From the Kitchen Table

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 32

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things Philippians 4:8

Sometimes we have to see it to do it.  Let your mind imagine God’s word, will and way.  Many miss walking in heaven because they can’t get their mind there.  Think about whatever is true, honorable, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise.  Your eyes will be opened up to see from faith with hope in love.  Half the work of discipleship is getting your mind to see what your heart believes in.  Let God’s word form your thinking and your seeing.  It will bring hope into hopelessness and love into fear.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 31

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

In the presence of God is the peace of God.  People think peace is something we do but it’s something He does.  It’s in His presence that we recognize His peace.  It’s always there but we don’t recognize it because we don’t recognize Him and that’s because we get our heart and head focus on our problems rather than His presence.  His presence is recognized in His praise & worship.  As our heart and our head become focused on Him, His peace becomes recognized by us.  The peace of God isn’t something we can understand without experiencing it and we experience His peace when we come into His presence through praise and worship.  Many think peace is something we can do but it’s something He does.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 30

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ Philippians 4:5-7

We reflect what we rejoice in.  It just happens.  We can’t hide it for long.  It shows up in what we say, where we go or don’t go, and when we face difficulties.  Unless He is in charge, we don’t know who else is.  Only God can speak to the clouds and move the mountains in our lives.  So, we “rejoice” in Him.  When we rejoice in Him, we can relax in Him.  But the key is to rejoice in God and who He is.  We don’t have to be anxious, Jesus is our answer.  So, with thanksgiving we come to Him in prayer for ourselves and our world.  With thanksgiving we let Him know what we think, feel, and need.  His presence, promises, and power, leaves us reasonable, not ruffled in life’s ups and downs.  In fact, His gentleness and kindness become our gentleness and kindness in us.  It just happens as we “rejoice” in Him.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 29

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4

Nothing really speaks louder than a happy heart.  It’s contagious.  And nothing makes a bigger impact than a happy church.  I think it’s because happiness flows from love.  Paul is writing to those he loves and agrees with, in the Lord.  It’s hard to know love when we don’t share the same values and its hard to find happiness when there’s no love to feed and sustain that happiness.  Paul is asking them to agree, assist, and accompany each other in the good news of God’s love that puts our names in the book of life.  It’s something to rejoice over and over.  In fact, rejoicing is repeating the joy of the Lord over and over.  We are loved!   Let’s focus on that today.  God is good!  Let’s talk about that today.  We have hope!  Let’s share that today.  Repeat your joy!

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 28

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Philippians 3:20-21

Two things that define and direct our lives:  The Hope of Heaven and the Help of Heaven.  While others are living for their bellies and in their shame, believers are living for His hope and in His help.  And His help has the power to change these lowly bodes and subject ALL things to Himself.  We have the hope and help of God to live in heaven from here and that changes what we live for and live in.  Don’t let your friendships with man distract you from your friendship with God.  Love people but love God more.  When we love God more we will love others batter.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 27

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ Philippians 3:18

It’s said that we tell God who we are through what we laugh at and what we weep at in this life.  Paul is weeping over the relationships he used to laugh with along the way.  Friendships can and do change and they change the focus of those they touch.  Intimacy determines impact.  Be careful not to let your friendships compromise your faith.  How will you know?  Look at what you laugh at and what causes you to weep.  We can find ourselves laughing at perversion rather than weeping at what perversion does to people and society.  We weep over the loss of personal privileges rather than the loss of a person’s soul, some being our own flesh and blood.  Let your friendship with God fan the flame and stir the fire in your soul.  Remember, intimacy determines impact.  Let your friendship with God be so intimate that you impact your friendships for God.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 26

Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. Philippians 3:17

Don’t forget who your friends are in this life.  Genuine friends share values and vision, general friends share talk and tastes.  Genuine friendship is more than an acquaintance or association, it’s about agreement and ambition.  The Holy Spirit admonishes us to pick our friends carefully, look to see what path they’re on and who they’re walking with in life.  Those friendship decisions will become faith decisions along the way.  If we don’t share the same vision or values, there will be a parting of ways wither with your friend or your faith.  This has nothing to do with being cordial or compassionate, but it has everything to do with conviction and commitment.  Let God form your genuine friendships and you’ll become one of the mighty, not just one of the many along the way.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 25

Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Philippians 3:15-16

Make a run for it!  We’ve got a chance to change our circumstances, do it now.  While there’s a break in the action, take off, press on toward what God has provided us in Jesus.  God has called us to so much more than the routines and religions of man.  If we think we’re too sophisticated to pull up your britches and run well, God will reveal that to us too.  Mature believers have the faith to run for the future.   We can stay here and fit in with crowd, sharing their faith and their fear, or we can take the first leap toward everything that God has provided us in and through Jesus.  Here’s a thought for today.  If we’re not talking about our adventures in Christ, we’re probably thinking about our acceptance with man.  Make a run for it.  There’s more to life than sitting in the stands.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 24

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…            Philippians 3:13

There’s one thing we do as believers, we leave the past behind us and we can, because Jesus has forgiven us.  But we leave behind more than our wrong acts, we leave behind our wrong thinking, talking and seeing.  Jesus has made us His own and now we are free to think, talk, and travel through this life with Him and like Him.  Oh, it takes some effort, that why we find ourselves straining.  Old habits die hard, they say.  Don’t just want to leave the ways of this world, want the ways, wants and wonders of Jesus.  Let His life become your bent.  We bend towards those things we want but that’s another lesson.  Here’s the thing:  Jesus empowers us to walk away from the power of our past and that is good.

The Kitchen Table            Philippians Day 23

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Philippians 3:12

Take hold of Jesus with both hands because He has taken hold of you.  He has made you His own and when we make Him our own, that when things begin to happen.  The perfection of His passion, power and purposes are available for those who take hold of Him and make His life their life.  If you want to know what Jesus wants, look at what Jesus did.  Jesus once said, “he who believes in me, the works I do he will do also.” (Jn 14:12).  He has made us His own for His passion, purpose and power.  We make Him our own by believing in Him and behaving like Him.  The Jesus life is lived by those who have a passion for Him not just a perspective on Him.  Live with a passion for Jesus’ presence, power and plans today.