"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace" - Philippians 1:2-7
Recall that Paul was in prison when he wrote to the Church in Philippi, but he knew who he was in spite of where he was. I recall a volunteer asking me, while we stood in the midst of the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi, "Do you like being here?" They were going to be with us for a week. We were in Mississippi helping with the recovery for 5 years. I thought about the question for a moment and then answered, "Actually, I love being here. There is nothing better than being in the center of God's will, geography has nothing to do with it!" That was not false bravado, an attempt to impress the volunteer with my spirituality . As the "Duke" - John Wayne - would say "That's not brag, just fact!"
So how do we find joy in spite of what the day brings? Let's reconsider Paul's letter to the Philippians. I will use what I call the 6 - RU's.
1. RU a recipient of God's grace? Have you been saved by grace through faith. A child of God. If not, the joy I am referring to is out of reach for you.
2. RU a servant of Jesus Christ? A bond servant, meaning that you are an obedient servant by choice - your following Jesus is not an imposition on your will but it is your passion.
3. RU thankful? Not for the circumstances - like being called to leave your job, sell your home, live in an RV that is in the middle of a disaster area. But thankful for your relationship as a child of God. Not taking God for granted but acknowledging His great gift and lovingkindness.
4. RU content with where God has you? Meaning, you are not like Lot's wife who looked back with longing at the place that God said to leave but are forward with an expectation of what God was going to do through your obedience.
5. RU full of love for God and others?
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40
6. RU fruitful? I am talking about Spiritual fruit - Fruit that is manifested in your life in spite of the circumstances you face, not because of them.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:22-25
Well .... RU?
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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