QT 19 Apr 11

Col 2:2-4 (NIV) My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

NOTE: Paul's purpose (I assume for the letter to a group he does not know personally) is two-fold.  He wants to encourage them and to unite them in love.  This two-fold purpose is necessary to experience the full riches of a complete understanding of biblical truth, with the primary truth being Jesus Christ, which is where all of the riches of wisdom (applied understanding) and knowledge (biblical truth) is found.  He gives them the purpose, because he is also seeking to refute "fine-sounding" arguments. 

That is usually true of false-teaching.  They appeal in some manner to what we want to hear, but they do not satisfy the criteria of adherence to biblical truth.  False teaching, such as a recent book suggesting no hell, appeals to many, but ignores one of the most solidly-based truths in the bible.  Jesus spent more time talking about hell than any other writer in the New Testament.  Jesus talked of a very literal hell, with very descriptive terms.  I'm sure some fine-sounding philosophy can explain why he would do it, but it ignores the plain teaching of the bible.  We either have a source for absolute truth or we do not.  If we do not, then there is no sense arguing, since all propositions can be said to be true but nothing is really true.  It is not worth wasting time.  We cannot even reason truth if we are the product of random chaotic events.  No, in the end, we require some clear foundation of truth, some message from the creator.  No other source satisfies that requirement than the bible.

QT 18 Apr 11

Col 2:1-4 (NIV) I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2 My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

NOTE: Another clue to Paul's relationship to this valley (the churches reside in a common valley) is that he has not met the Laodiceans either. But still he feels a responsibility to both those from Laodicea and those from Colossae. His struggle, that he refers to must be one of prayer, although I'm sure it also took some effort to write the two letters and to send someone to deliver the letters.  Paul is doing all he can, and sometimes the only thing that can be done is prayer.  While I am convinced that prayer is always good, sometimes we do too little, especially in response to a person's need when we say "I'll pray for you."  I suppose what is even worse is when we don't really pray for them after saying that we'll pray for them.  Still, praying is a very good thing, and can be a very effective work.  When all we can do is pray, we surely ought to.  When we can do more, we should pray and do what we can, but only after prayer.  Which gets into another issue, and that is fixing people's problems which God has allowed for a purpose.  Sometimes our efforts to relieve another's pain are in direct opposition to what God is doing in their life.  I think that is most true when we deal with our adult children.  And prayer is important, to know what God would have us to do, and to ask that they are receptive to what God is teaching them in their struggle.

QT 15 Apr 11, Col 1:25-27, Fooling ourselves about faith

Col 1:25-27 (NIV) I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

NOTE: This is one of the seven mysteries of the NT.  A mystery is something not fully revealed in the OT but made clear in the NT.  In this case, it is the dwelling of God in the Gentiles.  There is no need for a temple, we are his temple.  The shekinah glory does not reside between the cherubim above the ark, but now within us through the Holy Spirit.  We don't need any more sacrifices performed day after day to cover sin, because Jesus has been sacrificed once for all for the removal of all sin.  Like the saints of old, we please God by a walk of faith, and not through ritual observance to some rules.  God is interested in the heart, and that is where he resides, to change our heart to be more like his Son.  This is the good news, the gospel we believe in, and our hope for the future.

PONDER:

1) We have the Holy Spirit in us, but does it show? Are we changing or do we look like everyone else?

2) If we are not changing, then we are not growing, and if we are not growing, then is the Spirit residing in us? And if the Spirit is not in us, then we are not Christians.

PRAYER: Father, many religious people have fooled themselves that intellectual knowledge of you and church attendance and good deeds makes them Christians. They have fooled themselves in believing they are born again, despite no real evidence of supernatural change. Father, take the blinders off of our eyes; may we truly repent of our sins, and humbly ask you to enter our lives and be our savior, and change us from the inside out. Amen.

QT 14 Apr 11

Col 1: portions of 13-23 (NIV) For he has rescued us from ... darkness … brought us into the kingdom … 15 He is the image of the invisible God,… by him all things were created … 17 He is before all things ... in him all things hold together ... he is the head of the body ... he is the beginning … God was pleased ... through him to reconcile … all things … by ... the cross. 21 Once you were ... enemies … But now he has reconciled you by Christ's ... death to present you holy in his sight ... This is the gospel ... which I ... have become a servant.

NOTE: It is a long section and is so rich.  This is the essence of the gospel which Paul preached.  I have shortened it down to emphasize the main points, but every point could be elaborated in much greater depth.  And to paraphrase the message even more, I would say: Jesus, the image and fullness of God, the creator and sustainer of all things, has reconciled us, formerly enemies, to God through his death on the cross by making us holy in God's sight.  A complex and yet incredibly simple message.  He died to restore me, his enemy.  I think the biggest problem that most people have is not recognizing themselves as enemies of God.  They don't see their sin as such a bad thing.  They compare it to others and believe they come off pretty well.  But they don't compare their sin to God and if they really did, they would see how short they fall and how unbelievable that God would even bother to save them.  No, most of us never truly grasp our lost-ness, and so salvation is never valued as it should be.  Lord, thank you for your salvation.  I understand what you did, and yet I cannot even grasp the depth of your love for me.  May I never take it for granted.

QT 13 Apr 11

Col 1:9-12 (NIV) For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 

NOTE: After telling them about how he heard about their faith, Paul launches into what he has been praying for them, which also outlines his desire for them spiritually.  He wants them to grow in spiritual wisdom, to live lives worthy of the Lord, to bear fruit, to know God, to live in his power, to endure, and to joyfully give thanks.  My paraphrase lists seven things. 

What are the most important things for a new believer to know and do?  If I was writing the letter, I would want them to grow in a relationship with Jesus Christ through knowledge of the word of God.  So, I would emphasize getting into the word as the means to know Christ.  My second thing would be for them would be to obey God, to put into practice the things that God reveals to them in the word.  My third thing would be to emphasize prayer, because it is not really a relationship if the communication is one-way, that is from God to man, and not also man to God.  I know that fellowshipping with other believers keeps us in the battle and encourages us to maintain this discipline.  Without others the first three items fall off, because we feel we are all alone, so fellowship is important for ourselves, but also for others, since they would be in the same boat.  But they also need to share their new found faith with those who don't know about Jesus, because that expands our vision beyond our temporal selves, and gives meaning to our existence here on earth.  Otherwise, we could do the first three things, be encouraged by others to continue, but have no real purpose beyond activities which primarily benefit ourselves.  The gospel message is our purpose.  God has given us a huge mission, to take the message into our world and to make disciples of all the nations.  That is our vision.  That is the thing which is bigger than us and captivates our heart.  Without it, we are left with a selfish attachment to a dying and decaying world centered around entertaining ourselves.  How empty!

Paul's list is not really that different from mine, it is just said more elegantly and without so many words.  The knowledge of his will is reaching the world.  Spiritual wisdom and understanding comes through the word.  Living lives worthy and pleasing to God is putting into practice his truth.  Bearing fruit is having a witness among others (both believers to encourage, and unbelievers to challenge them to truth).  Growing in the knowledge of God is the relational aspect which requires the word and prayer.  Strengthened in power adds the importance of the Holy Spirit in you to make the impact in the world (my list excluded but would be very important).  Great endurance and patience, joyfully giving thanks are the final keys to long-term sustainment as a believer, and growth in key character qualities.  Paul emphasizes the long-term needs which my list failed to address.

QT 11 Apr 11

Col 1:3-9 (NIV) We always thank God, ... when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus ... and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6 that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

NOTE:  This is an interesting letter, and I look forward to studying it in-depth.  I think I forgot, but apparently, Paul does not know the recipients.  He did not plant the church or start the work, but he is still writing a letter to the church.  It would make sense that Paul would want to make sure that the church is grounded in the most absolute essential truths of the faith.  It could also be that someone has told him of some struggles / false teaching that the church is going through, and he is using his status as an apostle to lend support to right teaching.  I have read Colossians many times in my life.  From memory, I know he talks about the supremacy of Christ, the nailing of the law to the cross (possibly in response to Judaizers), the unimportance of rituals or special days, and certain character qualities and behavior that are important.  If I was to write to someone in four short chapters, what would be the essential things I would want them to know?  And how am I exhibiting those essentials in my everyday life?  If the essentials and my life are in disconnect, then how important are the essentials really?  And who am I fooling?  Surely, not God.

QT 8 Apr 11

Php 4:14–17 (NIV) Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17 Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account.

NOTE: For Paul, money was never the issue.  He believed God would provide his need, and if for some reason God did not, that only meant that God wanted him to work.  He would start up his tent-making business part time during those days.  He never doubted God's care or provision.  His excitement at monetary gifts was not for himself but for the person or group of persons who were giving.  Why?  Because giving is a sign of spiritual maturity.  There is a reward for giving -- it may not happen in this life, but God does reward those who give.  Therefore, Paul was excited, because the gifts he received meant even greater spiritual gifts to those who gave both in this life and in the life to come.  Developing the ability to give cheerfully is one of the greatest joys of the Christian life and is a sign of spiritual growth in the giver.

QT 6 Apr 11

Phil 4:9c (NIV) … And the God of peace will be with you.

NOTE: The theme of peace permeates chapter four.  Verse 1: don't let the Judaizers take your joy away (continues chapter three discussion), stand firm.  Verses 2-3: agree with each other in the Lord, you are all fellow workers.  Verses 4-5: be recognized by your gentleness and joy.  Verses 6-7: don't be anxious, give your worries to God in prayer; God promises peace which is beyond understanding. Verse 8: focus and think on good things (the word of God is the most true thing I can think of).  Verse 9: put into practice the things you have been taught or seen in others that are good.  And then he ends verse 9 with the phrase that the God of peace will be with you.  Rejoice, stand firm, agree with each other, pray, think on good things, and apply the things you learned -- these are the things which will bring peace to your life.

QT 5 Apr 11

Phil 4:4-5 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

NOTE: I'm pretty sure I'm going too far with this verse, but here it goes.  In chapter 3 Paul starts out with the exhortation to rejoice, which is he also calls a safeguard.  He then warns the Philippians of the Judaizers, spending a lot of time explaining why outward things are rubbish, and finishes with a discussion on the hope of the resurrection, which is best understood as experiencing the rapture.  In these verses, he summarizes the beginning and the ending of chapter 3 with a one extra tidbit.  The extra item is: let your gentleness be evident to all.  To me, this is the part of our Christian witness that marks maturity in Christ (and contrasts with the lives of the Judaizers).  People aren't attracted to the faith by our ability to follow some set of rules or checklists or rituals (although, some people are but for the wrong reasons).  What attracts a person to Jesus, and makes a Christian attractive is love, evidenced by a gentle spirit.  As I imagine Jesus' life, this character quality is what stands out most to me, his loving and gentle spirit.  He would have been a good earthly friend (and he is a good friend now!).  Someone who cared about a person's struggle.  Someone who did not immediately judge you or tell you what you were doing wrong.  Someone who listened.  Someone who gently led you back to truth.  Someone who did not get angry for mistreatment but whose anger arose in defense of others or of God.  And even that anger would be controlled and gentle, firm and resolute.  Those are the people who please God, not the ones who have the rule book down flat.

QT 4 Apr 11

Phil 3:20-4:1 (NIV) But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

4 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!

NOTE: How should we stand firm?  One, recognize that our citizenship is in heaven.  This world is not our home, it is not our reward, it is not what we live for.  Second, await the coming of the Savior.  I may have the opportunity which Paul did not have, and that is to attain the resurrection (the rapture) from the dead (the spiritually dead).  Paul hoped in that day, and I too hope for it.  I'm a lot closer to it than Paul was.  The thing that we don't realize, is that we lose nothing with the rapture.  And I sincerely believe that.  Eden was God's plan before the rebellion.  Who are we to know what God's plan is after the rapture?  We do know there is no giving of marriage, but that does not discount some other relationship between people.  We just don't know.  But no one has given up houses, wife, children, parents, or things who will not receive one hundred times as much in this life and in the age to come.  Third, we can stand firm because we know our bodies will be transformed to be like his body.  We won't struggle with the flesh, because our bodies will be uncorrupted, like Adam's and Eve's were before they had to cover them up because of their rebellion.  Lord, help me to encourage others with these truths.

QT 1 Apr 11

Phil 3:17-19 (NIV) Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18 For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.

NOTE: It is hard to know who are these enemies of the cross.  In context, it would appear to be the Judaizers, who appear in verse 2, and whose confidence in the flesh is the main thrust of Paul's response in the first part of Chapter 3.  But, in many cases, the Judaizers are believers, so that would not seem to fit with verse 19 since their destiny is destruction, unless the destruction is physical punishment and not spiritual, that is relating to salvation.  This would also fit with the warnings given in Hebrews to believers who were falling back under the law and in danger of physical destruction, not the loss of salvation, that was to occur in a few years (the destruction of Jerusalem).  Either way, whether they are believers or not, we need to be wary of those who preach a works-based relationship with God.  They may be false brothers, they may be misguided brothers, but their teaching is wrong.  Our citizenship is in Heaven.  We have a relationship with God by faith and through faith.  We live by the Spirit of God.  We seek to fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2; 1 Cor 9:21) by caring for and loving one another.  Love is the law we now live by.

QT 31 Mar 11

Phil 3:12-14 (NIV) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

NOTE:  When Paul says that he has not already obtained "this," the "this" refers to the previous paragraph of knowing Christ and becoming like Christ.  This is sanctification, the process of becoming and knowing Jesus Christ, not justification, which is our position in Christ.  In other words, the law holds no profit and is considered rubbish as far as pursuing a right relationship with Jesus Christ in this life.  One does not get to know God through the obedience to the OT law.  One gets to know God through his word and obedience to the commands of Jesus (which is not through legalistic righteousness to the OT law).  Jesus said, "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:21 NIV, emphasis mine).  Why is it that people want to attach themselves to the OT law?  What is it about rules that draws us to them?  Why is it so hard to develop a spirit of righteousness and not an external caricature of righteousness?  Father, protect me from the danger of evaluating my walk with you on externals.  I want to have a heart relationship with you, not a fake activity engagement with you.

QT 30 Mar 11

Phil 3:4b-11 (NIV) If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have  more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a  Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church;  as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I  consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my  Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but  that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by  faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of  sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to  the resurrection from the dead.

Note: There can be no doubt that the discussion of confidence in the flesh is based on the  heresy of the Judaizers. But it is not just an  issue of salvation, it is a way of life. It is a discussion of how to please God. It is not just positional, it is "becoming," it is "attaining." Paul has considered all aspects  of that way of life as loss and as rubbish.  Knowing Christ Jesus is a far greater thing;  as the song, "knowing You Jesus," says.  I'm not sure I completely understand verse  10, but I do agree with Paul, I want to  know Jesus even more.

QT 29 Mar 11

Phil 3:1-4 (NIV) Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—

NOTE:  I really think that verse 1 precedes verse 2 with reason, and not as a totally new thought.  An attitude of rejoicing is a protection against the Judaizers.  They believed that you needed to be a Jew to be saved.  You needed to be circumcised and required to obey the law.  But the issue is not just salvation because by implication it refers to how you live your life as well.  Typically (but not always), those who emphasize the law are legalistic.  They put confidence in the flesh for the relationship with God.  They focus on the do's and don'ts of the law and not on the relational part of their faith.  They are confident in their relationship when they feel they have checked off certain activities, and so they ultimately are putting their confidence in the flesh.  And to a certain degree, that takes the joy out of our relationship with God which is not dependent upon externals but on the spirit, our heart response to Him.

QT 28 Mar 11

Phil 3:1 (NIV) Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

NOTE:  Three things stand out in this section of Paul's letter.  First, while there are still two chapters in length left, he is wrapping up with some final thoughts.  It takes a little effort to finish his final thoughts.  Second, his comment about writing the same things to you again is either a reference to an earlier part of the letter, or more likely a reference to a previous letter, now long lost.  But the third point is the most interesting, Paul says that rejoicing in the Lord is a safeguard for the believers.  Now, it could be a reference to the Judaizers who by their emphasis on the law take the joy out of the Christian life.  That would fit with the next verse when he tells them to watch out for the "mutilators of the flesh."  It could also be a protection against grumbling and complaining, which he just concluded in the previous section.  Clearly, an attitude of rejoicing over events (the "glad game" as Pollyanna calls it)is an effective tool to keep us from a spirit of grumbling and complaining.  So, instead of working at eliminating the grumbling and complaining, I need to work at increasing the rejoicing, so as to eliminate the latter by default. 

QT 23 Mar 11

Phil 2:12 (NIV) Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed — not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence — continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ...

NOTE: I have never really understood "work out your salvation" in verse 12.  The AMP uses "work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation" which makes more sense.  The NLT says to "work hard to show the results of your salvation."  The NCV says to "keep on working to complete your salvation."   Wuest uses "carry to its ultimate conclusion [likeness to the Lord Jesus] your own salvation."  The Greek word, katergazesthe, means to do something with success and / or thoroughness, and can be translated as to accomplish, to perform successfully, and to do thoroughly.  In other words, my salvation, which is not dependent on works (based on many other verses of scripture, Eph 2:8,9 and Tit 3:5 to name two), starts by faith, but is carried to completion with work and effort.  Yes, I need the power of the HS to live the Christian life, but it doesn't just happen.  I need to make effort to seek God, to pray, to make right choices, to obey when God speaks, and other actions.  God can give me strength beyond my self to live that life, but he cannot force me to walk with God.  If he did, we would be back to the argument about being robots, and robots cannot love.  Additionally, the church today is a massive example of people who are not bringing to completion the work that God started.  They are not obeying God's word, and ultimately their witness negatively affects the gospel. 

Lord, protect me from the draw of the world.  I want to serve you and to finish my Christian life strong.

Phil 2:12 (AMP) Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

QT 22 Mar 11

Phil 2:26-30 (NIV) For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.

NOTE: One issue I encounter in discussions with other brothers is that there is a distinction between suffering as the result of health issues, and suffering that is the result of service or persecution.  I've met two totally different groups within Christendom, one that believe in the health and wealth gospel, and the other from the charismatic side, who believe we should always be whole (physically, spiritually, and mentally).  The latter believe a failure to be physically whole shows a lack of trust or spirituality or fullness of the Holy Spirit.  To the former group, I will ignore, because the arguments are well founded and strong against such a position.  But to the latter group, here is a case where Paul equates an illness suffered either while traveling or upon arrival in Rome, with service for the gospel, which would then equate illness with persecution.  Paul says Epaphroditus almost died.  His living was only the mercy of God, not the result of anyone's faith or the fullness of the Spirit.  In fact, Paul's response to his potential death was not guilt over a lack of the HS, but sorrow to miss a good friend for a short period of time.  Paul says E. almost died for the work of Christ.  Paul says E. risked his life for the gospel.  If we are supposed to be whole (physically), how could anyone risk their life with an illness, that would not show risk, but rather spiritual weakness.  I think this particular passage pretty much debunks the wholeness crowd. 

QT 17 Mar 11

Phil 2:5-8 (NIV) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

7 but made himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8 And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death —

even death on a cross!

NOTE:  My attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ.  So how does Paul define Jesus' attitude?  First point is that he did not need to promote his importance or status.  He was God, but he did not emphasize that equality.  Now Jesus does make it clear in scripture that he is God, but this would also explain why the verses are few in number, enough to make the point, but not to overemphasize it.    He was God, but he did not come to earth to be treated as God.  The second aspect is that he became a servant.  He took the role of a slave to others for the sake of others.  The final aspect of his attitude was obedience, even unto death, even unto great pain and humiliation.  So for an attitude check, it would seem that humility, servanthood, and obedience were the hallmarks of Jesus attitude.

Where do I fall short or maybe the better question is, where do I not fall short?  My biggest weakness is making too much of my self.  So what if a person does not know my history -- is it really that important?  Forgive me Lord for promoting myself and not you.

QT 4 Mar 11

Phil 1:9-11 (NIV) And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ — to the glory and praise of God.

NOTE: I am always intrigue by the prayers that men who wrote the scriptures used.  Paul's prayer is that their love may abound more and more.  First, their love was expressed in a financial gift for Paul.  Giving is a good thing, not just for the recipient but also for the person who gives.  He also wants their love to grow in knowledge and depth of insight -- that comes through the word of God, and not just a superficial understanding of the word, but one that goes deep.  The fact that Paul makes the subject "love" suggests that knowledge and depth of insight should affect us personally, in our character and actions.  He also prays for them to be able to discern what is best.  That follows from knowledge and insight, after having applied truth.  As our mind is affected by God's word we develop godly discernment.  We are not as easily fooled by Satan's deceits.  Paul also prays that they might be pure and blameless until Jesus returns.  Sin hurts our witness and takes away from God's glory on earth.  The more we keep our lives pure from sin, the more God is glorified by us.  Righteousness is the result of a life pure and blameless.  Also, a reward is awaiting us in heaven, as well as the words, "well done, good and faithful servant."  How I hope to hear those words some day.

QT 2 Mar 11

Phil 1:3-6 (Wuest NT) I am constantly thanking my God for my whole remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making supplication for all of you with joy. I am thanking my God constantly for your joint-participation [with me] in the furtherance of the good news from the first day [when Lydia opened her home for the preaching of the Word] until this particular moment [as characterized by the gift which you have sent], having come to this settled and firm persuasion concerning this very thing, namely, that He who began in you a work which is good [their financial support of Paul] will bring it to a successful conclusion right up to the day of Christ Jesus.

NOTE: I think Wuest's translation is probably closer to the mark.  Which is not to say that God does not do good works in our lives, it is just more specific in the context, and probably more general in the application.  The work that God began in the Philippian's heart was to support Paul financially.  It was extremely encouraging to Paul.  He called it a "partnership" or "joint-participation" in the gospel.  Their giving was a good thing, and giving to missions, when God has laid it on our hearts, is a good thing today.  But God also calls us into missions, sometimes overseas, and always where we are at.  Clearly we are to live a life that is a witness for Christ, but we are also to identify with the gospel verbally in a manner that is well understood.  Father, give me boldness to share your gospel verbally with others.