Philippians 3:12-16 (The Prize)

As always before studying scripture, we should read the whole passage and then break it down. So, here we go.

"12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained." ~ Philippians 3:12-16 (ESV)

We see that this passage is focused on "straining" or "pressing" towards the goal. What is that goal? Well, we are about to find out.

We have to look at the passage in context of the verses before it. The first verse says "not that I have already obtained this." What is "this"? It's the ressurection from the dead spoken of in the previous verse. That is talking about when Jesus comes back and ressurects the bodies of the believers who have died.

So Paul is saying, "not that sin has already been gotten rid of by God, or that I've completely killed it myself, but I want to be as close to perfect as possible because Jesus loves me and wants to make me that way."

Paul then restates that he knows that he has not made himself perfect, but he knows that he is going to strain forward for what lies ahead. Now, what does lie ahead? Well, we'll get to that. First, what does Paul mean by "strain"? Paul uses the word picture of a race, but before we can race, we have to forget what lies behind.

When God saved us, He erased our past. We should also leave our past behind us and strain forward to what lies ahead. Once we have dropped our baggage, we can then race forward with all of our hearts. Now, without our baggage, we can give all that we are to following Jesus. The Greek word used here denotes an idea of "following after." I think this is significant because we should follow after Jesus in order to reach the goal.

So, we have defined the straining, but what are we straining towards? We are straining toward perfection.

I wanna say that again. We are straining toward perfection.

Is that even possible? Truthfully, probably not, but we can get closer everyday. God wants to "sanctify" us. Sanctify means "to make holy." If you don't know what holy means, the best definition is "perfect" or, more accurately, "set apart." So in that frame of mind, God wants to set us apart as his perfect creations. He knows that we will never be perfect in our flesh, but we should still try to be made more like Jesus.

Verses 15-16 basically say "you guys should think this way too, and don't forget what we already have, which is salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish whatever God calls us to do." Verse 14 is what I want to end with.

We have talked about following Jesus, straining hard, and trying to be made more like Jesus, but why do we do this? Verse 14 helps us with that. The Greek word for "goal" is used for a finish line in a race or an archery target. So I think Paul had a twofold meaning. First, we should strain to hit the mark on the target, which is perfection. But secondly, he speaks of the finish line

The prize spoken of in verse 14 is what lies beyond the finish line. Why do we strain to be like Jesus? We do that simply for one reason. All that God has done and will do for us. First, He sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins, and secondly, He did that so that we could spend eternity with Him in heaven.

That's the prize. That is our hope. Heaven.

Everything we do on earth is in anticipation of the day we go to heaven. The day that we finally meet the creator that we have seen glimpses of throughout our life. Don't skip over this. Let it seep into every pore in your body. Let it invade your soul. Let this truth wash over every part of your body. God has prepared a place for us to go when we die, and that place is a place full of His presence. This is unfathomable.

I want you to do something. I want you to think of all the times that you have felt God's presence. Hopefully, you have had a time in your life where you just knew that you had felt the very presence of God Himself. Imagine the time you felt that presence strongest. Got it? Remember how sweet it was? Remember how you just never wanted to leave that moment? Now multiply that feeling by an unimaginable amount and imagine that feeling forever.

Wow. That's what heaven is guys. It's not some pretty city with golden streets, great tasting fruits, and some old guys sitting in chairs around God. Heaven is eternal bliss with our creator.

Like I said, don't forget this truth. Every time you get discouraged, doubtful, or worried, just think about heaven and all its glories. Fight the temptation of pleasure with the promise of a greater pleasure. ~ the disciple Jesus loves.

Philippians 3:1-11 (The Prayer Of Every Believer)

Alright guys, let's jump right in to today's passage.

"Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.

2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." ~ Philippians we should look out for 3:1-11

There's a lot of stuff here, but I'm gonna deviate slightly from what I usually do, and I'm gonna summarize the first 6 verses. In 1-3, Paul says to look out for "dogs" and "evildoers." What are these? These are those who believe in salvation by works. And then in verse 3 Paul says that we put no confidence in the flesh. This is because we believe in salvation by faith alone.

Verses 4-6 are used to emphasize the point that we cannot earn salvation by works. Paul says that if anyone could do it, he could. He was a religious leader, circumcised, and blameless under the law of the Pharisees. If Paul can't earn salvation, then obviously we can't.

Verse 7 is an often quoted verse and for good reason. Paul says that he counts everything he had before as loss for the sake of Christ.

Think about that for a second. Paul had all the accomplishments a person could want. People looked up to him as a leader in the Jewish community. But all that he gained during that time, he now thinks of it as useless in comparison to Christ. As verse 8 says, knowing Christ is superior to all of tat stuff. Paul counts all the he had as rubbish and gave it all up so that he could know Christ. He now has the righteousness of Christ, not the righteousness of works.

I am always convicted when I read this passage. Do I count all the worldly things as loss? No, I don't. I love my video games, my computer, my television, and all kinds of other things that are completely worthless when compared with Christ. I know I should count those things as loss, but that's easier said than done. I pray that God would teach me to love Him more than anything else.

Verse 10 is the big one in my mind. Here it is again, "10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." First, it starts with "that." If we look at it properly, Paul is saying that he has "suffered the loss of all those worldly things, that he may..." So, what does Paul want?

First, he wants to know Christ. Paul wants to know Christ personally. Second, he wants to know the power of his Resurrection. We can be pretty certain that Paul is talking about the power of the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit is what raised Christ from the dead according to Romans 8:11 ~ "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." So in my mind, this verse explains the power that Paul desires. Paul wants true life in his body.

I should mention that Paul has given up his worldly things already, therefore; he has already attained these things, and so can we.

Thirdly, Paul wants to share in Christ's sufferings. Why would he want that? Who wants to suffer? Well, Paul did. But why is the question. The answer is not concrete, but there is an idea that Paul wants to suffer in order to come closer to Christ, and then be able to comfort other believers who go through the same thing.

Lastly, Paul wants to become like Christ in His death. What he means is that he wants his life and death to have the same purpose as Jesus. Obviously Paul would not save anyone through his death, but he wanted to point others to God through his life and death, just like Jesus. Now I get it!

Finally, verse 11 says that Paul wants to attain the resurrection from the dead. That's a little confusing huh? Paul is saying that by any means possible, he wants to be resurrected when Jesus comes back for the church at the rapture. If you don't know what that means, then contact me at my e-mail address kirkgee09@gmail.com and I will try to explain it.

Thank you guys for sticking with me through this long section, but there was a lot of good truth in there. The big takeaway messages are in verses 7-10. The things of this world are rubbish when compared with Christ, and I believe verse 10 should be the prayer of every believer. That we may know Christ and the power of His resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. That is the Christian life in one verse.

Don't forget what you've just read. I pray that God will use these words to encourage someone, convict someone, or whatever He sees fit to use them for. Pick one thing that stuck out and focus on it. Let it sink into your soul and change your heart. ~ the disciple Jesus loves.

Philippians 2:19-30 (Timothy and Mr. E)

Hey guys, we have a long passage today so let's read it as a whole, and then delve into it.

"19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you. 20 For I have no one like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. 21 For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know Timothy's proven worth, how as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. 23 I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me, 24 and I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.

25 I have thought it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need, 26 for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. 28 I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and that I may be less anxious. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy, and honor such men, 30 for he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to complete what was lacking in your service to me." ~ Philippians 2:19-30

When I read passages like this, I come away remembering that Paul was a real person, and that the Philippian church was a real church. Paul is telling the believers at this church that he is sending Timothy and Epaphroditus. I have trouble spelling that, so we are just gonna call him Mr. E.

Lets' talk about Timothy first. Timothy was Paul's protege. Paul had been a mentor to Timothy throughout the last few years. He was training Timothy to follow in his footsteps as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

We can see from the passage that Paul really cared about Timothy and thought highly of him. Paul thought of Timothy as a son in the faith.

As for Mr. E, he was also a follower of Jesus, and Paul calls him a fellow worker and soldier. We see that he was healed of some type of illness, and now is ready to go out and minister.

There really isn't much more information in the verses, but I think there is a message behind them. The message we can find is this: they were real people. Paul was a real person, with real friends, writing to a real church. We often place Paul and everyone else in the bible in a world of ideology (look it up) where they were perfect, always followed Jesus, and never had any friends. We think that all they ever cared about was their faith and although it was their main purpose in life, they still had other people to encourage them.

The take home message is this. Don't think that you have to be a perfect person with no friends who spends their lives alone on the street preaching the gospel. Be a real person. And never forget how important it is to have friends to help you along the way. ~ the disciple Jesus loves.

Philippians 2:12-18 (Lights In The World.)

Sorry I haven't done one of these in a while guys, I've been crazy busy recently. But let's dig right in. Start by reading Philippians 2:12-18 "Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the ay of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me."

There is a ton of truth in this passage, so let's start at the beginning the first verse says that we should obey God, and to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. I get obey, but what does that second part mean? Well, the Greek for "work out" is katergazomai. I know, that means nothing to you. This word is an emphatic term meaning to work out, achieve, effect by toil. This verse is saying that we should constantly be praying and searching and getting closer to God. But how? With fear and trembling. And what does that mean? It is talking about a reverent fear. A fear of God's power, but not being scared of Him because He loves you.
Verse 13 then says that God is the one working in us. I find this comforting. If I know that God is working in me, then I know that it is Him who is doing the work in me and all I have to do is trust and follow Him.

In 14, Paul shifts gears. He goes to a new topic. He says we should do all things without grumbling or questioning. Wow. That's not easy. The Greek for grumbling is a word that sounds like a grumble actually. (coincidence?) The word for questioning is talking about a more intellectual questioning of who God is and what He can do.

Why should we do this? Well, verse 15 tells us why. So that we can be lights in the world. Paul's main point in this section is to teach us to be lights in a twisted and dark world. Is that easy? No, but by God's power it is possible.

Verses 16-18 show something amazing. First, Paul gives us another tip for being lights. What is meant by "holding fast to the word of life", believe it or not, is sharing the gospel. So Paul tells us that in order to be lights, we must share the gospel. And after this, he says that he wants the Philippians to be lights so that his ministry will not be in vain.

The main point we need to get from this passage is that we must work out our salvation so that we can be lights, and in order to be lights, we must share the gospel. ~ the disciple Jesus loves.

Philippians 2:5-11 (Christ's Humility)

Hey guys! sorry i haven't posted in a while I've gotten really busy with school, work, and everything else going on but I'm back for now!

So let's get started with chapter 2 verses 5-11.

"5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:5-11

Starting with verse 5, we see Paul telling these brothers and sisters in Christ to have the mind of Christ. What is that mind? Well, we will find out in just a minute. This mind Paul is talking about is a mind of humility that was talked about in the last four verses. Paul then goes on to elaborate exactly what Christ did to show that He had this mind. First, He gave up His equality with God. He stepped down to a human level and put Himself in a human body. The verse says "in the form of God". This means more than "like" God. It means He has eternally been God. Wow! Christ, who has always been and always will be God, emptied Himself of that power by becoming like a servant (Vs. 7) He was so humble, that He was obedient to death on a cross! Verses 6-8 are humility at its finest. No one and nothing will ever be humble enough to do what Christ did. He died to save a people that He created and loves. 9-10 show the result of that humility. God has exalted Him on high and every knee will bow, and every tounge confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Amen!

There really isn't but so much depth in this passage, but there is still a ton of power. Read verse 5 again. "5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." The verse says "which is yours in Christ Jesus." So, because we have salvation though Christ, we also have the mind of Christ! We just have to use it.

So today, or if you're reading this at night tomorrow, make sure to have that humility of Christ, and to esteem  others as more important than yourself.

Philippians 2:1-4 (Unicorn)

Hey guys sorry i haven't posted in a while, but let's get right into this by reading our passage for today.

 "So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Let's break this down starting with verses 1-2. Firstly, we see the words "so if".  Some translations translate this as "since", or "because". Paul used this expression a lot to make a point. Instead of "if", we can read this as because. The encouragement in Christ is Christ walking beside us day by day encouraging us. The comfort from love is also God comforting us by His love. Participation in the Spirit is the partnership we have with fellow believers through the Holy Spirit. And lastly God has shown us affection and sympathy by forgiving us.

Verse 2 says "complete my joy". What does that mean? Well, by reading the rest of the verse we can understand what he meant. Paul strongly desired these believers to be unified in Christ. He wanted them to have the same mind, the same love, and to be unified in one purpose. That purpose being the glory of God.

Verse 3 is now starting to explain the practical way to be unified. If we all lived by this verse, i don't believe we would ever fight. If we never did things out of selfish ambition or deceit, and always counted others as more important than ourselves, we would have no problem living in perfect harmony.

Verse 4 continues explaining this concept of how to live in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It says to not look after our own interests, but to look at the interests of others.

I went on a missions trip one time with my youth group and sometime during this trip, we came up with a concept. Well really it was more like we had a cool acronym and wanted a concept for it. But anyway, i still remember it. One word. Unicorn. Now you may be wondering, "what does unicorn have to do with being unified in Christ?" Well it's simple. Look at the letters. UN is for unified, I is for in, C is for Christ, and well we never really got to the ORN. (One of my friends said it stood for "our righteous nazarene" but we never really got that cleared.)  Nevertheless, whenever i see unicorn it reminds me to stay unified in Christ. So never forget to be unicorn, regardless of the terribleness of the acronym. ^_^

Philippians 1:19-26 ( To Live Is Christ)

Alright guys one thing, I'm posting this from mobile so I'm not gonna put the passage here. So either get your bible or just go to bible gateway and read from there.

This is quite possibly the passage of scripture that has influenced me more than any other. Verse 21 (For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain) is my life verse. It's on my youth room wall with my name under it, and it's on a necklace I wear everyday. I live by that verse because it sums up the Christian life. But let's start with verse 19. 19 and 20 actually should have been with the last section, but anyway they just speak more about what we discussed last study. Verse 21 is where we start the new section. Verses 21-26 must be talked about together to fully understand them. What does "to live is Christ" mean? Most of the time, we focus on the to die is gain part as almost a joke. But if you really look deep, this passage has so much more meaning. Paul I saying how much he wants to die to be with his Lord, but that he needs to stay on earth for the fellow believers and to continue God's work for him. He has such a strong desire to die and be with Christ, but he also has an equally strong desire to live for Christ and to give his all for Christ. His mindset should also be ours. How great a testimony? This sums up all of Christianity in one statement. To live is Christ, and to die is gain. Take that statement and live by it! Remember that nothing else matters in our lives except what we did for Christ! And that when we die, we're even better off because we're going to be with Him! I'm not saying by any means that I live this way, but I do try. I'm don't even know if it's possible to truly live like nothing matters except Christ, but we should all at least try right?

Sorry for the mini rant but this is one thing I'm passionate about. I absolutely live this passage of scripture and try to live by it. I hope you will all do the same. ~ The Disciple Jesus Loves