The first part of this section of giving starts out with Paul and his words of encouragement to the people of Euodia and Syntyche who followed the Lord.
He asks them to settle their disputes (Philippians 4:1).
Always rejoice in the Lord, because He is coming soon (Philippians 4:4-5).
Don't worry about anything, just pray about EVERYTHING (Philippians 4:6)
"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable." (Philippians 4:8 )
He GAVE them all this advice for their lives, and he GAVE them this advice with joy in God.
While Paul as was delivering the Good News in Philipi and other countries the Philippians were the only people to provide him with the financial aid God promised him. NOONE else helped him by GIVING any kind of aid. But after Paul thanks them for the many times they had helped him, he says that he isn't saying it to persuade them to give him more. He tells this he is thankful because he wants them to have a joy in GIVING, a "reward for [their] kindness" as he puts it in Philippians 4:17.
Guys, we should have that joy that Paul is tralking about here. The simple joy in giving, not only when we are thanked, but even when we give without recieving praise of any kind, reward of any kind. What will it take for us to realize that this is one of the things we are made for? That God made us to do these things? Come on! Pray the God will call you to help others in giving to, praying for, and building relationships with eachother and others.
Don't forget to be working on the following verses:
Psalm 119:11
Proverbs 4:23
Philippians 2:14,15
Print them out and place them somewhere you will see them often. Everytime you see one of them repeat it aloud and sooner of later you will have them memorized.
Any prayer requests? Just leave them as a comment or email them to me at:
livin4christ0129@yahoo.com
God bless you!
Lanie
By the way, y'all, starting Sunday I will be trying to keep a daily blog here on 1 Samuel. it is 31 chapters long, and I am gonna start it soon. A chapter a day. So be ready. *SMILE*
10.19.2009
10.11.2009
Joy:Believing - Part 3 of 4
Okay guys, so far we have talked about the joy we should have in suffering for Christ and the joy we should have in serving in Christ's name. Now we are moving on to part 3, the joy in believing in Christ.
L/A Bible.........$60.00
Pen..................$.50
Notepad..........$1.50
The value of know, believing, understanding, and loving Christ, absolutely priceless!
This is how I see things. Philippians 3:8, 9 puts it, "Yes, everything else is worhtless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ, and become one with Him."
He explains that you don't become righteous but obeying the law, being good in school, having great work ethics, openning the door for others. You become righteous through your faith in Christ, who in turn gives you the desir to fulfill the laws of the land. It becomes a joy of believing in Christ and wanting to share that joy with others.. which makes you even more joyful, it's a never ending circle of joy, and believing, and serving others.
Now, I know that this is probably the shortest blog I have ever written, but it means just the same. Have joy in the Lord our God and His Son Jesus Christ and He will bring you more joy through your faith. That doesn't meant you will have a perfect life if you become a Christian, it just means that He will always be there for you. Everything will be in His will if you choose the right courses. And believe me, He knows what choices you will make before you are even thought about being created.
God loves us so much. He gave His ONLY Son for us. And when Jesus died, His death even brought some of His persecutors to His feet when the sun went dark, the ground broke and the veil was torn in the temple by "Noone". I recommend reading the Gospels. Especially Matthew.
Don't forget to be working on the following verses:
Psalm 119:11
Proverbs 4:23
Philippians 2:14,15
Print them out and place them somewhere you will see them often. Everytime you see one of them repeat it aloud and sooner of later you will have them memorized.
Any prayer requests? Just leave them as a comment or email them to me at:
livin4christ0129@yahoo.com
God bless you!
Lanie
L/A Bible.........$60.00
Pen..................$.50
Notepad..........$1.50
The value of know, believing, understanding, and loving Christ, absolutely priceless!
This is how I see things. Philippians 3:8, 9 puts it, "Yes, everything else is worhtless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ, and become one with Him."
He explains that you don't become righteous but obeying the law, being good in school, having great work ethics, openning the door for others. You become righteous through your faith in Christ, who in turn gives you the desir to fulfill the laws of the land. It becomes a joy of believing in Christ and wanting to share that joy with others.. which makes you even more joyful, it's a never ending circle of joy, and believing, and serving others.
Now, I know that this is probably the shortest blog I have ever written, but it means just the same. Have joy in the Lord our God and His Son Jesus Christ and He will bring you more joy through your faith. That doesn't meant you will have a perfect life if you become a Christian, it just means that He will always be there for you. Everything will be in His will if you choose the right courses. And believe me, He knows what choices you will make before you are even thought about being created.
God loves us so much. He gave His ONLY Son for us. And when Jesus died, His death even brought some of His persecutors to His feet when the sun went dark, the ground broke and the veil was torn in the temple by "Noone". I recommend reading the Gospels. Especially Matthew.
Don't forget to be working on the following verses:
Psalm 119:11
Proverbs 4:23
Philippians 2:14,15
Print them out and place them somewhere you will see them often. Everytime you see one of them repeat it aloud and sooner of later you will have them memorized.
Any prayer requests? Just leave them as a comment or email them to me at:
livin4christ0129@yahoo.com
God bless you!
Lanie
10.05.2009
Joy:Serving - Part 2 of 4
I think that my favorite part of chapter 2 of Philippians is the first paragraph. It's so full of questions that it makes me think I am doing so many things wrong.
"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?
Any comfort from His love?
Any fellowship together in the Spirit?
Are your hearts tender and compassionate?"
Philippians 2:1
Once you answer the questions you don't feel so much like you are being interrogated. You feel more like God is trying to tell you something. You should feel encouraged to know that you belong to Christ, He saved you from Hell and from bondage to sin. If all you can do for Him is "pray" every now and then, maybe sing a song "to Him" every other weekend, then you aren't feeling very encouraged. Go find some friends that you can attend a church with and learn encouragement again. With Christ's encouragement you can do ANYTHING.
If you run away from Him everytime you have a problem in your life, then you aren't feeling very comforted by Him. Talk to your Christian mentor, maybe he/she has been there before in their lives.
If you don't play games, hang out, or talk with the people you attend your Bible study groups with to build relationships in Christ, then you are NOT experiencing first hand fellowship that God has given us. See if maybe you can join a small study group first, then get to know each other really well, and invite "newbies". The fellowship will be never ending.
Care for others like you do for yourselves, pray for others, love others, feel for others. These are all things Christ calls us to do. He did them. In the midst of all that useless punishment, He did all of these things. Next Paul says to agree "whole-heartedly" with each other, love one another, and work together with "one mind and purpose". Think of others as better than yourselves. How often do you do that? Think of others as better than yourself? That's the exact attitude that Christ had. He served others over Himself, and He loved it. He absolutely loved it. Have you ever felt that way? I have, when helping Love Inc. I felt that joy in helping others. It's amazing. But you don't have to necessarily volunteer to serve others. Do it in your home. At your school.
Philippians 2:6 gives me chills when I read it. "Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to." He served others until the day He died. When He could have just said no. Because Jesus served others and died for [others] (everyone on the earth), God placed Him in a place of highest honor in His kingdom, gave Him the name above all other names, that others will bow and say Jesus is Lord and give glory to God. That is NOT to say that just because we serve others that we will become the King of Heaven or the Queen of Heaven. DEFINITELY NOT! We just have to aim to be like Christ. We should have that joy that comes along with serving others.
Further on in verse 13 of chapter 2 Paul reminds us that God is giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him. Read it again.
One more time.
God gives us the DESIRE to do what pleases Him. And in so giving us this desire He also makes it POSSIBLE for us to please Him, to meet that desire with an ACTION. We will want to please Him with all of ourselves. We will WANT to give ourselves to Him and His glory. And we will either do this complaining and grumbling because we "have" to do these things or we will do it without grumbling and complaining. Verse 14 and the first part of 15 (our memory verse of this section) tell us to do "everything without complaining and arguing, so that noone can criticize [us]."
Share the joy of serving others with others. Guys, there is no greater offering to God that serving others for Him, and do it with joy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to strive to become more like Jesus.
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you." (Philippians 2:14, 15)
Put it somewhere you will see it often, and everytime you see it, read it out loud to yourself. It'll be no time until you'll have it memorized. Still be working on Psalm 119:11 and Proverbs 4:23)
Any prayer requests? Just post them in the comment section or e-mail them to me at:
livin4christ0129@yahoo.com
God Bless You!
Lanie.
"Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ?
Any comfort from His love?
Any fellowship together in the Spirit?
Are your hearts tender and compassionate?"
Philippians 2:1
Once you answer the questions you don't feel so much like you are being interrogated. You feel more like God is trying to tell you something. You should feel encouraged to know that you belong to Christ, He saved you from Hell and from bondage to sin. If all you can do for Him is "pray" every now and then, maybe sing a song "to Him" every other weekend, then you aren't feeling very encouraged. Go find some friends that you can attend a church with and learn encouragement again. With Christ's encouragement you can do ANYTHING.
If you run away from Him everytime you have a problem in your life, then you aren't feeling very comforted by Him. Talk to your Christian mentor, maybe he/she has been there before in their lives.
If you don't play games, hang out, or talk with the people you attend your Bible study groups with to build relationships in Christ, then you are NOT experiencing first hand fellowship that God has given us. See if maybe you can join a small study group first, then get to know each other really well, and invite "newbies". The fellowship will be never ending.
Care for others like you do for yourselves, pray for others, love others, feel for others. These are all things Christ calls us to do. He did them. In the midst of all that useless punishment, He did all of these things. Next Paul says to agree "whole-heartedly" with each other, love one another, and work together with "one mind and purpose". Think of others as better than yourselves. How often do you do that? Think of others as better than yourself? That's the exact attitude that Christ had. He served others over Himself, and He loved it. He absolutely loved it. Have you ever felt that way? I have, when helping Love Inc. I felt that joy in helping others. It's amazing. But you don't have to necessarily volunteer to serve others. Do it in your home. At your school.
Philippians 2:6 gives me chills when I read it. "Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to." He served others until the day He died. When He could have just said no. Because Jesus served others and died for [others] (everyone on the earth), God placed Him in a place of highest honor in His kingdom, gave Him the name above all other names, that others will bow and say Jesus is Lord and give glory to God. That is NOT to say that just because we serve others that we will become the King of Heaven or the Queen of Heaven. DEFINITELY NOT! We just have to aim to be like Christ. We should have that joy that comes along with serving others.
Further on in verse 13 of chapter 2 Paul reminds us that God is giving us the desire and power to do what pleases Him. Read it again.
One more time.
God gives us the DESIRE to do what pleases Him. And in so giving us this desire He also makes it POSSIBLE for us to please Him, to meet that desire with an ACTION. We will want to please Him with all of ourselves. We will WANT to give ourselves to Him and His glory. And we will either do this complaining and grumbling because we "have" to do these things or we will do it without grumbling and complaining. Verse 14 and the first part of 15 (our memory verse of this section) tell us to do "everything without complaining and arguing, so that noone can criticize [us]."
Share the joy of serving others with others. Guys, there is no greater offering to God that serving others for Him, and do it with joy. Don't miss out on this opportunity to strive to become more like Jesus.
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you." (Philippians 2:14, 15)
Put it somewhere you will see it often, and everytime you see it, read it out loud to yourself. It'll be no time until you'll have it memorized. Still be working on Psalm 119:11 and Proverbs 4:23)
Any prayer requests? Just post them in the comment section or e-mail them to me at:
livin4christ0129@yahoo.com
God Bless You!
Lanie.
10.03.2009
Joy:Suffering - Part 1 of 4
As I was doing my quiet time recently, I began reading Philippians. It is broken into four sections in my Bible. Part one is about suffering and having joy in your soul while doing so. It is a letter from Paul and Timothy to the people of Philippi. He tells them that he wishes grace and peace on them and their lives, first thing.
This brings to mind the questions:
Do I wish this upon my friends as often as I should?
Do I pray for my friends?
Though this has nothing to do with the topic of suffering, it still comes to mind from my time with God.
Next Paul says, "Everytime I think of you, I give thanks to my God." Again, do you pray for your friends? Do you take the time to thank God, the Creator, the Holy One, for your friends? He follows by saying the he does pray for his friends, and even better, he prays for his friends with joy! What greater thing is there besides our Lord in this world than the joy of praying for our friends? He continues that he is "certain" that God has begun a work in his friends in Phillipi, and that He will continue that work until Christ returns again. Yay! Christ will come back!! He tells them that because of that work God has begun in them, in their households, their towns, and their country, that he SHOULD feel that way about them. He should love them exactly the way he does already, he shouldhold them high in his heart.
Do we feel this way about our friends?
Do we let them know?
He then tells them what he prays for them about; peace, grace, understanding, that their love will flow in abundance, and for them to live pure and blameless lives...that is so beautiful.
After filling them in about how he misses them all so much and how he prays for them all so much, and how he loves them...so much, he begins talking about how he is so glad that people are preaching the gospel. Verses 12 and 13 explain the reason that we should have joy in suffereing for Christ's sake.
"And I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ." Philippians 1:12,13
Follow up:
Verse 14 says that Paul, since he's been in prison, has been joyful because he can share the gospel with his prison mates boldly, and now they speak of God's grace boldly without fear. Some preach to look more "godly" than others, but some preach with meaning and love. He is frustrated with those who speak with their tongues, but have no relationship with God, but regardless, the gospel is still being preached. And that makes him happy.
Ha also rejoices because he knows that his friends are praying for him and that God will deliver him from his troubles eventually, whether through death or being let out of prison.
Then Pual brings up the question:
I will bring honor to Christ whether I live or die, but which is better?
I have two desires, my desire to go and be with Christ in Heaven, and praise Him forever...and my desire to stay on this earth until God calls my name to come to Him by natural death, so that I can spend my life teaching and telling others my testimony about Christ in my life...which is better?
Then he makes the decision that staying on this earth and sharing God's words would be better because it is better for the sakes of those whom he is sharing the words of God with...
What would you choose?
Life or the after life?
Heaven or being persecuted for the One we adore?
It's a hard decision to you? Easy for me, I am doing it now. Although the "persecution" American christians experience is only name calling, and being picked on...in other countries...people are being crucified and punished for their beliefs in the True God.
He also tells us to live as citizens of Heaven, pure lives and pray for eachother, because both trusting in Christ and suffering for Christ are privileges.
Lord, please open the heart of the Christians throughout the world to hear you word and give them an understanding that you are Who we live for, Your will will be done forever, and that they need to share their testimony and share the gospel as often as possible, because everytime the opportunity arises and they DON'T share...Satan high-fives his demonic angels.
Don't let the fear of being hurt stop you from sharing your love for Christ.
Memory verse of the week:
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you." (Philippians 2:14, 15)
Put it somewhere you will see it often, and everytime you see it, read it out loud to yourself. It'll be no time until you'll have it memorized. Still be working on Psalm 119:11 and Proverbs 4:23)
Any prayer requests? Just post them in the comment section or e-mail them to me at:
livin4christ0129@yahoo.com
God Bless You!
Lanie.
This brings to mind the questions:
Do I wish this upon my friends as often as I should?
Do I pray for my friends?
Though this has nothing to do with the topic of suffering, it still comes to mind from my time with God.
Next Paul says, "Everytime I think of you, I give thanks to my God." Again, do you pray for your friends? Do you take the time to thank God, the Creator, the Holy One, for your friends? He follows by saying the he does pray for his friends, and even better, he prays for his friends with joy! What greater thing is there besides our Lord in this world than the joy of praying for our friends? He continues that he is "certain" that God has begun a work in his friends in Phillipi, and that He will continue that work until Christ returns again. Yay! Christ will come back!! He tells them that because of that work God has begun in them, in their households, their towns, and their country, that he SHOULD feel that way about them. He should love them exactly the way he does already, he shouldhold them high in his heart.
Do we feel this way about our friends?
Do we let them know?
He then tells them what he prays for them about; peace, grace, understanding, that their love will flow in abundance, and for them to live pure and blameless lives...that is so beautiful.
After filling them in about how he misses them all so much and how he prays for them all so much, and how he loves them...so much, he begins talking about how he is so glad that people are preaching the gospel. Verses 12 and 13 explain the reason that we should have joy in suffereing for Christ's sake.
"And I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ." Philippians 1:12,13
Follow up:
Verse 14 says that Paul, since he's been in prison, has been joyful because he can share the gospel with his prison mates boldly, and now they speak of God's grace boldly without fear. Some preach to look more "godly" than others, but some preach with meaning and love. He is frustrated with those who speak with their tongues, but have no relationship with God, but regardless, the gospel is still being preached. And that makes him happy.
Ha also rejoices because he knows that his friends are praying for him and that God will deliver him from his troubles eventually, whether through death or being let out of prison.
Then Pual brings up the question:
I will bring honor to Christ whether I live or die, but which is better?
I have two desires, my desire to go and be with Christ in Heaven, and praise Him forever...and my desire to stay on this earth until God calls my name to come to Him by natural death, so that I can spend my life teaching and telling others my testimony about Christ in my life...which is better?
Then he makes the decision that staying on this earth and sharing God's words would be better because it is better for the sakes of those whom he is sharing the words of God with...
What would you choose?
Life or the after life?
Heaven or being persecuted for the One we adore?
It's a hard decision to you? Easy for me, I am doing it now. Although the "persecution" American christians experience is only name calling, and being picked on...in other countries...people are being crucified and punished for their beliefs in the True God.
He also tells us to live as citizens of Heaven, pure lives and pray for eachother, because both trusting in Christ and suffering for Christ are privileges.
Lord, please open the heart of the Christians throughout the world to hear you word and give them an understanding that you are Who we live for, Your will will be done forever, and that they need to share their testimony and share the gospel as often as possible, because everytime the opportunity arises and they DON'T share...Satan high-fives his demonic angels.
Don't let the fear of being hurt stop you from sharing your love for Christ.
Memory verse of the week:
"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you." (Philippians 2:14, 15)
Put it somewhere you will see it often, and everytime you see it, read it out loud to yourself. It'll be no time until you'll have it memorized. Still be working on Psalm 119:11 and Proverbs 4:23)
Any prayer requests? Just post them in the comment section or e-mail them to me at:
livin4christ0129@yahoo.com
God Bless You!
Lanie.
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