We’re Moving!
I have announced on my personal Facebook page that we are
moving. My husband is already at his new job about five and a half hours away.
I’m acting as a full time “single” mom while the kids are finishing up with
school. I’m packing up the house. And our home internet connection has been
disconnected.
However, I did recently come out of the cell phone dark ages
and got a new Smartphone. At least I can keep somewhat connected on that. I
even published my last blog post via email through the phone! Otherwise, I have
to find time to leave my house and go somewhere with my laptop that has free
WiFi.
I went to the library but their connection was so S-L-O-W…it
was worse than dialup days! So I went to McDonalds, but there was no where to
plug in the laptop. You see, this old laptop doesn’t hold much battery life.
So, what I’m doing now is likely how I’ll be blogging for
the next several weeks until the kids and I can move over with my husband and
get a home connection back up. I’m simply writing in Microsoft Word after the
kids are in bed. Then I’ll head somewhere and see if I can
quickly copy and paste the content onto the blog.
I want to let you know that posts here, on Facebook, and
even emails might be scattered and inconsistent for the next few weeks. I’m not
sure at this point exactly when the big move will take place.
I plan to write more about the move in another post. This
move is showing us how God worked through another situation several years ago
to bring things full circle to this opportunity now. We are seeing how God is
and has been working behind the scenes in this area. And it grows our faith,
knowing that He is always working in every area of our lives, whether we see it
or not.
Philippians
May is the month for reading through Philippians in our
schedule to read through the Pauline Epistles (except for Romans) in a year. I
missed posting on chapter 1 last week because of all the craziness going on
here.
This is one of my favorite books of the Bible. I’m sad I
might not be able to do it due diligence in digging in further because I am
short on time and internet connection. But I’m still studying it and I hope you
are too!
Working Behind the Scenes
Verse six is a popular verse that I have had underlined for
a long time: “And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began
a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the
time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it
to full completion in you.”
To me, this verse seems to be talking about our personal
sanctification after we have received God’s gift of salvation. God begins the
work and keeps on working on us and in us until we get to heaven, and then it
will be fully completed in our perfect states there.
I love Paul’s prayer in verses 9-11. I’m going to close with
those verses.
But first, skipping over them for now, Paul goes into
talking about his current imprisonment. He is writing to the church at Philippi
from his jail cell in Rome.
Beginning in verse twelve and basically on through to the
end of the chapter, Paul is talking about his imprisonment actually being a
blessing in disguise. God is working in and through his situation to continue
to spread the Gospel and bring glory to God.
God works in the most unlikely of circumstances and in the
most unlikely ways to continue to spread the Good News. Nothing is impossible
for Him.
It is interesting to note in my Bible commentary, that
despite being in prison, the words “joy” or “rejoice” are used sixteen times in
this book. Paul has realized that he is in prison in God’s service and for His glory.
Paul rejoices that no matter what the motive of the people around him are, the
Gospel is being spread because of his situation. Paul says, “…this will turn
out for my preservation (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul)
and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel.” (v. 19b)
He goes on in verse twenty to say, “…Christ (the Messiah)
will be magnified and get glory and praise in this body of mine and be boldly
exalted in my person, whether through (by) life or through (by) death.”
Paul then debates the pros and cons of staying alive with
Christ living in him versus going in death to live in heaven with Christ. He
concludes that staying on earth to do God’s work and spread the Gospel “is more
needful and essential.” Indeed, as long
as we have breath, living to bring others to Christ is more important.
Verse 29 gives us a smack in our attitudes! “For you have
been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake not only to believe in (adhere
to, rely on, and trust in) Him, but also to suffer in His behalf.” It is counted
a privilege
to suffer in His behalf. It is in this way that He can be given glory…that is
if we handle it correctly (Christ-like). What
better way to be a witness than to continue in joy and a good attitude in the
midst of unfortunate circumstances?
It is easier to live in joy no matter what is going on when
we fall back to verse six, knowing that God is doing a good work in you and we
will one day be totally redeemed and perfected.
I came across this quote in junior high and taped it in my
locker: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” It has
kind-of always been an underlying truth in my life. If you make the focus of
your life to keep the main thing (God and the Gospel) the main thing,
everything else is less important and just a detail. Nothing is impossible with
God, and with Him working, everything comes out to full sanctification and
salvation in the end. But even what we call “the end,” meaning in death, that
is actually the beginning – the beginning of living in perfection with God.
That will be the real, true living.
Our story of now seeing God’s work over eight years in our
lives that began as an unpleasant situation, coming full circle to the move our
family is making, is a great example of this working behind the scenes. I will
share it…hopefully this week!
Closing with Paul’s prayer in verses 9-11:
“And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and
more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight
[that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more
comprehensive discernment], so that you may surely learn to sense what is
vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing
the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that
you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts
sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not
stumbling nor causing others to stumble]. May you abound in and be filled with
the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which
come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God
[that His glory may be both manifested and recognized].”
This prayer sounds like it would also make a great personal
mission statement. Ultimately to living life to the glory of God.
