Philippians

August 4th – Philippians 2:3

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Philippians 2:3

I once heard humility described as not thinking less of yourself, but rather thinking of yourself less. In his writings, the apostle Paul stressed the importance of humility in the Christian walk. As exampled by Jesus, humility and kindness go hand in hand. And if we want to mimic our Lord, we can’t have overinflated egos that leave no room for the needs of others. Jesus lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a humiliating, excruciatingly painful death nailed to a Cross. He willingly became our substitute for sin, paying the debt we owed. All in accordance to the will of God and out of His love and kindness for mankind. We are Christ’s ambassadors on earth. And although we’ll never be able to repay His wonderful gift of salvation, making sure our actions reflect His humility and kindness is a great place to start!

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July 30th – Leviticus 25:10

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Leviticus 25:10

For Israel, every 50th year was set apart as the “Year of the Jubilee.” Literally meaning, “ram’s horn”, it was a year of rest for both the people and the land. The Jubilee was filled with celebrating and rejoicing, for it was a time of freedom and restoration. Both slaves and prisoners were released, all debts were considered paid in full, and property was returned to its original owner. And the people refrained from their labor, trusting God to provide for their needs. Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, for believers every day is a Jubilee. Because of His work on the Cross, the Lord paid our debt, freed us from the bondage of sin, and restored us back to God. And no longer do we have to work in our own strength. For God promises to, “supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

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July 18th – Philippians 4:4

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Philippians 4:4

When we’re hurting, being told to rejoice seems not only impossible, but particularly cruel. After all, how could God expect us to find joy in pain? But did you know that of all the books in the Bible, among the most joyful are the “prison epistles”? These are the letters written by Paul while imprisoned in Rome. The apostle had been falsely arrested, shipwrecked, bitten by a snake, beaten, and eventually beheaded. Yet through it all, Paul never lost his joy. Because his gladness wasn’t found in his circumstances. Rather, Paul’s joy was in the One who provided the love, peace, and strength he needed to endure every trial. And by following Paul’s model we too can rejoice always; even in the worst of circumstances. We don’t rejoice over the hurt, but we can rejoice over the Lord. Because He will use our situation both for our good, and His glory.

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July 11th – Philippians 2:3

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Philippians 2:3

God doesn’t want us to just be good, He wants us to be great. Being great is twofold. Because to be great is to serve God, and serving God means serving others. Each day we are called to make ourselves available to Jesus. Ready and willing to be used in His service. And whatever it is He asks of us, we are to do with love, humility, and joy. Not with an attitude of resentment, or with the “woe is me” spirit of a martyr. And especially not for our own ego, or for our star to shine. All things should be done for the glory of God alone. As believers we are given at least one spiritual gift and are commanded to, “employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”, (1 Pet. 4:10). When our hearts and minds are focused on pleasing the Lord and helping others, we can find a deep fulfilling joy. One that comes with being a humble servant of the Almighty God.

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May 9th – Philippians 4:13

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Philippians 4:13

Author Nishan Panwar once wrote, “Change is hard. You fight to hold on. You fight to let go. But in the end, we all know. Change is needed for you to grow.” As Christians we know the goal is growing to become more like Jesus. But who is a fan of the growing pains it brings? That’s why through the ebbs and flows of life, we need to take on the attitude of Paul. Paul faced hardship and persecution, good times and bad. Yet through it all, the one thing that remained constant was Paul’s contentment. Both in times of plenty and in famine, the apostle leaned on the strength of the Lord to navigate him through. And just like Paul, no matter the circumstance, we too have that same Christ given strength inside of us. Giving us the power to find contentment, whatever comes our way.

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April 6th – Philippians 2:7

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Philippians 2:7

What an amazing display of love that God chose to become human and live as one of us. Jesus was fully God and fully human all at the same time. He didn’t empty himself of any of his attributes of deity, but He did humbly take on the role of a servant who came to serve.

By taking on human flesh, Christ could empathize with all of the experiences of being human and yet do so without sinning. He knew hunger and also the satisfaction of being fed. The Lord felt warmth, cold, pleasure, and pain. He experienced friendship and rejection. Jesus was loved and admired, yet persecuted and brutally slain. And He faced firsthand temptation. Which is why He is our perfect High Priest.

When Jesus came to Earth, He could have come in a great display of powerful Lordship. Or chosen to be born into wealth, prestige, and honor. But instead His goal was to come as the most humble servant. To be the sacrificial Lamb who would reconcile a sin stained humanity back to a righteous, holy God.

How blessed we are to have the teaching and acts of Jesus accessible through the Bible. For the Lord showed us what God the Father is  like. And what it truly means to have the heart of a devoted servant. Jesus emptied himself by becoming deity clothed in humanity. And no greater act of love exists.

Blessings, Becky

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April 3rd – Philippians 3:20

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Philippians 3:20

Because we are Christians, we are not citizens of this earth, but rather just passing though. Our allegiance is to heaven and our King, Jesus Christ. But until our Savior calls us home, we are to conduct ourselves according to the teachings and commands of our Lord. Jesus directs us to act in both word and deed as the heavenly citizens we are. By forgoing worldly living, we can keep our eyes on the prize. The day Jesus returns. On that magnificent day, our Messiah comes to take us the the place He personally prepared for each of us. Where there we will dwell by His side forever with new glorified bodies. Bodies that will feel no pain, sadness, disease, sickness, or sin. And all we will know is everlasting joy and peace!

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January 6th – Philippians 4:19

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Philippians 4:19

It seems like whenever I turn on the news, there’s some new crisis to report. And with inflation, rising gas prices, and empty grocery shelves, no wonder people are afraid. But the apostle Paul assures us that as followers of Jesus, we have nothing to fear. For our heavenly Father always meets the needs of His children. Now let’s be clear. That isn’t a promise we’ll have everything we want, or that we’ll always be walking on easy street. But it is a promise that we’ll have everything we need, according to God’s purpose for our lives. For we serve the great Provider. And when we trust Him with all things, we have nothing to fear. For, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.” (2 Cor. 9:10)

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December 29th – Philippians 2:5-8

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Philippians 2:5-8

As we get ready to put 2021 behind us and move on to the new year, may we go in to it with the examples displayed by our Savior with His birth. Including humility, obedience, and the greatest of all, love. Jesus sat on His glorious throne in heaven, where He was surrounded by constant worship and praise. He wanted for nothing, and enjoyed perfect peace at the side of the Father. Yet willingly, He left it all behind to come to this wicked world and save us through His great love. In His humanity, Christ endured great suffering, even unto death on a Cross. He was rejected, ridiculed, and betrayed. And He suffered all of this to glorify God and to comfort and provide for us in all things. (Heb. 4:14-16) So as the new year brings with it a new start, may our resolutions, be filled with “Jesus goals”. Goals to be be better, do better, and have an “attitude in yourselves which was also in Jesus Christ.” (Phil. 2:5)

 

 

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A Lesson In Humility – Philippians 2

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Philippians 2

When the believers in the Macedonian city of Philippi heard of Paul’s imprisonment in Rome, they sent him financial gifts. And in response, Paul wrote this beautiful letter. Not only to thank them, but to give an update on his circumstances, to encourage them to stand firm in the face of persecution, to commend both Timothy and Epaphroditus, to warn them of the danger of legalism, and in this chapter, to stress the importance of unity and humility. …

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