ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS WISE
All God’s acts are accomplished through His infinite wisdom. He always acts for our good, which is
to conform us to Christ. Our good and His glory are inextricably bound together.
Proverbs 3:19-20
By wisdom the Lord laid the earth’s foundations, by understanding he set the heavens in place;
by his knowledge the watery depths were divided, and the clouds let drop the dew.
Praise the Wise God
Praise Him because He is forever wise. Praise Him because His wisdom and goodness are bound together. Praise Him because in His wisdom, He is acting to make us like Christ.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Pray for Isaac and Suzanne Micheals as they serve at Black Forest Academy in Germany
SCRIPTURE READING:
Philippians 1:1-26 New International Version
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 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.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Paul’s Chains Advance the Gospel
12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Paul begins this letter by thanking God through prayer with joy. Thanksgiving, prayer, and joy. Those are hallmarks that distinguish the Christian life. Thanksgiving is central to Paul’s worldview. Thanksgiving flows out of him, even as he is sitting in a jail cell in Rome. This shows how the gospel transformed Paul’s mind. This is “Believe, Value, Do” or “Head, Heart, Hands,” in action. Paul demonstrates someone whose heart has been shaped by what he’s allowed his mind to dwell upon. He’s consistently lived a life directing his thoughts toward God in thankfulness so that his heart values it. The result is that thankfulness, praise, and joy become Paul’s natural response to his circumstances. Practice giving thanks today. Don’t “over spiritualize” it. Give thanks for the seemingly mundane things in your life. When we give thanks, we direct our thoughts away from ourselves. Thankfulness is one of the best tools we have in combating selfishness. Thankfulness is the bedrock of humility and service. In thanksgiving, we recognize all that we have is a gift from God. When we give thanks, we “de-throne” ourselves from love of self.