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.