ALL – Psalm 75:1-10
ALL – Proverbs 24:17-20
OT – Jeremiah 1:1-2:30
NT – Philippians 4:1-23
Interesting passage for the day: Dear brother Christians, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and my reward for my work. My beloved friends, stay true to the Lord. – Philippians 4:1, The Living Bible
Thought: What more can I say? I’m in total agreement with this verse. I’m so thankful that God has put me in touch with all the brothers and sisters He has given me. I’m thankful for YOU, if you’re reading this. I am so thankful to know you. I wish we could see each other more often, and my deepest desire for you is that you be completely faithful to Jesus.
Question: Who has God put into your life as a result of your obedience to Him? How can you express your gratitude—not only to God, but to those you’re thankful to know?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Showing posts with label Philippians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philippians. Show all posts
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Obedience Training
ALL – Psalm 74:1-23
ALL – Proverbs 24:15-16
OT – Isaiah 66:1-24
NT – Philippians 3:4-21
Interesting passage for the day: I hope all of you who are mature Christians will see eye-to-eye with me on these things, and if you disagree on some point, I believe that God will make it plain to you—if you fully obey the truth you have. – Philippians 3:15-16, The Living Bible
Thought: When writing to the Philippians, and through them to us, Paul firmly taught what he believed. But he understood that we might not get what he was saying, and that we might even disagree with him. He wasn’t concerned.
His concern was that believers take the truth they have and obey it—that we live what we’ve learned from God. Paul was convinced that if we did this, we would grow in our understanding of what God had to say to us through him. He believed that God Himself would teach us as we followed Him.
Let’s follow and obey our God rather than arguing about the points where we disagree. Maybe then we’ll learn and grow together.
Question: When disagreements begin to divide you from others, what ways have you found to do life together and fight the division? How have you chosen to love people you disagreed with, and learned more deeply from God as a result?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 24:15-16
OT – Isaiah 66:1-24
NT – Philippians 3:4-21
Interesting passage for the day: I hope all of you who are mature Christians will see eye-to-eye with me on these things, and if you disagree on some point, I believe that God will make it plain to you—if you fully obey the truth you have. – Philippians 3:15-16, The Living Bible
Thought: When writing to the Philippians, and through them to us, Paul firmly taught what he believed. But he understood that we might not get what he was saying, and that we might even disagree with him. He wasn’t concerned.
His concern was that believers take the truth they have and obey it—that we live what we’ve learned from God. Paul was convinced that if we did this, we would grow in our understanding of what God had to say to us through him. He believed that God Himself would teach us as we followed Him.
Let’s follow and obey our God rather than arguing about the points where we disagree. Maybe then we’ll learn and grow together.
Question: When disagreements begin to divide you from others, what ways have you found to do life together and fight the division? How have you chosen to love people you disagreed with, and learned more deeply from God as a result?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Friday, October 1, 2010
“Dayenu” - Persistent Joy
ALL – Psalm 73:1-28
ALL – Proverbs 24:13-14
OT – Isaiah 62:6-65:25
NT – Philippians 2:19-3:3
Interesting passage for the day: Whatever happens, dear friends, be glad in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you this and it is good for you to hear it again and again. – Philippians 3:1, The Living Bible
Thought: In the Jewish Passover Seder, at one point they begin to walk through a long list of God’s blessings:
“If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not punished the Egyptians … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only destroyed their gods, but had not parted the Red Sea … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only destroyed our enemies, but had not fed us His food in the desert … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only led us through the desert, but had not given us His holy day of rest … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only given us His Words and Commandments, but not a Promised Land forever … Dayenu: It would have been enough.”
Who knows how many Passover Seders Paul had participated in throughout his lifetime? And having grown up with this yearly reminder that God has done enough—no, MORE than enough—for us all, and then coming to know that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and rise to give us the hope of eternal life … No wonder Paul insisted on gladness and rejoicing!
When we consider how unworthy we are of God’s attention, let alone of His love, then it becomes clear why we should be persistently glad and thankful, no matter what happens. The history of God’s provision and work for us is enough reason to be thankful even when we are going through the roughest times in our lives! In those times, we should be crying out to our Jesus for help, salvation and deliverance; the fact that we have reason to rejoice in God does not mean that we have to deny the reality of hard times. But even in the midst of our pleading, we have reasons to be thankful. God has done so much for us. And even if Jesus’ death and resurrection, for instance, were all He had done for us … “Dayenu: It would have been enough.” It is only right to give Him thanks persistently.
Question: What is the number one reason you give thanks to God? When nothing else about life seems worthwhile, what has God done for you that gives you hope? How could you incorporate the discipline of persistent and joyful thankfulness, even in hard times, into your life?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 24:13-14
OT – Isaiah 62:6-65:25
NT – Philippians 2:19-3:3
Interesting passage for the day: Whatever happens, dear friends, be glad in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you this and it is good for you to hear it again and again. – Philippians 3:1, The Living Bible
Thought: In the Jewish Passover Seder, at one point they begin to walk through a long list of God’s blessings:
“If the Lord had merely rescued us, but had not punished the Egyptians … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only destroyed their gods, but had not parted the Red Sea … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only destroyed our enemies, but had not fed us His food in the desert … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only led us through the desert, but had not given us His holy day of rest … Dayenu: It would have been enough.
“If He had only given us His Words and Commandments, but not a Promised Land forever … Dayenu: It would have been enough.”
Who knows how many Passover Seders Paul had participated in throughout his lifetime? And having grown up with this yearly reminder that God has done enough—no, MORE than enough—for us all, and then coming to know that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and rise to give us the hope of eternal life … No wonder Paul insisted on gladness and rejoicing!
When we consider how unworthy we are of God’s attention, let alone of His love, then it becomes clear why we should be persistently glad and thankful, no matter what happens. The history of God’s provision and work for us is enough reason to be thankful even when we are going through the roughest times in our lives! In those times, we should be crying out to our Jesus for help, salvation and deliverance; the fact that we have reason to rejoice in God does not mean that we have to deny the reality of hard times. But even in the midst of our pleading, we have reasons to be thankful. God has done so much for us. And even if Jesus’ death and resurrection, for instance, were all He had done for us … “Dayenu: It would have been enough.” It is only right to give Him thanks persistently.
Question: What is the number one reason you give thanks to God? When nothing else about life seems worthwhile, what has God done for you that gives you hope? How could you incorporate the discipline of persistent and joyful thankfulness, even in hard times, into your life?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Bold and Ready
ALL – Psalm 71:1-24
ALL – Proverbs 24:9-10
OT – Isaiah 57:15-59:21
NT – Philippians 1:1-26
Interesting passage for the day: For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that will cause me to be ashamed of myself but that I will always be ready to speak out boldly for Christ while I am going through all these trials here, just as I have in the past; and that I will always be an honor to Christ, whether I live or whether I must die. – Philippians 1:20, The Living Bible
Thought: Do you notice what would make Paul feel ashamed? He would feel ashamed if he were not ready to speak out boldly for Jesus at any point, no matter what trials he was facing.
Easy to say.
But for Paul, it was serious. He meant business.
Would I feel ashamed if I weren’t ready to boldly speak up for Jesus? Do I? I think I’m pretty sensitive to my opportunities to speak for Jesus. But when I’m faced with the choice—to speak up or not to—do I speak up?
It’s one thing to be sensitive enough to our opportunities to speak up for Jesus that we feel ashamed when we miss our chances. It’s another thing to get to the point where we don’t need to feel ashamed, where we gently, passionately and boldly point people to Jesus instead of passing up our opportunities and walking away with our shoulders hanging.
Question: How do you develop a sensitivity to openings for sharing about Jesus? What helps you to be bold when you need to be bold?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
ALL – Proverbs 24:9-10
OT – Isaiah 57:15-59:21
NT – Philippians 1:1-26
Interesting passage for the day: For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that will cause me to be ashamed of myself but that I will always be ready to speak out boldly for Christ while I am going through all these trials here, just as I have in the past; and that I will always be an honor to Christ, whether I live or whether I must die. – Philippians 1:20, The Living Bible
Thought: Do you notice what would make Paul feel ashamed? He would feel ashamed if he were not ready to speak out boldly for Jesus at any point, no matter what trials he was facing.
Easy to say.
But for Paul, it was serious. He meant business.
Would I feel ashamed if I weren’t ready to boldly speak up for Jesus? Do I? I think I’m pretty sensitive to my opportunities to speak for Jesus. But when I’m faced with the choice—to speak up or not to—do I speak up?
It’s one thing to be sensitive enough to our opportunities to speak up for Jesus that we feel ashamed when we miss our chances. It’s another thing to get to the point where we don’t need to feel ashamed, where we gently, passionately and boldly point people to Jesus instead of passing up our opportunities and walking away with our shoulders hanging.
Question: How do you develop a sensitivity to openings for sharing about Jesus? What helps you to be bold when you need to be bold?
To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.
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