He writes:

- I have learned – contentment.
- I know – how to live with or without stuff, comfort, health, etc.
- I can – do all things through Him who strengthens me.

So the questions for me are:

• Am I a contented man?
• Do I know contented people?
• Do I spend time in the company of discontented people?
• Do I add to the sense of discontentedness because I myself am not a contented person?

Further questions:  How can you and I tell if we are covetous rather than content?…

1. Thoughts of money consume my day
2. The financial success of other people makes me jealous
3. I define success in terms of what I have rather than what I am in christ
4. My family is neglected in my pursuit of money
5. I close my eyes to the genuine needs of others
6. I live in the paralyzing fear of losing my money
7. I am prepared to borrow myself into bondage
8. God receives my leftovers rather than my first fruits

Is anybody learning the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need?
Does anybody know how to be brought low and how to abound?
Can you do all of this?  Is Christ strengthening you?

Anyone?  Anyone?

I’d love to hear how God has brought conviction and/or is at work in some lives in the above areas.

I took the opportunity to look at examples:

1. Biblically (Asaph in Psalm 73, Jeremiah in Lamentations 3, the Psalmist in Psalm 42)
2. Historically (Luther, Spurgeon, Cowper, Bunyan)
3. Pastorally
4. Personally

My only point this week was to agree with John Stott when he said, “The Christian’s chief occupational hazards are depression & discouragement.”

I’d ike to maintain a post here each week to allow any that attended the opportunity to correspond, think out loud, agree, disagree, ask questions, etc.

So.. were you there?  Do you want to listen? (do so here)

In our postmodern world many people seek freedom from anxiety and peace of mind by trying to empty their minds.

Paul teaches that true peace can be ours ONLY when our minds are properly filled.

We are pointed to the store from which we can furnish our minds; and a minds properly furnished will leave little room for anxiety-producing, peace-disrupting and joy destroying thoughts.

So think on these things…

• Whatever is true
• Whatever is honorable
• Whatever is just
• Whatever is pure
• Whatever is lovely
• Whatever is commendable
• If it is excellent & worthy of praise.. go for it!

Paul’s command calls for a life of conscious negation.
Thinking as we ought to demands the discipline of refusal.

Oswald Chambers - “To think is an effort; to think RIGHTLY is a GREAT EFFORT; and to think AS A CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO THINK is the GREATEST EFFORT of a human soul.”

Thus..

May the mind of Christ my Savior
Live in me from day to day,
By His love and power controlling,
All I do and all I say.

All of us worry, but not many of us would categorize worry as a really BIG issue.  The truth: anxiety in a Christian represents a low view of God & a distrust in His providence & provision.  In the end it replaces faith & trust and takes God off of the throne of my life, placing myself there instead.  Jesus spoke to His disciples in Matthew six, stating that worry is the result of “little faith” (6:30).  Essentially He said, “You have a Heavenly Father!!! – and He cares.. and He knows.”  Therefore worry in a Christian is ALWAYS due ultimately to a lack of faith, or to little faith.

THE PEACE THAT IS THE CURE

What we need is peace.

Paul said.. “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hears and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:7)

Jesus promised His own.. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27)

THE PRAYER THAT IS THE PRESCRIPTION

The clear and obvious link between the anxiety of v6 and the peace of v7 is this…

Phil 4:6 ESV “do not be anxious about (anything), but in (everything) by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”

God is our Father, and our Father wants us to come to Him bringing our prayers, supplications, requests, and thankfulness.  He want us to be with Him and to rely upon Him, and He loves to give peace to those that do so.

Maybe you’ve been worrying way too much and praying way too little.  Maybe thankfulness has been lost in a sea of dissatisfaction and complaining.

Let’s get back to God, let’s cultivate an attitude of prayer and supplication with the things that weigh heavily upon us.  Let’s get back to trust and peace.

Paul had encouraged submission to one another & unity in 1:27;  Emphasized it again in 2:1-3; and Illustrated it in the person & work of Jesus in 2:5-11.

AGREE

Phil 4:2 ESV
I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.

Euodia & Syntyche were significant women & Christian women, but that did not keep them from disagreeing with each other.  Disagreeing is actually expected and OK, but being disagreeable is not & we need to strive to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.

HELP

Phil 4:3a ESV
Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women

CH Spurgeon – “There is an office, in the Church of Christ, which we do not sufficiently recognize; but which ought to be abundantly filled. Paul mentions it in writing to the Corinthians. He says, “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” It is the office of certain Christians to be “helps.” May we always have many such “helps” amongst us!”

REJOICE

Phil 4:4-5 ESV
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.

How could Paul be sorrowful YET always rejoicing?

I suggest that Paul allowed something far more Rock solid than his feelings or his circumstances dictate his joy..  It was TRUTH that dictated..

•    Our minds MUST inform our emotions
•    Our minds MUST challenge our wills

But when our circumstances (when our emotions) rule our minds, we have nowhere to go for joy & rejoicing!

- The order of things has been overturned by sin–
- So our wills (our actions) are so often ruled by our feelings
- And rejoicing is then ONLY possible when you are feeling good

Any thoughts about agreeing.. helping.. or rejoicing??

I’m all ears (eyes).

Following and being followed is life for all of us.  We have always looked to others for example and others have always looked to us for the same.

Paul writes, “Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us” (Phil 3:17 ESV)

It is soooooo good to have an example in Paul, and in others.  The gospel in flesh and blood terms.  I cannot begin to estimate the value of the men that have taught & modeled for me the life of a Christian.

I continue to learn from others and I am constantly challenged to be one that can say with Paul, “Brothers, join in imitating ME..”.

ENEMIES of the Cross

Paul then writes of enemies of the cross.

Phil 3:18-19 ESV For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things

The enemies of the cross have their own creed…
A. Appetite is god – their god is their belly

- “Belly” is self-gratification; living for “appetites”
- JB Philipps – “Their god is their own appetite”

B. Evil is good – and they glory in their shame

Isa 5:20 ESV
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness

C. Time “trumps” eternity – with minds set on earthly things

D.  Eternity is a tragedy – Their end is destruction

Rom 6:21 ESV But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death

CITIZENS of Heaven

Phil 3:20-21 ESV But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself

In contrast to enemies of the cross that live only for here, now & themselves.. we live for someone else Who is coming back to claim His citizens and set up a Kingdom that is forever.

This does NOT mean that we’ve checked out and are no longer living and loving life & people.

This DOES mean that we live life & love people properly, because we know that God has made us for Himself & for His glory & not our own.

John Newton is reported to have said, “I have to confess, with sorrow, that I am far from being what I ought to be, and far from what I wish to be, but also – blessed be God’s name! – that I am far, very far, from what I once was.”

And so we press on to another day.

This week we discovered Paul giving us one of those rare glimpses into his own personal & daily routine.  This is how Paul lived.. this is how he functioned.  He was going after something, or “someone” you could say.  That “someone” is Jesus Christ, the One that made Paul His own.  He went after Him with…

1. A CONFESSION – Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect
2. A PURSUIT – I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own
3. A GOAL – I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul then gives us two very practical steps to take in order that we might press on & run well:

• Forget what is behind (Not allowing past accomplishments or failures to remain in sight)
• Strain forward to what lies ahead (running with our mouths open)

Anybody want to fill in some of the details that stood out to them?
Any personal application you have made?
Any observations to bring out even more from the passage?
It’s all yours.

We looked at Palm Sunday from three angles:

1.  WORSHIP FILLED JESUS’ EARS

Luke 19:37-38 ESV As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives— the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Notice that they were worshipping Jesus on account of “all the mighty works that they had seen”.

This was one of the purposes of Jesus’ “mighty works”:

John 14:11 ESV Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves

I am reminded of what Jesus said about us, the ones that believe and worship Jesus even though we haven’t “seen” the works that they saw:

John 20:29 ESV Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Worship filled Jesus’ ears that day because He is worthy of all praise and worship!

2.  DETERMINATION WAS IN JESUS’ EYES

Luke 9:51 ESV When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

Wuest >  Now, it came to pass… that He himself set His face steadfastly to be proceeding to Jerusalem

Steadfastly  = to turn resolutely in a certain direction

Today’s English Version > Luke 9:51 “As the time drew near when Jesus would be taken up to heaven, he made up his mind and set out on his way to Jerusalem.”

So determined to do His Father’s will He entered Jerusalem with His eyes wide open to what awaited Him there.  What awaited Him was a mob, trials, beatings, scourging & a crucifixion where He would bear the full force of the wrath of God for sinners.

Kind of makes me rethink the will of God for my life and how determined I am to walk in it.

3.  SORROW FILLED JESUS’ HEART

Luke 19:41 ESV And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it

Wept – “the heaving of the chest and the sob and the cry
of a soul in agony” (G.C. Morgan)

When Jesus looked at Jerusalem He have every reason to weep!!!

• Looking back – He saw how the nation had wasted its opportunities and been ignorant of their “time of visitation”
• Looking within – He saw spiritual ignorance and blindness in the hearts of the people
• Looking around – Jesus saw lifeless activity that accomplished very little spiritually
• Looking ahead – He wept as He saw the unimaginable judgment that was coming to the nation, the city, and the temple

That’s Palm Sunday.  I’m looking forward to the rest of the story this weekend!

Luther’s practical suggestions for Master Peter:

1. Set aside time for prayer every day.

Because pressures frequently threaten to disrupt our prayer time, it is helpful to have a regular time or times scheduled.

2. Like Jesus, go apart to a quiet place where it would be easier to concentrate.

Luther told him: “Prayer is like your task as a barber.  The last thing I want you to do is to have your mind wandering when you’ve lathered up my face and you take out that blade and start shaving me.  I don’t want you to start wool-gathering and end up slitting my throat.”

3. Luther also recommended that Peter pray out loud.

There is something helpful about articulating communication to the Lord aloud.  Luther suggested emulating Jesus, who prayed out loud when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, even though He was by Himself.

4. Pray THROUGH the Lord’s Prayer.

There is an important difference between praying the Lord’s Prayer and praying through the Lord’s Prayer.  To pray through the Lord’s Prayer is to focus attention on each of the petitions for a time.  For example, instead of simply praying, “Hallowed be Your name”, I might say: “Lord, we live in an age where Your name is not only not revered or honored but it is used as profanity.  Bring such an awakening to Your glory that no one would think of dragging Your name through the mud or treating it as common or trivial.  Let it be on our lips and in our hearts as an expression of our adoration for You.  Give me grace to always respect Your sacred name in my heart and with my lips.” Then, of course, I go on to the next petitions of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your Kingdom come.  Your will be done..”  Again, I expand on this thought, making it personal.  Praying on through..

So.. there is a little practical advice to help each of us in the all important work of praying.

Any other thoughts or suggestions that have helped you in your prayer life?  I’d love to hear.

Timothy is best known as the man that Paul brought under his wing to be a learner, apprentice & replacement.  He was a young man that had genuine concern for others & proven worth.  Unlike many in Rome that called themselves Christians or even ministers, Timothy forsook his own interests in order to serve the interests of others.  The mind of Christ became the mind of Timothy.

Epaphroditus is much like Timothy in that he was a servant, but unlike Timothy he was not a pastor but a layman.  Paul called him brother, but he added to that fellow worker and soldier.  In other words he was everything you’d want in a brother in Christ.

• Brother speaks of a bond to be enjoyed
• worker speaks of a job to be done
• soldier speaks of a battle to be fought

As a fellow worker he rolled up his sleeves and jumped into the field
As a fellow soldier he put on the armor and jumped into the battle

I find in these two men an example to follow and a challenge to the integrity to my own life and service.

I discover myself at the same time filling up with gratitude that I know and serve with so many that match the description of brother, worker & soldier!!

A big thank you to all that serve and give so sacrificially at Crossroads Church!!  You’re a blessing to me and the many that call this church home.

To God be the glory!!!