Meditation Philippians 1v9

Philippians 1v 9

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

This is a challenging and good prayer for me. I think my tendencies towards efficiency and productivity distract me from truly loving people. Perhaps what I am subconsciously believing makes me try to have knowledge and wisdom of how to run my life that allows me to love. I am trying to get things done so I have time for the important things, or so that I have time for many people and many things. But am I really being loving towards people in the way I live by time and efficiency? Certainly i need priorities. But that's where this prayer and this verse speaks to having love grow in knowledge. 

5 Pray ask God to reveal his truth

God as I can clearly tell I don't have a good grasp on this truth. Please teach me not only to understand but more so I pray that you would teach my heart to feel and understand this reality of love abounding in knowledge and depth of insight. Teach me to love as you loved. Teach me to dictate my plans and strategies and drive for efficiency on love and not let love only be part of how I live. 

6 Emphasize parts or words as different focuses in the text.

It just sticks out to me so much that this is Paul's prayer. Paul gives those he leads and the Philippians many commands and instructions but this is a prayer to God for them. It is God who has the power to work this in their hearts and lives. But also Paul wants the philippians to know he is praying this over them, that somehow this might impact them some way simply to know he is praying that, or maybe for them to pray for that and to desire that as well, maybe for them to look for how God is changing their hearts to love with knowledge and depth of insight. 

7 Context

This fits right along with what Paul said earlier in chapter 1: 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The philippians more than most seem to have a special place in Paul's heart and they seem to really have been living for Christ and partnering in the gospel and following Christ in such a way as to bring Paul joy.

8 Cross references

1 Corinthians 13:2

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 

This is such an intense contrast of the centrality of love to real life and meaning in Christ. 

Ephesians 3

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your heartsthrough faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

The start of the kind of love we are talking about is the incredibly awesome love of Christ. Surely when we truly know this crazy love and if we are following Jesus seeking to become like him then our love will be radical and central. In some ways wasn't love the central reality of Christ's life and death and resurrection. That God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son. What crazy love is this that God loves us though we were sinners. And now we who have been reconciled to God through faith in Christ we also can say as 1 John 3:1 says- See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

John 13:34-35

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

But what does it mean to have love abounding in knowledge? 

1 Corinthians 8

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

- it is love with knowledge not knowledge with love

1 Corinthians 13:8New International Version (NIV)

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Love is eternal

Really I can't just come to understand it. I need to pray and really ask God to fill my love more and more with knowledge and depth of insight. God I desire more love. I want my life to be like Christ's to be defined by love. To be a mission of love for the world and for people to come to know you and to really take hold of the eternal life to know you and dwell in your house forever. God I need love with wisdom to know how to interact with people, how to understand work relationships and to have wisdom about who to really connect with and how to share Christ in those friendships. 

God do your work in me and my heart!

Amen

9 What truth is the Spirit speaking to me to help me understand and apply this to my life. 

10 Praise God!

11 Live it out! 

Patience

Plan in decades. Think in years. Work in months. Live in days.

God teach me patience. I am always in a hurry, but you are a God of eternity. I have trouble being in the moment, thank you for Ivanna who is great at that and helps me. God teach me to think as you think and to be intentional in the things that really matter. 

Meditation Philippians 1v9-11 part 1

Phlippians 1

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

1 Pray 

God I desire for you to change me from the inside out and to fill me with a love that is wise and with a depth of insight so that I may know how to live for you and for the love of others in the best possible way. I want to know your way and not my way. God open my heart and mind to begin to understand what it means to love with wisdom, to be a person defined by loving my Lord and loving my wife, my family, my friends, my coworkers, even my opponents. God I am eager for you to bear fruit of righteousness and the fruit of love that opens up opportunities for the gospel to be preached and received by people. 

2 Verse - memorization

Philippians1v9 

Topic: Transformation wisdom and love

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God. 

3 Paraphrase least words

Pray for transformation: that your life would be centered in love and that your love would grow more and more in wisdom and discernment so that you can discern what is best - pursuing the purity and holiness of Christ as an expression of the righteousness Christ has already won for us. For this is God's desire and his glory

Prayer for transformation: that more and more (you/we/I) would be driven by love with wisdom leading to discernment and growing in purity, holiness the fruit of the righteousness of Christ in us for God's glory. 

4 Ask questions

• Why this all about our love? How is wisdom and purity connected to love?
• Is it a continuous growth? 
• What does it mean to be pure and blameless? How is that different from righteousness Christ already won for us? 
• What is the fruit of righteousness? 
• Basically it seems like growing in Christ/sanctification/ training in rightesouness/obedience
• What is God's role and what is our role?
• Why does Paul prayer for this thing which is God's desire and surely God is working it already? 
• Why does Paul tell the Philippians this is what he is praying for them?
• How have they already been living out love and wisdom? It sounds like paul is praying for more of what has already begun? 
• 
  

5 Pray ask God to reveal his truth

6 Emphasize parts or words as different focuses in the text.

7 Context

8 Cross references

9 What truth is the Spirit speaking to me to help me understand and apply this to my life. 

10 Praise God!

11 Live it out! 

How to meditate on scripture

Here is a format to help guide me as I meditate on scripture.

1 Pray 

2 Verse - memorization

3 Paraphrase least words

4 Ask questions

5 Pray

6 Emphasize parts or words focus. 

7 Context

8 Cross references

9 What truth is the Spirit speaking to me to help me understand and apply this to my life. 

10 Praise God!

11 Live it out! 

This is mostly following the guidelines found in the book topical memory system by the navigators for memorizing and meditating on scripture plus few of my own additions. 

God I desire to connect with you through meditating on scripture, to know you and the hope I have in you, to know your promises and hold to them. To know your commands so that I can obey them. To have your word as a lamp unto my feet. 

In this new season of career and a very different work and time schedule in my week I want to be intentional and joyful in being with you and memorizing and meditating on your word. Please help and guide and inspire me. 

Amen

Verse Meditation and Getting back into Philippians

Today on the drive to work I listened to Psalm 1 over and over.

It strikes me just how much Psalms and David emphasized loving and delighting in the law of the Lord. Its such a powerful and not common picture. Its not religious duty, not burdensome, but literally delighting in the Law of the Lord. Finding joy and purpose and direction and hope in meditating on the Word of God.

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

I want that more, I think I have this delight in the Word of God. Meeting with some guys here reminded me that is not common and gave me some perspective to realize I really do have a big passion for the Word of God. And I want others to experience the joy of the Word of God even more with me. 

In particular meditation on the Word of God has really been a blessing, its been encouraging and so powerful in my life. I think meditating is really a key part of allowing the Spirit of God to move in power through God's word in our heart. Reading and studying are great and key parts of mediating, but it was something new for me to really allow the word of God to sit in my heart and mind. To have it on my lips and quick to come to mind by memorizing allowed the Spirit to bring Verses I had memorized and been meditating on to come to mind in specific situations or as how I lived revealed my character and contrasted with the Word of God. 

God I really have come to love memorizing and meditating on your Word. Thank you! Help me get back into that rythtym even more regularly and to find great joy in this connection with you!

As Ivanna and I study Philippians and though its been a slow start for me I am really excited to have this big picture view and then to be able to get into verse by verse and really be encouraged and challenged as we memorize and meditate on the word of rejoicing and truth you spoke first to the Philippians through Paul God. 

One of the key verses already for me from Philippians is 3:20
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ

God I pray you would write this on my heart: that my citizenship is in heaven! That my hope is there with you Lord, where I will dwell in your house forever. Its such a great hope and so comforting in the midst of life which is sometimes busy, often confusing, as I struggle to figure out my purpose and try to balance it all. I can't wait to work and rest in your kingdom where all is made right and where I will have a glorious and transformed body! Lord please keep this verse on my heart and mind this week and I claim this promise and pray that it would shape my heart, my character, and my perspective! 
Amen

Refining some Key Life Ambitions in new season: Engineering Career

As my life is about to face a radical change in a different career this coming Monday I want to have some guides to this new path. This is still a work in progress, but here are 7 key Goals:

1. Seek my Lord - His Kingdom and His Righteousness (John 17:3, Matthew 6:33)
2. As a husband love Ivanna as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy ... (Quoted from Ephesians 5:25-26)
3. Godliness with Contentment is great gain - so learn to be content by having an eternal perspective and keeping my hope in eternal life: to Know God and Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 6:6, Philippians 3:20-21)
4. Work at my new job etc with all my heart as to the Lord (Colossians 3:23)
5. Sabbath well by keeping it holy, including honoring my body as a temp of the living God Saturdays/Sundays, rest, fun, hope, trust God, eat, laugh (Psalm 46:10, Exodus 20:8)
6. Community - don't go it alone, lean on the body of Christ, friends and family
7. Look for opportunities to witness and disciple and be discipled 

Lord I lift up these ambitions to you and ask that you direct me to live for you in this life in the hope to know you now and forevermore. in Jesus powerful holy name and the confidence that you will finish what you began in me, Amen!

John 17:3 New International Version (NIV) 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. Matthew 6:33 New International Version (NIV) 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Ephesians 5:25-26New International Version (NIV) 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, Philippians 3:20-21New International Version (NIV) 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Colossians 3:23New International Version (NIV) 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, New International Version (NIV) Psalm 46:10New International Version (NIV) 10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Exodus 20:8New International Version (NIV) 8 “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.

Getting back into a systematic approach to scripture

I have been focused on memorization and meditation for the summer and it has been great, a lot of comfort, truth, hope and faithfulness has been encouraged in me. But I also think I need to come back and also add in a more systematic approach. If I continue to choose all the scriptures I meditate on I may unintentionally or intentionally leave out crucial things God commands.

So to start I am thinking of finishing 1 Timothy.

Maybe some additional ideas down the road:
Reading Psalms.
Bible reading plan again. - I got a little burnt out because I didn't think I was learning that much or it wasn't in depth enough. But it is fuel for cross references and for having the whole story perspective as I also focus very finely on a specific verse.

So here is the next verse: 1 Timothy 4:12
12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.

As Ivanna and I are in transition and getting ready to move and Jonathan and I are transitioning our discipleship how will I continue? Who will I share what I am learning with? Hmm it would be fun to ask Ivanna and share with her. 

Are there guys especially married men I could connect with also in Tucson? 
Brandon
Philip
Jon Philips
Nathan

How else can I be intentional in transition from my support here and rythtms on staff? 
Prayer walking
Witnessing and being light to people around me
Conferences/retreats

As far as 1 Timothy: 
Goal for rest of August and September is 1 verse per week:
by August 30th: 1 Timothy review and ch4v12
by Sept 6 1 Timothy 4v13 and Key commands promises from 1 Timothy
by Sept 13 1 Timothy 4v14,15
Check in on how I am doing Sept 13
Continue from there Sept 20 1 Timothy 4v16 and chapter review

From there maybe go to 2 verses per week and continue into chapter 5. 

What is helpful to keep me on track to this? 
I do best and I am encouraged by meeting and sharing what I have been studying learning and obeying with another friend. 
So then I will set up meeting with someone weekly or start sharing with Connor?

How to live in God's story not mine?

This afternoon I was pondering this question.

How to live in truth of God and His Story and not my own?

A big reality or circumstance in my life is being on the job search. 

I am tempted to ask what difference does it make that God is with me in my job search?

But I think one way to start reframing my life in God's story is to ask different questions like:

What if I asked what difference does it make that I am in job search and transition when God is with me and I will dwell in the house of the lord forever?

Such a simple change of perspective and yet it changed a lot. 

As I tried to answer that question it was actually a little bit hard to answer really. I mean I thought circumstances still matter they are part of our lives and God's story. But it made my circumstance seem a lot smaller. Because in light of eternity and the creator of the Universe the short season of job searching is really short. Even though job searching seems uncertain and like walking through a tunnel not knowing where the end is it will end. As all things in this life do. I am confident even now God is providing for us and will provide work for me to do in time. And so I act making it my job right now to find a job and yet trusting in God. 

The two verses that really help solidify this in my heart right now are:

Hebrews 13 verse 5

5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;

    never will I forsake you.”[a]

Psalm 23 verse 6

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

In this life I can hold onto the promise and comfort that God is with me and he will never leave or forsake me and that this whole life is short and passing away and I have the hope that I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

But sometimes I get wrapped up in my life and my circumstances. But fortunately and strangely my increasing appetite for coffee and lack of any way to make coffee at home has led me to start an almost daily rhythm of walking to a gas station to get coffee. Gas station coffee is the best because I am really in it for the creamer :) haha. But what happens is I walk about 20 minutes and slow down. And sometimes I slow down and pray and that gives me space to connect with my Father and remember these truths. 

Because I need those moments to be still and remember who God is and who I am. 

Psalm 46 verse 10

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth.”

So as my sabbath comes to and end my prayer is I carry these truths with me throughout the week and live by them. This week seems busy and crazy getting ready to move and job searching as hard as I know how in the hope of landing a job in Tucson. And yet God is with me and this is just a moment, a shaping of my character in God's story and I can slow down from time to time and remember God is God and I am his and I will dwell in his house forever! Amen!

What to hope in? God alone

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23:6 NIV)

This is the eternal hope we have to dwell on the House of the Lord forever!

Yet we live in a world of false hopes that will all fade and all of which are uncertain. From jobs to money and beyond.

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV)

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV)

So help me now God as you say 

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10 NIV)

Verse Meditation Colossians 3v23-24 part 1

Colossians 3v23-24

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though working for the Lord, not for human masters 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 

0. Context 1. Paraphrase: 2. Questions 3. Praying 4. Emphasizing each word or phrase 5. Cross Reference
 6. Relate to my life: Throughout, claim promises, examine call to obedience and my heart

0. Context
We are alive in Christ and his resurrection. Therefore Colossians 3v 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. But not in a way to forget our bodies and this world but to live in this world with our mind set on heavenly things. With our minds set on purity and justice and eternal hope.  Col 3v9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Then it gives some specific instructions based on our circumstance: husband father and slave. This verse seems to be part of a longer specific instruction for slaves. 

1. Paraphrase: 

In everything you do work at it with all your heart as if you were working for Christ. Even if you are a slave or an employee work for Christ not your boss because in the end it really is all for the Lord Christ and whatever we do for human masters will not last. It is his story and how we live for him is what matters. When we work for the Lord we are promised an eternal inheritance. 

2. Questions

• What difference does it make to do everything as working for the Lord not humans?
• How does the context of this being written to slaves shape this verse?
• Is it appropriate to think of this verse in the context of being an employee? 
• What did it mean to be a slave in this context? 
• How do we serve the Lord in specific things our masters ask of us? 
• What does it mean to work at everything with all your heart?
• What is the significance of doing this since they knew they would receive an inheritance?

3. Praying
God today teach me to work at the different priorities with all my heart as through working for you and the eternal life and inheritance I have in you. I am seeking to know our Father and you claiming hold of life eternal and the hope of dwelling in your house forever God.

4. Emphasizing each word or phrase 5. Cross Reference
 6. Relate to my life: Throughout, claim promises, examine call to obedience and my heart

Learning to consolidate

Often I find myself overwhelmed going in too many directions. And then even worse I forget things and drop them entirely. I create files I forget about. I start in a direction and never finish.

Teach me to consolidate and focus on the things that matter the most God! 

Why doesn't bible talk about mission/ evangelism more?

And Saul approved of their killing him. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. (Acts 8:1, 3-4 NIV)

Why are so much safer and lame of Christians?

In persecution they preached the gospel!

Nobody had to tell them to preach the gospel. 

Are we followers of Jesus who really obey everything Jesus said or not?

Who am I in hardship? I am His

Who am I and where am I when some parts of ministry aren't going well? When people aren't coming or are flaky or join other things? There are some parts of IV that are going really well, but I feel like this has been a crucial thing for me to wrestle with because to be a witness to the gospel I will constantly face rejection and students choosing out. So what do I do and what do I believe about God and myself in the midst of that?

Psalm 27

4 One thing I ask from the Lord,
    this only do I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze on the beauty of the Lord
    and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent
    and set me high upon a rock.

I want to hear from you Lord
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

But I have only what I have and can lead only those you have given me.

1 Peter 4:10

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

What do we do as we face rejection or just indifference? What should we do when those we love and serve turn away or just slowly fade out?

1 Peter 4

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”[a]

19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

Most of all I want to hold onto the hope I have through Jesus:

1 Peter 1

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

I am His, He is mine. Nothing has changed. He stays the same, and our hope in Him does not fade. Let me cling more tightly to it. And Lord help me to keep being faithful, to rejoice in the fellowship of your suffering for the sake of the world in the hope that some will come to the knowledge of the truth and believe and enter the kingdom.