Category Archives: Philippians

Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Philippians 3:17-21

Dear God, I am struck by the emotion Paul has as he writes these words. He says, “…I say it again with tears in my eyes…” he’s writing with passion. He hurts over both his own suffering and the contempt with which some are treating you. He is longing for your quick return to end it. I wonder if he died disappointed that you never came back before he was killed or if he had grown more at peace with his situation as time went on.

I’ve certainly been disappointed with you and my circumstances before. I probably will be again. But you seem to teach me through those times, and I can usually see, in retrospect, what you were doing either for me or to further your kingdom and your plan. For Paul, I would imagine he had figured out at least part of your plan before he died, but I’m sure he didn’t realize just how much you would use his life, suffering, and death for thousands of years to come. He didn’t realize his name would be in the pantheon of names that will be known for hundreds of generations because it would lead Christianity through history, including to me.

Father, thank you for an example of a believer—a great leader in Christian history—who often didn’t understand more about his present situation than I understand about mine. Thank you for not sparing me frustrations, but for teaching me through them. Thank you for giving me as much life as you’ve given me. Help me to not waste it, but to maximize my moments for you, your kingdom, and your purposes.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.

Philippians 4:2-3

Dear God, what would it be like to be these two women and have my dispute with someone else immortalized in scripture forever. Not that they ever knew it would be immortalized, but here it is. I’m sure if they looked at it now, whatever their quarrel was about, it would seem small and pointless. But in the moment I’m sure it felt very big and personal.

Of course, there are other quarrels captured in the Bible. I wonder how many of those are regretted. Paul himself had a quarrel with Barnabas over Mark. In the fog of a spiritual attack, a quarrel can seem so justified, but the truth is that most are very small.

Father, help me to recognize the pointless quarrels that exist in my life. Help me to humbly seek reconciliation when they happen. May it all be for unity in your Spirit and for your glory.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:12-20

Dear God, I’ve been on both sides of this equation. Twenty years ago, I could never have imagined being on the receiving end of this equation. I was only on the giving end. I would try to give charitably. I made donations and supported different causes and missionaries. My wife and I have always taken a portion of the money each of us receives and earmarked it to give away. But I could never imagine being on the receiving end. To be the person who lives off of the charity of others as they support the work that I do, but as a nonprofit director that is exactly what I do. My salary comes from someone else’s decision to give of their resources to support our work. Even sitting here and typing this right now is quite humbling–even shocking. I can’t believe this is the live I’ve lived for the last 17 years and believe I will continue to live for the foreseeable future.

It’s important for me to note here that Paul does something interesting at the end of this passage. He assures them that he has enough. He is consciously turning off that pipeline from the Philippians to him and allowing that money to go somewhere else. It’s a brave thing to do. Can we ever have enough? What about tomorrow? Shouldn’t my prudence dictate that we need to receive as much as possible? It’s an incredibly fine line to draw–living by faith in you and not by faith in my bank account. I guess the way I try to live out the spirit of this passage is to not cry poor when I’m talking about raising money for our clinic, but instead tell them about our work and then allow you to move them as appropriate. If healthcare for the low-income, uninsured is their thing then we are a good outlet for them to participate in their lives. But if childcare, food, or helping with emergency expenses like rent are their thing then we aren’t a good place for their dollars. And so far you seem to have honored this path. Since I’ve been at the nonprofit where I work over the last 15 years, I’ve seen you organically grow our income to match the programs we offer, while also growing our operating reserves commensurately so that our cash flow can withstand any ebbs and flows throughout the year or over a couple of years. In fact, our reserves have been about the same percentage of our annual operating budget this entire time. It’s all just kind of worked out, but I know that isn’t coincidence. I can feel your provision. I can see when you move in someone’s heart unexpectedly in a way that shocks me. You are so good, and I am so grateful.

Father, help me to be a generous giver of my personal resources, help me to be a good steward of the resources we have at work, and help me to be part of helping others find deeper relationship with you through their decisions to share their resources with those in need. And in the end, make it all about your glory. This is for you, Father. It’s all for you. I love you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ —for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

Philippians 1:9-11

Dear God, I need to search the New Testament for every instance of the word “fruit” because the idea of the fruit we are supposed to exhibit as your children is pervasive in Paul’s writing. I know Jesus said it too.

In this case, Paul is saying the fruit is:

• Love overflowing more and more
• Growth in knowledge and understanding
• Righteous character

I’m very glad that I didn’t watch the presidential debate last night. I was thinking about some of the things I read about it this morning, and I went back to my prayer from a couple of weeks ago that posited the idea that character should be the most important trait for which I vote and that platform be the tiebreaker. While that’s probably too simplistic, I’m actually starting to buy into it more and more. Even verse 11 here talks about the growth of righteous character in Christ Jesus. If my character is not continuously developing forward then it’s a warning sign.

Father, my character has a long way to go. I can still be cruel, merciless, selfish, manipulative, petty, etc. I will judge others too harshly and then chastise them. Am I better than I used to be? Yes. Am I better than I was even yesterday? I think so. But I am no Disney Princess. I am as much the villain as anyone is. Help me to continue this journey with you and to grow.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me. Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Philippians 1:20-30

Dear God, as long as I draw breath I have a job to do. And I feel like I am constantly letting you down in that area. I know I don’t maximize every moment. And maybe I can’t. Maybe it’s not humanly possible to do it. But even within my own human limitations, I know I leave a lot of opportunities on the table.

I think a good metaphor is my cycling. This morning, I had a really good ride. I think it is the fastest I have ever ridden this specific route. I obviously did a good job. But I also know that I didn’t push as hard as I could at every moment. There were times I coasted. Times I rested. And maybe some of those rests made me better on the climbs. So I’m not saying I always have to be doing something for the Kingdom, but just like cycling, I know there are times when I’m coasting that I could be applying some pressure to the pedals.

Father, there is just so much that I don’t see. During this current cultural climate of the election, social unrest, and the pandemic, I can’t help but ask myself all of the time, “What would Jesus be doing right now?” Would he be on social media? If so, what kinds of things would he post? What would he have to say about wearing a facemask? What would he say about voting for a given candidate/party/platform? If I were with him as the disciples were, what kinds of awkward questions would he ask me? What would his daily priorities be? I said I ask myself these questions. I never said I come up with a good answer. So help me to think about and answer these questions and then put the pressure on the pedals every time you need me to.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:1-11

Dear God, I’ve been asking myself lately, “Would Jesus wear a mask? Would Jesus be on social media, and if he were, what would he post? What kinds of articles would he share (if any at all?”

I think the thing that’s bothered me the most on social media is the pastors I know who are throwing their opinions around on political issues and controversial social issues. They post about masks. The flag. Protestors. Rioters. Statues. Lockdowns. The thing I see that’s underneath all of it is anger. But as George Lucas taught us through Yoda, it starts with fear. That’s actually pretty Freudian, now that I think about it. The two main drivers are the fear of death and sex. Well, I don’t know that, even at the deepest of their psyche, people are worried about physical death, but there are a lot of people worried about their freedom and their rights right now. So maybe Freud was partially right. It’s about fear and sex, but social media might have allowed the spectrum of fear to move beyond just a fear of death.

I don’t know if I’ve journaled about this to you, but I know I’ve thought about it over the last week. The Holy Post podcast had Kaitlyn Schiess on as a guest. She said something insightful. And this is a gross simplification, but she said that something important for us to do as we consume media (traditional or social media–or even opinions from those around us) is ask ourselves, What is this asking men to fear, and who is this asking me to love or hate? Over the last week, as I’ve consumed different media, I’ve found myself being able to see things with your eyes a little more when I consider that perspective because in you I have no fear. When someone is asking me to fear something–whether it is a Biden or Trump presidency–I can be at peace under your leadership and trust your outcomes are bigger than what I can see with my eyes. Perhaps our nation needs to take a step back for your plan to unfold. In the end, I am trusting that you will not let a Biden or Trump administration to do anything you’re not prepared to handle on a long-term basis. I am a citizen of this country, and I will do my part to make it the best I can for everyone who lives here, but I am your child and I will not fear.

And, of course, fear drives the division. Our claiming of rights and selfishness drives our division. That’s what Paul is addressing in these verses. They are worth reprinting here again:

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

Father, I find my comfort in you and in my Christian friends. May I be a source of your encouragement and comfort to others. Help me to be tender and compassionate. Help me to be selfless and humble, decreasing so that you might increase and others will be drawn to you. Make me an instrument of your peace. And please use this pain in our country for your purposes. Do not let it go void, but bring us, the church, to repentance and our nation into submission to you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

Philippians 1:20-24

Dear God, the church just simply doesn’t feel this way right now. It feels like it’s all about living and having influence and power. We want to have influence over our society. We want to force our agenda from the top down. But that is not what the New Testament seems to model for us. For Jesus, the kingdom of heaven was always about grassroots movement. For Paul, it’s all about living a life that will ultimately be sacrificed for your glory.

I wish I knew more about church history over the last 2,000 years, but it seems to me that when the church has been most powerful is when the church was the most corrupt. See the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. See the televangelists who work so hard to have power and influence. On the other hand, some of the most genuine times have been when movements started from the ground up. The Maranatha movement of the 1970s. Promise Keepers in the 90s. And even Promise Keepers, when it started to gain power decided to try to influence society instead of influencing one person at a time.

I spoke with a Christian friend last night about whether we vote for the person for president or for the political platform. Do we depend upon government to be our influencer through ideology, or do can we allow ourselves to vote for the person who seems to be more our kind of person regardless of their ideology. I told him that I though there was a case to be made for the church not looking to the government to do its work, but to take the work upon itself.

Father, when it comes to this election, or even the work I have to do today, I don’t know if my philosophy is correct or not. What is the right thing to do? I don’t know. I’m just going to do the best I know to do in my life today and then let you take care of the results. I do know that you have given me a specific role to play in the world around me, and I don’t want to let you down. So if that role means suffering. If that role even means dying, I will consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may reach the goal and finish the task you have given to me. The task of testifying to the gospel of your grace.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

17 Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 3:17-21

Dear God, who are my role models (referencing verse 17: “keep your eyes on those who live as we do.”)? Do I look to people whose god is their stomach and their glory is in their shame? Am I that kind of role model to others? Is my mind set on earthly things?

Or is my citizenship in heaven? Do I eagerly await Jesus’s return? Do I submit everything I have to his control?

About 30 years ago, Michael Jordan was heavily criticized for not taking some political stands on behalf of disenfranchised black people–especially in his home state. Particularly, he did not endorse what could have been North Carolina’s first black senator against a segregationist named Jesse Helms. His off-the-cuff line to his teammates was, “Republicans buy sneakers, too.” I think I’ve criticized him for not being more politically active over the years. I’ve criticized Tiger Woods as well. They had enough that they could sacrifice a little for the greater good, right? f

Well, I have to look in the mirror and realize that I protect myself and the organization for which I work every bit as much as those two men protect their image and their marketability. I raise money for a nonprofit in a small town, and people from all political perspectives support our clinic. I am quite calculating in how I represent myself publicly. I don’t want anyone to know how I vote, and I am careful about trying to not offend anyone. Yes, my stomach is often my god and I pursue glory to my shame.

Father, you know I’ve been praying through a lot of this lately. I’ve been praying about my responses to the current political and cultural climates. How much do I do publicly? How much do I do behind the scenes? How much do I not do at all? And how will my actions be an example to someone else? So help me. Help me moment by moment. Help me to be one life through which your presence enters the world so that your kingdom might come and your will might be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen