Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 30th, 2008 No Comments »
Giving As Worship
PHILIPPIANS 4:10-19 01/27/08
A number of years ago, two Christian businessmen were in Korea and witnessed a strange sight – they saw a man in a field with huge ropes around his shoulders pulling a plow. A young boy guided the plow about 15 feet behind the man. Later the businessmen were telling one of the local Christians about that peculiar sight, to which he replied, “Oh yes, that man and his son are members of our church. You see, when the Communists bombed our church and we needed to rebuild it, that man had no money to give. But he loved the Lord so much he sold his ox, and now he pulls the plow and his boy guides it.”
Such sacrificial giving is an offering of worship that pleases God. That is the kind of giving that we find coming from the Philippian church. In 2Corinthians chapter eight Paul mentions the Macedonian churches, which includes the church at Philippi. Paul said, “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. …they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.” The Philippians were not rich. In fact they were poor. But Paul says that they were rich in generosity. They gave as much as they could. Why? Was it because Paul was such a good fund raiser? Was it because Paul promised to send a specially blessed handkerchief to each person who gave 1,000 denarii? No, they gave because they loved Paul and they loved the saints. They Loved God and gave as an act of worship.
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Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 14th, 2008 No Comments »
PRESERVING PEACE
PHILIPPIANS 4:8,9 01/12/08
In verse 6 we are told not to worry or be anxious about anything. That, of course, is easier said than done. But Paul gives us a solution to worry – prayer. The cure for care is prayer. You can pray about anything and everything that you are tempted to be anxious about. And if you pray earnestly in faith, with thanksgiving, you will experience God’s peace. But prayer is not the only factor involved in experiencing peace as a believer. In verses 8 and 9 Paul moves on to talk about two other very important ways in which we maintain the peace that God gives us. We must think the right kind of thoughts and we must put into practice what we learn in Scripture. If we do, verse 9 says, “The God of peace will be with you.”
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Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 6th, 2008 No Comments »
From Fear to Faith
Philippians 4:6-7 01/06/08
You know the adage that the first step in overcoming a problem is to admit you have the problem. I would say that the first step in overcoming worry is not only to admit that you are a worrier, but to also admit that this is a serious sin against the Lord. Of course we feel justified in worrying about certain things. All parents worry about their children don’t they? Isn’t it only natural? While it is right to be concerned about your child, it is wickedness to worry about him or her. Paul says “Be anxious for nothing.” That is a universal negative. It includes not worrying about your children, your finances, your relationships, your health, your future, your circumstances, the threat of terrorism, or bodily harm. Take a sheet of paper and write at the top of that sheet – Top Three Things to Worry About. For number one write nothing. For number two write nothing, and for number three write nothing!
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Posted in Uncategorized on Jan 6th, 2008 No Comments »
Reasonable Relationships
Philippians 4:2-5 12/30/07
Apparently there had been some trouble and disharmony brewing in the church at Philippi. It didn’t seem to be anything earth shattering, but it was enough of a problem to concern Paul. All throughout this letter he hinted at the problem, but now in this section, he speaks directly to the situation he was thinking about. In chapter 1 Paul had said, “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:27) In chapter 2 he told them to be “like–minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.” (Philippians 2:2) Here in chapter 4 Paul gets specific about the disharmony that exists between two women in the church. He urged them to “to be of the same mind in the Lord.” Or, as the NASB puts it, “live in harmony in the Lord.” I think we can safely say from all this, that God wants us to learn to get along with each other and be reasonable in our relationships. Are you easy to get along with, or do you make things difficult in your relationships with other believers?
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