Philippians Ch 4 - Contentment

I like v 6-7 in the Message...they are the "Do not be anxious.." verses. The message reads "Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." When I have those overtaking, overly anxious moments, I try to imagine the Spirit of God literally coming and settling down on me. I know he is always there, but the visual does so much for me.

v 12b..."I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation..." I took a Bible study at some point and made a note in my Bible that says "contentment is LEARNED". It's not "God give me this, God give me that", it is learning through Him to be content wherever he chooses to place us.

Thanks for sharing all of your thoughts about Philippians with me. I can never learn enough from Paul.

Philippians Ch 3 - Press On

This Chapter is awesome...Paul talks about how he lived so righteously and perfectly in the first half. He followed all the rules, believed in God, and had his act together. But he lacked the love of Jesus. He didn't believe in the only one who could save him. Living a perfect/righteous life does not get us in "good" with God or get us to heaven. Only believing in and loving the Son he sent to us can.

Vs 12-14 are some of my favorites in the Bible. "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." What verses...to think that God "took hold me of me" for a purpose! Oh, how I LONG to know the purpose for which Christ took hold of me. More than I can express to you. What did he put me here for? But, he does give me direction: Press on toward the goal...live for him and tell others about him, and he will reveal the rest to me in his time.

V 16 is one I have never really paid attention to before. I always get stuck in 12-14! But it says "Only let us live up to what we have already attained". I think that is saying to live up to what he has already revealed to us as followers. Don't backslide or live out less than he has shown us we are to be. Live up to what he has entrusted us with - his word and salvation! I pray I will be able to do that today.

Philippians Ch 2 - Imitate Christ

Paul continues to tell us how the live like Christ.
V3&4 - "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, bu in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." Christ put all things before himself, and He calls us as.Christians to do the same. Very difficult

V 12-13 "...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." I need to work on my relationship w Christ every day! I'm trying, but know I fail often. How can I know what his good purpose in this life is for me if I am not spending time with him so he can talk to me?

Finally, V 14-15 "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." Man, if it was a crooked and depraved generation back then, imagine what we would be called now. God calls us to stand out among the world and shine like stars...we are not to look like everything else, but something entirely different. I pray I will look different to someone who needs to see Jesus today.

Philippians Ch 1

Philippians is my favorite book of the Bible. Paul has SO much to share!

Paul is so thankful for his friends, and is such an encourager to them from his jail cell! V 6 "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" has always been one of my faves and encouraging to me that God has a plan that is just for me! Also v.9 "And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ" ...to love more and be more discerning. Can you imagine being pure and blameless until the day of Christ?

The rest of the chapter goes on and shows Paul's incredible attitude despite his circumstance. I can only imagine what I would be saying..."God, look what I am doing for you, and you are letting this happen to ME?" Not.

Finally, v 27 "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ"...I need to pray this every morning.