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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Thursday, February 13, 2020
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Motives Bible Verse :Philippians 1:15-18 (NASB) "Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." Message:
Remember from the previous verses, that Paul’s imprisonment has actually increased the preaching of Christ in Rome.
Here he tells us that while many of the people preaching the Gospel do so from pure motives, some do not. It is really a bit hard to understand how someone might preach Christ from a motive of envy and strife, or why they think it will cause Paul distress for them to do so.
Let's look at the definition of strife: “Exertion or contention for superiority.” What has happened in Rome, is that some people are trying to use Paul’s imprisonment as an opportunity for advancement in the church. Paul has become, inadvertently, famous. Human groups, because of human nature, engender organization (and eventually politics). Members look up to leaders; and with human nature, the leaders take on more glory than they need.
Psychologists call this the “halo” effect, our tendency to ascribe greater authority in a field to a person who has excelled in some other field. Why do people care what Gwyneth Paltrow thinks about political or health issues, or what Stephen Hawking thinks about religious issues (or, to be fair, what the Pope thinks about scientific theories or evangelical pastors think about global warming)?
It is this fame that underlies Paul’s comments. Preachers in 62 A.D. saw an opportunity to share in what they perceived to be Paul’s glory. They wanted a halo.
Saint Paul traveling
We should note that Paul, of all the great figures of the New Testament, has no official “position.” In ways, his life resembled that of Christ. He traveled about, with “no place to rest his head” (see Luke 9:58), preaching, teaching, and healing. James would become the head of the Council of Jerusalem; Peter, the Bishop of Rome; and John likely the “overseer” of the great churches of Antioch and/or Ephesus. Yet, without any official position, we see Paul guiding James (and the entire church) in the Council of Jerusalem, and Paul correcting Peter when he strays (Galatians 2:11-21).
Peter and Paul did not strive with one another for preeminence. Their brotherhood in faith always stood foremost. They looked steadfastly to Christ, not their own glory. We will see, over the course of history, men amplifying the tension between preacher and bishop, evangelicalism and organization, until churches are fighting wars with each other. Why? Because human beings cannot divest themselves of pride.
And this issue appears as soon as Paul is imprisoned. Men began to try to attract followers to their preaching, enjoying the growth of their reputation and fame. But notice the difference between these men and those described in Galatians: The preachers Paul criticizes so vehemently in Galatians are preaching a false gospel; those described here are preaching the true gospel, only with mixed motives.
So we learn from Paul’s reaction: he rejoices that prideful men are preaching the true Gospel of Christ. He reacts to what is being said, not who is saying it. Teaching truth is a blessed activity, no matter the motive in the teacher’s heart. Teaching falsehood, even with the purest motive, is cursed. “[W]hether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice.”
In the second paragraph, Paul returns to his earlier point: He has given his entire being, including his body, to Christ. He rejoices in his imprisonment, even if it means his death, because “circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel.”
Meditation : “We do not segment our lives, giving some time to God, some to our business or schooling, while keeping parts to ourselves. The idea is to live all of our lives in the presence of God, under the authority of God, and for the honor and glory of God. That is what the Christian life is all about. ” Prayer : Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted me as a living member of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have blessed me with the grace of forgiveness through the sacrifice He made for me and for all people. Send me now into the world in peace, and grant me strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord........Amen |
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