He has given you your employees to walk with you in your service the Lord.
and give up threatening,
Don't be hard on them, treat them as valuable assets, encouraging them to do their tasks, showing them the benefits of doing right.
knowing that both their Master and yours is in Heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Keep in mind that God set up the order of authority, and no matter where He put you on the ladder, there are those both above and below you, but you are all valuable, all on the same ladder, all walking the same path of Righteousness, and all precious in His sight.
I have been both the boss and the employee at different times, but I am the same person, at different stages of development. And those both above me and below me in responsibility, I must see as just as precious to the Lord as I am, and I am to serve them and lead them to the best of the ability I have been able to attain so far in my walk.
The family and work responsibilities we have been given sometimes seem to require more of us than we think we have to give, and they are. God does not expect us to fulfill His will in our own strength, because He knows we are but flesh.
That's why He gave us His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God in us teaches us, informs us, molds us, strengthens us, and enables us to supernaturally live our lives each day, obeying those who are above us, and humbly leading those who are following us.
Tomorrow we will see something else God gave us to help us in this quest.
O my Father, thank You for Your Spirit to live in us. Thank You for telling us and showing us the right ways to think about life and our relationships, to see things and people the way You see them, and to help one another in our journeys along the path of life.
Father, continue to teach me how to be the daughter of the King You made me to be. Continue to help me learn and practice the good and proper things to do and accomplish each day to obey You according to Your will for me.
Help me to redeem the time, and to use every resource You have given me to further Your Kingdom, as Your worker, Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Our Dear Children
Ephesians 6: 1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Children are told to learn to obey their parents. This is the only thing God will hold a child responsible for. When children learn early to obey their first authorities, then they will also be able to obey later authorities: teachers and policemen and employers. Learning their position in the hierarchy of authority is key to getting along in life.
That's why the promise is attached to this commandment. When we learn to submit to the rightful authority that God placed us under, then we will be able to also be in authority over others. Then life will stretch out before us with all the benefits of cooperating with how God designed things to work.
And to learn to submit to the authority we can see will prepare us to obey the Authority we don't see with our eyes, God's authority.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Still focused on the children, Paul addresses the fathers, who are the highest authority in the family, to not abuse their position. They are to represent God the Father to their children, teaching them as our Father teaches us: with patience, understanding the personalities of each of their children.
They are to teach them the right attitudes, and to discipline them with a view to correcting the wrong thinking that prompted the disobedience, not punish them.
God does not punish us; He put all than on Jesus for us. Now He disciplines us through the hardships and sorrows of life. His wrath only goes upon the wicked people who do what is evil. Our children are not evil.
When fathers and mothers seek the Lord and His ways in their lives, then they will demonstrate to their children how God loves them and wants them to do well. But they also need to teach their children what is right and how to do what is good, and how to get along with others, by learning servanthood (not slavery).
When we all as members of our own families learn God's ways and follow them in our daily lives, then our children will follow us as we follow God, and will grow up to also lead their own children into paths of righteousness. God said that He would bless thousands of generations, as long as they continue to live righteously (Deuteronomy 7:9). But He also said that the sins of the parents will dog their children for three or four generations (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18).
Children learn how to do life by watching their parents. So we as parents have the grave responsibility to teach them the right way to live, primarily by our example, because they will not do what we say unless we back it up in our daily lives. Please let us not condemn them for three or four generations into faulty attitudes that lead them into doing evil.
God is our good Father, He wants to teach us how to follow in His footsteps. His ways are how He designed this World to work, and when we understand it well enough to follow Him, our lives will hum along like a well-oiled machine.
He gives us His Holy Spirit, who acts as the oil in the machine of our life, so we need to be sure that His Oil is lubricating all the parts of our minds and hearts and bodies. And it's all based on Love. That's why He told us to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might (Deuteronomy 6:5) and You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). (Also see Luke 10:25-28.)
God designed that the nuclear family would be the building block of our society, to build up into civilizations. Our enemy knows this, and he has been hard at work to destroy this foundation, so that our civilizations will crumble.
God has told us how to form our families, with marriage, and how to function as transmitters of His Word and His ways to the product of marriage, the next generation; so that they will also teach their children, unto thousands of generations.
O my Father, You are such a good Father to us all. You have thought up the whole idea of creation, and You have made everything just the way You wanted it. And You have put us here to run the Earth by building our World on it.
And You have instructed us how to run this World. O Father, when we do, when we understand who You are and how Your ways are, and align our own thinking and attitudes along Your lines; then we find the result is great blessing from You, tremendous benefit in our families and our work and our friendships.
Father, continue to teach us Your ways. Continue to give us Your understanding and Your wisdom in dealing with all the parts of our lives. Continue to strengthen us against the temptations to go with the flow of the World; but to strive to swim upstream, against the pull of the World, our enemy, and our own flesh. To run away from the temptations, and to face the enemy when he confronts us, in the power of the Blood shed for us.
O Father, I pray for all the children who are now adults, and will no longer listen to their godly parents and grandparents. I pray that You would open their eyes to see the error of the paths they have chosen, and turn them around to gather them into Your loving arms.
I know You Love them even more than we do, and You are not willing for any of them to perish, but that all would come to the realization of how much You Love them.
And may all the lost sheep be found, all the children who are searching, even when they don't realize that what they're searching for is You.
Gather all Your sheep, Father, into the safety of the fold, that there will be One Fold and One Shepherd.
And Your House will be full, every place at Your banquet table will be filled. And every knee will bow of every creature in Heaven, on Earth, and under the Earth, and every tongue will proclaim in every language, the glory of the Lord God Almighty, our Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty King over all Creation; to the glory of the Father.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.
Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the Earth. (Exodus 20:12)Now that Paul has addressed the wives and husbands, he's turned to the children. He says that the only law addressed to children is this one, and it's the first rule given that also contains a promise right in it.
Children are told to learn to obey their parents. This is the only thing God will hold a child responsible for. When children learn early to obey their first authorities, then they will also be able to obey later authorities: teachers and policemen and employers. Learning their position in the hierarchy of authority is key to getting along in life.
That's why the promise is attached to this commandment. When we learn to submit to the rightful authority that God placed us under, then we will be able to also be in authority over others. Then life will stretch out before us with all the benefits of cooperating with how God designed things to work.
And to learn to submit to the authority we can see will prepare us to obey the Authority we don't see with our eyes, God's authority.
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Still focused on the children, Paul addresses the fathers, who are the highest authority in the family, to not abuse their position. They are to represent God the Father to their children, teaching them as our Father teaches us: with patience, understanding the personalities of each of their children.
They are to teach them the right attitudes, and to discipline them with a view to correcting the wrong thinking that prompted the disobedience, not punish them.
God does not punish us; He put all than on Jesus for us. Now He disciplines us through the hardships and sorrows of life. His wrath only goes upon the wicked people who do what is evil. Our children are not evil.
When fathers and mothers seek the Lord and His ways in their lives, then they will demonstrate to their children how God loves them and wants them to do well. But they also need to teach their children what is right and how to do what is good, and how to get along with others, by learning servanthood (not slavery).
When we all as members of our own families learn God's ways and follow them in our daily lives, then our children will follow us as we follow God, and will grow up to also lead their own children into paths of righteousness. God said that He would bless thousands of generations, as long as they continue to live righteously (Deuteronomy 7:9). But He also said that the sins of the parents will dog their children for three or four generations (Exodus 34:7; Numbers 14:18).
Children learn how to do life by watching their parents. So we as parents have the grave responsibility to teach them the right way to live, primarily by our example, because they will not do what we say unless we back it up in our daily lives. Please let us not condemn them for three or four generations into faulty attitudes that lead them into doing evil.
God is our good Father, He wants to teach us how to follow in His footsteps. His ways are how He designed this World to work, and when we understand it well enough to follow Him, our lives will hum along like a well-oiled machine.
He gives us His Holy Spirit, who acts as the oil in the machine of our life, so we need to be sure that His Oil is lubricating all the parts of our minds and hearts and bodies. And it's all based on Love. That's why He told us to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might (Deuteronomy 6:5) and You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Leviticus 19:18). (Also see Luke 10:25-28.)
God designed that the nuclear family would be the building block of our society, to build up into civilizations. Our enemy knows this, and he has been hard at work to destroy this foundation, so that our civilizations will crumble.
God has told us how to form our families, with marriage, and how to function as transmitters of His Word and His ways to the product of marriage, the next generation; so that they will also teach their children, unto thousands of generations.
O my Father, You are such a good Father to us all. You have thought up the whole idea of creation, and You have made everything just the way You wanted it. And You have put us here to run the Earth by building our World on it.
And You have instructed us how to run this World. O Father, when we do, when we understand who You are and how Your ways are, and align our own thinking and attitudes along Your lines; then we find the result is great blessing from You, tremendous benefit in our families and our work and our friendships.
Father, continue to teach us Your ways. Continue to give us Your understanding and Your wisdom in dealing with all the parts of our lives. Continue to strengthen us against the temptations to go with the flow of the World; but to strive to swim upstream, against the pull of the World, our enemy, and our own flesh. To run away from the temptations, and to face the enemy when he confronts us, in the power of the Blood shed for us.
O Father, I pray for all the children who are now adults, and will no longer listen to their godly parents and grandparents. I pray that You would open their eyes to see the error of the paths they have chosen, and turn them around to gather them into Your loving arms.
I know You Love them even more than we do, and You are not willing for any of them to perish, but that all would come to the realization of how much You Love them.
And may all the lost sheep be found, all the children who are searching, even when they don't realize that what they're searching for is You.
Gather all Your sheep, Father, into the safety of the fold, that there will be One Fold and One Shepherd.
And Your House will be full, every place at Your banquet table will be filled. And every knee will bow of every creature in Heaven, on Earth, and under the Earth, and every tongue will proclaim in every language, the glory of the Lord God Almighty, our Savior and Redeemer, the Mighty King over all Creation; to the glory of the Father.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
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