We finally finished Chapter One!!!

Okay, you're right, it really shouldn't take 3 weeks to get through one chapter. But then again, there is SO MUCH good stuff in this book!

Here's what I got out of this week's passage-
"Never let them see you sweat"
or how about, "Don't Flinch!"
The bottom line is, don't be intimidated. Don't panic.
If you remain calm and can keep your cool while everyone around you is loosing yours- here's what's going to happen;

1. You'll get through whatever you have to face
2. The people who were trying to intimidate you are going to be intimidated BY you, without you ever having to become hostile or confrontational
3. Other people are going to at least take your side, if not start looking to you as a leader.
   

Philippians 1:27-30 (New International Version)

27Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel 28without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God. 29For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,30since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

That's great stuff- especially just before Halloween, when between horror movies and superstition, we can begin to be anxious about Satan and his demons. Don't sweat it. In honor of Reformation Day (also October 31) here's a song lyric to drive home this point;

A Mighty Fortress, by Martin Luther
And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

But I also found verse 29 interesting too. Paul tells us that not only is it a PRIVILEGE to even believe in Jesus (we can only come to believe with the help of the Holy Spirit) but it is- get this, a PRIVILEGE to SUFFER for Jesus. Wha??!!

Wouldn't you be honored to get to say you were there at the Diet of Worms with Luther and stood up for the truth, even in the face of being burned as a heretic? Wouldn't you have been proud to have been in a concentration camp in NAZI Germany with someone like Corrie Ten Boon or Deitrich Bonhoeffer? Wouldn't it be a privilege to have been arrested with Martin Luther King Jr.? Wouldn't you be proud to say you were part of a team that did their absolute best in some championship, even if several of the players were injured and you ached the next day? Doesn't it feel good to get a major job done especially when you're helping someone, even if it's difficult at the time?

Nothing worthwhile comes easy. No Pain, no gain. That's some of what I talked about last week when I pulled up verses like Romans 5:3-5 and 8:28. Look back at your life so far, you wouldn't be who you are if you hadn't been through what you've gone through.

And yet Paul also tells the Philippians that they're going through the same thing he'd been going through. Not only does God know that He can use whatever you have to cope with to make you stronger and more useful- but He's willing to let you see some of what it was like for Him when He suffered for us. Our suffering doesn't make us any more "justified" (it cannot save us) only what Jesus already did can do that, but it can and will serve to "sanctify" us, that is to make us more like Christ and more useful to Him.

It's hard to understand, especially if whatever you're going through is really hard. But trust me, and trust Paul, it's a beautiful thing.

And here's my prayer for you:

"May the God of peace sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."- 1 Thessalonians 5:23