Getting to Know Christ - 15

Both regular preaching series through Philippians, we come to one of the most quoted verses that is found anywhere in this book they need Philippians 310 which says that I may know him the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, that I may know him seems remarkable that the apostle Paul who would serve the Lord now for more than 30 years were to say that I may know him that he would indicate that there is still more to know about Christ that he does not yet know yet that is exactly the case Paul expressing a desire to know Christ and to know him more fully.

We recognize with that statement that there is certainly something unusual here, but what can it possibly mean for a veteran apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ to abuse, who has been saved for decades to pray that I may know him something here that we need to understand and may God help us do that to understand our text we have to take it in context. That's always the key to proper understanding is the context of this text is the sentence in which it is found which starts at beginning of verse eight and runs to verse 11. One of Paul's many long sentences and so were going to track this text through the context, starting with verse eight and realize that Paul is describing salvation as a process and is describing different stages along the way and also surprisingly he is describing salvation is something that is difficult to acquire. That's a neglected truth in our day that indeed is a paradox because it is true that to acquire salvation, one must simply believe we sometimes say all you have to do is believe the like. I shy away from saving it exactly that way, but that is in fact the case in the on the other hand, it is difficult to acquire. There is a cost involved, and that seems contradictory, and that seems very confusing and yet we must understand how these two truths come together and in this text. They do come together as Paul is talking about the Judaizers and their adding works to the gospel and ruining the gospel by adding their works to the gospel of grace and salvation is not by the deeds of the law is not by works is by faith in Jesus Christ as he emphasizes so strongly at the very same time say it's difficult to acquire and it comes a great cost in all of this in the same sentence. The Judaizers were proud of their religious works and they were relying upon them for salvation.

Paul, though he asserts his religious credentials as being equal to or greater than the Judaizers that he's referring to. Nevertheless makes it clear that he does not rely upon those works for salvation. In fact, he makes it clear that anyone who does so cannot be saved. You cannot have Christ holding onto your works as a means or even a partial means of salvation doing that cancels all hope of salvation. But why is this so good work through these verses in the following manner. Number one gaining Christ.

Verse eight number two possessing Christ. Verse nine, number three, knowing Christ. Verse 10 in number for achieving Christ. Verse 11 but to each of these that I have formed primarily from the words of the texts themselves. You can find those words they are gaining Christ in verse eight that I may gain Christ the last words of the verse and possessing Christ. Verse nine that exact phrase is not found there, but that's the general idea and knowing Christ.

Verse 10 exactly the words that are found there that I may know him and what did I say achieving Christ. That word is not found in verse 11.

But again, that's the essence of verse 11. But let me add something to each of the statements that will help us as we make our way through gaining Christ salvation acquired possessing Christ salvation begun knowing Christ.

Salvation continued achieving Christ salvation completed.

Are you ready gaining Christ salvation acquired verse eight.

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish that I made gain Christ gaining Christ. Paul tells us that in getting Christ number one, we must recognize his worth and number two, we must count the cost we must recognize his worth, that I may gain Christ that I may gain the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, or is the ESV puts it in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ. Paul has already listed his impressive credentials in verses four through six. Paul had all the advantages of the right birth, born of Jewish parents born circumcised on the eighth day born of the nation of Israel, born of the tribe of Benjamin. All of these things that the Judaizers pointed to as credentials that gave them favor with God.

Paul said I had all of these. In addition to many achievements of my own personal endeavor. I became a Pharisee.

The strictest group of the Jews. I persecuted the church with zeal when others only talked against it, but I was willing to go much further than that.

I was willing to war against it. Yes, I demonstrated my zeal for God and my sincerity in all of these things which I believed and yet, I came to realize that all of these things were nothing. They did not earn one day in heaven and I had to renounce them. The advantages of birth the achievements of personal endeavor. I had to count them all. Loss of no value whatsoever. In fact, more than that I had to count them as a liability not only loss but refuse rubbish dog. They stock when I came to realize the truth about them. So Paul is making it clear that we cannot acquire Christ until we value him more than anything else. Paul had all these things don't work, formerly of great value. He thought they were and others thought they were. And Paul said I had to renounce the ball. I had to get rid of them all. I had to reject them all to be able to gain Christ because I could not gain Christ until I rejected all of these personal achievements.

The surpassing value of Christ must become to us greater than anything else in all the world. That's what Paula said we must come to value Christ more than any and everything else in all the it's not just a matter of believing the gospel, believing the Christ died for our sins and rose again. I believe that there form a Christian. There's more to true saving faith and that there is a renunciation of all the things that the world holds dear and that we hold dear. Because we are part of the world and we have to say if I must give that up for Christ. I gladly give it up if I must renounce that for Christ. I gladly renounce it.

If Christ demands this for me. I gladly give it up. I am willing to give up anything and everything that is necessary.

The two acquire Christ because I consider him of greater value than all these other things's to gain Christ, we must recognize his worth and to gain Christ was count the cost to accept whatever loss he required no that differs in case from person to person from case to case what it is to God requires of us in order to come to Christ because God alone knows our hearts and God alone knows what it is that we worship God alone knows what we have made God in our lives. God alone knows what is our idol and we must renounce our idols and our idols are not just graven images of stone. Our idols are wealth, money, our idols are relationships that we are willing to give up in order to have Christ our relationship is more dear to us in Christ is our idols are our position that gives us honor in the world were not willing to give that up to the cause of Christ.

Our idols can be so many other things, popularity were not willing to be thought poorly of by others. If we identify ourselves openly as a Christian on and on a ghost and Paul is telling us it's not it's not exactly anything in itself. It's not. It's not that this is this thing is required or that thing is required. It all depends upon the person what it is that you're holding onto in your heart and God knows what that is and whatever it is, God says give it up. Give it up. Give it up. Give it up must you must renounce it for the rich young ruler.

It was wealth wasn't what must I do good master to inherit eternal life.

He said and Jesus said well if you would enter into heaven then keep the commandments will which one will shall not kill, thou shalt not steal, thou shall not commit adultery. Honor thy father and thy mother out of the Lord. I love your neighbor as yourself. I think you put that in there and the elements of all these things I've kept from my youth up will really will he thought he had. He was under great delusion, but yes, I've kept all these things from my youth up. All right, here's the one thing I would put my finger right on it, go and sell everything you have and give to the poor and follow me, and you will have treasure in heaven. Was Jesus saying that way to salvation is by giving everything to the poor is that is that what we must do in order to be safe. No, but that's this rich young ruler must be willing to do that in order to have Christ, because wealth was obviously his idol. So on the one hand it is true salvation is free believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. On the other hand, it is also true is a great cost to be paid. You must be willing to give up. You must be willing to renounce is that a contradiction know it goes together. This is what it means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

You must believe on him alone. You must believe in his surpassing work. You must believe that he is more valuable than anything else, you must believe that you need and desire him more than anything else this world has to offer.

That is the requirement to gain Christ Saul full of fleshly confidence was lost, Paul depended upon Christ alone was saved to gain Christ requires nothing, nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross tie playing to gain Christ requires everything for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and so gaining Christ salvation acquired, we must recognize his worth.

We must count the cost, possessing Christ salvation begun verse nine and be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith be found in him a call this possessing Christ really is more Christ possessing us what goes both ways.

Both both phrases both both the perspectives arc given to us in the word of God. When we come to Christ we possess him when we come to Christ he possesses us.

We belong to him.

He belongs to us possessing Christ when we are in the p.m. that mysterious union where we are in Christ and then what Christ has done applies to us his sinless life gives us his righteousness is vicarious death pays our sin debt to be found in him. But, again, to be found in him to possess Christ, we must renounce all personal merit we must acquire divine righteousness and we must receive Christ by faith. We must renounce all personal merit not having my own righteousness and be found in him. Verse nine. Not having my own righteousness which is from the law, we must renounce all personal merit. All of our personal goodness we all think we have a lot of that that is an imaginary delusion that we carry into life and carry through life and we've got to come to realize that is not so, how much goodness. Do you have that much goodness do I have, we have this much zero with the rim rubdown.

That's how much righteousness how much goodness we actually possess. We just think we have goodness. But we don't all of our meritorious achievement of what we think is meritorious achievement. We have to come to realize it is not meritorious. Whatever we have assure you it's not meritorious that's for sure. It merits is nothing we must renounce all of our religious connections and accomplishments. Were you looking to and say will battle that'll help me that that's that's a Browning Mark that's a good mark on my record. I belong to this church. I have been baptized. I do this religious thing I do that religiously exit all out. It counts as nothing when it comes to gaining Christ nothing, nothing, nothing, we have to come to realize that we have listened to me now we have no self worth, not before God world almost makes religion of building up self-esteem building up self-worth. You gotta do that you gotta help children they come they come to school their own baggage and broken because of problems in their homes of what we better do is to get wood to build her self-esteem is going to give them self-worth. You will probably send them straight on the road to health because they're knocking to get to heaven feeling good about themselves are not that it could get to heaven having high self-esteem and great self-worth.

They're going to have to come to realize before God.

They have no self-worth absolutely nothing. We almost come to that, we must renounce all personal merit we must acquire divine righteousness.

Righteousness, it is imputed that is given to us.

It did supply to our account. It's not ours.

It's Christ righteousness that is alien.

I use that word. I think a couple weeks ago. It's outside of ourselves.

What is an alien. It's a little green man that comes out of a spaceship. What is an alien that somebody crosses our our border comes from another country. What is an alien annealing is something that is outside of ourselves regard to interplanetary travel.

It's a being that comes from another place. If there be any such beings, we shall find out. I suppose eventually of what is in a land well in regard to nationality and geography. If somebody comes from another country.

What is alien righteousness is righteousness that comes from somewhere else.

It doesn't come from me comes from outside of me was a come from comes from Christ.

I don't have any righteousness of my own. I don't have any goodness in myself.

If I'm going to have a right standing before God got have a righteousness which I cannot acquire like a by myself. I cannot achieve by myself. I do not have within me. I am unable to produce. I am bankrupt in regard to it. I have no hope of acquiring it. It must be given to me from outside of me. There must be a righteousness that is alien to myself that is given to me by the mercy of God. The righteousness of Christ.

A perfect righteousness is the only perfect righteousness gives us a right standing with God. You can keep almost all of the law and James tells us break one commandment into same as if you broken a dull. I good person. I haven't murdered anybody. I don't steal I don't commit adultery. I'm not a bad person like these other ones. Have you ever told a lie. Well of course everybody tells few little white lies now and then guilty, damn, do you broken the law.

You can't get to heaven unless you have a perfect righteous. How do you get that by faith, we must receive Christ by faith twice in verse nine it says faith, that which is through faith.

The righteousness which is from God by faith what is faith. Faith is believing the revelation of God.

Faith is my empty hands reaching out to God empty empty of all merit empty of all self-worth, empty of all concepts of goodness American anything that is pleasing to God acknowledging that I have nothing with which I can place in my hands. RM Lord God, I am a better I'm begging bread. I have nothing. Will you give me that which I need.

Will you give me the righteousness which makes me right with yourself and God demands a perfect righteousness applies that in Jesus Christ for all who come to him by faith. Are you willing to reach up to him with empty hands. The empty hands of faith and receive that which she so freely gives.

If so, you will have the perfect righteousness which God requires.

If not, you must go hell clinging onto your own merit. Faith is trusting Christ life and death is my standing with God. We are justified by faith. That's the beginning of the Christian life as far as we are conscious of it. Obviously, God breathing life within our soul. The new birth precedes this book as far as we are conscious of it is when by faith we embrace Christ and acknowledge that it is his righteousness that gives us a standing before God, and that's the beginning of the Christian life possessing Christ's salvation begun and be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith. There is a righteousness which is unsatisfactory hours all of our deeds.

All of our merits.

All of our religiosity.

There is a righteousness which is fully satisfactory. What is that Christ's perfect, it satisfies God in every detail. There's only one way to obtain his righteousness by faith and faith alone. It must be given must be bestowed number three. Knowing Christ, salvation continued. That brings us now to verse 10 that I may know him the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, that I may know him in a growing knowledge and ongoing knowledge and increasing knowledge and what we sometimes call an experiential knowledge. But what does that mean that's what this text will help us understand that I may know him in number one, a powerful relationship. The power of his resurrection.

Obviously it took great power to raise Christ from the dead power that is beyond human achievement of human understanding all the things a man is able to do this powerful, including split the eminent adamant creative Adam Bob but he can't raise anybody from the dead man doesn't have that kind of power never has had never will. God's.

It's a great power that raised Christ from the dead. And that's the regenerating power that has breathed life into our dead soul that is raised us from spiritual death to life that his the power that it took in order for us to be given new life to have divine life created within us to have the new birth take place within us, that is the power of God at work within our lives, and it is a persevering power is the power that continues with us throughout our lives and that's what Paul is getting at here where we get the power to give up all these things that we treasure that I may know him the power of his resurrection where we get the power to deface the trials and sufferings of life and the ridicule of the scoffing and the scorning of perhaps the real active persecution. The comes some of the people of God when we get the power to stand up to that that I may know him and the power of his resurrection.

When we get the power to serve him effectively to find a place of service to find a place where we can advance the kingdom of Christ to find a way we can proclaim the gospel to others and see it effectively used in heart we don't have the power to make that happen when we can't make our witness effective. We can't make anything we do have any lasting value. Where does that come from that I may know him and the power of his resurrection.

The power that flows from him the power that was demonstrated in his resurrection persevering power serving power.

We know him as we experience his power working within us and ever increasing power in our lives. The proceeds from the risen Christ to those who trust in him is a powerful relationship is more than that is a suffering relationship that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering.

Obviously, our sufferings are not the suffering of atonement. Only Christ could suffer on the cross to atone for sins, but is the suffering of identification, the suffering that comes to us because of our identification with Christ not to have Christ we must be we must value him so much that we are we are glad to be identified with him regardless of what that brings.

But I can tell you what it will bring. Jesus told us what it will bring.

If they hated me they will hate you if you are identified with being in the world doesn't know you doesn't appreciate you, doesn't love you doesn't like you doesn't want you around it hates you that brings all kinds of sufferings the suffering of identification with Christ we share Christ's hatred in this world because the world hates Christ the world hates the people of God are you willing to bear that suffering. Are you willing to share that suffering. That's what it means to know Christ to share his suffering means reflecting his sacrifices on behalf of others he suffered in order to serve others, and he calls upon his followers to be willing to suffer in order to serve other.

That's the sufferings of Christ, we suffer for the cause of the gospel, and we know him as we suffer with him, we know him to the extent that we suffer with him, we know him to the extent that we are willing to suffer with you that I may know him in an ongoing growing relationship and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffering's powerful relationship with suffering relationship a dying relationship being conformed to his death. Again, not the death of atonement that was his alone, but the death of our self-centeredness is not our problem is not the obstacle is that what keeps us from loving others like we should, loving others like we love ourselves we love ourselves a great deal. What nonsense we have heard some people proclaim that because we are. We must love others of our as ourselves, and we tend to do not love ourselves as much as we should start by loving ourselves more, and then we can learn to love others more distant, amazing how false teachers can take God's word and actually turn it upside down on its head to teaching the exact opposite of what's actually saying the Bible doesn't indicate that we need to love ourselves more. The Bible is indicating that we already love ourselves too much. That's the problem that's the problem too much self-love not to love others as ourselves. We've got to learn to love ourselves less to do it. Love others more. That's death. Death to self. That's what it means to know Christ, the death of self-centeredness.

The death of worldly ambitions. We have these ideas of what we want to achieve in life and what of Christ says but I don't want you to do that.

I want you to give up your business for the disciples. It was the fishing business. A taxing business. Other businesses should give that up and follow me. Are you willing to do that I can't do that type. I've invested too much into this fishing business like it came to me for my father to him from his father and we have been working at this a long time.

I'm I'm willing to believe in you Jesus.

But I'm not willing to give up like my fishing business to follow you. That's what it means to know Christ death. The worldly ambitions death to self-preservation. We know him as we die to self, to live for him and for others that's costly.

That's difficult, that's impossible, except by the power of his resurrection working units but that's what it means to know him throughout our Christian lifetime to know that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being armed unto his death.

You see, knowing Christ. It turns out, is more objective than subjective. Some have taken this text and have made it a rather mystical experience that I may know him that I make feel by relationship with him more that I that I have this this inner feeling that Stetzer tells me that I that I know him when I can work up this this feeling that I don't mean to say that there is nothing to that. I don't mean to discount that completely. I'm not saying that there are no feelings. There are no notice, no sense of personal relationship, but I'm saying that's not what Paul is talking about in this text that I'm saying that's not a great deal of what you going to find in Scripture is far more objective to that. How do we know him better by experiencing his power working in our lives to accomplish what he tells us to do. That's what it is when we experience the power that enables us to obey his word.

Then we are experiencing is power that snowing here in the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings.

When we find ourselves by his help and grace. Being able and willing to deny self in order to help others and serve Christ and we are experiencing the fellowship of his sufferings. When we are willing to die to self in order to serve Christ and others then we are knowing him in this powerful way which is more objective than subjective with we kind of grown up. Most of us with this idea of the knowing Christ and in walking with Christ is a is a joyful boy and feeling and when the feelings gone willing to work at that feeling again.

We've all grown up singing songs like that but again I say it's not that there's nothing to that. But that really leads us down the wrong path and how many of you saying growing up every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before you sing that growing up I did is it. I guess it's all depends on what you mean by sweeter there some days that are agonizing.

Some days, as I see see my sin more clearly. I am distraught. I that doesn't stand and feel sweeter. But I'm making progress.

I'm I'm joining him in his sufferings. I'm putting putting self to death. See what I'm talking about thought about that course. I used to sing, and probably some of you did to. I love him better every day.

I love them better every day. Close by his side. I find I love him better every day. If you send that growing up we can even elaborated.

I love him better. Every DA why I love a better every DA why close by his S IDE I will a b.i.d. I love you better every day. Well we sing the songs and they they give us the idea that walking with Jesus, knowing Jesus is a matter of feeling joyful and feeling triumphant feeling victorious and feeling close to him and it's all the subjectiveness and pulses. No no no no no no no, it's the power to count the cost. It's the power to stop holding on to the things of this world that you hold dear. It's the power to serve him in the way that he tells us to selfless service for others. That's what it means to know him and when you seek his power working those things in your life you are experiencing what it means to know Christ. This ongoing knowledge of him that Paul was praying for. That's the essence of the Christian life which brings us in the number for achieving Christ salvation completed verse 11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

That's the that's the culmination that's the goal. If by any means. Now this is not a statement of doubt. I hope I'm going to make it.

I don't know if I am or not, that's not what Paul is saying it's not a set statement of doubt is a statement of resolution by any means whatever it takes, renouncing all things of earthly value dying to self dying to selfishness and self-centeredness. Whatever it takes, by any means that I might obtain unto the resurrection from the dead, the death of worldly ambitions. All of these things we've already talked about it as a statement of evaluation evaluating what is the goal.

It is a statement of resolution. I'm willing to do what it takes to reach that goal. It is a statement of focus, a single-minded focus upon the end up on the on the yard like the end. The end goal that we are we are attempting to cross with the help of God to get this one of these mysteries and paradoxes in the Bible that on the one hand, if we have been born again, we know we cannot fail to reach that goal. But on the other hand, we realize a lot of people who thought they were born again and they've dropped out before they got there.

How to explain that some people say what you can lose your salvation. No that's not it. You can deceive yourself in the thinking you're safe when you're not in so Paul was always talking about working and and sweating and and committing an endeavoring until he got to the end till he got to the final. That's why I'm so joyful about the presence of my dear friend missionary Steve worth he got all the way to the end without without failure. Obviously, every, every one of us fail in ways that God sees and knows. But he was faithful and persevering and committed and believing the very end. He didn't go part way and then renounce it all and walk in another direction, as some have done if by any me, it's whatever it takes to achieve the resurrection from the dead. That's a culmination of salvation.

I've talked to from time to time about the three stages of salvation, past, present and future, we can say past. I have been saved, tracing it back to the day of the new birth back to the time when we first trusted in Christ. I have been saved. We can say I am being say that's also just as scriptural and accurate. I'm being saved. That's what Paul is talking about that I may know him this what's going on presently I am being same time I am being cleansed.

I'm being conformed to Christ. I I am getting closer to the culmination which is Christ likeness. I am being say present or I can talk about salvation in the future I shall be say I shall be saved.

When I with the Lord. Then it I will have achieved the goal and there will be no possibility of failure.

At that point I will be with the Lord and it will be sealed and done that's the final stage in the future but the future stage of salvation is actually in two parts, salvation of the soul and the salvation of the body. The salvation of the soul is complete when we die we go to be with the Lord. Instantly, our soul is fully sanctified. It's it's transformed it's glorified.

It's it's it's achieving all the fullness that salvation in Christ acquires the redemption of our soul, but I body still in the grave, and our salvation isn't complete until that body comes out a resurrection body glorified body that awaits the second coming of Christ and when Christ comes. The trumpet sounds and the dead in Christ shall rise first and all those bodies come out of the grave and they'll come out as glorified resurrection bodies like Christ had when he came out of the dead and only then will our salvation be final and complete. That's the goal that Paul was looking if whatever whatever it takes to achieve to the resurrection from the dead. That's the that's the end goal. That's the final point. That's the culmination of salvation.

That's what I'm looking for achieving Christ salvation completed letting Turner to begin the goal has been achieved. That's what I'm looking forward to and whatever it takes to get there is text teaches us about salvation teaches us about the Christian life regard to salvation. It reminds us that there are two ways to relate to God and everybody relates to God. One of these two ways we can relate to God. According to work so we can really relate to God.

According to grace if you relate to God. According to works, then you get wages for what you have done, you get what you deserve and is not as good as what you think you got an inflated idea of what what your works are worth but you're going to find out that when you get paid for what you have done given to find out that the wages of sin is death going to find out that all of your righteousness is as filthy rags. You can find out that you will get exactly what you deserve no injustice with God you get exactly what you deserve.

You wanted to be related to God and the basis of your works on on your merit on your good deed and so God will judge that pronounce it, insufficient, and you will here depart from the workers of iniquity.

I never knew you, and relating to God on the basis of works always results in eternal damnation because there is no one who is achieve the perfect righteousness or you can relate to God on the basis of grace and mercy and that means getting what we do not deserve. Nobody deserves righteousness. Nobody deserves eternal life. Nobody deserves heaven, but if you're willing to come to God and acknowledge that you quote deserve it. You are awake and wretched center the deserves to go to hell. Can you say that had you said that to God. Have you said the Lord God, I acknowledge I deserve to go to hell but I'm reaching out to embrace Christ by faith and receive the righteousness which you impart through him.

I don't deserve it but your word promises it to those who come to you for and I'm pleading with you to grant that to me.

I acknowledge that I deserve hell but I'm claiming the promise that those who come to Christ should be given eternal life, and those who relate to Christ to God on the basis of grace are saved. So choose your basis. Choose how you want to relate to God and I plead with you, don't choose works that has no good end. Choose grace and be willing to part with whatever it takes. The whatever obstacle is between you and receiving Jesus Christ of greatest value in your life is also a lesson here in regard to the Christian life in the Christian life begins with renouncing self and surrendering to Christ, but it continues that way for the whole rest of the Christian life.

That's what it means that I may know him, that I may continue to know him, that I may always know him that I made grow in my knowledge of him continually renouncing self and continually surrendering to Christ. I thought that long quote of the back of our bulletin today by DA Carson was very appropriate this point. We quickly learned that God is more interested in our holiness and our comfort. He more greatly delights in the integrity and purity of his church then and the material well-being of its members. He shows himself more clearly to men and women who enjoy him and obey him than to men and women whose horizons arrive revolve around good jobs, nice houses and reasonable health is far more committed to building a corporate temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells that he is in preserving our reputation is more vitally disposed to display his grace than to flatter our intelligence is more concern for justice than for our ease is more deeply committed to stretching our faith in our popularity.

He prefers that his people live in disciplined gratitude and holy joy rather than in pushy self-reliance and glitzy happiness. He wants us to pursue daily life, not self-fulfillment. For the latter leads to death while the former leads to life. These essential values of the gospel must shape our praying. They must also shape our living, shall we pray: father, show us, show us the truth of your word to show us the truth of these words by your Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul.

May they resonate and resound in every life all Lord. Those who are clinging to self merit by your spirit. Help them to cut loose of that completely today to see themselves as worthless, big, and may they hold onto Christ. May they praise and glorify him now and forevermore