Philippians 3: 18-21
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.
18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
If your God is really your stomach, does that mean my God is bigger than yours? Sorry, I couldn't resist... Nevermind... Anyways... If you've ever gone on vacation for a period of time you know that eventually your thoughts turn towards home. I doesn't matter how much fun you're having, you start to miss your friends, or your routine, or your Wii. When Tiffanney and I got married we went to Hawaii for our Honeymoon. It was glorious! We had so much fun there, laying on the beach, then swimming in the ocean, then swimming in the pool, then laying next to the pool, it was one of the coolest things I've ever done. But something strange happened around day four or five. We found ourselves longing for home. That's right, we wanted to leave HAWAII and return to rainy, dreary, cloudy Washington! (We've vowed that when we go back, we won't make that same mistake, lol).
If you are a Christian the Bible says that you are born again and that you become a citizen of Heaven! And as a citizen of Heaven we should be focused on that eternal prize, rather than on food, pleasure or any of the other things that so often sidetrack us. So forget those things today and try to live life looking towards the prize!
-Jeff-
Philippians 2: 9-11
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.
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
My mentor used to always say, when you're reading the Bible and come across a therefore, you better see what it's there for. Haha. Sorry, enough Bible study humor. God put Jesus in the highest place in the Universe, that at His name everything would bow. Now a days we don't bow to anyone. We don't need to. Even the President of the US gets a handshake. But back in those days they understood what it meant to bow. Failure to bow before a King meant death. Basically Paul is saying that anyone who refuses to obey and accept Jesus is doomed.
So the question is why. Why did God give Jesus this high place? What was so special about Him? This goes back to that therefore. If you read the verses before this one, you'll see that Jesus made Himself nothing. This reminds me of Jesus' words when He said: "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:35) Jesus made Himself last, became the servant (through dying for us) of everyone else, and therefore was pushed into this lofty position.
That's the way things operate in the Kingdom, so get to work making yourself last.
-Jeff-
Philippians 2: 5-8
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.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Yesterday we talked about how Jesus made Himself nothing, giving up everything that made Him God. Do you realize that Jesus didn't have to die? If He would have stayed in Heaven (and btw, He knew what was going to happen before He came down here) He had the power over death itself. He never had to experience the pain and suffering of the cross. He didn't have to do any of it, but He chose to be our SERVANT. What!?! God became our SERVANT? But He did what had to be done in order to bring us back to Him. That's the type of attitude that Paul wants us to model. We need to be willing to do whatever it takes to help those around us.
Who are you going to serve today?
-Jeff-
Philippians 2: 5-7a
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.
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
This verse is amazing to me. It's mind blowing to think that Jesus didn't see the point of hanging onto His Godhood. Hello? He made Himself nothing! Talk about being focused on the mission at hand!?! He laid down everything for us, totally stripped away everything that made Him God and became nothing for us. That's an incredible statement. Wow. If Jesus gave up so much for us, what are we willing to give up for Him. Verse 5 says that we should have the same attitude Jesus had. Let's forget about being popular, athletic, smart and all of the other labels we cling to, and make ourselves nothing for Christ.
Now that doesn't mean that we should never do anything for ourselves, but our priority needs to be Jesus. We were His priority. Let me write that again: WE WERE HIS PRIORITY!
Amazing.
-Jeff-
The Parables of Jesus: Matthew 13: 45-46
45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Would you give up everything for the greatest treasure imaginable? Christ gave up everything for you so that you may inherit his kingdom, it wasn’t enough that he saved you from going to hell and died for every sin you have committed or ever will. He also loves you so much that he decided that you would inherit the greatest kingdom there ever was. In this parable a man sells everything he owns for a valuable pearl. It is amazing that Christ doesn’t ask this of us , cause he could, but instead chooses to bless you beyond compare not only with earthly possessions but treasures in heaven. If that isn’t enough to convince you to live every day for him I don’t know what will no one else I know has ever promised me a kingdom.
Michelle McCollum
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