Tag: Philippians

Woman sitting cross-legged on a blanket meditating on a mountain overlooking a valley at sunrise

Morning Musing: Philippians 4:6-7

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“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Our world is awash in anxiety. It’s popular in many places to have a therapist or counselor these days which is a good thing, but the very fact that so many feel like they need that help is an indication of the problem. The truth is that many more people could use it than actually get it. Yet while there is undoubtedly anxiety that is genuinely clinical, a great deal more of it is more situational in nature. It is the result of not having the worldview resources to deal with the challenges life throws our way from time to time. Christianity has such worldview resources, and one of the best of them is right here. Let’s take a look.

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Man carrying a box shaking hands with elderly woman outside her house at sunset

Morning Musing: Philippians 4:5

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“Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

If the end of the world was arriving tomorrow, how would you live today? Where would you go? What would you do? What would you say? Would you resolve relationships? offer forgiveness? Have an adventure? Or would it just sit around and do nothing because none of it would matter anyway? The nearness of Christ’s return should have all of us considering how we should respond to that. Paul offers a bit of advice here that’s part of how we should stand firm in our faith. Let’s take a look.

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Group of people standing in a circle outdoors at sunrise reading and singing from Bibles

Morning Musing: Philippians 4:4

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“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (CSB – Read the chapter)

It case you were living under a rock, the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Olympic hockey teams both won the gold medal in this year’s Olympic Games. The women’s team has literally always medaled, winning gold three times. The men’s team hasn’t won gold in 46 years. Their victory was particularly impressive, including one of the greatest performances by a goalie ever. On the news of their victory, the whole country rejoiced (well, most of the country rejoiced; politics got in the way of the whole country’s rejoicing). It feels good to rejoice. That’s part of why Paul called the Philippian believers to rejoice in the Lord always. Let’s talk about why else he did.

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Group of diverse people holding hands in a prayer circle inside a church with a cross in the background

Morning Musing: Philippians 4:1-3

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“So then, my dearly loved and longed for brothers and sisters, my joy and crown, in this manner stand firm in the Lord, dear friends. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I also ask you, true partner, to help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side, along with Clement and the rest of my coworkers whose names are in the book of life.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

A message without application is just information, and people tend to forget information. Paul’s letters are filled with information. But at the end of them, he turns to application. He switches gears to giving his readers some very practical things they can do with all of the information he has been imparting at the Spirit’s direction. For the last three chapters Paul has been encouraging the Philippian believers to stand firm in the Lord in the face of various trials and tribulations. Here, as he begins to draw things to a close, he gives them some examples of what that actually looks like. Let’s take a look.

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Glistening futuristic city with tall spires floating in clouds above a planet's surface.

Morning Musing: Philippians 3:20-21

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“Our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly wait for a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of his glorious body, by the power that enables him to subject everything to himself.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

Believers and unbelievers are not the same. Yes, we are all still people. We are equally created in the image of God and are both inestimably valuable because of that. Jesus died for both groups. God loves us the same. But the former group have been transformed by the grace of God into citizens of heaven while the latter are still in the flesh and denizens of this world. Their trajectories are not the same, nor are their ends. Having talked about the latter yesterday, let’s join Paul today as he reflects a bit about the former.

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