Philippians 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Philippians 3:1-4:23.

“I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:2-3).

Sadly, even among Christians discord arises. This reminds me that we are being perfected; we aren’t perfect yet. Since Christianity is about growth, some of that old man will rear its ugly head at times and cause discord even among fellow laborers.

But I am really struck by Paul’s final statement in this paragraph: “…whose names are in the book of life.” I wonder if Euodia and Syntyche recognized that about each other. I know when I get into discord with someone, I can criminalize and evilize them. Because they are in discord with me, they must be wicked, evil people who can’t really be a real Christian like me. I know, I know, I’m not perfect. But I tend to judge myself based on intentions and not on actions, while I judge others based on actions and not intentions.

I wonder how many people I’ve had discord with began to think my name must not be written in the book of life? I don’t want that. Which means I need to offer my brothers and sisters the same courtesy. Perhaps if I can remember that their name is also written in the book of life, I will learn to work harder at resolving the discord. After all, we are both in the Lord. We ought to be able to come to some harmony within Him.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? Click here to add your input.

——————————————-

*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Acts 3-4 (ESV) by Wordle*

Today’s reading is Acts 3:1-4:37.

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and one soul, and no one said that any of the thing that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4:32).

I’m not alone. I have a fellowship on which I can rely. What are my needs? I can turn to my brethren and lay them out. God will provide through them. Is my need material? We can help each other. Is my need spiritual? We can rely on each other. Is my need emotional? We can rejoice and weep with each other.

Only when I share my neediness and rely on the fellowship of God’s people are my needs met. I need to quit waiting around for someone to read my mind and heart. Instead, I need to partake in the fellowship of God’s family. I need to reach out and let someone know what is going on. Then I find the help that I need.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading? You can give your input by clicking here.

——————————————-

*Today’s illustration was generated by the creative tool at Wordle.net. You can find all my wordles here.

Today’s reading is Hebrews 3:1-4:16.

“Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-13).

I must take care that I do not fall away from the living God. I must do that. But, I can’t help but see that I don’t have to do it alone. Instead, we must do it together. We must encourage one another. We must exhort one another. We must help one another. Otherwise we will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

I need others. I need others to encourage me. I need others to build me up. I need others to exhort me. But, of course, if I will gain this from others, I have to open up to them. Certainly, the general nature of encouragement can be helpful. But I do know I receive a lot more help from those who know what I deal with in specific rather than just the general. I’m so glad I’ve got brothers who know me and still are willing to encourage me.

Thank you, God, for brethren.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 8:1-9:27.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24).

I’ve always read this as a contrast. In a foot race, only one receives the prize. If I want to win an Olympic race, I have to be better than everyone else in the race. However, in the spiritual race with Christ, it is not only one who receives the prize. It is anyone who surrenders to Christ and allows Christ to discipline them to victory.

What a joy. I don’t have to be better than you to win the prize. I don’t have to compete with you. I don’t have to be more spiritual than you to be alright with God. All I have to do is submit to Him. All I have to do is run with the proper aim and submit to God’s discipline. I need to practice what I preach, lest I be disqualified. I don’t have to prove myself better and you worse.

This is a race we can both win. So, instead of me trying to be better than you and vice versa, perhaps we can help each other win the race together. That sounds so much better to me.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Acts 3:1-4:37.

“When they were released, they went to their friend and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them” (Acts 4:23).

It must have been a little frightening to be arrested for teaching about Jesus. They must have at least endured a little temptation to give up. What was the first thing they did? They went to their friends.

This is why choosing my friends is so important. I need to make sure that my best friends, the ones I’m going to lean on when trouble strikes, will support me in the right direction. If my best friends are in the world or, even as Christians, pursuing the flesh, when trouble strikes and temptation hits, the support I get won’t point me in the right direction. I need friends who are striving to walk by the Spirit who will lift me up and help me follow Christ even when I’m arrested for teaching in His name.

Praise God for the great friends I have who are walking by the Spirit, who can advise and pray with me. Of course, this means I have to do what these apostles did. I actually have to go to them when the trouble and temptation strikes instead of holding it on the inside.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

PS. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Matthew 13:1-14:36.

Jesus’ example really hit me where I needed it today. In Matthew 14:1-12, Jesus’ cousin John was beheaded, humiliated, and buried. In Matthew 14:13, Jesus was withdrawing to be by Himself because of this. Yet, when He arrived at the “desolate place” the crowds had beat Him. There they were in need of a shepherd.

I certainly believe Jesus had every right to say, “Not right now.” In fact, later that day, Jesus does take care of Himself  while letting others endure some hardship for a while (Matthew 14:22-25). But that is not what Jesus did here. Though Jesus was mourning and wanting to connect with His Father, He saw the crowds and had compassion. He healed their sick. 

I need to remember this. I can sometimes take caring for myself into selfishness and self-centeredness. I can get so caught up in me that I simply can’t be bothered with other people, no matter their connection to me or their needs. I can do this in my family, in my neighborhood, and even in the congregation.

In fact, it strikes me that my struggle with just reaching out to folks I meet simply through conversation and hopefully turning to spiritual matters is bound up in this. I can get so bound up in my fear of rejection that I don’t try to talk to folks and that means never sharing the good news with them. 

I need to work on this. Too often I want to stay in my own desolate place instead of having compassion on the crowds. I need to work on this today.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Philippians 1:1-2:30.

Sometimes, I learn that the chapter and verse breaks were simply unfortunate. In today’s reading, I noticed a pattern from Philippians 1:27-2:18. Prior to that section, Paul was talking about his own circumstances and how he was able to find joy despite what was going on his life. After that section, he wrote about the companions he hoped to send to Philippi. It would have been easier to notice this if this section had been a chapter all by itself.

In this section, he has two parallel movements. Notice in Philippians 1:27 his statement about how the Philippians should walk whether he is present or absent. Then in Philippians 2:12, he spoke again about how they should live whether he was present or absent. The first occurrence says they should stand firm, striving side by side for the faith of gospel. Fighting as a team, they should not be frightened by the opponents who will cause them to suffer just as Paul suffered. In the second occurrence, Paul encourages them to obey God and work out their salvation with fear and trembling because they are not alone, God is working with them.

However, the parallels do not stop here. In the first movement, Paul moves from talking about how they should behave whether he is present or absent to say in Philippians 2:3, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit.” In the second movement, he moves from talking about how to live whether he is present or absent to saying in Philippians 2:14, “Do all things without grumbling or questioning.”

Both sections are talking about our relationships with one another. We need to view each other as more important. Instead of being like those erring brethren in Philippians 1:15-18, who preach out of rivalry with Paul wishing to cause him affliction, we must seek good for each other. We must not grumble and complain against each other. The terms translated “grumbling” and “questioning” often carry the idea of an internal complaint or questioning that is not voiced, but can also refer to private quarrels and complaints. I think the point is twofold. We shouldn’t “go along” with our brethren externally while muttering under our breath against them. At the same time, we must not clump together in secret groups forming up party lines and complaining secretly among ourselves against others.

This entire section is about our relationships with one another. In contrast with the conceited rivals of Paul, we must learn to get along. The “one mind” of Philippians 2:2 is not saying we must have 100% agreement on every detail, but that we must all have Jesus’ mind that puts others first.

We have enemies in the world that will attack and make us suffer. We shouldn’t act like enemies within the body, competing, politicizing, complaining, and grumbling. We must learn to love each other and lift each other up, working out our own salvation while strengthening our brethren to face the struggles Satan will launch our way.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Romans 11:1-12:21.

I’m so glad for today’s reading: “Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? ‘Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.’ But what is God’s reply to him? ‘I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal’” (Romans 11:2-4).

Sometimes I can feel so alone. I think no one else knows what it is like to be a sinner in need of a Savior, desperately striving every day to cast themselves on God for the strength to stay alive another day. Sometimes I feel like everyone else has their righteousness down pat and they don’t seem to need Jesus to come in and take control like I do. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only oddball out there who has stray thoughts and actions, choosing to sin even when I know better. Sometimes I’m afraid to admit how much I really need Jesus. I do need Him desperately because when I do things on my own, I mess them up so royally. 

But I’m not alone. There are others who think like I do. There are others who do what I do. There are others who have learned the answer is in Jesus and not in themselves. There are others who are taking today one day at a time surrendering to Jesus and letting Him have control. 

We can uplift each other. God can work through us to give us strength and give strength to each other. Just knowing you are there gives me strength to go through today in faith. We need to find each other. We need to talk to each other. We need to support each other. God will work through us when we do.

I’m not alone, no matter how much I think I am. Neither are you. Let’s let God strengthen us through each other in order to survive today.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What struck you in today’s reading?

Today’s reading is 2 John 1-13; 3 John 1-15.

Though these two letters seem to be addressed to two entirely different recipients, they go hand in hand. Perhaps “elect lady” is a metaphor for a congregation and Gaius was a member of that same congregation. I don’t know. 

However, I was struck by the advice in 2 John not to receive those who deny Jesus, those who are antichrist. Of course, this had reference to the Gnostic heretics that were causing so much trouble and who had gone out from among the brethren according to 1 John 2:19. John said if someone received them and gave them a greeting, they were partakers of their wicked work.

On the other hand, in 3 John, he talked about Gaius receiving faithful brethren. In 3 John 1:8, John said when we receive, lift up, and support these kind of men we are partaking in their good work. 

Why do I need to support those who spread the truth of God’s love and will? Because by supporting them, I have fellowship in their good work. I am working while they are. What a great way to amplify the work I’m doing. I can do my work and as I support and receive others, I’m participating in their work even though I’m not there.

***Question: How do you support those who work for truth?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Matthew 25:1-26:75.

I didn’t get far in today’s reading before I was hit by Matthew 25:8-9.

“And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’”

What an amazing passage.

Some consider the wise virgins as heartless and mean. “Look at how they are hoarding what they have instead of sharing.” But the wise were right. Remember, Jesus called them wise, not wicked. The wise virgins understood the need for boundaries. I have no doubt they were very concerned for the foolish virgins. But they understood that the improper planning of the fools did not place a burden on them.

Let’s back up and get something straight. We are all to be servants. The Bible is full of stories and instruction showing us we need to be servants, we need to share, we need to help. Sadly, however, too many Christians have carried this way beyond the point the Scripture makes and have become codependent doormats. That is, they become enablers who pave the way for others to simply live in folly and often sin.

Paul said, “If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (II Thessalonians 3:10). We look at someone hungry and say, “Oh, but their hungry.” We feed them and simply enable their laziness. Yes, we should serve, but we shouldn’t enable.

That is the lesson of the five wise virgins. They refused to enable the five foolish virgins. They had boundaries. They did help. They were there with the five foolish virgins. They gave them good advice. For all that, they refused to cross the boundary line.

Perhaps the hardest part about this on the side of the five wise virgins is thinking, “But what will they think of me? What if they don’t like me anymore? What will they say about me? This could ruin our relationship.” The wise virgins didn’t think on those lines. They simply thought about what was the right thing to do. They didn’t allow their insecurities of what others might think to dictate their actions. Had they done so, the five foolish virgins would have liked them. However, the wise virgins would no longer have been wise, but would have been fools as were their counterparts. 

Somebody once gave me a little saying that has really helped me in the moments I want to be codependent and cross boundaries, acting based on how people think about me rather than what is right. He said, “You know, it’s really none of my business what everyone else thinks about me.” We simply can’t control what everyone else will think. When we know we’ve done the right thing, we don’t need to worry what everyone else thinks because what they think doesn’t make what we did wrong. In like manner if we have done what is wrong, what everyone else thinks won’t make what we did right. Instead of codependently worrying about what everyone else thinks of us and whether or not they are judging us, disapproving us, or looking down on us, let’s simply work to do the next right thing. What everyone else thinks of us doesn’t change whether or not we are right with God or whether or not we are wise.

Let’s be like the five wise virgins. Let’s establish boundaries. Let’s offer good help but not behave codependently.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?