TEXT: Philippians 1:12-20

What kind of labels have you put on your day? I have no idea what has happened to you, but I have some nasty labels to pin on what is happening to me. For instance, I had to stop at our bank to ask them to interpret a document that I just didn’t understand. The friendly clerk informed me that a check I had deposited was being withdrawn by the original sender. That meant that the amount I deposited was no longer available to me, and the bank was charging me a twelve-dollar “service fee.” I labeled the event “BAD”! I called it “UNNECESSARY” and “UNFAIR”!

In a matter of minutes I will be visiting a woman from our congregation, who is facing some life-threatening medical issues. Earlier today she was told by her doctor that her medicines needed to be increased and she may need 24-hour care. She is on a fixed income and has little in savings. I labeled her situation “sad,” “unfortunate,” and “overwhelming.” What would you call it?

The list could continue with similar labels being applied to each day of our lives. Occasional good labels might be thrown in, but they’re rare. How about your day? How’s it going, and what labels would you stamp upon your life?

Before you answer, take a look at Paul’s situation in the passage before us (Philippians 1:12-20). The Apostle was in prison. In fact, he had been unjustly incarcerated. To make matters worse, some professing Christians were talking about Jesus, but it seems that their talk was intended to make things even harder on the Apostle Paul (PHIL 1:15-17). I don’t know about you, but I call that “REPREHENSIBLE, UNJUST, and TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.” To think that people in the name of Christ would try to make the ministry of another Christian more difficult is mind-boggling!

But what catches me even more by surprise are Paul’s responses in verses 18-20. You can read them for yourself, and I would encourage you to do so. In fact, read it several times. Instead of focusing on the “bad things” that were happening to him, he focused on the providential care of God. Paul knew something that we need to rehearse every day, especially when we have labeled things as “totally unacceptable.” Paul had come to realize that it’s possible to rejoice in every situation, since God is working in every situation to glorify Christ! Have you come to learn this principle yet?

If not, let me suggest that you do a couple of things, starting NOW! First, take a time-out and be quiet. Don’t do any more labeling for several minutes. Second, ask God how He might want to glorify Christ in your difficult situation. Let Him speak. And then, rejoice that God is at work in what you thought was a very “bad day.”

Text: Philippians 1:1-11

Ministry is tough. We shouldn’t be surprised, because all ministry takes place on the battlefield of spiritual conflict (EPH 6:12). Unfortunately there are too many causalities in this battle, and those on the front lines seem to get hit the hardest—missionaries, pastors, Sunday School teachers, elders and deacons. [The list could go on and on.] All of us know people who entered into ministry with great joy and great vision, but they left the battle a long time ago.

Over the last several days I have had casual conversations with friends who have walked with Christ for many years. One man is discouraged about choices his children are making. Another feels like he hasn’t accomplished much in his career or in the ministry where he serves. And another person feels like throwing in the towel on his marriage because his spouse shows little interest in making the marriage better. All three are believers. All three are wondering if it has been worth the effort in trying to live for Christ.

At the time I met with these friends I found myself fretting over what to say. The suggestions I wanted to give them seemed like cheap clichés. And then…I started reading through Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It is a letter written against the backdrop of persecution—persecution against Paul and against the believers in the Philippian fellowship (1:12-14; 1:27-28). After reading the first eleven verses several times it occurred to me that Paul wasn’t just saying, “I’ll pray for you!” No, he was appealing to them to…PERSEVERE…in spite of the spiritual hostility they were facing.

But why should any Christian persevere when the hostility against our faith never seems to ease up? The answer is found in Philippians 1:6 where Paul says, “He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God initiated our salvation, and God will complete it. Therefore, when it comes to your own salvation, keep persevering in your faith, since Jesus has guaranteed your future.

At this point someone might say, “If God has guaranteed my eternal destiny, why should I persevere? It sounds like that ‘once-saved-always-saved’ teaching, and that only leads to behavioral license. Why should I be faithful if God guarantees my destiny?”

Paul subtly weaves the answer to this type of question through verses 1-11. He reminds the Philippians that they live against the backdrop of the Lord’s return and pending judgment (1:6 & 10 “the day of Christ”). Even for believers we are reminded that we will have to give an account for our behavior, even when our destiny is certain (2 Corinthians 5:10). There is also the reality that Christians never live their lives in isolation. They are partners with other believers (1:5 & 7). And who wants to live with the haunting thought that we have let other believers down because we have quit too soon. In addition we are reminded that the opposition can at times seem overwhelming, but there is the possibility of the sustaining power of prayer. It was prayer that Paul offered up on behalf of the Philippians to encourage and sustain them (1:9-11). And it is prayer for one another that can empower us to persevere as well. Yes, there is the certainty of our salvation, but there is great motivation to persevere as well.

So you’re thinking about quitting on Jesus? It’s too soon to quit! Instead, remain faithful, since Jesus has guaranteed your future. It’s that guarantee that enables us to regain our composure…and persevere.  

Text: Ephesians 4:29

No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear.

We should never be surprised by what we hear on television or from the secular press. BUT I WAS! It happened this morning while I was getting ready to start my week. I turned on the TV, finished shaving, and was rehearsing the day’s schedule in my mind. And then in the background I heard a well-known anchor ask, “So why do you think children are using profanity more and more?” The “guest expert” said that children were watching a lot of profanity-laced movies and video games. Such language tends to get a laugh, and so children quickly learn that if they use the same language, they will get a laugh as well. The anchor went on to ask if this was a good thing or not. In typical politically correct posturing the guest said that it “wasn’t so much right or wrong.” She said that “children needed to learn to use such language in an adult manner.”

It was the last phrase that really caught my attention. How does one use profanity in an “adult manner”? [Don’t spend too much time pondering this question. It’s not worth the effort.] In fact, there is NO SUCH THING as an appropriate “adult” usage of profanity. The Apostle Paul refers to such language as “rotten talk.” And in our verse for the week he reminds his readers that all rotten/profane talk is to be eliminated. Only “what is good for building up” should be the language of the Christian. Why is that the case? Paul says it’s because “wholesome talk” builds up those in need and gives “grace to those who hear.”

So who is in need? And how does wholesome (non-cursing) language give grace? The answer to the first question is that EVERYBODY is in need. We need words that direct, words that encourage, and words that are truthful. And when it comes to the “grace issue,” wholesome words surprise people with what they normally would not expect. You see, we expect the guy we’ve cut off in traffic to curse at us. We expect people at the “self-check-out counter” to get irritated when we aren’t scanning our items fast enough. Very simply, we expect people to use profanity when they are irritated with us and with life. But when a Christian uses wholesome words—good words—it pleasantly surprises people and extends a small, but powerful portion of God’s grace.

There is no such thing as an “adult” way of handling profanity! God calls Christians to a higher standard. Profanity is part of our old life. But God has clothed us in the righteousness of Jesus to act like Jesus instead of our old selves. We are to speak to the people around us in the same way that the Lord Jesus would speak to them.

So how are you doing with your words? Has your language been clouded by irritations and frustrations that lead you to say things you regret? If so, stop and confess that your language is anything but Christ-like and gracious. Then ask the Holy Spirit to always speak through you to enrich the lives of those around you. Ask Him to help you to speak so that when others hear…it is as if they are hearing a word from the Savior Himself.

Text: Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable-- if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise-- dwell on these things. Philippians 4:8

I am reluctant to bring the subject up—politics, that is—because people have very strong opinions when it comes to matters of public debate. I must admit that I like the intrigue and drama that takes place in the political arena. But in recent years I have been very disillusioned. Here’s why. Many politicians—both those on the left and the right—will throw down the “faith card.” They will give the impression that they believe in God, follow God, and try as best as they can to be faithful to what the Triune God commands.

However, the politicians I see on TV have a propensity for distorting one another’s records, even when those “opponents” are professing Christians. And they do it just to get elected to the most powerful office in the world. I’m not saying that is true of every politician, because IT’S NOT! There are many good and noble men and women in political life that need our encouragement and prayers.

So why should you and I even care about what politicians are saying about one another? Consider our text—Philippians 4:8. Paul was writing at a time when there was conflict in the church at Philippi. Paul appealed to two of his readers to make amends and join forces in the Body of Christ. In addition, they were to cast aside their propensity toward anxiety and make their requests known to God. It was as if Paul was saying, “Stop making demands on one another and let God know what’s going on in your heart.” But the author didn’t stop there. He also told them to THINK in a certain way. They were to look at their fellow believers by accenting the positive, the noble, and the good that they saw in other people.

You are probably asking, “What does this have to do with politicians and campaigns for the Presidency?” Simply this: what we say is a reflection of the condition of the heart. A person might profess faith in Jesus, but that doesn’t mean they are genuinely demonstrating the character and mission of Jesus to others. And yet that is why we Christians exist. We are here to exalt the name of Jesus in absolutely everything, including our words!

So what are you saying----I mean what are you REALLY saying? Don’t use Christianity to curry favor with the public or even with other believers. Instead THINK and SAY those things that reflect the way Jesus sees the people around us. We can disagree with a person’s viewpoint on a specific matter of public policy. But that’s not the same as using words to create a false image regarding a fellow-believer. Be sure that you THINK and SAY those things that are really true. This is what Jesus wants. And His wants can be reflected in our words.

TEXT: Jeremiah 9:23-24

Here we are at the beginning of another new year. The early days of January are supposed to be times of reflection, planning, and hoping for better days. This New Year was eerily different for me. I say that because in December I reached a milestone—a significant “year” as far as birthdays are concerned. [The actual number is immaterial, so don’t ask me how old I am.] My wife and I spent a quiet evening at home saying very little about the day or how many candles should be on the cake. Instead I found myself thinking of birthdays of years past. When I was a teenager I dreamed of places I wanted to live. In my early twenties I marked out some professional goals I wanted to accomplish. And in my thirties I added even more goals to my professional roadmap.

All of those years have come and gone—and the dreams have slipped away with them. I have been blessed and I am grateful to God for things I have been able to do. God has been good to me far beyond what I deserve. And here at the beginning of 2012 two verses of Scripture I memorized years ago have come to my attention. They are from the prophecies of Jeremiah referenced above. In the context the prophet announced that Jerusalem would be utterly destroyed and the people would be taken into captivity. And in the midst of his pronouncements Jeremiah said, “But the one who boasts should boast in this, that he understands and knows Me!” Why would anyone boast in the midst of a natural disaster? Chances are there were people (like there are today) who think they are smart enough, rich enough, and powerful enough to work their way out of any dilemma. But Jeremiah says, “Don’t boast in what you can accomplish. Boast in knowing God!”

Perhaps you are saying, “Why would you remember a scripture that talks about judgment on the occasion of your birthday?” It’s because when we look around at dreams shattered and dreams accomplished, there is very little worth celebrating…unless we know the One who is sovereign over all of life. And it isn’t just knowing about Him, but knowing His will and His ways. It is knowing that He is faithful, loving, just, and righteous. And more than anything we might accomplish in our own power, the living God wants us to pursue these same God-like attributes for ourselves. Our text says that God delights in these things.

What are your dreams—your goals—for this year? And how do your goals measure up to the things that delight the living God? Whatever you plan on doing, make sure that you devote significant time to knowing Him—I mean really knowing Him!