“I can do all things through him who strengthens me”
(Philippians 4:13)
Notice the connection:
“Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS” (vs 4)
“Let your reasonableness be known to EVERYONE” (vs 5)
“do not be anxious about ANYTHING” (vs 6)
“in EVERYTHING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God” (vs 6)
“Finally, brothers, WHATEVER is true, WHATEVER is honorable,
WHATEVER is just, WHATEVER is pure, WHATEVER is lovely, WHATEVER is
commendable, if there is ANY excellence, if there is ANYTHING worthy of praise,
think about these things” (vs 8)
“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned
in WHATEVER situation I am to be content” (vs 11)
“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In ANY
AND EVERY circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger,
abundance and need” (vs 12)
“I can do ALL THINGS through him who strengthens me” (vs 13)
Is it possible that we miss out on the joy and contentment
God is working into us because we only want a part-time, some things, kind of
relationship with our heavenly Father? Perhaps we only want to rejoice in the
Lord in some things, and only want to show our reasonableness to some people,
and only want to be free from anxiety about some situations, and only want to
present some things to God in prayer, and only want to think about some of the
things that are excellent and praiseworthy in God’s sight, and only want God’s
kind of contentment in some situations and circumstances we are facing, and
only want to do some of God’s will through him who strengthens us?
Our joy and contentment do not rest in our own ability to do
God’s will perfectly. Rather, we begin by acknowledging that God is working in
us both to will the all-inclusive obedience of faith, and to work the
all-inclusive obedience of faith, and respond in fellowship with the whole
church family by working out all these issues of our salvation with fear and
trembling (Philippians 2:12-13).
When we know God is CONSTANTLY working this ALWAYS-AND-ALL-THINGS
way of life into his church, we just ALWAYS join him in his constant work.
© 2015 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
No comments:
Post a Comment