MondayRead verse one below.
Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.
Paul is referring to not being tired of telling them how to live a life worthy of the gospel. He also does not tire of telling them about the gospel. The gospel is the good news that Jesus came and lived a sinless life then died on the cross for our sin, on the third day He then rose to life. When He did this He defeated the enemies work and set us free. We can put our hope in this good news everyday. We must believe this good news of what Jesus has done for us everyday! When Jesus said, it is finished He meant it. All that needed to be done to make us right with God has been done. Can you trust that?
When you sin, can you confess it and admit you are desperate for a Savior. Can you remember He is at work in you? Can you thank Him for the grace He pours out on you daily? He has completed everything that needed to be done. We just have to trust it and He opens our heart to do so. Isn't that amazing! We should never tire of hearing it! As we ponder the cross and what He has done for us it should take our breath away. He loves us enough to trade His perfect standing with our marred one. Now that is love!
Another point is that we need to remember this to keep our faith safe. It will help us not to turn away when we see daily what He has done for us. When we consider and ponder it it helps us to not lose heart.
Think About ItHave you ever considered the length that Christ went to save you? Why or why not?
Take time to thank Him now! It is so amazing that even the angels long to look into it. We will never stop learning what it means to live in that good news day by day. As we grasp it more and more God sets our hearts more free in HIM. Now that is good news!
Tuesday
Read verses 2-3
"Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort"
Paul is warning them here to be on guard. Watch out for people who will tell you that Jesus is not enough. They are people who will tell you to be right with God you need to have Jesus and be good or have Jesus and pray alot or many other things. They are stomping on the grace of God. We are saved by His grace alone. We trust in what Jesus did on our behalf and nothing else.
In Paul's day the Jewish people were to be circumcised of their flesh. This was a sign of a true believer. However, many people came to believe in Christ who were not circumcised and there were teachers who were saying they needed to be circumcised to be authentic Christians.
Paul's argument is that believers are of a circumcised heart. We get a new and pliable heart when we belong to God and that is enough. Believing in what He did on our behalf is enough. Essentially we need Jesus plus nothing else.
Think About ItDo you have to go to church to be saved? Though church is a good thing that helps all believers and something that God desires for us the answer is no. We are not saved by anything we do.
If you are good enough will you get into Heaven? No. The Bible says no one is righteous. Only Through Christ can we be acceptable to God.
Do you try to add anything to your salvation? All we need is Jesus, we need to trust in His finished work on our behalf. Now there is nothing wrong with going to church or doing good works. In fact they are good and needed things but they will not aid in your salvation. It is through grace in Christ alone.
WednesdayRead verses 4-6
"though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault."
This section is Paul telling us what his pedigree is. If there was anyone to take pride in all they achieved in his time it was Paul. He was among the strictest sect of religion. He was greatly obedient to the law of the Lord. He even hurt Christians because he believed they were wrong in their beliefs while he was right as a Jew. He was circumcised. He was of a noble tribe. He was a true Israelite.
In his day this resume would be very impressive, however Paul is saying we are not to put confidence in our fleshly works when it comes to God. All of our confidence must be in what Christ has done for us. Period.
Think About It.Maybe you are tempted to think you are alright because your parents are in church ministry. Or maybe you serve in many ways. Or maybe you follow all the rules. It is tempting to think we are something special without Jesus. However it is Jesus and Jesus alone who makes us right before the Father.
What kind of works of the flesh are you holding onto that make you feel good enough for God outside of Jesus? Are you tempted in this way any? Or do you really believe that Jesus is enough?
ThursdayReady verses 7-9
"I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith."
Though having a good job or doing amazing works are not bad, they become bad when they are a god to us or a way of trying to earn God's love or favor. They are also wrong if they are things we want to hold up so others will glory in us.
The word for garbage in the Greek is really a word much stronger than garbage, it actually means poop. Now isn't that gross! But Paul is literally calling all those good works that in comparison to trusting Christ.
Paul once considered these things very valuable. However, Christ has opened His eyes to what really matters. Knowing Christ is all that matters. We can never be righteous enough before a holy God. Only Christ can make us this.
Think About It
There is nothing you can do to make God love you more or less. Do you believe this? Why or why not?
God sent His only Son to rescue us from our sinful state. He did this because of His great love for us. Faith and trust in what He has done is what matters. Do you trust in what Christ did for you?
FridayRead verse 10-11
"I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!"
Now these verses are powerful! Paul wants to know Christ and the power that raised Him from the dead even if that needs to come through suffering! Do you want to know Him that badly? It is a lot to consider!
Often these days the American church seems to be asleep! We entertain ourselves silly. Do we see any power of Christ working? Often ways we see His power at work is through suffering. It is when we are not enough that we see He is. This is often realized through suffering. The Bible tells us when we are weak, He is strong. That is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in each one of us who trust in what Jesus did for them.
Think About It
When you enter a time of suffering, do you view it as an opportunity to see Christ and the power of His resurrection?
We need to wake up and see He is all we need. All other things are worth nothing compared to Him.
Great job this week! Praying you know Him more and more and can understand His great love for you!
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