Philippians
3 – 4
Verse 3:2 opens with a warning:
Watch out for the dogs—wicked
workers who run in packs looking for someone to maul with
their false circumcision.
During this time in the church there was a battle between
the Jewish Christians who believed that one should be a Jew in order to follow
Jesus, therefore following the Law was part of following Jesus. Never mind the
fact Jesus said “I came to fulfill the Law”, they still pushed this agenda.
Their belief was a “faith plus” belief which you find often in the world today.
Their plus was being Jewish and living by the Law, today it’s more works based
which is a whole different tangent.
Either way it doesn’t matter what we do, we are saved by
faith alone and nothing more. That is the point Paul is trying to drive home
since once the relationship becomes a acts based one legalism creeps in and
faith is pushed out. Suddenly we become the Pharisee who prayed how good he was
because of all he did, while the tax collector prayed for mercy. It’s all faith
and after that what we do is to show the love of Jesus, not to convict others.
Verse 3:14 gives us perspective on life:
I am sprinting toward the only goal
that counts: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to hear
God’s call to resurrection life found exclusively in Jesus the
Anointed.
The problem with life is our goals often do not mesh with
God’s. We tend to focus on the immediate issue or crisis which quickly pushes
aside God. Sure often the crisis will bring us closer to God in the end, but
often it starts by drawing us away. Suddenly we are sprinting towards a project
that MUST be finished now. In the end we turn and run towards that next project
when we really should be like Mary resting in Jesus and not Martha preparing
the feast.
Don’t get me wrong, we cannot spend our lives resting in
Jesus without working, but we need to know balance and ensure time is always
given to Him. Now one would say Paul did not do this and was always taken care
of during his ministry. Maybe that is the point!! We should spend our lives
resting in Jesus and if it means getting the job done, then it’s being done for
Jesus.
Verses 4:12 & 13 talks about what Paul went through:
12 I know
how to survive in tight situations, and I know how to enjoy having plenty. In
fact, I have learned how to face any circumstances: fed or hungry, with or
without. 13 I can be content in any and every
situation through the Anointed One who is my power and strength.
I am learning this, reluctantly! We have had to make
adjustments based on my lack of income and major bills looming. After 6 years
of struggling to get out of a huge hole, we are getting ready to dig another.
Sure we are being fed and always seem to have something in the end to pay
bills; it’s the stress that is literally killing me. Today I am learning to be
content in each, but not rest in that contentment and still work.
This brings up the old joke of the man sitting on the roof
in a flood. His neighbors came to help him, he said “I am waiting for God to
save me.” A rescue boat pulled up to help and he said “I am waiting for God to
save me.” Finally a helicopter came and he again said “I am waiting for God to
save me.” When the flood waters finally took his life he asked God why he did
not save him, God said “I sent your neighbors, a boat and a helicopter, what
more did you want?” Don’t be waiting for an opportunity when it’s looking right
at you! We kills the Messiah because He did not fit our mold, don’t miss read
what God has in store … but be content in all that happens.