Note for 2024/07/12

‭Philippians 2:1-30 KJV‬

[1] If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, [2] fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. [3] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. [4] Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. [5] Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. [12] Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. [13] For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. [14] Do all things without murmurings and disputings: [15] that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; [16] holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. [17] Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. [18] For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me. [19] But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. [20] For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state. [21] For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. [22] But ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. [23] Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. [24] But I trust in the Lord that I also myself shall come shortly. [25] Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. [26] For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. [27] For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. [28] I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. [29] Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: [30] because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.

https://bible.com/bible/1/php.2.1-30.KJV

Friends, do you see how Paul is keeping the church informed of his affairs? How he recommends some and warns against others, whether it be of person, nature, words, actions or habits. He testifies to the church of Christ, even the mind of Christ here in this section. We only know what he testified about, and his testimony is consistent.

Why, though? Was Paul perfect, or was he trusting upon the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven? Was he moving by the Holy Spirit, since he stated that the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will make their abode in us? It is then, just this flesh and the workers of darkness, these spiritual things that stand in contention with Christ that we labour against? Yes, even in ourselves, we must purge that which is not of Christ, neither the will of GOD. How then, do we know, but from the Word of GOD and that which is revealed to us by the Holy Spirit? I am well aware of this struggle, even the chaos that is sown by deceitful spirits. How often is man led away because of a lack of knowledge and a concern regarding himself at the cost of others? This was not in Christ, neither should it be in us, but because we can observe these things, we should have concern for those that are led away by such, in spiritual weakness. Do you hear how Paul testifies that he is aware of how the church was concerned by the illness of Epaphroditus and their prayers for him? How then, do we treat those with illness among us? Do we even know?

Again, I am reminded about the words of Christ in Matthew 25, what you have done for the least of these, you have done for Me. Are we then standing in lip service only? Or standing in complaint of our service to one another for the Lord Jesus Christ? Then we must repent of it, not justify our actions or present excuses bringing the other down, No! We must repent and adopt the mind of Christ.

Friends, do you think I am immune to such errors? Do I speak from a lack of knowledge, do we not all struggle against the same? I myself struggle in the flesh, as my flesh is going the way of the flesh. Indeed, the Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Am I not aging like others, do I not know the pain in the joints that troubles me inwardly? I have known both gain and loss, I am a man, born of mankind, but the Spirit of GOD keeps me going, renewing me inwardly to push forward despite adversities. What is the lesson that we learn in all things, is it not that what we see will perish, but that our soul is permitted to go on? On to where, and in service of who? These are the questions man is faced with daily. For whom do you live, and for who are you prepared to die? The answer should be Jesus Christ, but is that always true in us? I am reminded of the flesh in pain, by the limitations of the flesh as it works contrary to my intentions. In prayer and fasting we subdue it, we carry on for Christ despite it. What is the purpose of lessons, if nothing is learned from it at all? No! My mind is for the LORD, my heart is for the LORD and all of those that the LORD loves. My soul is yearning to be with the LORD. I want to stand with the LORD and not contrary to Him. I am embarrassed when I fail, even when there is no man or woman around me to witness it, for the LORD sees all. If then there is indeed a want in me, my want is to stand in righteousness, to please the LORD Jesus Christ who died for me. I want to honor God and glorify His Name. But how do we get clarity on all these things, if we do not give it a thought at all?

So, I ask you a question to be answered inwardly: Who do you live for? And subsequently, are your words and deeds in line with your answer? For all that we find contrary in ourselves to our answer, is our battle against hypocrisy in us, rooting out the lies we tell ourselves. We can see the errors in others, can't we? But can we see it in ourselves? Yes! We are back to what Christ said, should we not remove the beam in our eye before attempting to remove the splinter in another's?

Friends, you are witness here by the text, that which is ordinarily done in secret inwardly, to answer the questions you may have of, "How?" In Christ Jesus our Lord, by His words. Is this then not more important than all the vain running around the world demands from us? Always busy with something. Oh! Too busy to consider anything of true worth, for things that will rust and be eaten by the moth, all that will fade away; while the soul will continue to its reward.

What then is the Christian duty, but to help the soul of man unto the salvation of mankind in Jesus Christ? So, then Solomon was right, the things of this world are all a chasing of wind. For this world will pass too, even as dust to dust, the body will go. But the soul, even the breath of GOD in us from creation will carry on... To what? That is the question of the salvation of man's soul, will it return to God where it came from? Will the lost son return home, or stay among the pigs, starving?

Shalom

Verse of the Day

From the YouVersion Bible App, continuing from yesterday in 1 Corinthians 13. So, the verse starts out without a specific subject in the verse, because the subject is noted clearly in the verses that came before it. It speaks of charity/love…

‭1 Corinthians 13:5 KJV‬

[5] doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

https://bible.com/bible/1/1co.13.5.KJV

Note on this verse

With this as a qualifier, I question; does man love at all? Oh! I don't know about you, but I need to work on my attitude. Correction is needed urgently! If we cannot be corrected by the Word of GOD, don't we then read the Word of GOD in vain?

Conclusion:

Friends, it is necessary that we investigate ourselves and purge all the blemishes that we still find in us. We must condition ourselves by the instruction of the Word of GOD. It is about walking according to the Word and not just having knowledge of it. Is wisdom not the application of knowledge?

It is my sincere hope that these notes may assist you in your walk in Jesus Christ, remembering always, that these words I write are just in support of the Word of GOD and subject to it. May the Lord guide you by His Spirit in the Word of GOD, but also in life; that we receive the correction of the Lord in the knowledge of His Great Love for us.

Shalom

Listen to:

07 11 2024 Pastor Paul Interview - Michael - What Is The Truth

From Mike from around the world of COT

Duration: 1 hour 11 minutes 55 seconds

Link:

https://soundcloud.com/ouncil1archive/07-11-2024-pastor-paul-interview-michael-what-is-the-truth

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