Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Encouraging Words

I think we all desire to have peace in our lives. If that peace can be godly, God-centric peace, then it is even better. There are things that we can do to help bring this peace into our lives. Paul tells us to meditate on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely and of good report. Also things that have virtue and that are praiseworthy. Meditating on these kinds of things in our lives will help to usher in the peace that God wants us to experience. Glory be to God!

Philippians 4:4-7

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We have so much to be thankful for in our lives. For those of us who are followers of Christ, that thankfulness extends far beyond all that we have in this earthly life. Living a thankful life points us in the direction to be able to rejoice in our Lord at all times and in all ways. We can become people that show gentleness to those around us. We can live our lives without anxiety by doing everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, knowing that God will answers those prayers with what is best for us. We will be able to live our lives in the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding. Glory be to God!

Philippians 3:12-14

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Encouraging Words

There is a prize, a special and glorious price, at the end of our life, that we press on towards. It is that upward call into our place in heaven by God through Jesus. This is our goal, our target, in life. We keep our eyes and hearts focused on that prize every moment of every day, not looking back or to the side, so that we keep moving toward it. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Philippians 3:8-11

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Personal Challenge

So, what exactly is Paul is choosing to count as loss? It is all those things of this world that comes between him and his Lord. He chooses to count these things as rubbish in his life. Why would he do that? Why. would we do this? Because that which we gain in Christ by giving up the things of this world far exceeds the loss. We actually gain Christ. We are found in Him. We receive His righteousness. We attain resurrection from death through Hm. Glory be to God!

Philippians 2:14-16

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

Personal Challenge

I have had more than one Christian ask me how they are supposed to live their life. It is presented throughout the scriptures and the teachings of the church. This passage has some clear instructions. Do all things without complaining and disputing. God has called us to love our neighbor and to take care of them. We do this without pushing back on God or them. Live our lives without fault, or as another verse says elsewhere, above reproach. We are to shine as lights in this dark world holding on fast to the word of life, rejoicing in the day of Christ. The instructions for living a godly life are available, to those who seek it. Glory be to God!

Philippians 2:12-13

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Personal Challenge

Our salvation in Christ is not a “one and done” event. We are saved from eternal death by the work that Jesus did on the cross. Just because we say a prayer or call out once to Him to be our Lord, does not mean that He is done with us. He will be doing His work of salvation from within us the remainder of our days and He expects us to be coworkers in that process of sanctification all of those days. We do this fear and trembling out of our love for Him and our thankfulness for His love, mercy, and grace poured out on us. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Philippians 2:5-7

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Personal challenge

We are being asked here to adopt the mind of Christ Jesus in our lives as Christians. What does this mean? What is the mind of Jesus Christ? This is truly a question that we can never fully answer because Jesus is fully God and we will never know the mind of God but we can understand that which Jesus portrayed as the incarnate son of God. Jesus was humble. He gave up His place in Heaven to be born of a lowly virgin, in a stable no less, and lived a hard and humble life in one of the most challenging times in the history of mankind. He lived His short life loving those around Him, feeding the hungry, and healing the sick. He willingly gave His life, without resistant, to a terrible and vicious death. He descended into hell to destroy its gates and set its prisoners free. This is the mind of Jesus Christ that we are to adopt, to give up our hold on this temporal earth, to love our God above all else, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We do this out of love for Him and all that He has done for us. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Philippians 2:1-4

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Personal Challenge

We are charged to not just look out for our own interests, but for the interests of others as well. We are also to not do anything through selfish ambition or conceit, but in a lowliness of mind, esteeming others better than ourselves. Why should we do this? By living our Christian life this way, we will receive consolation in Christ, comfort in love, fellowship of the Spirit, and affection and mercy. We will experience Christ in ways above imagination. Glory be to God!