Advent, Part 6

John 1:1-14 (NASB)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John’s gospel seems to be the most “quotable” of the four gospels - lots of propositional truths laid forth. Straight-up doctrine. John and Jesus explain it all. That’s why I once memorized these verses plus the next few as well. But I also think that John is a bit trickier to understand than the other gospels. I really have to put my thinking cap on to get what he’s saying.

Jesus is Word. Jesus is Creator. Jesus is Life. Jesus is Light. Jesus is God. Jesus is Flesh. Jesus is Glory. Jesus is Only-Begotten. Jesus is Grace. Jesus is Truth.

How can one person who lived for 33 years in a specific time and place be all these things? I think this is the mystery to which John is trying to draw our attention. This is the background through which his entire account should be seen.

For the believer, this ought to draw us into worship. Awe. Reverence. Spending time telling Jesus how amazing He is. Not because He needs to hear it, but because I do. I need a reminder that I’m not all that. Like daily. Like hourly. Like minutely. If I am practicing to redirect my thoughts towards Him moment by moment, I will be changed, and I will be living a more real life than I can ever imagine.

I should not worry about getting everything done today. I should instead ponder Christ’s omnipotence. I should not criticize my family member. I should instead think about Christ’s tender love for each hurting person he met. I should not think about how to get ahead for myself. I should instead think of Christ’s example in serving and putting himself last for the sake of others. Then the glorious riches of Christ will open before me, and I will be an heir with Him. Think of that!!

Advent, Part 5

Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV-UK)

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him. When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. In Bethlehem in Judea, they replied, for this is what the prophet has written:

'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'

Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him. After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

I read a verse this morning, which I think ties in.

Luke 7:23 (words of Jesus): And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.

Jesus said and did many things which, intentionally or not, revealed the condition of people’s hearts. Some people were humble and were willing to accept his compassion and conviction, and so loved him and were willing to follow him. These souls took no offense at Jesus. Many more rejected his conviction and compassion, wanting instead to stand on their own two feet and be right in- and of-themselves. Such people took great offense at Jesus.

Both kinds of people are present in this story, even though Jesus at this time is only an infant.

The Magi from the east, and Mary, and Joseph are all willing to accept Jesus.

King Herod, the people of Jerusalem, the chief priests, and the teachers of the law all took offense at Jesus. Those were all the people who were someone.

Am I humble enough to accept Jesus for Who He is? Am I willing to take no offense even when my human nature bristles at His conviction and even at His gentle mercies?

Advent, Part 4

Luke 2:1-16 (Contemporary English Version)

About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.

Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.

That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. But the angel said, "Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay."

Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:

"Praise God in heaven!

Peace on earth to everyone

who pleases God."

After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about." They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.

v. 9: All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord’s glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened.

These shepherds received a pretty spectacular message. And they acted on it. Immediately.

v. 15b-16a: Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about. They hurried off...

The shepherds:

1. were overwhelmed by the amazing message from God.
2. immediately went to Jesus
3. told other people about God’s message.

This would not have happened unless their hearts were already soft and turned heaven-ward, and if they were not simple and childlike in their faith toward God. Lord, I try to over-think things and am double-minded toward so many things. How can I develop a childlike trust toward the Lord?

v. 20: As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.

I want to make that my attitude, too, because I have heard and seen so much, really, every day, which brings glory to God.

And then the Scriptures mention two prophets:

Simeon. He was righteous, devout, and looking forward to the consolation of Israel. The Holy Spirit rested on him.

Anna. She was a prophetess who never left the Temple. She worshipped day and night. With prayer and fasting.

These are the characteristics of people who love God deeply.

Advent, Part 3

Luke 1:26-38 (Phillips)

Then, six months after Zacharias’ vision, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a Galilean town, Nazareth by name, to a young woman who was engaged to a man called Joseph. The girl’s name was Mary. The angel entered her room and said, “Greetings to you, Mary. O favoured one!—the Lord be with you!”

Mary was deeply perturbed at these words and wondered what such a greeting could possibly mean. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; God loves you dearly. You are going to be the mother of a son, and you will call him Jesus. He will be great and will be known as the Son of the most high. The Lord God will give him the throne of his forefather, David, and he will be king over the people of Jacob for ever. His reign shall never end.”

Then Mary spoke to the angel, “How can this be,” she said, “I am not married!”

But the angel made this reply to her—“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the most high will overshadow you. Your child will therefore be called holy—the Son of God. Your cousin Elisabeth has also conceived a son, old as she is. Indeed, this is the sixth month for her, a woman who was called barren. For no promise of God can fail to be fulfilled.”

“I belong to the Lord, body and soul,” replied Mary, “let it happen as you say.” And at this the angel left her.

(This is off-topic, but Mary was shocked that she could be a mother because she wasn’t married. That’s not an a protest I’m used to. I pretty much assume that unmarried people are in a position to become parents unless I hear otherwise, and that otherwise is always surprising!)

Mary doubted the angel’s promise at first. But the angel told her of another miraculous child given by God. Mary could go and check it out if her doubt lingered. This was proof, the angel said, that “no promise of God can fail to be fulfilled.” Hallelujah! What God has promised, he will do! In hunting the pages of Scripture, I continue to find that he has been trustworthy *so far.* The experience of so many over the years recording his trustworthiness imputes a future trustworthiness. He has accomplished so many rescues of all sorts when people have not seen a way through. Can we doubt that he will accomplish the Ultimate Rescue? That there will be a future with no more tears, no more death, no more sin?

Mary may not have seen the way through or believed that all the angel said could come to pass, but in faith, she told him, “I belong to the Lord, body and soul, let it happen as you say.” She was willing to accept whatever the Lord had for her. I am praying that I will also be willing to accept whatever the Lord has for me, whether it’s difficult or easy, big or little. I pray that my desires would line up with His.

Advent Part 2

Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; 11:1-9

The people that walked in darkness, have seen a great light: to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen.... For a CHILD IS BORN to us, and a son is given to us, and the government is upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, the Prince of Peace. His empire shall be multiplied, and there shall be no end of peace: he shall sit upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom; to establish it and strengthen it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth and for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

And there shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom, and of understanding, the spirit of counsel, and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge, and of godliness. And he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears. But he shall judge the poor with justice, and shall reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. And justice shall be the girdle of his loins: and faith the girdle of his reins. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb: and the leopard shall lie down with the kid: the calf and the lion, and the sheep shall abide together, and a little child shall lead them. The calf and the bear shall feed: their young ones shall rest together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp: and the weaned child shall thrust his hand into the den of the basilisk. They shall not hurt, nor shall they kill in all my holy mountain, for the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the covering waters of the sea.

God's chosen people were walking in darkness, living in the shadow of death, when Christ came to earth. Even though they had the Scriptures, their religious leaders and traditions had led them so astray that most of them did not recognize their Wonderful, their Counselor, their God the Mighty, the Father of the world to come, and the Prince of Peace. That is heartbreaking.

Today the Scriptures have gone out to nearly the whole earth. And yet so many of us who have this immeasurable privilege of reading and studying and searching them also do not recognize our God, clothed in humanity. We do not take advantage of the immeasurable opportunity to search God's word, and we are blinded by so many things of our own choosing, searching after wealth, health, and happiness in all the wrong places. I pray that I will not squander the treasures I've been given in the Word.

I love how Isaiah's prophecies weave together the Jesus who came to bring God' love to the world in his life and death in Palestine, and the Jesus who will come to bring God's peace, judgment, justice to the world again (soon, I hope!) It is the same Jesus.

This verse really stood out to me:

He shall not judge according to the sight of the eyes, nor reprove according to the hearing of the ears.

I frequently judge by externals, by the "obvious," but I do not look deeply enough to see people as precious creations of God or listen deeply enough to hear situations as a place where God's Holy Spirit is working to bring healing and truth.

I am amazed by the descriptions of the character of God: wise, understanding, of good counsel, possessing of fortitude, knowledge, godliness, just, and equitous. I pray that God will see fit to begin growing some of those characteristics in me.

I was struck by 11:3 in the Contemporary English Version:

His greatest joy will be to obey the LORD.

That must be the way to developing the character of Jesus!

What really warms my heart are the descriptions of the Recreation God has promised: “there shall be no end of peace,” with graphic descriptions of mortal enemies in the world as we know it living together. It also says: “for the earth is filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the covering waters of the sea.” I often long for that day, and I know that it will not arrive until Jesus visits us again.

*The first passages are from the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition

Advent Part 1

Genesis 3: 8-19, 22: 15-18

Our people fell. Long ago. By our disobedience we became afraid of God rather than enjoying his company. We live in fear and deceit. We chose a curse for ourselves: physical pain, relational problems, hunger, death, and decay. Yet, even at that time, God promised a human who would strike down our greatest enemy. I wonder if Adam and Eve knew that human would also be God himself???

Abraham did not keep back his own very special son when God asked him to give him up. The world has been blessed in uncountable ways by that act of obedience. But even more, God did not keep back his own very special Son at just the right time. And the world has been blessed in even more unimaginable ways by that Sacrifice and Gift!

With that Gift comes the promise that one day the beautiful paradise of Adam and Eve, which was marred by fear and deception, will be restored - no more pain, no more relational problems, fullness (more than just food - we’ll be filled with the Lord!), life, and growth. God kept his promise to Adam and Eve in a way so amazing they could not probably have imagined it. He is able to keep his promise of complete restoration - let’s be on the lookout for it!

Christmas is a celebration of a past event, but, like so many of the Psalms which meditate on God’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt, it’s a reminder that as God has acted in the past, he will act in the future. Christmas looks back to our fall and to God’s Gift in Jesus, but it also looks forward to God’s miraculous plans for the future. Let’s not grow weary in our faith, because the best is yet to come!

Philippians - In Review (Week 6)

The Big Take-Aways:

I need a big adjustment when it comes to my attitudes toward God and my attitudes toward others. Actually, I’m thinking most specifically about adjusting my attitude toward God. My attitude toward Him is where my attitudes toward others come from. The main thing is that I need to be thankful to God for all the wonderful things He is and that He has done *no*matter*the*present*circumstances*.

My week-long not-complaining experiment (based on 2:14-15) was challenging. I had to look at my experiences in a different light - more from God’s perspective (what little I can see of it from down here!) ...to see what God has done and is doing. And thank Him for that. It helped me see others with a more sympathetic view - looking at what might be difficult or unknown for them rather than just being annoyed they didn’t do things the way I *expected.* Paul expresses sympathy, not judgment, in this book (3:18). Paul has an attitude of joy, and this is the attitude I need to cultivate.

(Sidenote: there is still a question in my mind about what is the difference between “complaining” and “objective state of being” e.g. “My foot hurts.” Complaint? Valuable description? Don’t know. Context might determine the answer.)

The other conviction I have is that I need to pray more faithfully. With thanksgiving. For others. Paul is mentioning prayers and thanksgiving all over the place in this book. I am weak in prayer. There is a new week-long experiment going in which I am reorganizing a little thing in my life to put prayer time higher up on the list. I need a more vital connection with God.

Philippians - Chapter 4 (Week 5)

This chapter has been very much on my mind as I have been working on memorizing verses 4 through 9... Thoughts by translation.

NRSV

Lots about joy here: verses 1, 4, and 10. Joy is fruit of the Spirit. If I'm missing joy, I'm missing out on part of my walk with God.

v. 13: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

It's not a vending machine verse - "I can do whatever I want, because Jesus will help me." Nope. It's a summary of verses 11-12. Paul has learned the secret of living through hardship, riches, full-pantry, hunger... that secret is dependence on Christ!

v. 17: "Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that accumulates to your account." Wow. Giving blesses the giver maybe MORE than the recipient. I need to become more generous, not to receive the blessings, but there are side benefits. :-)

v. 19: "And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." Paul can tell them this, because he's experience it himself.

NLT

v. 1: "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord."

Therefore... because the Lord will return soon and transform our bodies into one like his, using the power he has to put everything under control (3: 20-21). And furthermore, it's only right, because HE's been faithful to us.

v. 4-9: "Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and your minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me - everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."

v. 13-14: "For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share will me in my present difficulty."

Two questions to self:

1)Have I shared with others in their present difficulty? hmm...

2)Have I allowed others to share with me in MY difficulty? yes.

Is there an imbalance here?

v. 19: "And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches..."

What ARE God's glorious riches? Well, he certainly owns all the wealth of the world - we are only stewards of it. But he has untold greater riches beyond this: all the powers of "magic" in the Universe and beyond are his. Do I EVER need to worry about anything with a God like this? I guess not!

The Message

"Stay on track, steady in God."

"God doesn't want his children holding grudges."

"Make it 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 at any minute!"

This version really brings it home to me - I'm often working from my own sense of irritation in others not conforming to me. But my job is to be on THEIR side. And furthermore, the whole point is that we have an urgent message. Jesus is coming. Soon. Jesus wants them to be on his side, too.

"It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

I'd like that to be a permanent feature of my life.

"Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity."

Imagine glory that big - bigger than the Universe. Bigger than all the time that every has been and ever will be. It's inconceivable! And yet this incomprehensible, magnificent, astounding God invites us to know him personally and has shown us the most tender and beautiful of love. If I thought about that more frequently I might be a little kinder to the people around me.

NIV

v. 6: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

What am I anxious about? ... When there is something I am to ask God about it - with thanksgiving! I have so much to be thankful for already, and sometimes I forget all the wonderful blessings he's given me in pursuit of that "one thing" which isn't mine. Note to self... God has been very good to me and answered so many prayers in unexpected and beautiful ways. We have a good God, and rather than grumbling and being anxious, I ought to every sing his praises!

v. 7: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

If I am talking to God about my worries rather than worrying about them, and I realize that He is near, and I am coming to God with an attitude of thankfulness, I will experience God's peace. God's peace will guard my heart. Does it mean my heart will never be broken? Probably not... But maybe it means I'll have my heart set on the right things. God's peace will also guard my mind. Does it mean I'll never be confused or wrong about something? Surely that's not it. But maybe it means that when I'm seeking God, my knowledge and thoughts will be headed toward truth - toward Christ.

Philippians - Chapter 3 (Week 4)

Well, this is a bit late. Again three translations...

NRSV

We aren't to be confident in what we have done or what we have (v. 3-4). We don't get to get circumcised to be saved - we are the circumcision, because God has made us that - He has set us apart as holy for His purposes.

v. 8: "For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ."

Luke 14:33 "Any of your who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."

Francois Fenelon: "They sacrifice themselves, but to what they love most. They suffer, but they want to suffer, and they prefer the suffering to every false joy."

FF: "Happy are they who give themselves to God! They are delivered from their passions, from the judgments of others, from their malice, from the tyranny of their sayings, from their cold and wretched mocking, from the misfortunes which the world distributes to wealth, from the unfaithfulness and inconstancy of friends, from the wiles and snares of the enemy, from our own weakness, from the misery and brevity of life, from the horrors of a profane death, from the cruel remorse attached to wicked pleasures, and in the end from the eternal condemnation of God."

FF: "Many people [...] only know what religion exacts without knowing what it offers, and they ignore the spirit of love which makes everything easy. They do not know that it leads to the highest perfection by a feeling of peace and love which sweetens all the struggle. Those who are wholly God's are always happy. They know by experience that the yoke of the Lord is 'easy and light,' that we find in him 'rest for the soul,' and that he comforts those who are weary and overburdened, as he himself has said."

v. 9: "...and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith."

Faith=trust. If I have faith in my husband, I trust him. If I have faith in my doctor, I trust she knows what she's talking about and that she has my best interest at heart...

"...and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes from actually trusting Christ to be trustworthy, the righteousness from God based on a relationship of trust." (RMB version :)

v. 11: "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like him in his death..."

1. I want to know Christ personally - to be related to him as a friend, a daughter, a sister, a pupil...
2. I want to know the power of his resurrection - to be resurrected myself when he returns, and to be made new daily by the power of his Spirit.
3. I want to share in his suffering as he did. I love him and want to experience everything just as he did - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
4. I want to become like him in his death - courageous, compassionate, obedient to the end. And his death was not his end - he was resurrected, and I too, want my death to be just a short interlude before my resurrection and participation at that Great Feast in the Kingdom.

v. 12: "I press on to make it [resurrection from the dead] my own, because Jesus Christ has made me his own."

v. 13: "...but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead..."

Paul is not living in the past - he's not wallowing in his past mistakes or resting on his laurels. He has a goal for the future, and he's laboring away right now to make that possible. The goal?...

v. 14: "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

We are not to remain the same when we meet Jesus but to draw ever closer to him, and to grow in our faith and trust.

v. 16: "Only hold fast to what we have attained."

Let's hang on to the progress we've made so far, not backsliding, so that we can venture ever further!

The Message

"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 ... Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life."

Can I say this? Do I rely on my credentials rather than valuing Christ above all? Do I take credit for my own successes, or do I thank God for all of his blessings and the opportunities I've been given? Am I willing to give up the sources of my pride for Christ?

"I didn't want some 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."

God want my obedience - and for my puny mind he's created rule lists. But those lists aren't exactly what it's about - he wants my character to become as true, as honorable, as just, as pure, as lovely, as gracious, as excellent, and as praiseworthy as Christ's. But as long as I'm clothed in this mortal body, my understanding is stunted (I need those lists!) and my obedience is faltering. God offers me Christ's beautiful righteousness instead!

"There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them."

And it's so easy for me to be caught up in that. I need to measure every offer against the standard of Christ.

"But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting for the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly 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."

It's sometimes easy to think that the people "out there" have all the fun, and "in here" we're all cloistered up and restricted. But we're not. Here are some words this passage uses to describe the life in Christ we're called to: far more, high heaven, glorious, beautiful, whole, everything as it should be. That's most definitely not boring or restrictive!

NLT

v.1: "Whatever happens my dear brothers, rejoice in the Lord."

Just like what he says again in 4:4: "Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say rejoice!" When I've been reciting memory verses on my morning walk and Phil. 4:4 comes up, I'm jolted to a sense of needing a big attitude adjustment. I need to be thankful and look at all God has given me and all he's protected me from, and think of what a wonderful Person he is and how much I want to be like him.

v. 3: "For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised."

What does it mean to "worship by the Spirit of God"? At the very least, I understand that the Spirit knows better how to pray than I do, and He makes intercession for me...

...Paul has quite the spiritual pedigree. Mine's not nearly so impressive, and looks kinda shabby next to some others' - like even my husband's. But even then I find *reason* to be self-righteous:

• I don't worship at one of those feelings-over-substance churches like _____.
• I know the truth about XYZ in the Bible unlike _____.
• I followed God's laws and did LMNOP unlike ______.
• I know much more about God's principles for health and follow a much better lifestyle and diet than ______.

But my righteousness doesn't come from any of this. All my righteousness is Christ's righteousness, and any of my righteous acts are merely what's rubbed off from Jesus. I can't claim credit!

v. 9: "I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ."

And there is an interesting paradox - the less I claim the law as my righteousness and accept God's instead, the more I am enabled to do what the law requires... by God's grace!

v. 18: "For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ."

Paul is not judgmental towards such people. He, instead, is brought to tears thinking of them. That is a real attitude of love - he want their best and is tender toward them.

v. 20: "And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as Savior."

Am I? This should be my greatest hope!

Philippians - Chapter 2 (Week 3)

I would like to apologize to any of you who were trying to leave comments. Abigail mentioned that it was not possible, and I can't figure out why not. So if any of you are good on blogger, maybe you could email me some tech help? My email is rmbridge AT hotmail DOT com

Or you could email me your comments and I could post them as a new entry!

This week I only got around to reading three translations. Thoughts again posted by translation...

NRSV

Verse 4 stood out : "Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others." Along with verses 5-8 : "Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross."

So the question is, what's my attitude? Not probably in line with this...

Luke 14:33 "Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."

Give up everything she has... that means my self-righteousness, my dreams, my comfort, my happiness, my free time, my aspirations, my health, my beauty rest... I have to be willing to forgo all these, even the very good ones in order to be His disciple. Lord, help me!

Verses 14-15: "Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world."

Do ALL THINGS without murmuring and arguing ... even practicing, taking out the garbage, washing dishes, scrubbing the toilets, keeping all our family stuff organized... THIS is what it takes to be blameless and innocent before God and the world.

...So I read this on Monday night. And Tuesday morning I got into a *discussion* with my husband (my fault - I started it) in which he mentioned again that I complain way too much about the things that need done and don't spend enough time doing them, so he goes and does them. Um, that's not good. So as of 10 am this past Tuesday there is a one-week experiment running in which I do not complain. At all.

This has brought up some interesting questions in my mind about what exactly is complaining and murmuring? I decided if I mention a problem as part of the search for a solution it is NOT complaining, but if I am mentioning a problem because I want pity or I want out of having to do it or I'm feeling whiny, then that IS complaining. What do you think? Am I on the right track?

Verse 21: "All of them are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ."

Is that what Paul would have to say about me? What can I do to change and seek His Kingdom first in ALL things?

The Message

"Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."

That even applies to my husband, our exchange student, my parents, or any of my college students, not just to random strangers...

"Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever..."

Lord, forgive my constant disobedience and sinfulness. What a quagmire!

"Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God."

I need to put forth effort to follow God - it won't just happen.

"Do everything readily and cheerfully - no bickering, no second-guessing allowed!"

So obviously my side of the *discussion* was not that.

"Carry the light-giving Message into the night..."

That sounds so adventurous and courageous!

NIV

Verse 1: "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion..."

Being UNITED with Christ should be an encouragement. His love should be a comfort; we should have fellowship with the Spirit. Union with Christ should produce tenderness and compassion. If these things aren't happening, my problem is lack of UNION with Christ.

Verse 2: "...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."

Seems like this doesn't mean that all believers need to agree on everything. But rather that we need to love each other as well as those who do not know God yet, and we all need to be working together on the same goal - spreading the Good News of the Kingdom and making disciples. There are so many different jobs involved in all of that; each person has plenty of room to exercise his or her talents.

(I'm no Bible scholar, so I can't say for certain, but it seems that verses 6-11 are a creed or hymn which Paul is quoting, which would then predate this letter. These might be some of the earliest writing in the NT.)

Verses 12-13: "...as you have always obeyed...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good pleasure."

Our salvation involved obedience. Our obedience is imperfect, but we know Christ's was/is perfect - his obedience will stand for ours. Figuring out and working out our salvation involves fear and trembling. Elsewhere we learn that we are to fear only God - so the working out of our salvation involves a right attitude toward God. God is at work, as well as we - our salvation must be a joint partnership between us and God. We are enabled to will and to act in a godly manner - even though our obedience isn't perfect, it seems important that the general trend of our desires and actions is more and more Christlike.

Verse 14: "Do everything without complaining and arguing."

There's that verse again...

Verse 15B-16: "...you shine like stars in the universe, as you hold out the word of life..."

I was struck by how at the time the letter was written people really did have to navigate their journeys by the stars. So by holding out the word of life - the Message about Jesus - we become the navigation system for the lost on their journey. If I am not holding out the word of life, I am not giving those around me an opportunity to find their way to the Great Destination - and we know from Jesus that the way there is narrow, and the path is hard.

Philippians - Chapter 1 - Week 2

First of all, thank you so much to those who prayed for my surgery. The surgeon removed a very large (presumably benign) tumor and three small organs it had destroyed. I already feel better, although I still have some recovering to do.

...So, I read chapter 1 four times in four different translations, so I'll share thoughts by translation.

New Revised Standard Version (my old stand-by)

v. 1 - Paul and Timothy call themselves *slaves* of Christ, and we know this is a role they willingly chose. I, too, want to be a slave of Christ, used by him for the Kingdom.

Prayers Paul prays for the Philippians:

1) That they'll receive grade and peace from God

2) He thanks God for them joyfully, because they *share* in the Gospel with him. (He's praying this one constantly.)

3) That their love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight, so that they can determine what is best, so that in the day of Christ they can be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

A prayer of the Philippians for Paul:

That he'll be released from his imprisonment

v. 29 - It is a priviledge to believe in Christ. And it is a priviledge to suffer for him. Does it seem like a priviledge to me? It is - so many people I know don't have the joy of this lifelong Friend who is always faithful, always good, always looking out for us - what peace of soul He brings! What big purposes He brings! What knowledge of sublime beauty and stunning perfection! Believing in Him - trusting in Him is a gift! Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift in Jesus Christ!

v. 14 - Most of the believers have been made confident in the Lord by Paul's imprisonment, and so they tell others the word of God fearlessly and with greater confidence. What mechanism is that??? May I become better united with the Body of Christ so that when another family member suffers for Christ, I gain boldness, too. I don't understand this at all, but I want to.

v. 20-26 - Paul's sufferings must be great - he would rather die. I've certainly had a few moments like that as well, particularly when I've been very sick and in pain. Yet Paul is totally in control in a way that I was not. He's reasoning out loud in this letter - he'd rather die, not so much to escape his sufferings, but rather, because he wanted to be with Christ in person. Is my desire and longing for Christ so great that I would trade all the many pleasures He provides in this life (and there are many - beautiful fall days, marriage to a wonderful man, my cats, great music, time with friends....) - would I trade all this for being in His presence? On this side it doesn't seem like it. This must be one of the reasons our God, full of light and joy, allows suffering. we need reminders that this world isn't the end-all, and that we have Someone wonderful to cling to!

New International Version

v. 3-6 - Paul is full of gratitude and joy, even for these people who have caused him headaches. Is this my go-to attitude? We'll leave that unanswered...

v. 7 Paul affirms that they share in God's grace with him. Despite his more advanced spiritual growth, they are all equal before God. Makes me think about the important distinction between observing someone as a role model and sinfully idolizing someone...

v. 9 - Paul prays that their *love* my abound into knowledge and depth of insight. Their love of God is the starting point. The intellectual stuff is an outgrowth of that.

v. 18 - Again Paul rejoices in a hard place - some are preaching Christ to make Paul's imprisonment more difficult. Yet he rejoices in their preaching, because Christ's fame is more valuable to him than his own comfort. Wow!

v. 20 - "I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death."

Paul contrasts being ashamed with having courage. What are some things I've been ashamed of? ...other people's actions which *might* reflect badly on me, showing up for something with the wrong attire, being "found out" by others... Paul is saying that his shame would be in not exalting Christ. It doesn't matter if it involves life or death, as long as Christ is exalted.

v. 25 Paul is hoping to stay around in a *crummy* life rather than departing for the Party of all Parties, because he wants to help the Philipians progress and find joy in their faith. He couldn't hope for that unless he had a great joy in his own faith!

New Living Translation

In this translation, the believers are referred to as "all of God's holy people [...] who belong to Christ Jesus." Holy means set apart. And set apart for a PURPOSE. To be holy is to have purpose.

v. 5 - "you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the first time you heard it"...

They wouldn't have been spreading that news if it hadn't tangibly changed their lives. I'm happy to spread news about early childhood music education, about the links between diet and disease, and about learning healthy psychological boundaries, because they have made a real difference in my daily life. And I thank God for those lessons! Have I been allowing the news about Jesus' life, death, and resurrection on my behalf to change my daily life enough to cause me to feel compelled to share it all around?

v. 11 - "the fruit of your salvation - the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ"

I pray that my salvation (it means "healing"!) will produce this fruit!

v. 26 - "And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me."

Paul is not taking any credit or glory for the work he's involved in - he knows it's all God's doing - a grace given to him. That grace, that work will cause the Philippians to be even more proud of Jesus (not Paul.) Am I ever proud of Jesus for his work? I need an attitude adjustment!

v. 27 - "you must live as citizens of heaven"

...Not just as a citizen of 2061-C Montreat Circle, or a citizen of Birmingham 1st Church, or a citizen of the Suzuki Teacher's Association... but a citizen of heaven!

The Message

"Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer."

"Live [...] a life Jesus would be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God."

"everything happening to me in this jail only serves to make Christ more accurately known, regardless of whether I live or die. They don't shut me up; they gave me a pulpit! Alive I am Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose."

"There's far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There's also suffering for him. And the suffering is as much a gift as the trusting."

Philippians - the whole book! - Week One

Who wrote it? It was written by both Paul and Timothy (1:1) -perhaps with Paul as the main author and Timothy as the scribe/editor (2:22). They describe themselves as “slaves of Christ Jesus.” (1:1)

When was it written? It was written during Paul’s imprisonment (1:12-14) in Rome (1:12, 4:22) before an *anticipated* return trip to visit these people (1:26) and after he’d spent time in Macedonia (4:15) and Thessalonica (4:16). With a little cross-referencing, we can probably even pin a date on this.

Who was the audience? It was a letter written to the saints in Christ who lived in Philippi, including the overseers and helpers/bishops and deacons, depending on your translation (1:1). These were people Paul (presumably as the lead author) loved very much (4:1), and he had visited them before (2:12) and labored among them (2:16). He is telling them some of the same things he’s told them before, either in person or in a previous letter (3:1).

Main themes of the book:

• Greetings and blessings (1:1-2, 4:21-23)
• Paul’s and the Philippian’s love in Christ for each other (1:3-11)
• Paul’s imprisonment has spread the Good News; the spread of the Good News is more important than any other consideration, both for him and for the Philippians (1:12-30).
• Instructions on becoming more Christ-like (2:1-18, 3:1A, 4:1, 4:4-9)
• News about Paul’s plans to send his assistant/s to Philippi (2:19-30)
• Our works and pedigree mean nothing. Christ is everything. (3:1B-21).
• Instructions on helping two women who have worked with Paul for the sake of the Good News (4:2-3)
• Discussion of the assistance the Philippians have given Paul and spiritual lessons from that (4:10-20)

What I think and hope I’ll get out of the study:

Paul’s boldness is astounding, fueled by his deep love for Christ. He loves Christ so much that he is willing to do and suffer anything for him, and he loves those Christ loves (everyone else!) so much, that he is willing to go through anything for them to learn about Christ. What a wonderful view of God’s character Paul must have had!

Paul reports many of the prayers he has been praying, and I hope that I can learn from this and become more dedicated in prayer - an area where I need to grow.

A verse I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This seems to be the experience Paul is reporting in his letter to the Philippians. Paul is so enraptured in the Lord, that Paul’s desires have become one and the same with the Lord’s desires - to see the lost saved and the saved grown more Christ-like.

I hope during the course of this study to learn more about God and his excellent character and fall more in love with him so that I, too, can be recklessly bold in loving God and loving people. Matthew 22:37-40 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And a second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

...And on another topic, please pray for me because I'm having surgery on Monday.