Surprise Greetings

November 30, 2018

Surprise Greetings

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever.

Philippians 4:19-20

Philippians 4: 14-23

I love verse 19. After Paul has cataloged all the many ways God has met his every need, he then assures his friends (and us), “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). God will meet your needs out of His riches in glory in Jesus! Is any need in your life too big for God to meet?

Paul follows this awesome promise with a simple benediction, “To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever” (Philippians 4:20). It seems the letter has concluded. But wait! There’s more!

If I were to write a musical score for Chapter 4, it would begin slowly, and then with each passage it would build until it reached the dramatic and surprising climax in verse 22. The score would build momentum through Paul’s encouragement to rejoice, pray, seek peace, focus my life on the things of God, follow the example of Paul, experience peace, and be content. The score reaches its highest point at “I can do everything through Christ,” then slows a bit before reaching a high again at “all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen” (Philippians 4: 13, 20).

But Paul wasn’t finished! The music will continue in anticipation that something else is coming, and then you see it. “All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4: 22). Caesar’s household sends greetings to the church in Philippi!

Paul’s new community of believers has reached the most unlikely of places: Caesar’s household. Paul had asked his friends to pray for him, that he would boldly proclaim Christ even from his jail cell. This simple verse is a testimony that God honored Paul’s prayer request, and it is a towering reminder that God can use all of us exactly where we are.

My Takeaway: The fields are ripe and ready for harvest, now, if only we would see with the eyes of Jesus, if only we would love with the heart of Jesus.

Sē’lah

Alex

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Live In The Grace Of Each Day

November 29, 2018

Live In The Grace Of Each Day

“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength”

Philippians 4:13 (NLT)

Philippians 4: 10-13

My friend had been selected to give a talk on a women’s retreat where I was serving as the spiritual director. It was the tradition of this retreat that I would escort the speakers to the podium for their talk. As I stood with my friend for the opening prayer, I could feel her trembling. She was terrified. Although she was an elementary school teacher, she was not comfortable speaking to adults, especially when she had been asked to speak about her faith and her walk with the Lord. As the prayer closed, she stepped behind the podium and began her talk, and what a powerful and eloquent talk she delivered! The Holy Spirit touched many lives through her talk, including mine. My friend experienced the fulfillment of Paul’s assertion in her own life: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13 NLT).

Paul also said that he had learned how to live on almost nothing or with everything, with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. Paul had learned the secret of living in every situation. (Philippians 2:12) That secret was the presence of Jesus Christ in his life. Paul experienced the fulfillment of this most precious promise of Jesus: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Becoming a fully devoted follower of Jesus is not a prescription for avoiding pain, discomfort, want, lack, illness or distress in our lives. It is God’s provision that no matter what issues we face in life, we can rest in the unalterable truth that we are the beloved children of God, and that we are never, ever alone.

My Takeaway: Jesus is with us even to end of the age! With this good news we can, to borrow a phrase from Paul Young (author of The Shack), live in the grace of each day.

Sē’lah

Alex

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Our Life Belongs To God

November 28, 2018

Our Life Belongs To God

“Please, because you belong to the Lord . . .”

Philippians 4:2b (NLT)

Philippians 4: 2-9

Philippians 4 is densely packed with one gem after another.  We would do well to memorize much of Paul’s wisdom. This brief passage of seven verses has three huge helps for us as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life. First, verse 2 reveals the essence of life in Christ. I believe this one simple phrase says all that needs to be said: “Please, because you belong to the Lord” (Philippians 4:2 NLT). Therein is our motivation to strive for unity in the body of Christ. Therein is our motivation to strive to be fully transformed, to seek the life in Christ as our way of life. Therein we are reminded that our life does not belong to us. Our life belongs to God. By creation and redemption, our life belongs to God. Learning to live with this phrase ringing in our ears, “I belong to the Lord,” should lead our life until our faith becomes sight and we rest in the loving arms of Jesus.

Because we belong to the Lord, verses 6 and 7 can map out our daily life: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Paul didn’t promise all of our problems will go away. He promises us that resting in the assurance of what God has done to reconcile us to Himself through faith in Christ Jesus will overcome our anxious thoughts. This opens the door to the third help: focus on God’s goodness.

Every day we have choices with what we will fill our minds. We can read Stephen King novels or watch horror movies; or we can fix our thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. We can think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

My Takeaway: When our diet includes large portions of Scripture, Jesus Calling (Sarah Young), Guideposts, This Day with the Master (Dennis Kinlaw) or any of the countless devotional resources available to us, fixing our mind on what is true becomes our way of life.

Sē’lah

Alex

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Resident Aliens

November 27, 2018

Resident Aliens

But our citizenship is in heaven.

And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

Philippians 3:20

Philippians 3: 17 - 4:1

In the closing verses of Chapter 3, Paul again refers to his vision of the future which kept Paul fighting the good fight: the victorious return of Christ Jesus the King. This vision was particularly conspicuous in Philippi which was a Roman colony and where citizenship in Rome was their paramount cultural value. In the first two chapters, Paul modeled how his allegiance to Christ Jesus called him to value the ways of Christ over and above his Roman citizenship. In today’s passage, Paul powerfully asserts his point: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).

When Paul says we are citizens of heaven, he is not saying heaven is our home. He is saying our churches are colonies of our King, Christ Jesus. As we are taught to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, the mission of our colonies is to build for the Kingdom of God so that God’s will is fulfilled on earth as it is in heaven. As resident aliens, we are laboring for our Master here until he comes in Final Victory to fully establish his reign on earth.

Many Christians, when reciting the Apostles’ Creed, are unsure of the meaning of the phrase, “I believe in the resurrection of the body,” and assume it must be referring to the resurrection of Jesus. Paul’s assertion in verse 21 should clear up any confusion. Paul firmly believed that all of the followers of Jesus who have died will be resurrected and receive glorious bodies like Jesus’ own when our Savior returns in glory.

My Takeaway: Recently I attended a dinner with a Christian group. Those present were very diverse: politically, socially and economically. They laughed and thoroughly enjoyed their table fellowship. They worshipped together and shared in Holy Communion. How is this possible for such a diverse group? They know their citizenship is in heaven!

Sē’lah

Alex

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.