My Walk:
Today's Spiritual Journey
5/1/2008 - Philippians 1:29 - Suffering for His Sake
How contrary this thought is to the spirit of our age! Although I am not quick to admit the fact, I too flee from the thought of suffering for my Christ. How can I think this? How can I flee from this high and noble calling? Beyond the horizon of belief lies the valley of suffering, but without the valley there can be no progress. Without the cross there would be no empty tomb. Without the wilderness, there would be no Promised Land. Without the shipwreck, there would be no opportunities. The tragedy of momentary suffering is always overwhelmed by spiritual benefit. Contrary to the prevailing thought among the Pentecostal movement, suffering is both spiritual and physical. We don't always see physical blessings for our suffering even if we have faith. Sometimes God is doing things far beyond our range of vision. Focus your eyes on that which you can see. Look at the cross. Look to the One for Whose sake you suffer. For I am certain that the imprisoned Apostle would agree, the more you suffer for the sake of Christ, the better you begin to see the one who suffered for you on Calvary.
4/26/2008 - Philippians 1:27 - In Sync With the Gospel
"Only be citizens worthily of the Gospel of Christ..." (My Translation). Wuest points out that "the Greek word translated "becometh" ("worthily") is most interesting. When it is used with the genitive case, it means "having the weight of (weighing as much as) another thing." It means, "of like value, worth as much." Other meanings are "befitting, congruous, corresponding." The saints are to see to it that their manner of life weighs as much as the gospel they profess to believe, or their words will not have weight. That which gives weight to a Christian's words, is the fact that his manner of life befits, is congruous to, corresponds with the gospel he preaches."
The mundane and the divine...belief and action...lifestyle and salvation should be all one in the life of a believer. The Gospel is a PRESENT TENSE REALITY that must always be at the forefront of our minds as we face the challenges of earthly citizenship and behavior around those in the world in which we live.
4/20/2008 - Philippians 1:6 - Walking in the Gospel
Pastor Chuck mentioned an important point tonight in church that bears serious consideration and meditation: "My Christian life is not about my ability to hold onto God, but about His ability to hold onto me."
4/19/2008 - Philippians 1:23-24 - Desiring the Difficult for the Sake of Ministry
Paul has come to the conclusion that death would be a far better option than remaining here on earth, but he desires to remain instead so that he can continue to minister until the Lord calls him home. Setting aside a desire in order to minister. Sacrificing my needs for the needs of another. Such sacrifice comes easier in light of the life and death that Jesus gave for me. He chose the option that did not seem "far better," but took the manger and the cross. True fellowship and sacrifice are products of the Gospel.
4/18/2008 - Philippians 1:20-22 - Simple yet profound
Paul's life was straightforward. Life is a means by which I can magnify Christ. Death is a means by which I can magnify Christ. Either result will magnify Christ; therefore, I have no preference.
4/17/2008 - Philippians 1:14-18 - Rejoicing at the Spread of the Gospel in spite of personal attacks
Paul is sitting back in prison watching those who are free to spread the Gospel in the communities go about their work of evangelism. He quickly observes that some are doing it to try to make heavy the heart of the Apostle (v. 16), but others are doing it out of love for the lost (v. 17). It would be easy to look at how he is being maligned or insulted ("I won more souls to the Lord this week than that old Apostle rotting away in that prison cell! Apostle to the Gentiles...whatever!"), but Paul refused to do that. He was an example of joy in suffering because he rejoiced in the spread of the Gospel even when the ones spreading it were attacking him in a very unchristian fashion.
4/16/2008 - Philippians 1:12 - Rejoicing at the Spread of the Gospel during trials
I must admit that my tendency is to see only my problems. Paul saw his imprisonment as an opportunity to preach the Gospel to his guards! Paul looked beyond the circumstantial need and saw the providential hand of God. If my car breaks down this week, will I use the opportunity to get upset or to give the Gospel to a mechanic? If I loose my job/cannot find work this week, will I become bitter, or will I use my time away from work to evangelize? In every chaotic event, the progress of the Gospel is carried out. Paul's Gospel witness did not just progress in successful voyages, but also in catastrophic shipwrecks.
4/15/2008 - Philippians 1:9-10 - Developing Spiritual Discernment
Apparently, one of Paul's major requests for the Philippian believers was for discernment. Let's look a little at the structure first (my own translation of verses 9-10):
"And I am praying this" (Paul's Action)
"in order that" (Introduction to Paul's Purpose of Prayer)
"your love should still overflow more and more" (Paul's intended Outcome)
"in full-knowledge and (in) all discernment" (the manner in which their love should pour out)
"in order that" (another purpose, this time - viz. Prayer is for the purpose of love in a discerning manner: Love in a discerning manner is for the purpose of...)
"you should discover/prove by testing/approve the things that really matter/make a difference" (the intended outcome)
"in order that" (yet ANOTHER purpose! - Paul's prayer for the Purpose of Proper love; Proper love for the purpose of Proper Goals/Desires; Proper Goals/Desires for the purpose of...)
"you might be pure and blameless in the day of Christ" (the intended outcome: without even the slightest imperfection in motives, thoughts, or actions in the day of judgment)
It could take days just to plumb the depths of these verses, but let us look at some of the interesting words. I have underlined the ones that I would like to discuss and will cover them in order.
"still overflow" - The word picture here is a cup being infused from an outside source and spilling out its contents on that which surrounds it. Here we have a picture of the believer's love. We are infused with the love of Christ and should not seek to hold it all in, but should seek to expel it so that it may be enjoyed by others. Such an outpouring obviously demands fellowship and association. The Gospel gives me the ability to love as I ought.
"in full-knowledge" - The greatest word Paul had in his vocabulary for wisdom/knowledge is used here to limit, as it were, our expression of love. Love is not an excuse for sin. Be aware of even your most spiritual actions.
"in all discernment" - This word is a hapoxlegomena in the New Testament and indicates a moral discernment and perception. Such perception is found in the Holy Spirit who is given to us at the moment of salvation.
"should discover/prove by testing/approve" - Another word picture is found here. Just as in days of old, when one was given a gold coin, they would bite it to determine its integrity, we, as Christians, are commanded to test the integrity of where our love is outpoured.
"things that really matter/make a difference" - Here we are being admonished, not to test between good and bad/moral and immoral, but to test and discover the qualitative difference between good things/choices. Some things may be lawful, but not all are expedient. Christians are called to distinguish the things of superior quality in life and pour out their love on them. For example, the Philippian believers found the ministry of the Gospel through the Apostle Paul of great excellence and superior quality and poured out their love in the form of an gift to him.
"pure...blameless" -"Pure" pictures a clay pot in the marketplace that does not have wax filling holes/cracks in it. A quick look at the pot in the light of the sun reveals the lack of this pot's structural integrity. "Blameless" pictures a traveler who avoids the stones that trip him up along the way.
Do I really want to end up as one who has his works tried and is seen before the God of eternity as a sham, a pot with concealed cracks? Do I want my life to look like that of a blind traveler who trips and falls the entire length of my spiritual journey? If not, I must pray to the Father that He should guide me in my love that it should be controlled and directed by a full-knowledge and discernment that comes from above so that I can tell the difference between that which is good and that which is best in my life so that I can spend my life and energy pouring out my love on that which is best. The qualities and imperfections of what I pursue in life eventually become my own.
Dear God, please help me to discern what I should invest my life in today. Show me the strengths and weaknesses of the goals I pursue and the things that I love. I want to walk rightly before You; please guide me in the right way as I walk before You today. I pray this in the name of Christ. amen
4/14/2008 - Philippians 1:6 - Facing Discouragements While Recognizing God's Plan
I often face times in my spiritual life where I feel like I have hit a wall. My devotional life has grown cold, a particular sin/habit has returned, or I begin to feel like God doesn't really care that much about me. In the midst of these discouragements, I often attempt to rationalize these emotions and feelings rather than turning to the comfort and strength I find in God's Word. Here in Philippians, these believers are up against the wall too. They are, for the most part, in poverty. They just gave a significant monetary gift to the Apostle Paul. They are suffering for the cause of Christ. Discouragements surround them, but Paul does not try to console them regarding their present state. Rather, Paul encourages them to look to the end-game strategy ("will perform" Gk. epiteleo) of the One Who began the whole play ("he which hath begun" Gk. enarchomai). Just as questioning the quaterback or attempting your own play is entirely foolish on the field, so doubting God or attempting to operate my own way throughout life is utterly foolish. When I hit a wall again in life, I must trust in the plan of God that He will use this circumstance, this sin, this discomfort to accomplish his strategy in my life.
