tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42236934197943889082024-02-20T19:13:04.349-08:00seeking HIS favorMissihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-43968070714692269562017-04-12T06:11:00.001-07:002017-04-12T06:11:29.660-07:00Fill my cup, Lord Remember the song "Fill my cup, Lord / I lift it up, Lord"? As a coffee lover, I often fill 'er up! I shuffle from bed right on down to the coffee pot. I don't even have to be very much awake to hit the start button, or to pour the first few cups. It doesn't take much brain power but I sure need it. And then I feel the wakefulness spreading so the next few cups are just for enjoyment.<br />
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It's the same with my heart. I can get through a day without reading my Bible, buthe it is not recommended. I've made it easier on myself by installing an app on my phone that reads the Bible to me. Oh, I wait until I'm awake, though! As I get behind the wheel to drive to work, I switch on the app and listen to God's Word read aloud. I feel the life coming into my heart! I also say a prayer and can give my day to God asking Him to use me. <br />
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My days go much more smoothly when I ask God to fill my cup and to fill my day. How about you? Do you make time for your coffee but neglect the Word? I'd like to somewhat rewrite a quote I recently saw . . .<br />
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"All I need today is a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus!" Please, Lord, fill my heart with YOU!"Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-7276936485590038202016-09-07T17:09:00.000-07:002016-09-07T17:09:00.161-07:00TGIF!<span style="font-size: x-large;">TGIF!!!</span> Yupp, I said it on Wednesday....<br />
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Thank God I'm Forgiven.<br />
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And, nope, I didn't necessarily do anything "wrong" but I'm intentionally being grateful for<br />God's forgiveness. I absolutely KNOW that I am incapable of deserving Heaven. When I sit still and think about it, I canNOT understand why God would love me at all. "The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked..." Even when I determine to be on my best behavior, I somehow manage to end up right back in the same spot I was in before. It's like a habit, but much worse. It's my old nature.<br />
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But do not despair, my friends! I John 1:9 says "IF we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." If. The choice is mine. I can stay in my sin or I can choose to humble myself and choose another way.<br />
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Confess -- A friend who has worked with children for many years describes "confess" as "tell on yourself to God." God already knows what I have said, thought or done. He even knows the difference between just thoughts and actual intentions. I just need to stop excusing my actions away and own up to what I know in my heart.<br />
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Faithful -- He will always come through and do what He has promised. He will do it every time. He will never let me down. He will never forget. He will never ignore. He will never become frustrated and say "Enough." He is faithful.<br />
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Just -- He cannot do anything else. God is holy. Holy is "set apart." He is certainly set far apart from me in any category of comparison. He must do what is right. He must keep his promises. He cannot do any less. Justice is served when the law is completely upheld. <br />
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You see, I just naturally say, think and do things that fall far short of God's holiness. But He loves me and sent His one and only true Son to pay the price of death and to be a complete substitute for me. That was not justice. He took what I deserved. But then He promised to always....always....ALWAYS receive me as His adopted child and love me as He loves Jesus. Jesus already paid for everything I ever will do that is a disappointment to God. And God will not, and cannot, reject me. To reject me after I have accepted the salvation He provided through Jesus' life, death and resurrection is for Him to say that the sacrifice didn't really matter.<br />
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I am so grateful for God's salvation. I am so grateful that Jesus Christ GAVE His life to save mine. I really do try my best to live every day in a way that will show Him I fully appreciate the significance of the gift of salvation. Every single day I<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hank <span style="font-size: x-large;">G</span>od <span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>'m <span style="font-size: x-large;">F</span>orgiven!Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-50948159687099459832016-08-25T19:53:00.000-07:002016-08-25T19:53:20.171-07:00latest great quote....Anyone who knows me, knows I'm the self-proclaimed "grammar geek" or "word nerd." Give me well-crafted quote and I'm a very happy girl!<div>
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So when a friend shared a special quote with me recently, I was delighted. Here it is:</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Except HE go before me, I cannot go.</i></b></span></div>
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It sounds so profound and so concise! And then I started mulling it over. You know, meditating on it. And I started deconstructing it and examining it from all different angles. Wow. Just wow.</div>
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<b>Except</b>....this word is completely exclusive. If the following specific thing does not happen, then there is no way to obtain the desired outcome. There is only one single solitary way I can go.</div>
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<b>HE</b>.....God. My Father. My Friend. My Strength. My Comforter. My Refuge. My Commander. My Shepherd. My Savior. The God of the Universe would do something for me.</div>
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<b>Go BEFORE me</b>.....He is leading me. He is actually in front of me. My mind came up with two specific images. The first one is set in a deep dark jungle. There are vines hanging down The canopy above is so thick and keeping out all sunlight so that I cannot tell if it's day or night. I'm sure there are scary things lurking in the thick underbrush. I am represented by a small vulnerable child. And God is in front of me hacking down the forest. He is making the way passable.</div>
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I also imagined myself as the excited little child flitting to and fro trying to see and experience a little bit of everything. And God is lovingly letting me investigate everything. Well, everything that is safe. If I start to move toward something dangerous, He steps in front of me and does not allow me to go forward.</div>
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<b>I cannot go</b>.....I am unequipped. I need Him to make the way clear. I need Him to prevent me from harming myself. I am not strong enough . . . or tough enough . . . to fight through the battles that I will face along the path ahead. I am not discerning enough to find my way through the tangles. </div>
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If, and ONLY if, God goes before me to lead me and to protect me I cannot find my way or get where He needs me to go.</div>
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"I have decided to <i>follow</i> Jesus</div>
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I have decided to <b>follow</b> Jesus</div>
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I have decided to <span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">FOLLOW</span> Jesus </div>
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No turning back. No turning back."</div>
Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-57491126779416676252016-08-16T19:50:00.002-07:002016-08-16T19:50:59.914-07:00And we're back.........!!!I've been hearing alot of the same thing over and over again lately. I've heard it from my father-in-law. I've heard it from a friend. I've heard it from a visitor in our church. Most importantly, I've heard it in my heart from my Father. I've heard that it's time to start this blog back up!<br />
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During the time I took off from writing here, God has done some amazing things in our lives. We gained a son-in-law. We lost two dear ladies in our church. We were blessed with two grandsons! We bought a house and moved. I changed jobs. We have made some significant dietary and health changes.<br />
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Some things have remained the same. Pink is still my favorite color. I still prefer my coffee quite strong. A certain little black dog still snuggles at my feet. I am still fascinated by geysers. And I still use the same brown Bible I've been using since I was 13 years old.<br />
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I have learned some pretty powerful lessons during this time as well. There is a song that says "I'm drinking from my saucer, 'cause my cup has overflowed." The lessons and the blessin's have been used by my Father to guide my steps down the path He has chosen for me. <br />
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I am still seeking His favor in all I do. Seeking definitely has the idea of actively searching as opposed to randomly glancing. It takes deliberate work and does not come naturally. But I am willing to put the effort in to find favor from my God.<br />
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Welcome back for another leg of the journey!Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-27403633725035505102014-05-02T06:09:00.001-07:002014-05-02T06:19:32.037-07:00Wrapping it upPhilippians 4:9-23 <br />
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THE SECURE MIND or WORRY ROBS JOY<br />
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Verse 9 really goes with the thought of verse 8 and caps off the list of things we re to be thinking of. Paul, through the Holy Spirit, knows hat we need to have examples of what to do. So he gave us verse 8 that tells us what things to think about. And if we follow that advice "the peace of God will be on us.<br />
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Verse 10 Paul is telling this church that he appreciates their care of him as a missionary. They have been taking care of him and praying for him. They had another gift for him because they had been very careful and saved another gift of money for him. It was a new idea, this being a missionary! They believed in what he was doing and wanted so badly to help him. But they didn't have FedEx or UPS so the gift they had saved up for him took a long time to coordinate getting to him.<br />
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He is careful to point out that he is thanking them, not because he has been lacking in anything, but because he gets it all of the time! He has learned . . . LEARNED. . . in whatsoever state he is in to be content. There have actually been times in my life where God was teaching me to be content somewhere I did not want to be...like in an actual state I didn't like! When we were newlyweds and lived in Pensacola, Florida my husband worked full time and went to school full time. I sat at home not knowing anyone in town, not having a car to go anywhere, and not knowing even one of my neighbors. I was so lonely. I learned to be content through that. Later, when we moved to West Virginia and lived my in-law's for a few months I was so out of place. I didn't feel like I belonged there and it was never God's plan to have two women under one roof like that. I wanted to go "home." But I also learned to love my husband in a different way and depend on him in many ways I had never imagined were possible in our fairy tale.<br />
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Verse 12 tells us that Paul knew how to be happy when he was having a feast or having a famine. He could be comfortable in a crowd of wealthy people just the same as he could be comfortable with a beggar on the street. We need to be able to relate to ALL people and to feel comfortable talking about the Lord to anyone we meet. And we must do it through Christ Who strengthens us. I cannot do alot of the things that are "expected" of me very well. But when I ask Christ to be my strength and when I follow His lead I can accomplish ANYthing!<br />
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The next few verses Paul is describing to them that he was the very first "missionary" and what that new idea meant for them. And this little church was the only church that sent him "support." <br />
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Verse 17 tells us to be clear of one thing . . . Paul is not writing about money because he wants any more, but because he wants to teach them the right way to operate so they can receive God's wonderful blessings. God is keeping a record in Heaven of things we do for His honor and glory. When we help a missionary who lives far away in a place we do not understand, we are actually helping God spread the message. And God makes a little "deposit" into our account of things not wasted in Heaven.<br />
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Epaphraditus was a helper to Paul. Many believe he was the one who actually wrote this letter on behalf of Paul as a scribe. He traveled to Paul and brought things from this church. Remember they had no post office in those days! Paul doesn't tell us what he brought or how much it was worth or what percent of each person's wealth he was receiving. He wanted them to know that whatever it was, it was a sweet smell to God's nose that they gave to him. You know how a sweet smell can just change the feeling of a room or an occasion? Our prayers and gifts to God smell sweet to Him. What I do for Christ is noticed in Heaven with a wonderful smell better than any candle or potpourri on earth!<br />
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Then Paul wraps up this letter with some personal messages. He tells them of Christians in the household of Caeasar, the king who persecuted him so much! He sends greetings and messages back and forth . . . it is a very personal and "private" part of this letter, yet God includes it for us. It is heartwarming and shows us a level of personal relationships that is important throughout the Bible. Our relationships with God and with each other are so very important to Him!<br />
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And then he closes. I wish for you the same thing he wised for these people . . . that the matchless grace of Jesus Christ our Lord be with all of them. This is my wish for you as well. I pray that you learn to have the real joy Christ has made available for you.<br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-54536084378072926482014-04-04T06:30:00.002-07:002014-04-04T06:30:16.646-07:00Keep On The Sunny Side!Philippians -- the Book of Joy<br />
Chapter 4 THE SECURE MIND or WORRY ROBS YOUR JOY<br />
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Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report: if there be an virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."<br />
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I have been anxiously awaiting getting to this verse in our study! This is one of my favorite verses in Philippians and perhaps the whole Bible. It might look like just another list of do's and don't's but it is RICH!<br />
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Paul has been talking about how to have this secure mind. He besought his yokefellow to "<b>help</b>" others. Then he made a very clear point of telling them to <b>rejoice</b>...always. His instructions <b>not to fret</b> about things came with the redirection to <b>pray</b>. He described not just any prayer but a prayer of supplication (really begging God and mentioning it over and over) and being thankful. We are to be thankful for whatever comes about, whatever answer we receive. He does instruct us to "<b>let our requests be made known unto God</b>" which has the idea of asking Him for exactly what it is we want.<br />
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God has preserved every word in the Bible. He inspired the writers and He guided the translators. Every word matters and is used for a specific purpose. So let's look at this list carefully and glean everything we can from it. His final instruction about how to have a secure mind is a progressive list. It starts with a broad term and gets progressively more specific. We MUST govern our thoughts and this is a formula, if you will, for us to follow. Start at the top and if your thoughts meet the first qualification, move to the next one. If you have a thought that can pass every part of this list or test then you may think on it. When you find a description that your thoughts cannot "pass" you will understand how to change your thoughts and maintain your secure mind.<br />
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Whatsoever things are . . .<br />
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<b>True</b> -- the first thing we should check is whether a thing is truthful or not. The most direct way to discern if your thoughts meet this checkpoint is to weed out the parts you know for a fact from the parts you assume, or "guess", or just heard. You cannot say "Well, Suzie Q said..." or "then I heard...." The very first step is to stop and figure out exactly what you know for a fact. Things are either <i>truth</i> or <i>not truth </i>and details you don't know for sure have to go into the <i>not truth</i> category for now.<br />
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<b>Honest -- </b>look a little closer and determine if there is any part of your thought or issue that is honest. This is where you strip away opinions. Do not let your opinion of someone lead your thoughts. You cannot assume or connect the dots here. You can see that we are whittling alot away from most of our thoughts just in these first two steps.<br />
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<b>Just -- </b>Justice is "according to the law." God's law is the highest so use that as your measuring mark at this step. Let's say the situation you are fretting over involves something like "she didn't speak to me." Consider "was she <i>required</i> by any verse in the Bible to do so? There are many things that we should do or that we would like others to do, but ask yourself if any rules have been broken.<br />
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<b>Pure -- </b>Is the situation without prejudgment? Are you looking at things with a certain bent? Are you demanding your own personal expectations be met or some personal "script" of what you think others should say and do be followed? Another way to hold the lens of purity in our thoughts is to discern "would Christ approve of this thought?" Sometimes we let our minds wander and we don't realize how crooked and naughty we are being. <br />
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<b>Lovely -- </b>Does your thought look pretty? Or is this a dark thought that you would be ashamed to have Jesus repeat out loud? Are you looking for the loveliness in others or just waiting to point out their sins. Is is something that everyone would want to look at or is it ugly?<br />
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<b>Are of Good Report -- </b>Do you want to hear the bad things about people? Do you ever dwell on the failures of others. There is an old quartet song "Keep On The Sunny Side" and it makes me think of <i>choosing</i> to look for the positive side of everything. We all know people who are like Eoyore and "live in the gloomy place." We all remember Tigger, too, right? When my daughter was little and I woke her up for the day I would ask her if she wanted to be Tigger or Eoyore. She learned to choose Tigger much more often because it is the good choice.<br />
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So, how is your little thought doing? Is it passing the test? Is it ok to keep your mind going in this direction? Many times our thoughts will fail the first or second test. And if we are honest in our hearts, the things that cause us to worry and fret almost never make it through this whole list of tests. So, now what? If you have examined your thought from every angle listed above then what?<br />
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Here comes another IF / THEN section! IF there be . . .<br />
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<b>Any Virtue -- </b>Look at your situation or thought and determine if there what is the good part of it. Virtues are the good character traits we have. It's definitely not about your feelings anymore. It's about deciding if there are things that will build you up and make you stronger. It's about godly character. At this point, focus yourself on the uprightness. Choose to think about how this person or situation follows the pattern of Christ. <br />
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<b>Any PRAISE -- </b>Simple. The thought or situation should not be anything that drags your heart down. Disappointing this do not have praise as a part of them. The words of others toward you may be meant as hurtful but you can find a way to turn them around and see the good side of it. Think about the part that deserves to be applauded.<br />
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It's all a choice. Having a secure mind is a choice. You either choose to worry and fret or you choose to rest in the Lord. Use this list as a filtration system to sift through your thoughts and get the imaginary ghosts out. When you get your thoughts broken down to the real issue you will have much more peace. Things won't disturb you and gnaw at you anymore. But we must CHOOSE to use this formula each and every time.<br />
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People ask me "How are you?" as a greeting all day long. I usually answer them "Fabulous!" When I get that quizzical look I just let them know "I choose." I get caught in the snare of worry and fret and trying to figure out other people. But I choose to catch myself and pick the sunny side. "Great peace have they that love Thy law, and NOTHING shall offend them." You must allow things to get you down. Remember "The Devil cannot steal your joy . . . you have to hand it to him." The joy of the Lord is my strength!<br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-89138876659719754742014-03-14T07:01:00.001-07:002014-03-14T07:01:10.539-07:00Who are YOU pecking on today?PHILIPPIANS - THE BOOK OF JOY<br />
The Secure Mind - - or - - Worry Robs Your Joy<br />
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Philippians 4:3-7<br />
"And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."<br />
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To "intreat" is to earnestly ask something. Paul just finished pointing out two women, by name, who were behaving in such a way as to shift the focus away from the work and onto themselves. Now he opens up his instructions to include some others who need some instruction. When he was "scolding" these two women he carefully pointed out what they were doing wrong, directed their attention back to being on the Lord, and then moved on. Sometimes we get stuck on the first step and go from correcting someone for their benefit, to hammering away at them for the sake of feeling better about ourselves. Paul didn't really even have to name exactly what they were doing. It certainly seems that he felt they were mature enough to know what they were doing that was wrong, and he told them to "get your focus back on the Lord" and then he moved on. Sometimes when we see another Christian getting off track we tend to step forward in an honest effort to get them back on track but we ourselves become sidelined with "pecking them to death like a duck!" We want to be sure they understand just how wrong they are and never back off to let them make amends or adjustments to their behavior. Paul named these two women and told them to get along better in an open letter to their church but then he moved on to address "thee also, my true yokefellow."<br />
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Yokefellow are people who are working together side by side. Paul begged the women to get their focus back where it needed to be, and then said "and the rest of you help these two women who have worked hard with me." They weren't just some gals that dropped in from nowhere. And they weren't just being singled out to be ostracized. He really wanted them to succeed and wanted the rest of their fellow Christians to help them. When eagles are molting they are very vulnerable because they cannot fly. Groups of eagles will get together during the molting time and make a circle around the most vulnerable one to protect it. The work together to ward of anything that might try to attack the weakest one. Then when that eagle is getting through the process and has more feathers back, they switch places so another more vulnerable one can go to the middle of the circle. How safe and secure that molting eagle must feel having all those others standing guard around him while he is at his lowest, literally, because he can't even fly. Not us humans! No sir-ee, we see somebody down, hurting and vulnerable and we swarm in there on attack to make sure they don't miss one single old feather. We say we want to be sure they don't miss anything and that we are helping them out. In fact, we often reach right in and do damage ourselves by "helping" them be thorough. We attack our weakest, most vulnerable. <br />
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Paul does point out that these women "which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other fellow labourers" had been doing the right thing before. He knew it because they had worked with him! We don't have any information about who Clement was but obviously the church did. He referred to someone specific that they had worked with and also "other" people they had helped. We need to address problems, we need to confront sin, but we do not need to throw the baby out with the bath water. Stop and remember how the person you want to peck to death has served in the past. Remind <i>them</i> how they have served and been successful in the past. Rest secure in the process of correction that God has laid out and don't worry about destroying someone who has offended.<br />
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Right smack in the middle of this exhortation Paul says, "Rejoice in the Lord!" God forgives and forgets our sin. Sometimes we get hung up and don't move on after the molting has finished. How frustrating to the mighty eagle to be protected by others but then also kept down on the ground unable to soar again. We need to rejoice when someone confesses something and changes their actions. We can't use their past sins as a net to keep them grounded, never fully serving God again. We need to rejoice in the change God can bring about in their hearts and help them catch the wind again. Rejoice . . . don't recharge for another attack.<br />
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In verse 5 the word "moderation" means your gentleness. I'd have to say that American Christians have a reputation for shooting their wounded while still in battle. We can turn on each other soooo quickly. How many of us ever over-scolded a child for something they did. We made such a big deal out of it they didn't stand a chance at lifting their eyes for days. Imagine if these folks had not moved on and forgiven Paul but had kept reminding him about his past deeds. They could have handicapped this great missionary and kept him from accomplishing what God had planned for him!<br />
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I don't know exactly what Paul meant when he wrote, "The Lord is at hand" but I try to remind myself that it means to let God be God in situations. I don't need to lord over someone making sure they get every last detail confessed and changed. God is still right at hand and available to help them. I am to correct others but I don't need to overshadow them and be in God's way. Let God do HIS work and be secure in the fact that He WILL!<br />
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When Paul says, "Be careful for nothing" he doesn't mean be reckless. He means don't be so micro-focused that we don't fret or get hung up on something. Allow yourself to be secure in the fact that He really is in charge and will do His part of things.<br />
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I once heard the story of a little old lady who kept a little tin on top of her stove. Whenever she cooked or baked for her family she would reach in the little tin and take out the tiniest pinch of something and sprinkle it on the food while muttering to herself. One day her little granddaughter asked her what she was doing. The lady replied, "Why, I'm praying to the good Lord that this will all turn out well and nourish everyone who eats it. I'm praying." "But what's in the box" pushed the little girl. "Oh, that's just some love I like to sprinkle on things." We should be praying for others, be thankful for others, and make request to God for them.<br />
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Verse 7 says that when we do this correctly we will no longer worry about those issues. There is great peace to be found at the feet of Jesus. There is peace for sinners and peace for the saved as well. And God's peace is remarkable! It isn't flimsy or intermittent. It is straight from God's heart and it will feel like nothing else we've ever known! I have made some big blunders in my life. I have had to be singled out and "scolded" or made away of my shortcomings. Sometimes there have been an awful lot of people around me who knew about what was going on. It's a very polarizing time as other Christians step away from you and stand around in their little circle looking in. "But the peace of God!" It's so wonderful I can't explain it. I can't even understand it! It is beyond understanding by ANYone! And that exact peace will keep my heart (emotions) and my mind safe through Christ Jesus. Even if everyone around me is facing inward, pecking at me, I can have peace because of Christ. I can be forgiven . . . actually I already am! I can be free from all fear of being vulnerable. And I can also be assured that I will correct others correctly if I am in Christ Jesus.<br />
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I know a man who made a life changing, even life shattering, choice. What he did was very wrong. But when he was down and his life was falling apart around him, not too many people circled the wagons around him. A lot of people "flew off" leaving him exposed to further attacks by Satan. Others bit and pecked and made sure every single detail was made public and that he was shamed until he was almost helpless. For a time he was paralyzed by shame and fear. But when some Christians who knew better, got around him and supported him and watched out for him, he was able to properly make amends and turn around his life to live a great testimony to the Lord. Pecking the downed eagle did not make him better. It wounded him more deeply. When we are secure in our handling of others we can help bring them joy! God has already forgiven their sin and because He can do it, so should we (with His help).<br />
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Who are you pecking on today?<br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-32605942247835628652014-03-07T06:30:00.001-08:002014-03-07T06:30:58.586-08:00How would your name be listed in the Bible?Philippians 4 -- SECURE MIND or WORRY ROBS JOY<br />
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Philippians 4:2<br />
"I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord."<br />
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Imagine what it might have been like to meet the Apostle Paul! There are men and women in the ministry that I have great respect for and I am always excited to hear them preach or sing or maybe just to be in the same room with them. And then imagine having <i><b>your name</b></i> in the Bible! The genealogies are thought to be dry by most readers, but imagine being able to open to a certain page and say "that's ME the Apostle Paul was writing about!" <br />
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Then.............imagine if your name was in the Bible because you weren't getting along with someone. Yikes! Euodias and Syntyche are named in the Book of Joy as examples of not getting along with each other. These two women will be known forever as the two women at Philippi that weren't getting along and got scolded by the Apostle Paul! <br />
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We do not know what the issue was that these two ladies were fussing over. It could have been something they had asked him to pray with them about. It could have been something that was causing division in the church. We aren't given the details and don't really need to know the details to learn from them. There are a couple of things to consider about these two women. First, Paul knew them. And he knew about their disagreement. It was a pretty serious thing to get a letter from the Apostle let alone to be mentioned in a letter addressed to the whole church. Paul sprinkles the names of individuals throughout his letters, usually to illustrate a point. Here he has just begun the chapter expressing such warm affections to these folks and then he brings up the tiff between these two ladies and names them by name as an example of the opposite of what he wants us all to be doing. Imagine the embarrassment and the shame to be named as an example of what NOT to do in a letter about joy. They were from that moment on known as "those women Paul scolded." We have all had troubles getting along with someone on some level. And for all we know they heeded this reproof and solved their problem and got along ever after. But they were always known for their fuss. "Oh. You're<i> that</i> Eudious" or "Hmmmm, you mean Syntyche the one who was named for causing strife in the Book of Joy?" What a reputation to live down.<br />
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Notice too, that Paul uses the word <i><b>beseech</b></i> to address these two ladies. This wasn't some sort of little unnoticed squabble they were having. "Beseech" means to implore or beg. I don't think Paul ever thought about his letters to these churches being a part of Scripture. That wasn't his style. But just the fact that he knew who both of these women were and that he called them by name in a letter addressed to the entire church would be humiliating under these circumstances. Imagine if Pastor Bill wrote a letter to be read from the pulpit and said, "Oh, by the way, I am begging Missi and Nancy to get along about the offertories." Just know that I would die and probably never be able to play an instrument again. I never ever ever want to be the one that is named by name for being a problem.<br />
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The Bible also says "Great peace have they that love thy law and <b>nothing</b> shall offend them." I don't know what "nothing" means in the Greek, but I completely understand that in the English it means NOTHING! No thing that people say to me, no thing that people imply about me, no thing that people say about my family, NO THING shall offend me. Our pastor in Rawlins, Wyoming is Pastor Steve Monroe. He said "The devil cannot take your joy; you have to hand it to him." Let that sink in a little bit. We blame Satan for an awful lot of things and yet sometimes it is not what he is doing to us but what he is accepting from us. We hand over our joy when we are worrying about other people's opinions of us, or when we are focused on what they are doing. Sometimes I worry about the situation if find myself in and pretty much gift wrap my joy and deliver it to Satan himself. If we worry, he gets the upper hand so quickly. We must be secure in what God has us doing in our own lives at this point in time and stop looking around at others or looking down the road to our perceptions of how things should be happening to us. If our minds are SECURELY focused on Heaven, then we will not be handing Satan our joy! Be careful of what you are known for!Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-25691782620443428282014-02-28T06:23:00.000-08:002014-02-28T06:23:07.779-08:00The two sides of everythingTHE SECURE MIND -- or Worry Robs Joy<br />
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Philippians 4<br />
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"Therefore my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved."<br />
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What's the "therefore" there for? It is often the wrapping up of a thought in previous verses. Paul has just wrapped up a section of his letter talking about having a spiritual mind and keeping our focus on Heaven. He has just been writing with many comparisons: Paul had so many things to feel good and confident about yet he counted them as wasteful (vs 2-7), he had put off the righteousness he had earned through the Law and turned to righteousness through faith (vs 8-9), he knew that no matter how hard he tried or how much he grew spiritually he would never be everything that God wanted him to be (vs 10-), and he reminded the church that some who say they are followers of God are really focused on the wrong things (vs 17-19). In verses 20-21 he gives a clear contrast about how we will be changed into the image of God when we are with Him.<br />
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So....because of all those things, he tells them to stand fast in the Lord. The Lord God never ever changes. We can count on Him being the same yesterday, today and forever. In chapter 3, Paul is going back and forth showing the one side of things and then the other. He wants to clearly show what is undesirable compared to what is spiritual. Showing the opposite extremes is a very effective method of teaching. It helps us figure out what must be separated out in order to have the spiritual mind we are desiring. It helps us create a mental picture of what the negative side "looks like" and what the desirable side "looks like." Now that he has made it crystal clear to us what a spiritual mind looks like, he is going to give us further instruction on how to become that.<br />
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Also notice that Paul refers to the church in Philippi two times in the same verse as "my dearly beloved." This reinforces how well he knew this group of people. He wasn't just randomly writing a lesson, but he was personally giving instruction in a manner that he knew these specific people would understand and relate to. Christian love is very unique! And he says he longs for them. That gives me the impression that he did not just miss them and think about them, but that his heart thought about them all the time and felt incomplete without them. To say "longed for" gives the ideal of a very deep, aching desire. He calls them his joy and his crown. Think back to the beginning of this church. Paul must have told everyone how this church was begun with a prison sentence (a horrible negative picture) but had become an entire church serving God (a wonderful spiritual picture). Like the feeling a new mother gets when she is telling the story about how awful her labor was and then shows off her beautiful new baby. It is a very deep emotion. "His crown" refers to the church as his greatest accomplishment. We know Paul did not have pride in a sinful way, but he has this one very clear example of how ugly and miserable things were and then a "look at them now" sort of illustration!<br />
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"Stand fast" is a military term. Picture the old hand-to-hand combat of early times. I imagine a row of soldiers standing shoulder to shoulder with their armor all polished and their shield held tightly together in an impenetrable wall of defense. They are strong. They are ready. They are united. They are undefeatable! Knowing that we are soldiers in the Lord's army should give us security! It should give us confidence to move forward and fight with all our might because we KNOW we will be triumphant. This is the difference between a little band of rag-tag farmers with pitchforks and hammers coming out to do battle compared to the well organized and well trained forces stepping up to the battle lines in their shining coats of armour and all of their various weapons at the ready to slaughter the enemy. In my mental picture, the army KNOWS it is going to overcome the band of farmers and fights with reckless abandon and confidence. The unprepared farmers are fighting with all their might but in desperation.<br />
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We are like that polished army. They enemy knows we have many different kinds of weapons at our disposal. He comes at us from every different angle and yet, no matter what he tries, we just pull out another sword or another axe and drive right across the battlefield.<br />
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In the movies you see the little group of fighting farmers trying to muster up their courage and then move forward in a defensive position. But the mighty army has all confidence in themselves and in their brothers, so they are able to stride forward in the attack and hack their way to victory. While they both have the same goal in mind, the well-trained, well-equipped, well-organized army most likely to succeed! <br />
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Having our minds completely set in God will give us the confidence we need to face the battles of this world. Sometimes it is just one vicious attack after another all day long from the Enemy. Other days I get exhausted from straining to be ready for his sneaky attacks. But either way, I can be confident that I will be standing with the Overcomer when it is over. Fight non, my dear ones, fight on!Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-33735955019163604502014-02-21T06:34:00.003-08:002014-02-21T06:35:16.122-08:00Keep the focus where it belongsPhilippians 3:16-21<br />
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THE SPIRITUAL MIND -- or THINGS ROB YOUR JOY<br />
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<span style="color: blue;">"Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) for our conversation is in Heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself." </span><br />
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In the verses just before our passage today, Paul was making it clear that he is still chasing after or desperately seeking spiritual perfection and maturity. No matter how much people praised him and built him up, he kept his focus on becoming more and more like Christ. He did not stop and rest in his spiritual development, but kept learning, kept seeking God's guidance, kept bringing others along beside him. As much as he could have bragged about his "accomplishments" and prestige before his salvation, he could have been focused on how much he had given up and how much he had changed and how spiritual he was now. He had spent three years ALONE with God being taught by the very Master of the whole plan! And yet, he always recognized the others with him and in the churches who were mature and who were following Christ correctly. He shared the "spotlight."<br />
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And verse 15 is so very important. He puts the theme of this whole chapter into that verse by saying, "let all of us that are mature keep this common focus as our goal; and if you have a different goal, God Himself will show you that this is the right way to think." <br />
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Verse 16 says, "whereto we have already attained..." This is not contradicting the verses that come before it. Remember that <i>attained</i> is referring to the level of maturity that has been reached by the people he is writing to. Some of them were deacons, teachers, and pastors who had grown by instruction. Some of them were tent makers, merchants, and women who had grown by receiving instruction at church from hearing the Word of God preached and taught. They were all the same to him when he referred to their spiritual maturity. It didn't matter HOW they had learned and grown but it mattered THAT they had learned and grown. Each one of us has come from a different place and traveled a different path, but if we have the same goal (being more and more and more like Christ) then we are all the same. We must understand that we all have much more to learn and so much more to accomplish for God! We will have unity in this way only.<br />
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Verse 17 encourages the church to mark the people that are examples of this like-mindedness and follow them. First of all, that means we have to understand where we are headed and what the spiritual mind looks like. Then we are to notice those who are living this way. We are clearly being told here to judge and evaluate others with the intention of qualifying them. We have all had that special someone come across our paths who we could clearly recognize was following God with a pure heart and have wanted to be like them. Following someone's example is not the same as "worshiping" them. We need to look for examples.<br />
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There are false teachers and fake leaders out there. It saddens me to tell you this just like it saddened Paul to remind the church of this. There are people who just serve themselves. They are driven by "their belly" or the benefits they can get. Sometimes pastor's (and their wives) can get off focus and think they need to have the very nicest house and cars and clothes "because they are leading God's children and should set the example." There are those "whose glory is their shame" meaning they brag and tell about how awful they were without ever shifting the focus to how God has changed them. Have you ever heard someone who just told over and over what a rotten, vile sinner they were and got people's attention by shocking them with descriptions of their "old life." I've heard of evangelists who were attached to the mob and had killed people and went to prison where they found the Lord. If all they focus on is how terrible a sinner they were and do not talk about the new creature they have become, they are just getting famous for things they should be ashamed of. Some Christians have a gruesome tale about where God saved them from, but the story should never focus on that. It should focus on the change the Savior has brought them. They mind, or are focused on, earthly things not the spiritual things.<br />
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In verse 20 the word "conversation" really means citizenship. "This world is not my home / I'm just a-passinng through . . . and I can't feel at home / in this world anymore." Have you ever met someone who was not born in the US but has come here to live? Usually their dress is different, their speech is different, the terms and words they use are different, and the way they look at everything is different from those of us who have grown up American. As Christians we should be different from the world because this is not our natural home. We don't need to draw extra attention because we are so weird that no one wants to be near us, but we should be unique. There is a limit to how low of a neckline I will wear and the ladies I work with at the dress shop learned that right away. I would try on a dress, and sure, it was very flattering, but the neckline was too low for me and I would refuse to buy it. At first this confused them, but now they understand it is my personal rule because I am a Christian and I just will not make exceptions. Our lifestyle should be different. We don't have to be "old fashioned fuddey-duddies" but we should be different. Dressing modestly does not have to mean it cannot be fashionable or up-to-date. Having a popular hairstyle is not wrong. Living very nicely in a beautiful home and having an expensive car are not sins. But there should still be "something" about us that is just different enough for the world to notice.<br />
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Verse 21 talks about the greatest reward for having this spiritual mind. Christ Jesus will change our vile old bodies and make us like His glorious body. He will take away our diseases, our hurts, our weaknesses, our imperfections and make us just like Him! And He is the One who is able to do it! He has proven He is able by subduing all things to Himself. Would you like to step outside and stop the wind today? He could do that. He is the only One who can make us whole, so we must keep our mind on Him and His plan in order to keep the things of this world from robbing our joy.Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-58118202088336383732014-02-14T06:35:00.001-08:002014-02-14T06:35:44.334-08:00loveHappy Valentine's Day! The day of roses, chocolate, cards, candlelight dinners and LOVE. If you know me at all, you know that my husband and I have been married 27 years and are very much in love. I have friends who don't have sweethearts and pretty much dread this day. Every single one of us has a very special Sweetheart, though, and I'd like to focus on Him today.<br />
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I Corinthians 13 is called the Love Chapter. Song of Solomon is very descriptive about a bridegroom and his bride on their wedding night. The historical books of the Old Testament are full of accounts that tell of romance, love, and marriage. The prophetic books and many of the illustrations used in the New Testament present Christ as a bridegroom and the church as His bride anxiously awaiting their wedding day. As Christians, or "little Christs," we look to His example of loving the sinner but hating the sin as we interact with the wold in our day-to-day lives. We're going to look at the traditional Love Chapter today, but let's not focus on who we are loving or even the romantic relationships we have. Let's just examine the Scripture and let it speak to our hearts about how we are loving others in every relationship we have. Let's look at the chapter and I will share some of my thoughts on how to apply these verses to our hearts.<br />
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I Corinthians 13<br />
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<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass of a tinkling cymbal."</span> </b><br />
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Even if I am able to impress you with the eloquent words I can speak or the spiritual sound of my talk, if I do not have love in my heart I will sound like a non-stop, clanging dinner bell or a continuous little Teacher Bell......both of which have a purpose but will begin to get on your nerves and drive you crazy with their emptiness.<br />
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<b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and </span></b><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains,</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> and have not charity, I am nothing." </b></span><br />
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Even if I have great discernment and can teach others and help them understand things, and though I have so much faith that others think I can surely perform miracles, but have not charity what good does any of that do me. I am empty.<br />
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<b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">"And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." </b></span><br />
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No matter how much I sacrifice and serve others, no matter if I work myself to death for others, if I do not have real charity, it does me absolutely no good and I am not going to be rewarded.<br />
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<b>Charity . . . </b><br />
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--suffereth long will suffer for a long time without complaining<br />
--and is kind do we treat the ones we love with the same kindness we give to strangers?<br />
--envieth not is not concerned with what others have now or get<br />
--vaunteth not itself does not put itself ahead of others, cocky<br />
--is not puffed up is not proud or vain<br />
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--doth not behave itself unseemly is not drawing attention to itself, rude<br />
--seeketh not her own is not seeking benefit for self, selfish<br />
--is not easily provoked is not easily angered<br />
--thinketh no evil does not jump to negative conclusions<br />
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--rejoiceth not in iniquity is not happy to see others fail or sin<br />
--rejoiceth in the truth is happy and content with the facts<br />
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--beareth all things does not consider itself a martyr<br />
--believeth all things does not create drama<br />
--hopeth all things looks for the "sunny side"<br />
--endureth all things takes things as they come for as long as needed<br />
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--charity never faileth never gives up<br />
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<b> <span style="color: #cc0000;">"Whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> shall cease, whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."</b></span><br />
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When I look at this short list I see the things of man being temporary. Prophecies can mean teachings, tongues can mean languages, knowledge can mean knowledge. So as time goes by, or even just as we get older, we start to see the discoveries of man being surpassed. We see languages disappear and the use of a "universal language" so communication is easier. We see people forgetting what they what they know, whether by age related conditions or by choice.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."</b></span><br />
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We only know as much as our human brains can handle at a time. Once we get used to some new technology THEN something new is developed and becomes available. We can understand only so much about the Bible, about other people, about anything; but when Christ comes back for us we will have full knowledge. There will be complete understanding of all the "why's" and of all the things God has been trying to teach us.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> things."</b></span><br />
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Children "think" they are so smart. But children talk like children, and perceive things as a child, and go about things in a childish way. But when someone starts to mature or has a more intelligent grasp on things, they leave the old things behind and reach forward to better themselves.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."</b></span><br />
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We do not have all the facts here on earth; the whole picture is not clear to us. But when we are with God we have a full understanding and others will have a full understanding of me!<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b> greatest of these is charity."</b></span><br />
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In this life we have our faith in God, we can always hope for tomorrow, and we will always find love. But the very greatest thing of all is LOVE! Love conquers all! If you really love someone you spiritual faith will not always help you act right toward them. You can always be looking off to tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. But the greatest thing about love is that it is the greatest thing. It can endure and stand the tests and will prove itself over and over again!<br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-84930736028987162402014-01-24T06:46:00.003-08:002014-01-24T06:46:43.684-08:00We are back!Philippians -- The Book of Joy<br />
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(Welcome back! We took some time off for the holidays, but we are back in the swing of things again.)<br />
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Philippians chapter one was titled "The Single Mind" or "Circumstances Can Rob Your Joy." When we began this study we talked quite a bit about who this man Paul was and who this church at Philippi was. Paul was an apostle . . . converted and then taken aside and taught by Christ Himself before being sent out to minister. He had a frightening reputation before his conversion. He was the poster child for being the perfect zealous Jewish soldier fighting against this new system of worship called Christianity. But once he gave his life to God, he completely changed! His new life in Christ was so opposite of his life before that he had to choose one or the other. He could not ride the fence and go back and forth between the two. He had to pick one. None of us has control over our circumstances and that makes circumstances the biggest distractor in our lives. We can have everything in order and be toodling right along serving God and POW!!!! something out of our control jumps up and lands right in the path of our good intentions. Paul began this letter to his beloved church by encouraging them to keep their eyes on Christ and on the prize so that circumstances don't get us off track.<br />
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He taught them that discernment . . . being able to see through things for what they really are . . . is a mark of maturity. When something out of our control plops itself in our path we have to look at it and decide how important it is, how much energy is deserves, and how long we're going to stand there before walking around it. Keep your eyes on the prize. Paul told the church that every hard and bad thing that had happened to him had happened for the furtherance of the gospel. Prison? Losing friends? Losing his job? Losing his status? Yes. If he focused on any one of these circumstances he would surely have lost his motivation and his zeal for spreading the gospel. Our circumstances can rob out joy if we do not keep a Single Mind about what our life is really all about.<br />
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Chapter two was titled "The Submissive Mind" or "People Can Rob Your Joy." If we substitute the word <i>humility</i> for <i>submissive</i> we get a really clear picture of what Paul was teaching here. He had status and reputation and power and fame and all that goes along with it before. Now he had taken on the spread of the gospel as his one ambition in life. Paul no longer sought attention based on his status. He no longer took credit for what his accomplishments. He no longer worked at being the biggest personality in the room. He had humility and a different focus. He had submitted his life to Christ and taken on the purpose of spreading the gospel. Christ was all that mattered to him. He didn't need recognition or praise. He had changed his outlook from being "it's all about me" to "it's all about Christ." If Christ, the Prince of Heaven, loved us so much to give up His throne and power and position in order to become a servant of lowly fishermen turned evangelists, then who was Paul . . . or ANY of us . . . that he should seek any glory for himself? People probably threw his past up into his face all the time. Others probably lauded him and tried to make him a celebrity. He did not let people rob his joy. He had pure joy from keeping Christ in the place of honor and considering himself the lowliest servant.<br />
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Chapter three teaches us to have a Spiritual Mind. The opposite of <i>spiritual</i> is <i>earthly</i>. It is not hard to understand that shifting your focus away from the spiritual things will settle them on earthly things. Earthly things break and crumble and disappear. The Jewish people were learning to shift their focus away from the Law and the tedious manner of life they were used to and shift it to Grace where there is freedom. They were so used to being conscious of every little thing in their day to day lives . . . how far they walked on certain days, who they spoke to, which food they ate on certain days. There were over 800 laws that they had to be conscientious of or be GUILTY of the whole Law. The penalties in those days could be as severe as stoning for some offenses! Talk about pressure! Some of these people were old and had lived their entire lives being that tedious in their every action. That must have been hard for them to let go of. But if they did not change their focus and concentrate on the spiritual things, all kinds of earthly things could get them frustrated and discouraged. Just like them we need to keep in the very front of our minds exactly what we are striving for in Christ.<br />
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So, we are done with the holidays. We are back on track with our Bible study. It brings joy to my heart to be doing this study and I pray that it encourages you as well!Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-437792246232601442013-11-22T06:23:00.003-08:002013-11-22T06:23:45.743-08:00What are you looking at!Philippians 3 -- THE SPIRITUAL MIND or THINGS ROB JOY<br />
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Philippians 3:13-15 "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,m and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this to you."<br />
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Paul did not consider himself to have arrived at spiritual perfection. He had his battles with the flesh and his memories of his past to remind him that he was not yet glorified. BUT . . . he did not let these things control his intentions. He had to make the choice to turn off the past and center himself in the mission he knew God had given him for the present keeping the future reward ever in his view. When he said "I press toward the mark . . ." he obviously was not just sitting around waiting for Heaven to come. He was diligently working, doing what the Lord had instructed him to do.<br />
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Paul had to make the effort to shift his focus away from the past and concentrate his energy in a new and opposite direction. We all have things in our past that can feel like sinking sand or entangling vines holding us back and keeping us stuck. Regrets. Guilt. Hurt. Fear. If I start thinking about the failures in my past, I can become quite discouraged quite quickly. Looking back with this mindset is like falling down the Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole. It takes me to a whole different world where nothing is as it seems and I can get lost wandering around in circles feeling so confused. I have to make a serious effort to stop that kind of thinking as soon as I recognize it is happening! Sometimes it takes great effort over and over to really get my mind back on track with the things it should be thinking about.<br />
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I have a goal just like Paul. I intentionally want to live working to be worthy of the high calling of God. We all have this calling. I was a child of Satan and now I have been redeemed by the King of Kings and am His princess daughter! I do not want to live with any of the old characteristics. I do not want to be entangled and held back by the past.<br />
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Paul then states that all of us that are perfect should have this lifestyle. Unsaved people are not going to be interested in pleasing King Jesus. Brand new Christians may not have a complete understanding of God's freeing power. Young people are not always able to look down the road very far or understand what they can accomplish for God. But those of us that are "perfect" or mature need to be "thus minded." We need to all have this goal in common, the goal of leaving the past behind us and pressing forward.<br />
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The Christian life is not a passive existence. We are not supposed to just float along on the river of life and see what happens and react to each new circumstance as it comes along. We are to be very PROactive! It takes work to shift our focus away from the past. It involves effort to "press" toward the prize. It takes intention to realize where we are supposed to be headed and actually head there. The Christian life is a life of action!<br />
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Take, for example, spreading the gospel. Little children don't quite have the language skills to engage an adult in a conversation to share the gospel with them. But even a little six year-old boy can hand out tracts to people he sees in the grocery store. The child may not be mature in his mental growth or physical growth, but he is mature enough in his spiritual mind to take action at a level appropriate for his physical age. A person without work or transportation may not get out of the house much, but they can pray for the visitation and 365 Club programs. An invalid may not encounter anyone but the people who care for them, but they can be an encouragement with their words and show the joy of the Lord despite illness. Every. Single. One. of us can have a vital part in the ministry of spreading the gospel.<br />
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Keep your mind on the spiritual perspective of every little thing that comes to you today. When you encounter the grumpy sales clerk, choose words that let her know YOU have joy in your heart no matter what is happening. When you get stuck in traffic, take the time to say a prayer for those in the church that you know are hurting. <br />
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And if you don't have your mind working this way, ask God to change you and show you what you can do. That's what verse 15 is saying. Ask God to help you shift your mind to the spiritual focus and the "things of this earth will grow strangely dim." If you are looking at Christ and are focused on Him you will no longer see the <i>things</i> around you that discourage and hold you back! You will have the joy of the Lord as your strength!<br />
<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-21692677685246076382013-11-15T06:32:00.000-08:002013-11-15T06:32:14.735-08:00Forget about it . . . PHILIPPIANS 3 -- THE SPIRITUAL MIND or THINGS CAN ROB JOY<br />
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Philippians 3:12-14<br />
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"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."<br />
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Paul makes it very clear in verse 12 that he does not consider himself to have "arrived." He had not conquered all of his weaknesses or shortcomings. He still had struggles and came up short of what he wanted to do for Christ. The "great and mighty" Paul knew in his heart that he was nothing special in his own right.<br />
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The word <i>perfect</i> means mature. We look at a piece of fruit and call it "perfect" to eat. Of course it still has flaws but we mean that it is ripe and ready to be eaten. We can be perfect in Christ even with our faults and failures. Paul was converted as an adult who had studied the Law and was very well educated. He had the book knowledge already down pat. Once he understood his need of salvation and accepted Christ as his personal Savior, he had a huge head start. God took him aside and worked in his heart based on the knowledge he already had in his head. I was saved at age four. I had to grow mentally and emotionally before I could appreciate some of the truths of Scripture. I had to learn to read! Paul already had passages memorized.<br />
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But Paul had his focus on a goal. He "followed after" meaning he pursued something. He was working on his spiritual development. He was trying to become just as much like Christ as he possibly could so that he could be as much like Christ as possible. It's a bit of circular reasoning trying to be more like Christ because Christ is wanting to change you. There is a goal, but we will never reach it.<br />
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The Apostle Paul had so much going his way, but he also had a memory. He had witnessed and participated in some very awful things in his persecution of the church. The memories of what we have done before salvation are not wiped away. Emotions and intentions are not easily forgotten. Our memory can see or smell or hear something completely innocent but make a connection to something from our past and pull up all kinds of memories that we thought we gone forever. Paul, like us, had no control over what his memory did to him. I imagine that he relived certain scenes in his mind over and over again. Smell is the strongest memory trigger of our senses. You cannot control what you smell and you cannot control what memories those smells pull out of the dark corners of your mind.<br />
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Paul could be paralyzed by guilt. The people who recognized him and became afraid of him probably had heard some things about him. He remembered so many more things that he had done. The Christians had probably heard embellished accounts of his reputation. Paul knew every detail of what he had done and said and thought. These memories could shackle him and hold him back in so many different ways. But he had to put them aside. It is not easy to brush away the memory of something we regret. It takes great discipline and a deep rooted conviction that things are not as they used to be.<br />
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God had taken Paul out to the wilderness after his conversion. I imagine that it took a while for Paul's human heart to accept the whole realm of forgiveness that Christ offered him. It probably took some very intense conversations with God when Paul would start to be overtaken by remorse. The things that I regret in the deep corners of my heart have a much greater impact on my actions than the things that others know about and keep bringing up to me. God had to equip Paul with the tools and the skills to forgive the past in himself so that he could have a testimony going forward.<br />
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Paul's past had been shaped around the Law. He had to shift his thinking away from that and focus on his relationship with Christ. He had to forget the things he had done. He had to forget the things he had been committed to. He had to give up his loyalties. He had to allow Christ to forgive him and he had to forgive himself. He had to shift his focus to the spiritual things of God in order to lose the influence of his past. Having a spiritual mind allowed him to have power over the things (memories, emotions, etc.) of the past that could hold him back from full service.<br />
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He did not look back. We can't get to the end of the book if we keep re-reading the chapters we've already been through. No doubt people flaunted his reputation at him to weaken him. No doubt he had flaws that others took great pleasure in pointing out to him. But he kept pressing toward his goal. His motivation was to be worthy of what Christ had done for him. Would he ever be worthy? No, of course not. But the pursuit of it was the exercise of faith that conquered his past.<br />
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There is a high calling for each of us in God through Christ Jesus. We must daily evaluate if we are pressing forward or slipping backward. It is a high goal to be "like Christ" but the important part is the true pursuit. Don't let your memory of what is past dictate how much you will be like Christ today!Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-87902311821525618042013-11-01T06:26:00.003-07:002013-11-01T06:26:40.507-07:00Whatever It TakesPhilippians 3 -- THE SPIRITUAL MIND or THINGS ROB YOUR JOY<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Philippians 3:8-11 "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Sometimes it is hard to relate to the people of the Bible because we don't know much about their day to day lives. We spent some time in the last lesson pondering some of the things that Paul may have lost for the sake of Christ. We don't know what kind of house or bank account he had . . . but it is safe to presume he lost whatever he had. We don't know many details about his parents or if he had a wife . . . but we talked about some relationships he <i>might</i> have lost. We can relate to these issues in our lives. The bottom line is that Paul really did lose everything. <b> But</b> . . . Christ did not leave him empty!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">In verse 8 Paul says "Yea doubtless" which could be restated in our language as "Yes, but don't get the wrong idea!" He did not pine for those things he had lost. He had given them up willingly. He knew there was something far more precious to be won.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">John 17:3 "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou has sent." As Christ was facing the cross He talked with His Father and acknowledged that the cross was necessary for us to know the only true God. And He was willing to submit to that horrible death because He knew the real purpose of it was to show the world the only true God. Paul did not value the things he had lost when he compared them to the "excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus (his) Lord." As worthless as he knew his possessions and relationships were (and remember he called them dung), he valued the knowledge of Christ as <i>excellent</i>. We have all had losses or trials in our lives that seemed meaningless. But we have also had losses and trials that had some sort of outcome that we felt made the situation "worth it."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Paul describes the lifestyle he had led before as the righteousness which is of the law and called it "his." It was dependent on what he did or did not do. He determined how righteous his life was. Now he wanted the righteousness that came from faith in Christ. No more religion but the ultimate relationship.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"That I may know Him and the POWER of His resurrection . . ." Jesus Christ is part of the Trinity. He did not have to rely on God the Father to raise Him from the dead. He actually had that power within Himself. His God-ness had unlimited power when His man-ness was dead. Talk about some super power!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">And Paul wanted to know the "fellowship" of His sufferings. Fellowship is having things in common. What Christ suffered physically is beyond our comprehension. The movie "The Passion" was one man's attempt to portray some of what that crucifixion was like. While I know that Hollywood could never capture the full scope of Christ's physical suffering, that movie gave me a mental picture that was much clearer than my imagination would allow me to create on my own. I've heard pastors and evangelists try to describe the sheer agony of that day. I have a very vivid imagination. But I had nothing in my life to compare it to, so my mental picture was always very bland. Paul knew what crucifixion was. He had undoubtedly witnessed a few of them. And he <i>wanted</i> to have the relationship with Christ that comes from having that suffering in common. He wanted to be "conformable unto His death." Whether Paul was saying he was willing to suffer everything that Christ did or if he was saying he wanted to have a heart that was willing to love and care for sinners enough to die for them, he wanted to be conformed to Christ's death. Conformed has the idea of changing something from what it is into a copy of something else.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">"If by <i>any means</i> I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Whatever it takes. Whatever it takes to be able to pass through death into new life. Whatever it takes.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The challenge from these verses can be found in the song "Whatever It Takes" by Lanny Wolfe. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">Whatever It Takes </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">There's a voice calling me, from an old rugged tree </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">And He whispers draw closer to me </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">Leave this world far behind, </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">There are new heights to climb </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">And a new place in Me you will find </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">And whatever it takes, to draw closer to You Lord </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">That's what I'd be wiling to do </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">And whatever it takes, to be more like you </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">That's what I'd be willing to do </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">Take my houses and lands, </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">Take my dreams and my plans. </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">I place my who life in Your hands. </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">And if you call me someday, </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">To a land far away, </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">Lord, I'll go and Your will obey. </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">And whatever it takes to draw closer to You, Lord, </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">That's what I'll be willing to do. </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">And whatever it takes for my will to break, </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">That's what I'll be willing to do.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">Take the dearest things to me, if that's how it must be </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">To draw closer to Thee </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">Let the disappointments come, lonely days without the sun </span><br style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;" /><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">If through sorrow more like You I'll become.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">I'll trade sunshine for rain, comfort for pain,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">That's what I'd be willing to do</span><span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">For whatever it takes to be more like you,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f5f7fb; font-family: verdana, arial, verdana; font-size: 11px;">That's what I'd be willing to do.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> Is there ANYTHING that you will not give up to be more like Christ?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Cherry Cream Soda'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-14779119218637863352013-10-18T06:44:00.000-07:002013-10-18T06:44:28.192-07:00What have you got to lose?Philippians 3 - THE SPIRITUAL MIND or THINGS CAN ROB JOY<br />
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Philippians 3:8-11 "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead."<br />
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The Old English of the KJV sounds very formal to us. Paul is beginning these verses (which are actually one long sentence) by making a contrast to the verses above. We have looked at the descriptions of the human things that Paul had accomplished and could brag about. In our casual English these verses set a tone of "Oh, yeah? Well if you think you're somebody special, let me just tell you who I AM!" The contrast words that begin today's section could be interpreted "Yeah, well, whatever." All of those great accomplishments really meant nothing to Paul.<br />
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Paul had listed all of the things he could glory in as a way of getting their attention. It was sort of like him listing off a resume that validated his right to speak on this subject. Here he gently turns their attention away from the razzle dazzle of his accomplishments and says "I count all of that as dung."<br />
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So, what is dung? In the walls surrounding Jerusalem, there are gates that all have names based on what they were used for. The Sheep Gate was near the section of town where the shepherds brought sheep into the city for sale or sacrifice. The Eastern Gate faced the east and the rising sun. It was all part of a system of organization. The Dung Gate had its purpose too. Outside of this gate was the landfill. Imagine a city with no trash pickup, no garbage disposals in the sink, and no sewer. If we had to collect all of our household's trash, garbage, and sewage for just one day think how that would <i>stink!</i> There were no Pampers or Kotex products. There was no refrigeration to keep food from spoiling if it was kept overnight and no garbage disposal to get rid of it before bedtime. Most of the people who do not like camping would be shocked and overwhelmed if they were transported back to this time!<br />
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Not a single one of us would keep a dirty baby diaper around any longer than we had to. There is no good use for it. There is no value to it. There is nothing enjoyable about it. Especially a cloth diaper that the poo has been mashed into the fabric. We're so proper in this day and age that even a conversation about such things makes us squeamish and uncomfortable. That is how Paul felt about his "great" accomplishments before his salvation. Talking about them made him squeamish and uncomfortable. He had no use for them and saw no value in them.<br />
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Paul counted all of his accomplishments as useless and vile compared to his new goal of knowing Christ. He did not have the idea of just getting familiar with Christ in a casual friendship way. He meant that he wanted to understand Christ and be a part of His glory. <br />
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Many people have speculated about Paul's marital situation. Just as it is today, society expects people to be married and consider it a part of their success. I do not claim to know the facts for sure, but if we consider for a moment that his Jewish heritage would value marriage and his Roman heritage would expect marriage, it seems logical that he was indeed married. His wife would have been very respected in the social circles. When we know of a man who has power and fame, we automatically wonder about his wife and she has "movie star" status. But Paul never talks about a wife. One thought on this topic is that Paul was indeed married, but when he became a Christian and embraced this new system of faith in Christ, that his wife left him. Imagine her shame. Imagine her anger. She would have lost all of her social status as soon as word spread that he had converted. There may have been pressures and threats for her to figure out what had happened to him. There may have been accusations of guilt by association that <i>she</i> had converted also. In my mind, I am afraid that if he were married that she would have felt betrayed and would have wasted no time whatsoever in getting as far away from Paul as possible.<br />
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And remember that he had military status. He would have been at the top of his pay grade. He maybe got bonuses for his brutality. He was probably quite wealthy. I suppose that the Roman government "froze his assets" when they heard he had converted. He probably had an impressive home and collections of weapons or memorabilia. What I understand of the Roman government, they probably went into his home and took back as many of this trophies of his conquests as they could because he was no longer worthy to keep them. His citizenship in Rome gave him certain alienable rights, but I can't imagine anyone talking to him in public any more. He was completely against the Christians one minute and completely against the government the next. His friends wouldn't have wanted to be associated with even his name now. The soldiers he had trained to persecute the Christians probably wanted to show him just how much they hated him for what they considered traitorous behavior.<br />
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Basically, everything that Paul had ever dreamed of and that he had worked so hard for all of his life, and everyone that he had chosen to have around him and worked to gain the respect and dedication of, had all been flushed down the toilet . . . where it belonged.<br />
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What things are precious to you? What positions in life or statuses do you value? What are the associations or titles that you use to identify yourself? What if it were all stripped away in a day? What if it were all stripped away in the name of Christ? Would that make it any easier to bear?<br />
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If you lost all of these <i>things</i>, would you lose your joy? Job said "Though He slay me, yet will I serve Him." The spiritual mind is focused on the right things.<br />
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Song: "There Is Joy In Serving Jesus"<br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-67172081305066739392013-10-11T06:27:00.000-07:002013-10-11T06:27:46.159-07:00Who do you think you are?PHILIPPIANS 3 - - THE SPIRITUAL MIND - or - THINGS ROB JOY<br />
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Philippians 3:3-7 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ."<br />
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Paul just warned us about the Judaisers who were making faith something of works. They were weakening the value of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection by claiming it was not enough and needed to include certain works. Verse 3 lists three things that Paul specified were the "new" marks of dedication to God. Circumcision had been an outward evidence of an inward spiritual change. The changes in worship that needed to come about (no more sacrificing, no more following the Law, living by grace) were the New Testament equivalent of circumcision. Paul continues to teach and reassure these Christians that the ceremonies they had been observing were no longer required to demonstrate their faith.<br />
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"We are the circumcision which . . . " 1. worship God in the spirit (no more rituals or ceremonies but faith in the heart) 2. rejoice in Christ Jesus recognize Christ as the Messiah and give Him the rightful honor that is due Him) 3. have no confidence in the flesh (do not depend on the Law to validate our faith). There are movements today such as Messianic Judaism that still hold to many of the detailed rituals and laws of the Old Testament as part of their worship. This verse clearly states that these practices are no longer essential and actually have been replaced.<br />
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The Dispensation of the Law was a time period where the people followed the letter of the Law as a demonstration of their faith in the <i>coming</i> Messiah and His work on Calvary. Their actions and habits set them apart from the rest of the world and clearly marked them as <i>peculiar</i>. Today our actions and habits set us apart from the rest of the world and clearly mark us as <i>peculiar.</i><br />
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Paul goes on to remind them of just exactly who he is to be making such claims. He states that if ANYONE has any right to claim confidence in the flesh, he does and here are his supporting statements:<br />
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<b>Circumcised the eighth day </b> His parents had followed tradition ever since his birth<br />
<b>Of the stock of Israel </b> He establishes his Jewish heritage not just culture<br />
<b>Of the tribe of Benjamin</b> It is essential to Jews that they be able to prove their<br />
lineage and identify which tribe they descend from<br />
<b>An Hebrew of the Hebrews</b> A Jew that could speak Hebrew AND Aramaic<br />
<b>Touching the Law</b> A Pharisee (pious sect that prided themselves on holding<br />
every single part of the Law)<br />
<b>Concerning zeal </b>Persecuting the church (traditional Jews did not want to<br />
accept the "new" form of worship and were judged for how<br />
they stood up against it)<br />
<b>Touching the righteousness </b><br />
<b>which is in the Law</b> Blameless (He knew the Law so well He didn't make mistakes against it)<br />
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Of all people in the world at his time, Paul was someone who could brag on his accomplishments and his "Jewish-ness." His whole life, from the time he was born, was focused on the Law, he knew the in's and out's of it, and he kept it. BUT . . .<br />
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All of these credentials, which he had worked his entire life to earn, and that set him apart as a Jew to be revered and honored, he counted as empty and lost. His past life as Saul where he persecuted the church was valued by how zealously he had worked to squash this "new" religion. He went overboard to prove his dedication. He was the equivalent of "working his way up the ladder" and was an over-achiever. He didn't just do things rightly, he did things perfectly! And all of that training and work and passion got him nowhere in the eyes of God.<br />
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I am a pastor's wife. I have been saved 42 years. I can go on and on, but just this much starts to make me sick and uncomfortable. Who do I think I am? I am nobody! The only One Who makes me worthy to be in God's presence is Jesus Christ my Savior. And we need to get a better grasp on that fact and be humbled by it. "There is none righteous, no not one!" Except through Christ. Keeping the Law so perfectly and with such vigor did nothing to help Paul be accepted in the eyes of God. It doesn't matter how many Bible verses I can quote, how perfectly my skirts are lengthened, how many casseroles I have made, how many specials I have sung, or diapers I have changed in the church nursery! I have nothing to brag about . . . <b>except</b> what Christ did on Calvary.<br />
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Are you like Jews of Paul's day judging your spiritual worth by the number of things you do? Or are you trusting in Christ and salvation through faith?Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-21157211394673120462013-10-04T06:47:00.002-07:002013-10-04T06:47:18.469-07:00The Law is not FaithPhilippians 3 - - The Spiritual Mind or Things Can Rob Joy<br />
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Phil 3:2-7 "Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."<br />
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In these verses, Paul's warnings to the Philippian church are about some very interesting things that can rob joy and he uses some interesting words. Paul, who was a Jew, warns these Christians to beware of dogs. The Jews of his day referred to Gentiles as dogs in the most derogatory way. Think of Hitler referring to the Jews as dogs also. Paul has MY attention, but who exactly is Paul warning about here?<br />
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Judaizers taught that it was essential to be circumcised as a part of salvation. They were clinging to the ritualism of Judaism instead of making the shift to salvation and grace. Salvation plus anything is not pure salvation any more. If you have a glass of milk and you pour in some water, you no longer have milk or water! Paul was very serious about his warnings. He did not want the Philippian church to be swayed into diluting salvation by re-adding parts of the Old Testament Law to the finished work of atonement by Christ on the cross. He called these fellow Jews "dogs" because they were causing division and changing salvation. When he calls these Judaizers part of the "concision" he is actually calling them "mutilators." What they were teaching no longer has any bearing on our faith. They were giving people false confidence in their works.<br />
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We must remember who Paul was as we examine this teaching of leaving the Law and following grace. Do not forget that he was a living legend in his time. He was educated to the highest level available in Jewish Law. He had devoted his life to enforcing the traditions of Judaism. He was an amazing authority on what the Law said and how it was lived and he was an enforcer of that Law.<br />
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When Christ died on the cross and rose again the "church" was established and God's instructions were to stop the sacrifices and rituals that had been put in place for the Children of Israel. Christ had taught the apostles how they would live by a new perspective of faith. The saints of the Old Testament had been watching for Messiah to come, which is forward-facing. The Children of Israel had been given the Law to follow when they left Egypt and needed structure and rules to govern themselves. The Law brings a curse. The believer is delivered from that curse through Christ, Who was <i>made a curse for us.</i> The crucifixion brought Him under the curse of the Law as explained in Deuteronomy 21:23 "He that is hanged (on a tree) is accursed of God." When Christ paid the highest penalty possible in His death, He became the complete sacrifice. A lamb or bullock offered in sacrifice was a symbol of the person who had committed sin. When an actual, sinless human died in our place for our sin there is no higher fulfillment of the Law! His resurrection proved His power over death and testified to His deity.<br />
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Once the Law had been fulfilled like that, it no longer had any power or authority. Galatians 3:22-29 explains "But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. but before faith came, we were kept under the Law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the Law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." <br />
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It is impossible for any of us to keep every single part of the Law. Galatians 3:10-11 says "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident for, The just shall live by faith."<br />
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It was hard for the Jews to accept this new backward-facing faith of trusting in the crucifixion and resurrection which were events of the past now. And Paul understood the appeal of hanging onto the traditions and rules that allowed these early Christians to measure their obedience. But of anyone, he was the one and only person whose resume, shall we say, qualified him to explain the restraints of the Law and the liberty of faith and grace. <br />
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His warning is relevant to today. We often find a measure of satisfaction in checking off our mental list of "Christian" things to do. We consider ourselves right with God if we are doing this and this and this. There are commandments that we are to follow but what makes us right with God is our relationship with Him. I am not happily married to my husband because I live in the same house and have children together or because I claim his name. I am a happily married wife because I love my husband and I make choices to honor and please him. We do things together that we both enjoy and we have the same purpose of serving our Lord. It's not a list of things I do, but a relationship that I choose and nurture. My faith is a choice that I make. I chose long ago to forsake trying to behave according to the Law, and to instead live a life that is in Christ and trusting His sacrificial death to pay for my sins. <b>Trying to live my life by a physical standard will rob me of the joy of a real relationship with God.</b><br />
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Song: Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-50514526117596605922013-09-13T06:23:00.001-07:002013-09-13T06:23:47.979-07:00I will tell you again . . . and again . . . and againPhilippians Chapter 3 - - THE SPIRITUAL MIND or THINGS ROB OUR JOY<br />
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"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe."<br />
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As we move into chapter 3 of Paul's letter, he gives them some basic reminders. We all need basic reminders from time to time. The first reminder Paul gives his fellow Christians is to "rejoice in the Lord." This world we live in is not so very different from the world Paul lived in when we are referring to the basics of life. People are just people . . . no matter when or where they live. Strip away the technology of today, set aside the modern conveniences and just compare apples to apples. People are the same. We all have the natural tendency to focus on ourselves. We look at every situation from the perspective of "how does this affect ME?" We are the center of our own little universe. Remember Lucifer the Angel of Light? He was all about his own agenda. When you sit back and really think about it, the people you know who are the most self-centered or self-focused are NOT the happiest people you know. They are always offended, always suspicious of the intentions of others, and most often just not happy.<br />
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Now think about the people you know who are the happiest or the most content. They are the people who are dedicated to serving others! The mom who is working to train her children is much happier than the mom who is always reacting to the bad behavior of her children. The volunteer who serves others but receives no paycheck is far happier than the person who is paid a very high wage but hates their job. When our focus is on the Lord Jesus Christ and we are doing things with His kingdom in mind, we will always be much more at peace and have much more genuine joy.<br />
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Because Paul's focus was on helping these Christians grow in the Lord, he did not even mind going over the same lessons again and again if that is what they needed. I remember when my kids were little and I was working and tired and stressed out with their natural behavior. I would become so frustrated and so impatient when I had to keep telling one of them to do the same thing again and again. "Sit down in the shopping cart. I said, 'Sit down.' I'm not telling you again. Sit down in the shopping cart. You better listen to me!" Yes, there was the concern for their safety, but when they didn't listen and obey me I became focused on the reactions of others around me. Were they judging me? Did they think I was a bad parent? Later on when I learned some better behaviors about training my children, I didn't lose my patience with them or my temper nearly so often. When I changed my focus to training their hearts I didn't mind telling them the same thing over and over until they mastered it. Paul is doing the same thing here. He is reminding them of some things he knows they know, but he is patient about it.<br />
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Rejoice in the Lord. Look at things from a new perspective! That person who cut me off in traffic . . . didn't just inconvenience me because I had to touch the brakes a little. Perhaps they are having a really rough day and just weren't paying attention. That person at the store who is pitching a blustery fit . . . just maybe they are scared and hurting and their behavior is their attempt to control at least one little situation in their day. When I stop filtering everything through the filter of "how does this affect me" and turn my thoughts around to "what does Christ think of this situation" MY reactions will be utterly and completely the opposite of what they were before!<br />
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There was a science focused TV show that our son loved to watch. One of the hosts of the show often said, "I reject your reality and substitute my own." Try that today in your own life. Take a deep breath and stop reacting to how people treat you. Look at them and their actions through the filter of "Jesus loves that person." It's pretty hard to be aggravated with someone when you realize their behavior is caused by self focused sin. It is far easier to be patient with someone when you remind yourself that Christ died on the cross for that crouchy bugger. Did you get a flat tire? Rejoice! Perhaps God wants you to cross paths with a certain person at the garage. Did someone give you a dirty look? Rejoice! You have an opportunity to witness to them through your reactions! Is your spouse or your child jumping on your very last nerve? Rejoice! God is trusting you to respond in a manner that points them back to God.<br />
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Paul didn't mind going back to the simple lessons and teaching them again, because his focus wasn't "Why can't they just learn what I've taught them a thousand times?" But his focus was "They are trying and I have another opportunity to guide them."<br />
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When I am looking at everything through a spiritual filter instead of a selfish filter, I can rejoice in anything. "Great peace have they that love Thy law, and nothing shall offend them" Psalm 119:165Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-25613753309015898042013-09-06T06:08:00.001-07:002013-09-06T06:08:45.547-07:00Jesus -- Others -- and YouPhilippians 2 -- THE SUBMISSIVE MIND - - or - - PEOPLE CAN ROB YOUR JOY<br />
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Phil 2:19 "But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state."<br />
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We all know what a fast-paced world we live in. We have drive-thru everything including wedding chapels and funeral homes. Instant coffee, instant gravy, instant mashed potatoes. I can even send you a text message faster than I can call you! But during Paul's lifetime, it might have taken weeks or months for a letter to arrive. He had no instant messaging to keep track of his friends in Philippi. Just like us, he wondered and worried about those who were dear to his heart. Remember, Paul knew <i>exactly</i> how rough the Roman government could be on Christians. He wanted an account of how they were doing from someone who understood the perspective that mattered most to him. Timotheus, or Timothy, was the only person who could do this for him. Verse 20 mentions that there is no other person who will "<b>naturally</b> care for your state." Timothy obviously had a love for the Philippian people just like Paul.<br />
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Verse 21 "For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." People in leadership can be insincere and go through the motions of <i>taking care of</i> someone without really <i>caring for</i> that person. It is sad when you can feel that fakeness or emptiness of someone's actions. Paul could see that some who said they were serving Christ were just going through the motions with the intention of earning brownie points, so to speak. Or sometimes people in charge just don't take the time to really get to know the person they are serving. Paul knew that others could go check on this precious church and they might ask "how are you doing?" and they might say "do you need anything" and those people would probably do a very good job of giving a report. But he wanted Timothy to go because he knew Timothy's heart and he knew Timothy would really look into people's eyes and take time to listen to them and Timothy would be able to come back and tell Paul how each individual was growing or struggling or praising God or pleading in prayer.<br />
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Verse 22 "But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel." Timothy had grown up with a sound Christian influence from his mother Lois and his grandmother Eunice. He had sat under Paul's teaching and served with Paul. The apostle Paul was not someone who strolled into a town, smiling and shaking hands just to deliver an eloquent speech and be on his way to the next place. He came to a town and stayed for a long time. He was in the trenches with people, getting to know them, praying with them, sitting with them in hard times, rejoicing with them and crying with them. This is the setting of Timothy's training. He was a spiritual son to Paul. It is a sweet picture to stop and think of the apostle Paul taking time with Timothy when they were alone to explain how to teach and how to minister to specific people. The "great and mighty" Paul was also a tender man who was sincerely concerned about people's hearts.<br />
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People who are not really genuine in their service to others can rob our joy. No one likes to be asked "how are you doing?" only to start answering and then realize that the one who asked is distracted and not really listening. That is such a hollow and disappointing feeling. We must remember not to be the person who robs someone else's joy because we aren't really paying attention.<br />
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Verse 23 "Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me." Paul intended to send Timothy to the church soon. But he wanted Timothy with him when he found out how his trial would end. Maybe that was for his own comfort or maybe it was for Timothy's sake. But Paul definitely had plans that Timothy would be with this church soon. And in verse 24 he says "But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly." He cared about these dear folks and wanted to be with them himself. He also had confidence enough in the Lord to make plans beyond his current circumstances if the Lord willed!<br />
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Verses 25-26 introduce us to Epaphroditus. He was a brother in Christ who had accompanied Paul and laboured with him. Notice that when Paul talks about Epaphroditus he describes him as a fellow soldier. They were not just visiting people to shake hands and smile. The picture of a soldier for me is quite clear. Epaphroditus had given up everything back home in Philippi and was sacrificially working for the gospel. He wasn't just along with Paul to see the show, he was right in there working and serving and <i>ministering</i> to Paul's wants.<br />
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Verses 26-27 "For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow up upon sorrow." Epaphroditus had quite literally worked himself almost to death. He had put the needs of Paul and others ahead of his own basic needs even. And he felt bad that the church back home had heard about his illness and been worried about him. He didn't want the attention on him especially for being sick. And Paul emphasizes that Epaphroditus really really was sick and nearly died. Paul felt that God had mercy and spared Epaphroditus and that he, Paul, had benefited from this also. Paul surely loved and mentored Epaphroditus as they worked so hard together. Those who served so faithfully with Paul were his family. It would have been such sorrow for Paul if Epaphroditus had died that Paul wasn't sure he could deal with his imprisonment and that sorrow as well from a human standpoint. As a church we are a family also and should be able to picture this emotion from the apostle.<br />
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Verses 28-30 "I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me." Paul sent Epaphroditus home with this letter. He told the people in Philippi to remember how sick Epaphroditus was and how he had nearly worked himself to death. For the work of the gospel he had set aside caring about himself. He had sacrificially served Paul on behalf of the church at Philippi. The whole church couldn't go with Paul. There were others in their town who needed to see the church thriving and others needed to be there to do the work of the gospel in a church already established. The day to day living of our lives is vital to the spread of the gospel too! The mom who is raising little ones, the young people who are being rooted and grounded in the gospel, the older ones who are faithful examples to their families and anyone watching are ALL vital to the work of the ministry. Every one of us has a place to fill in our church and its ministry of the gospel. If one part of your body is getting sickly it affects the whole. If a part is amputated there is a long recovery and adjustment period. We must all be certain that we know our part and fulfill our part faithfully or we are certainly affecting the health of the whole body. People can rob our joy with their actions, intentions, and words. We must be certain that we are not the people robbing someone else's joy.<br />
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Song: "Jesus and Others and You"Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-62650584358438503822013-08-30T06:21:00.002-07:002013-08-30T06:21:20.200-07:00It's not just the attitude, it's the actions . . .Philippians 2 - - THE SUBMISSIVE MIND or PEOPLE ROB OUR JOY<div>
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Philippians 2:12-13</div>
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"Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."</div>
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Why, yes, I did just change the order of the words in the title. Just as we can go through the motions of serving God and loving others without really feeling submissive to His will in our hearts, we can have all the right attitudes but never follow through with the right actions. </div>
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The word that we are using to describe our mind for this chapter is the word <i>submissive.</i> It's one of the most misused and misunderstood words in Christian circles today. Especially when it is applied to wives. I personally lost all fear and resentment toward this word years ago! Submission can be defined as "surrendering to the authority of another." It helps me to think of the chain of command in the military. The lowly Private must surrender to the authority of the Sergeant. It doesn't mean that he cannot have a personality or thoughts of his own. It means that when the Sergeant comes around and gives orders, the Private is to put aside his personal agenda and obey the one in authority. Remember Gomer Pyle? That poor guy had the hardest time learning to submit to the authority of Sergeant Carter. Now, the Sarge was a bit blustery and pushy for the sake of TV. But he also had a commanding officer and when HE showed up the Sarge had to surrender his ideas and plans to the authority that was over him.</div>
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I have thoughts and plans and dreams and ideas and schemes and agendas. But I also have learned to submit to the authority of my husband in our home. When Pastor Mark decides that something needs to be a certain way, he is acting within his authority. When he is submitting to the authority of His Heavenly Father, he is following the the command of His General. It is actually quite freeing to think that someone else is responsible. God designed it this way! Now, each person must be squarely living in the right role for it all to work the way God designed, too. When my heart is right with God and I surrender to the authority of my husband, and when he is right with God and surrendering to the authority of His Heavenly Father, it just makes things go so much smoother. When Private First Class Gomer Pyle thought he had a better plan and sidestepped his orders there was always a mess. When Sergeant Carter understood his orders and clearly communicated the orders to the Private and the Private surrendered to the authority, things went so much better. And Gomer Pyle would be shocked and amazed at the end result!</div>
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The same is true in our lives. Paul says that his beloved brethren have always obeyed. He even gets quite specific and says "not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence." When we raise our children and teach them how to behave themselves, we are giving them a set of rules or guidelines to govern their actions. Pretty soon they can get it right and obey us when we are around. It is harder for them to make the right choices when they are out of earshot or out of the line of vision. More maturity and a deeper understanding of their parents' instructions eventually leads to them being able to obey the rules of their home even if mommy and daddy aren't standing right there watching them. </div>
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The end of verse 12 uses the phrase "work out your own salvation." It means to prove, to continue to prove or to develop. When we are born again, we are like babies. We have to learn to surrender and submit to the instructions of our Father just like an earthly child has to learn to obey their parents. The old saying is "the proof is in the pudding." I can tell you that I am a Christian, but is there any proof in my life? I can tell you I love Pastor Mark, but do my actions reflect that? I can say I want to spread the gospel but what am I showing in my life that makes it such "good news"? It is not enough to have the right heart attitude about things. We must have actions to back up our words. If my heart is not submissive to my husband, my actions when he is standing beside me and when he is absent will not be the same. These Christians in Philippi were known for having the actions and lifestyle that backed up what they said they stood for when Paul was with them and when he was locked away in a dungeon and couldn't be there to watch over them. They had the maturity to surrender to the ultimate plan.</div>
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BECAUSE . . . it is actually God's plan to begin with. It is GOD Who works in us to have the right attitude and the right actions. Both are necessary to fulfill His good pleasure. I can talk about love love love all day long, but if my actions don't carry the same message, you won't be listening to me for very long. Christ could wash the disciples feet and even surrender to death on the cross, but His heart had to be submitted to the Father and the Father's will before it had any meaning.</div>
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"Be careful how you behave . . . your life may be the only Bible some people read." We must be submissive to God and those He puts in the line of authority in our lives. We must obey at all times. God wants more than just my good deeds. He wants my heart attitude. God wants more than just my heart. He wants my day to day actions. If my mind is not submissive to the Father, I can be the very person who robs my own joy.</div>
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Song: Oh, Be Careful Little Hands What You Do" </div>
Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-81980220504487034072013-08-16T06:12:00.002-07:002013-08-16T06:12:55.027-07:00It's not just the actions, it's the attitudePhilippians 2 - - THE SUBMISSIVE MIND or PEOPLE ROB OUR JOY<br />
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vs 1 - 2<br />
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"<b>If</b> there be therefor any consolation in Christ . . .<br />
if any fellowship of the Spirit . . .<br />
if any bowels and mercies . . .<br />
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{<b>then</b>} Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.<br />
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The Bible is full of if/then statements. God lets us know exactly what the conditions of certain situations will be. IF you want this . . . THEN you must do that. IF you do this . . . THEN you can count on this outcome.<br />
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Paul has been instructing us to keep our eyes off of the circumstances around us because that can rob our joy. Now he moves on to say "if there is any <i>support</i> found in Christ . . . " IF I take my eyes off of my circumstances and keep them on Christ, THEN I have Him supporting me and I will be strengthened. IF my circumstances are hard but I keep my eyes on Christ, THEN I will have the comfort of His love. IF there is any fellowship or communication between my heart and the Holy Spirit Who is God living in me, THEN I am never standing alone. IF there is any affection and sympathy available to soothe me, THEN I will not be cast down.<br />
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There is so much healing and comfort available to us through the Holy Spirit. He is God and He lives in me. The description of God the Father is often that He is a holy judge that guides us to do right and punishes when we do wrong. The description of Christ is often that He was the embodiment of God Who gave us something tangible to see and touch and help us see God's personal love to us. The Holy Spirit is the part of God that lives deep in our hearts and comforts those deep hurts and loneliness that no one else can soothe. If we need to feel support and affection and healing, we must turn to Him Who is so close to us that He is within us.<br />
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Then Paul says that IF we seek all these positive things to buoy us up THEN we will complete his joy. Sitting in prison, waiting for a probable death sentence, Paul says that the one thing that could "top off" his joy is for this church to depend on Christ for their support and affection. He further explains that to have this kind of joy we must all have the same love, have the same ambition, and be working for the same goal. The gospel cannot be effectively shared by Christians who are fighting amongst themselves or striving for personal attention or reward. <br />
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Verses 3 and 4 develop this a little further. "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory . . . " If we are competing for the approval of man in our service or constantly trying to outdo someone else, we are not going to have the joy of those who have their eyes on Christ. "Let each esteem others better than themselves." There were obviously some very petty quarrels going on in this church. When we focus on ourselves and what we <i>think</i> should be happening, we obviously shift our focus away from the gospel. Humans cannot truly focus on more than one thing at a time. Things can be going on all around us that we are aware of, but we can only focus on one thing. If I were to focus on who got the most or the biggest hugs from others as we come together, I am NOT focused on the gospel or on ministering to my fellow Christians. But if I set aside my petty personal "feelings" I will be far more concerned about those around me and I will be able to minister to them more effectively and much more genuinely. <br />
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So far this has been an conversational letter from Paul to his dear friends. He is speaking from his heart and having a talk with them. Verses 5-11 have a very different style. Paul here encapsulates the humanity/deity of Christ. Think about Christ the Son of God standing at the throne of Heaven. He is holy and regal. The angels adore and worship Him. They are not horsing around when they are in His presence, so to speak. They are reverent and willing to do anything He might ask of them. He is "high and lifted up."<br />
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But then think of him as a human who had dusty smelly feet and needed a bath. Think of him needing to blow His nose because of the dusty roads. Think of Him getting down on His hands and knees with a bowl of water and some rags to wash the dirty smelly feet of His disciples . . . all of whom had their own faults and failures. The job of washing the feet of guests was the job of the lowest servant in the household. Not the fine butler who stood nearby and waited on the table making mealtime effortless. Not the housemaid who polished the fine vessels of the home which brought compliments from guests. Not the cook who could impress everyone with their hard work and produce succulent dishes that sustained weary bodies or exotic dainties that impressed the eyes and the palette. No, the job of washing the dusty stinky feet of everyone else in the house and any guest who came to the home was reserved for the lowest of the servants. As people entered the home they would be talking and visiting. They would take off their sandals at the door. They would sit down and this servant was expected to come in and wash their feet without calling attention to themselves, without joining in on any conversation going on, without making faces or turning up their nose. They were to do their job in such a way that they were not even noticed and it was just taken for granted that the job was done.<br />
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Jesus Christ, the holy Prince of Heaven, not only came to earth and was limited by a body of flesh and blood, but He also went to the farthest extreme of humbleness and service that there was in His day. He had these disciples with Him for His entire ministry. He knew them inside and out as a human and as God. He had heard their grumbling out loud and in their hearts. He had settled arguments among them about who would be sitting on His right hand in Heaven. He knew that one of them would betray Him and the others would desert Him during the hours His earthly heart would need them most. And yet He washed their stinky smelly feet. What love. What peace. Even Christ Himself did not let the petty actions of those around Him shift His focus away from God's plan. How do you think those guys felt as they sat and realized that Christ was going to make His way around the whole room and wash each of their feet instead of having the servant do it. We can read the phrase "Jesus washed their feet" in about one second. But slow down and let your imagination really see how long this would take. It took time and love and humility.<br />
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What is God speaking to your heart about right now? Is there someone you are jealous of? Is there someone you are silently competing with? Are you comparing and trying to measure things that are of no real importance? You will not have joy if you are focused on the people around you. We must have a submissive heart that will do whatever God tells us to do, even if no one ever notices or cares. There is joy in serving Jesus!<br />
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SONG: There is Joy In Serving Jesus<br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-28064223160448016942013-08-09T06:31:00.000-07:002013-08-09T06:31:01.908-07:00The Distractor is not my DestroyerPHILIPPIANS 1 - - THE SINGLE MIND of CIRCUMSTANCES ROB JOY<br />
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Verses 19 - 30<br />
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Paul is in prison in Rome for preaching the gospel. The two possible outcomes of his trial are his execution or his release. We have seen that he is not focused on the immediate circumstances of his physical situation, nor is he fretting over those who have wrong motives.<br />
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When he was persecuting the church, Saul had one mission in his life. His reputation was known far and wide and every Christian feared him. When he converted, he wanted to make such a statement about his changed life that he even changed his name. The contrast between his old life and his new life is about as drastic as I can imagine. He must have been one of those very intense personalities and the people around him were either for him or against him.<br />
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There were plenty of people from his old life who were now against him. So much so that some were willing to "preach" the gospel just to keep things stirred up and with the hopes of making it harder on him. The government had arrested him for the impact he was having and they would surely be trying to squelch anyone else who was preaching the same gospel. But Paul did not try to dissect their motives or concentrate on the great betrayal this was to his life purpose. He focused on the gospel instead of the circumstances and found that "peace that passes all understanding."<br />
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Now Paul makes a shift in his writing to show us what is on his mind as he faces these two possible outcomes of his trial. "<span style="color: #0b5394;">For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain</span>." These words are not written out of despair but out of JOY! If he is released from prison he will be able to go on and give glory to his Savior. If he is killed he will be able to join his Savior. Either way he will be happy.<br />
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Paul, being human, did not know which of the two he would choose. When he says in verse 22 "<span style="color: #0b5394;">I wot not</span>" it means "I do not know" what I would choose. His life had that singular focus of Christ and he did not have a preference of how that purpose should be fulfilled. He had not planned out his whole life and made dreams. He lived each day as it came to him and was NOT trying to accomplish a certain "script" that he had manufactured in his own mind.<br />
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I imagine Paul's dilemma felt alot to him like we feel when we think of being with our Savior in Heaven or being with our families and loved ones here. Especially as a mother I have a hard time envisioning how life could possibly go on if I were not here! But I know that God would take care of my family and because He is the focus of their lives also, He would be glorified. I sometimes create the reality in my heart that my kids just couldn't go on without me or that my husband would just flounder without me by his side. But with Christ as their focus, they would not be destroyed by the circumstance of losing my influence in their lives.<br />
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Verses 25 and 26 say "<span style="color: #0b5394;">...I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy and faith; That your rejoicing may be be MORE ABUNDANT in Jesus Christ for my by my coming to your again</span>." Paul sums up this little discussion by saying that he is confident that he will not be executed by will remain on earth in order to encourage and strengthen his fellow believers.<br />
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In verse 27 the word "conversation" is not limited to talking. It actually refers to a person's very lifestyle and behavior. You know the old saying "Your talk talks and your walk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks"? Paul was encouraging these believers to put actions to their words. "<span style="color: #0b5394;">...that ye stand fast in ONE spirit, with ONE mind striving together for the furtherance of the gospel</span>." He is telling them and us to stick to the one purpose that we all have in common - - the gospel. He is instructing them to keep the main thing the main thing.<br />
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Verse 28 is full of Heavenly perspective. "<span style="color: #0b5394;">And in nothing terrified by your adversaries...</span>" Paul was the expert on what the Roman government could and would do to Christians. And he does not qualify this statement but leaves it open to apply to every single person. He does not say "don't be terrified if you are having your business destroyed in the name of Christ" or "don't be terrified if you are being arrested and sent to prison." In fact he implies that everyone will have some kind of adversity from their enemies. And, of all things, he tells these Christians not to let it bother them. The enemy sends difficulties to discourage us and get our attention on the wrong thing....our circumstances. Tough circumstances are actually allowed to be sent to us so that we have an opportunity to glorify God! Adversity looks like a negative to the world, but to the Christian it is a positive!<br />
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"Heavenly logic" (so to speak) says that if Christ suffered such betrayal and physical destruction for us, it should be obvious that we as His followers will also suffer. If I like or dislike a certain person, it follows that I will either like or dislike their close friends just by association. Christ is more than just a friend to me; He is my Savior and I have made it clear that I am associated with Him. Those who are against Him will automatically be against me. The enemy is actively fighting against Christ, so he will actively be attacking me. But these attacks are just part of the circumstances of my life and if I focus on them I will be robbed of the joy my Savior bestows. And "<span style="color: #0b5394;">greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world</span>." The giver of my joy is greater than the distractor of my joy!<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><i>"The enemy is fighting, fighting, fighting . . . but the Savior is faithful, faithful, faithful!"</i></span><br />
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Song: "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"<br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-9622362936819091692013-08-02T06:16:00.000-07:002013-08-02T06:16:02.571-07:00The circumstances are NOT the main thingPhilippians 1:12-20<br />
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PHILIPPIANS 1 - - THE SINGLE MIND or CIRCUMSTANCES CAN ROB JOY<br />
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This section of chapter one begins with what I consider to be the key verse to this chapter. <span style="color: #0b5394;">"But I would ye should understand brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel."</span> <br />
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Paul was addressing his personal circumstances, terrible as they were. Remember that he was the great and dreaded Saul before his conversion. Any agent of the Roman government knew exactly who Saul was and knew exactly how much he had done to persecute these Christians. I have always had the sense that he was like a living legend worse than any pirate or henchman. He had had the single focus of obliterating these Christians. When he met Christ and converted, he had so much to live down from the human standpoint. For this same man to now be in prison for preaching the very gospel he had worked so hard to destroy was BIG news in that day!<br />
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Verse 13 tells us that everyone in the palace was talking about Paul being in the prison and what he had done to get there. And it isn't too much of a stretch to say that everyone everywhere was talking about this and trying to understand it. The arrest, the beating, the imprisonment with its deplorable conditions, were all things that Paul could have been despairing about. But<b> he had the single focus of deflecting the attention from himself to Christ</b>. He said every single part of this was worth it because if people were talking about it, they were actually talking about the gospel.<br />
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He goes on in this passage to describe how some people began preaching with more boldness. But then he also describes that some people began preaching with envy and strife. Some of them actually preached hoping to make it worse on Paul. I have often struggled to understand this part of the chapter. I couldn't imagine someone preaching the gospel out of strife. But I think I can picture it this way . . .<br />
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My husband preaches the Word of God and does not back down from giving a clear presentation of salvation or from addressing sin. There are some TV preachers who talk about being a follower of Christ but who never talk about repentance. It is easy to see that people would come to know the Savior in the setting of hearing the straight talk of the Bible. But there really are people who have gotten saved while listening to a TV preacher. Most of these "tel-evangelists" have the reputation (deserved or not) that they are in it for the money and the prestige. They are criticized for having a soft and flowery view of the Christian life. But at least some of them are presenting enough of the Word of God that the Holy Spirit of God can speak to hearts and people can come to a conversion.<br />
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<span style="color: #741b47;">Isaiah 55:10-11 "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from Heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing wherto I sent it."</span><br />
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How do we apply this lesson to our lives today and to the idea of having a single mind? James 3:16 says that "...where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." The single mind of God is the gospel. It has nothing to do with the instruments chosen to deliver it.<br />
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Our church has recently had two different men come and sing for us. One has a very polished style and sings with gusto! The other is a cowboy singer with a simpler style and a more mellow delivery. Both of these men sing to the glory of God. As the audience we can compare these two styles and prefer one over the other even to the point of criticism. And then we will become aggressive or judgmental in our conversations. Perhaps it will even get to the point of being defensive of our favorite style. But the heart that has the single focus of spreading the gospel will be able to "keep the main thing the main thing." We absolutely should decide if the message is clear in each case, but aside from that we must not be distracted by the differences of the the presentation.<br />
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One piano player is not not better than another piano player in God's eyes if they are both playing for His glory. One teacher is not guiding his students better than another because of the tie he wears or the color of his Bible. One singer is not more spiritual because of he has training and another singer is not less spiritual because he does not have training. We must keep our hearts from competing and we must not be caught up with the details of the "package." Our focus should be the gospel of Christ and then all these other circumstantial things will not draw us into contention. "Keep the main thing the main thing" and you will see the beauty of the Lord in all things!<br />
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SONG: "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus"<br /><br />
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<br />Missihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4223693419794388908.post-26055845853229720162013-07-25T19:50:00.001-07:002013-07-25T19:50:15.075-07:00Drama can rob your joy...The Book of JOY is a letter written by the Apostle Paul while he was in prison awaiting trial for preaching the gospel. One possible outcome of this trial could be his being sentenced to death. He opens the letter with loving words about the church at Philippi and how he is thankful for them every single time he thinks of them.<br />
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Philippians 1 ***<b>The Single Mind***</b> or ***<b>Circumstances Rob Joy***</b><br />
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Philippians 1:9-11 "<span style="color: #a64d79;">And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God</span>."<br />
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Judgment = discernment. Discernment is the ability to see things for what they are. Do you remember the old saying "She can't see the forest for the trees"? Some people can only see the drama around them. Others can see through the drama and realize what the real issues are. Discernment is the opposite of drama! Discernment is a mark of maturity; drama is a mark of childishness. A child can be mislead much more easily than an adult simply because of maturity. <br />
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Paul wanted the Philippians to be able to discern the things that are excellent. He wanted them, and us, to be able to tell the difference between the important things and the distractions. He didn't want them to get sidetracked with things that really didn't matter. It was more important to him WHY he was in prison than the fact THAT he was in prison. Instead of focusing on the horrible situation he was in, he wanted to redirect their attention to spreading the gospel of Christ.<br />
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Verses 10 and 11 also talk about being sincere and without offense and having the fruits of righteousness. When you think of a drama queen exaggerating and being the victim and straining to outdo everyone around her . . . or him . . . you do not think of words like <i>pure</i> or <i>blameless</i>. I certainly do not think of the word <i>righteousness</i>. Being a drama queen is about being selfish and focused on how YOUR situation impacts YOU. Being a drama queen is about steering everyone's attention back around to you. Being pure and blameless and righteous is about keeping the focus on the most important Person.<br />
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If we can keep our mind singly on the gospel of Christ, even the worst of circumstances will not be able to rob our joy!<br />
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Song: Turn Your Eyes Upon JesusMissihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16638576583601677707noreply@blogger.com0