Thoughts From Philippians 4 - Part 5

 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Phil. 4:10-13

        There are two very popular yet greatly misunderstood verses in Philippians chapter four. The first is the "eye-black" verses, thirteen. This is the "eye-black verse" because athletes, specifically football players, wear it on a black adhesive under their eyes. 

To them it means I can throw a touchdown pass or make an elusive run or make a game saving tackle through the power of Christ in my life. I can accomplish the impossible trusting in God's strength. While I love the sentiment and the fact that these guys are sharing God's word in public, it is grossly taken out of context. The key to understanding the verse is found in the highlighted word "this" in verse 13 although in fairness to Tim Tebow, "this" isn't found in the King James Version.

         What does "this" refer to? It refers to being content whether you have much or in abundance, or whether you have little like barely getting by. I suppose that a football player would be technically correct in wearing it if he is saying, "whether I win or lose, fumble or succeed, I will be content because I have Jesus. If that's what they mean by wearing it, good on them! Paul, when he was riding high as a prominent Pharisee probably had a nice house, a wife, ate at the finest establishments, had a closet full of tunics and went to the high-class bath houses. He had made it in the worlds' eyes. Then he got saved and was ostracized, in fear of his life, imprisoned, and dependent on the generosity of others and the supernatural provision by God for his next meal. Unlike us, Paul was just as happy with either, because he realized that the only thing that matters is having Christ.

          When should we wear the eye black? When we are staying at a motel 6 instead of an all-inclusive to better steward God's money. When we use our vacation time and discretionary funds to go on a mission trip instead of a cruise. When we quit a lucrative job to follow God's leading in a calling that doesn't pay well. When you choose to quit your job to raise children and have to go on a strict budget. Go ahead, put on the eye black and wear it proudly, but only if you can truly say that you are content. If you are jealously longing for the luxuries of life, then you haven't learned the secret of Jesus is better like Paul did.

       Comparison kills contentment. I don't know who coined that phrase, but nothing could be truer. Paul didn't have social media where at your fingertips are images of people enjoying all the things that you don't have. Maybe you need to go off social media. Or maybe you need to fall in love with Jesus so much that you can say, "As the deer pants for water, so my soul longs for You." Then like Paul you can say "I can do all this through Christ who strengthens me."

Thoughts From Philippians 4 - Part 4

 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Phil. 4:6-9

         Should Christians experience anxiety? Yes. Should Christians suffer from anxiety? No. Let me dig myself out of this hole which you may totally disagree with - and that's Ok. The Bible is inerrant - I'm not.

        Anxiety is rampant today. We just bought a bestselling book on screen time and over- protective parenting causing anxiety and limiting screen time and encouraging free play outside. Kids, because of social media are continually asking themselves, "Am I enough?" as they see photoshopped images with millions of views and likes while their posts get 12 views. I have to laugh that whenever our 13-year-old granddaughter is asked to take a picture, she has to turn the screen to face the other direction. They see parties where they weren't invited and wonder what's wrong with me and were they talking about me? Even without social media unexplainable fear or dread hits us all. I don't have much experience with this, but I was once singled out in medical school to review a slide during Pathology class in front of the whole class of 150 that was projected on a screen from a microscope. I felt like the dog in this far side cartoon except my caption would have been "I don't see a darn thing"

 Several days later I developed itchy plaques on my elbows and when I showed a doctor he said, "That's from anxiety." Wow, just that slight 5-minute experience of the fear of failure and being outed as not as smart as everyone else, triggered an illness on my body.

       I had a professor in college who quoted this verse and said anxiety is a sin, so the next point I just suggest on the chance that he was right. I think Jesus experienced anxiety in Gethsemane as he thought of his upcoming day as demonstrated by his sweat drops of blood and anguishing prayers to "take this cup from me." If Jesus experienced anxiety, it's safe to say that we all will. The point I made earlier is that, like with temptation we are all tempted, so with anxiety we will all be anxious, yet it can stop there - it doesn't need to go further. We don't need to suffer from anxiety. There are a lot of medications out there for anxiety which I prescribe, but if you are having to take these, I think you have to ask why. Paul gives a word in the middle of this, which I highlighted, thanksgiving, that may be the remedy. Forrest Frank, that profound theologian, writes;

Lord, I'm just grateful that I got to wake up today
You take my worries and hurries and fade 'em to grey
You have good plans for me, that's what You say
That's how I know everything is gonna be Okay!
I woke up late, and the house is a wreck
Couple bills on the counter, I don't wanna check
The car needs gas and an oil change
I guess I'll get around to that next
'Cause my son's doin' front-flips on the floor
And I'm supposed to be a silly dinosaur
Somewhere in the mess, I look to You
And a new song starts to break through
Lord, I'm just grateful that I got to wake up today
You take my worries and hurriеs and fade 'em to grey
You havе good plans for me, that's what You say
That's how I know everything is gonna be Okay!

In the midst of our anxiety can we think about the pure, true, wholesome, lovely promises of God and the good plans and future He not only has for us but is currently accomplishing through us, and just mentally remove ourselves from the temporary stressors that we are experiencing? Even Jesus did that. Hebrews 12 says, "For the Joy set before Him He endured the cross..." Paul recently mentioned the book of life. As we fear upcoming situations can we turn our eyes with thankfulness that our names are recorded there so what trivial thing down here could overshadow that? This thankful spirit is the barrier to anxiety getting a grip. Focus on the unseen, not the seen!

Thoughts From Philippians 4 - Part 3

  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near Phil. 4:5

     " Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving..." These are two of the verses I learned as a kid and two of the most famous verses in the Bible, Phil. 4:4,6. Poor verse 5. He's like the middle child od Bible verses. Why didn't we memorize that? It's short enough. If your parents are bribing you to memorize verses, it's a gimme.

     As a male, I'm not sure I wanted to be known as gentle growing up. It's like all the girls writing in my yearbook what a nice guy I was. I wanted to be known for something a little more desirable - more masculine. If you were picking a basketball team, would you pick the fighter or the gentle guy? Now, at this age, I don't mind being considered gentle. The other day I was at a sandwich shop where they give free suckers, like Sugar Daddys or as I call them, crown removers, and a little kid was upset sitting at a table near me that he didn't get one. I reached over and handed him mine and he literally ran away. I guess the old saying, "Don't take candy from strangers" is still in play. What I wanted to tell him was that I was the most harmless person he would ever meet. Harmless - that's something you don't want written in your yearbook.

     Gentle people don't usually star in movies. They don't get the girl in Rom Coms. It's not a trait we value at all yet Paul says that considering God is watching you and He's coming back soon, let Him see you being gentle. That means that I might be the supporting actor in people's biography. That means that I might be the one who is going around putting people back together. It suggests that we are living not for ourselves and our rights and feelings but rather concerned with others more than ourselves - which is what love is, what the great commandment is. Remember that meekness means yieldedness which doesn't mean weakness. Weakness is definitely an undesirable trait, and we aren't commanded to be weak. Meekness means we have the power and right to be in control, to be about ourselves, to take charge, yet we yield it willingly to serve others. That's what Paul is getting at here.

      God is watching you - what is he seeing? Gentleness or assertiveness. Self-centeredness or love? People are watching you - what are they seeing. Gentleness or abrasiveness. Self- centeredness or someone that they can take their problems to? Be known for your gentleness!

Thoughts From Philippians 4 - Part 2

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Phil. 4:4

       In America right now, there isn't a lot to rejoice in. Gas prices are at an all-time high, we're involved in a war that it seems very few people wanted with no clear path to accomplishing the goal of giving Iranian citizens a better life, Mid-terms are coming with mud-slinging starting, baseball is set for a strike, talks about relocating a whole city of New Orleans, a rocket blowing up, AI taking over jobs and its threat to humanity, grocery prices up, threats of Ebola and the list goes on. But the World Cup is coming! Although this means very little to the average U.S. citizen, have you ever seen the excitement in the stands and anywhere where a TV is located in other countries? There is an annoying background humming on TV during the games which I'm told is caused from people blowing some horns all game. They are so excited that they have to expel energy some way. Have you heard how the announcers scream GGGGGGGOOOOOOAAAAALLLL when a team scores? It lasts like 20 seconds. I guess when there is one goal a game it's pretty exciting when it happens. Fans paint their faces wear team colors, work takes a back seat, and all people can talk about is soccer or football as non-Americans call it.

      Here's my point. In the midst of all the bad stuff going on, somehow people mentally remove themselves from that world into the world of soccer and live lives of rejoicing. This happens for a few weeks every four years. As Christians, is it possible to mentally remove ourselves from all the negativity going on around us and focus on the victory we've achieved in Christ? We have defeated death and overcome the world through our union with Christ. Our victor will be returning any time and passing out crowns. We are going to live forever in Heaven as sons of the King and yet we go around moping. We should be blowing those horns, I think they are called vuvuzelas, all day long. I think I will order one on Amazon.

 We should be painting our faces and wearing Team Jesus T-shirts. Have you seen the athletes wearing "Jesus Won" t-shirts? They get it! 

      We have so much to rejoice about! Christians should be known for rejoicing. Blow those vuvuzelas!

Thoughts From Philippians 4 - Part 1

  Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life. Phil. 4:1-3

         In the previous passage Paul was telling us how to keep from being defeated and giving in to the mindset of the Kingdom of Earth which glorifies power, wealth, image, influence, and indulging fleshly appetites, and his answer was to keep looking up - to focus on Heaven - to keep our eyes on the prize. Isn't that the crux of faith anyway? When you look at the faith chapter, Hebrews 11, there are six illustrations of that;

1. they accepted the confiscation of their property because they knew they had better and lasting possessions 10:34

2. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob lived in tents because they were looking forward to a city built by God. 11:9,10

3. They lived like aliens because they were longing for a heavenly country 11:15

4. Moses left the treasures of Egypt, disgraced, because he was looking for a reward 11:26

5. Saints were tortured so they could receive a better resurrection 11:35

6. Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. 12:2

So in other words, to escape the world from getting inside us, our faith must increase which is relying on and trusting in the unseen.

       Paul gives two examples of this in this passage. First, he calls the church his crown. A crown is something we receive as a prize or reward, or a symbol of status that usually has great value on the Earth. Paul is using the term symbolically because his prize will be when he gets to Heaven and sees them there as a result of his faithfulness. God might even award him a crown in Heaven for his faithfulness and obedience. Paul eschews wealth, status, rewards on Earth for rewards in Heaven. Can the same be said of us or are we seeking recognition here on Earth more so than Heaven?

      Secondly, he refers to names of believers written in the Book of Life. When it is all said and done, does it matter if our names are written on a list of who's who down here or will it matter for all eternity that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life? If I ever get awards or recognition may it end by me saying, "I appreciate the recognition but even if I wasn't recognized in this way, I'm grateful that my name is written in the Book of Life and I have crowns waiting for me in Heaven and that's all I'll ever need."

Thoughts From Philippians 3 - Part 4

  For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil. 3:18-21

           I do spend a lot of time on Twitter or X I must confess. Instagram and Facebook get little time and I've never downloaded TikTok. We just took a trip with our 13 year old niece to California and she said, "Isn't Facebook for old people?" I fear for her development and my other 10 grandchildren as they grow up in this cell phone era. The stuff I see on X makes me cringe. I like X because it keeps me up to date on my baseball team, the news (have to fact check everything though), Christian leaders and edifying posts, Christian music, Pokemon Go events and more. But other things pop up like young adult influencers who break records of how many people you can have sex with in a day, masturbating live on Only Fans, drunken parties, showing off perfect bodies, and podcasts discussing every lewd behavior imaginable with millions of views. Just saw that Chelsea Handler sleeps with multiple men and if anyone wants to get serious, they are gone. Cherlize Theron says it's a turn off if guys say "You want to make love?" She says just say, "You want to have sex?" Clavicular says that his signature move is to approach women with an erection. It's shameful for me to even repeat this stuff!

       Paul would describe these posts as "taking glory in their shame". In other words, the things that they should be ashamed of is what they are posting and actually getting famous for. He talks about this in his letter to the Romans as he is talking about the downward spiral of sin when he says,

 "Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

       He says that they approve of, or in modern day vernacular "give likes to" or "follow" people who take glory in what should be shameful. Was Paul prophesying about today? No, things have always been this bad, in fact God flooded the earth and started over because 4000 years ago it was worse. Never before, however, has debauchery been at our fingertips 24/7 before. Our poor kids and grandkids. As Allison Eide sings, "Sorry if you're growing up and you're 15 and living in the 21st century..."

      How can we not succumb? My dad would say, "Keep looking up!" Set our eyes and affections on the return of the Lord and as the saying goes, "Make Heaven crowded" Spend more time in the Word and talking to God than we do scrolling or texting. Spend more money on expanding the kingdom than our waste lines and then spending money on Ozempic to reduce them. As the song goes,

       "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face;

         And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

         In the light of His glory and grace."    Post that!

Thoughts From Philippians 3 - Part 3

 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. Phil. 3:15-17

       I was recently watching an episode of Dutton Ranch, a spinoff of Yellowstone, where the son gets in trouble for beating up someone while defending someone else and when he's confronted by his dad he tells his dad, "That's what you do". His dad answers, "How many times have I told you to do as I say, not as I do?" I'm sure you've heard the warnings in church, "Keep your eyes focused on Christ not other Christians. Christians will always let you down." Paul is giving different advice here. Paul is telling them to follow his example and others who live like Paul, Timothy, and Epaphroditus do.

      Is there anyone you know who you feel safe in following their example? Could people follow your life and be safe? As a parent I can't say do as I say, not as I do, because kids won't listen to that or respect it. They think if you do it, why shouldn't they? Behavior is like entropy, it always goes toward disorder rather than order. It always goes toward how bad can I be, not how good can I be - that's the sin nature. We need to model righteous behavior and have people see the good that comes from it.

       Paul adds that we don't model and do good deeds to get to God, but rather we live up to what we have already attained. In other words, because Christ washed away your sins and regenerated you, or made you a new person, you have the Holy Spirit living inside you and God sees you as good or righteous. You don't have to attain "goodness", you are already "good". Now just live it, don't live a lie.

      There are so many hypocrites out there that it's hard to know who to model your life after besides Christ. I think that's why the warnings to follow Christ not Christians. My question to you is are you going to be the kind of Christian that people could safely follow or are you going to be a broken down one? Be the one!