Thoughts From Philippians 2 - Part 4

  I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. 23 I hope, therefore, to send him as soon as I see how things go with me. 24 And I am confident in the Lord that I myself will come soon. Phil. 2:19-24

          Paul met Timothy at the beginning of his second mission trip prior to the famous Paul and Silas imprisonment and earthquake in Phillipi, the church that he is several years later writing to while being imprisoned again. Paul saw in Timothy a worthy apprentice who was like a son to him, that he trusted to lead churches and be his voice for the gospel to encourage and teach the believers in cities he had passed through. When the great commission commanded going into all the world and make disciples, not just believers, Timothy was the "discpler". Sure, when Paul was able, he spent a good deal of time in cities discipling. I think it was Ephesus where he even set up a school and stayed several years. But quite often, like in Phillipi, he left fairly soon and was unable to teach. Remember, he couldn't just leave them with a Bible, they didn't have those yet.

        What made Timothy so special? First of all, he served. He didn't desire the spotlight but let Paul do the preaching. Just the fact that Paul and Silas were arrested and not him in Phillipi in Acts 16 implies that he was in the background serving and even in Paul's letters to him, Paul encourages Timothy to not be timid. Beware of teenage preachers. I've never seen any "pan out". They can't handle the spotlight and kudos to Timothy for not wanting it.

       Second, he had Godly upbringing. He was steeped in the Word from childhood and well grounded. I'm worn out watching 11 grandchildren. Everyone always says, "Grandchildren are great. You play with them, spoil them, then send them home." My wife didn't get that memo - she wants to keep them! The good thing about that is that we get to Biblically disciple them. Just this week my second son was named campus pastor and baptized Yul's two kids. (Yul won Survivor- Cook Islands) My third son led devotions at his kids' Christian school playing guitar and sharing a message that when he recounted it with me, incorporated passages from throughout the Bible and was great! What a blessing! I give my wife 70% of the credit, maybe 65%. haha

       Lastly, an overlooked passage in scripture that we should all memorize, " For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ." Phil. 2:21 What a telling verse! Paul doesn't qualify it and say, "I'm just talking about unbelievers here." No, he has seen enough believers by now and says, unlike Timothy, everyone still puts themselves as number one priority, it's our default mode. We have to work on that! This is what set Timothy apart - somehow he had managed to succeed in the area that Paul mentioned earlier in the chapter, "Consider others as more important than yourselves." I haven't succeeded at that, have you?

        Let's be Timothys. Let's raise Timothys.

Thoughts From Philippians 2 - Part 3

 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. Phil. 2:12-18

         I remember when John Piper ruffled some feathers when he criticized the popular worship song "What a Beautiful Name" because of the line, "You didn't want Heaven without us". He said that it was man centered theology suggesting that God was incomplete or needed humanity. Personally, I love that song and don't think it implies that at all, but I do agree with him that we do misunderstand the grand scope of things in modern day Christianity and specifically in evangelism and sharing the gospel. When we share the gospel, the emphasis is on reconciling a broken relationship with God caused by sin and remedied by the cross of Jesus appropriated to us by faith. I usually end with we get to go to Heaven, but I miss the whole plan for us on Earth. Why doesn't God whisk us away right after salvation? This passage focuses on our brief time here and what we are to do once we are saved.

       Before we even get to that, we have to examine our motivation and attitudes. Are we complaining and arguing? "Do I have to go to that?" "Why can't we just stay home and relax?" "They have enough helpers, they don't need me." Or we go, and so and so isn't there and we are disgusted with them. Paul says that it is God who works in you to will to act and enable action. If you are grumbling and complaining, you have to check your love for God and your yielding to the Spirit inside you.

       So what is His good purpose for us? That we might become blameless and pure Children of His that shine in a dark world. Do you stick out? When you enter a room of non-believers, do you bring Christ into it or leave Him outside. Occasionally I run into people, and I can see in their eyes or countenance that they are Children of God. There is a resident in Memphis I knew immediately when I met her that she is a Christian. There is a new graduate student that I met that I will ask next time. Don't be afraid to ask people. If you're wrong, at least you have started a faith conversation. And don't get discouraged that the world is getting so evil. It will only magnify your brightness!

      I want to glow, don't you? Moses glowed from spending time in God's presence so much so that he had to wear a veil around people. May that be us!

Thoughts From Philippians 2 - Part 2

 Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
    and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father  Phil. 2:6-11

          I've been visited by Jehovah Witnesses before, There were 3 of them the last time, two younger apprentices and one older who was there for support and to defend for the faith. She was obviously more trained. On a side note, just saw Michael and at one point his mom encourages him with a line about Jehovah. Anyway, their argument is that Jesus isn't God and to treat him as such, i.e. worship, pray to, etc. is offensive to Jehovah who is the one true God. In other words to pray in the name of Jesus. They also don't believe in hell, so it eventually ended with, "If I'm wrong, I will cease to exist. If you are wrong, you will spend eternity in hell. You better be sure you're right." They never came back.

           Paul says in these verses, and it's probably a creed that the early church quoted because of the way it's written, the following about Jesus;

   1. "Christ" isn't Jesus first name. He's called "Christ" because He was the Messiah

   2. His very nature was God and by right had equality that He chose not to grasp

   3. God exalted Him above all others

   4. Every knee in Heaven and Earth shall bow to Him (so much for not worshipping Him)

   5. This worship doesn't bother Jehovah but pleases Him and gives Him glory

           Every cult and false religion has a wrong view of Jesus often because they refuse to acknowledge the trinity because it doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense to me either because my mind is limited. I'm glad that the God I worship is bigger than my comprehension. The Bible teaches it, so either I can choose to reinterpret the Bible to say what it doesn't to satisfy my understanding, or I can choose to submit to its authority and say someday I will understand it when God expands my brain.

       Jesus is God! I worship Him because He saved me. What about you?

Thoughts From Philippians 2 - Part 1

Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus Phil.2:1-5

        I've visited a few churches lately that aren't my home church while visiting grandchildren and working out of town. My conclusion - I wouldn't attend any of them, well, maybe one. But they all come highly recommended by my kids and residents. What do they see in them that I don't? The preaching was mediocre, the worship was unspectacular, and you know what, when they visit my church, they probably think the same thing. What is it about our churches that cause us to defend them as vigorously as our favorite singer or pizza? I'm convinced it is the body or the real meaning of "church". I love meeting with my small group who has borne my burdens and vice-versa. I root for my pastor who is a dear friend and I know would do anything for me and works like a dog for our body despite detractors. I worship along with my worship leader who I've known since high school and seen the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in his life. When I visit churches, I don't get any of that.

          Paul is telling us this same thing in Chapter 2 that the Christian life wasn't meant to be lived as a visitor to a church. It's meant to be lived like a person with a new family. Paul says that being united with fellow believers causes encouragement to happen. Who doesn't need to be encouraged? In context, in the previous chapter, not only does Paul mention his imprisonment, but he talks about the church being persecuted. Are you depressed or discouraged? The best thing you can do is find a small group or Bible study meeting, even today, and go. There, he says you will find comfort, compassion, sharing of your burdens, joy, tenderness and love because ideally Christians are treating one another as more important than themselves following the humble example of Christ through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

        Are you just attending a church, or do you belong to a church? This is why churches stress becoming members even though membership is not mentioned in the Bible. Membership stresses belonging, which is what it means to be "the church". If you are just attending, chances are you will be disappointed and keep church (s)hopping. If you are jumping in with both feet, you will be wearing a shirt that says, "I Love My Church."

Thoughts From Philippians 1 - Part 5

  I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel  Phil. 1:25-27

                 Well, it happened again this week. While I'm semiretired working 400 miles from home 9 consecutive nights a month, I've gotten two desperate texts from my wife - one was a picture of a dead mouse caught in a trap that she would now need to dispose of and today the grandkids are visiting and the pool heater isn't working! Last time, she had a flashing engine light which required immediate attention and I had to call a mechanic and rental car company within an hour of closing and arrange that. Fortunately, I was home last month when her battery went dead and a pipe that froze during the winter burst soaking the floor, but the month before when I wasn't there, she got a flat tire. I know - first world problems, right?

            It makes me reassess why at 70 and financially secure I'm still working. When I ponder that, the only good answer is that this is my mission field. God has sent me to show Christ and share the gospel to 35 residents and 10 attendings and rotating medical students and 30 labor and delivery nurses and aides at the University teaching hospital. I've got to be about that mission otherwise the stress my wife endures (believe me, she'd be stressed even if I was home but less) and the disruption of normal life is not worth it.

       Paul, who has had a very difficult life since salvation, knew why he was doing what he was doing. First, it was so that those who were believers would make progress in their faith. I think of two residents who have fallen in love and now one is leading Bible studies at the local Christian Medical Society chapter, and they go to church together whenever they are off. I think of an attending who is taking her family to Indonesia to be a missionary doctor who I will be financially supporting. I think of one resident whose husband is a youth pastor at a local church. I'm seeing them all progressing in their faith and maybe my presence has played a small part. Secondly, like Paul, maybe I'm encouraging them to be joyful in a difficult four years that would want to steal their joy. Thirdly, like Paul, maybe they are being more vocal about their faith because of me. Fourthly, like Paul, maybe their lifestyle is becoming more exemplary of Christ because of my example. And lastly, like Paul, maybe they are bonding as believers together in the program finding strength and encouragement because of my boldness. To take credit for any of this may be reaching, but I can only hope that my presence has been a fan on the flame.

        But this is just the few believers I have found - most are unbelievers. Don't get me wrong, they are awesome people, some of whom I connect with better than believers. I enjoy them all. But my goal isn't to get them to like me and make them better doctors and then 50 years from now enter an eternity separated from God or live the next 50 years in an empty, hopeless, self-centered existence not experiencing the abundant life they can have on Earth found in surrender to Christ. The reason I am here is to introduce them to Christ. This is why I drive 6 hours each way, stay in a motel, am bored to tears some days and subject my wife to taking care of "disasters" on her own. I must say, my first 7 days here this month haven't been too fruitful, but I have 2 days left. I pray that Christ will be glorified in me today and tomorrow!

Thoughts From Philippians 1 - Part 4

  for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 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. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain ...without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Phil. 1:19-25,28-30

       A lot of people go on Holy Land tours and maybe someday we will, too. To be baptized in the Jordan like Jesus, to boat on the Sea of Galilee like the disciples, to sit where Jesus fed the 5000 and where He preached the sermon on the mount, to view Golgotha or even to venture into Greece and trace Paul's travels are moving experiences, or so they say. I've got an idea that's cheaper and safer, however. I get the opportunity to hold in my hands on a daily basis, the same words that Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Richard Wurmbrand, Corrie ten Boom, John Bunyan, and Martin Luther held in their hands - the Bible.

     What do these names have in common - they were, like Paul writing to Phillippi, in prison for their faith. Like the 23 South Korean missionaries held hostage in 2007 by the Taliban, 2 of which were executed, or Mehran Shamloui sentenced 10 years in 2025 for house churching, Narges Nasri 16 years in 2025 for Christian activities, Abbas Soori 15 years in 2025 for house churching, Zahra Gholami and Hossein Mohammedi 2 years for "Christian activities", and Hakop Gochumyan 10 years in 2024 for deviant proselytizing, I picture them reading the same words I held in my hands today, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Like Paul, they would be praying that they wouldn't be put to shame but would stand strong in the face of torture, death, suffering, starvation, loneliness and not back down. Even John the Baptist had doubts in the face of this so how could "lesser men" hope to stand strong? That's probably what those prisoners are now praying.

        These same words that I hold in my hands would encourage them that this life is a vapor and soon Heaven awaits so even if they die, that's actually better than life on Earth so it is win win for Christians. And this is not to mention the everyday Christians who are undergoing radiation, chemotherapy, colostomies for cancer or fatal diseases. You don't have to be in prison to find comfort from the same words that in our day comforted Nabeel Quershi and Tim Keller as they changed locations due to cancer.

      So maybe I'll walk the same ground that Jesus walked on in Israel, but for now I'm more than content to read the same words that the saints who have gone on before me have read.

Thoughts From Philippians 1 - Part 3

 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Phil. 1:12-18

         We play a game in the pool called categories. One person is "it" and they are on one side of the pool alone. They say, "The category is favorite ... and they say food, or breakfast cereal, or movie, or cartoon, or restaurant, singer, etc. Because my grandchildren are Generation Alpha, they ask things like favorite YouTuber which I have one answer to and it is Mike Winger. (They never guess it so I usually have to change to Mr. Beast) Mike Winger hosts Thinking Biblically and he does a lot of apologetics and preaches through complete books of the Bible. He also does off the cuff answers to questions about the Bible live on Fridays. Lately he has taken a break from a lot of his teaching and been exposing the cover up culture in the church, specifically in the charismatic churches. There are sexual predators and grooming behaviors, there is greed, there are people researching data on attendees so they can pretend to have supernatural knowledge about that person, there are lies such as, "I've fasted for 40 days" and they haven't, just about anything you can imagine and it's a disgrace to Christianity.

       Paul, too, had teachers in his day that as they say on The Bachelorette (so I don't use the same illustration two days in a row) are in it for the wrong reasons. These teachers were in it for selfish ambition, jealousy or dislike of Paul or a host of other reasons, but Paul was more concerned with what are they teaching? If they were teaching the correct gospel, it's like, "I don't care why you are doing it, I'm just glad the gospel is going out there." Paul figured that God would discipline them for their sin but in the meantime more people need to hear.

       So is Mike Winger wrong in going after fallen teachers rather than false teachers? (I asked him that today on Twitter but don't imagine he will ever even see it) Just to make it clear, he definitely goes after those who are teaching a false gospel, no doubt. But what about fallen teachers who should be disqualified to preach because of their sinful lives but yet are preaching the true gospel? It's hard to say. For one thing times are different. Today, the gospel has gone out to the world but in Paul's day it hadn't and that was of primary importance to him. Secondly, I sometimes boo at baseball games. My wife hits me and says I'm being mean to the players who are trying their hardest (some don't but that's beside the point). My response to her is that I never boo the players, I boo the coach for playing them. Maybe that's what Mike is doing. He is "Booing" the authorities over these fallen teachers for not taking them out of the game.

      A takeaway is if you were saved at a service where Robert Morris, Tony Evans, Carl Lentz, Bill Hybels, Ravi Zacharias, Perry Noble, Johnny Hunt or others - you still are saved. The truth of the gospel went out, and you received it despite the tainted messenger. If you love a worship song written by a fallen Christian artist, I say if it is truthful enjoy it. Of course, every time you stream it the artist gets paid so there's that.

       Let's focus on us. Are our motives pure? Is our lifestyle reflecting Christ? Are we vocalizing the gospel to everyone where God has located us? Then good job! Keep it up!