Sunday, May 18, 2014

all kinds of stuff here

There's just SO MUCH  in this chapter.

Paul is writing his friends & fellow believers in Philippi.

There's just so many towering truths he speaks in this short passage.

Here's a few that stand out to me...




Philippians 4

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord.

I say it again—rejoice!


How many of us rejoice & how many of us are always whining & complaining?



********

5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.

    Remember, the Lord is coming soon.


"...considerate in all you do."

That's not me. I am not considerate or kind or gentle with people.

They don't call me the Terminator for nuthin'...



********

6 Don't worry about anything;

     instead, pray about everything.

Tell God what you need,

     and thank him for all he has done.

7 Then you will experience God's peace,

     which exceeds anything we can understand.

His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.


Verses 6 & 7 were the verses God gave me for 2005.

For a whole year This was the verse I held on to & tested over & over again.

I know from experience in that one year the immutable truth he writes here.

EVERYTHING he says in verses 6 & & about the nature of our relationship with God & interacting with Him are ABSOLUTELY & POSITIVELY true if we put them into practice.



********

8 Fix your thoughts on what is true,

     and honorable,

     and right,

     and pure,

     and lovely,

     and admirable.

Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.


The older I get, the more I realize that the stuff I think about when I'm alone, or still, or unengaged reflects the real me.



********

11b I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.

     12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.

     I have learned the secret of living in every situation,

     whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.


We are SO prissy & precious. We feel like we have to have everything we want when we want it, & we want it NOW!

We live in the richest nation in the world & are never content with what we have.



********

13 For I can do everything with the help of Christ, who gives me the strength I need.


One of the biggest statements of Paul about livin' the life in Jesus.



********

19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches,

      which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.


We worry & fret (I worry & fret) about the day to day.

All the while, as Paul points out, God is taking care of me / us.

It's all about trust.

No comments: