Philippians 2:13
I read Philippians 2:13 and then I read it again. I loved it yesterday when I completed Friday's reading (I needed to get ahead because I am traveling this week.) but today when I read it again it means more.
Today I am tired. I’ve been working and traveling. In fact I am sitting in Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport nursing a very hot tall Caramel Apple Spice. (Yum Yum!) I wait to board my fourth plane in 24hrs. I have been working.
The blessing is that I my work is what I love. My job is my love but it is still no less my work. So as I sit here I read today’s verse with deep eternal gratitude. God is working in me. Even as I sit here with my feet perched on the comfy chair in Starbucks He is working in me. Worn out and ready to be in the arms of my family, He is working in me.
The coolest thing about this verse is that God is working to give me the desire and power to do what pleases Him. Isn’t that so wonderful about our God? He wants us to obey Him, to please Him but does not leave us to our means of doing so. He gives what we need, desire and power, to give Him what He desires from us.
Thank you Father, the producer and generator of all things in my life that pleases you. Will you forgive me for working so hard on my own strength, trying to produce something that might please you. You are so gracious to supply what I need to make you smile. Help me to rest in your provision of desire and power. I love you Jesus!
P.S. While I was out of town and ran into some difficulty posting my blog. Through email I sent my post to my sweet friend, Erin Grey who uploaded it for me.~ thank you friend!
P.S.S. I spent a wonderful afternoon with God's people at First Presbyterian Church in Columbus, GA. If any of you are visiting today, thanks for loving me and making me feel so welcome. Especially to Catherine and Reenie for their true Southern hospitality, down to the cloth napkins. I feel like I have family in Columbus now.
12 Comments:
Morning Wendy and Sisters,
Wendy, prayers for safe travels and a restful weekend.
As I was reading I thought about the new phrase Wendy coined yesterday "Paulisms" and had some that popped out at me. One of them was the verse that has been highlighted this morning. I also marked the sentence right before it, "Obeying God with deep reverence and fear." Some others that jumped out to me were:
We put no confidence in human effort. (Phil 3:3)
God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. (Phil 3:9)
For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. (Phil 4:13)
One of the very first scriptures I memorized years ago and had posted around my house was Philippians 4:6-7. Don't worry, pray about everything! Lay your heart out to God and thank Him and you will have God's peace. I just LOVE this passage! Also verse 8, thinking on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable. My mind was such a mess that I quoted and meditated on this passage alot as well.
{{Hugs}} ladies to all of you. Have a blessed day!
Love,
Brandee, TN
Brandee, those verses in Philippians were among the first I memorized as a child as well. Sadly though, the memorizing of them does not equate to the application of them.
"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Falling to my knees I prayed these very verses yesterday morning. I could feel my stress level rising. So much needs to be accomplished by this weekend. Deadlines loom before me. Feeling completely overwhelmed, I did the only thing I could do, I fell before the Lord and surrendered my "anything" and prayed about "everything".
Lord, my Christmas cards still aren't done.
My Christmas devotional is written, but not printed. I still need to purchase paper for that too.
Gifts for mailing need to be wrapped and packaged.
Shopping isn't finished.
Need to prepare my list for our dinner next week. Where will I find a turkey big enough?
Mom needs to go grocery shopping. Do I have time to take her?
The house needs a thorough cleaning and we have friends coming over Sunday. Help them not see my mess.
Concert at the church tomorrow. I would wait to go Sunday for the performance, but my son has two friends attending with their mom. Should I be there to meet her?
Chris writes his 3 hour music exam at 9:30. His stress has become my stress.
A Dr's appointment at 3:30 means at least 4:15, so more time lost.
Friends are calling to 'do' coffee. I want to see them, but it just adds pressure.
Lord, this time of year always fills me with hectic, hurry, health issues, hassles and haste.
Where's the harmony, hope, hallelujah and holy?
I need that peace that guards my mind and exceeds my understanding.
"Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then..."
Lord, I've been good at the 'telling', but not so faithful in the 'thanking'. Both are pre-requisites to peace. Looking back over my list above, Lord...
I thank You that over half of my Christmas cards are written.
I thank You for the idea that prompted my Christmas devotional this year and for the message shared. I thank You that my sister heard of my need and is supplying the beautiful, decorated paper for printing.
I thank You for helping me order my day yesterday so that now parcels are ready for the mail.
I thank You that 95% of my shopping is complete and for the many bargains You led me to so that I could be a good steward of the resources You've entrusted to me.
I thank You that my husband is going to look after finding the turkey.
I thank You that I still have the opportunity of ministering to my precious parents.
I thank You for my home, even when it needs cleaning.
I thank You for my son's witnessing and for his friends and their families attending the Christmas presentation tonight. Lord, prepare their hearts to believe and receive.
I thank You for the abilities You have given my son. Calm his nerves. Bring to his remembrance all he has learned as he writes his exam this morning at 9:30.
I thank You for my Dr. and for the time he gives once in his office. He is attentive and thorough. Thank You for the time You have provided in that waiting room to sit and be still and know that You are God.
I thank You for friends who want to spend time with me. When many walk with loneliness, I am so blessed.
Lord, as my focus changes, may You guard my heart and mind with Your peace. Protect me from the worry and anxiety that is my tendency and fill with Your calm. May my heartbeat slow. May my blood pressure drop. May my thoughts become captive. May I rest in You alone.
Lord, as Wendy so beautifully reminded me today, may You give me the desire and power to be obedient to You in this so that my life will please You,
Joy
PS. Would really appreciate prayers for my son this morning as he writes his 3 hour exam, 9:30-12:30. Thanks.
oops, I wrote about your verse yesterday! The reading was so good I couldn't stop, but did not realize I was posting on the wrong day's verse! Yikes! But, Wendy, I l o v e d that verse, and still do today! :) The NIV opens up the meaning to me too, the word, "God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." When we are doing "His purpose," it pleases Him. Daily we want to live our life with the fruit of the Spirit displayed-evidence that we are filled with Him.
When we live our days according to His will, we will be, "shining bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people," (2:15).
Today, "I can do everything [on my plate] through Christ, who gives me strength," (Phil. 4:13).
Oh dear friends, we've found the secret to happiness! The world keeps buying "self-help," books, but there is one book only that will truly satisfy an individual. It has all the answers and guidelines. Everything is in this book, ahhh, God's Holy Bible. Treasure your quiet time. Anticipate His goodness today; let Him carry your through your minutes. Lift up praises to Him and thank Him, for He is good, all of the time.
Blessings,
Lori - AZ
PS Wendy, praying for safe travels and some quiet and peaceful time this weekend.
Sweet Joy, I'm getting ready to pray walk now, and will be praying for you and Chris...Walk with Christ today...remember He's with you, so talk to him. He's eager to hear your worries. Every time the enemy places an anxious thought in your mind, turn it into praise. Lift up praises to your Father. Thank him for whatever you are doing at the moment. He will carry you through minute by minute and He will allow you to accomplish everything on your plate.
Love you, Lori - AZ
PS DON'T worry about cleaning your house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm so sure it is clean enough anyway!!! :) Seriously, skip that cleaning, Joy! No one is going to notice!
Hi all. Wow, wonderful posts already, so early in the morning! Great way to start my work day.
The words, "I have confidence from the Lord" were the ones that leapt into my heart today. Where does MY confidence come from? Is it from the Lord like it should be? Or do I depend on others to affirm me?
Today's reading was so uplifting to me. It has put a skip in my step!
Blessed weekend to you all.
Morgen
Good Morning Wendy and Sisters,
So many wonderful verses today I wanted to underline today's whole reading.
The first verse that popped out to me was vs 2:14 Do everything without complaining and arguing..... With cut back hours at work we are still trying to do the same amount of work in less time - I have noticed an elevated level of complaining, bickering and finger pointing. This was an excellent reminder that first of all I don't want to join in (which is easy to get caught up in if you are not mindful of your word and actions) and then if I go to the next verse 2:15 so that no one can criticize you.
Then Phil 2:20 I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares about your welfare. I wrote in the margin - I want to be a Timothy! I want to care about others not just myself.
Then Phil 3:13-16 ( I won't write it all out) But forgetting the past, and looking forward.... You know the devil wants to always throw past transgressions in your face to make you feel bad about yourself, if he can get you focused on your past faults you are not strong. Well he's been trying to mess with my Wheaties lately and I have been good about casting down the vain imaginations 2 Cor 10:3-6 and 1 John 1:9 But today's reading "Forgetting the Past" was just further confirmation that I am a new creature in Christ Jesus!
And in Paul's Final Thoughts - :)
Phil 4:6-7 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
So Simple but yet so often forgotten. Tell God - Tell God - no really TELL GOD! He knows he just wants you to talk to Him. He is our friend, He is our confident, He needs to be our everything.
Joy - I have felt your pain this season, so I am praying for you and myself to let God take control. (I have prayed for your son)
I can tend to be an excessive planner and God has told me I need to stop planning and "Wing it" Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Wendy - thank you so much for "Your Work" you do such a great job for us, you have been more than faithful to us thank you so much. Get some rest and family time this weekend.
Well I think this is enough of a book today - blessings everyone.
Lynn - OR
I'm with Morgen...there's a skip in my step this morning!
Such high, positive "true, honorable, right, pure, lovely & admirable ~ excellent and worthy of praise" thoughts here today!
:)
I'm also with Lori ~ skip the cleaning Joy!
And, with all of you, I wish Wendy safe travels and a restful weekend, and I am sending prayers up for Joy's son as he writes his exam.
I love you faith-full sisters,
Liz
AK
Greetings!
Wendy, echoing the wishes for travel mercies and a relaxing weekend.
Joy, lifting up your son as the exam is probably happening right now. (Mine finished his Chemistry final two days ago - the last one for the quarter. He comes home tomorrow for the Christmas break. Yay!) And ditto what Lori said, nobody will scrutinize your base boards. The friends are there for you. :)
So second third verse into the reading and I was sufficiently convicted, for what was I doing prior to the reading? Grumbling and complaining! How am I being a good witness to my family when that happens? I need to refocus and remember to do things as unto the Lord.
Wendy, the verse you chose jumped out at me, too. "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." I find comfort in that He wants me to succeed. Some have a wrong image of God that He is up there in heaven just waiting for us to fail so He can hit us with a lightning bolt. We certainly deserve it. But His mercy, and grace... He loves us so much that He says, here is the desire, here is the means to do it - all you have to do is follow and obey.
Philippians 3 is very special to me. It is the very first verse by verse bible teaching I heard over the radio (David Hocking of Hope for Today on K-Wave) after I became saved. I was not working at the time because my Mom needed someone to take her to chemo treatments and I would have the radio on at their house, too. So these verses take me back to that time when my Mom was still around.
Philippians 4:4-7 is a favorite of mine, too. I have been holding on to these verses since the early years of my walk. I can attest that God has been faithful and He keeps His promises. He has always provided. God is good, all the time!
Have a blessed weekend, dear sisters.
The first verse that jumped at me was exactly the one Wendy posted. I don't think I've ever read it before. It was so encouraging to my human heart to know that God understands and will work inside me, helping me desire more of Him, as I continue to seek and trust Him to be faithful in my life (which He is by default, b/c He is God:). It's a power verse to me, though today's reading had about four other power/life verses that many of you have already noted.
Peace, joy, and love as we walk in His light today,
Krista
Thank you Wendy and sweet ladies. I sooooooo needed this verse and the power behind it!!
And the peace of God shall keep your HEART and MIND through Jesus Christ your Lord.
A number of years ago, I was so stressed out from going to so many craft shows, showing my paintings, that one Sunday as I was sitting, waiting for church to start, all I could do was cry. I wrote note to the pastor who was sitting on the front row, and had my son take it up to him. When he started hes sermon, he said he had changed the text and sermon because he felt that there was someone that needed to hear what he had to say. All I remember from the sermon is this verse...He will keep your heart and MIND through Jesus...it was for me. Over the next few weeks I did a lot of crying (from nerves,) but I had written out the verse on an index card and placed it on the desk where I was painting. (I had to paint about 8 hours a day to keep up with the craft shows.) Every time I would start to cry, I read that verse over and over, and my crying would stop. I have made that verse one of my life verses...I know it kept me from having a nervous breakdown.
Today's reading was really great,I highlighted so many verses...the same as all of you have posted about, but I can't wait until tomorrow to start James.
Wendy, praying for safety in your travels. Hope it is warmer where you are than here in middle TN... it was 14* last night.
Jan TN
Thanks for all the votes not to clean! LOL! Actually, the family that was coming over had to cancel late today as the husband put his back out shovelling snow.
Reading through all your comments just now has just blessed my heart so abundantly. The verses each one has highlighted, and your personal application is so encouraging.
I am a bit of a perfectionist, in case you hadn't noticed. Trying to let go and rest in Him.
Joy
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