Be Still and Know Daily Bible Devotion

Philippians 3:8-9

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.

Oscar Wilde once defined a cynic as the person “who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing”. His observation well describes our cynical society, which is desperately interested in the price of things but can overlook what is truly valuable. It often takes a serious illness or an accident for people to start looking hard at what is most valuable in life. Here the apostle Paul runs through this exercise for himself. His detractors said that what mattered most was obeying the Jewish law and his answer was that if they wanted to play that game then he was the runaway winner. He was circumcised on the eighth day of his life as every little Jewish boy should be. He came from the favoured tribe of Benjamin so he was, as he described himself, “a real Hebrew if ever there was one”! He was also trained as a Pharisee and was so committed to his Jewish faith that he was happy to persecute the Church (see vv. 5-6). But all of that was, for him, just a pile of garbage alongside the blessing of knowing Jesus.

What matters most to you? Is it your family, nationality, education, house, car, job, financial security – or is it Jesus? The point is not that our family, education and possessions are insignificant or unimportant. They are all part of God’s gift to us, so we should treasure them and continually thank God for them. However, when put alongside the blessing of knowing Jesus, all those other things are temporary and relatively unimportant. There’s nothing more vital than to sort out the priorities in our lives, because all our decisions will flow from that. The way we use our time, money and talents will all be determined by that fundamental decision. Paul would say to us today that we can never make a better decision than to give Jesus that pre-eminent place in our lives.

Question

What matters most to you?

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for the incredible blessing of knowing You. Forgive me for those times when I have allowed other things to get in the way. Amen

Philippians 3:1-2

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. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved.

There is something incredibly impressive about people who are joyful when everything is going wrong. Paul’s list of problems was a long one. He had the indignity and discomfort of being in prison, not knowing whether he would ever be let out. Many of his fellow workers had let him down and he was continually up against fierce opposition. The sharpness of the conflict is very clear in his words as he described his opponents as dogs. Their insistence that male converts to Christianity should be circumcised was, for Paul, a denial of the message that he was proclaiming. He was convinced that salvation comes by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and that circumcision was definitely not necessary, let alone essential.

Paul’s joyfulness was so irrepressible that he was keen to encourage everyone else to be joyful as well! In the next chapter he commands: “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4). Paul clearly wasn’t saying that everything is always going to go well. Indeed, Jesus frequently pointed out how tough it would be for those who decided to follow Him. But, through it all, it is miraculously possible to be joyful because the joy comes from our relationship with the Lord and not from our circumstances. If the latter were the focus, they would often and rightly make us downright miserable. Joy is one of the elements of the fruit of the Spirit which develops in us as we get closer to God. It grows in us gradually and unself-consciously as we allow Jesus to be the Lord of our lives.

Question

What would it look like if you were always joyful?

Prayer

Loving God, thank You for the gift of joy, which You put in the hearts of everyone who loves You. Amen

Philippians 2:22-23

But you know how Timothy has proved himself. Like a son with his father, he has served with me in preaching the Good News. I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here.

Timothy was clearly very important to Paul. Born at Lystra in Galatia (now part of Turkey) Timothy had a Jewish mother and a Greek father. Paul met him on his second missionary journey and he was a regular companion from then onwards. The letter to the Philippians was one of six letters in which Timothy was named as the co-author with Paul, and the apostle also wrote two deeply personal and moving letters specifically to Timothy, whom he referred to as his dear son. Here in his letter to the Philippians, Paul says that he has no one else like him. Everyone else looked after their own interests, but not Timothy. He could be relied upon as a man of faith and someone who genuinely cared.

As Paul languished in prison it must have been wonderful for him to know that he had Timothy’s continual support. Paul’s future was entirely uncertain, and his many references to death suggest that he wasn’t at all confident that he would get out alive. Paul had to rely on those who would continue his missionary work. In Timothy he had someone who had proved himself, and who could be relied upon to take the work forward.

Our lives are very different from Paul’s, but we also need those on whom we can completely rely. Thank God for the blessing of good friends who share our convictions and our burdens, and who are willing to walk with us whatever happens. There is a wonderful verse in Proverbs that says that “a real friend sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18.24). What a gift!

Questions

Who are you able to rely upon and how do you look after your relationship with them? And who relies on you?

Prayer

Lord God, thank You for the gift of friends. Help me never to take them for granted but always to be loyal in my love and support for them. Amen

Philippians 2:14-15

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticise you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

We probably all complain from time to time, but as a way of life it can be very destructive. It has been wisely said that complaining doesn’t solve problems, it only attracts them. Complaints were clearly a feature of the church in Philippi and Paul was eager that they should stop. His comments remind us of the people of Israel during their 40 years in the wilderness. Even though they had observed God miraculously leading them out of slavery in Egypt, it wasn’t long before the complaints began.

Complaining and arguing are so destructive. Paul challenged his readers to live in such a way that they couldn’t be criticised, because that would only damage their Christian witness. Paul had no illusions about how hard this would be. His description of the world being full of crooked and perverse people was clearly based on his own personal experiences. He knew how tough life in the world was, and he could see that if the Philippian Christians lived out their faith in the way that he had described, they would shine like bright lights. They would stand out from the people around them. No doubt they were often tempted to withdraw from the world, but Paul insisted that their calling was to be in the world.

If you have been to Christian conferences or holidays you may well have had the feeling that it would be wonderful to stay there enjoying the worship and fellowship. It can be very hard to get back into normal life after those precious times. But God has not called us to cut ourselves off from the world. He uses these special times to build us up so that we can live our lives in the midst of people who think and act very differently from us. Tough as it may be, we need to play a full part in the life of our communities, praying that, miraculously, we might be able to shine the light of Christ in our dark world.

Question

In what way are you able to shine for Christ in your daily life?

Prayer

Lord, forgive me for those times when I am prone to complain and argue. Fill me with Your Spirit today so that I will be able to shine for You however tough life might be. Amen

Philippians 2:12-13

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

If you have given your life to Christ, confessed your sins and received His forgiveness, then you have the gift of salvation. This is the amazing good news that Paul was so desperate to share. But he was equally concerned that his readers should understand that they now had work to do. The situation is much the same as in marriage. Getting married is just the start of the journey.

Advertising always reveals a great deal about a society. These days we often hear products being promoted because they will offer us a quick and effortless route to making life easier, smoother, happier and more fulfilled. It’s very tempting to speak of the Christian life in the same way. But it would be a lie. I have not the slightest doubt that living for Christ is the most wonderful and fulfilling life that exists here on earth. But nowhere does Paul ever suggest that following Christ requires no effort, pain or hard work.

I fully recognise that hard work doesn’t sound very attractive, but we should never fear it. Jesus once invited his followers to take on his yoke, explaining “my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:30). A yoke is simply a wooden beam normally used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load when working in pairs. Jesus doesn’t deny that His followers will have burdens to bear, but He makes the incredible promise that as they take His yoke they “will find rest” for their souls (Matthew 11:28). I know exactly what Jesus means. Over the years I have seen many people working incredibly hard for God and it has been beautiful to see their peace and contentment because they have done their work yoked to Jesus.

Question

What is the hard work that God is calling you to do?

Prayer

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that as we accept Your yoke we find perfect rest. Amen

Philippians 2:5-7

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.

These amazing words form the beginning of what many people consider to be a first-century hymn. They beautifully express the fundamental truth that God’s desire is to turn our thinking upside down! Our natural inclination is to seek power, prestige and recognition, but Jesus came to this earth and did precisely the opposite. And that, said Paul, was the attitude that the Philippians needed to have towards one another in the church. He wanted to see them ditch all traces of arrogance and to consider others better than themselves. It’s all very challenging for us today, too.

The humility of Jesus is truly astonishing. He, above everyone else, was entitled to have power and influence and to enjoy a life of ease and comfort, but He gladly accepted the opposite. He was willing to endure the ultimate powerlessness of being hung upon a cross and to experience the agony of rejection by His own people and even by His Father. The outcome of His humility was that God exalted Jesus to the highest place of all and gave Him the name above every name. Truly, Jesus turns all our thinking about life on its head. And that is now the approach to life that Paul encouraged his friends in Philippi to adopt. The only way to be blessed by God is to learn what it means to be truly humble.

So how are we going to grow in humility, since everything depends upon it? Probably the most important thing to remember is that we cannot become more humble by our own efforts. There is nothing more sickening than someone who, like Dickens’ character Uriah Heap, manufactures an artificial pretence of being “everso ‘umble”. Humility results from us getting closer to God and allowing His Holy Spirit to do deep work on our character. The grace of humility will grow unselfconsciously and gradually as we love God more. As we get to know God better we will find, miraculously, that we are starting to have the very same attitude as Jesus.

Question

Whose example of humility do you find most inspiring?

Prayer

Loving God, thank You that by Your Spirit You are helping me day by day to have the same attitudes as Jesus. Amen

Philippians 2:1-2

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

One of the biggest problems with unity is that it looks so easy. If you listen to a fine orchestra playing harmoniously or watch a top football team playing with skill and precision, it all looks so very straightforward. Surely anyone could do it! But I then recall the hours that I spent in our school orchestra and those regular Saturday afternoons when I played football, and I can assure you that unity doesn’t come easily. Paul was equally clear about this. He knew that the Philippian Christians had received the gift of unity in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. But they still needed to work incredibly hard to ensure that their lives reflected the unity that Jesus had achieved for them.

In these verses, the apostle Paul pleaded for unity. He told the Philippian church that if they had been touched by Christ’s love in any way or experienced the fellowship of the Spirit, then it was their responsibility to do everything possible to build up the unity of the church. In the course of normal life this is often extremely difficult. Agreeing wholeheartedly with one another might be easy if we were the same age and had similar backgrounds, but churches are never like that. And they never should be! Agreeing together is the product of lashings of love, grace and patience. Working together with one mind and purpose is vitally important for every fellowship. However, it only occurs when there is an atmosphere of encouragement and forgiveness. Our task is not to dream of a distant vision of harmony, but to think through everything we say and do to ensure that we are only ever contributing to the unity of the Church right now.

Question

What are you able to do to build unity among the Christians you know?

Prayer

Dear Father, thank You that You are the source of all unity. Help me to work hard to preserve and strengthen the unity that You give us by Your Spirit. Amen

Philippians 1:29-30

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

We don’t know the exact nature of the problems in the Philippian church. It had been planted in a hostile environment and was led by new Christians, who were doubtless still trying to get their heads around Christian doctrine and practice. I often hear people say that it would be good if we could get back to being like the early Church, but I’m not so sure. The early Church may have had the blessing of newness and enthusiasm, but they battled with many critical problems that we will never have to face, and we have the blessing of huge resources of Christian experience and literature to draw upon.

Paul offered the Philippian church the huge encouragement that they were not alone. Paul knew exactly what they were going through, and they had the benefit of seeing him at work. They knew the struggles that he had experienced and were also aware that he continued to be up against huge challenges. To use a much-used word these days, Paul [itals]empathised[end itals]. He could enter into the experience that they were going through because of what he had been through.

From time to time, I hear people say that they don’t need to go to church because they can worship perfectly well in their back garden. I am, of course, absolutely delighted that their garden is so inspirational, but nothing can take the place of Christian fellowship. We need one another. Churches aren’t perfect – they are often agonisingly imperfect – but sharing life with frail human beings just like ourselves is exactly what we need. As we face up to the challenges and sharp edges of life it is so helpful to hear, as the Philippians did, someone say: “we’re in this struggle together”.

Question

When have you been particularly aware of the empathy and support of other Christians?

Prayer

Loving God, thank You for the blessing of Christian fellowship. Amen

Philippians 1:27

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.

The residents of Philippi were very proud of their city. They had been rewarded by the Emperor Octavian after his defeat of Antony and Cleopatra and were designated a Roman colony. The city was in Macedonia, which is now part of northern Greece, but the Philippians enjoyed the same privileges as if they were living in Italy. Citizenship was a big issue for them, and they were delighted to enjoy the legal and tax advantages which came with their status. But Paul told them that far more significant than this was the fact that they were citizens of heaven. Being a Philippian was a temporary arrangement – unlike their eternal citizenship of heaven.

Paul was not saying that it was unimportant that they were Roman citizens. He had much to say about the importance of Christians living as responsible members of their community, as we have seen. In his letter to the church in Rome, at the heart of the empire, he wrote that those who followed Christ had a responsibility to submit to the governing authorities because they had been established by God (Romans 13:1). Christians should do everything in their power to support their communities and to live as responsible citizens, but they should do so with the knowledge that their principal identity is their heavenly one.

There were many pressures upon the church in Philippi. Although Paul’s letter is particularly positive, it is clear that there were plenty of challenges – both from people outside and people inside the church who were squabbling with one another. Paul knew that the church must live by the highest standards, and so he urged them to live lives worthy of the good news of Christ. The church wasn’t their little private club, but a group of people drawn together by the Spirit to proclaim the amazing news of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever our churches might be facing at present, we all need to hear the same challenge to live a life that is worthy of Christ.

Question

What does it mean to you to be a citizen of heaven?

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for the eternal security that I have in knowing You. Help me to contribute positively to my temporary home here on earth. Amen

Philippians 1:21-24

For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

During the two years that I lived in India a number of people in our community died and I deeply appreciated the way in which their deaths were handled. Soon after the person passed away, their body was prepared and laid out on a bed in the middle of the main room of the house. Visitors would then come and pay their respects, light candles around the body and say prayers. This would continue until the body was taken in an open coffin to church for the funeral service, which normally was held the day following the death. It was all so very different from the way in which I had seen death being handled before. When I returned to the UK, I deeply regretted the way in which we seem to be kept well away from death. In our verses today, Paul talks about death in a way that would probably shock many people. He is totally open about death and reflects on the varied benefits of being alive or dead.

Paul’s confidence in Christ shines through his words. He knew the Lord so well that he was absolutely convinced that death is the preferable option. For Paul, death was bound to be much better than life, because he would be set free from all those things that obstruct our relationship with Christ here on earth. But he realised that he had responsibilities on earth and so was content with staying alive.

One of the greatest blessings of being a Christian is that we need have no fear of death. Not long ago a friend of mine died of motor neurone disease. The disease progressed very fast and it was alarming to see how speedily he lost all muscle control. But through it all he kept rejoicing. His confidence in God was so strong that on not a single occasion did I hear him complain. He knew that he was secure in God’s hands for time and eternity. I do hope you look to the future with a similar confidence.

Question

Do you share Paul’s thoughts about death?

Prayer

Lord God, thank You that my relationship with You will not be brought to an end by death. Amen