Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord!
Summary: Rejoicing in the Lord sounds rather simple and straightforward. Unfortunately, even when we put our faith in Jesus, we are still able to take pride in ourselves.
Do Christians still know how to “rejoice in the Lord?” Sometimes I wonder if rejoicing has become a lost art.
Continue reading “Philippians 3:1a – A Lost Art”
… and honor people like him, because he almost died for the work of Christ.
Summary: Epaphroditus was someone who was deeply committed to the Lord’s work. His commitment to the Lord led him to serve Paul in his time of need, and that service put his life in danger.
Sacrifice demands honor.
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)
Continue reading “Philippians 2:29b-30a – A Living Conundrum”
Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow.
Summary: This passage provides another insight into Epaphroditus’s adventure and Paul’s feelings for his brother in Christ.
By now, it feels like we know Epaphroditus personally. He comes from Philippi, and he is devoted to the Lord. Because of his love for the Lord, he has given himself to serve both the church at Philippi and Paul.
Continue reading “Philippians 2:27 – Paul’s Sorrow”
… continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,
Summary: Paul’s words in this passage challenge our concept of faith and what it means.
This passage is one of the most significant and possibly most ignored in the entire Bible.
Why is it significant?
It is important because it deals with the core of Christian living.
Continue reading “Philippians 2:12b – Faith and Action”
… whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.
Summary: Paul, writing from prison, talks about sharing in the grace of God. This leads us to wonder about what “grace” is and what it means.
Have you ever noticed that whatever you are looking for, you always find it in the last place you look? It’s funny because it is true! It is also “funny” (odd) because sometimes the last place we look is the last place we would ever think to look.
For example, whoever thought the world would be saved by someone crucified by the Romans two thousand years ago?
Continue reading “Philippians 1:7b – The Last Place”
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Summary: Paul’s introduction affirms that God’s grace extends to all who believe. In the same sentence, he describes the result of God’s grace; God’s peace.
When Paul offers us “grace and peace” from God, it helps if we understand how he is using those words. The grace and peace he is talking about are not just pleasantries. They are real things.
Let’s begin with “grace.”
Continue reading “Philippians 1:2 – Grace and Peace”
Grace be with you.
Summary: Once again Paul packs a lot into a few words. Understanding God’s grace requires that we understand the penalty for sin that hangs over our heads.
Paul’s parting words are simple: “Grace be with you.”
It sounds nice, but … what does it mean?
Continue reading “Colossians 4:18c – Last Words”
Let your conversation be always full of grace …
Summary: Paul admonishes us to fill our conversations with outsiders with grace. While that sounds simple, understanding what grace means requires some reflection on our Lord Jesus.
This verse is important because it is the last verse of instruction in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. Everything after this involves personal business. So, let’s savor what this last sentence has to offer.
The larger context of this passage is how we act towards “others.” My understanding of “others” in this context is people “other than” the believers who are already part of the church body. When Paul says, “Let your conversation be always full of grace …” he is talking about conversations with those who might need more grace.
Continue reading “Colossians 4:6a – Lessons in Grace”
- … since you have taken off your old self with its practices …
Summary: Understanding Paul’s words sometimes forces us to try and see things from God’s perspective.
Being the person I am, the brain God gave me tends to dwell on the details. Maybe “obsess” would be a better word. In this passage, Paul writes that we have “taken off [our] old self.” This isn’t the first time he has referred to this.
Just a few verses ago, he wrote, “Since you died with Christ …” (Col 2:20), which he followed up with “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ …” (Col 3:1).
Continue reading “Colossians 3:9b – Choosing Jesus”… you have fallen away from grace.
Summary: Falling away from grace doesn’t sound so scary until we realize that God’s grace is essential for true life in the flesh and eternal life in the spirit.
Continue reading “Galatians 5:4b – A Place Called Grace”