My Morning Meal

Looking back on it, much of Paul’s letter to the Philippians concerns attitude and perspective.

Paul’s confident that the work God has begun, He will complete (1:6) . . . for Paul, to live is Christ, to die is gain (1:21) . . . he says that our focus is not to be ourselves but others and that we should desire that the mind of Christ would be in us — that our attitude should be the same as the Lord’s (2:5) . . . and that we should view our salvation as something to be worked out with fear and trembling (2:12).

Paul viewed his life as drink offering being poured out on the sacrifice and service of other’s faith (2:17) . . . he counted all things loss compared to the excellence of knowing Christ (3:8) . . . forgetting those things in the past he reached forward to those things which were ahead — the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (3:13-14) . . . he said, this was the “mature mind” (3:15). He viewed heaven as his country and place of citizenship (3:20) . . . he could rejoice in the Lord always (3:4) . . . and be anxious for nothing (3:6) . . . knowing the peace of God which surpasses all understanding (3:7).

Paul’s letter is full of attitude . . . multi-faceted dimensions of how to view and approach walking in this world as a believer.

And then in chapter four, verse eight, he says, “Finally . . . ”

One more thing, Paul says . . . here’s the key to pulling it all together. Wanna know the “secret sauce” to the attitude and mind of Christ . . . listen up . . . “Finally, my brothers and sisters . . . THINK!”

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 ESV)

Right thinking leads to right attitude. Fill your mind with good stuff and the result will be a well-focused perspective. If I want a godly outlook, I need to start with godly intake. I need to think and meditate on good stuff. I need to deliberate on stuff that is true . . . stuff of honorable character . . . just and righteous stuff . . . pure stuff, stuff that is free from carnality . . . stuff that is lovely, pleasing to the eye of the mind . . . stuff that is admirable and of good reputation . . . stuff marked by excellence and virtue . . . stuff that is worthy of praise . . . this is the stuff I need to think about . . . and meditate upon. Good stuff in . . . good stuff out.

And, as was pointed out to me many years ago, no better place to start this “thinking thing” . . . no better way to form the attitude of Christ . . . than to think about Christ, Himself.

For Jesus is true . . . “I am the way, the TRUTH, the life.” And, Jesus is honorable, the personification of godliness, the model for high and holy living. He is just . . . and, praise God, the justifier of those who had no hope of justifying themselves. My Lord, too, is pure . . . without spot . . . without blemish . . . the absolutely perfect Son of God who offered that perfection as the Lamb of God to atone for my imperfection. O’, to think on such things!

And isn’t He lovely? Isn’t He altogether beautiful? To gaze upon His face with faith’s eye is to be absolutely enraptured with His glory. To think upon His beauty is to be drawn in. And I can think of no one as commendable, nor anything else of such “good report” . . . none so admirable as my Jesus . . . this book in front of me is filled with that “speaking well of Him” . . . with His story.

Truly, to think on Jesus, to meditate on the Son, is of great virtue . . . it is an excellent pursuit. To meditate on His Person and His work is worthy of praise . . . ignites worship . . . fuels the fire of adoration. “Finally, my brothers and sisters, think!”

This wonderful, Spirit-filled dynamic I’m participating in is at the core of being transformed into His likeness through the renewing of the mind (Rom. 12:2). No wonder Paul exhorts us to meditate and muse and ponder and noodle and think on the right stuff. In doing so, we gain proper perspective . . . proper priorities . . . and proper praise.

THINK! By His grace . . . for His glory . . .

Encountered a phrase in my reading this morning that I think could be understood two different ways. Taken one way, it refers to a future realization . . . taken the other, it is a reminder of a present reality. Both understandings are true . . . and both understandings have the same impact . . . motivation.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 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.   (Philippians 4:4-6 ESV)

When I’m reading, I’m on the lookout for “commands to obey.” Here there’s three of them: 1) rejoice in the Lord always; 2) let your reasonableness, or gentleness, be known to everyone; 3) be anxious for nothing and pray about everything. But what stood out this morning was the small statement of motivation embedded in the middle of them . . . “the Lord is at hand.”

The Lord is at hand . . . in that He’s coming soon? Or, the Lord is at hand in that His presence can be known? Future realization, or present reality? Yes!

Both are true and both provide fuel for the fire of obedience . . . both elevate obedience from a check-the-box exercise and weave into our very fabric a desire to do what we do because the Lord is at hand.

I can rejoice in the LORD always because He is at hand. He is coming again and so I can wake every morning, look to the sky and smile as I wonder, “Perhaps today?” I can rejoice as I anticipate that the day is soon approaching when the way of this world and the corruption of sin will be gone and mine will be to gather before the throne in the splendor of holiness and fix my eyes on the Lamb who redeemed me. But until that I day, I can also rejoice always because the Lord is at hand . . . He is near . . . and I anticipate going through this day with His abiding presence. As I draw near to God, He says He will draw near to me (James 4:8) . . . His ever-present Spirit leading . . . empowering . . . encouraging. Rejoice . . . the Lord is at hand.

Because He is coming soon, I want to model the gentle character of Christ that He might be known. The Master will return at an hour we think not and I want to be found a faithful ambassador when He does. No greater joy than imagining Him, when He returns, finding me being who He’s called me to be and doing what He’s asked me to do. But being like Christ in a world which despises the things of God can be a bit intimidating. But, He is at hand . . . the Lord is present . . . and greater is He that is in me, than anyone or anything that is in the world (1John 4:4).

And, because the Lord is at hand and His return is imminent, I need not be anxious about anything. The anxieties of the day, though very real, can all be placed in the context of the risen, ascended, soon to return King of Kings. Weeping may last for a night . . . but joy comes in the morning (Ps. 30:5). And because He is ever present . . . because His Spirit intercedes with my spirit . . . because He has promised never to leave me nor forsake me . . . I can bring Him my petitions and know a peace that passes all understanding (Php. 4:7).

The Lord is at hand . . . soon to return . . . even now, always present. What a motivator . . . for rejoicing always . . . for making known my reasonableness to everyone . . . for resting in Him in all things.

By His grace . . . for His glory . . .

While I believe that I need to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling (Php. 2:12), I also believe that it is God who has begun a good work in me and that He will complete it. While I believe that I need to make every effort to add to my faith things pertaining to holiness and godliness (2Peter 1:5), I also believe that I can rest in the finished work of Christ and that, I am already complete in Him (Col. 2:10 NKJV). Such, I believe is the essence of the work of sanctification. What He has declared me to be positionally in Christ, that is, holy and set apart, I am to work at being practically, through the power and transforming agency of His Holy Spirit.

His finished work . . . our work in progress. Two dynamics at play in the Christian life.

And for this reason, as I read this morning, Paul would determine to “press on to make it my own” . . . he would forget what lied behind him and strain forward to what lied ahead . . . he would “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”. He was, as they say, in it to win it. Though the battle had already been fought and the victory already won, he was determined to make it his own “because Christ has made me His own” (Php. 3:12-14).

And I think about what it means for me . . . and the huge responsibility that’s mine to run the race and navigate towards the prize. What if I get it wrong? What if I miss something? What if I don’t quite “rightly divide the Word” in some matter? In Paul’s encouragement this morning, I’m also reminded that God has my back . . .

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

God, through Paul, makes it clear that running the race of faith isn’t just for some, but for all “who are mature.” It’s just right thinking for those born again . . . for those adopted into the family . . . for those brought into the kingdom. But, says Paul, if someone doesn’t quite get it, God will reveal that too. The implication being that in revealing the immature thinking, He will also correct “less than best” thinking. That, having given us the mind of Christ through the Spirit of God, He will bring that mind to bear.

I don’t need to fret about having it all figured out perfectly, because, if I’m sincere about seeking the things of the kingdom, God has my back . . . and my mind . . .

Jesus said that for those who ask, they will receive . . . that for those who seek, they will find . . . that for those who knock, the door will be open. So, for those who desire to work our their salvation, those who are sincere about adding to their faith, God will work our transformation by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:2) . . . He will lead us into truth . . . He will reveal right thinking to us.

Mine is to seek . . . by faithfully reading, studying, and meditating on His Word. Mine is to ask . . . prayerfully submitting myself to the illumination and revelation of the Holy Spirit. Mine is to knock . . . believing that God desires to open the portals of heaven itself to His children. And mine is to lean in to the goal . . . to press on for the prize . . . to make it my own . . . to know, experimentally, the fullness of this new life I have in Christ

And I do it by His grace . . . and I do it for His glory.

Amen?

His was a bio that would certainly rise to the top of the “who’s who” in the world he grew up in. His bloodline was a good line. From an infant his parents dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s to ensure that he would get on the right track. He was smart . . . always at the top of his class . . . always given advance placement and accepted into the classes of the best teachers. Not only was he smart, but he had a great, internally driven, work ethic . . . pursuing what he pursued passionately . . . accomplishing what he accomplished because he believed in it. According to the values of the world he grew up in, he was tracking for great success. But he gave it all up . . . because he discovered something better . . . something of surpassing worth.

If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ . . . (Philippians 3:4b – 8 ESV)

Paul had it all . . . and yet he’d give it all up for the sake of Christ . . . that he might gain Christ . . . for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.

Peterson translates it “the high privilege” in The Message, but it’s more than just a statement of privilege. Look at any of the major translations and the idea is that of relative superiority. Knowing Christ is of “surpassing value” in the NASB . . . it is of “surpassing greatness” in the NIV . . . it is “the excellence” in the NKJV . . . it is, to refer to one of Jesus’ parables, that “one pearl of great value” that is worth selling everything else for (Matt. 13:45-46). It is, to use a more modern term, over the top!

Pause for a moment and reflect on the relative worth of what it is to know “Christ Jesus my Lord.”

Not just know about Jesus, but to know Jesus experimentally . . . through encounter and through experience. To have the active agency of His blessed Spirit at work in us to give us the mind of Christ through the inspired word of God. By that same Spirit, to interact with Him as we draw near in the secret through prayer or, as we draw near with His people through worship. And beyond that, His Spirit engaging our spirit throughout the day, 24/7, such that we know the reality of communion with the One who would claim us as His own. How much is that worth? It is of surpassing worth.

To know Christ Jesus my Lord. To know Christ, the promised Messiah . . . the anointed . . . God’s holy Servant come to do His will . . . the Son of God . . . King of Kings. To know Jesus, He who name means Savior . . . come as perfect man to redeem fallen man . . . come as the Lamb of God to give His life as a ransom for many . . . come as the Great Shepherd to gather His flock . . . come as the Bridegroom to make ready for Himself His bride. To know my Lord . . . mine . . . me, individually and personally . . . to know my Sovereign . . . and bow the knee to Him who alone is worthy of the highest places of my heart and soul. To know Him . . . that is of surpassing worth.

And when you’ve identified that which is most excellent . . . that which is of greatest value . . . that which is of surpassing worth . . . everything else kind of falls in place. That which needs to be scrapped, we’ll scrap for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. That which needs to be pushed down in the priority list of things to do, will find it’s lower place for the surpassing worth of know Jesus. That which needs to be given a pass we’ll take a rain check on because of the surpassing worth of knowing my Lord.

In order that I might gain Christ . . .

By His grace . . . for His glory . . .

In the first part of Philippians 2, Paul exhorts the believer to do nothing of selfish ambition but to esteem others better than him or herself. Paul holds up Christ as the great Servant of all and says that we are to let the mind that was in Him also be in us. Paul then takes us on a glorious trek through the humiliation and exaltation of Christ. Touring us through His descent to death, even death on a cross, and then His ascent to the highest place, given a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus ever knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Hallelujah!! Amen!!

And then Paul writes, “Therefore . . .” In light of the encouragement to have the mind of Christ . . . in view of the example of Christ who obeyed unto death and now reigns as Lord . . . Paul brings on the implication . . . answers the “so what?” question . . . pens a command to obey . . .

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling . . .     (Philippians 2:12 ESV)

The idea of “working it out” is the idea of doing that from which something results . . . in my work world we might call it “producing a deliverable”. And note, it’s not just some generic salvation I’m to be working out, it’s MY OWN salvation . . . tailored for me . . . my own set of deliverables. I am to be working it out.

With fear and trembling, do something with the salvation that was purchased for you with the precious blood of Christ. Work it out. But what does “working it out” look like for me? Tell me to read my Bible . . . and I can check that off the list. Tell me to go to church and not forsake the assembling of ourselves together . . . and I can set my alarm clock. Tell me to tithe . . . and I know I’m obedient when I drop my offering in the bag. Tell me to be religious . . . and I can run with that for awhile. But just tell me to work out my salvation? . . . bit more of a head-scratcher.

And I know that this isn’t working to merit my salvation . . . for I have been saved by grace through faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9). Rather, this is taking the salvation that has been freely given to me through faith in Christ and doing something with it. Just as Christ “worked out” His “mission” as the Lamb of God . . . I’m to work out my salvation as a child of God. But what, specifically, are we talking about? What is it? And how do I go about working it out?

Praise God that while I’m called to “work it out,” God has promised He would “work it in.”

. . . for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.    (Philippians 2:13 ESV)

Chew on that for a bit. Part of the salvation dynamic is that God has promised to actively work in me . . . so that I might work out my salvation for His delight and satisfaction.

That word “work” is energeo. He energizes . . . He infuses . . . He empowers. Through His Spirit-to-spirit connection He gives the desires and the determination that align with His purposes for me “delivering” on MY OWN salvation. And, beyond the desire, He empowers me to go and do it. So while I seek to obey and work out my salvation . . . and while I may produce some results and some deliverables . . . He gets all the credit . . . all the glory . . . ’cause while I’m working it out, it’s only because He’s first working it in.

And so mine is not to strive . . . but to abide. I don’t self-propel my way to being a “good Christian” . . . because, through the power of the finished work of Christ, I am already counted holy and righteous in Christ. Instead, because of who I am in Christ, I seek first the things of the kingdom . . . and I submit myself to the leading of His indwelling Spirit . . . and then respond to His “working in” by “working it out.”

How important is it to keep that Spirit-to-spirit connection clutter free and static free? Pretty!!! I need to keep listening for His voice as I read His word, spend time in His presence, and interact with His people. I need to remember that He wants to work it in . . . so that I can work it out.

By His grace . . . for His glory . . .