The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day seven)

“[Christ] will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” vs 21

God knows every hair on our head. He created us and knows us better than we can ever know ourselves. We are perfect the way he made us: in His image. Why then are there so many in this world that seek changes to the way God made them? Either in personality or image, it seems like people are not comfortable in their own skin. They think if they look different and act different, then maybe they will feel different.

Sin has distorted our perception of goodness. Pain, shame, guilt, envy: these are the things that creep in and tell us we are not good enough. The only way we rectify this problem and feel different, is to begin to conform into Christ’s image now. As we begin the process of conformity, we will find we get tastes of what heaven will feel like as we await our final transformation.

^“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Cor 3:18

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day six)

Let’s be honest, we squirm just a little, maybe a lot, when Paul encourages the Philippians to “imitate me.” It comes off smug and self righteous, but Paul does what we are reluctant to do. Paul’s “imitate me” is discipleship. He doesn’t just teach them, but he invites them to look into his life and do what he does. And not out of a sense of self-righteousness, quite the opposite. Paul’s invitation allows them to see how he responds to sin, temptation, and suffering; all the areas when his life is not perfect (3:13-14).

Paul’s call to imitate me sounds like someone else doesn’t it?

Jesus. Jesus said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” Discipleship.

Is there someone in your life you can disciple in this way? Or do you have a Paul?

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day five)

“For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,”  Every day we brush up against people who (from their actions and language) we know are not believers. We feel the darkness of culture in their minds and hearts. We sense their animosity towards God and holy things. Our responses and reactions in those moments can be very telling.  Anger. Avoidance. Apathy. Paul’s response is amazing.  Honesty. Vulnerability. Compassion. Kindness. Paul never compromises the truth. Paul never loses hope for the power and sovereignty of God to change a human heart.  Paul continues his work and ministry through tears and tension. What a balance!  What a deep confidence in God’s promises and provision.

Let’s weep and continue to worship. Let’s cry and be filled with compassion. Let’s partner sadness and sorrow with service. Let’s follow Paul’s example.

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day four)

Was Paul being judgmental?  In today’s ‘woke’ society, passing judgment on someone is taboo.  That is…unless it is the ‘woke’ person who is doing it.  They have the proper facts to accurately discern the situation and arrive at ‘truth’. (tongue in cheek!)  Paul would not have fared well in our society.

Many who condemn other’s judgment…while expounding their own…use themselves as examples of what is right.  Paul set the example, but his life had been totally and completely changed by Jesus Christ.  Paul was transformed by the cross so that he was no longer set on earthly things but rather on heavenly things.

How about you?  Are you seeking to conform to the world around you?  Are you guided by the opinions of others instead of the opinions of God?  Are you so invested in the Word of God that you recognize false truth when you hear it?  To follow Paul’s example is to follow Christ’s example.  Choose God’s glory…your citizenship must be in heaven!

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day three)

“Our citizenship is in heaven.”

Will this earth and the entire created order one day be crumpled up, swept away, destroyed, annihilated? Will it one day have outlived its usefulness and no longer possess any value to any living creature? Setting aside for a moment the spectacle of God’s obliterating the very heavens that the Bible says pour forth speech praising the Creator night and day, there remain the words of Jesus himself, who speaks of the renewal of all things. The “new heaven and new earth” will be this heaven and this earth, brought to their full flower. The Bible closes with the proclamation of heaven’s uniting with this renewed earth where God will have his address. Therefore, with great joy, we can know that those whose citizenship is in heaven are those who are most at home on this earth.

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:17-21 (day two)

…we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory…vs.20b-21a

And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:5

Don’t misread these verses. It doesn’t say Jesus will make all new things. He will make all things new. One of the things we tell our kids as they struggle with those awkward phases of development is that God doesn’t make mistakes. You are not a mistake, but we are not yet fully ourselves. When we finally clothe ourselves with Jesus we will, at last, be who we were intended to be. While we walk these Shadowlands we may begin to catch of glimpse of what that renewal will be like, but only until we venture further up and further in will we know fully how Jesus will renew his creation. Be encouraged today that the work that He began in you will find its completion in eternity. May that hope push you to continue to seek after His perfect will for your life in the meantime. Aren’t you grateful for the promise of newness?

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:12-16 (day seven)

“however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.” vs 16

First off, what is this standard? I believe Paul is finishing his defense of the statement he made in verse 10, “becoming like [Jesus].” This is our standard as Christians. Our goal first and foremost is to be conformed more and more into the image of Christ every day.

Here is the catch: Not only are we attaining a standard, but we as Christians are the standard. As the gold standard is to currency, we are the value by which the world measures morality. If Christians are not keeping the standard constant by speaking truth and shining a light in the darkness, then the morality of the world inflates and deflates based off societal norms. If Christians are not there to point to a moral law giver then there is no need for morality, or if our standard becomes corrupted, then people will look for morality in other places. We are to be the standard by attaining the standard, which is becoming like Christ.

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.-Paul, Philippians 3:13-14

One of the most unpleasant experiences I’ve had on a plane was our descent into Kunming, China. The turbulence was unlike anything I had experienced before, at times feeling like we are free-falling the length of a football field. Everyone was anxious, wide-eyed and white knuckled, while doing their best to appear as if this were normal. Truth be told, I was barley holding it together, one hand gripping the armrest, the other grasping for the barf bag in the seat pocket in front of me. I had traveled the world, but never like this.

30 minutes…20 minutes…10 minutes…5 minutes…the landing gear drops, and a few minutes later, touchdown. Phew. I had made it unscathed. My seat-mate, wasn’t so fortunate.

The journey is not the destination. In fact, the journey is sometimes downright unpleasant, with its various stops and diversions along the way, like turbulence on my descent into Kunming.

But it is the destination that sees us through to the end of journey. The destination is what helps us press on.

…let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. ² We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus (the destination), the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Re:Verse passage – Philippians 3:12-16(day five)

“I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”  No getting around Paul’s clear teaching that  BOTH the Lord and humans are active participants in spiritual growth. In chapter 2, “work out your salvation” (man) “because God is at work in you” (God).  There is a responsibility and accountability for each of us in our spiritual growth. There is a dependency on the Lord required for spiritual growth.

I am reminded of the helpful illustration that Jerry Bridges shares in his book, The Pursuit of Holiness.

A farmer plows his field, sows the seed and fertilizes and cultivates—all the while knowing that in the final analysis he is utterly dependent on forces outside of himself. He knows he cannot cause the seed to germinate, nor can he produce the rain and sunshine for growing and harvesting the crop. For a successful harvest, he is dependent on these things from God.

Yet the farmer knows that unless he diligently pursues his responsibilities to plow, plant, fertilize, and cultivate, he cannot expect a harvest at the end of the season. In a sense he is in partnership with God, and he will reap it benefits only when he has fulfilled his own responsibilities.

Farming is a joint venture between God and the farmer. The farmer cannot do what God must do, and God will not do what the farmer should do.

We can say just as accurately that the pursuit of holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, but just as surely no one will attain it without effort on his own part.