The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with[fn] every secret thing, whether good or evil.

 Ecclesiastes 11:7–12:14

The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with[fn] every secret thing, whether good or evil. Ecclesiastes 12:11-14

I pause my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Ecclesiastes 11:7–12:14 - text to be discussed tomorrow morning with my Friday AM study group.  Solomon exhorts us to flee from pursuits of earthly knowledge and wisdom and instead to fear God, and to know, love, and serve Him. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?:  Vv11:7-10: God is Creator of all and He gives us the natural world to enjoy and the vitality of our youth to experience it with vigor.  Yet our pursuit to enjoy our youth is tempered by the fact that God is watching us, holding us to account, and the implication of v10 is that our youthful pursuits do nothing to fulfill our Godly purpose.  This is made more clear in Vv12:1-8 where Solomon (the author) urges us to "remember also your Creator in the days of your youth."  Ultimately, all of us will be called Home to Heaven in death (and resurrection) or Jesus will return and all of the created world will pass away and only the New Jerusalem will exist.    
• What do we learn from the text about people?: People pursue many things in life - yet believers are urged to focus on God first and foremost - Vv12:11-14.  For Solomon, he witnessed how many pursued knowledge and wisdom yet few recognized how all knowledge and wisdom is sourced from God - see also 12:11 and Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10.  Solomon instead urged everyone to "beware of anything beyond" God - we are called to "[f]ear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."  This is critical because - again - ultimately all of us will be held accountable to God for whether we repented of sin and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, and if so, how we used our spiritual gifts for His glory.     
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We are to avoid earthly pursuits above God - we should not be making such pursuits an idol. Claim the promise that God will both save and judge us.  We should follow the example of those who fear God as the beginning of wisdom.  Fear, know, love and serve God. 

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving me Your Word as means to know, love, and serve You.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor how You give me Your Word and pour out mercies and blessings daily for me.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

The Lord is at hand; 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.

 Philippians 4:1-9

The Lord is at hand; 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. Philippians 4:5b-7

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 4:1-9 where Paul encourages us to "not be anxious about anything," to experience the "peace of God...which surpasses all understanding, [as this] will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V3: God maintains a Book of Life, where the names of those who are saved are recorded since the creation of the world.  He is sovereign over who is saved. See also Exodus 32:32-33, and Revelation 13:8, 17:8, 20:11-15. We also know from elsewhere in scripture how the Holy Spirit seals and guarantees our salvation - see also Ephesians 1:13–14 and 2 Corinthians 1:21–22. V7: God gives us a peace that surpasses understanding that will guard our hearts and minds - yet another cause to rejoice!
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Vv1-3: Conflict and disagreement exists in the church - this is inevitable - Paul encourages us in these circumstances to help overcome disagreement and conflict as church unity is very important.  V4: In light of how believers are in the Book of Life, this is certainly cause to rejoice!  V5: We are called to be reasonable, so much so, that others note how reasonable we are - we don't know the hour or the day when Jesus will return or we will be called home so we should not fall away nor should we not be ready. V6: We are also called to not be anxious and to pray.  Vv8-9: Paul's final call in the text today is for us to think about and pursue what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent (in God's eyes) - God will renew our minds to think and act like Him if we hunger and thirst for righteousness.  Paul shares how we are to model him as an example (not out of vanity but from love for their sake).   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We should avoid as best as possible conflict and disagreement in the church, particularly with regards to inconsequential matters.  Claim the promise that the peace of God will guard your heart and mind.  Follow Paul's example and think of and pursue righteousness.  

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for my salvation and for giving me a peace that surpasses understanding.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

 Philippians 3:12-21

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Philippians 3:20-21

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 3:12-21 where Paul encourages believers to press on, focusing on things eternal and not on "earthly things."  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V12: Christ made us His own - when we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, He adopted us into His family, heirs to the riches of Christ.  See also Ephesians 1:5, Galatians 4:4–7, Romans 8:15–17, John 1:12, and 1 John 3:1. V14: God calls us "upward," to Heaven, to focus on things eternal vs of the flesh and of "earthly things" (v19).  Vv20-21: Jesus is in Heaven, sitting at the right hand of God, reigning over all things, and He is returning to bring about the final destruction of sin and death - and we already know this victory is assured.  On this day, or upon death, we will be glorified and transformed by the same "power that enables him even to subject all things to himself."   
• What do we learn from the text about people?: V12: God calls us to claim His promises that come with resurrection - all of which come to pass - see also 2 Corinthians 1:20.  V13: We are called also to press on and not look behind to our former selves where were slaves to sin and trapped in shame, etc. Vv14-16: We must recognize what we have attained - now and for eternity.  This calls us both upward and forward in spiritual maturity.  V17: Paul shares how we have Him and other believers as examples.  Vv18-19: We also have examples of who not to follow - those who trust in the flesh and have their "minds set on earthly things." V20: Believers are not just adopted into His family but also citizens of Heaven and that is where our focus should be - on things eternal where we await the day when we are called home in death or when end times arrive and Jesus defeats sin and death for the final time.  V21: Ultimately, we will be transformed - glorification - to be like Him and to see and fellowship with Him face-to-face for eternity.   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We are to avoid setting our minds (too much focus where we treat them as a god) on earthly things that we know will pass away.  We are to claim the promise that God is saving a place for us in Heaven and upon that day (glorification) we will become like Him and fellowship with Him for eternity - this is the goal we should pursue and continue to press on until we reach this goal.  We should follow the example of Paul and other saints that have pressed on with an eternal focus - press on!

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for my salvation, for adopting me into Your family, and for saving a place for me in Heaven, which is my true home.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ[.]

 Philippians 3:1-11

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ[.] Philippians 3:7-8

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 3:1-11 where Paul gives reason for believers to rejoice in the Lord.  Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Vv7-8: Christ is valuable - more valuable than anything else we have.  He is the source of our salvation, and as a result we have hope, peace, etc. Everything else in comparison is "rubbish."  V9: Christ is also the source of our righteousness - imputed to us through faith.  This is not of our own doing - we did not earn it.  He freely offered it and softened our heart to see the need to accept it and surrender our life to Him.  V10: Faith in Christ is power as He gives us the same power that resurrected Him from the grave - see also Romans 8:10-11.
• What do we learn from the text about people?: All people sin - Romans 3:23 and 1 John 1:8 - even believers.  Believers - while also sinful - have power over sin and death through Christ and per v2 we must be careful of the sinful influences that exist in the world as these influences serve as a wedge between us and God when we fall prey to the temptations triggered by these influences. V3: Believers today are set apart as God chose us - just as Israel did.  See this John Piper post from DesiringGod.com.  V4: Believers are called to avoid confidence in the flesh but v7 instead in Christ.   
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): We are to be alert for and to avoid sinful influences that drag us into sin.  Claim the promise that He gives us the same power that raised Him from the dead.  Follow the example of Paul with his humility that he lost everything but gained Christ and put Christ first.  Rejoice in the Lord!   

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for my salvation and for the rich mercies You pour out daily for me - incredible!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

For I have no one like [Timothy], who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.

Philippians 2:19-30 

For I have no one like [Timothy], who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. For they all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:20-21

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 2:19-30 where Paul shares how he seeks to send Timothy and Epaphroditus to the church in Philippi to encourage them and as examples for how our brothers and sisters in Christ are to love, support and encourage one another. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V21: Christ has His own interests, and they include that as many as possible from all nations be saved and that He be glorified - see also Matthew 28:19, Mark 10:45, John 12:28. V24: The Lord is trustworthy.  Indeed, God is faithful and all of His promises will come to pass - 2 Corinthians 1:20. V27: God is merciful.  Indeed not only are believers saved - given what we don't deserve and not given what we do deserve, but His mercies never cease and are new every morning - Lamentations 3:22-23.  V30: God gives all believers work - His work is broadly the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20), and He gives us the local church and each of spiritual gifts to be used in service of this work. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: V21: People's motives are often impure, even within the church.  Vv19-20, 22, 25-28: God gives us our brothers and sisters in Christ with whom we serve, support and encourage.  What a blessing!    
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid selfish ambition and your own interests (Matthew 20:16).  Claim the promise that God is faithful and trustworthy.  Follow the example of Timothy who loved Christ and served the church in the advancement of the gospel.  Love, support, and encourage other believers within the church.  

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for my salvation, for the mercies You pour out for me daily, for giving me the church and my brothers and sisters in Christ and how they love, support, and encourage me!  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

Philippians 2:12-18 

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. Philippians 2:14-16

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 2:12-18 where Paul exhorts us to follow Christ's example to be humble. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: V13: God works in the hearts and lives of believers to "will and to work for his good pleasure."  Will is defined as a transitive verb where action is ordered, decreed or ordained. As such the text shares that in the hearts and minds of believers, God renews our mind (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23), and it is implied that this is how God wills and works through our spiritual disciplines (prayer, corporate worship, fellowship with other believers, daily study of His Word, etc.) and the Holy Spirit.  This raises a key question whether free will exists or not, and on this topic I would encourage you to explore this interview with John Piper on DesiringGod.com.  
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Given how Christ has ascended to sit at the right hand of God and reigns over all (vv9-11), Paul exhorts us (v12) to "work out" our salvation "with fear and trembling."  Such a pursuit implies reverent fear of fear of God that drives us into His arms and to abide in Him lest we fall away or not please Him for being lukewarm (Revelation 3:16). See this interview with John Piper on DesiringGod.com for how fear of God acts as a preservative against sin. Since the Fall (Genesis 3), people are prone to seek their own selfish desires and it is only through the process of sanctification where God aligns our desires with His.  As such we are prone to grumble and complain - and Paul shares in v14 that we should not.  If we pursue Him, His ways and desires, then we should not grumble and complain that He wills and works in our hearts to do things that please Him.  Paul's hope is that v15 we act in such a way that we are a light to others (in a dark world) that we draw them closer to Christ.  V16a: He shares how "holding fast to the word of life" - scripture - equips us to be a light.  v16b-18: pursuit is not run in vain but is done with a glad heart where we rejoice in the pursuit.       
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid grumbling and complaining.  Claim the promise that God works in our hearts and lives to align our thoughts and ways with Him, allowing us to be seen as righteous in His eyes and to rejoice and be glad living for Him. Follow the example of Paul who allowed himself to be poured out as a living sacrifice for Him.  Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, hold fast to the word of life, and be a light to others. 

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for my salvation, for working in my heart and life, and for the mercies that never cease and are new every morning.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Philippians 2:1-11 

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

I continue my study of Paul's prison epistles - Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.  Today I focus on Philippians 2:1-11 where Paul exhorts us to follow Christ's example to be humble. Here are my observations using the Sword Bible Study Method.  

• What do we learn from the text about God?: Paul uses a rhetorical statement/question in v1 that "if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy," we should then follow Christ's example.  Of course there are are these things in Christ!  We are encouraged for SO many reasons - with one key reason that God provides us the Holy Spirit who is in us as a Helper (John 14:26). We do get comfort knowing that we can never be separated from His love (Romans 8:38-39). We have a God that knows everything we experience because He took on human form - He does sympathize with us (Hebrews 4:15).  Vv5-8: Christ is our example of humility.  Vv9-11: Because Christ was humble and followed the will of God, for the sake of all humanity through all of redemptive history, took on flesh then died for us...because of all this, Jesus reigns in Heaven at the right hand of God. 
• What do we learn from the text about people?: Paul - as a disciple maker of the church in Philippi, and one of the world's foremost disciple-makers - is made joyful by believers who...in light of v1 that we do have these things, v2 seek the same mind and desires of Christ.  V3: Unlike those who preach with selfish ambition (see Philippians 1:17), we are called to be like Christ who is humble.  
• Is there anything from the text God wants us to obey (SPEC: Sins to avoid, Promises to claim, Examples to follow, Commands to obey?): Avoid selfish ambition or your own glory.  Claim the promise that we have a God that sympathizes with us and we will never be separated from His love.  Follow the example of Christ and His humility.  Be humble and love and serve others.  

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My Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your humility and the example You provide, and for living in my heart and life to give me not just my salvation, but also mercies that never cease and hope.  I am not deserving of my salvation nor any of the blessings You pour out for me daily.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.