Perspectives

Philippians 1:3-11… 3) I thank my God every time I remember you. 4) In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5) because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6) being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7) It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8) God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9) 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 for the day of Christ, 11) with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God. (NIV)

In our Scripture text the apostle Paul makes us aware of a partnership between Jesus Christ and Christians everywhere. He goes on to encourage us to lift our heart in gratitude and prayer because of that partnership. Therefore, I think you would agree with me, that our desire should be to have a deep yearning within us to walk with Christ, so that we will continue to grow spiritually in the love and understanding that is so very necessary for our spiritual growth.

There is a story that tells how a nurse once taught a man to pray and in doing so changed his whole life; this dull, disgruntled, and dispirited creature became a man of joy. The nurse used her hands as a method of prayer. Each finger stood for someone. Her thumb, close to her, reminded her to pray for those who were closest to her. The second finger used for pointing and it stood for all her teachers in school and in the hospital. Now the third finger stood for the V.I.P.s, the leaders in our communities. The fourth finger was the weakest, and it stood for those who were in trouble and in pain. The little finger was the smallest and the least important and to the nurse it stood for her… there must always be a deep joy and peace in bringing our loved ones and others to our Heavenly Father in prayer

There is another special day coming in the life of Christ. The first time was when He came as a newborn baby. However, this time He will come like a King when all believers in Christ can come to present Him with their love and devotion… One might say that only by the grace of God are we able to do that.

The Apostle Paul prayed that his peoples love would grow greater every day. That love, which was not merely a sentimental thing, was to grow in knowledge and in sensitive perception so that they would be more able to distinguish between right and wrong. If we love any subject matter, we want to learn more about it; if we love any person, we want to learn more about that person; if we love Jesus, we will want to learn more about him and about truth.

Love is usually sympathetic to the heart and mind of the one we love. If I blindly and without thought hurt the feelings of the one I claims to love, it is not love at all. When we love Jesus, we will be thoughtful considerate to his will and his desires; the more we love him; the more we will instinctively shrink from what is evil and desire what it right. Real love is usually not blind; it will enable us always to see the difference between the false and the true. So, then the Christian will cause no other to stumble.

We are to live in such a way that the glory and the praise go to God. Christian goodness is not meant to win credit for us; it is meant to win praise for God. The Christian knows, and testifies, that we are what we are, not by our own unaided efforts, but only by our partnership in Jesus Christ and by the grace of God. To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done.

Would you pray this prayer with me… “Lord Jesus, come into my heart? Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have the peace in my heart that I yearn for. I really want that Peace, joy and happiness that will fulfill my heart’s desire. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will honour Your Name.” Amen.