The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Philippians 1-4
Act 3: God’s New Covenant People
Scene 4: Christ’s Church: God’s People Advance the Kingdom
Background Information: Philippians 1-4
Paul wrote to the church he had planted in Philippi, Greece from a prison cell. He wrote about how the Christian life is a perpetual win/win scenario. Sure, he is in jail, but his imprisonment has only served to advance the gospel. Sure, he may be executed but he fully expects that God will give him sufficient courage, whether he lives or dies to exalt Christ with his physical body because to live is Christ and to die is gain. Yes there are some who are preaching Christ from selfish motives but whether from false motives or pure, Christ is still preached. It is better if those who preach the gospel have hearts that align with the message, but it is the message of the gospel and not the messenger that has the power to save. This is not Paul merely being a glass half-full kind of guy, this is Paul knowing full well that since the gospel is true, everything is changed. Since the gospel is true, his life purpose is fixed and his hope in death in assured. The gospel life is win/win while life outside the gospel is lose/lose. There are those whose eternal destiny is destruction, and their current lives are marked by slavery to their own appetites. To live with no real purpose and to die with no hope is a terrible thing. Paul was a free man in a prison cell; he knew that apart from the gospel he would be a slave imprisoned by his own sin. Paul has been set free from selfish ambition, and he now lives in the power of humility. Selfish and proud people are slaves to their own desires. How much is enough for them? Always more, a little more. Do you want to live free, then look to the interests of others. Do you want to know how to do this, then look to Christ. He took on human nature, which is the nature of a servant. Your essential nature is servant, when you live with that attitude, you are living in your purpose. Lest you think this is a low calling remember that Jesus, whose name is above all names, came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom. If this all sounds like more than you are capable of, you are correct. However, we are not trying to be like Jesus, we are training for godliness. Paul himself did not believe he had arrived, he trained, continually to keep the main thing, the one thing, the main thing. How did he train? The same way that we must train. He rejoiced always, he prayed constantly, and he set his mind continually on things that are excellent and praiseworthy.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Pray for endurance for people living in Tajikistan as they live through winter with severe electricity restrictions. Pray that their hearts would not grow discouraged.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.