Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Philippians 1:1-2

By

Philippians 1:1-2    "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:  (2)  Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ."

As we begin our study of Philippians, it seems very important to use a very basic teaching that was taught to us as children: Stop, Look, and Listen.  I don't hear those words very often anymore, but we were taught this rule as the proper approach to a railroad crossing.  It was very advantageous for us to heed that warning. I think it is important also as we begin a study of Paul's writing. So we stop, look, and listen to the Apostle Paul as he begins this letter. He identified himself by name: Paul. Then he identified himself by his office: "servant of Jesus Christ." And now we listen to see what is going to be approaching as we begin this study: "Grace and peace." Paul, the servant of Christ, is going to serve grace and peace to us if we will heed what is written.

We are going to see the way in which he ministers grace and peace to us even while he is in prison. We are going to see his servant's heart as he directs his attention away from himself and his situation to others who are hurting and needing help in their lives.  For me, it is very important to pay attention to the heart of Paul as he is writing. His heart was bent toward serving Jesus and he realized that in order to serve Jesus, he must be willing to serve others. It seems to me that there is a much better approach to life if we develop a servant's heart. A servant's heart is ready to give and expects nothing in return. A servant's heart requires a special measure of grace and requires faith in order to properly operate. But a servant's heart is filled with peace in knowing it's in the will of God.

On the night Jesus was betrayed, His disciples were arguing as to who was the greatest. Jesus answered them, "For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth." (Luke 22:27)  Paul identified himself with Christ by being a servant. Our greatest witness of being a follower of Jesus Christ is by serving others. As we approach this book of Philippians, let us assume the posture of a servant in order to receive the blessings of daily grace and peace in our lives.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

By
One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...
Read more

Daily Devotion: An Important Question

By
In one of the great Psalms of thanksgiving, the writer asked a most pertinent question. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits toward me” (Psalm 116:12) ? We may observe two elements in this question. The psalmist acknowledges having received many benefits, or blessings, at the hand of the Lord. For the believer, to be the receiver of blessings from the Lord is a fact beyond question. That is one facet of a proper perception of reality. However, for the unbeliever, or even for the nominal believer, such things come in the course of nature, or as a matter of deserving them. But to fail to see that such benefits and blessings come from the Lord is to lose touch with reality. The other element of the question is that the writer expresses a sense of obligation to the Lord and reveals a desire to do something in response to the amazing goodness of God to him. It is the reflex of the godly heart to desire to do something in response to the perceived go...
Read more