Don’s Daily Devotions

Thurs 21^st May  –  Read Philippians 2:17-20

V17-18: Though he hopes yet to be delivered and see them again, he knows this may not be God’s will. If He dies for his gospel testimony, he likens it to the OT drink offering (He does so again in 2Timothy 4:6, when his martyr’s death is indeed very near).

It was an offering of thanksgiving, poured out on the altar. Since Christ, we have and need no altar, but Paul’s thought is he will be poured out for them and other believers, in love and service in response to their faith. If so, this will be a further cause of rejoicing for him ( like the apostles in Acts 5:41) and he says they too should rejoice in this. Would we see this as a reason for rejoicing, if it became our experience?

V19: Still seeking to encourage them, he says he hopes soon to send Timothy to visit them. No doubt to encourage them himself, as Paul had sent him to other churches (e.g. 1 Thessalonians 3:1-2 ) but also that he may then receive news of them from Timothy when he returns, which he believes will cheer and encourage him. ( By implication, that they have responded to this letter?)

V20: Of all his co-workers, he says there is none like Timothy who will show such true concern for them ( like Paul’s own.)

Do we have a heartfelt care and love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and a concern for their spiritual welfare?

Wed 20^th May                        Read Philippians 2:12-16:

V12: This great example, given to rebuke their wrong attitudes to others, now becomes the ground for a new appeal, to live as obedient followers of Christ. He saw them do this when he was with them, now let them do it in his enforced absence. In this, they will ” work out their own salvation” – NOT work for their salvation, it is all of grace ( Ephesians 2 v 8-9) but display it to others by the way they live, and do it ” with fear and trembling.” – humbly before God, in reverent awareness of Him and His grace.

V13: For it is all God’s gracious work in them – and in us, as believers. Note this precious NT balance – He works in us, we work out His will in obedience and faith, by the grace He gives, and the work of the Spirit in us.

V14: What does this mean in practice? Don’t grumble or argue with others about anything! This means willing submission to

God’s will in everything, How often we do grumble, argue etc – let these verses, which still go back to Christ’s example ( the “therefore” of v12.) speak to our hearts.

V15: So their lives – and ours – will bear witness that they/we are God’s children – blameless and innocent before Him, not by anything in ourselves, but through His mercy and grace, and the cleansing we have in Christ’s precious blood. ( Remember 1 John 1:7-9.) As obedient children, we witness to the truth before a disobedient and ungodly world ( not just that generation – every generation, not least our own!) As Christians we are to shine as lights in this darkness ( so, Matthew 5:14-16.) – Always remembering, it is Christ who is the true light ( John 8:12.) and we reflect His light – we have none of our own!

V16: By obedient discipleship, they/ we remain true to His Word, keeping it both in profession and practice. If this is shown in their lives, his spiritual children, he will rejoice in them, not only now but when Christ comes again and all His people are glorified with Him. So, they are the fruit of his ministry, to the glory of God. ( The word translated ” proud” here really means they will be a source of joy to him.)

Tues 19th May – Read Philippians:2:6-11

V6-7: His example is now opened out and applied, in these tremendous verses. He who was God from all eternity, One with the Father, Who became “God-with-us” (see also Colossians 1:15 ) did not cling on to that status properly His, but laid it aside in His great redeeming love, ( There may be an implied contrast here with Adam and Eve, who fell to the temptation to “grasp at” a status that was not theirs ( Genesis 3:5 ) Jesus laid aside the glory that was His eternally ( “emptied Himself” ) to be born as a human baby, and as a man accepted even humanly a “low condition” ( ” a servant” ). “Likeness” here does not mean He was only “like a man”, of course – He became man, was truly human.

V8: And in this true human nature, He humbled Himself even more – He accepted death! For death had no claim on His sinless life – He obeyed its claim on OUR sinful humanity,( and in this also obeyed His Father’s will and purpose ) as He bore our sins – we do not “obey” the call of death, we have no choice. And He accepted even the death on the cross – a death that the OT calls accursed. ( Deuteronomy 21:23 – and see Galatians 3:13.) He bore the curse for us!

V9-11: But after His self-humbling in such a way, God raised Him up in even higher exaltation, giving Him ” the Name above every Name”. One day the whole universe will acknowledge that He is Lord – every knee will bow, every tongue confess. In the wonder of God’s grace, those who trust in Him as Saviour do that now, as His saved people, willingly, thankfully and in love to Him who first loved us. Praise God if that is true of you! These verses surely suggest that as Redeemer of His people, He returned to His Father exalted even more highly. (Though we can not fully fathom these things.) And all this is to the glory of the Father, Who gave His Son for us!

Mon 18^th May                        Read Philippians 2:1-5:

V1-2: Paul now addresses a concern he has concerning them, he appeals to them to have a right attitude to one another. “If” here does not imply doubt, it is the grounds of his plea. We might say ” because there is ..”  encouragement in Christ – we should all seek to encourage others. Love should show in comforting each other. We share in the fellowship of, with and through the Holy Spirit, and this should be seen in our affection and sympathy towards each other. So, says Paul, these things ARE so, let them be seen in a oneness of mind as believers, a oneness of love. If this is so, his joy in them will be even greater.

V3-4: He goes on, they must not let selfishness or personal ambitions spoil their fellowship – clearly, he must have heard of some reason to be concerned about this in Philippi. Rather they are to humbly look on others as better than themselves, be concerned not for their own advantage, but that of each other. Such an attitude should always mark the way we think of, and behave towards our brothers and sisters in Christ.

V5: To emphasise this, he points them ( and us ) to the greatest example of all – Jesus Himself. Consider how He regarded and treated others, and think like Jesus did, and behave as He did.

Sat 16th May – Read Philippians 1:27-30

V27: Now he urges them, whether he is able to come to them again or not, to live to God’s glory in faith and obedience living out “gospel values”, so he will rejoice to know that they are standing firm in their faith, united in love for one another and in service together.

V28: In effect, he is praying for God-given courage as they face opposition and persecution. Those who oppose and persecute believers are demonstrating their own lost spiritual condition. Believers who, by God’s grace stand firm despite persecution show, in contrast, the reality of their faith, and that they are truly the Lord’s redeemed people.

V29-30: And if they do suffer for Christ’s sake, they should see this as a blessing – as a gift (“granted to them”). This is consistent NT teaching (see e.g. Matthew 5:11-12; James 1:2-4.) He reminds them of his own experience and example. Are we prepared, not only to accept suffering for Christ’s sake, but to rejoice in it and count it a privilege?

Fri 15th May – Read Philippians 1:22-26

V22: If Christ preserves his life and sets him at liberty, it will be for further fruitful gospel service. But would he prefer to continue in His earthly life and service, or to be with the Lord? He really is unsure which he would choose. How different from most of our thinking. Have we not grown too comfortable with this world?

V23: He knows that to be with Christ would be the better state, and in part he longs for this most of all. How real, how precious the prospect of heaven is to Paul. Is it so to us?

V24: Yet in his continued love for them, and ministry to them ( even now, from prison ) he believes it will be better, for their sakes, to remain alive. How dear these believers are to him – but in all this, he will willingly submit to God’s will.

V25-26: Thinking this through, and as the Spirit leads him, he is ( almost ) sure that God will deliver him to continue to minister to them ( and to others ) and be a means, under God, of their further growth as Christians and their greater joy. If he is set free he will come to them again, and this will be a further cause to give glory to the Lord. In fact scholars disagree whether Paul was set free from this particular imprisonment, and we cannot be sure. Only let us know, as Paul himself did , that all things are in God’s sovereign hand.

Thurs 14^th May – Read Philippians 1:18–21

V18b: Paul will rejoice whenever the gospel is proclaimed, for the power is in the Word of God, not the human messenger ( see 2 Corinthians 4:2.)

V19-20: Paul expresses a belief that God will yet deliver him from this captivity, in part through their prayers for him, but above all through the Holy Spirit’s sovereign work. Yet he is not trying to “dictate to God” what He should do – he is ready for death if that is God’s will for him, only praying for strength and courage to receive and submit to that will, and give glory to God, whether by his life or death. Is this true of us?

V21: What a statement of committed and assured faith! If God means him to continue in this life – and indeed here and now, in his captivity, the whole meaning and centre of his life, the greatest thing in it, is to know and follow the Lord. And if God takes him home to glory, that will be an even greater blessing – he will be with the Lord, safe and secure for all eternity. Is this our assurance too?

Wed 13th May – Read Philippians 1:12-18

V12: He doesn’t want them to be dismayed by his imprisonment, rather he assures them it is all in God’s plan and purpose, and has actually served to advance the spread of the gospel. Truly, how remarkable are God’s ways!

V13; For he has been able to witness to the imperial guard ( ESV). – the Emperor’s own bodyguard, his ” crack troops”, who it seems are entrusted with the custody of Paul. They, and others with them, have thus heard his witness, heard the gospel from him and know he is a prisoner because of his Christian faith and gospel witness.

V14: And, as God has worked through Paul’s imprisonment, other believers in Rome have become bolder in their witness, through Paul’s example.

V15: A difficult verse, but where some preach the gospel sincerely and in a true commitment to Christ and His Word, others it seems are not preaching with these motives, but out of envy of Paul’s ministry, and as his rivals.

V16: Those whose motives are sincere and right want to show their love for Paul, they desire to support and encourage him in his captivity and know they do this best by proclaiming the gospel as he has done. How do we seek to encourage those who minister to us? Surely, there is no better way than this.

V17: But those who seek their own glory, not Christ’s, think they are adding to Paul’s troubles. ( We don’t know the exact circumstances behind these verses.) But let them remind us, we need to be discerning about the preaching we listen to and receive!

V18a: Yet Paul can rejoice because Christ IS preached, even with the wrong motivation, if the message is the true one. God can use His Word, even through an unworthy preacher – and remember, NONE of us is worthy in ourselves. But how we need to uphold those who do declare God’s Word to us in prayer, that God will keep them faithful and use them to His glory.

Tues 12th May Read Philippians 1:7-11

V7-8: He expresses his heartfelt love and longing for them, grounded in their shared experience of God’s grace, and this real gospel partnership – he is no different from them in Christ, and in His service – remains true in his imprisonment. He is in Caesar’s prison because of his goslel witness – and he is confident they still bear that witness, standing for the truth of the gospel. But note the depth of his love for them – he can call on God as witness to that love. Do we have, and show, that same love to one another in Christ?

V9: And he prays that they may continue to grow in their love, yes for one another and for Him, but surely for the Lord too. (Compare Ephesians 3 v17-19.) This love is not a “fuzzy warm feeling”. It is – as in Ephesians 3 – grounded in knowledge, true and growing knowledge of the Lord, and in spiritual discernment, given to us by the Holy Spirit Himself.

V10: This discernment enables them – and us – to approve the real truth of the gospel (nothing is more “excellent” than that. Yes, to approve it with our minds, to hold it and agree with it, but also to live by it, as God enables us. Only by His work in us, that ministry of the Spirit in making us more Christ-like as we walk in obedience, can we be ” pure and blameless” before Him when He comes again. Not by our own efforts,
but by His work in us – which, as v7, He will complete.

V11: The “fruit of righteousness ” is not our own righteousness, of course. We have none. It is Christ’s righteousness, given to us as He took our sin upon Him and made us “right with God”. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21.) How amazing, that this is not only to the praise of God, but to His glory – the glory He has set in the finished work of His Son, and our salvation!