Daily Meditations on the Bible / We stand with Israel
Do everything without grumbling or arguing…
Summary: We begin our examination of this passage by focusing on the concept of arguing.
I try not to grumble. I really do! I especially try not to grumble in church or about church. After all, if churches were only for perfect people, I’d never be allowed in!
Continue reading “Philippians 2:14 – Without Arguing (Part I)”
… for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Summary: Faith is not merely believing in God, but allowing Him to work in and through us for His greater purpose.
In our last meditation, we looked to Abraham as an example of faith lived out in action (See “Philippians 2:12b – Faith and Action”). Now, Paul has us examining how God worked in Abraham’s life and why action is such an integral part of faith.
Continue reading “Philippians 2:13 – God’s Good Purpose”
… 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”
… to the glory of God the Father.
Summary: Everything Jesus did was to bring glory to his Father. His life is an inspiration to all who believe in him.
There is a saying you might have heard that goes like this: ‘If you know, you know.’ It suggests that you have to be part of the ‘IN’ group to get the meaning.
Continue reading “Philippians 2:11b – If You Know, You Know”
… and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
Summary: Verbal acknowledgement is powerful.
Part of exalting Jesus to the highest place is proclaiming his name … out loud. The “out loud” part is important.
“Why?” you ask. Well, let’s explore …
Continue reading “Philippians 2:11a – Say it — Jesus Christ is Lord!”
… in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Summary: Paul’s simple little phrase about places above and below the earth opens a door of wonder about how things work in the spiritual realms.
This is an interesting passage. Paul could have said, “At the name of Jesus, every knee should bow,” and left it at that, but he didn’t. Instead, he added these words:
“… in heaven and on earth and under the earth…”
Continue reading “Philippians 2:10b – Spirit and Flesh”
…that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
Summary: The name of Jesus has been exalted above every name, but not everyone on Earth has gotten the message yet.
Do you ever wonder why every knee doesn’t bow to Jesus now?
Continue reading “Philippians 2:10a – Of Self and Sin”
[Therefore God exalted him to the highest place]
and gave him the name that is above every name…
Summary: Paul’s words about Jesus’ name give us a reason to pause and think about why names have meaning and how Jesus’ name reflects who he is.
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”
— Romeo and Juliet, Act II, Scene II
As a kid, I sometimes wondered,“How do we get names and why are some more important than others?”
Continue reading “Philippians 2:9b – God’s Rose”
… even death on a cross!
Summary: The challenge of understanding who Jesus is continues to haunt us as we read more of Paul’s words. It is one thing to jump on a grenade to save your friends; it is entirely something else to allow yourself to be flayed alive and hung on a wooden cross until dead.
In our last meditation, “Our Selfless God,” we stumbled across what the Bible calls the “stumbling stone.”* In our version of the “stumbling stone,” we realized:
Continue reading “Philippians 2:8c – Life and Death”
… he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—
Summary: Examining Christ’s humility and obedience opens a fascinating line of inquiry into our Lord’s personality and the world we live in.
Arrogance is the opposite of humility.
Another way of putting it is that arrogance is “self-centered,” while humility is not.
Continue reading “Philippians 2:8b – Our Selfless God”