More and More One-a-Day Wednesday 3/20/19

Posted on by March 20, 2019
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A life worthy

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ…(Philippians 1:9-10)

Love without understanding is dangerous.  Love alone can be misguided, and can lead to rash, emotion-driven decisions that sometimes do more harm than good.

Was that a “Been there–done that”  head nod?

I thought so.

That’s why God always seeks to guide our love with knowledge.  Knowing God’s Word, understanding what it teaches, allows you to love in strength and truth, not just sentiment.  This kind of love doesn’t enable—it empowers.

Spend some time in the Word today.  Allow God’s Holy Spirit to teach you the best way to love the people around you, with a love that will further the Kingdom of God and will keep you on right path.

They get love.

You get wisdom.

God gets glory.

Triple-crown win, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday.

Contractor One-a-Day Tuesday 3/19/19

Posted on by March 19, 2019
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A life worthy

…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 (Philippians 1:6).

Hear that, Beloved.  God, the creator of the universe, is at work in you.  

Yep, you

He’s the Contractor, and he’s building a temple for his Holy Spirit.  He calls that temple You. Of course he’s not finished—he won’t be until the day you stand before him.  So don’t stress because you’re not “there” yet. You don’t even know where “there” is. Just let God keep doing what he’s doing.

Reasons why God is more trustworthy than your average contractor:

  1. God knows everything.  Your contractor may know more than you, but that’s not saying much.
  2. God is totally in control of your situation.  Your contractor is limited by your budget, local building codes, and those pesky laws of physics.
  3. God loves you completely, and wants only that which will be the best for you.  Your contractor—well, I hate to break it to you, but he’s in it for the money.

So you’ve got a few rough edges—OK, so you’re a mess.  It won’t be forever.

As a matter of fact, your forever is going to be amazing.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Partners One-a-Day Monday 3/18/19

Posted on by March 18, 2019
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A life worthy

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now…  (Philippians 1:4-5)

Who did you pray for last week?  Were you able to pray with joy? Paul could, because he was praying for fellow believers. There is a sweetness that comes when you are praying for a “partner in the gospel.” Knowing that they are saved frees you to pray for their sanctification, to pray that they would draw closer to Christ every day.

Pick someone who is your partner in the gospel.  It can be the same person you prayed for last week, or it can be someone else. I’m not keeping track.  Pray for them, that God will draw them closer and closer to himself, and cause them to be conformed to the image of Christ, even this day.

Who knows?  Someone out there may be praying for you.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Prayer Wall One-a-Day Friday 3/15/19

Posted on by March 15, 2019
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A life worthy

I thank my God every time I remember you (Philippians 1:3).

In college I had a prayer wall, where I had pictures of friends and family posted.  There was no rhyme or reason to the arrangement—just dozens of snapshots stapled to the wall of a dorm room.  Every time I looked at those pictures, I remembered people who were important in my life. Some I saw every day; some were thousands of miles from me. Just seeing those photos prompted me to pray for them.

This is what Paul is talking about.  These are people he cares for, people who are important to him.  He wants them to know that he is thinking about them, covering them in prayer even when he can’t be with them. He may not  have snapshots, or staples for that matter, but the principle’s the same.

Who’s on your prayer wall, Beloved?  Whose face popped into your mind when you read this Scripture?  Spend some time in prayer for them today. Start your weekend by bringing someone you love before the throne of God.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

First Things First One-a-Day Thursday 3/14/19

Posted on by March 14, 2019
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A life worthy

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:2).

Paul begins each of his epistles with these words.

And always in this order.  

Grace and Peace

Go ahead and check for yourself.  I’ll wait…

…

…

See what I mean?

Grace comes first, because without grace there can be no peace.

No peace with God

No peace with family

No peace in your own heart

None of it happens without the grace of God.  And why would it? Without grace, you are judged solely on your own merit.

And you know how far that gets you.

Apart from God’s grace, you are a hopeless, pathetic lump, destined for destruction.

Feeling encouraged yet?

Don’t fret–the encouraging part is coming.

Here it is–but you are not apart from God’s grace, are you, Beloved?  If you belong to Him, you have his grace, sufficient to all your needs. Your pathetic lumpiness has been forgiven, atoned for.  You, my friend, are complete, you are whole, you are loved. You are His.

Nope, peace is not something you can earn or deserve or accomplish.

Only receive.

You can’t get there, but you can be there.

Oh, of course you know that already, you being so spiritual and all.

But Paul seems to think it’s worth the reminder, and who am I to argue?

Walk in grace, Beloved.  And know peace.

Happy Thursday

Who Are You? One-a-Day Wednesday 3/13/19

Posted on by March 13, 2019
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A life worthy

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons…(Philippians 1:1).

I’m feeling a little Philippianial.

Shall we?

Much of this letter to the Church at Philippi is going to be concerned with knowing who we are and whose we are. Paul hits the ground running. He identifies himself as a servant of Christ–not an apostle, but a servant. He takes the humble route–a road he will encourage us to travel in a little bit–undermining any thoughts the Philippians may have had about boasting or bragging by pointing out that he, The Paul, is merely a servant.

Then he turns to his audience and addresses them as saints. Holy Ones, whom the Lord of the Universe has chosen as his own. There can be no higher position in creation. It’s like, before he even begins his discourse, Paul is sending us a message:

You are so much more than you think.

And so much less.

Chew on that today, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday

Holy One One-a-Day Monday 3/11/19

Posted on by March 11, 2019
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A life worthy

…nor will you let your Holy One see decay (Psalm 16:10b).

So, is David talking about himself here, or is he talking about Jesus?

Yes

Does that help?

As the anointed king, David was certainly the Holy One, set apart for God.

And, you know, good for him.

But ultimately this verse is speaking of the Christ, the One who would bust Death in the chops and stride out of the tomb under his own power.

I wonder how much David knew. I wonder how much God shared with him about the One who would come to fulfill the reign David had begun.

Maybe we’ll get to ask him one day.

Probably not today though.

For today, walk in the knowledge that he who destroyed Death has chosen you to be his Beloved. Death cannot have you,

ever,

because you are already His. Whatever today may bring–and it is Monday, after all–it’s nothing that can separate you from the love of God.

Happy Monday, Beloved

Temporary One-a-Day Friday 3/8/19

Posted on by March 8, 2019
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A life worthy

…for you will not abandon me to the grave… (Psalm 16:10).

Assuming Jesus does not return first, one day you will die. Your heart, lungs, synapses and phalanges will all cease to function, and you will slowly begin to decompose, unless you die in a warm and moist climate, in which case you will rapidly decompose, unless your family has you embalmed, in which case you will slowly shrivel over time, locked in the darkness of the earth as your spirit wanders for all eternity.

Happy Friday, Beloved

Wait

That’s not true.

Oh, the part where you die might be true. And the part about your phalanges. But it won’t be for eternity.

God has promised you an eternity with him.

That eternity includes light and life and being in the presence of God forever.

Beloved, I don’t know exactly what happens when you die. None of us does. But I know that in Christ death has no victory, no sting.

You will not be abandoned; you will be welcomed home.

Now, Happy Friday Beloved

Secure One-a-Day Thursday 3/7/19

Posted on by March 7, 2019
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A life worthy

…my body will also rest secure (Psalm 16:9b).

This is one of those lines that I can read in two ways.

When I read this in the context of the preceding verses, I think of the here and now. Because God is with me, I can relax. I can know peace. I can–or at least I should be able to–release the stress of this world that makes my stomach ache and keeps me awake at night. I can rest, secure in the knowledge that the Lord of the Universe is in control.

I like this.

I can also tie this line to the following verse, you will not abandon me to the grave. Now the line seems to be talking of death. When my time here is over, I will rest in peace, because the Lord of Everything will not forget me.

I like this, too.

Which reading is correct? Oh, Beloved, you know that I am not a theological scholar, and my trusty study Bible only gets me so far. My gut tells me that it means both of these, and more.

So very much more

God loves you, Beloved.

Rest secure.

Happy Thursday