Category Archives: Philippians

2022, Christian Living, Philippians

Do, More Than We Don’t

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As the hour is late to be here and still turn in early I think I shall be brief. 

Philippians 4. 

Allow me to share with you two or three observations from the first nine (9) verses.

Obviously, real Christians, Christians who have shared the Gospel, and whose names are written in the Book of Life can be at odds with one another.  A serious spat perhaps we would say. 
1And as Paul closes this letter he addresses it.  He even enlisted a Brother’s help. He wanted those Girls to lay aside the squabble and seek unity.  Unity in the Body of Christ. 
What a novel idea! 

Moving on to verse 4, he continues to exhort. 
He said we whose names are in the Book of Life are to be known for being REASONABLE and GENTLE. 
Yes. Reasonable and Gentle.
I am praying about this; as I had to ask myself am I REASONABLE and GENTLE?

One more nugget and I will close — I think.

8 In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy.

Do you see the word FOCUS? 
We are commanded to focus because our minds (apart from focusing on the LORD) do NOT gravitate toward thinking about things that are
True
Noble
Righteous
Pure
Lovable
Admirable
Virtuous or 
Praiseworthy.

We just don’t, BUT yielded to Holy Spirit we can practice, practice, practice until we do more often than we don’t. 

Love, Kathie

2022, Philippians, Questions

Then . . . Golf Cart

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Hi.

I’m reading Philippians 2.  Not far into the chapter yet and here I am.
It’s so good! Father through His Vessel Paul had so much to say. I love the way that as Father gives us His Word He lets us see His Servants. So beautiful!

So Paul at the beginning of the chapter reminds his people who they are and who he is to them and then he says THEN.

 2 then complete my joy by having a common purpose and a common love, by being one in heart and mind.
3 Do nothing out of rivalry or vanity; but, in humility, regard each other as better than yourselves —
4 look out for each other’s interests and not just for your own.
5 Let your attitude toward one another be governed by your being in union with the Messiah Yeshua:  source 

Then.
He says there are some ways I want you to keep; a means of life that you must embrace and act upon to be the people I know you are. 

Okay. Here goes. 

Have a common purpose.
Have a common love.
Be one in heart and mind.
No rivalry.
No vanity.
HUMBLY be one another’s keepers – that is look out for one another’s best interests before you do your own!
And finally, your attitude toward one another must be governed by your union with JESUS.

From your knowledge of Scripture:
Define the common purpose.
Identify the common love.
Describe unity.
Do you know rivalry or vanity when you see it?
What does a governor do?  Don’t picture a politician — far from that!
Try this on.  Golf carts have governors – that way I will drive at a safe speed throughout the course path for all 18 holes.

My union, your union with JESUS MUST govern our day-to-day living from now until we see Him Face to face.

Love, Kathie 1

2 Kings, 2022, Philippians, Questions, Weekly Planner Reading

Lessons From Kings

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2 Kings 25

What a chapter.
Most of it is way over my head in learning but I do get a couple of things pretty well, I think. 

Two years.
Two years Jerusalem was under siege by the king of Babylon.  
It was a successful tactic. Nebuchadnezzar starved them out. 
Henious. 
But before you get too violent toward Neb, know this — had Israel/Judah repented of her idolatry, captivity would not have happened. 

Lesson: repent of all idolatry immediately.  Idolatry will surely put the worshipper in chains and eventually bring eternal death.

If you want a glimpse of how brutal this got check out what happened to king Zedekiah, particularly in verses 6 and 7.  But prior to that, you will read he fled the City and oh when they caught him. 

Then there is verse 12. See what you think. 

12 But the commander of the guard left behind some of the poor people of the land to be vineyard-workers and farmers.    source 

Do you wonder why? I do. 
Did he leave them as a tiny bit of compassion or were they so insignificant (he thought) that they could be of no help or harm to Babylon?

And then as we read on there is Gedaliah. 
A voice of reason.  
Hear what he said.

24 And Gedaliah swore to them and their men and said to them, “Do not be afraid of the servants of the Chaldeans; live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well for you.”  source 

Was he saying, perhaps not but if not he should have?
Repent. Trust GOD, take the punishment we have earned, live in the land, obey the king (as long as we are not commanded to worship him) and things will go well with us.

Guess what? 
There’s a BUT in the next verse.
A big one!

25 But in midautumn of that year, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama, who was a member of the royal family, went to Mizpah with ten men and killed Gedaliah. He also killed all the Judeans and Babylonians who were with him at Mizpah.     source

Lesson: Truth is not popular. 
Speak it anyway. 
Yes. It might get you to Heaven swiftly but isn’t it true of a real Christian – to live is Christ and to die is gain? 

Love, Kathie 

2022, Christian Living, Philippians

No Fooling!

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FOR A LARGER VIEWING SCREEN, CLICK THE TITLE OF THIS POST ABOVE

Good Morning or evening as the case may be; I have a portion of Scripture for you to read. 
It’s instructive. 
It’s penned by Paul to the people of Philippi, yet not just any people of Philippi but brothers and sisters he so dearly loved.
Brothers and sisters that he confidently saw the LORD working in them and he encouraged them to continue so and to be assured that The LORD would continue to work in them until the Day of the LORD’s return for them. (verse 6 of Philippians 1)

I hope you will read all of it but if you are rushing to get on with tasks clamoring for your attention — give yourself to these few. 

27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 
28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 
29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 
30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. 
source