Philippians 3

Paul urges them to continue on, like in a race he urges that some have fallen away because they loved the things of this world too much.

Fellow Christians, if we stop actively living a holy life we will soon fall away, get funny in our beliefs. We would add or subtract something from the gospel. Some new idea would take the place of the cross. The cross is still offensive to some and a stumbling block to others.

Sometimes a cause, perhaps good on it's own gets in front of God and becomes a god itself. For some environmentalism is that way. I think for me it is getting involved in too much diverting stuff like sports, reading, movies, or computers. They are less than reality. I am tempted to back off from life.

Paul says to continue. We never get it perfect or completed until God calls us home. We must press forward keep trying, keep seeking, keep serving. But we know the service is not god, we do it for God, not for itself alone, whatever it is that God has called us to.

We are called to serve as Paul served, as Jesus served. Paul tells them to look at him, at Timothy, at Epaphroditus as role models. Remember they did not have the Bible yet. They needed role models. Paul is simply being practical, not proud, in offering himself as a role model. He told them of Jesus but they could not see him. They could see Paul and the other leaders.

Philippians 2

[19] But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. [20]For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. [21]For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.

Paul praises Timothy greatly here. But by comparison Paul is putting down some good men. He is saying they don't quite measure up. I expect I would not measure up in his eyes. Paul was a hard man to please it seems.

But I think I know what he feels like. When I was Cubmaster for my son's pack, I did that for four years, each year I would recruit den leaders, usually from the parents. I demanded that they commit to one year. A lot of parents wanted to help but I wanted to know they would be regular. I did not want to have to wonder who would be there to help me each week. Others could come and participate and many did. But I would not appoint you to den leader unless you had a long term commitment.

One man, a very good man, quit after the first year. He felt like the commitment was too much. I am not sure it was his work or his wife that made him want to quit. Later at a party he explained to me that I was too hard. I set the bar too high for commitment. I don't think he understood it from my position. I tried to apologize for hurting his feelings but I did not think I would have ever done it any differently.

Paul too, I'm sure, wanted to expect his helpers to be ready at any time, not distracted by other interests. He wanted to know who would be there each time they met. I think I can at least partly understand Paul's position. If you have ever taken on a leadership position you probably can too.

Great sermon this morning

Based on Luke 4:1-12, the testing of Christ.

Some salient points

We need to be tested. (Jesus needed to be tested.) God does not tempt us but he wants us to be tested. See the Israelites in the wilderness (fail). See Jesus in the wilderness (pass). I thought of Adam and Eve in the garden.

I would rather be wrong in integrity than right without integrity. The context is in making decisions that would put one in position of power and/or prestige. Are you doing it for the acclaim or in order to serve God better and give him the glory?

Test #3 - Do you have to repeatedly make God prove how much you are loved? Do you make others prove how much they love you? Or are you assured of God's love?

Malachi 3:13-18

God accuses Israel of cynicism. "You have said, 'It's foolish to serve the LORD God All-Powerful. What do we get for obeying him and from going around looking sad?'"

Another translation interprets "looking sad" to mean "feeling sorry for what they have done wrong".

The psalms are full of examples of men who are feeling that God has not treated them right even though they have been faithful. Do you feel God has not paid attention to your devotion?

And yet almost all the psalms end with the psalmist reiterating God's faithfulness and love. We often have to speak faith without understanding. So the psalmist did.

The rest of the passage is a vision of God reasserting that yes he does notice our devotion, our fear, our respect for him.

"Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another and the Lord gave attention and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the Lord and who esteem His name."

Malachi concludes, "So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him."

The "you" is us. We will again see that God does not sleep. He is very much involved and does note those who love him.

Let us rejoice that God does love us. He cares to reward us. He has sent his Savior to make up for our shortcomings, our sins. Thank you Lord.

Humble yourself

I must be a proud man. And yet I can humble myself when the need arises. I know I am proud because when I do it I am so conscious of doing it and it feels so weird.

Humble yourself. When writing your term paper humble yourself. Do it the way the professor wants you to do it. It makes it so much easier. I have done it both ways and I know. Really humbling yourself is often the easiest path.

We watched Hobson's Choice last night, a movie from 1954 directed by David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia) and starring Charles Laughton and John Mills. The protagonist would have done much better if he had humbled himself. But he has to come to humility the hard way. He finally does humble himself in the end. I read that is what is called a "Hobson's Choice". I had never heard that expression before. Had you?

Jesus humbled himself (Philippians 2:7). He became a man when he was God. That's humility. And as a man he was obedient and submitted himself to death for us, a very painful death. Paul tells us Jesus is our model we should be like him.

Paul then says God glorified him. It is much better to let God glorify us than to try to do it for ourselves. What if we are successful at glorifying ourselves.

The commentator mentions politicians. I do not think all politicians are bad. And almost all start out good. But a politician is one who does succeed at glorifying himself. How would you feel if thousands sometimes millions vote for you and pick you over all others? You are going to feel glorified. You are going to burst your buttons. It is no wonder that some of them will feel that they are above the rules and perhaps even legally exempt themselves from some of them. It may be amazing that there are many who remain honest. My U.S. Representative and I do not agree on a lot (Gene Green) but it does appear he is very honest in his dealings. He has not let his power and glory go to his head.

An old seminary instructor used to tell his students, "Mortify yourself, mortify yourself." You can consciously do it.

But it is best to do it when the opportunity arises. Opportunities will certainly arise. You do not have to be like the Flagellites who walked around in public and had others beat them with whips.

a little foreign policy

And now for a change of pace.

The WSJ has as its top story an article on the summit between Obama and Hu, the leader of China.

My comment: China is a rising super power. They are already an economic super power. People may not know that China is quietly building weapons. So soon they will be a military super power.

Nature abhors a vacuum. We have had a military vacuum since the collapse of the U.S.S.R. The U.S.A. is a flabby super power. We are lazy. A competitor might help us to shape up. Or we may just collapse.

If the dollar ceases to be the major currency in the world this will hurt the standard of living we are assume will go on forever. But soon the yuan will be the major currency.

We already see China's economic influence in the price of gasoline. Price increases are directly related to international demand mostly China but also India. It is the same with decreases. We no longer control gasoline prices which are related to the price of a barrel of crude oil.

I still maintain that Obama seems strong and on point on his foreign policy. He has not had a crisis yet but that may be partly because of his competence.

Now if we could just get him on board for repealing universal health care.

Identity in Christ / insecurity

One thing else I did not do the other day was have confidence in my identity in Christ. I have blogged about that. "Physician heal yourself." Not that I must act better than others. But I can be confident in Jesus, my identity as a saint of God.
In that identity I can be ready to be a servant whenever opportunity comes that I have the ability to help. My identity under Christ is as a servant. As a servant I can be confident in Christ.
I was thankful last night at Life Group for the party given in my honor for my birthday. I got a nice card, a cat on the front, a cake and wonderful brownies. I have decided red velvet cake is my favorite. Who knew it was chocolate? Yum. Both yum.
I find Philippians appropriate here. Yes I am reading into it what was not really there originally. This word was meant for the whole church, a group, not an individual like me. Yet I will read it for me right now.
"Conduct yourselves worthy of the gospel... standing firm in one spirit, with one mind, strong together for the faith of the gospel. In no way alarmed by your opponents, which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that from God."
Some of the ideas encourage me. The passage was written for the group to act together. But I sometimes see my brothers in Christ like enemies. I know this is a personal problem. It's just a feeling. But in this situation I feel it is true. Perhaps what I am dealing with are old hurts and snubs. I guess I have unresolved issues but they are not conscious. I feel like running or saying rude things.
But thank God I was polite, even friendly to everyone. For the most part I may have passed the test. I feel like God is requiring my to grow up, be the man. But I did leave early, before most everyone else. Perhaps I should have stayed but I really saw no reason to do so. I would have stayed if I saw a reason to stay.
I see Philippians 2:4 "Do not merely look after your own personal interests but also for the interests of others."
I wanted to do that in this previous situation. I really did. But I did not feel I had anything to offer here. So I went home.