Feasting on God's Word (One Year Bible)

In Philippians 2:8, we read of Jesus going into “the far country” (Luke 15:13) – “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!” – so that we might have an even greatest Homecoming of all – Christ has been “exalted … to the highest place.” He has been given “the Name that is above every name.” What a day it will be when “at the Name of Jesus every knee shall 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” (Philippians 2:9-11).

Philippians 2:12-3:11 God’s command- ‘Work out your own salvation’- must never be separated from His promise - ‘God is at work in you’(12-13). We do not save ourselves - We ‘put no confidence in the flesh’. We are saved by the Lord - We ‘glory in Christ Jesus’(3). We are to ‘shine as lights in the world’, directing attention away from ourselves to Him who is ‘the Light of the world’- our Lord Jesus Christ (15; John 8:12). We have this testimony: “I have ‘no righteousness of my own’. ‘Through faith in Christ’, I have received ‘this righteousness from God’”(9). We are living in difficult times. This is ‘a crooked and perverse generation’(15). We are called to ‘hold fast the Word of life’(16). It will not be easy. We will face many difficulties. We must take encouragement from this: ‘God is at work in you’(13).

"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God" (Philippians 1:9-11). Our love for the Lord comes from His love for us. His love reaches us. His love changes us. With Jesus as our Saviour, our life changes direction. It's less of self - and more of Him. We're moving towards "the day of Christ." We're not there yet. We've got a long way to go. We find it so difficult to look beyond where we are right now. Jesus is very different from us. He looks right on to the end. He sees as we will be at the time of His Return. Now, we catch only a glimpse of the glory of Christ. Then, we will see Him in the fullness of His glory. What we shall be is still to be fully revealed to us. Saved by grace...

Knowing the Lord Jesus Christ is more important and more wonderful than everything else (Philippians 3:8). Paul's testimony lifts us above the shallow superficiality of the worldly way of thinking. Too often, we attach too much importance to the things that aren't really that important. We need to be reminded that Jesus is the most important Person of all. No-one else can ever be more important and more wonderful than Jesus.

In the Lord - This is the important thing. Poverty with the Lord is better than prosperity without Him.

Philippians 1:1-2:11 Lord, there are times when we feel like we can’t go on, times when we feel like giving up. When we feel like this, speak to us Your Word of encouragement: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the Day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). Philippians 2:12-3:11 Lord, we have Your command – “Work out your salvation.” We also have Your promise – “God is at work in you” (Philippians 2:12-13). Help us to obey Your command, and trust Your promise. Philippians 3:12-4:23 “Christ Jesus has made me His own” (Philippians 3:12). How wonderful this is, Lord! In these words of Paul, we hear an echo of Jesus’ great words: “You did not choose Me … I chose you” (John 15:16). Your love for us is so much stronger than our love for You. May Your love – the greatest love of all – inspire us to love You more.

Philippians 3:12-4:23 ‘Christ Jesus has made me His own’(3:12). In Paul`s words, we hear an echo of Jesus` words, ‘You did not choose Me... I chose you’(John 15:16). Christ has claimed us for Himself. He has laid claim to every part of our life. We are to ‘rejoice in the Lord always’(4). We are to bring ‘everything’ to Him in prayer (6). We are to be ‘content in all circumstances’(4:11-12). We are to face every challenge with confidence in His strength - ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’(4:13). We are to trust Him to ‘supply’ our ‘every need’(4:19). In every situation, we can come to the Lord, trusting in His promise: ‘the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’(7). Whatever is happening, take it to the Lord in prayer and let Him give you His peace.

Philippians 1:1-2:11 Do you feel like you can`t go on? Do you feel like giving up? Here`s God`s Word of encouragement for you: ‘He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the Day of Jesus Christ’(1:6). God finishes what He starts - ‘He didn`t bring us this far to leave us. He didn`t teach us to swim to let us drown. He didn`t build His home in us to move away. He didn`t lift us up to let us down’. In all the changes of life, we must remember this: God is faithful. His love is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable. We don`t keep going because we are strong. We are ‘kept by the power of God’(1 Peter 1:5). In ‘humility’ let us live ‘to the glory and praise of God’(2:3; 1:11). ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’(2:11) - He will give you the strength to keep going when you feel like giving up.

The false prophets say, “Peace, peace ... when there is no peace” - “They dress the wound of God’s people as though it were not serious” ( Jeremiah 6:14 ). The true prophet of God comes with a very different message. He says, “Do not say, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’” ( Jeremiah 7:4 ). A faithful exercise of prophetic ministry is very demanding. Nevertheless, the Lord gives His servants the strength to say, with conviction and confidence, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength” ( Philippians 4:13 ). As this ministry is faithfully exercised, there is a deep satisfaction in the soul and an increased confidence in God: “Wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off” ( Proverbs 24:14 ). 

The Word of God is like a fire, burning up the sin of man ( Jeremiah 5:14 ). The purpose of this fire is not, however, destructive. God’s purpose is to burn up the pride which “puts confidence in the flesh”, to burn away the “legalistic righteousness.” All of that is to be “considered rubbish” ( Philippians 3:4 , 6 , 8 ). Once the rubbish has been burned in the fire of judgment - the judgment which was laid upon the crucified Christ for us, man is led to receive the “righteousness which is through faith in Christ” ( Philippians 3:9 ). Once this righteousness has been received, we are to keep walking in the way of faith: “I will call upon Him as long as I live” ( Psalm 116:2 ).  

The Lord calls us back from our backsliding: “Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding” ( Jeremiah 3:22 ). The returning people say, “Yes, we will come to You, for You are the Lord our God ... surely in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel ” ( Jeremiah 3:22-23 ). As we return to the Lord, He gives us this calling: “Become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the Word of life” ( Philippians 2:15-16 ). To those who return to the Lord and seek to live as His holy people, the Lord gives His promise of blessing - “The Lord remembers us and will bless us ... He will bless those who fear the Lord - small and great alike” ( Psalm 115:12-13 ).

The true and living God must not be reduced to the level of man-made gods. The challenge goes out from God’s Word: “Where then are the gods you made for yourselves?” ( Jeremiah 2:28 ). There is no comparison between God and the gods - “Our God is in heaven ... But their idols are ... made by the hands of men” ( Psalm 115:3-4 ). The New Testament affirms the sovereignty of God by proclaiming the Lordship of Jesus Christ: “God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the Name that is above every name ...” ( Philippians 2:9-11 ).

“The Lord God is with you. He is mighty to save” ( Zephaniah 3:17 ). The God of salvation is with us, not only here-and-now but for evermore - “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the Day of Christ Jesus” ( Philippians 1:6 ). As we are led on by the God whose purpose is “to save to the uttermost all who come to Him through Christ” ( Hebrews 7:25 ), our lives will be “filled with rare and beautiful treasures” ( Proverbs 24:4 ).