Daily Devotional ThoughtsThis Week’s Study: Philippians 2:1-11Monday - Unity! Being Of One Accord And One Mind.Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind (Philippians 2:1-2).As organizations grow and mature conflict is virtually inevitable. Apparently the church at Philippi was no exception and we find Paul pressing for unity as we move into Chapter 2.“Therefore” Paul builds on the last few verses of Chapter 1. “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, . . . that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,” (Philippians 1:27). Therefore if you want to bring me the mutual consolation we find as brothers and sisters in Christ, if you want to comfort me and join with me in the fellowship of the Spirit, if you want to share mercy and your affection with me, make me happy by coming together being of one accord and one mind.Unity must be the hallmark of Christianity. Just before His crucifixion Jesus prayed: “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me (John 17:21).Reality check: How are you doing? Are you bringing unity or divisiveness into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ? Will you ask God to develop godly attitudes in you today?Tuesday - Unity! No Room For An Ego Trip.Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, (Philippians 2:3-5).So how do we achieve unity without sacrificing truth as we understand it? How do we come together as brothers and sisters in Christ achieving unity without compromise? We need to understand that truth is not relative. Truth is absolute. However, only God has infinite understanding of truth. We are human beings with finite capacities and thus our understanding of truth is ever growing and never fully completed. Certainly, the closer we come to God, the Creator Of Truth, the more unified our separate understandings of truth becomes.The kind of unity Paul is promoting here though, is more that of spirit and attitude than of doctrine. When we get over ourselves, and begin to live for Christ, our whole emphasis changes. Before Christ we are selfish, concerned with our own interests, and often willing to trample underfoot anyone who gets in our way. After Christ we look for the value in others. No longer do we see ourselves as the centers of the universe. Instead, we focus on helping others live up to their greatest potential. We look out for their interests as well as ours.How does this change of attitude occur? The key is found in Philippians 2:5. Success comes (only) as we cultivate the same attitudes that Christ Jesus cultivated. “Let this mind {attitude, focus} be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” In the words of the old gospel song: Turn your eyes upon Jesus . . . and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”Wednesday - Unity! Christ Jesus Our Example.Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men (Philippians 2:5-7).Unity comes as we take on the willing humility shown us by Christ Jesus. “Jesus Christ” is the usual order of His name in the New Testament, but Paul often uses “Christ Jesus” as he does with increased frequency in this letter to Philippi. Some Bible scholars believe he does so here to emphasis the divine element (Christ) in Christ Jesus. His point is simple: Christ Jesus was fully God. {That Christ Jesus was and is fully God is clearly revealed in Scripture as shown by a brief sampling of verses: “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). See also John 17:21; John 14:9,10; John 10:30; Colossians 1:15,16 Hebrews 1:3-8.}So Paul’s point is simply this: Let God develop in your mind that same lowliness and desire to serve others that was in Christ Jesus. We can’t begin to imagine the immense gulf that exists between living as the divine Creator God in the glory of heaven versus taking the form of a “bondservant,” a slave, and coming in the likeness of created human beings. And Paul elaborates on the extent of our God’s humility in the following verses which we take up tomorrow.Our takeaway for today: Unity comes as we contemplate the love of God shown as He lowered Himself to come to this earth as a human being. Unity comes as we let that kind of love flood our souls and spill over into our dealings with each other. Only when this happens will we esteem others better than our selves. Only as Christ rules will our focus change from looking out for our best interests to looking out for the interests of others. Thursday - Unity! Paul Expounds On The “mind of Christ.”And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:8).In our study yesterday Paul recounted how Christ Jesus left the wonderful glory of heaven and humbled Himself to come to this earth! Today Paul continues: But its more than that! Not only did He exchange the glory of heaven for a drab, human life here on this earth, not only that, but “He humbled Himself . . . to the point of death, even the death of the cross!”Death on the cross was considered “the lowest and most ignominious kind of death, . . . the punishment of the meanest of slaves and worst of felons” (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible).I’m not quite to that point yet, are you? In all honesty, if given the chance to die for my enemies I’ll probably pass. How about you? Yet, we read, “Let this mind be in you.” My prayer, “Lord Christ Jesus, please develop your mind and your attitudes and your love in me today. Help me, humble me, fill me. Amen.”Friday - Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).Because Christ Jesus voluntarily submitted to the humility of the incarnation (God incarnate or becoming human), we have yet another reason to worship and bow before Him. I suspect we can find many reasons to bow before God, yet three seem paramount to me: First, He created us. We worship Him as our Creator. “All things were made through Him {Christ Jesus}, and without Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:3; see also Genesis 1 and Exodus 20:8-11). Second, He redeemed or bought me back. This is why He came to this earth as God Incarnate, lived as a human, died for my sins and now ever intercedes for me in heaven. Finally, He is coming back to take me home! “In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).Come! Bow with me before our Creator, Redeemer, Intercessor, and Savior. Join me in eagerly awaiting His return to take us home!
Daily Devotional Thoughts
This Week’s Study: Philippians 2:1-11
Monday - Unity! Being Of One Accord And One Mind.
Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any
comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any
affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-
minded, having the same love, being of one accord,
of one mind (Philippians 2:1-2).
As organizations grow and mature conflict is
virtually inevitable. Apparently the church at Philippi
was no exception and we find Paul pressing for unity as
we move into Chapter 2.
“Therefore” Paul builds on the last few verses of
Chapter 1. “Only let your conduct be worthy of the
gospel of Christ, . . . that you stand fast in one spirit,
with one mind striving together for the faith of the
gospel,” (Philippians 1:27). Therefore if you want to
bring me the mutual consolation we find as brothers and
sisters in Christ, if you want to comfort me and join with me in the
fellowship of the Spirit, if you want to share mercy and your affection
with me, make me happy by coming together being of one accord and one
mind.
Unity must be the hallmark of Christianity. Just before His
crucifixion Jesus prayed: “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in
Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may
believe that You sent Me (John 17:21).
Reality check: How are you doing? Are you bringing unity or
divisiveness into the lives of our brothers and sisters in Christ? Will you
ask God to develop godly attitudes in you today?
Tuesday - Unity! No Room For An Ego Trip.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in
lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each
of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the
interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ
Jesus, (Philippians 2:3-5).
So how do we achieve unity without sacrificing truth as we
understand it? How do we come together as brothers and sisters in
Christ achieving unity without compromise? We need to understand that
truth is not relative. Truth is absolute. However, only God has infinite
understanding of truth. We are human beings with finite capacities and
thus our understanding of truth is ever growing and never fully
completed. Certainly, the closer we come to God, the Creator Of Truth,
the more unified our separate understandings of truth becomes.
The kind of unity Paul is promoting here though, is more that of spirit
and attitude than of doctrine. When we get over ourselves, and begin to
live for Christ, our whole emphasis changes. Before Christ we are
selfish, concerned with our own interests, and often willing to trample
underfoot anyone who gets in our way. After Christ we look for the value
in others. No longer do we see ourselves as the centers of the universe.
Instead, we focus on helping others live up to their greatest potential. We
look out for their interests as well as ours.
How does this change of attitude occur? The key is found in
Philippians 2:5. Success comes (only) as we cultivate the same attitudes
that Christ Jesus cultivated. “Let this mind {attitude, focus} be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus.” In the words of the old gospel song:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus . . . and the things of this world will grow
strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
Wednesday - Unity! Christ Jesus Our Example.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who,
being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with
God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a
bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men (Philippians
2:5-7).
Unity comes as we take on the willing humility shown us by Christ
Jesus.
“Jesus Christ” is the usual order of His name in the New Testament,
but Paul often uses “Christ Jesus” as he does with increased frequency
in this letter to Philippi. Some Bible scholars believe he does so here to
emphasis the divine element (Christ) in Christ Jesus. His point is simple:
Christ Jesus was fully God. {That Christ Jesus was and is fully God is
clearly revealed in Scripture as shown by a brief sampling of verses:
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians
2:9). See also John 17:21; John 14:9,10; John 10:30; Colossians
1:15,16 Hebrews 1:3-8.}
So Paul’s point is simply this: Let God develop in your mind that
same lowliness and desire to serve others that was in Christ Jesus. We
can’t begin to imagine the immense gulf that exists between living as the
divine Creator God in the glory of heaven versus taking the form of a
“bondservant,” a slave, and coming in the likeness of created human
beings. And Paul elaborates on the extent of our God’s humility in the
following verses which we take up tomorrow.
Our takeaway for today: Unity comes as we contemplate the love of
God shown as He lowered Himself to come to this earth as a human
being. Unity comes as we let that kind of love flood our souls and spill
over into our dealings with each other. Only when this happens will we
esteem others better than our selves. Only as Christ rules will our focus
change from looking out for our best interests to looking out for the
interests of others.
Thursday - Unity! Paul Expounds On The “mind of Christ.”
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself
and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross
(Philippians 2:8).
In our study yesterday Paul recounted how Christ Jesus left the
wonderful glory of heaven and humbled Himself to come to this earth!
Today Paul continues: But its more than that! Not only did He exchange
the glory of heaven for a drab, human life here on this earth, not only
that, but “He humbled Himself . . . to the point of death, even the death of
the cross!”
Death on the cross was considered “the lowest and most ignominious
kind of death, . . . the punishment of the meanest of slaves and worst of
felons” (Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible).
I’m not quite to that point yet, are you? In all honesty, if given the
chance to die for my enemies I’ll probably pass. How about you? Yet,
we read, “Let this mind be in you.” My prayer, “Lord Christ Jesus,
please develop your mind and your attitudes and your love in me today.
Help me, humble me, fill me. Amen.”
Friday -
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the
name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every
knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of
those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus
Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11).
Because Christ Jesus voluntarily submitted to the humility of the
incarnation (God incarnate or becoming human), we have yet another
reason to worship and bow before Him.
I suspect we can find many reasons to bow before God, yet three
seem paramount to me: First, He created us. We worship Him as our
Creator. “All things were made through Him {Christ Jesus}, and without
Him nothing was made that was made (John 1:3; see also Genesis 1 and
Exodus 20:8-11).
Second, He redeemed or bought me back. This is why He came to
this earth as God Incarnate, lived as a human, died for my sins and now
ever intercedes for me in heaven.
Finally, He is coming back to take me home! “In My Father's house
are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to
prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be
also” (John 14:2-3).
Come! Bow with me before our Creator, Redeemer, Intercessor, and
Savior. Join me in eagerly awaiting His return to take us home!
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James
Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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