Daily Manna (Coffee with Jesus)

Jesus promised.  God said it.  His Holy Spirit prepares us for it.  Jesus IS coming back to take us to the place He has prepared for us—eternity.  In the meantime, we are “God-taught” in our preparation before He comes.  It is up to us to listen, trust, and obey as His Holy Spirit grows and matures His holy character traits in us.  It is God who makes us holy.  It is God who so loved that He sent His Son, Jesus to save us from the sins that makes us unholy.  We cannot do this for ourselves.  Only Jesus removes our sins completely—to be forgotten and no longer held against us!

Where would I go but to the Lord?  This old gospel hymn from my past is playing in the background of my mind to reassure me this morning.  I woke with this song on my mind—even before I read this passage.

Where could I go but to the Lord
Where could I go oh where could I go
Seeking the refuge for my soul
Needing a friend to save me in the end
Won’t you tell me
Where could I go but to the Lord        

Paul’s first letter to the beloved church in Thessalonica is to remind them to stay firmly planted in the faith driven by God’s love in them.  “God want you to live a pure life.”  Live to please God—even with our bodies.  You can feel the caring compassion for his friends as we read the words.                                                

1 Thessalonians 4, The Message

You’re God-Taught

4 ^1-3 One final word, friends. We ask you—urge is more like it—that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. God wants you to live a pure life.

Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity.

^4-5 Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God.

^6-7 Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God’s concerns, and he will take care of them. We’ve warned you about this before. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, grungy life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside.

⁸ If you disregard this advice, you’re not offending your neighbors; you’re rejecting God, who is making you a gift of his Holy Spirit.

^9-10 Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. You’re God-taught in these matters. Just love one another! You’re already good at it; your friends all over the province of Macedonia are the evidence. Keep it up; get better and better at it.

^11-12 Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You’ve heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends.

The Master’s Coming

^13-14 And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don’t want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus.

^15-18 And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence—we have the Master’s word on it—that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they’ll be ahead of us. The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God’s trumpet blast! He’ll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise—they’ll go first. Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. Oh, we’ll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

We are “God-taught” in all the details of life.  God’s Word is not hard to understand if we are listening with our hearts committed to God.  Love God.  Love each other.  Love as if your lives depended on it.  Today, Paul reminds us again— “Just love one another”!

But are we listening?  Are we trusting?  Are we leaning on the everlasting arms when times get tough?  Do we turn back quickly when we see evil trying to grasp our hearts?  Do we run to those arms that are held wide open when we have strayed?  Do we run home, our real home, where God resides where all is pure and holy?  These are personal questions that determine our spiritual health.  We need daily check ups to remain in tune with our Savior and Lord.

Paul also assures believers that Jesus is indeed coming back—just as Jesus said.  Only God knows when but He is coming back.  Just as the grave could not hold Jesus, the graves that hold believers will not hold them down for much longer.  When God says, it will happen.  This is our blessed assurance. This is our story—this is our song—of Life forever with Him.

Lord,

Thank you for your consistent blessed assurance, your tenacious God-taught lessons for a holy life, and your compassions for us that “fail not”—even when we fail you. Thank you for saving us from our sins and removing them as far as the east is from the west! Thank you for forgetting all sins repented and no longer holding them against us as humans can do.  Where would I go but to you in my life?  You are Life!

In Jesus Name, Amen 

In my life of believing, learning, growing, and serving in Jesus Name, God gives me people to help me mature at different stages and phases of my life.  I thank God for those timely, specific people who seemed to know exactly what I needed to hear that helped me.  Like the iconic Mr. Rogers used to say, “Kids, look for the helpers” when troubles come.  That’s what I did most times.  But God knew who I needed even before I knew I would need them to help me through the next challenge, trouble or trail that would test my faith. That’s who God is—the Greatest Helper of all!

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2, ESV

I have also discovered that the people who I respected most for their wisdom, demeanor in troubles, insight in confusion, and understanding for others when broken and perplexed in life where those who had suffered greatly in their own lives in ways no one else knew.  I’m thinking of one of my most revered mentors right now.  I asked him privately one day how he got to be so wise, loving, and understanding. 

My great mentor of faith paused and then slowly related his painful past of being “given away” as a child because his parents could no longer afford feeding he and his brother.  He told of the day he was adopted by a couple; but was separated from his brother for years.  He felt rejected, alone, and unloved—until he met Jesus.  His adoptive parents led him to Jesus.  Later, he would accept God’s call to be a minister of the gospel that saved his life.  After years of being a pastor, he was then led to answering the call to be President of a Seminary that would train people to minister in Jesus Name for His glory.  Wow.  God knows how to pick people whose hearts are fully committed to Him, doesn’t He?  This man was a mentor to many!

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV

The mentors with the most wisdom and greatest help to others and myself have walked through pain with God helping them and they always give God the glory! Great men and women give credit to their mentors and helpers sent by God to them!  Great mentors truly know how you hurt and can feel your pain because they have previously traveled that road and learned great lessons that made their faith strong and their love consistently growing without conditions—taking on the character of Christ! People who know you are suffering have suffered themselves.

The greatest advice Randy and I received came from his dad when we were going through troubles that seemed unbearable at the time.  “Someday you will be able to help someone else going through the same.”  This quiet mentor of few words foretold our future as believers who would be later called of God to minister to others.

Paul reminds us that troubles and trials while living in this dark, imperfect world are to be expected.  “It’s part of our calling” to help people find Jesus as Savior and follow Him as Lord of their lives.  Our “calling” by God in Jesus Name will be in direct opposition to the enemy who still tries to distract, deceive, and deconstruct our faith with the goal to destroy our soul.  It’s in the job description as believers in Jesus!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33

1 Thessalonians 3, The Message

^1-2 So when we couldn’t stand being separated from you any longer and could find no way to visit you ourselves, we stayed in Athens and sent Timothy to get you up and about, cheering you on so you wouldn’t be discouraged by these hard times. He’s a brother and companion in the faith, God’s man in spreading the Message, preaching Christ.

^3-5 Not that the troubles should come as any surprise to you. You’ve always known that we’re in for this kind of thing. It’s part of our calling. When we were with you, we made it quite clear that there was trouble ahead. And now that it’s happened, you know what it’s like. That’s why I couldn’t quit worrying; I had to know for myself how you were doing in the faith. I didn’t want the Tempter getting to you and tearing down everything we had built up together.

^6-8 But now that Timothy is back, bringing this terrific report on your faith and love, we feel a lot better. It’s especially gratifying to know that you continue to think well of us, and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you! In the middle of our trouble and hard times here, just knowing how you’re doing keeps us going. Knowing that your faith is alive keeps us alive.

^9-10 What would be an adequate thanksgiving to offer God for all the joy we experience before him because of you? We do what we can, praying away, night and day, asking for the bonus of seeing your faces again and doing what we can to help when your faith falters.

^11-13 May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus’ promise to always be with us stands firm today.  (Matthew 28:20) This war on earth has already been won by Jesus who defeated death and rose again, assuring all believers of eternal life.  (John 3:16)

Paul had mentors and was a mentor to many. Barnabas, named the “Encourager” stood by Paul in his early years of ministry for example and taught Paul how to encourage the church!  Timothy, a young man of strong faith was mentored by Paul who carried out the work when Paul could not.  We need each other.  When God sends people into our lives to love and help us—take notice and thank God for them!  Paul consistently gave thanks for all those God put in his life.

How can we give thanks to God, “what would be adequate,” writes Paul.  I am reminded of a song, (it’s who I am), from my past that comes to mind as I think of how God helps us—even in those times of despair when we feel “so undeserved” of His care.

How can I say thanks
For the things You have done for me?
Things so undeserved
Yet You gave to prove Your love for me
The voices of a million angels
Could not express my gratitude
All that I am and ever hope to be
I owe it all to Thee

To God be the glory
To God be the glory
To God be the glory
For the things He has done…

(My Tribute, Sung by Andre Crouch and the Disciples)

Paul’s answer to his own question:  “Pray, then do what we can to help others…”  Best advice ever!

Lord,

Until you come again, our prayer this morning is Paul’s prayer for all believers:

May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen.  Yes!

Both Paul and the believers in Thessalonica were going through troubles that tested their faith. When Paul heard they had remained strong in their faith during the trials, he was exceedingly joyful and encouraged.  The call of God to preach His truth and work hard alongside obvious believers is just easier and more joy producing when the people are obviously as engaged and committed as you are to help others know and follow Jesus!  Obvious believers, who truly believe what God says and follow the leading of His Holy Spirit, are an obvious joy to be around as we share the goodness of God together!

And what is the definition of obvious?  “Easily seen, recognized, or understood; open to view or knowledge; evident: an obvious advantage.”

So, we ask—how obvious is our faith? How obvious is our belief in Jesus to others in this world? Is our belief in Jesus obviously seen, easily recognized, and opening understood?  Do our behaviors show the evidence of our belief and committed faith in Jesus? 

How obvious is our love for Jesus and for others?

1 Thessalonians 2, The Message

^1-2 So, friends, it’s obvious that our visit to you was no waste of time. We had just been given rough treatment in Philippi, as you know, but that didn’t slow us down. We were sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and said our piece, presenting God’s Message to you, defiant of the opposition.

No Hidden Agendas

^3-5 God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval—only God approval. Since we’ve been put through that battery of tests, you’re guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.

^6-8 Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t standoffish with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.

^9-12 You remember us in those days, friends, working our fingers to the bone, up half the night, moonlighting so you wouldn’t have the burden of supporting us while we proclaimed God’s Message to you. You saw with your own eyes how discreet and courteous we were among you, with keen sensitivity to you as fellow believers. And God knows we weren’t freeloaders! You experienced it all firsthand. With each of you we were like a father with his child, holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well before God, who called us into his own kingdom, into this delightful life.

¹³ And now we look back on all this and thank God, a geyser of thanks! When you got the Message of God we preached, you didn’t pass it off as just one more human opinion, but you took it to heart as God’s true word to you, which it is, God himself at work in you believers!

^14-16 Friends, do you realize that you followed in the exact footsteps of the churches of God in Judea, those who were the first to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ? You got the same bad treatment from your countrymen as they did from theirs, the Jews who killed the Master Jesus (to say nothing of the prophets) and followed it up by running us out of town. They make themselves offensive to God and everyone else by trying to keep us from telling people who’ve never heard of our God how to be saved. They’ve made a career of opposing God, and have gotten mighty good at it. But God is fed up, ready to put an end to it.

* * *

^17-20 Do you have any idea how very homesick we became for you, dear friends? Even though it hadn’t been that long and it was only our bodies that were separated from you, not our hearts, we tried our very best to get back to see you. You can’t imagine how much we missed you! I, Paul, tried over and over to get back, but Satan thwarted us each time. Who do you think we’re going to be proud of when our Master Jesus appears if it’s not you? You’re our pride and joy!

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Paul is obvious with the traits and behaviors we are to avoid:

• Never use the Message of Jesus for personal gain.  The Message must be free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas.
• We must never use religious words to butter people up or throw up a smoke screen for the purpose of hiding evil’s obvious grab for attention of self.  We must never take advantage of people seeking help by distracting them from Truth—our authentic Christ!
• We must never be patronizing or condescending.  This is a “get by for the moment” attitude that demonstrates uncaring behaviors which leads to unloving relationships and false hopes.

Instead, Give of your best to the Master and to His created.  Love as if your lives depended on it!

• May we be obvious believers who are obviously in love with Jesus! 
• May we be joy producers in His church! 
• May our joy, produced by Jesus be evident through good times and challenging trials! 
• May we be people who Paul obviously loved to hang around! 
• May we be people whose hearts are fully committed to God—the people God loves to pour blessings over and with whom He delights in being around.  God loves everyone.  God is with us always. 
• So, may our lives bring a smile to God’s face because of the obvious love in our hearts!

“Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth.” –Paul, 1 Corinthians 14:1, MSG 

May our love be evident as obvious believers in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord!

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your new mercies, and continually restore the joy of your salvation at work within us so that we reflect your glory and Truth to others in this world.  May our lives obviously reflect who we believe!  I love you, Lord with all my heart, mind, and soul.  May this love for you be obvious to others who need you.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“The way we conceive the future sculpts the present, give contour nd tone to nearly every action and thought through the day.  If our sense of future is weak, we live listlessly.  Much emotional and mental illness and most suicides occur among men and women who feel that they ‘have no future.’ 

The Christian faith has always been characterized by a strong and focused sense of future, with belief in the Second Coming of Jesus as the most distinctive detail.  For the day Jesus ascended into heaven, his followers lived in expectancy of his return.  He told them he was coming back. They believed he was coming back. They continue to believe it.  For Christians, it is the most important thing to know and believe about the future.

The practical effect of this belief is to charge each moment of the present with hope.  For if the future is dominated by the coming again of Jesus, there is little room left on the screen for projecting our anxieties and fantasies.  It takes the clutter out of our lives.  We’re far more free to respond spontaneously to the freedom of God.

All the same, the belief can be misconceived so that it results in paralyzing fear for some, shiftless indolence in others.  Paul’s two letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, among much else, correct such debilitating misconceptions, prodding us to continue to live forward in taut and joyful expectancy for what God will do next in Jesus.” –Eugene Peterson, Introduction to Thessalonians, The Message Bible

And the beat goes on—this message given to Paul by His Master, Jesus Christ, continues because The Message cannot be stopped; it only picks up speed!  The Message never stopped and never will be stopped.  God will see to that!  Jesus IS coming back just as He promised.  We don’t know the time or place.  Jesus doesn’t know that, either.  We discover that the more mature we become spiritually by trusting in God; that knowing becomes irrelevant to living a life of Hope with joyful expectancy that He will return to claim His own.  It is more important to be known as His. 

Life is now as well as later for Life eternal begins the moment we accept Jesus as Savior and trust Him as our Lord.

1 Thessalonians 1, The Message

I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God’s amazing grace be with you! God’s robust peace!

Convictions of Steel

^2-5 Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you’re in our prayers as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put steel in your convictions.

^5-6 You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!—taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.

^7-10 Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master’s Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don’t even have to say anything anymore—you’re the message! People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Live as if Jesus were coming today.  Prepare for His return with excitement!

To live Hope is an attitude of joy that relieves our fears and anxieties!  To live for Jesus, with the Holy Spirit’s help and guidance, comfort, and peace; is to live in joyful expectation for the Son of God whom we have believed and know that He is able to do exactly what He says He will and did do—remove all our sins and give us life eternal with Him in glory!

“You ARE the Message!”  Paul affirmed the Thessalonians of their consistent faith—

“People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.” 

What a reputation to have and to hold in the community! 

BE the Message today!  In Jesus Name…

Lord,

Cleanse our hearts, renew our minds, fill us with Your Holy Spirit who lead us and gives the words to be the message of your saving grace.  Refresh our souls with your new mercies for today.  Continually restore us with your expectant joy of your return and the joy and peace of you at work within us until you do come back to claim us and take us home for eternity.  Hope is rising in me even as we talk and commune with each other. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Pray for me and I’ll pray for you
Pray that we will keep the common ground
Won’t you pray for me and I’ll pray for you
And one day love will bring us back around
Again

(Pray For Me, By Michael W Smith)

One of the most touching, heartfelt words of Paul’s letters to his dear friends, the Colossians are at the end of this chapter.  If you look closely, the “open door” prayer from Paul sums up the work as reconcilers guided by God’s Holy Spirit.  It gives us the words to pray for ourselves and for others as we help people find their way to believe in Jesus who reconciles (reconnects) them to God.

PRAY FOR ME

“Pray diligently with eyes wide open in gratitude,” writes Paul to his brothers and sisters in Christ.  Pray for me while I sit in this jail cell.  Notice he doesn’t ask that the doors of the jail cell be opened but that God will open the doors of opportunity to tell the story of Jesus, His love, and His redemption provided for all no matter what his circumstances!  Pray that “I’ll be able to make Christ plain”—easy for listeners to understand and believe in Jesus.  Paul asks nothing by prayer to God on his behalf as he prays for them, asking God to bless the ones praying! 

I’M PRAYING FOR YOU

Paul prayers for his friends; “Make the most of every opportunity.” “Be gracious.” “Bring out the best in others” when you speak.  Lift people up, don’t bring them down.  Like a parent who loves their children dearly, Paul encourages them to be kind and gracious when telling the story of our compassionate Savior, Jesus.

What a joy to know people are praying for you as diligently as you are praying for them!  Praying to God for each other is the “common ground” in Christ we all share!  Praying is our communion with God who bends down to listen to every word on our lips.  God not only hears our prayers for others; He delights in seeing our hearts of thanksgiving for the people He has placed in our lives.  God doesn’t miss a trick; He puts people in our lives on purpose for His purpose—that we may encourage each other on the brief journey here on earth.  We need each other.  We need the prayers of each other.  Paul gives us the words to pray as our example.

Colossians 4, The Message

And masters, treat your servants considerately. Be fair with them. Don’t forget for a minute that you, too, serve a Master—God in heaven.

Pray for Open Doors

^2-4 Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Don’t forget to pray for us, that God will open doors for telling the mystery of Christ, even while I’m locked up in this jail. Pray that every time I open my mouth I’ll be able to make Christ plain as day to them.

^5-6 Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don’t miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.

^7-9 My good friend Tychicus will tell you all about me. He’s a trusted minister and companion in the service of the Master. I’ve sent him to you so that you would know how things are with us, and so he could encourage you in your faith. And I’ve sent Onesimus with him. Onesimus is one of you, and has become such a trusted and dear brother! Together they’ll bring you up-to-date on everything that has been going on here.

^10-11 Aristarchus, who is in jail here with me, sends greetings; also Mark, cousin of Barnabas (you received a letter regarding him; if he shows up, welcome him); and also Jesus, the one they call Justus. These are the only ones left from the old crowd who have stuck with me in working for God’s kingdom. Don’t think they haven’t been a big help!

^12-13 Epaphras, who is one of you, says hello. What a trooper he has been! He’s been tireless in his prayers for you, praying that you’ll stand firm, mature and confident in everything God wants you to do. I’ve watched him closely, and can report on how hard he has worked for you and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.

¹⁴ Luke, good friend and physician, and Demas both send greetings.

¹⁵ Say hello to our friends in Laodicea; also to Nympha and the church that meets in her house.

¹⁶ After this letter has been read to you, make sure it gets read also in Laodicea. And get the letter that went to Laodicea and have it read to you.

¹⁷ And, oh, yes, tell Archippus, “Do your best in the job you received from the Master. Do your very best.”

¹⁸ I’m signing off in my own handwriting—Paul. Remember to pray for me in this jail. Grace be with you.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

PRAY!  Stay alert and pray for each other to remain firmly committed to Jesus.

Prayer is our greatest weapon seeking God’s unlimited power against our real Enemy of limited power.  The fallen angel, Satan is the one who hates God/Jesus/Holy Spirit.  He is the distractor, deceiver, causing damage to our hearts, minds, and souls.  But he cannot remove God’s love for us. 

The enemy consistently presents thoughts and feelings to us that oppose all who God is to us.  Don’t fall for this evil.  Instead, fall on your knees before God!  Do what the Enemy hates most of all—Believers on their knees in humbled gratefulness to God, crying out to God in Jesus Name.  When we do this act of worship, seeking God first in our lives—the devil wants nothing to do with that! Just as evil tempted Jesus, he and his demons of mass destruction will tempt us. 

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV

I’m praying for you…

Pray for me…

Pray as I continue to write the story of Jesus, led by His Holy Spirit, to draw others to God’s Daily Manna of nourishment found in His Word!  Pray that what is written helps the broken be healed by God’s in Jesus Name and gives encouragement in ways that bring out God’s best in all who read His Word.

Imagine an army of friends praying for you right now.  Dear friends who are reading this right now—I’m praying for you!  I thank God for you!  I relish your comments that tell me you understand what God is saying and are encouraged!  I pray God rich blessing of wisdom, power, strength and joy that is renewed daily by Him.  I pray that whatever you’re going through right now that you know God is there going through it with you, helping you get to the other side.

Lord,

I thank God for you, for you dear Jesus who was sent to save me and for Your Holy Spirit who helps me to stay on your path of all that is right and good for me. I thank you for picking me back up when I stumble or fall on your narrow path.  Thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do in my life.  I pray for open doors to tell your story.  I pray for your wisdom and words with every opportunity is given to speak of you.  I pray your encouragement for all the readers of our Daily Manna that you provide for us each day.  Cleans our hearts, renew our minds, refresh our souls with your tender mercies, and restore the joy and peace of you in us and us in you.  We need you every hour of every day—so we pray without ceasing for your help.

In Jesus Name, Amen

My mom was a meticulous dresser.  In today’s sociological terms, you might have called her obsessive.  Her dress had to fit right and feel right.  Her shoes, purse, and other accessories must match the outfit.  As a child, sitting on the bed, I would watch I would watch the process of getting ready for work before going next door to our babysitter with my younger brother. Fixing her thick dark head of hair was a work of getting every unruly hair follicle in place.  Then the final touch was to spray a blinding, chocking, sticky solution over it to hold it in place for the day.  (I can still smell and taste it!)  But as she worked on herself, it was a talk time for us.

I was proud of my Mom.  She was very talented as an executive secretary for an oil firm in downtown Oklahoma City.  She was fast and efficient in all she did.  She became a valuable resource for the company, doing the work of those she worked for in ways that amazed them at times.  I know this because they hired me for a summer break between college classes!  I watched her at work as she answered the calls and helped people find the solutions they needed with apparent ease.  She was learner, picking up all the details quickly, so she could helpful in the workplace

Mom worked among well-dressed executives who had the best clothes money could buy.  Being a working woman of the sixties; mom would never be paid as much as the men, but that didn’t matter to the quality of her work.  Doing her best with what she had and being the best she could be in her work was her consistent goal.  

Mom was a believer.  The real Master of her life and work was Jesus.  The “clothes” she put on the inside was just as important as the clothes she wore on the outside.  The same work ethic was taught and demonstrated in our home and at the church we attended.  I knew that my mom would be the same in any place or circumstance with whoever she related because of what she wore on the inside.  She wore the designer clothes of her Master, clothes that last forever.  I will see her again someday in those glorious clothes Jesus gave her for heaven with Him.  I am grateful for her teaching that was instilled by Jesus to me.  How do I know, Jesus is my Master, too!

Colossians 3, The Message

He Is Your Life

3 ^1-2 So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

^3-4 Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life—even though invisible to spectators—is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too—the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.

^5-8 And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It’s because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn’t long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it’s all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk.

^9-11 Don’t lie to one another. You’re done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

^12-14 So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

^15-17 Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

* * *

¹⁸ Wives, understand and support your husbands by submitting to them in ways that honor the Master.

¹⁹ Husbands, go all out in love for your wives. Don’t take advantage of them.

²⁰ Children, do what your parents tell you. This delights the Master no end.

²¹ Parents, don’t come down too hard on your children or you’ll crush their spirits.

^22-25 Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

“If you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it.”  Paul’s passion is evident.  Get and Be serious.  Our behaviors must match what we say we believe about Jesus!  As much as mom matched accessories to her dress all the more our behaviors must match what we believe. 

“Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator”  Wear the newest and latest by our Designer who gave us real life!  “…dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.”

Paul includes a “tagline” to this part of the letter for obvious reasons to me this morning—all this begins at home in our hearts and goes with us in the all the details of our lives!  Husbands, Wives, Children, Employees, Employers, Servants of God—Submit, respect, love generously, understand, support, obey, because “every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—is to be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

“Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ!”

Lord,

Thank you for helping me get “dressed” this morning.  Thank you for demonstrating real love by saving my soul.  Thank you for real life that follows my believing, a life that is eternal and nonrefundable!  Thank you for always being with us to help us stay dressed in your love—the most important garment!

In Jesus Name, Amen

Most of us seek a life that has significance.  We desire to be confident in what we think, say, and do.  We want our lives to count for something good.  We avoid people who think we are worthless in their eyes, count for nothing, and up to no good.  If we fall for that line of thinking, we become self-fulfilling prophecies of insignificance.  If we pause to ponder for a bit, we realize we crave a life of substance.  If fact, most people in our world are after the same goal—substance with a firm foundation.

Paul’s letter gave tribute to the power and glory of Christ. While commending the Colossians for their actions, he reminded them that Christ’s power comes not from what we know, but who we know—Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the very substance of life we have been seeking because He is the Source of Life eternal.  There is no other foundation upon which we can build a life of substance that lasts for eternity!

Colossians 2, The Message

I want you to realize that I continue to work as hard as I know how for you, and also for the Christians over at Laodicea. Not many of you have met me face-to-face, but that doesn’t make any difference. Know that I’m on your side, right alongside you. You’re not in this alone.

^2-4 I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.”

⁵ I’m a long way off, true, and you may never lay eyes on me, but believe me, I’m on your side, right beside you. I am delighted to hear of the careful and orderly ways you conduct your affairs, and impressed with the solid substance of your faith in Christ.

From the Shadows to the Substance

^6-7 My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.

^8-10 Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk. They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything. They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spirit beings. But that’s not the way of Christ. Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything.

^11-15 Entering into this fullness is not something you figure out or achieve. It’s not a matter of being circumcised or keeping a long list of laws. No, you’re already in—insiders—not through some secretive initiation rite but rather through what Christ has already gone through for you, destroying the power of sin. If it’s an initiation ritual you’re after, you’ve already been through it by submitting to baptism. Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as he did Christ. When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.

^16-17 So don’t put up with anyone pressuring you in details of diet, worship services, or holy days. All those things are mere shadows cast before what was to come; the substance is Christ.

^18-19 Don’t tolerate people who try to run your life, ordering you to bow and scrape, insisting that you join their obsession with angels and that you seek out visions. They’re a lot of hot air, that’s all they are. They’re completely out of touch with the source of life, Christ, who puts us together in one piece, whose very breath and blood flow through us. He is the Head and we are the body. We can grow up healthy in God only as he nourishes us.

^20-23 So, then, if with Christ you’ve put all that puffed-up and childish religion behind you, why do you let yourselves be bullied by it? “Don’t touch this! Don’t taste that! Don’t go near this!” Do you think things that are here today and gone tomorrow are worth that kind of attention? Such things sound impressive if said in a deep enough voice. They even give the illusion of being pious and humble and austere. But they’re just another way of showing off, making yourselves look important.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus Christ is the Source of Life and Foundation of our faith. 

God’s Holy Spirit provides the Substance for who we are in Christ.  Substance defined in science is the “particular kinds of matter with uniform properties” in everything.  Substance is the real physical matter of which a person or thing consists and which has a tangible, solid presence.  The substance of our existence in Christ is expressed in our behaviors as we become more and more like Christ.  We’re not in this alone.  We have the power of God’s Holy Spirit, the same power that raised Jesus from death to life! 

Pause to prayerfully ask, “Lord, what am I made of and who is providing the substance of my being?”  Am I trying to live a life of substance without you—relying on my own very limited power?

Paul teaches us today to know God by focusing on His Son, Jesus, who is the Source of eternal Life.  “…Be woven into the tapestry of God’s love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ,” the one and only perfect sacrifice for all the sins of the world.  All sins removed. Forever.  God provides salvation for anyone who will take it. God doesn’t require that we know hidden secrets or certain inside information to accept Christ’s message and enjoy eternal life.  “Be still and know that I am God” the Psalmist proclaims.  (Psalm 46:10) 

The focus of our belief: “God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ’s cross.” 

The focus of our faith: “You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him.”  To live Jesus is to be guided by His Holy Spirit who give substance to our faith in Him.  To live Jesus begins with grateful hearts of praise for what He did for us on the cross coupled with minds of humbled reverence for the One who now sits on the throne of God.  All things come under Him who rose again, defeating death, to give us Hope of life forever with Him who believe and call on His Name.   

Jesus is the Source and Substance of Life for all who believe. Believe and be saved from sins.  Believe in the One who knows your Name and loved you before you born. Many distractions surround us, even religious ones or church-centered activities. The center of our faith, however, should always be Jesus Christ.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1, KJV

Lord,

You are the source and substance of our new life being formed by You.  I want to live for you with your power helping me.  I seek a life of substance from the Source of life eternal! I am grateful, oh so very grateful, for the removal of all my sins because of your love for me and others who believe.  Keep us focused on you all day long and into the night as we rely on you hour by hour, day by day until we see you face to face.  You are the Substance of my faith and my Source of Hope.

In Jesus Name, Amen

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33, NLT

Sometimes the troubles, trials, and sorrows come because of listening to the voices and views of this world, sorting through deceptive, “almost truth” words and actions, and deciding someone other than Jesus is telling us the truth.  With all our beings; we want to know who is telling us the truth.  We have an innate desire to follow what is authentic.  It is usually not our first thought or desire to be distracted, deceived, and led away as a fool to be taken advantage of and stripped of all that God created us to be.  We do not want to lose; we want to gain what is best for us.  We also want to be loved.  We want to belong. But some of us seek to fulfill this longing in all the wrong places as the music plays…” Looking for love in all the wrong places”.

The people of Colossians were impressed with Jesus but to some, He was not the center of their lives.  Paul writes with compassion to lead them back to Jesus who is the only Way, Ultimate Truth, who offers Life eternal. Only Jesus can do that.  Jesus embodies Truth.  Jesus is Truth. 

Eugene Peterson writes;

“Hardly anyone who hears the full story of Jesus and learns the true facts of his life and teaching, crucifixion, and resurrection, walks away with a shrug of the shoulders, dismissing him as unimportant.  People ignorant of the story or misinformed about it, of course, regularly dismiss Him.  But with few exceptions, the others know instinctively that they are dealing with a most remarkable greatness.

But it is quite common for those who consider him truly important to include others who seem to be equally important in his company—Buddha, Moses, Socrates, and Muhammad for a historical start, along with some personal favorites.  For these people, Jesus is important, but not central, his prestige is considerable, but He is not preeminent.

The Christians of Colosse, or at least some of them, seem to have been taking this line.  For them, cosmic forces of one sort or another were getting equal billing with Jesus.  Paul writes to them in an attempt to restore Jesus, the Messiah, to the center of their lives.” –Peterson, Introduction to Colossians, The Message Bible

Colossians 1, The Message

^1-2 I, Paul, have been sent on special assignment by Christ as part of God’s master plan. Together with my friend Timothy, I greet the Christians and stalwart followers of Christ who live in Colosse. May everything good from God our Father be yours!

Working in His Orchard

^3-5 Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can’t quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you! We keep getting reports on your steady faith in Christ, our Jesus, and the love you continuously extend to all Christians. The lines of purpose in your lives never grow slack, tightly tied as they are to your future in heaven, kept taut by hope.

^5-8 The Message is as true among you today as when you first heard it. It doesn’t diminish or weaken over time. It’s the same all over the world. The Message bears fruit and gets larger and stronger, just as it has in you. From the very first day you heard and recognized the truth of what God is doing, you’ve been hungry for more. It’s as vigorous in you now as when you learned it from our friend and close associate Epaphras. He is one reliable worker for Christ! I could always depend on him. He’s the one who told us how thoroughly love had been worked into your lives by the Spirit.

^9-12 Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven’t stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.

^13-14 God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He’s set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much, the Son who got us out of the pit we were in, got rid of the sins we were doomed to keep repeating.

Christ Holds It All Together

^15-18 We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.

^18-20 He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so expansive, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

^21-23 You yourselves are a case study of what he does. At one time you all had your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of him, giving him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving himself completely at the Cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God’s side and put your lives together, whole and holy in his presence. You don’t walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message. I, Paul, am a messenger of this Message.

* * *

^24-25 I want you to know how glad I am that it’s me sitting here in this jail and not you. There’s a lot of suffering to be entered into in this world—the kind of suffering Christ takes on. I welcome the chance to take my share in the church’s part of that suffering. When I became a servant in this church, I experienced this suffering as a sheer gift, God’s way of helping me serve you, laying out the whole truth.

^26-29 This mystery has been kept in the dark for a long time, but now it’s out in the open. God wanted everyone, not just Jews, to know this rich and glorious secret inside and out, regardless of their background, regardless of their religious standing. The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less. That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus is the Truth we have been searching for all our lives.

Jesus is the Focus of believers in Him.  He is the only Way to God. He is the Way, Truth and the Hope of eternal Life with God.

Jesus at the Center of believers’ thinking develops the fruits of His character which transforms our behaviors.  Life with Jesus is a growing process, fueled by the power of God’s Holy Spirit supplied daily.   Jesus in us—living in us—is the secret to God bringing out His best in and through us for His glory!

Jesus at the Center is a gift from God who loves us unconditionally and relentlessly.

Jesus at the Center of broken lives “get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies”!   An intimate growing relationship with Jesus changes everything!

Our response—

“You don’t walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned in to the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message—just this one.” –Paul

Lord,

We are grateful that you made a Way for us to reconcile with you.  You spoke, lived and demonstrated Truth by living as Truth.  Be believing You, we receive the gift of eternal Life. Help us to keep it simple and simply believe, trust, and follow what you say.

Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy Spirit. 

In Jesus Name, Amen

It is joy unspeakable and full of glory,
Full of glory, full of glory.
It is joy unspeakable and full of glory;
O the half has never yet been told!

(Written by Barney Elliot Warren, 1900)

Joy unspeakable joy
An overflowing well
No tongue can tell
Joy unspeakable joy
It rises in my soul
Never lets me go…

(Written by Chris Tomlin, 2009)

The apostle Paul wrote these words of unspeakable, glorious joy while sitting in a jail cell.  God still equipped and used Paul in his circumstances to declare His glory while sharing the message of salvation.  He fills Paul to overflow status with this unspeakable joy that only comes from God.  Paul shares what he is learning from God as he praises God!  Paul also teaches us how to turn worry into prayers, a healthier way to live, along  with how to overcome our overthinking with Truth when we are challenged with the perplexities of life.

Philippians 4, The Message

My dear, dear friends! I love you so much. I do want the very best for you. You make me feel such joy, fill me with such pride. Don’t waver. Stay on track, steady in God.

Pray About Everything

² I urge Euodia and Syntyche to iron out their differences and make up. God doesn’t want his children holding grudges.

³ And, oh, yes, Syzygus, since you’re right there to help them work things out, do your best with them. These women worked for the Message hand in hand with Clement and me, and with the other veterans—worked as hard as any of us. Remember, their names are also in the Book of Life.

^4-5 Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

^6-7 Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

^8-9 Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Content Whatever the Circumstances

^10-14 I’m glad in God, far happier than you would ever guess—happy that you’re again showing such strong concern for me. Not that you ever quit praying and thinking about me. You just had no chance to show it. Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. I don’t mean that your help didn’t mean a lot to me—it did. It was a beautiful thing that you came alongside me in my troubles.

^15-17 You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I’ll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia province, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give-and-take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out—and not only once, but twice. Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.

^18-20 And now I have it all—and keep getting more! The gifts you sent with Epaphroditus were more than enough, like a sweet-smelling sacrifice roasting on the altar, filling the air with fragrance, pleasing God to no end. You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes.

^21-22 Give our regards to every follower of Jesus you meet. Our friends here say hello. All the Christians here, especially the believers who work in the palace of Caesar, want to be remembered to you.

²³ Receive and experience the amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, deep, deep within yourselves.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The apostles learned first hand from Jesus and passed this unspeakable joy on to us!

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,” –Peter, 1 Peter 1:8, NIV

“…Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” –Jesus, John 20:29, NIV

“I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.” –Paul, Philippians 4, MSG 

We learn that saving faith in Christ brings with it a joy so great that it can’t be expressed. Words can’t contain or explain it. It’s a joy full of glory, reflecting our future with Christ in the present moment in front of us. We learn that this uncommon, not of this world, joy is a gift given to help us in and through the troubles of this world.  The choice to rejoice in God, even the middle of our trials, is an act of faith.  Joy and peace come because of our belief and trust in Jesus.

Things are not always rosy in our household, either.  We are struggling to settle an accident claim that could cost all we have.  You might be struggling with severe illness, a relationship that causes much pain, or a financial struggle that worries you at present.  Things and people of this world can jolt our joy meters for sure!  How can we retain and sustain this uncommon joy?

Studying Paul’s message of joy and contentment in all circumstances is appropriate for all, on any given day, but especially today—at this very moment!  All of us will experience times of worry, fear of the unknown, wondering what will happen next.  All of us will have troubles in this world.  We must focus on Jesus and keep Him in the center of our thoughts. 

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33

Our Overcoming-Jesus will make overcomers of us!  It is our trust in Him that overcomes our fears.  It is our hope and faith in Jesus that turns dread and sorrow into this unspeakable, unexplainable joy right in the middle of troubles.  Jesus offers a bonus called peace—a gift given to those with unwavering belief in Him. 

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”—Jesus, John 14:27

Pause to pray—Let us reshape our worries into prayers of praise, believing in the promise that God knows and is with us through it all. Rejoice in God’s goodness.  He didn’t bring us this far to leave us.  Life may not turn out the way we perceive; but we can be certain that God always knows exactly what we need when we need it most—mostly Him.

Lord,

Here I am seeking to be filled with your peace and joy again.  You are the Way, Truth, and Life.  You are the One and Only who saves us and sets us free to love like you love us.  You are the overcomer of evil and evil’s schemes to rob our joy and peace in you.  May your glory, your unspeakable joy in me be my testimony all day long and forever no matter what circumstances try to dictate in my life.  Transform my thought life to match your desires for me.  “Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”  I agree with Paul.  You are the joy and strength of my life!

In Jesus Name, For Your Glory, Amen.  Yes! 

Your name, Your name
Is victory.
All praise, will rise
To Christ, our king

By Your spirit I will rise
From the ashes of defeat
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me
In Your name I come alive
To declare Your victory
The resurrected King, is resurrecting me…

(Resurrecting, Elevation Worship, Songwriters: Christopher Brown / Mack Brock / Matthews Thabo Ntele / Steven Furtick / Wade Joye)

“I want to know Christ!” Paul adamantly proclaims.  As we get to know Christ as well as Paul knows Christ; we too will discover the insignificance of worldly treasures and vain pursuit of satisfying our hungry souls with shiny things that distract us along with destructive relationships with people who hate and mock Christ.  We also soon discover that everyone who goes to church every time the doors are open do not necessarily know Christ, either.  They know church. They know the written policies and unwritten norms, but they may not really know Jesus.  Many know of Jesus, are impressed with his teachings, but do not follow Him as Lord of their daily, go to work and come home lives.  Follow those in the know!

Paul set us straight about what it means to really know Jesus as Savior and how to follow Him as Lord of our lives. Our true, main goal should be to know Christ and his power available to us to help us live each day in ways that glorify God, the Father—just like Jesus did when He came to earth and moved into the neighborhood of humanity.  Jesus truly is who He said He was, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”—Jesus, John 14:6

Going to church and being friendly to all the people who come with us does not necessarily mean that we know Christ personally.  Leading a work team, teaching a Sunday School class, or singing in the choir does not mean we know Jesus personally.  We can do many good things, obey all the rules, and give to the poor in fact there are many social clubs that do those things, too!  The difference Maker is Jesus as Lord!

Philippians 3, The Message

To Know Him Personally

And that’s about it, friends. Be glad in God!

I don’t mind repeating what I have written in earlier letters, and I hope you don’t mind hearing it again. Better safe than sorry—so here goes.

^2-6 Steer clear of the barking dogs, those religious busybodies, all bark and no bite. All they’re interested in is appearances—knife-happy circumcisers, I call them. The real believers are the ones the Spirit of God leads to work away at this ministry, filling the air with Christ’s praise as we do it. We couldn’t carry this off by our own efforts, and we know it—even though we can list what many might think are impressive credentials. You know my pedigree: a legitimate birth, circumcised on the eighth day; an Israelite from the elite tribe of Benjamin; a strict and devout adherent to God’s law; a fiery defender of the purity of my religion, even to the point of persecuting the church; a meticulous observer of everything set down in God’s law Book.

^7-9 The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I’m tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn’t want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God’s righteousness.

^10-11 I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

Focused on the Goal

^12-14 I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

^15-16 So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it.

^17-19 Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ’s Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.

^20-21 But there’s far more to life for us. We’re citizens of high heaven! We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

The question Paul puts before us is this; “Do I want to truly, intimately, know Christ as Lord?”  Am I willing to put Him first, putting my own interest aside, discarding all the stuff I cling to in this world, so that I can really and truly get to know Jesus Christ personally?

Signs of goodness, even for the good of others, and make us feel good for doing them, do not guarantee that we have asked for repentance of our sins with a dedicated, committed desire to know Christ for who He is in us personally, “experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself.” 

Do we want to know Christ beyond what we first knew we first we heard of Him?

To know God is to trust Jesus with our very lives—all of it! 

Here’s how:

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2, MSG

Lord,

Here I am, all of me wanting all of you.  Cleanse my heart of all sin.  Help me remove all that gets in the way of seeing you clearly.  Renew my mind and dump all the garbage that distracts and deceives my mind.  Refresh the hard drive of my being with your tender, new, cleansing mercies.  Restore the default of your love, joy, and peace of knowing you personally and intimately.  I am yours and you are mind.  Thank you for loving so deeply and so faithfully.  Help us to love like you love us—without conditions.

In Jesus Name, Amen