566. FACING ANXIETY. Steps To Freedom

Posted on January 31, 2025 by Jim Holbeck

We Need To Try To Recognise Why We Feel Anxious.
Are they real or imagined threats in my thoughts? “We need to try to isolate them in our thinking, to get them into perspective.
Proverbs 4:23-25 ERV.  “Above all, be careful what you think because your thoughts control your life. Don’t bend the truth or say things that you know are not right. Keep your eyes on the path, and look straight ahead.”  This translation differs from many other modern translations such as the NIV, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” However it means the same but places an emphasis on the power of thoughts in human hearts. They do control our moods and our behaviour. 
King David in praying a prayer of openness to God saw the need for God to reveal to him any anxious thoughts God saw in His searching, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. ” Psalm 139:23-24.  David wanted to be free of anxious thoughts and so must we. He looked to God who knows the source of all things and why we think as we do.
 
How to control your thoughts biblically? Here are four suggested steps to follow:


1]. Identify The Troubling Thought And Bring It Captive To Christ
2Cor 10:5  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
We note that “we” humans are to demolish negative thoughts and untruths that seek to nullify the power, wisdom and love of God. We do so by taking every thought captive to obey Christ and not giving it any ongoing place in our minds if it is opposed to Him and His purposes for His children. We need to remember that Satan seeks to bring condemnation into our thinking to make us feel guilty, wretched and useless. However, God by His Holy Spirit brings conviction of our sin to free us of condemnation as we confess our sin and receive His liberating forgiveness.


2]. Try To Discern The Source Of The Thought
Php 4:8  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. “Think” here is in the present continuous tense, ie., keep on thinking on these positive things. St Paul saw the need for humans to take control of their thinking processes and to focus on the positive, not the negative. It is very easy for us humans to focus on the negative things we see around us and live in a world of criticism, judgmentalism and “sour grapes.” Setting our minds to reflect on the praiseworthy things of life can release us from that negativity.

3]. Replace The Negative Thought With God’s Truth. 
We need to ask God to break the power of negative thinking or unhelpful thoughts in our minds and to help us to replace them with positive truths from His word. 
2Cor 10:3  “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.”
Obsessive thoughts causing anxiety may be like strongholds in our minds that Jesus can destroy as we bring them to Him. Most believers can remember at one time thinking that Jesus Christ was irrelevant in today’s world. However, when they were awakened by the Holy Spirit to understand that Jesus is THE TRUTH, that mindset was broken and He became the focus of their lives.
 
4]. Thank Him For The Victory He Is Helping You Achieve As You Do This Exercise.  

Thanksgiving is the means by which we recognise that the victories we attain owe their origin to Jesus and are not the result of our superior human thinking. They come from our faith in Him. Our thanksgiving can begin from the moment we have presented our situation in faith to Him, for as He promised in the verses below, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” We can believe that the answer to our prayers is immediate but will be delivered in God’s timing, not ours, “and it will be yours.” The answer is certain but in God’s time. “Will be” is future tense meaning the answer can come at any time after we have prayed.

We see that in the healing of the ten lepers. We read, Luk 17:12 ‘As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.‘ The answer to their request for mercy came as they obediently moved away from Jesus geographically and in time, to go to the priests. We sometimes need to keep on thanking God for the answer to our prayers before the answer actually comes. As Jesus promised, “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23  “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:22-24.
 
It may be helpful to recognise where our negative thoughts come from.
 
The Origin Of Negative Thoughts
The first source is of course Satan or the devil.
He has been a liar from the very beginning and seeks to bring humans under his control. We see that back in Genesis chapter 3 where he tried to deceive Eve that God was a liar. He suggested that God hadn’t told Eve about the truth of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He implied that she was a victim of His untruthfulness. That is still a strategy that he uses in today’s world to cause distrust and division. He and his human agents try to poison the minds of humans so that they see themselves as victims, victims of other people who appear more privileged than themselves. This is a massive problem in today’s world . [See my last blog No.565 on this website www.jimholbeck.blog]


Satan is called the Accuser, a term found in 2 words in the New Testament. He is called “diabolos” [from dia = through or against and ballo = I throw. He is the one who throws accusations against us to bring us under his control.  
Mat 4:1 “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” [diabolos].

The second word is katēgōr from katēgoreō = to speak against, accuse. 
“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser [kategor] of our brothers and sisters, who accuses [katēgoreō] them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.” Rev 12:10. 

Satan can use the negative comments to which we have been exposed, to work in our minds to bring doubt and discouragement and often a feeling of wretchedness. But Christ can bring us release from Satan’s paralysing thoughts.
 
The Origin Of Other Negative Thoughts
Thoughts may come into our minds from memories which surface of conversations we have had or heard throughout our lifetimes. Or even from our own unspoken reflections on life. 
When thoughts come into our minds such as “You’re a loser!” or “You’ll never make good” or “You’re too ugly to get someone to love you” or similar phrases,  they can cripple us emotionally. Or even worse when the words come through the human lips of those who seem to dislike us. Satan is using people to bring us down and we become more anxious when it happens to us personally.  
Such thoughts need to be taken captive to Jesus and He can break their power over us. 
 
Or it may be that over time we have been hard on ourselves and said things like, “I’m not a very loving person so I could never be in a loving relationship.” Or “I’m not very bright. I couldn’t do that job.” Rather we need to act on God’s truth as St Paul expressed it, “ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Php 4:13.  In other words we can fulfil God’s purpose for our lives as we walk in His will and allow Him to empower us. In the words of the apostle Paul, “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil his good purpose.“Philippians 2:12-13. God gives us both the willingness and the ability to work in a way that pleases Him.


 
Perhaps the best advice about getting rid of anxiety comes from St Paul in Philippians 4:6-9, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8  Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9  Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.’
 
The advice is to present or make known [gnōrizō = to make known, reveal, declare] our requests to God through prayer, petition  and thanksgiving. If we do so honestly and thoroughly, there will be a consequence. That is, that “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” 

 [“Guard = phroureō = to keep watch; to guard, watch with a military guard.] Philippi as a Roman garrison city had no need to feel anxious, for the garrison troops protected the city from all those who would seek to do the citizens harm. Likewise the peace of God would protect those who received that peace by handing over their requests to God. Anxiety was gotten rid of by handing the situations over to God. [And not immediately taking them back!]
 
Victory over anxiety could be maintained by setting one’s mind on the positives of life such as “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
 
They could also be inspired by St Paul’s own example, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:9.
 
If the believers in Philippi were to live according to St Paul’s advice, they would experience inwardly the peace of God and have the assurance that the God of peace would be with them. Anxieties would cease! The same truth applies for us today if we follow these steps to become whole!
Blog No.566 posted on Friday 31 January 2025.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Questions and Answers, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

565. The Danger Of Putting People Into “Categories.”

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Jim Holbeck

There are 2 words in particular in New Testament Greek that are translated by the English words “accuse” or “accuser.”

The first is “diaballo” meaning to throw against,  a form of which is used of Satan as the diabolos, the accuser.  He throws accusations against us.

The second is “kategereo“ translated as accuse.  It is the basis of our English word category, which is to divide things or people into different groups, classes or areas. 

Though this latter Greek word does not appear in the Greek Old Testament, the Septuagint [LXX], the concept does appear. And it appears very early. 

Categories Can BeUsed To Deceive People

Just consider the temptation of Eve by the serpent or the Devil or Satan in Genesis chapter 3. Gen 3:1 “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2  The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,  3  but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'” 4  “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6  When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

We notice what the serpent was doing. He was accusing God as being not truthful. He suggested that God had lied to Eve about the forbidden fruit and tempted her to partake of that fruit to become wise and be like God, knowing good and evil. 

In other words, the serpent was putting God into the category of being a liar, not to be trusted. But he was also putting Eve into the category of being a victim,  of being a victim of God’s lying statements which would prevent her from reaching a greater fulfilment in life.

Victim Mentality, A Result Of The Fall Of Humankind

We can see how victim mentality became part of the experience of the human race so early. First of all, we see it being adopted by Adam. When he was confronted by God in the garden and asked how he knew he had sinned [by eating of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil]  he immediately went into the victim mode and accused Eve of being the source of the problem by tempting him to eat of the fruit. In other words, ”Hey, I’m the victim here! Eve is to blame, not me!” Humans have been projecting their sins onto other people ever since. 

How about Eve? She also immediately goes into victim mentality. She projects her sin onto the serpent. Gen 3:13  Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” Genesis 3:13. Or in similar words to Adam, “Hey, I’m the victim here. The serpent is to blame, not me!”

Victim mentality has become part of the world’s way of dealing with situations that arise in life. Millions of people throughout history have deliberately or even unconsciously seen themselves as victims of the shortcomings or evils of other people. They accuse those other people of sinning against them. As we have seen, accusing others is the meaning of the Greek word [katagoreo] which is used 22 times in the Greek New Testament.  Perhaps we could see this process as deriving from the tendency to put people into categories, often where they by no means belong.  The problem with categories is that they do not accurately contain the characteristics we think they should contain.  

Perhaps one of the greatest groups who saw themselves as victims were the Jewish leaders in Jesus’ day. They saw themselves and their fellow Jews as being the victims of false teaching, by Jesus. He didn’t fit their category of being a true prophet. Thus He had to be got rid of. However, when one of their leaders, Saul of Tarsus met the risen Christ on his way to Damascus, he realised that his categorising of Jesus was a wrong classification and that Jesus was indeed all He claimed to be. From that point on he was totally committed to Jesus and His kingdom.

In fact, St Paul [as Saul became known] was able to recognise that Jesus had broken down all categories in uniting all people to oneness in Himself. As he reminded the Galatian church, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28  There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3:27-28.  For those of us who have had the opportunity to fellowship with believers from all nations, that truth is real. We really are one in Christ, focused on Him and on His love and grace. 

The Problem Of Seeing Ourselves As Victims In Today’s World

It is so easy to see ourselves as the victims of other people.  We may see ourselves as suffering from bad government because the cost of living is much higher now than in previous years. Or there are more restrictions on free speech. But those authorities whom God has allowed to govern must do so, looking to the Lord for His guidance and blessing. Otherwise, they will not be fulfilling His purpose for His people.

We can so easily use categorising in the church. We can put individuals into the category of some church movement we dislike or believe they will follow implicitly every doctrine that that church upholds.

We can do it in politics as well. Though I didn’t notice it in the brief time I spent living in the USA it seems that people have to declare their allegiance to either the Democratic party or the Republican party and that there is not a lot of cooperation between the 2 groups. Hopefully, their unity in Christ may eventually overrule to their benefit and to the glory of God.

Or the native people of more primitive lands may have a victim mentality towards those peoples who later settled in their lands. But many of them got rid of seeing themselves as victims and took hold of the opportunities offered to them. They realised that God could help them and enable them to prosper and make positive contributions to all the people of their lands. Some outstanding leaders have emerged in many lands as they transitioned from a “victim” mentality to a “Christ-centred” mentality.

As we look at our own lives as individuals, we need to see to what extent we see ourselves as having a victim mentality regarding other people or groups. St Paul reminded us as believers that we don’t have to see ourselves as victims of other people’s accusations, but we can realise that have become more than conquerors through Him who loved us, “Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34  Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36  As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:33-37.

No longer victims but now MORE THAN CONQUERORS!

Blog No.565 posted on Tuesday 28 January 2025.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Coping With Personal Grief, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

564. Is God Calling You To Himself? [A look at 1 Corinthians]

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Jim Holbeck

Wouldn’t it be strange to think that in this modern world when we are surrounded by a cacophony of noise, that the Almighty God might be trying to call us to Himself? Could it be that we are failing to understand how His call comes to us, if indeed He is calling us.

I was surprised to see in 1 Corinthians the number of times St Paul told the Corinthians that God had called them to Himself, and how many of them had responded to His call. Here are some of the examples.

1].       God Calls Numbers Of People To Respond To Him And To Become Part Of His Church.   

[In the Greek New Testament the word “church” translates the Greek word ekklesia meaning  “the called out ones.” From ek = out of” and klesia from kaleo= I call.]

1Co 1:2  To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:  

In this verse we have 3 different concepts. One is the church composed of those whom God has called out from the world to belong to Him. The second is the concept that He called them and set them apart in Christ [sanctified ] to become His holy people. The third is the fact that they responded to His call and called upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 1:9  God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We see here that God had a purpose in calling them to Himself, namely that they would have fellowship with His Son Jesus Christ. This implies a close relationship with Christ Himself.

1Co 1:24  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  AND 1Co 1:26  Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

God’s purpose in His world was to call to Himself people from different backgrounds such as Jews and Greeks. As they responded to Him they would discover His power and His wisdom. 1Co 1:27  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29  so that no one may boast before him. 

God had chosen them to belong to Him and called them to Himself. This was not some arbitrary choice but they were chosen according to the foreknowledge of God. [1 Peter 1:1-2, “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ: To the temporary residents dispersed in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, chosen  2  according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and set apart by the Spirit.  In His divine omniscience, as He called all people to Himself, He knew beforehand who would respond to Him and who would reject Him, but He kept on calling all of them. He does so throughout our lives.

2].       GOD WANTS THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM NOT TO MAKE SUDDEN CHANGES IN THEIR SITUATIONS

God in His wisdom knew of the great change that would come in the lives of those who responded to His call. He used St Paul to advise these new converts not to make sudden changes in their situations but initially to remain in the same situations they were in when they responded to His call.

1Co 7:17  Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.

1Co 7:18  Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised.

1Co 7:20  Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

However, they could make changes in their circumstances when it was possible to do so. 1Co 7:21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.  The time would eventually come when those who were slaves and those who were free were seen to be one in Christ, as St Paul reminded the Christians in Galatia, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3:28.

3].       God Is Still Calling People To Himself Today

There are many ways in which God calls us to Himself. I can remember perhaps the first time I began to think good things about Jesus. A couple from the country called into our place in Ipswich after visiting their severely disabled son in a nearby institution. It seemed that he would never be able to leave that institution. Their daughter aged about five began to tell me about her brother and said something like this, “Timmy is different, but Jesus loves him.” I remember thinking Jesus must be very kind to think that this little child, who would probably make no contribution to the world, was worthy of His love. It’s strange that I can still remember her saying those words some 70 years later, but I can now see it now as part of God’s call to me to respond to Him. I was a little bit softened by her words.

Can you remember from your past when for a moment your heart softened towards God? It may have been during a scripture lesson at school or when you learned to sing a certain hymn. It may have been a family member or a friend who shared something about Jesus with you and you can still remember those words. Or it may have been part of the sermon or part of a testimony that someone gave, that softened your heart for a moment. 

God is calling people today to come to Him repenting of their sin and asking Him for His forgiveness. As St Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” Acts 2:38, 39.

We are among those who are now “far off“ [in time and space] whom God is calling to Himself. Some 61 years ago I realised that God had been speaking to me in many ways and so I acted on the words in Revelation 3:20. It is a picture of the Risen Christ standing at the door of our lives, knocking and wanting to come in to share His life with us, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Rev 3:20. 

As I prayed the prayer, Christ did come into my life and completely transformed it. I had responded to His call on my life and what a life it has been. Some years later I felt called to ask a beautiful, intelligent young woman to be my wife. And praise God, she felt called to say “Yes!” Responding to the call of God on your life opens you up to receive all that God has for you in His loving mercy and grace. 

Perhaps He has been calling you to respond to Him as you have been reading these words. You might be helped by reading about my own personal experience in this article on my blog site. It is No.022 on this site http://www.jimholbeck.blog

022. Jesus Stands And Knocks. Are We Listening? Revelation 3:20

Blog No.564 posted on Monday 20 January 2025

Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, HEALING MINISTRY Core Teaching, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, New Beginnings, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

563. The Significance Of New Year’s Eve. A Personal New Beginning.

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

The end of one year and the beginning of a new year is always significant. For some people they look back on the past year and see it as an annus horribilis which contained many unpleasant experiences. For others it is a time to reflect on the goodness of God in allowing them to still be alive and enjoying the benefits of His love, mercy and grace. 
New Year’s Eve 1958 changed the course of my life. Suddenly I knew I had a purpose for living even though I did not know what course my life would take from that day on. In the following blog articles I have tried to describe the effects of the decision I made near midnight on New Year’s Eve in 1958. [You can click on any of the links below to see those articles which may be an encouragement to you as you read them.]
Wishing you all a “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” in 2025!
In His love, 
Jim
106. Another New Year Resolution? Or A New Beginning? 2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Posted on January 1, 2013 by Jim Holbeck
 
307. People Really Can Change! New Creatures For A New Year! 2 Corinthians 5:17
Posted on December 31, 2018 by Jim Holbeck
 
338. New Year’s Eve Greeting, 2019 from Jim Holbeck
Posted on December 31, 2019 by Jim Holbeck
 
510. A New Creature on New Year’s Eve 1958
Posted on December 31, 2023 by Jim Holbeck
 
Blog No.563 posted on Tuesday 31 December 2024

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, New Beginnings, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

562. The Story Of The Christ Child. Philippians 2:3-11.

Posted on December 26, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

In one of the most well-known passages in the writings of  St Paul we have a precis of the story of the Christ child whose birth we celebrate on Christmas Day. This is in Philippians 2 verses 3 to 11. As we read these verses we are confronted with His significance and the challenge He brings to every human heart. 

1]. The Pattern Of Humility To Be Adopted In The Lives Of Humans 2:3-4.

Every human ever born is challenged to humbly submit their lives to God.  St Paul wrote in 2:3  “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  “Humility” is from tapeinophrosynē; from tapeinos; meaning humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty: — humbleness of mind, humility (of mind, lowliness (of mind), and from phrēn; the feelings, the mind or cognitive faculties, the understanding. True humility is marked by counting others as more significant than ourselves and placing the interests of others above our own. 

That can only be done when humans submit to God in surrendering their lives to Him and are filled with His Spirit by whom God’s agape love floods their hearts.  Only His love can motivate human hearts to place the interests of others above their own. 

2]. The Pattern Of Christ’s Humility To Be Adopted In The Minds Of Humans. 2:5-7

Php 2:5  “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. “

Humans have to adopt the mind-set shown in the story of Jesus. As the eternal Son of God He humbled Himself to come into this world as a vulnerable baby.  He didn’t consider that His equality with God must be held on to. Rather he emptied Himself of some of His privileges as the Son of God in becoming a baby. 

3. The Pattern Of Humility Seen In The Life Of Jesus. 2:8.

Php 2:8  “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  

Jesus’ pattern of humility continued throughout His life on earth. He said of Himself in Heb 10:7 “Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.” His whole ministry was based on His dependence on His Father as He indicated in John 5:19-20, “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20  For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.” 

His ministry of His teaching and performing miracles  stemmed from the Father, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.” John 14:10.

He fulfilled God’s purpose for Him,  “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do.”  John 17:4. And in John 19:30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

In His humility He was fully committed to His Father’s will,  from His birth as a human, to His death as a human for humans, on the cross. 

4]. The Reward For The Pattern Of Humility Seen In The Life Of Jesus. 2:9

Php 2:9  “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name.”

Because of His humility and for fully accomplishing the Father‘s will throughout all His life as a human, God exalted Him in His resurrection and ascension and by seating Him at the Father’s right hand. As someone has written, “The resurrection of Jesus is the ’AMEN’ of  the Father, to the ”IT IS FINISHED!” of the Son on the cross,” as He died for the human race. 

5]. The Challenge To Every Human To Humble Themselves To Submit To Christ. 2:10-11.

Php 2:10  “So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” 

Jesus is significant! God has said so! An angel appeared to Joseph and told him about Mary’s pregnancy, “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Mat 1:21. A God-given name to fulfil a God-given task of saving the human race from the penalty of their sins. But the name has even greater significance as Jesus has fulfilled the Father’s plan of salvation enabling all who turn to God in repentance of their sins and trusting in Christ for salvation, will be saved.

Summing up

It means that humans must not ignore the significance of what God accomplished through Jesus and the significance of the person of Jesus as Lord. At His name every knee is meant to bow in acknowledgment of His Person and the magnitude of all He accomplished through His birth, death, resurrection and ascension. 

The baby who was born on that first Christmas Day, has become the Saviour of    the world, The Lord of the universe and ultimately the judge of all humankind, for as Jesus said in John 5:22, “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” 

How much better it would be to humbly confess our sins, to receive Jesus into our lives as Saviour and in humility to enthrone Him as the Lord and Master of our lives than to go to another Christmas season with Him still outside our lives!

I pray that many who read this article will humble themselves to receive Jesus as Saviour and commit their lives to Him as Lord. Receiving God’s grace in Christ now is far better than trying to live independently of His love, mercy, and grace. 

The baby Jesus will ultimately be the judge of the world and must never be ignored! Jesus is coming, ready or not! 

Blog No.562 posted on Boxing Day 26 December 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Christmas, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Mental Health, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

561. A Memory During A Bicentennial Church Service Today

Posted on December 8, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

Today as I sat in St Thomas Anglican church in Port Macquarie, New South Wales whose foundation stone had been laid on the 8th December 1824, I reflected on what God had done during those 200 years in this convict built church. One memory was when I had been invited as a visiting teacher many years ago to do a teaching seminar on healing on the Saturday and then minister in the church on the Sunday. On the Sunday morning as I looked out from the vestry in the church before the service I saw a woman going along from one row of box seats to another with a hand raised in the air. She didn’t appear to be threatening anyone, for people she spoke to seemed to smile at what she was saying. Then she came into the vestry. 
 
Immediately I recognised her as a woman I had prayed with on the Saturday afternoon. She had come forward after the teaching on forgiveness to ask whether she could receive healing if she was willing to forgive someone who had brought a lot of hurt into her life. I told her that when we do what God commands us to do, we become more open to receive more healing from the Lord. I noticed as we conversed that her hands were shaking like a leaf. 
 
When this woman came into the vestry on Sunday morning, she told me what had happened after that Saturday meeting. She had gone home from the meeting feeling that she had to forgive her mother who had brought a lot of hurt into her life. After she asked God for His strength to forgive, she spoke these words of forgiveness towards her mother saying, “Mother, I forgive you in Jesus name!”  To her amazement she immediately felt a deep sense of peace and the shaking in her hands ceased. This was the story she was sharing with the people before the service, raising her hand to show that the shaking had ceased. 
 
When she shared that story with me I asked her to write her signature in the back of my Bible. This she did and she told me that this was the first time she had been able to write her signature in many months. She had been healed and remained healed for many years before her death. 
 
As I sat there this morning reflecting on this incident, I realised that there must have been hundreds of such examples of people receiving the grace of God in conversions and healings over those 200 years in the parish of St Thomas the Apostle. Many may have come to the church with questions or doubts in their minds but may have had an experience like St Thomas. After Jesus was resurrected, He was seen by all the apostles except Thomas who said, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” John 20:25. But Thomas was an honest doubter as we read in the next verse, “A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” John 20:26-27.  Confronted with the evidence Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” John 20:28. 
 
So as we praise God for the faithful ministry exercised in the parish of St Thomas for 200 years we look forward to the future in which many more people will experience the grace of God in receiving healing and having their doubts removed. Then they will be able to say with St Thomas, ”My Lord and my God!” and live their lives to His glory. May it be so [and it will be so] to the glory of God!
Blog No.561 posted on Sunday 08 December 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

560. A Reminder Of Previous Articles on Philippians Chapter 4.

Posted on December 5, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

As I was preparing a Bible study on Philippians chapter 4 this week I remembered that I had written some WordPress blog articles on the chapter in previous years. I thought it might be helpful for some folk to read some of those articles, especially if they are worried or suffering from anxiety. God’s solutions to these and all other problems really work!  

You can gain access to those articles by clicking on the links provided or by looking up my blog site and using the SEARCH function for the numbered articles. My blogsite is www.jimholbeck.blog

These are the articles:

398. BE ANXIOUS! FOR NOTHING! GOD SAYS! Philippians 4:6-7

Posted on March 7, 2022 by Jim Holbeck

“Be anxious for nothing,” is the translation in the King James Version of the Bible of Philippians 4:6. KJV. At first sight that might mean for some people that we should be anxious. But the verse goes on to say, “Be anxious for … Continue reading →

245. “Learning to rejoice in the Lord no matter what!”  A Sermon on Philippians 4:4-7 preached at Port Macquarie  Anglican church, on Sunday 15th October 2017. [An 82nd Birthday gift to me from Stuart our Rector.)

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Jim Holbeck

It was the year 1988. I was moving from being the Dean of the Cathedral in Armidale to be in charge of the Healing Ministry in St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. It was obvious that the congregation would contain many people … Continue reading →

 

244. How can we learn to rejoice no matter what? An answer in Philippians 4. [The Epistle for Pentecost 19 in 2017.]

Posted on October 13, 2017 by Jim Holbeck

“Rejoice always.” Some people may say, “I wish I could!” Others may think,  “How cruel to say such a thing. My life is just so difficult!” Still others may say, “We don’t think it is humanly possible to be always … Continue reading →

067. Lenten Studies on Philippians. Part 6. “Rejoicing In The Lord.” Philippians 4:1-7.

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

“Rejoice in the Lord always.” Only a short phrase but one packed with meaning. It is all too easy to read that verse in chapter 4 and to miss its deep implications. What does it really mean to “rejoice in the Lord?” … Continue reading →

068. Lenten Studies in Philippians. Part 7. “Focussing On The Good For Victory”. Phil 4:8-23.

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Jim Holbeck

No one wants to be a failure in life. We long to be successful in achieving our goals. Christian believers have the same desire, to be successful in living lives that reflect their commitment to Christ. We see in this chapter that success comes from having the right … Continue reading →

Blog No.560 posted on Thursday 05 December 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

559. God Motivates And Empowers His People To Live For  Him. [Philippians 2:12-13.]

Posted on October 27, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

Php 2:12  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, 13  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.


1]. WE NEED TO WORK “OUT” OUR SALVATION, NOT WORK “FOR” IT.
First of all what is “salvation?” It means freedom. It is freedom:-
* From the Penalty of sin. {Because Christ died for us.}
* From the Power of sin. [Because of the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit given to us by God when we believed.]
* From the Presence of sin. [When we go to be with the Lord when we die, or when He comes again to take us to be with Him in glory.]
No one can earn or deserve their salvation. It could only be received as a gift from God, stemming from His grace and love, and is available to all those who place their trust in Him. This is how  St Paul expressed this truth in Ephesians, Eph 2:8  “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”   
 
These verses remind us that we cannot be saved by the works [ergon] we do, yet God has created us in Christ Jesus to do good works. These are described as being prepared beforehand by God for us to walk in. Here we have a mixture of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God in His sovereignty prepares the works He wants us to do, but we as humans have the responsibility of performing them.
 
In other words, even though we cannot earn our salvation by good works, God wants us to please Him by doing the works He has planned for us to do. So we must work out in practice the implications of our free salvation. We are freed from the inability to please God by any works we do, to being given the ability by Him to do the works that please Him.
 
2]. GOD GIVES US THE WILLINGNESS AND THE ABILITY TO DO THE GOOD WORKS HE HAS PLANNED FOR US TO DO. Philippians 2:12-13.
“ … work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13  for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 2:12-13.
In verses 12 and 13 two derivatives of the word “erg” are used in the verbs. ”Erg” is the English word for the unit of energy in Physics. The three words for “work” are in the present tense.


1.        Kat/erg/azomai = to work out. 2:12. [work out your own salvation.] The “kat” prefix makes a more intensive form of the verb and can mean here fully or to accomplish. It is a present tense imperative which could be translated, “Keep on fully working out your salvation.” We need to work out fully the implications of our faith in practice. ]


2.        En/erg/eō = to be operative, be at work, put forth power. Both in 2:13. It is the basis of our English word “energy.” [It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.] God is at work in us to give us both the willingness and the ability to work for His good pleasure.] The first “works” is a participle form of the verb being literally, “The One working in you.”
A possible translation for these verses could be, ”Keep on fully working out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God who continually is at work in you, giving you the willingness and the ability to keep on working for His good pleasure.”
 
God’s grace in our salvation is seen in His gift to us of the freedom of forgiveness for our sins and in equipping us by His grace by giving us the desire to do His will. Not only that but He gives us His grace in equipping us to do the works that please Him. [Which in His grace He has prepared beforehand for us to walk in.]
 
No room for boasting here! St Paul wrote, “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” 2 Corinthians 11:30. He could do nothing to earn his salvation or to do the works God wanted him to do. But this passage from Philippians 2:12-13 shows the immensity of the grace of God in giving His people the desire and the ability to do the works that please Him.
Praise God for His amazing grace! The grace given to us in the free gift of salvation, and His ongoing grace equipping us to live for Him to His glory!
Blog No.559 posted on Sunday 27 October 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mini Reflections, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

558. A sermon on Mark10:46-52. The Healing Of Bartimaeus. [Gospel reading for Sunday 27 October 2024.]

Posted on October 8, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

{A sermon I preached at a Healing Service when I was the Leader of the Healing Ministry at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney from 1988 to 2006.}

 Jesus is about to go on from  Jericho to Jerusalem and to suffer rejection, crucifixion and then to be raised from the dead.  

But he meets a man who shows many of the elements of faith that are so important for those who would reach out to the Lord for healing.  The fact that Mark actually records his name as Bartimaeus, shows that he must have been well-known in the early church when Mark wrote his gospel.  

The story ends with Jesus saying to Bartimaeus, “Go your way, your faith has healed you.”

What can we learn about the elements of faith as we see them expressed in Bartimaeus?  His faith was seen in the following ways:-

1.  What he called Jesus.  “Son of David.”

Many people were suggesting Jesus might be the long-promised Messiah. Bartimaeus might have heard of the healing miracles of Jesus. 

  •  the blind had been made to see,
  • the lame to walk, 
  • and the deaf to hear.  

Messiah would do those things to fulfil many of the Old Testament prophecies.

Now someone called Jesus was doing precisely those things, and Bartimaeus may have recognized Jesus as this Messiah.

As we reach out for our own healing, it’s vitally important that we recognise Jesus for who He is, as 

  • the Son of God, 
  • the King of Kings, 
  • the Lord of Lords.  

He has the authority and the power to heal through His body the Church. “His touch has still its ancient power,” as we often sing.  We need to recognise, as He said of Himself, that He has the willingness and the ability to heal.

2. His humility. This was seen in his approach.

He didn’t challenge Jesus to meet this need based on his status in the community, (for he wouldn’t have had much), nor on the basis of his contribution to society (for he may have made little as a beggar). 

  • Nor did he insist that he had every right to be healed, because he was a fellow human like the rest of humanity. 
  • Nor did he try emotional blackmail, “If you really loved me, you would.” 
  • Nor did he insist on his rights as a disadvantaged person in a militant minority group. 

No! He realized that he had nothing to offer to Jesus other than his blindness, and all he could do was to humbly ask that Jesus might be merciful to him.

As you and I reach out to the Lord for healing or blessing, we can do so only on the basis of God’s mercy. It’s an act of His grace when He meets our need; it’s not something that we have earned or deserved.

  • All we can say beforehand is, “Have mercy on us.”  
  • All we can say after we receive our blessing, is “Thank You for Your mercy and grace poured out on me.”
  • We can ask confidently on the basis of His mercy and love,  never arrogantly because we might think that He owes it to us.

3. His persistence in wanting to receive blessing.

When he knew Jesus was there, he began to make his presence known by shouting out to Him. In fact he kept it up until the crowd rebuked him and told him to shut up.

But even that didn’t keep him quiet. In fact Mark records that he kept on crying out more and more, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”

The crowd around Bartimaeus could have said, “He’s not likely to notice you. He’s got more important people to deal with, more important things to do than to spend time on you.”

We may have those around us who discourage us when we reach out for blessing or healing.

But if we’re desperate enough, we’ll make the effort to keep on reaching out to Him.

And we’re encouraged by the fact that when the woman with the flow of blood touched Jesus in the midst of the jostling crowd, He was able to recognize the soft touch of faith in the midst of so many jostles, bumps and touches, and meet her need.

4. His willingness to cast aside his security to obey the word of Jesus.  

Think of the security that his outer garment was to him.

It kept the blazing sun off him. It kept him warm in the cool of the day and night. He probably spread it out on the ground at his feet when he begged, to catch the coins thrown in pity to him.  His whole future was in many ways wrapped up in that garment. To cast it aside as a blind man, was sheer stupidity in the midst of a crowd where it could be stolen, trampled on, or torn into shreds.  But nothing was going to hinder Bartimaeus from coming to the Lord for a blessing.

How willing are we to obey the word of the Lord to us. How willing are we to step out in faith to claim the promises of God in His word.  Or does our security matter more than the blessing God wants to bring to us as we step out in faith?

5. His enthusiastic response to the invitation of Jesus to come to Him.  

Mark says, “He sprang up, and came to Jesus.” That’s called walking by faith, not by sight. He leaves his security behind and begins to walk by faith to receive the blessing he believes is coming. Jesus said of such people, “Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe.”

He was being asked to do what he had never seen done before.  He may have heard about Jesus’ miracles and healings, but he had never personally witnessed them.  Nevertheless, he believed in the power of Christ to heal him.

What a contrast when you realise that the scribes and Pharisees had seen with their own eyes some of Jesus’ miracles, but still wouldn’t believe.

6. His specific request.  

Jesus’ question to him, may have seemed strange in the circumstances.  “What do you want me to do for you?” Here standing before him was a blind man, a beggar.  Surely it was obvious what was needed. He needed to receive his sight so that he could live a normal independent life.

Why did Jesus ask?  Because He wants us to know in our own minds what we really want.

There have been those who have asked for healing, but who have admitted afterwards that deep down they didn’t really want to be healed.  They confessed that while they were ill, they had other people looking after them. Their illness was a form of manipulation, as they received attention. Or it was a means of escaping their responsibilities.  To be healed would have meant having to cope by themselves again.  It was more convenient, less stressful, to be a recipient rather than a giver in relationships.

Bartimaeus’ priorities were in order.  His receiving his sight would open the door to so much more.  So he was honest in requesting, “Master, let me receive my sight.”

What is it you really want Jesus to do for you?  You may say, “Oh, it’s only a little thing.” But God may be wanting to do so much more than you’re asking for.  He is the God who says in His word in Eph 3:20, “By the power at work in us, He is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think.” Why limit Him in what He wants to do for you?

7. His willingness to act on God’s promise.

Jesus said to Bartimaeus, “Go your way.” It was a risk to walk away from Jesus. He’d taken all the effort to get there in the first place. If he walked away still blind, he could have been mocked and ridiculed for thinking that anything could be done for him.  He could have stayed close to Jesus, and become angry and resentful that his healing hadn’t come immediately.  He could have said, “I’m not going till I can see.” But as he obeyed that word to go, he was healed.  It required a step of faith to experience in his body what he believed was possible from the Lord.

That’s one of the reasons why we encourage people in Healing services to indicate that they want prayer for healing or blessing, by raising their hand.  It’s a step of faith.

Then when people come to pray with you, they may repeat the question of Jesus, “What do you want the Lord to do for you?”

If you say, “I want my leg to be healed so that I can break the world sprint record for 100 metres”, they may say gently, “We’d love to pray that your leg gets healed and we will.

But we’ve got a little bit of a problem praying that you’ll break the world sprint record. God may not want that for you. How would you be able to cope with all the sporting goods companies hassling you to wear their clothes. And what would your grandchildren think if you’re always going to be out training, and not be home to spend time with them and love them. Let’s just pray that God will wonderfully heal your leg and equip you to do the things He wants you to do.” 

Or someone else may ask, “I’m lonely. Would you pray that I might be led to the person of God’s choice for me in marriage. I only want God’s choice.  His name is Harry.”

Those who pray with you, will say, “Of course we’ll pray that you may be led to the person of God’s choice for you. But we can’t confine it to Harry. You’ve got to be open to receive God’s best for you, and it mightn’t be Harry.”

8. His willingness to identify with Jesus from that point on. 

“He kept on following Him on the way.” i.e., he became a disciple, a follower, as he literally followed Jesus, no doubt to go on to Jerusalem to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God for his wonderful healing.

True wholeness comes from getting right with God through Jesus Christ and serving Him for the rest of our lives. A request that some of us might need to make is this, “I came to ask prayer for a physical ailment. But now I see that I really want the Lord to come into my heart to be my Saviour and the Lord of every part of my life.  Would you help me with such a prayer?  And then would you pray for that physical ailment to be healed?”

I repeat the words I said many months ago, that we ask the Lord to heal us, not just for our own sake that we might do our will. Rather we ask Him to heal us for His sake, so that we will know the wonderful privilege and joy of doing His will for us.

In the quiet moments that follow, ask the Lord to clarify in your own thinking, the answer you will give to the question, “What do you want the Lord to do for you?”  And then as you receive prayer, trust Him to bring it to pass according to His timetable, whether now, or in the days ahead. 

Blog No.558 posted on Tuesday 08 October 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Healing, Holy Spirit, Lectionary Readings Year B {All Years], Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

557. FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST. TO DIE IS GAIN. Philippians 1:19-26.

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

In this passage, we read that St Paul was facing the possibility of an imminent death. He knows that his life could soon end. 

OR he could be released from prison to minister once again to his Gentile friends. 

1:19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honoured in my body, whether by life or by death.

•          We note that the death Paul was talking about here was not the death due to the result of illness. 

•          Rather it was the possible death Paul faced because of persecution.  

•          But his words show he had the right attitude to death and the right attitude to life. 

•          What can we learn from his attitude? 

(1) THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TO LIFE (v.21) – 

•          What’s life all about? What’s the purpose of living? People have written many books on the subject. 

•          Paul gave his answer in one word, “Christ.” “For me to live is– Christ…”

•          Paul had met the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus. 

•          From that moment Christ became the very centre of his existence. 

•          What is life meant to be?  

(i) It is a relationship with a person called Jesus.

It is not just the truth about Jesus, but it is the person of Jesus Himself Who is meant to be our life. 

He is meant to be the centre of every person’s life. We are meant to enthrone Him in our hearts, so that:-

•          He becomes the focus of our thoughts.  

•          He becomes the object of our love.   

•          He becomes the subject of our conversation.   

•          He becomes our hope for the future and 

•          He becomes the meaning for our total existence. For me to live is Christ. 

Later in Phil 3:10, Paul records his whole aim in living in this life. He is saying, “This is what life is all about. That I might know Jesus and might experience the power of His resurrection.”

One of the verses that brought me from unbelief to belief was that beautiful verse in Revelation 3:20, where the picture is given by St John of the Risen Christ standing at the door of our lives knocking.   The Risen Jesus says to the individuals with that Church in Laodicea, and now to us, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.   If any person hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and sup with him,, and he with Me.” 

In many ways, perhaps through good things or perhaps through sad things that have happened, the Risen Jesus has been knocking and trying to catch our attention.   

What He wants is for us to open the door that He might come in; that He might begin to share His life with us. 

Not only that, He comes in when we open the door. He promises that He will come in, and that He will sup with us and we with Him.  

In other words we are beginning a life of never ending fellowship with Him. 

That is what life is about, to know Him, and then to be open to receive the power of His resurrection.

(ii) It is a life of serving Jesus. 

It is a life of living for Jesus in service to other people.   In verse 23 Paul is saying that he would prefer to go through death, in order to be in the presence of Jesus, than to remain alive on earth.  That was his real desire to depart and be with Christ because that would be far better. 

But as he was writing these verses, he was not thinking of himself.  He was thinking of other people as well.  He was facing the possibility of imminent death. He saw that as a going home to Jesus.   

There was that possibility, but also the possibility that he might live longer in this world.  He really wanted the former that he might go to be with Jesus, but he was willing to choose the latter that he might continue on in this world.  

Notice what he says in verse 22: that if he continued on with life in the flesh it would be fruitful labour in service for other people.  Notice in verse 24 where it says, “To remain in the flesh  (to remain in the body, to keep on living in this world) is more necessary on your account.” 

He saw the possibility of an extension of life as a means of keeping on serving other people.    “Better for that to happen than for me to go immediately to be in the presence of the Lord, because I have work to do for Him.”

In verse 25, He says, “I know, I am now convinced, that I shall remain and continue with you all, for your progress and your joy in the faith.”   

In other words, he saw the possibility of an extension of life as a means of keeping on serving other people.  

Why do we want to be healed?   Why do we want less pain and an extension of life in this world?  

Is it that we might go out and pursue our own ends and our own pleasure.   Or is it, like St Paul, to live for others in the service of Christ?  

We need to ask God to heal us for His sake that we might do His will, for the rest of our lives, rather than asking Him to heal us that we can do our thing in this world, and turn our back on God. 

So there’s something about the right attitude to life that we might enter into a right relationship with Jesus and that we might have a life in which we serve Him in serving other people.

(2)  THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TO DEATH   

The same verse, 1:21, “To me, to live, is Christ and to die is gain”.   

There is only one thing greater than knowing Jesus, and that is knowing Him more deeply, rejoicing in His presence and glory. 

That’s why St Paul saw death as being a gain, the gain of a deeper relationship with the One Who was already his life.  The gain of appropriating more and more of the unsearchable riches which are ours in Christ.

Notice the words he uses to describe death in this passage – 

(i) In verse 21 he says it is”gain”, it is benefit, it is blessing, it is an advantage for that to happen.  It means life without those restrictions that hamper our lives on earth. 

(ii)  In verse 23 he says that to die is “to depart”, and the word he uses is a very graphic word. (Some thoughts from William Barclay).

It is used to describe the unmooring of a ship.  It has been moored, and now it is unloosed, set free from bondage, that it might go on a greater journey.  

(Death is the means by which we are freed from all the limitations of this earthly existence.)

Or the word is used of breaking up camp, as people get ready to go on their way. 

(It is the means by which we begin the greatest adventure of all, entering into the fulness of life with Christ. )

Or it is used of solving a problem, and thus coming to know the answer.   

(It is the means by which all our questions will be answered in His presence. We will know as we see Him.)

It is also used by Jesus in the parable where He talks about the master returning home.   

(In entering into the presence of the Lord Himself; we are coming home to the Master, to the Saviour.) 

(iii) In verse 23, “to depart” means to be “with Christ” through death.   

What a very beautiful way to describe life after death for the Christian. “With Christ”, as St Paul says elsewhere is “to be at home with the Lord”. 

So death means that we are going to be  “with Christ”.   In 1 Thess 5:10 it says that “Jesus died for us, so that, whether we wake or whether we sleep”, ( whether we are alive when Jesus comes, or whether we have already departed), we will live with Him as Christians.

And so why – why be afraid of death? 

•          For the Christian, the best is always yet to be. 

•          In this life we can know more and more of the unsearchable riches that are ours in Christ.  

•          We can experience more and more of His resurrection power even in healing.   

•          And yes – the life that is to come after death – even that is to our advantage.   

•          Death is departure, but it is also arrival in the presence of God.

(3). LIFE OR DEATH? 

(i). It’s OK to die.  That may sound strange to say in a healing service, but “It is OK to die.”  

•          Death can be seen to be the ultimate healing in this world. 

•          All other healing is temporary, for this world only and never perfectly complete. 

•          What we as a ministry want to happen is that you live life to the full in relationship with Christ,  so that you can say from the depth of your hearts, “To me to live is Christ.” 

•          Until you can say that you’re going nowhere. You’ve missed out on what life is all about. 

•          You’re outside God’s purpose for you. 

(ii).  We don’t want you to die prematurely (from a human point of view). 

•          We want you to reach your full potential in life, to do the things that God has planned from all eternity for you to do for Him.  

•          That’s why we will keep hanging in there with you when medical science says you have little or no chance of getting better. 

•          We want God to have the last say about your life, not fellow humans. 

•          We will keep praying for you until you’re sure He wants to take you home according to His timetable, not anyone else’s. 

I don’t think we can say with certainty, “to die is gain”, unless we can first say, “To me to live is Christ”. 

•          Do you want to have the same experience that Christians have enjoyed throughout the ages as they opened their hearts and lives to Him? 

•          The experience of knowing that Christ by His Spirit has come to live within them and made them new creatures in Himself. 

•          You too can ask Him to come into your life. You can ask Him to fill every part of your life with His life. 

•          You can ask Him to touch your life with His power, and to bring you the blessing and healing you need.  

•          You can ask Him to fill your heart with His love, so that you may experience His love for you and in you and through you.  

•          That’s what it means to say, “For me to live is Christ.”

Jesus stands at the door of our lives and says to us, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and sup with him and he with me.” 

•          If you are conscious that Jesus has been knocking at the door of your life, wanting to enter, then now is the time to ask Him into your life. 

•          You can do it in a prayer such as this one.

“Dear Lord Jesus. I thank You that You died on the cross to take away my sins, so that I might be forgiven. 

I thank You that You are the Risen Saviour, alive from the dead, and that You have been knocking on the door of my life wanting to come in. 

I now open the door of my heart and invite You to come into my life to be my Saviour from sin.  

I invite You into every area of my life, to be the Lord and Master of every part.

I offer You all I am and all I have. 

Touch my life in every area with Your healing power so that I can be healed to live for You for the rest of my life. 

I thank You for hearing my prayer and for coming into my life. 

I thank You for the healing and blessing I have in You. 

Fill me with the fullness of Your life so that I can say from the depths of my being, “For me to live is Christ. And to die is gain.”  

I ask these things in Your precious name of Jesus. AMEN

[The above sermon is based on a sermon I preached in June 2005 at a Healing service at St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney, when I was the Leader of the Healing Ministry there.]

Blog No.557 posted on Tuesday 01 October 2024

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, STUDIES IN PHILIPPIANS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment