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“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NLT).

October 3, 2018

JOY OR HAPPINESS?
While imprisoned in Rome, the apostle Paul writes this command, “Rejoice in the Lord always!” He then repeats it for emphasis. What state of mind is this that even chains can’t remove its smile, nor imprisonment stop its song? It is the joy that comes from the Lord as a “fruit of the Spirit” (Gal. 5:22). It is the gladness that always fills those who abide in the Lord (See John 15:11).

Everyone wants to be happy. But happiness is fleeting for it depends on favorable happenings. When circumstances are good, happiness is possible. External conditions affect happiness. But joy comes from within, where the Spirit of Christ dwells in those who believe. It is not affected by changing circumstance, but rests in the unchanging presence and promises of the Lord.

So, those who are in Christ can choose where to set their minds–– on the temporal things of this world, or on the eternal things we have in Christ. What will you choose today? God’s Word teaches us to always choose joy!

“I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith” (Philippians 3:9 NLT).

October 2, 2018

MADE RIGHT WITH GOD BY FAITH
Paul told the Philippians that before he trusted Christ, he had worked to earn righteousness through obeying the law. But when he encountered Christ, he saw his attempts at righteousness as worthless in comparison to Christ’s infinite worth. As a result, he stopped counting on his own law-keeping efforts and gladly received the righteousness of Christ by faith.

The law was not given that we might earn righteousness, but that we might recognize the depth of our unrighteousness. But Christ was given that we might be made right with God by faith.

“I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare” (Philippians 2:20 NLT).

October 1, 2018

THE FELLOWSHIP OF CARING FOR BELIEVERS FAR AWAY
Paul wrote this epistle to the believers in Philippi while imprisoned in Rome (See Phil. 1:13-14). The epistle is like a love letter, filled with affection and joy for the members of the church at Philippi. Paul was longing for an update on them, so he sent this letter to let them know that Timothy was coming on his behalf. He wanted them to know that in sending Timothy, he was sending one who was like his own son, who cared for them as he did.

Have you ever gone on a mission trip to some distant land? I have had the privilege of going on many short term trips and I always leave part of my heart in every place. When the mission team returns home, we give a report to our church, and hopefully our members are inspired. Yet, there is a certain frustration in trying to explain to them the depth of our experience. They see the photos and hear the stories, but they didn’t go with us, so they can’t fully share our “genuine care” for those we’ve visited. But those who have gone with us, share a special fellowship of love for those believers we have formed a bond with in lands far away.

“Because I love Zion, I will not keep still. Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem, I cannot remain silent. I will not stop praying for her until her righteousness shines like the dawn, and her salvation blazes like a burning torch” (Isaiah 62:1 NLT).

September 30, 2018

DO YOU PRAY FOR YOUR CITY?
The prophet Isaiah declared his heart’s yearning to see Jerusalem shine for the Lord. His heart burned for this and so did his prayers.

I wonder. Do our hearts yearn for our city? So much so that we cannot keep still nor remain silent? Where are those who would pray as Isaiah did? Who will declare, “I will not stop praying for my city until righteousness and salvation shine in her”?

“If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small” (Proverbs 24:10 NLT).

September 29, 2018

PRESSURE TESTS STRENGTH
Solomon wrote this proverb concerning the real test of strength. It’s what happens to you when you’re under pressure. Pressure exposes the true size of your strength.

Testing under pressure is also God’s method of proving the strength of our faith. As the apostle Peter wrote, “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold” (1 Pet. 1:7).

How has pressure affected the strength of your faith?

“Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6 NLT).

September 28, 2018

THE URGENCY OF SEEKING AND CALLING ON THE LORD
Isaiah urged his people to seek and call on the Lord with a sense of urgency. For there would come a time when it would be too late. However, it is not the Lord who hides and moves away. It wasn’t God who hid in the garden after Adam’s fall. It was God who sought and called out to the man and woman He had made. Was God poor at “hide-and-seek,” that He had to call out to them? No, He certainly knew where they were hiding, but it seemed important to Him that they answer His call and come out of their attempts to hide and cover-up their own sin and to rely on His help.

The Lord is near, yet many of us are hiding and not answering His call. How many are there who have heard the gospel, yet they put off following Jesus to a later time. If you have heard the Good News that Jesus saves sinners, yet you are still hiding, come to Him quickly, while you can still “find” Him. Call to Him urgently, while He is near. For there is coming a time when it will be too late. As the apostle Paul said, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (1 Cor. 6:2).

“Answer my prayers, O Lord, for your unfailing love is wonderful. Take care of me, for your mercy is so plentiful” (Psalm 69:16 NLT).

September 26, 2018

PRAYING ACCORDING TO THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
David connected his prayer requests to God’s attributes. He called on God to answer his prayer based on God’s wonderful unfailing love. He appealed to God’s plentiful mercy as the basis for asking God to care for him.

We can do the same. God described David as “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22). I think we can be pursuers of God’s own heart too. How? Connect your requests to God’s character. Not as some sort of formula, as if it would force God’s hand. But as a means of seeking God’s face and God’s heart when you pray. For we can depend on God’s unfailing love and mercy. They are wonderful and plentiful!

“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11 NLT).

September 25, 2018

THOSE CHRIST GAVE TO EQUIP GOD’S PEOPLE
Viewed as offices, at least one or two of these five roles would not remain active today. For instance, the office of apostle would include the qualification of having seen the resurrected Lord Jesus. Certainly, no one today could make that claim. However, viewed as “gifts,” as the NLT here translates it, the five may be considered not only active, but critical in the equipping of God’s people in the church.

Although the word “gifts” is not in the original Greek, it might be considered implied by the original, “he gave.” Viewing the five as gifts or as giftings, the characteristics of these five might be described as follows:

– APOSTLE – A gifted and passionate pioneer, who extends the mission of the church into new and healthy ways, breaking ground in new cultures, always looking to plant new churches where gospel hasn’t been heard.

– PROPHET – A gifted and passionate guardian of God’s Word, concerned with applying it to God’s people, calling for holiness and loyalty.

-EVANGELIST – A gifted and passionate proclaimer of the gospel as the core message of the church, a powerful enlister who invites people far from God to draw near.

– PASTOR/SHEPHERD – A gifted and loving nurturer and passionate defender of the flock, concerned for people care and maintaining unity in the family of God.

-TEACHER – A gifted communicator who is able to lead God’s people into deeper understanding of His Word, able to take complex things and explain them in simple, yet accurate and memorable ways, passionate about study and helping other to grow in knowledge and practice.

Viewed as “giftings,” doesn’t every church need all five in order to rightly equip the saints?

“This is what the Lord says to Cyrus, his anointed one, whose right hand he will empower. Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear. Their fortress gates will be opened, never to shut again.” (Isaiah 45:1 NLT).

September 24, 2018

THE PERSIAN KING WHOM GOD ANOINTED
Nearly 200 years before he was even born, Isaiah prophesied the coming of an anointed king named Cyrus who would overthrow and rule the kingdoms of the land. This prophecy was fulfilled when the Persian King, Cyrus the Great, conquered the many kingdoms of the Middle East and beyond, including the Babylonians, who had defeated Judah and taken its people captive. These Judean exiles had lived in Babylon for 70 years, when Cyrus not only overthrew Babylon, but also later decreed that the exiles could return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple (Ezra 1:1-4).

The details of the Cyrus prophecy in Isaiah are amazing. God revealed both the fall of Jerusalem and its future restoration to Isaiah. This prophecy not only encouraged the prophet Daniel and the Jews who were exiled in Babylon, it continues to encourage believers today. For we understand that the fulfilled prophecies in God’s Word show that the unfulfilled ones will also be fulfilled, perhaps in our lifetime.

One other note, don’t you find it interesting that God would anoint a Persian king to rescue Israel? I wonder what God has in store for the modern peoples of Persia now dwelling in the country called, Iran?

“God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out. He created the earth and everything in it. He gives breath to everyone, life to everyone who walks the earth” (Isaiah 42:5 NLT).

September 23, 2018

GOD IS BOTH CREATOR AND SUSTAINER OF LIFE
A worldview built on any other foundation than the dual truth that God is both Creator and Sustainer of life, will surely lead to false and foolish conclusions. The prophet Isaiah declared this dual truth and more. For the Lord revealed to him the coming of the Messiah, the One who would redeem from death those who believed in Him. So that in Christ, the title Redeemer must be recognized in addition to Creator (John 1:1-3) and Sustainer (Heb. 1:1-4). A right understanding of this truth leads to a more accurate worldview. Yet, the fullest understanding of truth is found in knowing and belonging to Jesus. Because Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).