What the Lord says from Philippians 4:5-8; 3:7-11  April 16, 2020

• Let your Gentleness be evident to ALL, THE LORD IS NEAR,
• DO NOT BE ANXIOUS about anything but in EVERYTHING by PRAYER and petition with thanksgiving present your REQUESTS TO GOD
• And the PEACE of GOD, which transcends all Understanding, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS and YOUR MINDS in CHRIST JESUS.
• FINALLY brothers, 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.
• BUT whatever was to my profit I now consider LOSS FOR THE SAKE OF CHRIST.
• What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, for whose sake I have lost ALL THINGS.  I consider them rubbish, that I may gain CHRIST and be found in HIM, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but that which is THROUGH FAITH in CHRIST–the righteousness that comes from GOD and IS BY FAITH.
• I want to know CHRIST and the power of HIS RESURRECTION and the FELLOWSHIP of sharing in HIS SUFFERINGS, BECOMING LIKE HIM IN HIS DEATH, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
• Brothers and sisters and friends and family we all NEED to Have the MIND OF CHRIST, to think like Christ to follow HIS example to be willing to die to self, yes even die to the AMERICAN DREAM, of more and more, fun, food, fellowship, entertainment.  The “I deserve the GOOD LIFE” mentality.  We want all the good things that Christ has to offer us and there are many, but we are also told “to TAKE UP OUR CROSS DAILY”, we are told “I AM CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, YET I NO LONGER LIVE, JESUS CHRIST NOW LIVES IN ME.”  Beloved ones, our life really isn’t about you and me, except in how we can glorify CHRIST in good times, in bad times, in good health and sickness, in life and in death, ask …”Lord is my life glorifying YOU?”.
• WE should not live by impulse, Jesus was always confronting His disciples when they acted by impulse rather than HIS revelation and example to them.  We have to determine to obey Christ, to Follow Christ, to Do what HE did, to Love as HE loved, to Sacrifice as HE sacrificed, to Pray as HE prayed, to Walk as He Walked.  When we get saved, we were little babies, we had to study the scriptures, be taught, pray, obey what we studied and what we were taught.  True Prayer requires great effort, to pray for what Jesus prayed, to pray what the Bible tells us to pray.  To be Still before the LORD and ask HIM to direct our prayers, our paths, HIS WILL.
• IS all this easy, NO.  It takes TIME, PERSEVERANCE, WILL, DETERMINATION, FAITH, TRUST, BELIEF, JESUS wants us to get to the place where we see what HE SEES, Hear what HE hears and be willing to simply TRUST AND OBEY.
• Our inheritance is in HEAVEN.  NOT here on earth.  HE told us there will be trials, troubles, sickness, sorrow, attacks, and that some of us would even die because of our faith.  We need to look at our trials and troubles today as opportunities to exemplify Christ, our peace should be so strong that it floors the lost around us and makes them hunger and thirst for our faith and trust in our RISEN LORD.  If we suffer loss and believe me I know what I’m talking about because we have lost everything, but gained great joy peace and riches that are not earthly in being called to a foreign land to serve the people here.  We should exemplify giving, not hoarding, loving, not hating.  We should walk as Jesus walked to Calvary by taking up OUR CROSS and following HIM daily.
• Peace be with you and your families today.  May HIS LOVE and PEACE surround each of you.