Philippians 2:3-4, 21 Radical Unity

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Observation:

Paul is describing a community where everyone pulls together instead of apart. It is a community that knows its purpose and doesn't let anything interfere with it.  The community Paul describes is an extended spiritual family where others line up to become apart of this sacred assembly to make it their home because they feel encouraged and they know that they are loved.  Paul encourages the Philippians to strive for radical unity by being like Christ, who put Himself last and took the cross and its shame, so we are to love and serve one another the same way.

Application:

The radical unity Paul describes is difficult to do in American culture. Several things work against us. The first being that we are told it is all about us, we should get what we want when we want, and Jesus is a mere genie that we use to protect us from heaven and ask for safety and physical blessings from. This thought pattern also leads to church hopping, always looking for the next feel good message, never really laying down roots at any church. 

Another thing that works against radical unity in America, is busyness. We are too busy to have deep conversations with people to listen to where they are at and meet their needs. We are a slave to our schedules, which rarely have time to minister to others. 

How do we fight against this current of selfishness as a church? Well it starts with each of us individually. We first get quiet before the Lord, fixing our eyes on Him, asking Him to open our eyes to those around us and to prepare our hearts to love them deeply and unselfishly. As the Lord answers that prayer, which He will do, determine in your heart to be obedient to whatever He lays on your heart to do for others. As each one of take steps that allow God to change us, we will experience the radical community that Paul talks about.

Prayer:

Father, I fix my eyes on You for You are the author and perfecter of my faith. I pray that You would open my eyes to those around me whom I can love and bless. I determine in my heart to be obedient to whatever You ask of me.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 4)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

Meekness also gives you spiritual contact lenses. You see life and circumstances differently. In our world it is hard to see God in situations of injustice, horrific crimes, and catastrophic events. But if God is sovereign and He is good, then both are in these situations. Meekness is an understanding of your own human limitations of sight, it takes out the worldly contact lenses and puts of the sight of Christ. Meekness doesn't give Christian pat answers to any of these situations nor does it rejoice in the pain of the world, instead meekness seeks God's heart in how to pray and what to do. Meekness wants to be apart of the good that God is doing in this terrible circumstance.

Application:

As I've shared previously the last 6 weeks have been incredibly difficult for me, probably one of the darkest times of my life. During those 6 weeks I have been afraid to tell other Christians what I'm going through for fear of Christian pat answers; you know, where that pat you on the back, tell you to put on your big girl panties and that God is using all things for good, so cheer up! Oh my, just thinking about it would get my blood to boil.

I needed the friend who would, in meekness, seek God's heart in how to pray and what to do. As Christians we don't have to be afraid or ashamed that we don't know the "why" of something terrible.  God never assigned us with diagnosing the problems of others or trying to fix them. It is like a toddler trying to do surgery, it is foolish to even try. We need the real Doctor of our souls. I know that is what I need, friends that take me to Jesus's heart and that is the friend that I want to be to others.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the friends that You've given me that seek Your face everyday in meekness. Please help me to be that friend to others.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 3)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

Another observation about meekness is that meekness allows for rest, true rest. When you see your circumstances in the light of a sovereign and good God who loves you more than you will ever know, peace begins to flow through your veins. You know that God will see to it that your heartbreak works together for good. You no longer look at your circumstances as punishment or a prison to make you miserable, but an incredible opportunity for God to mold you in Jesus's image and to bring God maximum glory.

Application:

I have a driven personality. I'm always working on being a better version of me and sometimes I'm so driven that I try to help people be better versions of themselves, even when they haven't asked ;). This driven part of my personality has left me with a constant hum in the motor of my soul. There has been no rest for me. Even on the sabbath I'm diligently seeking out who God is and who I am in Christ and I'm constantly evaluating am I doing too much or too little? These are good things, but this is not rest. Rest is trust, to the core; bone saturating trust in God. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, that He himself is meek and we are to come to Him when we are weary and learn from Him. We are to learn meekness from Him and we will find rest for our souls. 

I wish I could boast that the hum is gone for good in my life because I've learned this life lesson, but I can't. However, I can tell you that I now know what it feels like to have the hum gone, and I'm trying everyday to take my cares to Christ and learn from His meekness.

Prayer:

Father, You are sovereign and You have good plans for me. Even when I don't feel it or see it, I can rest in the fact that You fight for me and will complete the good work in which you've begun. I love You so much!

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 2)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

Another attribute of meekness that I've learned is that the meek accept the Father's dealings with them as good and they accept God' actions toward them without resisting or disputing. This is not an ignorant trust founded on naïveté, on the contrary it is one that has done the research, invested in prayer, and has a versed definition of who God is  and even more importantly a heart understanding of God's love for them.

Application:

6 weeks ago I would have said that I had a great understanding of the sovereignty and goodness of God. I encouraged others to hold fast, because God was using all suffering for good. However, in the last 6 weeks I experienced fear in such a dramatic way that lead to questions of God's goodness and love for me. What happens when you face that all you love can be taken from you and your life is hanging on a thread? I understood God's sovereignty but could not understand His love or goodness.  But the long dark night is over and dawn has broken over our home. The dawn begins to warm things up and the light shows the truth. Although I'm not completely healed from the last month, I see that God has been showing His love for me and I'm learning to accept it. Pride still exists in this human shell, I will tell you that I'm a little meeker than I used to be.

Prayer:

Father, I praise You for being great and good and thank You that joy comes in the morning.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek (part 1)

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 NIV)

Observation:

I've spent the last week studying what it means to be meek and here is what I've learned. Meekness equates to gentleness or humility. It is not a natural state for us humans and generally only comes through refinement. In meekness we submit to the Father and say whatever You want. It is an understanding of who we are and more importantly who God is and responds in reverence and humility.

However, even more than that, meekness is pleased to do the work and will of the Father. Meekness understands that it is not about you, and rejoices in that awareness. 

Application:

When I began ministry I was tied to a Christian check list. It was one I was told I had to have and do so that I could be called a good Christian. The checklist included, study and memorize scripture, pray for others, tell others about Jesus, serve the church and the community, disciple others, etc. It also included a list of don'ts like, don't drink,don't cuss, don't watch this movie or read that book, make sure your children act right, keep your house clean, etc. All good things right? Yes, but the heart motive in which I was doing them was not,

Two years into it I was left empty and exhausted. Why did I have to tell others that God loved them right where they are at, but I had to get my checklist done for Him to love me? That question lead me to explore grace and grace truly changes everything. Now I do that whole list of do's and don'ts, but it is because I am loved by God and I love God, not because I'm trying to earn it.

Prayer: 

Father, thank You for grace.

2 Corinthians 12:7 Thorn in the flesh

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. (2 Corinthians 12:7 NIV)

Observation:

Why didn't God take this thorn away? Paul needed the thorn so that he wouldn't become arrogant. Paul had received great revelations from God that no one else had seen. These revelations could easily lead to conceit and Paul being puffed up. Arrogance is a great repellent to those seeking Christ. I've met people who know the word of God and have received revelation, but have no meekness in which to draw people. Thus the thorn in the flesh that Paul received.

Application:

What are some of the hard things in this life that God is using as a thorn to teach you and mold you into His image? My self image, my need for approval, my health. Although I know the truth about who I am in Christ, that all I need is Christ's approval, and this body is temporary, my mind is bombarded with thoughts that are contrary to these truths. I pray and pray for God to take these thoughts away, but He doesn't. Even after a pretty intense refinement in this last month, the thoughts come. Here is what I have learned though, God wants me to to cast out those thoughts and cling to truth. He wants it to be so much of a habit for me that I experience the complete freedom that He has given me.

Prayer:

Father, Your word is truth, Your word is Jesus Christ. It is a lamp to might feet and the rock in which I stand upon. I pray that Your Holy Spirit would continually remind me of Your truth and cast out all thoughts that don't line up with Your word. Thank You Lord.

Philippians 1:6 Where is your confidence?

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. 

Observation: 

Where is your confidence placed? Over this last month I have seen several areas of my life where my confidence is placed in the wrong thing, or the wrong person. Here are some examples from my own life.

1. I am confident that if I make the right and safe choices, that God will not allow any harm to come to me.

2. I am confident that if I love God and seek Him more than anything or anyone else, that all will go well for me.

3. I am confident that if I love others God will be pleased with me and bless me.

For me my confidence has been placed in my performance. If I perform well God will not allow suffering that is unjust to afflict me. This is pretty common in the world and most people, including Christians are too busy to examine where they are placing their confidence (in themselves, in others, or in Christ). And sometimes God allows bad things to happen to you and me, so that we can see that we have placed our confidence in the wrong thing. 

Application:

So what do you do? Well the answer is right in this passage; God completes the work. We can't be confident in our own work, or anyone else's for that matter (just in case you think that if someone would change life would be better), we can only be confident in God's. His work is perfect.

Prayer:

Father, I'm sorry that I've doubted You. Please help me to stand on Your promise of completing the good work in which You have begun. I place my confidence in You!