Category: Today’s Truth

“For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:29-30‬ says. As believers, no one wants to suffer. However, suffering produces character and perseverance as it says in Romans 5. This eventually produces hope and hope does not disappoint. When we suffer, we are putting ourselves aside and taking up the cause for Christ.

Paul’s life was inspiring to all those who encountered him. He was always living his life for the Lord, so when he put himself aside, God used his life to minister to those around him. He used both his successes and his suffering to further the gospel. Some Christians do not understand this. They believe a misconception that after salvation, their lives will always be joyful and never have sorrow or suffering. This is not the truth. There will still be sorrow and suffering, but the difference is that you will never be alone in your sorrow and suffering. Paul knew that he was not alone. Jesus was the joy of his life.

Maybe you have been upset that your life has not always been joyful or you thought that everything would be better once you came to know Christ. There is joy in the midst of sorrow and suffering because Jesus never leaves. He will always stay and help you through difficult times.

“and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:28‬ ‭says. Salvation comes from God alone, no one else. He is the giver of salvation. There will be many who come against your faith, but do not fear because God is with you and can lead you and guide you in the way you should go.

In our world today it is very difficult to find people who only believe in one way to heaven. There are some who believe there are many ways, and others who believe that works will earn them a place in heaven. Have you heard people say things like, “Maybe if I do this, it will get me to heaven…” This shows a lack of understanding of who God is. It becomes more about how they live than who God is. They continue to live however they want instead of living the way that God wants. They even see the way Christians live as over the top or “radical.” As Christians the way we live should point to Christ and the gospel. There will always be some who think the way Christians live is not for them, but we should not fear. God will use our lives to lead others to Christ if we allow Him to.

Philippians 1:27 says, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.” Everything we say and do should be to glorify God. We are message bearers. We bear the gospel message and if we do not act in this way, then we are denouncing the very thing we stand for.

If you had a very important message for someone, wouldn’t you want to share it? What if it determined their next steps and had major consequences if you did not deliver it? You would probably go out of your way to give them that message. This is the gospel. It is the most important message we can ever give anyone. It also has dire consequences if we do not deliver this message. We do not always see the consequences when they do not seem immediate. However, there are eternal consequences that should give us a sense of urgency. Spend some time in prayer today, asking God to give you an urgency for those who do not know Him.

“Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:25-26‬ ‭Says. The joy of knowing that the church of Philippi was continuing to progress brought Paul joy and spurred him on, just as I’m sure he spurred them on through their obedience to Christ.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” This should always be our mission in the kingdom of God. We should always want to stir up love and good works in each other. Years ago I was part of a Bible study and this was exactly how we lived. We spent time together, encouraging one another. As some of the people in the Bible Study saw successes or struggles, we were there through it all. When we invest in others, we will spur them on and will be encouraged by their faith as Paul was.

“I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” Paul says in Philippians‬ ‭1:23-24‬. Paul had two desires, and he was torn between the two. His first desire was to be with the Lord. He loved Him so much that He desired to be with Him in heaven. He knew that heaven with Jesus was the greatest reward.

However, his other desire was to stay on this earth and continue to serve the Lord. He knew that if he stayed on this earth then he could spread the gospel as far as he could. What a beautiful example of the Christian life. To be with Christ was Paul’s motivation for everything he did. His love for Christ was his driving force, just as a husband or wife’s love for one another should drive them to do things for each other. That motivation drove him to tell others about the Lord. When we love the Lord, we will share that love with everyone else.

So what is your desire? Are your desires for material things or do you desire spiritual things? Spend some time in prayer and ask God to help you desire spiritual things. May you grow in your love for the Lord!

Paul continued on to say in Philippians 1:21-22, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.” For him to live meant he lived in Christ and glorified him, but to die was gain. He would gain heaven if he passed from this life and into the next. Death would not be the end of his story.

Paul knew that throughout all of his trials and tribulations, if he continued to live, then it would be in Christ. He would live in Christ and for Christ. Everything he would do would be for that purpose.

As Christians, our purpose should be focused on Christ. When we go to work, it should be for Christ. When we go to church, it should be for Christ. When we go anywhere, it should be for Christ. We should show Christ in the way we live and we should share Christ with those we love and those we encounter. We should pass on His truths to our children so they live for Christ as well. Take some time in prayer today, asking Him to help you live for Him.

What is your desire when it comes to your relationship with God? Are your desires about you or about what He wants? Paul said in Philippians 1:20 that “as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” His desire was to honor God with His body whether that meant in his life or through death. If God chose to leave him on this earth, then he wanted to make sure that everything he did brought glory and honor to him. However, if God chose to take him home to heaven, then he would glorify him through his death.

Jesus glorified the Father while He walked the earth in everything He said and did. Then, when He died on the cross, He glorified Him even more through His death. We should live our lives in such a way that is glorifying whether we live or die. If we put Him first in the little things and the small decisions, then when it comes to the big decisions, it will be easier to give Him control. Too many times we try to take control of our lives. That action will only lead to destruction. We must surrender control everyday, trusting that God will be honored in our lives.

Paul trusted God. In Philippians 1:19 he said, “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” He knew that the prayers of man were powerful and effective and could change lives. He trusted that God would hear the cries of the people and deliver him in one way or another.

This is what happens sometimes in life. Deliverance does not always mean that we will not experience pain just as healing does not always mean in this life. For example, when someone has a disease like cancer, God could choose to heal their body and take away the cancer, or he may choose to heal their body in heaven. That is His choice. Only He knows the outcome. Paul knew that God could choose to glorify Himself through the deliverance of Paul in this life or in the life to come. Either way would glorify Him. He was so confident in his relationship with the Lord. He knew that his life would glorify the Lord if he continued to seek him in prayer and obedience.

What about you? Does your life glorify the Lord? Do you spend time in prayer for your relationship with the Lord? If not, begin investing in your walk with God today.

Paul had the attitude in Philippians 1:18 that even when the gospel message is being preached out of the wrong motivation, the gospel is still getting out there. He said, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.” Paul’s entire life was wrapped up in the gospel. He knew that the most important thing was the word of God reaching the nations. It did not matter to him how it got out, just that it got out.

He knew that God was the one who changed lives and could take a little seed and make it grow. He knew that that is exactly what the gospel is: a seed. Once it is planted in the heart of someone, if it is watered and cared for, it will grow into a beautiful relationship with Him. So how it came to be did not matter, just that it came to be. He loved Christ and the gospel so much that the only thing that mattered to him was that the gospel advanced. The gospel should be the focus of our lives as Christians. We should have a sense of urgency to see those we love come to know Christ.

“Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:15-17‬ ‭tells us. In this world there are many false teachers. As Christians, we must be aware of those who do not preach truth. There are those who preach Christ out of envy and rivalry. They seek to serve themselves rather than the Lord. They want to see how many people they can get in the door rather than spreading the message about Christ. Then, there are those who preach and serve out of love. They want to see the gospel message reach as many people as they can.

As Christians, we must make sure that when we tell others about Christ or serve in our churches and communities, we are doing it out of our love and desire to see others come to know Him. It can be easy to lift ourselves up when things are going very well in a ministry. When we forget who we are doing ministry and mission work for, then everything will crumble. We have to make Christ the focus of all of the work we do.