11/14/12- Gentle rejoicing

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Thoughts: For some, rejoicing and gentleness have nothing to do with each other.  Yet Paul juxtaposes them here.  There is an old Christian song that says, "Now I'm happy, happy, happy all the time."  But the constant joy Paul talks about is not simply a "happiness" for that would depend on "happenstance" or our circumstances.  It is not that we are dancing or shouting all the time, lest our feet grow weary and our voices grow hoarse.  Rather, this is a constant, continual joy that no circumstance can take away.  Remember Paul was in prison writing this- and he even sang and worshiped in prison.  It is not an ignoring of our circumstances.  But there is a gentle, steadfast, continual joy that comes from knowing no circumstance can take our God and our faith away.  The cross- the worst the world could do- could not keep our Lord down.  This is not a forcing of joy on others either.  We are called to be gentle and kind even with our joy.  We know, no matter what God is near us.  He will never leave us nor forsake us here.  Eventually, and relatively soon in the face of eternity, we will all see Him face to face- either by death or by His coming.  Our joy is found not in our circumstances, but in the presence and hope of our Lord. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to have a continual, gentle joy.  Help me to trust in you in the midst of tough times.  Help me also to be gentle, kind, compassionate in how I share my joy with others.  

11/13/12- Learning to Agree

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

² I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4)

(Eudoia and Syntyche disagreed with each other)

Thoughts: In the early church, there were many different opinions.  In the current church there are many different opinions.  It is too easy to skim over this passage and think how silly Euodia and Syntyche were to disagree.  Yet we disagree all the time.  Paul's point was that they need to stand firm, and to realize that both of them have their names in the Book of Life (that is they were both going to heaven- so they may as well learn to be patient, kind, and agreeable now).  There will not be a separate room for EPC, ARP, OPC, BPC, PCA, ECOP, PCUSA, KPC (these presbyterians are called from the outside- "the split Ps").  We could also add the different types of Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist groups.  The sin of schism is still a sin.  It often involves calling names, demonizing/criminalizing the other side, and making a secondary issue a primary issue in order to "preserve the true church," and a ton of egos.   The Presbyterian church is half of what it used to be, and is shrinking rapidly because of a lack of evangelism, a lack of biblical respect, and the sin of schism.  In America's individualistic, entrepreneurial, and consumer-driven culture- if we don't like something or someone, we just go out and start our own.  Paul's plea was for them to agree.  Jesus' prayer was that the church would be one.  Paul would also say, "Do everything to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace."  Even today, many church plants die out because people cannot learn to agree to disagree for the good of the church and the glory of God.  It is a human thing- not just a church thing.  Rotary clubs, garden clubs, VFWs split for similar reasons.  The same kind of spirit shows in our epidemic of divorce in America.  There are casualties- kids, the next generation of the church, and people who get disillusioned because of infighting.  Paul pled, Jesus prayed, we should respond with herculean efforts to agree with those whom we disagree. If we want to be biblical about doctrine, we need to listen to these multitude of biblical passages about the church too.  Part of "standing firm" in the Lord is learning to agree with each other. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to be a better, more agreeable person.  Help me to see that love is even more powerful than faith and hope.  

11/12/12- God of the Stomach

¹⁷ Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. ¹⁸ For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. ¹⁹ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. ²⁰ But our citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:17-20)

(Mayan human sacrifice glyph)

Thoughts: If the New Age thinkers are right, one month from now the world will end when the Mayan astronomers stopped their calendar on the winter solstice.  There is a large debate about whether the calendar was meant to signal something at all (maybe they were just tired of dates), or it has some special numerical meaning tied to the number 13. Christians have believed that the world can end whenever God decides it should.  We have purposefully avoided dates (Jesus said, "No one knows the day or the hour").  But we have always said that we need to live for eternity and not just for today. 
    In this passage in Philippians 3, Paul is contrasting those who live simply by their appetites- their feelings.  He describes it as "their god is their stomach."  Ooh!  Not a wonderful god to follow or worship.  Yet so many believe according to their feelings today.  They do not keep the Sabbath because they would rather shop than rest.  They make their ethical decisions by how they feel- so there is rampant sexual immorality today.  Paul says for such people "their glory is their shame."   The false god of feeling ("If loving you is wrong I don't wanna be right"?) not only hurts their relationship with God, but ends up biting them in the end if they do not get it straightened out.  
    Instead of setting our mind on our feelings- our stomachs- on earthly things; we should set our minds on where our home is- where our citizenship lies- in heaven.  Today, lift up your heads and your hearts to God.  Put your hope in Him.  

Prayer: Let my hope lie in you, O Lord. Help me to remember my destiny is not trapped but lies in your gracious and loving hands.

By the way- speaking of the Mayans.  Let's look at their ethics.  They would fit right into what Paul was saying, "Their glory is their shame."  They practiced human sacrifice often (see picture above).  They would torture their body as part of their faith- making their noble children flatten their foreheads.  They would purposefully make their children cross-eyed as part of their worship.  They were in constant warfare with each other and valued power over peace.  

11/11/12- Philippians 4- and Peace

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
But my God will supply all your need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Philippians 4:6,7)
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation (Phil. 4:12)
Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, rejoice! (Phil. 4:4)

(Ruins of the Philippian jail from 1st century- Paul and Silas stayed here and sang until the earthquake freed them).

Thoughts: I wrote these multiple verses from the same chapter for us to get a feel for what Paul was trying to say.  Keep in mind Paul was writing these words from prison (Phil. 1:13).  He had been in prison in Philippi and had been singing and praying in prison there.  Paul lived these words out.  He had been a captain of the Pharisees- well educated, wealthy, respected, a rising star.  But he gave it all up to know and follow Christ.  Paul was urging these persecuted Philippians to trust in God- even in their persecution.  These words are hard but true.  Those who have given themselves to the god of this world will have a hard time hearing them- they seem naive.  But peace is found not by more and more things we see, but putting our faith in the unseen God- who made all we see.

Prayer: Help me to  be content in you, Lord.  Give me grace to trade anxiety for prayer; worry for trust; things for faith.

11/10/12- To Know Christ

⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:8-10)

Thoughts: Jesus told the parable of the man who found a huge, expensive pearl (Mt. 13:45,46) and sold all he had to buy it.  So Paul says he lost everything and considers it rubbish (KJV "dung") compared to the "surpassing greatness" (NIV 84) of knowing Christ.  May we also know the blessing of loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. It not only is possible to know Christ (not just knowing about Christ), but it is the highest joy of life.   May we find joy in simply being with and growing in understanding of Christ.

Prayer: Give me grace to want to know you better, and to grow in knowledge of you, Lord.  You are worth knowing!  You are worth all that I am or have.

11/9/12- The Word as Truth

‎31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

Thoughts: 

When I think about this verse I think about what the secular/pagan governor Pilate said, "What is truth?" Truth is not found in feelings, or politics, or by how much money or success you have. Truth is based in reality- and the God who made reality is the ultimate Truth. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." The Bible gives us confidence and assurance in the truth- pointing to the ultimate truth in God Himself. When we have confidence and hope- it sets us free from being pushed back and forth by our circumstances- (whether the stock market is up/down; whether our candidate or team wins; whether we have calm seas or storms).

Prayer: Give me confidence in your truth, O Lord. 

This is the 40th day of devotionals!!! We made it. Perhaps reading these has helped you. Pastor Rick Warren will continue to email- if you subsctibed- by giving you "Daily Hope" his daily devotional (http://www.purposedriven.com/). Or you may look at my daily devotiona- http://dailybelief.blogspot.com/.
One of the devotional methods we studied this week is to "Personalize it" that is to put your name in the verse. So, for example we might say of this verse: " [Your Name] will know the truth and truth will set [Your Name] free. Another method would be to pray it. In this case we would say, "Lord, today as I read your Word, help me to know the truth and be set free." These are simple things we can do to help us think about what we are reading and apply God's Word to us. 

11/7/12- Truth that Lasts

For,

“All people are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,
25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (1 Peter 1:24, 25) 

Thoughts: Day 39 of the devotionals . We like to pick the things we want to believe in. But the problem is sometimes we pick unhealthy beliefs. Things like: "I can't ever be forgiven." Or, "My life is of no value." But God's Word calls us to a higher truth, an everlasting truth that outlasts all the falseness and distortions of this world, that keep us from living the abudnant life.

Prayer: Help me to rely on your Word, whose truth lasts forever.