July 13-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:1-4 (NLT), Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
After two weeks of Pre-K, the 5-year-old came home with a big compliment. Nick told his grandmother that he was the smartest kid in the class. With a deep sense of pride, his grandmother asked him if that’s what his teacher said. Nick replied, “No grandma, I had to tell her.” Learning humility is not easy. The Apostle Paul had to learn it the hard way as a young man who climbed the religious ladder of success. He was proud of his heritage but that pride made him self-righteous and prevented him from seeing Jesus as the Messiah in his earlier years. In fact, when he was on his way to a neighboring country to persecute the church, Jesus stopped him in his tracks with a blinding light. For 3 days, others had to lead and feed him. He hit bottom. He was helpless. And it was enough to get his attention. He spent the rest of his life promoting Jesus’ agenda instead of his own. He would later write on three different occasions: I am the least of the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:9) I am the very least of all the saints. (Ephesians 3:8) I am the foremost of sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15) Paul’s attitude toward himself and others had changed drastically after his life-changing encounter with Jesus. He was no longer first. He considered himself to be last. This is why he writes this passage of Scripture that we will look at this week.
Relate it to your life.
Do I tell others how great I am or do I recognize my greatness is found in Jesus?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me to know my worth without advancing my own cause. Amen.
July 14-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:1-4 (NLT), Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
If we are true followers of Jesus, then we have many benefits working for us. We have encouragement. We have comfort from His love and connection with one another. We have tender and compassionate hearts. Paul says it that’s true for us, then we make him happy by being united together in love and purpose. In Philippi because there were many diverse cultures merged together, there were many opportunities for differences of opinion. In the midst of their diversity, Paul wanted to be assured that they put forth a united witness demonstrating the love of Christ to their community. A conflicted church loses its witness and power. Paul gave a picture that a united witness will not be filled with pride or selfishness. Instead, it will be known for its humility where we do not live to impress but think of others as better than ourselves. We will not be caught up in our little world where we neglect the needs of those around us.
Relate it to your life.
I am most like Jesus when I act humbly by putting the concerns of others ahead of my own.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, do I dare pray for humility? Give me a willing spirit to walk humbly and put others first. Amen.
July 15-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT), Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
Pat Riley coached the Los Angeles Lakers when Magic Johnson played for them. Riley said when Magic was in junior high, his basketball talent was obvious. He was so much better than all the other players. He would score 50 points while the rest of the team would score 5. They won every game. The other players were unhappy because they didn’t get a chance to shoot very often. So, Magic decided he would pass the ball to make others look good. Magic played only two years in college before joining the Lakers. They had several superstars, but they weren’t winning because they played selfishly. Riley said that Magic became the catalyst to make the other players look good. He went to Byron Scott and said, “I’m going to make you the #1 scorer on this team. I’m going to pass the ball to you, and you’re going to score.” And Byron Scott did. He went to James Worthy and asked, “Why haven’t you ever made the All-Star team? I’m going to make you an All-Star.” Magic started passing the ball to Worthy and next thing you know he was on the All-Star team. scored the most points in the history of the NBA. Before Kareem Abdul Jabbar broke the all-time scoring record, Johnson said to him, “I want to be the guy who passes you the ball when you make the record-breaking basket.” Riley said, “On that night, when it was about time for Jabbar to score the basket, Magic got off the bench, put himself into the game, dribbled down the floor, passed the ball to Jabbar, the ball went in, and the new record was set.” Riley said, “If you look at the video, you’ll see Magic leaping into Jabbar’s arms. And if you look closely, you’ll see tears streaming down his cheeks.” Riley said, “Magic is the most unselfish basketball player I’ve ever seen.”
Relate it to your life.
May it be said about me, “________ is the most unselfish Christian I’ve ever seen.”
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I need help to become unselfish as You were. Help me to be more generous. Amen.
July 16-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT), Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
From yesterday, I don’t know about Magic’s lifestyle off the court, but on the court, he was unselfish as he looked out for the interests of his teammates by continually passing the ball. We pulled some home videotapes out recently and one of them included our youngest son playing basketball when he was 6. He was a good little dribbler and shooter for his age. Every time he got the ball, he would quickly dribble down the court and shoot. It often went in but not every time. However, there was one thing I never saw him do. He never passed the ball! He was young. He didn’t understand the importance of teamwork. Jesus did. The Son of God kept passing the ball as he lived a life of complete humility. He healed. He served. He washed feet. He passed the ball so others might win. When have that same mindset, our prayer will be, “Jesus, help me place this person above myself so that I can draw them to you.” It is quite natural to put ourselves first so we might win, but what comes most unnaturally is playing so others enjoy the win. Passing the ball is the path to humility. It was Jesus’ way of playing. May it be ours as well.
Relate it to your life.
I choose the mindset to find ways to pass the ball so others can participate and enjoy the game.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me place others above myself so that I can draw them to You. Amen.
July 17-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT), You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Observe what it is saying.
Jesus beautifully modeled the unselfish mindset we are to employ. In this passage, we are given a clear statement that Jesus was God, but He did not rely on that full authority on earth. He chose to give up the glory and privilege that is associated with being God. He chose to let go of the full power of His divinity to become fully human. He left His heavenly throne to descend to the lowest earthly position. He became a slave. Think about that. The Son of God chose to identify with a lowly servant. How a great a descent it was to become a helpless infant dependent on human parenting. God put Himself into human hands to be cared for. He knew what we are like and yet He abandoned His eternal throne to enter into our broken world. In a certain way, God is still doing that. He puts His nature, His resources, His message, and His mission into our hands. How are we treating God and all that He has given us? Jesus’ ultimate humility was seen in his obedience to fulfill his Father’s plan and to lay down His life for our redemption. Humility’s ultimate destination is total obedience. Humility is tested every time we are tempted to stop short of full surrender to the will of God. Jesus passed the test. How are we doing? As Jesus placed His life into humanity’s hands, do I trust Him to put my life into His hands?
Relate it to your life.
I know I have Jesus’ mindset when I have surrendered myself to completely obey the Father’s will.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I surrender all, all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. Amen.
July 18-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:9-11, Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Observe what it is saying.
Because Jesus was obedient by humbly following the divine plan all the way to the cross, He was elevated back to His highest place of honor and glory. He has the very name of God. He is Yahweh. He is Lord. There is no higher name. He is God through and through. That’s why the very name of Jesus will one day cause everyone to bow down who has not already done so and confess that Jesus is nothing less than Yahweh Himself. This will bring ultimate glory to the Father. As Jesus did, our responsibility is to live unselfishly and obediently to the very end for the very purpose of bringing glory to the Father. When we do our part by humbling ourselves and surrendering ourselves in complete obedience to the will of God, then we can trust that at the right time, God will do His part and elevate us to the place that He has prepared for us. It may be a place in this life, but for certain, it will be our eternal home in the next. Whatever it is and whenever it is, we trust God is faithful and full of grace to place us where He has chosen. Our part is to focus on being obedient, and we can leave the rest to the Lord.
Relate it to your life.
I do not have to worry about outcomes when I choose to bow before Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I choose to bow and confess You as Lord before it is too late when all will do so in sight of Your awesome glory. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:1-4 (NLT), Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
After two weeks of Pre-K, the 5-year-old came home with a big compliment. Nick told his grandmother that he was the smartest kid in the class. With a deep sense of pride, his grandmother asked him if that’s what his teacher said. Nick replied, “No grandma, I had to tell her.” Learning humility is not easy. The Apostle Paul had to learn it the hard way as a young man who climbed the religious ladder of success. He was proud of his heritage but that pride made him self-righteous and prevented him from seeing Jesus as the Messiah in his earlier years. In fact, when he was on his way to a neighboring country to persecute the church, Jesus stopped him in his tracks with a blinding light. For 3 days, others had to lead and feed him. He hit bottom. He was helpless. And it was enough to get his attention. He spent the rest of his life promoting Jesus’ agenda instead of his own. He would later write on three different occasions: I am the least of the apostles. (1 Corinthians 15:9) I am the very least of all the saints. (Ephesians 3:8) I am the foremost of sinners. (1 Timothy 1:15) Paul’s attitude toward himself and others had changed drastically after his life-changing encounter with Jesus. He was no longer first. He considered himself to be last. This is why he writes this passage of Scripture that we will look at this week.
Relate it to your life.
Do I tell others how great I am or do I recognize my greatness is found in Jesus?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me to know my worth without advancing my own cause. Amen.
July 14-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:1-4 (NLT), Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
If we are true followers of Jesus, then we have many benefits working for us. We have encouragement. We have comfort from His love and connection with one another. We have tender and compassionate hearts. Paul says it that’s true for us, then we make him happy by being united together in love and purpose. In Philippi because there were many diverse cultures merged together, there were many opportunities for differences of opinion. In the midst of their diversity, Paul wanted to be assured that they put forth a united witness demonstrating the love of Christ to their community. A conflicted church loses its witness and power. Paul gave a picture that a united witness will not be filled with pride or selfishness. Instead, it will be known for its humility where we do not live to impress but think of others as better than ourselves. We will not be caught up in our little world where we neglect the needs of those around us.
Relate it to your life.
I am most like Jesus when I act humbly by putting the concerns of others ahead of my own.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, do I dare pray for humility? Give me a willing spirit to walk humbly and put others first. Amen.
July 15-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT), Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
Pat Riley coached the Los Angeles Lakers when Magic Johnson played for them. Riley said when Magic was in junior high, his basketball talent was obvious. He was so much better than all the other players. He would score 50 points while the rest of the team would score 5. They won every game. The other players were unhappy because they didn’t get a chance to shoot very often. So, Magic decided he would pass the ball to make others look good. Magic played only two years in college before joining the Lakers. They had several superstars, but they weren’t winning because they played selfishly. Riley said that Magic became the catalyst to make the other players look good. He went to Byron Scott and said, “I’m going to make you the #1 scorer on this team. I’m going to pass the ball to you, and you’re going to score.” And Byron Scott did. He went to James Worthy and asked, “Why haven’t you ever made the All-Star team? I’m going to make you an All-Star.” Magic started passing the ball to Worthy and next thing you know he was on the All-Star team. scored the most points in the history of the NBA. Before Kareem Abdul Jabbar broke the all-time scoring record, Johnson said to him, “I want to be the guy who passes you the ball when you make the record-breaking basket.” Riley said, “On that night, when it was about time for Jabbar to score the basket, Magic got off the bench, put himself into the game, dribbled down the floor, passed the ball to Jabbar, the ball went in, and the new record was set.” Riley said, “If you look at the video, you’ll see Magic leaping into Jabbar’s arms. And if you look closely, you’ll see tears streaming down his cheeks.” Riley said, “Magic is the most unselfish basketball player I’ve ever seen.”
Relate it to your life.
May it be said about me, “________ is the most unselfish Christian I’ve ever seen.”
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I need help to become unselfish as You were. Help me to be more generous. Amen.
July 16-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT), Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
Observe what it is saying.
From yesterday, I don’t know about Magic’s lifestyle off the court, but on the court, he was unselfish as he looked out for the interests of his teammates by continually passing the ball. We pulled some home videotapes out recently and one of them included our youngest son playing basketball when he was 6. He was a good little dribbler and shooter for his age. Every time he got the ball, he would quickly dribble down the court and shoot. It often went in but not every time. However, there was one thing I never saw him do. He never passed the ball! He was young. He didn’t understand the importance of teamwork. Jesus did. The Son of God kept passing the ball as he lived a life of complete humility. He healed. He served. He washed feet. He passed the ball so others might win. When have that same mindset, our prayer will be, “Jesus, help me place this person above myself so that I can draw them to you.” It is quite natural to put ourselves first so we might win, but what comes most unnaturally is playing so others enjoy the win. Passing the ball is the path to humility. It was Jesus’ way of playing. May it be ours as well.
Relate it to your life.
I choose the mindset to find ways to pass the ball so others can participate and enjoy the game.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me place others above myself so that I can draw them to You. Amen.
July 17-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT), You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Observe what it is saying.
Jesus beautifully modeled the unselfish mindset we are to employ. In this passage, we are given a clear statement that Jesus was God, but He did not rely on that full authority on earth. He chose to give up the glory and privilege that is associated with being God. He chose to let go of the full power of His divinity to become fully human. He left His heavenly throne to descend to the lowest earthly position. He became a slave. Think about that. The Son of God chose to identify with a lowly servant. How a great a descent it was to become a helpless infant dependent on human parenting. God put Himself into human hands to be cared for. He knew what we are like and yet He abandoned His eternal throne to enter into our broken world. In a certain way, God is still doing that. He puts His nature, His resources, His message, and His mission into our hands. How are we treating God and all that He has given us? Jesus’ ultimate humility was seen in his obedience to fulfill his Father’s plan and to lay down His life for our redemption. Humility’s ultimate destination is total obedience. Humility is tested every time we are tempted to stop short of full surrender to the will of God. Jesus passed the test. How are we doing? As Jesus placed His life into humanity’s hands, do I trust Him to put my life into His hands?
Relate it to your life.
I know I have Jesus’ mindset when I have surrendered myself to completely obey the Father’s will.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I surrender all, all to Thee, my blessed Savior, I surrender all. Amen.
July 18-Philippians-The Journey of Joy
Write out the Scripture.
Philippians 2:9-11, Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Observe what it is saying.
Because Jesus was obedient by humbly following the divine plan all the way to the cross, He was elevated back to His highest place of honor and glory. He has the very name of God. He is Yahweh. He is Lord. There is no higher name. He is God through and through. That’s why the very name of Jesus will one day cause everyone to bow down who has not already done so and confess that Jesus is nothing less than Yahweh Himself. This will bring ultimate glory to the Father. As Jesus did, our responsibility is to live unselfishly and obediently to the very end for the very purpose of bringing glory to the Father. When we do our part by humbling ourselves and surrendering ourselves in complete obedience to the will of God, then we can trust that at the right time, God will do His part and elevate us to the place that He has prepared for us. It may be a place in this life, but for certain, it will be our eternal home in the next. Whatever it is and whenever it is, we trust God is faithful and full of grace to place us where He has chosen. Our part is to focus on being obedient, and we can leave the rest to the Lord.
Relate it to your life.
I do not have to worry about outcomes when I choose to bow before Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I choose to bow and confess You as Lord before it is too late when all will do so in sight of Your awesome glory. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals