Scripture:
Philippians 3:1-11
Finally,
my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no
trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you. Beware of the dogs,
beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we
are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in
Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself
might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put
confidence in the flesh, I far more: circumcised the eighth day, of
the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the
Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the
righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. But whatever
things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of
Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the
surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and
may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law,
but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from
God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His
resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His
death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Insights: The
first verse in this section of Philippians is truly the key. It indicates the way one ought to respond to
all situations. For the Christ-follower
joy and peace are the underlying realities of their existence. There may be external attacks from outside of
the body and divisions from within the body, but our ability to know Jesus and
thus experience His joy is unhindered.
This joy is not some self-made fabrication of happiness as a result of
obtaining self-righteousness. Rather it
is the joy of being made righteous by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross of
Calvary and it is actualized by faith.
This joy then grows as one begins to mature in Jesus and specifically in
the four areas we discussed yesterday.
What a joy it is to learn how to count properly. To count all of our self-works as rubbish,
but the work of Christ as all that matters is the only satisfying place for a
Christ-follower to reside. Beloved, by
faith count Jesus and know His joy!
Questions:
- Are you able to keep your focus on what really matters
in the midst of external conflict?
- Are you rejoicing in your knowledge of Jesus Christ?
Prayer: O Lord, the privilege
to rejoice in knowing You is wonderful beyond description. No matter what I face, I can enjoy the joy of
knowing You. Amen.
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