Philippians - Conclusion

Paul closes his letter with "greetings" to his friends in the Lord.  (Philippians 4:21)

I don't want us to blow past that word too fast.  Most of us only know our own culture and language and it shapes the way we read and think.  Now for us ... the word "greet" often means no more than to speak to.  In fact, can you follow this scenario?

Person 1:  Hello.  How are you?
Person 2:  Fine, thank you.  And you?
Person 1:  Just fine.

And that is called a greeting.

The Greek word that Paul uses is aspazomai.  It means more than we generally think about when we hear the English word.  Consider the nuances associated with the word aspazomai:

• to draw to one's self
• to salute
• to bid welcome
• to wish well
• to receive joyfully  

Paul wanted all the Philippian church to receive his heartfelt "greetings."
I find myself wanting to "greet" each of you reading this!

As we close our study ... consider what we have learned from each of these chapters:

1. From Chapter 1 ... we learned the importance of the "single mind".  We cannot afford to have split focus and a divided heart.  Paul emphasizes his own single mind and challenges us to copy him.
2. From Chapter 2 ... we learned the importance of the "submissive mind."  Paul painted a beautiful picture of Jesus Himself ... God in flesh ... and the way He chose submission.  Paul challenges us to copy Him.
3. From Chapter 3 ... we learned the importance of the "spiritual mind."  Our salvation and position with God is a gift from Him and comes through faith.  Paul then challenges us to live like it.  Live like people saved by grace.  Make it practical and visible.  
4. From Chapter 4 ... we learned the importance of the "secure mind."  Anxiety and discontent can truly be put to rest.  And we can rest securely in the arms of our Lord.  

So ... I want to offer you the words of Paul ... 

To our God and Father

be glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ

be with your spirit.  

Amen.

Philippians - Contentment, Part 2 (Lesson 7, Post 4)

Philippians 4: 10 - 20

continued from Lesson 7, Post 3

I see another thing in these verses that helps us with the heart disease of discontent.  Paul commended the Philippian believers for being generous toward him.  He wanted them to know that he did not "need" their gifts, but he was grateful to them for the gifts.  What I find most interesting is the reason why Paul was grateful - and it had nothing to do with him.

He loved these people.  He loved that church.  And Paul knew that being generous was good tonic for their own hearts.  He knew that giving was medication for the disease of discontent.

Warren Wiersbe says,

"Paul thanks the Philippians for their gifts and assures them that the spiritual meaning of their gifts is far more important to him than the gifts themselves.  What a blessing it is to know that our gifts are looked upon as spiritual sacrifices to the Lord that rejoice His heart!"

Do you find yourself struggling with a spirit of discontent?  Try giving.  Practice generosity.  Look for ways to give ... of yourself, of your money, of your time, of your talent ... give it away ... expecting nothing in return.

Begin to make lists ... ways that you can be a "giver" today.  This is just between you and God.  He will put creative ideas into your mind.  Post some of your ideas about being a "giver" on this site.  Let's begin a collection of ways to give.  Of course, money is the most obvious.  And it is so important for each of us to give of our money.  We must learn to "release" our grip.  We act as if the money actually belongs to us!  The amount is not as important as the act.  And then start getting creative.  How about "giving" that close parking space at WalMart to the car behind you?  How about  giving the car that is trying to get into the traffic flow a spot in front of you?  How about giving a neighbor a plate of homemade cookies ... for no reason at all?  Can you think of other ways to intentionally practice the art of giving so that your own heart is vaccinated against the disease of discontent?

Reflect on the following wisdom from God ... and ask yourself, 'Do I believe Him?'

Proverbs 18:16

"A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great."

2 Corinthians 9: 7 - 11

"Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. ... your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

One commentator has said, "God is the source of everything good.  Believers are called to be generous because of the example of the Lord of life.  A stingy Christian should be an extinct species.  Generosity proves that person's heart has been cleansed of self-interest and filled with the servant spirit of Jesus Himself.  That is why acts of generosity result in God being praised."

Our homework?  Practice generosity ... every day!  It is part of the road to contentment.

Philippians - Contentment, Part 1 (Lesson 7 - Post 3)

Philippians 4: 10 - 20

In the first half of Chapter 4, Paul addresses the problem of anxiety - that perennial human problem that plaques our minds and robs us of peace and rest.  In Posts 1 and 2 of this lesson, we considered those instructions from Paul.  It is important for us to remember that they are indeed 'instructions' ... not thoughts or ideas or possibilities ... instructions for the believer.

Today, as we consider the second half of this final chapter, Paul addresses the problem of discontent - another perennial human problem.  And a problem that I believe is exacerbated in western culture.  Who can deny that those of us who live in the United States are bombarded on a regular basis with the message of more and bigger and better and newer.  You are not thin enough or rich enough or smart enough or good enough or important enough or anything enough.  We are encouraged to live in a constant state of discontent with self, with life, with relationships, with organizations. Now there is a sense in which discontent can be a catalyst for needed change.  Paul uses that sense of the word when talking about constant striving for more of Christ, for being more like Christ.  But that is not the sort of discontent Paul addresses here.

When he says, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" (4:12), he was speaking to the physical circumstances of life - plenty or need, much or little.  He had 'learned' to be at rest in his own spirit in regard to physical things.  That means it is a learn-able skill!  That means you and I can learn it ... if we want to.

Thomas Benton Brooks said, "He who is not contented with little will never be satisfied with much."   There is nothing more unattractive than a person who can never be satisfied!

Hebrews 13:5 (NLT) says,

"Don't love money; be satisfied with what you have.  For God has said, 'I will never fail you.  I will never abandon you.'"

That was the confidence that Paul radiated in his statement.  That was the security that gave Paul a settled mind and heart in his circumstances.

Have you learned this art of contentment?  If no, where are you on the learning curve toward contentment?  How can you practice this week?

My prayer for us all ... God, teach us this beautiful art form.  Give us hearts to want it.  Give us minds to learn it.  Give us eyes to see Your hand in our every day, indeed, in our every circumstance.  And there, may we rest in You.

(Continued)

Philippians - Antidote to Anxiety (Lesson 7 - Post 2)

Continued ...

Philippians 4: 2 - 9

We continue our examination of Paul's instructions for doing battle with anxiety.

Number 4 ... Pray.  Look again at verses 6 - 7.  Pray.  About anything.  In everything.  Can you see the discipline in this instruction?  It is a decision you make to pray.  Utilize this phenomenal resource!  Paul tells us that part of prayer is supplication.  Part of prayer is laying our requests and needs - our cares - before the Lord.  We do it in faith ... trusting the sovereignty and faithfulness, the love and mercy of God.  Another part of prayer is thanksgiving.  Look for your own places of gratitude in whatever circumstance you are in.  Look for your own places of gratitude in relationships you are in.  And tell God ... express thanks ... pause long enough to look for and express your gratitude.  Prayer is the umbilical cord that keeps you connected to God the Father.  Don't cut it!

Number 5 ... Select the things upon which you will focus your mind.  Look again at verses 8 - 9.  Paul lists for us the kinds of things that will help produce healthy thinking and reduce stress and anxiety in our minds.  The list is so beautiful.  Things that are ...

• true
• noble
• right
• pure
• lovely
• admirable
• excellent
• praiseworthy

Paul says to think about those kinds of things.  Why is it so much easier to see flaws, to see the ugly, to criticize the imperfect, to moan over the failure than it is to focus on the beautiful and excellent? What is it about us that draws us in that direction?  I don't want to be that way!  

 Now, I want us to get practical.  Take a piece of paper right now.  If you are married, list some things about your spouse that fit the categories Paul lists.  If you have children, whether young or grown, list some things about them that fit these categories.  If you are a part of a church family, list some things about it that fit these categories.  If you have a paying job, think about that work and list some things about it that fit these categories.  OK.  You have created your own "think about" lists!  You have developed your own 'mental focus' items.  So ... practice.  Today.  

I know that every one of us longs for peace of mind and life.  Therefore, we must do battle with anxiety.  It robs our mind of any chance for peace.  Paul gives us solid, practical, doable instructions to enter the battle and come out victorious.  Are you willing to do it?  If not, why not?  

Lord, may we have the courage and the mind to pursue this wisdom from your servant, Paul.  You came that we might have abundant life ... and a life riddled with anxiety is not even close to abundant.   I pray for each of us considering these things ... give us the desire to rid our lives of anxiety and the willingness to take the steps You gave us.   Amen.

Philippians - Antidote to Anxiety (Lesson 7 - Post 1)

Philippians 4: 2 - 9

There are 2 thieves that rob us of our well-being.  They steal from us the feeling of richness in our own lives, of joy and of peace.  Paul addresses both of these villains in Chapter 4 of Philippians.  The thieves are Anxiety and Discontent.  Anxiety attacks the mind.  Discontent attacks the heart.  The mind and the heart are the parts of you that make life possible ... meaningful ... rich.

First, consider the mind.  Consider the role that anxiety plays in robbing your mind.  The Greek word translated, anxiety, is merimnao.  One of the definitions of this word is "to have a distracting care".  Notice, it is not to have cares ... we all have cares and concerns about people we love and circumstances we must navigate.  It is when the care becomes so distracting that you cannot live your life ... it has moved over into the realm of anxiety.  We also get some insight from our English word, worry.  It comes from an Anglo-Saxon root which means, "to strangle".  Same idea.  Your life is strangled when anxiety rules supreme.

So, what's the antidote?  Paul mentions 5 mental practices that will help us do battle with our tendency toward anxiety.  They are things of discipline.  They are things we can literally 'practice'.

Number 1 ... Believers are to agree in the Lord - not in the flesh - in the Lord.  Not according to the ways of the world - but in the Lord.  Doesn't mean we will all think alike.  What does that phrase mean to you?  How can you practice it in your own life?  It's important.  Unity in the body of Christ is of utmost importance.  Jesus prayed for it ... He said it would be the proof to the world that God had really sent Him and He was the Son of God.  (John 17)  Need to practice?

Number 2 ... Paul tells us in verse 4 to rejoice - always!  It is command language.  It is instruction language.  It does not depend on circumstances.  Need to practice?  Are you having to live through circumstances right now that could rob you of joy in your life?  Don't let them!  Choose to practice joy in the Lord.  What does that mean to you?

Number 3 ... Paul tells us in verse 5 that our 'gentleness' should be evident - observable.  This is not talking about people who have a natural temperament of gentleness.  All believers need to be observably gentle spirited.  Definitions for this Greek word include:  "seemingly, suitable, equitable, fair, mild, gentle."  Are you?  Do you practice?

Doing battle with anxiety is worth the effort.  These give us enough to 'practice' for one day!

(To be continued ...)

Philippians - Example (Lesson 6 - Post 3)

Philippians 3: 17 - 4:1

Paul, centuries ago, described our own culture!  How did he know where we would be iin 2012?  Perhaps he described all cultures, regardless of place or time, that exist for their own purposes.  He calls them "enemies of the cross."  The description is in verse 19. 

Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.  Their mind is on earthly things.

He nails it!  Our world is the same.  So many people live for their own appetites only.  So many people in our day find some kind of glory in shameful things. There is no thought to anything other than things of this earth ... the money, position, power ... that exist in this world.   And they do not even realize that the end of such focus is destruction.  Fight that mindset!  Every day.  Every moment.  Our citizenship is NOT here. 

To fight such a mindset, Paul encourages these people whom he loves to follow his example.  Wow!  Follow his pattern.  That's a bold statement.  He makes it because, as we have seen over and over in this little letter, his focus and mind are on his Lord, on Jesus, on the position he holds in Christ, and on fulfilling God's purpose for him. 

Some questions for us today ... who is following your example?  Is it your children?  Perhaps a spouse or a friend?  To whom do you need to be an example?  Could it be some folks you have interaction with who are not believers?  What do they think of Christ and Christianity because of their association with you?  Could you be bold enough to say "follow my example?"  Or do you tend more toward the statement, "Do what I say, not what I do"? 

We, too, need to follow Paul's example.  And that challenge rises high above the pettiness and the self-centeredness of our culture.  May you walk as an example today ...

          Lord, may I walk with You today in such a way that those around me can see You.

  May my children see You through me.

  May the people I am with today see You through me. 

May I live this day so that anyone copying my focus, my mindset, my priorities

will find themselves focused on You. 

That will only happen as I surrender SELF today and allow You, through Your Spirit, to live through me. 

May it be ... to Your glory.  

Philippians - Forgetting (Lesson 6 - Post 2)

Philippians 3: 12 - 16

As we consider these beautiful verses again, today focus your attention on Paul's comments about "forgetting what is behind." 

To what degree would you say your past dictates your behaviors and choices in your present?  We are all shaped by our pasts.  Paul has been.  Our family of origin, our experiences, our training, our failures and our successes all contribute to the way we react and make decisions in our present ... which effects our future.

Paul said,

"Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Obviously, forgetting is not some kind of mind-zap that eradicates memory from us.  But it is getting to a place where the experience or memory no longer controls behaviors.  It means the past does not dictate my choices or my direction in the "now".  Paul had much to "forget".  For one thing, he had to refrain from despair over the way he zealously persecuted Christians before he knew the Lord - the way he pursued believers in his effort to squash faith in Jesus - the day he stood by watching and supporting those who stoned Stephen to death because of his faith in Jesus  (Acts 7: 54 - 8:1).  Those failures could have paralyzed Paul.  He had to "forget".

Paul also had to "forget" the exalted place of special revelation that had been granted to him by God  (2 Corinthians 12: 1 - 6).  That remarkable place could lead one to conceit and arrogance!  So Paul chose to "forget" it.

Now think of your own life.  Are there failures that you are allowing power over your present?  Can you get so depressed over past failure that you find yourself paralyzed in the today?  Perhaps fear of making the same mistakes keeps you from stepping out in your faith.  Paul encourages us to "forget" it!  Confess the sin ... repent and turn around ... and press on.  God is faithful and forgives the confessed sin, holding it against you no more!  (1 John 1:9)  Remember - that's why Jesus went to the cross!  Do you believe God?   

Or perhaps you tend to relish and live in past successes?  This is the "good old days" mindset that keeps us from living in the today - from pressing on into our future with anticipation and hope. This is remembering past spiritual high places - not to thank God for them, to celebrate His hand in them - but to believe that nothing will ever be as good again.  Paul encourages us to "forget" it! 

I love the image of a rear view mirror in our cars.  A rear view mirror is important.  So is your past.  Check it out occasionally.  Learn from the errors - celebrate the successes.  But never try to drive focused on the rear view mirror.  You will crash!  You drive by looking forward.  You also live best by, in Paul's words, "pressing on to the goal for which God has called us heavenward." 

Let's take Paul's words to heart today.  Forget your past ... press on into your future.  It is glorious if it is nestled in the life of Christ Jesus our Lord.  That doesn't mean it will be easy ... but it will be glorious.   To the praise of God the Father!