Page 44 - Living Light - A Message of Joy!

Wednesday January 17 - Confidence in Christ
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit...
Philippians 3:3
It’s a bit of a shock to hear Paul describe Christians as ‘the circumcision’ – and possibly was for the Philippians too, since theirs was the first church in Europe, and was majority-gentile. So, what does Paul mean?
When God set apart the Jewish nation to be his holy people, circumcision was the essential outward sign of this special relationship. But Paul explains that unless a person’s heart is committed to God, the outward circumcision ‘sign’ is meaningless: ‘a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code’ (Romans 2:28-29).
Faith is a heart matter; true faith in God means having our hearts devoted to him, because whoever, or whatever, sits on our heart’s throne will have our worship. In today’s verse Paul shows how Christians are those ‘who serve God by his Spirit’... and glory in Jesus.
How amazing to have God’s Holy Spirit living in our hearts as our soul’s helper! He is transforming us from the inside out, growing our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of Jesus, enabling us to worship, serve, glorify, and live wholeheartedly... for him. Let’s rejoice today in King Jesus, confident of all he has done for us!
Lord Jesus, you have made me God’s beloved child! I thank you Holy Spirit for transforming me from the inside out! Help me worship and glorify you today, in all I think and do and say. Amen.
Thursday January 18 - Profits or losses?
I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord... Philippians 3:8
Today’s media ‘influencers’ urge their audiences: “pursue your dreams!”, “achieve your goals!”, “be who you want to be!” Popularity, glamour, wealth and status are highly prized in the world’s eyes.
Before becoming a Christian, the apostle Paul had an awful lot going for him – in the world’s eyes. He was born into a devout family who kept the Hebrew customs, traced their ancestry to the patriarch Benjamin, and had Roman citizenship status. Paul studied hard and excelled as a Pharisee, an expert in the Jewish law. He really was going places...
Then, just when he started going places – pursuing his zealous goal of arresting Christians along the way – he met the Lord Jesus... and his world turned upside down! Paul began seeing the world with ‘gospel eyes’, realising that everything he’d previously valued was rubbish, ‘compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord’. Paul was still ‘going places’ geographically, but no longer in pursuit of his own goals, for Christ was now his Lord!
Jesus is our greatest treasure, but how easily our eyes are drawn to the glamorous, glittery things in the world around us. Let’s ask God to clear our vision today, to see the world with fresh ‘gospel eyes’ that look for opportunities to speak of his love and spread the joy of Jesus.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Father, forgive me for placing value in earthly things with no eternal value. Please show me if my goals will help me, or hinder me, in walking closely with Jesus. Amen
PRAYER FOR TODAY