Children of God without fault...

Philippians 2:15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe

I enjoy reading "The Family Circus" cartoon. Bill and Jeff Keane bring to print what we parents know so very well. If something is misplaced, broken, or there is an unexplained mess then someone called "Nobody" or "I Don't Know" did it.

The Philippians 2:15 verse reminds us of three very important aspects of our lives. We are 1.) not blameless, 2.) not pure, and 3.) children of God.   Three conditions, two of which have terminal results. One condition that gives us hope. From the very first, we humans were broken and sinful.  Adam and Eve had one thing they were told not to do. And sure enough, the rule was broken. That broken condition has existed since that day and will exist until the day Christ returns. We are broken. And we are lost in our sin. Sin drives a wedge between God and man. It is what Satan desires. He has a vested interest in keeping that wedge firmly in place. By ourselves we are lost. Fortunately, the third condition holds true. We are reminded of the gift of grace in Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  We, the lost, are once again found. Jesus paid the price for our sins and reconciled us with the Father. By ourselves we would remain lost forever. But God in his mercy gave His only Son to die for us. So that we would have eternal life. So our first two conditions have been wiped clean. We are restored to purity. We are once again blameless. And all this is because we are the children of God saved by Christ. Let us rejoice in our salvation.

PRAYER: Loving Father in Heaven, we are by nature sinful and unclean. We are far from blameless and pure. But You cared enough about us that You gave Your only Son to die for us. You dear Lord brought us back to You. Your love for us knows no end. For that we are forever grateful. We give thanks O God for the love that You have shown us in the sacrifice of Your Son, our savior Jesus Christ. Praise the Father, praise the Son, and the Spirit as one. Amen.

It is God who works in you....

Philippians 2:13 "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." 

Have you given any thought to what motivates you? Have you ever just stopped what you were doing and asked yourself "Self, why am I doing this?" As I get older, I can leave one room, walk into another room and forget why I went there. It's not the same as asking yourself why.

 

It is humbling to find out that we alone do not focus our efforts in serving the Lord. It can also be disconcerting. Looking at this verse gave me pause, about two days worth, to kick it around in my head and to pray over it. Why do I do what I do in service to the Lord? It is not just a matter of having faith in God, from God himself. It is being driven by God himself to "act according to his good purpose." It means I have a purpose in life. It is not just a matter of doing what I think is needed, it means God is working within me to "will and to act."  But how do I know what God wants me to do?  That is the part that so many Christians miss. We miss out on our time to commune with God. We miss out on the gift of prayer, meditation, ans study of His Word to discern what the will of God is for us in our lives. Let me give you an example. If I do not talk to my wife, I can not determine what she has planned for us. And I can, by my lack of communication create a schedule conflict. That is an oversimplification, but only to a degree. If we are not in conversation with God in prayer, meditation, and study of His Word we miss out and create opportunities to conflict our plans with God's plans. Success does not follow that path. Success, in the form of fulfilling God's will requires we exercise every opportunity to discern His will. After all he is in charge, it is His will and not our will we should seek to fulfill.  For it is God who works in you and I to "will and to act according to His good purpose."

PRAYER: Good and gracious Lord, ee are often so sure we know, without consulting with You, what it is You want us to do. We set forth plans and move forward in ministry. And all too often we fail. We find ourselves frustrated, defeated, and at cross-purposes with Your Will. Forgive us Father for our pride that interferes with our love for You. Guide us with Your Spirit to keep within us the faith we need. Shape us to Your good purpose. We ask this in the name Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Spirit reigns over all. One God, now and forever. Amen.

And every tongue confess...

Philippinas 2:11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.

People worship a lot of things. Money seems to draw many to its' altar. Sports, celebrities, hobbies, jobs, and addictions of all manner & variety are a few more that some feel are worthy of their worship. In each case the worship ensnares too many. Sad is the nicest word I can think of to describe this situation.

Who we confess with our tongue as Lord is important for us, and for those we encounter each and every day. If we are not consistent, this shows a lack of faith & resolve in what we believe. It offers opportunities for Satan to enter into the equation and that is never good. It can also influence those we know or encounter as we walk within out world.  We must never be confused or doubt that Jesus Christ is Lord.  We must look at all aspects of our lives carefully and frequently to verify that He still reigns over us. 

There are many people out in the world who believe their god is the same as our God, the Great I Am. This verse is directed straight at the heart of those who worship another god. And it is to their detriment that they do. It sometimes takes a dramatic demonstration of the power of God to change their minds.  Take for instance the centurion and those guarding Jesus at the crucifixion. In Matthew 27:54 we learn of their moment of enlightenment.  When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”  They had their moment when the clue phone rang so loud that even they could not ignore it. The take away for this devotional today is in time everyone will come to the realization that Jesus Christ is Lord. The difference is, will it be in time for their salvation, or will it be too late? My prayer is that it will be in time.

PRAYER: Father, there are many in this world who do not follow the path to salvation set down by Your Son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are saddened, and at the same time overwhelmed. There are so many out there who need to hear the Good News of the Gospel. And there are so many who have heard the Good News and have walked away. Help us O God to reach out in love to all who do not confess with their tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord. Guide us Father, give us Your words. Jesus lived His life to Glorify the Father, help us with Your Holy Spirit to do the same. We humbly ask this in the name of Jesus who lives and reigns with the Father and the Spirit. One God, now and forever. Amen