1 Thessalonians 3: GOD IS WITH YOU IN YOUR TROUBLES

 GOD IS WITH YOU IN YOUR TROUBLES

That no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this
1 Thessalonians 3

Paul reminded the believers not to be surprised or shaken when troubles came because of their faith in Christ , Following Jesus doesn’t mean we will never face difficulties, there will be seasons when our faith is tested.

In our lives today ,we may also face family problems, financial struggles, sickness and other personal challenges, though these are not necessarily the same affliction apostle Paul was talking about .But it reminds us of our need to trust God even in difficult times.

Sometimes we may ask “Lord why is this happening?” we may not understand what we are going through ,but God words remind us that difficulties are part of our journey of faith ,the presence of troubles doesn’t mean the absence of God.

Are You Facing Difficult Situation Right Now?

Maybe You, Or Someone You Love Is Sick?

Struggling Problems?

Take Heart and Bring your Worries to God

✓ Keep Praying
✓ Keep Trusting
✓ Hold On To His Word

Hindi man natin naiintindihan ang lahat ng nangyayari but we can choose to trust Him.

Apostle Paul encouraged the believers to stand firm in their faith despite the afflictions they face ,may we also learn to remain faithful when life becomes difficult.

PRAYER
Father, thank you for reminding us that we can trust You even when life is difficult , when we face problems, sickness or worries help us not to lose faith give us
strength when we feel weak and peace when we don’t understand what is happening .Help us to keep praying,
trusting and walking with You every day in Jesus name……AMEN

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ELDER JOAN - JCRC RIYADH

Colossians 1 The Truth of the Gospel

 

Colossians 1

The Truth of the Gospel

Scripture (ESV): Colossians 1:3-5a, 12-14, 15-23 

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Observation

Paul is giving thanks to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for:

-          the Colossian believers’ faith in Jesus, and

-          that the Father qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Paul reminds believers of the essence and truth of the Good News, the gospel, of Jesus Christ. He reminds believers that:

·       Our hope is laid up in heaven with Jesus Christ (v5)

·       God the Father qualifies us to share in this inheritance, laid up in heaven (v12) – we cannot qualify ourself, it is the work of God

·       God the Father has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness (in)to the kingdom of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of light (v13)

·       We are forgiven of our sins and have redemption in Jesus Christ (v14)

·       Jesus is the image of the invisible God (v15)

·       Jesus is the firstborn of all creation (v15), and the firstborn from the dead (v18) – his earthly body was resurrected

·       By Jesus (through him and for him) all things were created (v16)

o   In heaven and on earth

o   Seen and unseen

o   Thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities

·       He (Jesus) is before all things, the beginning (v17, v18) – before the earth was created, he was there

·       In Jesus all things are being held together (v17)

·       Jesus is the head of the body (the church) (v18)

·       In Jesus the fullness of God was pleased to dwell (v19)

·       In Jesus all things (including us) were reconciled to himself – peace was made on earth and in heaven by the blood of Jesus on the cross (v20,21)

·       Because of the blood of Jesus, we are blameless before him (v22)- No one is good enough to save himself, if we want to live eternally with Jesus, we must depend totally on God’s grace and come to Jesus Christ for salvation and eternal life.

Application

We must continue in this faith (v23) – keep on trusting, believing that we are saved by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ alone. There is no other way to live in eternity with God.

Is this still your truth – the truth of the gospel, of the good news of Jesus Christ? Don’t be lead astray that anything you do (good works) can lead to eternal life – it is not true, it is false teaching.

Good works is the fruit of the Holy Spirit:

-          through abiding in Christ –

-          in response to His love and His sacrifice –

-          that we may live with Him, in heavenly places, in eternity.

Prayer

Lord, I thank you for fellow believers, for their faith and changed lives. Lord, may my brothers and sisters in faith know what you want them to do. Give them deep spiritual understanding, help them to live for you, give them more knowledge of you Lord, strengthen them for endurance in the race to the end, fill them Lord with your abundant joy, strength and a grateful heart. To you be all the glory and honour and praise. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

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PASTORA HESMA - JCRC CAPETOWN

COLOSAS 4: ANG MAPAGPAKUMBABANG SUNDALO NG DIYOS

 

COLOSAS 4:2- ANG MAPAGPAKUMBABANG SUNDALO NG DIYOS

 

Ang kabanata 4 ang huling isinulat ni Apostol Pablo na kung saan tinuruan niya tayo kung paano nga ba makisama sa mga tao mapa-believers man o hindi. Ipinaalala niya rin sa atin kung ano ang gagawin ng isang Kristiyano upang mas maging lubos tayo sa harapan ng Diyos. Ganun din ay sa huling passage ay ipinakita ni Apostol Pablo kung paano nga ba mas tumatatag ang isang Iglesiya; iyon ay sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng magandang relasiyon sa kapwa mananampalataya. Mag kamustahan ang bawat isa upang mag bigay lakas-loob sa isa’t-isa.

Ngunit, ang pagtutuunan natin ng pansin ay ang verse 2, “Maging matiyaga kayo sa pananalangin, laging handa at nagpapasalamat sa Diyos.”

1. Maging matiyaga kayo sa pananalangin – Mahalaga sa buhay ng isang Kristiyano ang pananalangin dahil ito ang nagpapatatag ng ating relasiyon sa Diyos. Sinasabi nating mahal natin ang Diyos ngunit kung puro lamang salita at walang gawa ay sino ang maniniwala? Oo nga’t on fire tayo tuwing Sabado at Linggo dahil mayroon tayong soaking prayer, Bible study, at sermon. Pero, kumusta ka tuwing weekdays? Kumusta ang prayer life mo sa labas ng simbahan? Hindi pwedeng mahal mo lang si Lord tuwing weekends at balik na naman sa mundo pag lunes hanggang biyernes.

YOU ARE A CHEATER, if that’s the case. You can’t love two masters at once. May isa niyang palaging mamahalin at may isang hindi. So, choose wisely. Doon tayo sa Panginoong Hesu-Kristo na nag sakripisyo ng Kaniyang buhay upang iligtas tayo at linisin sa ating kasalanan. Sa pamamagitan noong tinanggap natin Siya bilang ating Diyos at Tagapagligtas ng ating buhay at tsaka lang manunumbalik ang relasiyon natin sa Diyos. And to maintain that relationship, communication is always the key. Our way of communicating with Him is through prayer.

Ang panalangin ay hindi dapat ginagawa tuwing weekends o kapag may problema o krisis lang. Ito ay patuloy nating ginagawa in season o out of season man para ma-build sa atin ang discipline at ma-strengthen ang connection natin sa Diyos. Kaya pray harder and be consistent. Lahat ng ipinalangin mo believe that you have received it in Jesus Christ name. At ang pananampalataya natin sa Diyos ay mas lalong lalakas pa because we are acknowledging His perfect timing, power, and strength.

2. Maging handa – Bilang isang Kristiyano ay dapat lagi tayong handa o watchful sa buhay espirituwal natin at sa mga tuksong maaaring makaapekto nito. Hindi ba’t we are the army of God? Bakit may sundalo ang isang kaharian? To protect the kingdom, right? In spiritual, to protect yourself and relationship to God because we are in spiritual warfare.

·       Handa sa muling pagbabalik ni Hesus (Spiritual awareness) Dahil ayon sa Mateo 24:44, “Kaya nga, maging handa kayo nang lagi, sapagkat darating ang Anak ng Tao sa oras na hindi inaasahan.

·       Handa sa pagtatanggol sa pananampalataya (Readiness to witness) Dahil ayon as 2 Timoteo 4:2, “Ipangaral mo ang Salita ng Diyos. Maging handa ka sa bawat pagkakataon, napapanahon man o hindi. Kumbinsihin mo ang mga tao, pagsabihan, at patatagin ang loob nila sa pamamagitan ng matiyagang pagtuturo.

·       Handa sa lahat ng mabubuting gawa (Ready for good works) Dahil ang paghahanda ay dapat makita rin sa araw-araw na pamumuhay. Ayon sa Tito 3:1, “Ipaalala mo sa kanila na pasakop sa mga pinuno at sa may kapangyarihan, na maging masunurin, at maging handa sa bawat mabuting gawa.”

 

3. Nagpapasalamat sa Diyos – Be grateful always kahit sa maliit na bagay. Kung mapagkakatiwalaan ka ng maliit na bagay ay mapagkakatiwalaan ka din sa malaking bagay. Appreciate everything even the small things God has given to you. After all, blessing isn’t only money. It’s a peace, people, opportunities, health, time, and so much more. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Magpasalamat tayo sa lahat ng pagkakataon mayroon man o wala. Kahit mabigat man ang pinagdadaanan, mayroon paring mga bagay na dapat nating ipagpasalamat—tulad ng buhay, lakas, at katapatan ng Diyos na hindi tayo iiwan.

 

In conclusion, we are the army of God. Wear the armor of God and these are the following: Belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes of the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of Spirit. And prayer is the vital practice that holds all the armor together. Pray constantly. Be ready to fight and always give thanks through praise and worship.

Glory be to God!

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ELDER MC – JCRC SORSOGON

Colossians 3: Putting On Our New Identity

 

Putting On Our New Identity (Colossians 3;1-17)

 Colossians 3 was written para mapatnubayan tayo on how to live out the new identity given to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. The chapter begins: “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” This verse highlights a foundational Christian doctrine: when Jesus died, our sins died with Him, and when He rose, we rose with Him, forever tying us believers to Christ.

This passage reminds us na ang ating Christian journey ay hindi natatapos sa pagkakaroon ng paniniwala; rather, it is a lifelong process of spiritual renewal and regeneration from our past.

 

What makes it a continuous process?

It is a process because Scripture provides practical guidelines and instructions for us to follow. A vital part of this daily walk is revealed in verse 2, which commands us to: “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

 

Ano ba ang ibig sabihin nito, and how can we do this?

The Greek word used there is phroneite, which means a deliberate choice to focus our thoughts, desires, and actions toward one direction. In this context, it means fixing our hearts on the treasures and values of heaven. This commands us to change our mindsets and original disposition toward everything that happens to us—whether they are physical things, hard situations, or daily challenges. Paano ba natin ito magagawa? Or in the first place kaya ba natin itong Gawin? Short answer is , No di natin kaya ito ngunit with the Help of our Lord it is made possible

ito ang ibig sabihin ng verse 3

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God”

Dahil sa ating makasalanang ugali (the flesh), our natural tendency is to overvalue earthly things. Halimbawa, kapag kinakapos tayo sa pera o nagkaproblema sa career, madali tayong lamunin ng takot; o kaya naman kapag nakikita natin ang achievements ng iba sa social media, dumarating agad ang pressure at insecurity. Mas nakatutok tayo sa panandaliang takbo ng mundo, at ito ang nagdudulot sa atin upang maging anxious, worried, and even depressed. However, if we look at life through God’s lens, mapagtanto natin na ang ating halaga ay hindi nakadepende sa bank account o sa opinyon ng tao, kundi sa pag-ibig ni Kristo. We can be free from those negative feelings because our focus is now on His higher purpose. What separates us from nonbelievers is the power of Christ’s resurrection in us, which gives us the ability to choose and set

our minds on heavenly things.

 Sa mga susunod na verses (5–11), binigyang-linaw kung ano-ano ang mga makasalanang ugali

at gawa na dapat nating tuluyang iwanan o "ipatay"—tulad ng galit, tsismis, pagsisinungaling, at inggit kapag nakakakita tayo ng mas umaangat sa atin. Ipinakita rin dito kung paano binabago ni Kristo ang ating pananaw sa kapwa. At sa verses 12–17, makikita naman ang resulta ng

pag-ibig ng Panginoon: ang "pagsuot" o pagsasabuhay natin ng mga bagong katangian. Halimbawa, sa halip na gumanti kapag may nakasakit sa atin, pipiliin natin magpatawad; at sa halip na magreklamo sa mga problema, maging mapagpasalamat at mapagpakumbaba tayo sa araw-araw.

Pinapakita sa halimbawang ito ang earthly things at heavenly things sa pagreresponde sa sitwasyon, Ang pagereklamo at paggaganti yun Yung earthly things na dapat nating palitan ng heavenly things na pagpapatawad at pagpapakumbaba.

 Lagi nating tandaan na sa lahat ng ating gawain ay lagi natin siyang pasalamatan sa binigay niya sa ating panibagong Buhay at espiritu at laging isipin kung paano natin ma itataas ang kanyang ngalan sa pamamagitan ng ating ginagawa. kaya nga sabi sa verse 17 ‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Kailangan tayo ay may kagustuhang magpabago sa atin panginoon upang sa gayon maisuot natin ang ating panibagong katauhan.

Katulad sa damit hubarin muna natin kung ano ang ating suot at isuot natin ang panibagong kasuotang handog sa atin ng Diyos.  Hindi lang dahil sa ito ay kaaya-aya ngunit dahil ito ang pamatayang idineklara ng ating panginoon.

 Purihin ang ating Panginoong Hesus!

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ELDER JERO – JCRC SORSOGON

Colossians 2: Rooted and Built Up in Christ

 

Rooted and Built Up in Christ

"Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." — Colossians 2:6-7 1. Who We Received & Our Walk Paul is reminding us kung sino ang tinanggap natin—Christ Jesus the Lord. Christ: "The Anointed One," the promised Messiah. Jesus: The historical person of Jesus of Nazareth who lived, died, and rose. The Lord: The supreme master, owner, and absolute sovereign authority.

Walk IN HIM Now that we know who we received, we know where to stand. We can never truly walk if we don’t know where we stand. Where we stand is both our starting point and our end point—it is our entire sense of direction. Sapagkat kung saan tayo nag-stand, yun yung lalakaran natin.

• If we stand sa career natin, our mind, time, and effort are all directed papunta sa career natin.

• If we stand sa sarili natin, lahat ng nangyayari sa paligid ay umiikot sa atin at papunta sa atin.

If you start with Jesus, stay with Jesus and end with Jesus. WALK WITH HIM. Don’t let nonsense arguments take you away from Him; be discerning.

As we look at our lives today, where are you headed to?

• Saan nauubos ang oras mo at ang lakas mo?

• Sino ang lagi mong kasama, at sino ang laging nasa isip mo?

• Sino ang inuuna mo?

• Now, where do you stand?

2. Rooted and Built Up in Him Roots are hidden to us. Hindi natin masasabi sa isang puno na matatag ito base lamang sa taas at laki nito, kundi dahil sa lalim ng ugat nito. Na kahit dumating ang bagyo, ito ay nakatayo pa rin. Dumating man ang tag-init, kayang mag-survive dahil malalim ang ugat na may napagkukunan. Patuloy itong lumalago sa madilim at nakatago kahit na walang nakakapansin. Gayundin naman sa ating faith. Hindi ito dahil sa magaling ka magsermon, o alam mo lahat ng instrumento kung paano tugtugin, o marami kang alam sa Bibliya, o lagi kang present. Hindi 'yan ang sukatan ng pagiging matured na Christian. Minsan, nagsisimula ito sa tanong na: “Kumusta ka na?”

1. Kumusta ka na sa panahon ng bagyo sa iyong buhay? Sa kabila ng pressure, struggle, paghihirap, at doubt, nakatayo ka pa rin ba?

2. Kumusta ka na kapag nauubos ka na? Kapag napapagod at feeling unappreciated, kanino ka humuhugot ng tubig para lumakas kang muli?

3. Kumusta ka na kapag walang nakakakita sa iyo? Ang private life mo ba at ang quiet time mo ay getting quieter? Ang prayer life mo ba ay getting fiery o malamig na?

At habang ang ugat ay nagpapalalim, ang katawan nito ay itinataas at unti-unting lumalago—araw-araw ay may paglago.

• Habang lumalalim tayo sa prayer, mas lalong nagiging puso natin ang puso ni Cristo.

• Habang lumalalim tayo sa kaalaman tungkol kay Cristo, mas lalo nating idinedesire ang langit kasama Siya habang tayo ay nagtatrabaho para sa Kanya.

Hanggat tayo ay nabubuhay, we are still a work in progress. As we always remind our brothers and sisters: Come to Jesus not because you are perfect, but because you are an overcomer in Him. 3. Established in the Faith Here comes being established in the faith. WARRIORS!! We are warriors, not worriers. We do not worry about tomorrow because tomorrow will worry about itself. We can never be swayed by the strong winds of worldly desires and offers. We stand in Christ. We become unshakeable because we stand on the Rock that can never be shaken. We are unstoppable because we stand on the King of kings—and who can stand against Him? 4. Abounding in Thankfulness And now ,Paul is showing us that gratitude is the ultimate test of a healthy spiritual life.

• You give thanks for the grace of God.

• You give thanks through the struggle and the pain along the way in Christ.

Because you understand that in Christ, whether you live or die, it doesn’t matter. You are in Christ, and that is what abounds in your heart: Christ. ------------------- PASTORA CZARINE - JCRC SORSOGON

Philippians 4 Living God’s Way – with Joy, Contentment and Gratitude

 

Philippians 4

Living God’s Way – with Joy, Contentment and Gratitude

We live in times when the second coming of our Lord Jesus is soon and our conduct can either attract or repel people from wanting to come to Jesus. This is a great responsibility for us, but here Paul gives us some sound advice in Chapter 4 of the book of Philippians and demonstrates that living this way is not impossible (v13). There are six things Paul mentions here to help us living God’s way.

1.   Put aside your differences

Phil 1:2-3 is beckoning us as true born-again believers to put aside our differences as we work to spread the gospel of the good news of Jesus Christ.

It is important to note that having differences is not being looked upon as something forbidden. We are all unique with different backgrounds and talents and how we want to do things, BUT the important matter is to be mature in resolving and putting aside those differences to work together in unity.

2.   Be joyful and have a gentle attitude

Phil 1:4-5 tells us to rejoice and have a gentle attitude toward everyone, for the Lord is coming soon.

How can someone want to know Jesus when His children are not joyful?

As born-again believers we get this joy by spending time in the presence of the Lord, by prayer and reading the Bible. Is your spirit heavy? go to the book of Psalms and read it out loud (songs of praise) for yourself to hear – the Word of God is true and cuts through flesh and bone like a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12) – the heaviness will lift (Is 61:3), because that is what the Word of God tells us.

3.   Do not worry, instead pray about everything

Phil 4:6-7 tells us that we should not worry, but instead cast our burdens onto Jesus in prayer and supplication.

Pray and ask God for what you need, always have a thankful heart. Relent, release control of your situation unto Him and trust that Jesus is for you not against you. This way you will have peace that surpasses all human understanding (v7).

When we get to a place of this peace, people may ask you how?  Then we can witness to them and tell them about Jesus’s saving grace, the gospel of His Good News.

4.   Fill your minds with Godly things

Fill your minds with things that are good and deserving of praise (Phil 4:8-9). Things to fill our minds with include:

·       Truth of God’s Word

·       Noble things, in other words – things that have good moral character

·       Right and pure things

·       Honourable things – carries weight and brings glory to God

·       Lovely things – showing gentle care, quiet acts of service, kindness in stead of bitterness and unforgiveness.

Where to we find these things to fill our mind with?

Romans 12:2 tells us do not be conformed to this world, but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is the acceptable and perfect will of God.

We do not find it in worldly news reports, social media, movies and entertainment. Given that we must be aware of what is going on around us, we should limit our exposure to worldly things and instead feed our mind from the Bible.

To practically be transformed by the renewing of your mind is a divine partnership between each one of us and the Holy Spirit. God is true to His word and will do His part, BUT we also have to cooperate with Him and do our part.

The Holy Spirt will:

·       Convict and alert us. He provides that internal check or 'prompt' letting us know when something is polluting our thoughts or dragging us down.

·       Reveal the truth. He makes Bible scripture come alive, give us spiritual insight, and helps us understand how scripture applies to our life.

·       Break the stronghold and weakens the grip of wrongful thoughts, heals deep wounds, and provides us with the supernatural strength to change.

·       Produce spiritual fruit. He physically changes our desires over time, with love, joy, peace, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

Choose what we feed our minds with:

·       Actively turn off toxic media, leave gossip-filled conversations, and set boundaries on what you watch or read.

·       Open the Bible and read. Make time to read or listen to the Word and let it fill and saturate you.

·       Confess and repent of sins for example dwelling on anxiety, pride, or lust, and make a conscious decision to redirect your thoughts. Step on the head of the snake, take that wrongful thought captive and replace it with prayer or a scripture from the Bible.

·       We pause and choose obedience; to hold our tongue, pray for our enemies, and deliberately act in a godly manner.

 

5.   Be content with what you have

In Phil 4:10-13 Paul demonstrates that we should be content with what we have, in any circumstance; with too much, with too little, with an empty stomach, with a feasting table. He tells that God will give us the strength to endure any of these conditions (v13). If Paul learned this secret, and it was noteworthy to share in this letter addressed to the Philippian church, then we can learn it too.

A content and grateful heart is pleasing to the Lord.

 

6.   Blessing in generosity and cheerful giving

Phil 4:14-20. Gifts that are given to fellow believers in need, and who is suffering for the sake of the gospel is a “sweet fragrance” unto the Lord (v18). It is a sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God Almighty.

When we bring a sacrifice in this manner to the Lord, from His abundant wealth He will supply all our needs. Those who receive can bring Glory to God with thanksgiving.

We should however not confuse needs with wants as they can be very different things. Our wants may lead us astray into temptation and sin. What we really need from God, He will supply abundantly. The Lord knows our needs, material, emotional, relational…The question is:

Do we really trust Him enough not to worry (v7) about these things?

 

Final greeting to each one of God’s people who belong to Christ Jesus (Phil 4:21). Paul makes an effort to include every believer in his greetings to the churches, thereby emphasising that each and every one in the body of Christ matters.

Even though in JCRC we are far apart on different continents, in different countries, we are 1 Body, 1 Family in the Kingdom of God and therefore we should make time to care for one another, share in greetings, joys, struggles and the gifts the Lord imparted to each one and to each church according to His riches and glory.

 

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all (Phil 4:21). Amen

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PASTORA HESMA - JCRC CAPETOWN

PHILIPPIANS 3 — KNOW CHRIST AND PRESS ON

 

PHILIPPIANS 3 — KNOW CHRIST AND PRESS ON

 In Philippians 3, Paul teaches us that the greatest goal of the Christian life is not personal achievement, position, or recognition, but knowing Christ more deeply and continually growing to become like Him.

Paul presents three important truths:

1. Do not put your confidence in your own righteousness. — Philippians 3:1–9
2. Pursue a deeper relationship with Christ and keep pressing forward. — Philippians 3:10–16
3. Live as a citizen of heaven. — Philippians 3:17–21

 1. COUNT EVERYTHING AS LOSS COMPARED TO KNOWING CHRIST

Philippians 3:7–9

“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.” — Philippians 3:7 (KJV)

 In Philippians 3:4–6, Paul lists the credentials he once considered valuable:

·       He was circumcised on the eighth day.

·       He belonged to the people of Israel.

·       He was from the tribe of Benjamin.

·       He was a Hebrew of Hebrews.

·       He was a Pharisee.

·       He was zealous in his religious commitment.

Paul had many reasons to boast according to his former understanding of righteousness.

But when he encountered Christ, he realized that none of these credentials could replace the righteousness that comes from God.

Ephesians 2:8–9 — We are saved by grace through faith, not by our works.

Romans 3:22 — God's righteousness comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:20 — The Christian life is lived by faith in the Son of God.

 

We may have accomplished many things in ministry:

·       Led people to Christ.

·       Preached many sermons.

·       Served God for many years.

·       Made sacrifices for the work of the Lord.

·       Carried responsibilities and leadership positions.

 

But we must ask ourselves:

Have the things I do for Christ become more important to me than my relationship with Christ?

Serving God and accomplishing things for His kingdom are good. The danger comes when our achievements become the basis of our identity and worth instead of God's grace.

 “Lord, I don't want my value to be measured by my accomplishments. What matters most is that I know You, belong to You, and continue to be transformed by You.”

 2. KNOW CHRIST AND KEEP PRESSING FORWARD

Philippians 3:10–14

“That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings…” — Philippians 3:10 (KJV)

 Paul did not merely want to know facts about Jesus. He wanted to know Christ more deeply through an ongoing relationship with Him.

There is a difference between knowing about Christ and continually knowing Christ through relationship, trust, and obedience.

 The resurrection power of Christ reminds us that the Christian life does not depend on human strength alone.

God empowers us to live by faith, resist sin, endure trials, and continue following Him.

 Paul describes the great power of God that He demonstrated when He raised Christ from the dead.

 Knowing Christ is not only about receiving blessings, experiencing success, or enjoying comfortable circumstances.

It also means remaining faithful when obedience involves sacrifice, rejection, hardship, or suffering for His name.

 Paul is not saying that we must erase every memory of our past.

Rather, we must not allow our past to prevent us from pursuing God's purpose for our lives.

Our past may contain:

·       Failures we regret.

·       Mistakes from which we need to learn.

·       Sins we have repented of.

·       Opportunities we missed.

·       Achievements that could tempt us toward pride.

Our failures should not become our prison, and our successes should not become our reason for complacency.

 Isaiah 43:18–19 — God calls His people to recognize the new thing He is doing rather than remain focused on former things.

Hebrews 12:1–2 — We are called to run with perseverance, fixing our eyes on Jesus.

 If you have failed, repent, receive God's forgiveness, and learn from your mistakes.

If you have accomplished something good, thank God, but do not stop growing.

If you have served God for many years, do not assume you have nothing more to learn

 Spiritual maturity does not mean you have nothing left to learn. It means you remain surrendered to God and willing to grow.

 3. LIVE AS A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN

Philippians 3:17–21

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” — Philippians 3:20 (KJV)

 As Christians, our true citizenship is in heaven. This means our decisions, priorities, and conduct should reflect the truth that we belong to Christ.

 Paul encourages believers to follow his example and observe those who live according to the pattern of life they have learned.

This does not mean Paul was perfect. Rather, he demonstrated the importance of a life directed toward Christ.

 Philippians 3:18–19

Paul warns about people whose minds and desires are focused on earthly things.

This does not mean that work, family, education, or daily responsibilities are bad.

The warning concerns a way of life in which earthly things become more important than God.

 We await the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

Our hope is not limited to our present circumstances. We look forward to eternal life and the complete transformation God has promised.

 Ask yourself:

• Do my decisions reflect that I belong to Christ?
• Does the way I treat people align with God's Word?
• Do my priorities reflect the importance of God's kingdom?
• Can people see the influence of Christ in my life?

We do not need to abandon our earthly responsibilities. Instead, we should fulfill them as people who belong to Christ.

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PASTORA AGNES - JCRC