Philippians 4: 4-5
Note: For the Summer we are reprinting some devotions that ran back when we were getting this site up and running. Hopefully this is new content to you, and we will get back into writing fresh devotions as our schedule allows.
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
I guess this verse doesn't really need an explanation does it? Be joyful all the time. Don't get caught up in the pettiness of life, but fix your focus on Heaven. When you're having a bad day, remember that soon you won't be here anymore, and when you're having a great day, thank God for it!
What kind of day are you having today?
-Jeff-
Philippians 3: 1
Note: For the Summer we are reprinting some devotions that ran back when we were getting this site up and running. Hopefully this is new content to you, and we will get back into writing fresh devotions as our schedule allows.
1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.
The Bible says that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). What does that mean? It's easy to get wrapped up in life, to anticipate the next video game or to get hurt when a friend talks about you behind your back. In fact, when we allow ourselves to think about that stuff, it's easy to assume that God isn't taking care of us or that He doesn't love us. And when we think about that too much, it's easy to walk away completely. So when Paul says that rejoicing in the Lord helps to safeguard our faith, it's pretty obvious, and yet Paul also says it over and over (and over and over) in the next two chapters. Keep reading and I'll show you all about it.
Take sometime today to thank God for His goodness and for taking care of you.
-Jeff-
Philippians 1: 1-3
Note: For the Summer we are reprinting some devotions that ran back when we were getting this site up and running. Hopefully this is new content to you, and we will get back into writing fresh devotions as our schedule allows.
1Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We're going to start working through the book of Philippians but before we get started I think it's important to put this book into it's context. Context just means what's happening around it. So I want to take a moment to tell you about what was happening as Paul was writing this book. You see, the main points that are made and will keep coming up in this study are having joy in all circumstances, being humble, and being in unity with other believers. What's crazy, esp. about the joy part, is that Paul wrote this letter while he was in prison, and his future was uncertain. As he was writing, he really didn't know if he was going to live or die. And prisons back then were nothing like prisons of today. Let's just say there weren't any bathrooms, and leave it at that. So when Paul says in ch 4 that he's learned the secret to being happy in any circumstance, it's probably a good thing to pay attention to him, 'cause I don't know how happy I'd be in his position.
-Jeff-
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