The Christian life must not only be preached but must also be lived. In this plan, the Apostle Paul teaches the church of the Philippians some concrete aspects of believers’ behavior. Let’s learn together and accept the challenge of this lifestyle.
Jeff Wells
Day 1
Scripture: Philippians 1:21
The Meaning of Death for the Believer
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
This would be a good verse for your tombstone. Why did Paul say, “For to me to live is Christ”? Because Paul was consumed with, focused on, and intoxicated with Jesus. Paul, the man who once hated Jesus, had been ambushed by Christ’s love on the road to Damascus, and he never got over it.
Paul is saying, “My life is not about me. It’s not about my comforts, my security, my dreams, my rights. It’s all about Jesus. Loving Jesus, following Jesus, trusting Jesus, obeying Jesus, enjoying Jesus. For to me to live is Christ.”
But Paul goes on to say, “and to die is gain.” Why did Paul say that death is even better than life? How could he say that? It’s simple. Death, for the believer, means you go immediately to the presence of Christ. You are with the Lord in a tangible, physical way. You are home. For the believer, death simply means that you are more alive than ever, and that will be so good.
May God give us the heart and mind that Paul had here. May Paul’s words characterize you and me. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
Day 2
Scripture: Philippians 3:13
Forget What Lies Behind
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.
The ability to remember can be a good thing, but the ability to forget can also be a great thing.
When it comes to the spiritual life, we must diligently forget many things. Forget your failures, your sins, your regrets, your hurts by other people. Forget what lies behind.
Of course, Paul realized we have to deal with these things in a healthy manner: confessing and repenting of sin, apologizing for wrongdoings, grieving losses, and forgiving those who hurt us. This is all clear in the Bible. But there comes a time when we forget the past, when we turn from the past to the future and pursue the prize of knowing Christ with single-minded abandon. There is no virtue in turning away from the prize of Christ and looking back at your failures. Fix your eyes on Christ.
In May 1954, Oxford University medical student Roger Bannister was the first man to break the four-minute mile. A month later, John Landy of Australia broke Bannister’s world record by 1.4 seconds. This caused a spirited debate on who was the world’s best miler: Landy or Bannister? A few months later, in August 1954, they raced each other in Vancouver, Canada. The race was close from start to finish. Coming down the final stretch, Landy and Bannister were neck and neck, with Landy slightly ahead. Landy looked back to see where Bannister was, and Bannister sprinted by on his other side to win the race. Later, Landy lamented, “If I hadn’t looked around, I would have won.”
Don’t look back. Focus on the prize. Win the race.
Day 3
Scripture: Philippians 4:4
Rejoice No Matter What
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Choose to rejoice. Choose to rejoice always. Choose to rejoice always in the Lord.
We know Paul feels this deeply because he gives the command twice, as if to say, “This is so important. Rejoice! Do it!” This is not a recommendation but a command. Make a choice to rejoice in God. Choose to respond with joy regardless of the circumstances or the situation, even when there’s bad news, even when there’s heartbreaking news.
I don’t imagine that God is telling us to have a feeling of happiness. I know he’s not telling us to paste a plastic smile on our face (God is never for phoniness). Rather, God is telling us to take action. Rejoice, praise God, give thanks, worship God in song, cite a passage on God’s goodness and faithfulness, or express in prayer that God can be trusted: all of these are ways to rejoice.
If we obeyed this command, it would transform most of our lives. When you get criticized, rejoice. When your car breaks down, rejoice. When you experience physical pain, rejoice. When you lose your job, rejoice. No matter what happens, rejoice.
That’s what God says, isn’t it? Rejoice in the Lord always. It seems crazy. But behind this countercultural, counterintuitive command is the conviction that God is good, that He can be trusted, that He will have the final word, is still on his throne, and will redeem this problem. God is God. So do it: Rejoice in the Lord always.
Day 4
Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7
Worry About Nothing; Pray About Everything
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Just about all of us struggle, at times, with worry. I certainly do. We struggle with worry because life can be so unsettling and uncertain. At times, life is painful. Philippians 4:6–7 is God’s antidote to worry.
So many times over the years, I have cited these words to myself or I have prayed them over someone.
“Do not be anxious about anything.” Worry about nothing, absolutely nothing.
“But in everything.” Everything. Every single worry. No worry is too big or too small for God.
“By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.” Include thanksgiving to God: Father, thank You that You have delivered me in the past and that You will deliver me in this problem too.
“Let your requests be made known to God.” Ask God to take care of the problem. Bring your burdens to God and leave them there.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.” This peace does not come because I understand everything or because I have it all figured out. It is supernatural, suprarational peace from God.
“Will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Ah! That’s what I need, Lord. That’s what I need. Your peace, guarding my heart, filling my soul.
God’s solution for worry: worry about nothing; pray about everything.
Day 5
Scripture: Philippians 4:13
The Key to Contentment
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
In Philippians 4, Paul is talking about contentment. He has learned to be content with very little and to be content with plenty. He then says that the key to this contentment is not in him, but in Christ: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
The key to contentment is Christ’s transforming power. But this principle applies to all of life. “I can do all things.” Where do you struggle? Worry? Fear? Jealousy? Guilt? Anger?
Temper? Depression? Loneliness? Addiction? The power to change is not in you. It’s in Christ. Pray, “Lord, I cannot do this, but You can. Would You please change me? I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
When I was a young Christian at Rice University, learning to live in dependence on God, I heard a little saying that I wrote in the fly page of my Bible: “When I try, I fail. When I trust, I succeed.” That’s the heart of Paul in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”