For
You Have Been Given
Not
Only The Privilege Of Trusting In Christ
But
Also The Privilege Of Suffering For Him.
Scripture
Philippians
1
29 For you
have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also
the privilege of suffering for him.
Observation
This
verse is on my refrigerator! With it is a note from my very good
friend John Seale. It was written and sent to me by John who was then
struggling with throat cancer. John was an amazing guy whose focused
stayed on reaching the island of Cuba for Christ until the day he
died. John's
suffering is over and he is now in the presence of his Savior!
The
Apostle Paul knew what it was like to suffer. Five
different times the Jewish leaders gave Paul thirty-nine lashes.
Three times Paul was beaten with rods. Once Paul was stoned and left
for dead. Three times Paul was shipwrecked. Once Paul spent a whole
night and a day adrift at sea.
Paul traveled
on many long journeys. He faced danger from rivers and from robbers.
He faced danger from his own people, the Jews, as well as from the
Gentiles. He have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on
the seas.
And
in the midst of all of that suffering we find the Apostle Paul, in
jail, chained to a Roman soldier, writing this short letter to the
church at Philippi and to us, telling us to rejoice in our suffering!
Pastor
Brian Elliott preached from Philippians 1 yesterday and he shared
with us that 1/3 of the book of Psalm's deals with suffering along
with the entire book of Lamentations. He also said that Paul
mentioned the words “joy” or “rejoice” 16 times in this short
letter that we call “Philippians” while suffering is only
mentioned twice!
Brian
said, “Paul didn't look at life from his own lens – he looked at
life through the lens of Jesus Christ.” And that is exactly what
you and I have to do too!
To
quote Pastor Brian one more time, “God can turn your worst
situation and turn it to your good.”
Philippians
is only 4 chapters long and only takes a few minutes to read.
Dive
in to it today and get God's perspective on what is going on in your
life!
Application
I
will look at what is happening in my life from the lens of Jesus
Christ. How about you?
Prayer
Heavenly
Father, I don't know how the Apostle Paul was able to stay focused on
You when things were so bad, but he did. Help me to keep my focus on
You and Your kingdom no matter what hits me in my circumstances. You
are my Heavenly Father and nothing touches my life that first doesn't
go through You. It has to have Your permission to touch my life. You
are working everything for my good. You have promised to somehow turn
even the worst situation to my good.
I
pray for our good friend Barbara Franks and her family today as they
grieve the loss of her husband Jack. Give the entire family Your
strength today. May they sense Your presence, Your power, and Your
love!
Daily
Bible Reading: Song 5,6,7,8; Philippians 1
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