Our Situation

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-4

Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.  Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

Insights:  Paul turned the corner as he entered into the second chapter of this letter to the church of Philippi.  In chapter one, Paul was giving us a discourse on the theological perimeters of joy, but as he moves into chapter two, Paul is more practical in his explanation of living life out of joy.  In today’s verses, Paul basically states our present situation with a series of “if there is” concepts.  The implication is these individuals are not presently living life from this vantage point.  These statements go like this:  If there is any encouragement in Christ, then be unified and look to the interest of others.  If, however, there is no encouragement in Christ, then at least if you have ever experienced the consolation of His love, then be unified and look to the interest of others.  If, however, there is no encouragement or consolation of His love, then at least if you have fellowship with the Spirit, then be unified and look to the interest of others.  If, however, there is no encouragement or consolation of His love or fellowship with His Spirit, then at least if you have any affection or compassion of any kind, then be unified and look to the interest of others.  Paul is begging them to be what they currently are not, and that is unified and looking to the interest of others.  Beloved, I believe we all from time to time fall into this same trap.  We need reminders like Paul's to prompt us into more appropriate behaviors for the glory of God.  Live in unity, Beloved.  Live with a view of service for your fellow family members in Christ Jesus.

Questions:

1.  Are you walking in unity with your fellow brothers and sisters in the Lord?

2.  Do you strive to live life in the service of the body of Christ?

Prayer: Father, forgive me for those times in which I walk in selfishness and disunity with the body of Christ.  Grow me in Your grace to see life from Your vantage point.  Amen.

The Conflict of a Soldier

Scripture: Philippians 1:29-30

For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, experiencing the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear to be in me.

Insights:  Our final thought for this week deals with our conflict as a soldier for Jesus.  The conflict comes in two ways.  The first way is the persecution we face in our lives here on earth.  Notice the verses states that we suffer for His sake.  Beloved, we in America do not really face persecution, but that day is coming and coming quickly.  We need to be reminded that persecution is the theme throughout the New Testament for believers.  Second Timothy chapter three verse twelve tells us that all who live a godly life in Christ will be persecuted.  In Philippians chapter three verse ten we are told we have fellowship with Christ’s sufferings.  Warren Wiersbe states, “the presence of conflict is a privilege. . . ‘granted’ to us—it is a gift!”  The second way in which we suffer has to do with Paul’s phrase, “experiencing the same conflict you saw in me.”  You will recall from earlier verses in chapter one that Paul was torn between his desire to die and be with Jesus and his desire to remain and strengthen the body of Christ.  In the end he knew it was better for him to remain to build up the body, but he desperately longed to go home to his eternal and true home with Jesus.  It can be said then that home sickness is a very real conflict within ourselves that we often battle as a child of the King.  We ought to want to go home.  In this longing we are able to experiencing exciting joy and worship because we know this longing will one day come to pass and be our reality.  It gives us hope and the power to undergo any persecution we experience here and now.  To God be the glory!

Questions:

1.  In what ways are you presently being persecuted on this side of eternity?

2.  Do you experience home sickness for your true dwelling with Jesus?

Prayer: Father, I really do want to go home with You, but I know that You have called me here to remain faithful to you and to proclaim Your great name.  Amen.

The Control of a Soldier

Scripture: Philippians 1:28

in no way alarmed by your opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God.

Insights:  Remember the context of this weeks sermon had to do with the spiritual warfare with which we are engaged.  In today’s verse we begin to understand the tactics of our enemy.  The first thing I want you to understand is that satan’s tactics ought not to alarm us.  We know how satan attacks.  His methods have never changed.  He attacks us with the lust of the flesh, which deals with our physical desires (sex, food, addictions, etc.)  The second attack which comes at us is the lust of the eyes, which deals with our greedy desires (clothes, cars, houses, etc.)  The final attack comes to us from the pride of life, which deals with our power desires (we want to be the boss, leader, captain, etc.).  Every tactic satan has falls within these three categories in some form or fashion.  We can see all three of these in the garden with Eve, as well as, with Jesus in the wilderness.  Because we know these are satan’s tactics, then we don’t have to be alarmed.  The second thing we learn from this verse is that when we remain faithful to the Lord and draw near to Him, He transforms our life.  As a result, our life becomes a testimony or a sign to our enemies that they are going to be destroyed, but that we are going to be saved.  The major truth behind that statement is that God is the One who brings both of these realities to pass (satan’s destruction and our salvation).  Beloved, because we know both of these realities from this verse, we as soldiers for Jesus are able to control ourselves under His authority and power.  When satan attacks we don’t have to run for the hills.  We can be under the power of Christ and remain steadfast and in control of ourselves when these attacks come.  Rest in Him, Beloved, and you will be victorious in your battles.

Questions:

1.  Do you know that satan’s tactics never change and therefore ought not surprise us?

2.  Have you ever thought about the fact that the enemies tactics are actually a sign of their own destruction?

Prayer: Father, help me to recognize satan’s attacks in my life and help my life to truly be a sign of satan’s defeat.  May my life bring You glory, Lord Jesus!  Amen.

The Conduct of a Soldier

Scripture: Philippians 1:27

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Insights:  War is an ugly thing in human history.  Yet when we read stories like King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table or J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, we see the authors use language that depicts the renown of battle and the valiant people with their many exploits of bravery.  From this aspect, war is exciting as we watch evil defeated and the extremely outnumbered champions for good walk in victory.  Paul in the book of Philippians turns the page and helps us understand that in the midst of spiritual warfare there is a place for joy and exciting worship.  The first place he starts is with our conduct as warriors for Jesus.  We are to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ and this worthy manner has two parts.  The first part is that we are standing firm in one spirit.  In other words, because we are born again, the same Spirit resides within us.  We, therefore, ought to all be under His Lordship and obey His commands.  This concept is so important to our walk as Christians that Paul tells us sixteen times in this short little letter that we ought to be unified in one way or another.  In this verse this thought is communicated through the idea of standing firm in one spirit.  There is, however, a second way we conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ and it also carries with it the theme of unity.  We are also to strive together for the faith in one mind.  As we read the Bible our minds are transformed according to Romans chapter twelve verse two.  As this transforming process takes place the more our fellow brothers and sisters think the same way we are thinking regarding the faith and the gospel.  Beloved, let me encourage you to spend time reading His Word and worshipping together in a biblically centered church.  As you grow, heed the admonition of Paul and conduct yourself as one of His soldiers in a manner worthy of the gospel that so changed your life and set you free.

Questions:

1.  Are you standing firm in one spirit with your fellow Christ-followers?

2.  Are you united by one mind for the faith of the gospel?

Prayer: Father, I so often want to make people uniform to my desires, but that is never Your plan.  You desire for Your children to be united in by Your Spirit in faith for the purpose of the expansion of the gospel.  May this be true of me and my family, which is the body of Christ.  Amen.

Hope Presses Us on to Our Exciting Joyful Reunion of Worship with Christ

Scripture: Philippians 1:21-26

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.  But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.  Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

Insights:  Everything that drives Paul is his knowledge of the life to come in eternity with Jesus.  He has encountered Jesus while he lived on earth, but he knows he will see Him face to face in eternity and that brings about a great deal of joy and excitement to Paul.  Beloved, we have that same kind of life as well.  If we truly are born again, then we will one day see Jesus as Paul has already experienced and we will have the same exciting joy as well.  Our lives ought to reflect such joy and excitement in our daily lives.  We ought to be people who encounter a lost world and the lost world asks the question, “Why are these people so different from me?”  We then need to tell them why we are different.  We need to tell them about our hope that presses us on to our reunion with Jesus.  Our lives ought to be like binoculars for a lost world and when they look through us, their binoculars in this illustration, they ought to see Jesus big and bold.  When people look through the lens of your life, I do pray it is Jesus they see.  If for some reason it is not, then repent and ask the Lord to further transform your life into the image of Jesus.  Continue to be pliable and moldable in His hands and may you have a deep longing for your reunion with Jesus throughout the entire process.  Come Lord Jesus, come!

Questions:

1.  Are you looking forward to your eternal reunion with Jesus?

2.  Do you know the only way you will have that reunion is if Jesus is Lord of your life?

Prayer: Father, I can’t wait to get home.  So many things here on earth I don’t understand, but I long for the day I am with You unfettered by this sinful world in which I presently reside.  Come Lord Jesus, come.  Amen.

Hope is the Result of Exciting Joyful Worship

Scripture: Philippians 1:18f-20

Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Insights:  Paul has told us about his imprisonment for the proclamation of the gospel.  He has told us about his joy in the proclamation of the gospel by those who have impure motives.  Now he is telling us that he knows that through the Spirit and the prayers of the saints that he will be delivered.  This deliverance Paul is referring to is not an earthly deliverance, though I know he would have rejoiced in that as well, but in an eternal deliverance.  His hope is built on the fact that God is going to take him home one day.  It is for this reason that Paul tells us that Jesus is going to be exalted whether by life or by death.  If he remains alive, then he will keep on proclaiming Jesus as the Lord and Savior of the world and people will get saved.  If he dies, then he goes to be reunited forever more with his true love, Jesus.  Either way, by life or by death, Paul wins and he is excited about this kind of hopeful prospect in the Lord.  Beloved, it is my earnest prayer that we all begin to live life with this kind of fervency and hope.  May we understand our position as winners no matter what comes our way.  Let is always be bold, as Paul was bold, in our proclamation of the gospel.  May our words lead many to know our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Put your hope in Him and you will never be sorry because He is always faithful.

Questions:

1.  Would you characterize your life as being hope-filled or hopeless?

2.  Do you know that your only true hope can be found in a relationship with Jesus?

Prayer: Father, my hope is found in You and You alone.  Thank You that I know one day you will deliver me from this world into Your glorious kingdom.  Amen.

Joyful Worship is the Result of Exciting Proclamation

Scripture: Philippians 1:15-18e

Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.  What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.

Insights:  If you have read my blogs for any length of time, then you know that from time to time I rant about the Word of Faith movement, also know as, the name it and claim it prosperity gospel.  They are preaching Jesus, in my opinion, from false motives.  They are stealing from people and lining their pockets with money form their converts.  Many of these followers of their gospel don’t have enough money to support themselves, but because they have bought into his prosperity lie, they give out of faith and make these TV preachers all the more wealthy.  Now, here is where I have to step on my own toes.  Even though I do not like what they are doing to people and the lies they tell, most of these preachers do preach that Jesus is the only way to heaven.  For this fact alone, I ought to be like Paul and rejoice in the proclamation of the gospel and worship the Lord for the lives that have been changed.  I will tell you that I am letting the Lord work on my heart regarding this situation.  I would challenge you to ask the Lord to examine your heart and reveal to you if you are proclaiming the gospel with pure motives or selfish motives.  If He reveals that your motives are impure, then repent and ask the Lord to do a redemptive work in your heart and start proclaiming the gospel with a renewed zeal and passion for His glory.

Questions:

1.  Are you proclaiming Jesus out of selfish ambitions or out of pure motives?

2.  Are you able to worship as a result of the Lord’s promptings to proclaim His good news?

Prayer: Father, thank You for empowering me to share the love of Jesus with other people.  Let the well spring of joy overflow into worship as I proclaim the gospel.  Amen.