Author: kezha1

A drink offering, usually wine, was poured beside the altar by the priest, symbolizing his dedication in worship to God. Paul had come to the point of totally giving up his will for the Will of God…and of willingly accepting the consequences without complaint…no matter what God sent his way. In this verse Paul is comparing his service & ministry to the Church in Philippi to his life being joyfully sacrificed on their behalf. He had no reservations about what had happened to him, because he saw their faith, unity, and love and he could only rejoice.

Do you know someone that you can always call when you need encouragement? Someone that’s been the cheerleader in your life…who will build you up, and not tear you down? Someone who will give it to you straight as they exhort, comfort, edify, and console… always assured that it will be Spiritually sound and Scripturally based. These are very special and trusted friends that will make a positive & lasting impression on your life…and you would do well to hold them very near & dear to your heart.

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “God uses people who fail – because there are not any other kind around.” And we can see this throughout the Bible…great men that failed miserably but were still used mightily by God. Men like Moses who was a murderer, David who was an adulterer, Jonah who flat refused to obey God’s commands, Matthew who was a turn-coat tax collector, extorting money from his fellow Jews for the Roman Empire, and then we have Paul who was one of the early Church’s most ardent persecutors. They were all unrighteous and fallen men…or as Psalm 14:3 concludes, “There is no one who does good, not even one.” But this still didn’t stop God from using them for His glory. So remember this… regardless of your sketchy background…regardless of how many times you’ve messed up in the past…God can still use you.

For many of us it started during the Pandemic…self induced isolation that often led to loneliness. But as things changed for the better, we were able to come out of our self-imposed fortresses and engage with the world again.  That is except if you were caring for a loved one at home. I found this out this past September when I became the sole caregiver of a spouse that could not be left alone. Yes, there were many agencies that offered supplemental care, and I took advantage of all that was available…but I was and still am the main caregiver. That’s when I had to take a hard look at my isolation and ask the Lord to reveal His perspective concerning it. We are called unto intimacy with the Gospel, and because of that, a deep abiding fellowship with the Lord. Thus, we’re to draw near to the intimacy & love of Jesus…realizing then that we may be isolated, but we don’t have to be lonely…we may be separated, but we’re not forgotten by Him.    

Faith building…both individually and corporately isn’t “doing” things but rather “believing” things. It’s a deliberate building on the foundation of what we already know…the gift of eternal life & our atonement by the work of the Cross of Jesus. And just like a healthy vibrant body needs to be fed good food on a regular basis…our faith needs to be fed the bread of life daily. But if we’re only getting spiritually fed on Sundays, it’s no wonder our faith will be famished and our doubts and fears thriving. So it’s quite simple then…feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death.

Here, Jesus is speaking of His crucifixion on the Cross…the first step of His exaltation via His resurrection and ascension. The Cross of Jesus was as Isaiah described a sign or a banner of hope (Isaiah 11:10) that exerts a universal attraction & draw to all people of all nationalities without distinction. So our job is to continue to lift up the Name of Jesus…exalting & glorifying the work He did on the Cross for all mankind.

We never want to hear these words, “We’ve done all we can do.” ”The prognosis is grave.” ”Go home and put your affairs in order.” ”The next step is Hospice.” The cruel reality of it punches us in the gut, leaving us breathless and overwhelmed…with our mind racing as it tries to make sense of it. What can we hold on to when all hope is gone? When there’s nothing left and we’re at the end of ourselves…we can only hold fast to God and His great & precious promises.

Holding

On to God’s

Promises

Everyday

For it’s there we can find hope, comfort, and peace for, “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” (Joshua 21:45) And His promises will not fail us either. 

We are all fallen & broken people. We even accept the maxim, “To err is human.” That’s because we want to assume that all people are inherently good. But if we compare mankind to the standard of God’s holy character, we’d have to admit we’re far from it. In other words, we have all fallen short…exchanging God’s glory for idolatry, rebellion, disobedience, pride and backsliding. But God is compassionate to restore our erring. (Psalm 145:14) And it’s only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can be brought out of this state of brokenness and spiritual death and made alive in Christ. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Waiting on the Lord…whether it’s something concerning us or someone else…it’s a hard thing to do. But I read the following this morning that really got me thinking differently about waiting. ”What you become while waiting is more important than what you are waiting for.” My first thought went to Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” We will have Spiritual transformation that comes through this faithful waiting…infusing us with the Lord’s strength as we patiently persevere. And then there’s Psalm 37:34 that tells us to, “Wait for the Lord and keep His ways. He will exalt you to inherit the land.” So again as we wait we are blessed with hopeful expectation that God is good and only does what is good for His people. So in the end, my Spiritual growth and what I’ve become as I patiently wait on the Lord is far more important eternally than what I’m waiting for.

The Greek word here for love is Agape. It’s not a romantic love, nor a brotherly love, but instead, it’s a sacrificial love that costs someone when they offer it to another. It’s a sacred kind of love that willingly chooses to put its own needs aside for the good of others. Jesus was the epitome of Agape love and the total embodiment of self-sacrifice for others…and as His Followers we are to emulate His example. Agape love isn’t a warm fuzzy feel good love, but rather a determined, servant’s heart kind of love that serves the unlovely.