Chapter 1
I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Philippians 1:12-14 – Paul, while sitting in prison, is choosing to see his imprisonment in such a holy way that it is quite striking. Look what he says in the verses above, that his imprisonment has a purpose. It is serving to advance the gospel, and that all throughout the guards and all those in prison with him know that the reason for him being there isn’t due to some normal criminal reason, but because of his faith in Jesus. He even goes on to say that his imprisonment has emboldened other believers to share the gospel without fear. What a heart posture to have about a horrible situation to find ourselves in. We too can see the situations that God allows us to experience or the seasons God allows us to go through as also having a purpose. That there is a deeper reason behind what is happening and what we are going through. That people, who wouldn’t otherwise hear the gospel, can now because we are in this situation. That our brothers and sisters in the faith, who were allowing fear to direct their witness, can now see our faithful lives in the hard seasons and be emboldened to live faithfully in their lives too. Know whatever you are going through in life can be used for the purpose of God’s glory. It’s our choice though how we choose to live in the seasons that aren’t great. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 543.5
For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance Philippians 1:19 – I know that I’ll get through this because of you and God. That’s what Paul is writing in his letter. That this difficult season he has found himself in is rough, but he knows he has brothers and sisters praying on his behalf and a God who loves him and is over this season. This is one of the key reasons why you should have a community of believers that you’re deeply connected to. So that they can support you in your struggle season. Remember you’re not alone in any season you find yourself in. God is always with you and God also is offering to surround you with people who love and care about you. You just have to make the choice to step into that group and allow the relationships to form. This is what hope looks like in the struggle. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 543
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Philippians 1:18 – I hope my heart grows into having a posture like Paul’s from this passage. Paul is currently in prison writing to different churches, one being the Christian church in Philippi. He shares that his imprisonment has served a greater purpose of inspiring others to share the gospel. Some are doing it out of good will, knowing that the mission must continue even while Paul is in prison. Others Paul says are sharing the gospel out of selfishness, seeking to somehow afflict Paul while he is in prison by what they are doing. Yet look at Paul’s heart in our verse. Either way, whether out of love for Paul or trying to come against Paul, the end result was the gospel being preached, so Paul rejoiced. I want to be like this. To where I may be in a season of my life that is not desirable, and I may even have people in my life that are purposely trying to come against me, but my heart above it all remains that the gospel be shared. My desire for you is that this sort of heart is grown within your life with God too. Where life may not be ideal, in fact you may be the farthest away from ideal possible, yet your longing still is the gospel to be heard by those who don’t know Jesus. Let’s find ourselves in prayer seeking out this change of heart within us. A heart that places carrying of the gospel as above all else in our life. Let the people in our story see what truly has our passion, especially when life isn’t great. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2402
Chapter 2
For he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill. Philippians 2:26- From the beginning of this book to now, I feel like this verse sums it up. That even in his illness and difficulty he cared about others . He cared how their life with God was doing. He cared about their situation even when his own situation wasn’t good. How often do you find yourself thinking deeply about other’s wellbeing when you’re in a season of struggle? That’s the direction Paul is leading the church here and that God is leading you today. To think about others even when life isn’t going good for you. Don’t let the struggles keep you from caring about others and caring about their life with God. Jesus showed us that even on the cross He cared for his family, the criminal next to Him, and even those crucifying Him. If Jesus could do that, allow Him to strengthen you to begin caring about others even in your season of struggle. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 544
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:4 – Today is day 2 of high school camp for me, meaning the next few days of devotions will likely be tied deeply to what’s happening here at camp. As I read over this passage, my heart is full after how I’ve been seeing this passage play out in our church. At VBS last week we had so many people choose to not just care for their own interests but chose to care and love on all the little ones that came. I’m also here at camp this week with 4 other adult sponsors, and while camp is great, if it was only our interests that mattered, none of us would be sleeping in these dorms away from our comfy beds. But that’s not what matters most. As a believer in Jesus, life is now not about us, it’s about those around us. Not our interests and desires, but the needs of others. How then can you this week make your life about the interest of others? Maybe it’s someone in your family, or someone at work, or maybe it’s a student in your camp dorm. There are needs around you today, step up to meet them and make your life’s focus on something greater than just your own interests. Jesus set the example of this perfectly, so let’s follow the lead of our Savior. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2403
Chapter 3
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 3:8 – Paul is speaking of his life before following Jesus and said he counts its as trash; that its worthless and added nothing to his ability to be in a relationship with Jesus. Now many of us would say the same thing about our pre-following-Jesus lives too because of how messed up they were. Yet Paul’s wasn’t messed up like ours, his was filled with godly lifestyles and rule following. But just like our sinful behavior Paul understood his rule following didn’t help him have his relationship with Jesus either. We only can be with Jesus through faith. Nothing we’ve done will matter in that choice, it’s just do you believe and want Jesus or not? So don’t be nervous about your past mistakes and don’t be proud about your past accomplishments. They aren’t going to help you. Only Jesus can help you to Heaven. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 545
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Philippians 3:12 – Paul understood something about himself, that while his past was being an excellent Jew, it didn’t equal him being sinless. Also compared to the example of Jesus, he was far from perfection. No works or studies or heritage would achieve the perfection needed to be in relationship with God. Yet somehow Paul knew this sort of perfection was his future. How? Because Jesus had made Paul His own. Jesus brought Paul into His flock, named him one of his sheep, and made him right enough to be with God. Our story is the same. We aren’t made perfect by our deeds or words, in fact it’s our deeds and words that have gotten us to the point of death. But God, who called us, is making us right by the righteousness of Jesus. We now can strive to live the sort of life that God is calling us to live, not to earn perfection, but to proclaim our gratefulness and anticipation for the perfection that will come in Heaven for every believer. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2404
Chapter 4
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:11-13 – Most all are familiar with that last verse, but what I hadn’t noticed until today is it’s actually a secret being told. Like a secret ingredient being shared, this idea is the secret behind being content in whatever situation you find yourself in. That because you can do all things through Christ you can be content in the season of struggle you’re in right now. The way you can handle the good times and bad times with the same attitude of joy and peace is because of Jesus strengthening you to do all that. Again, it comes down to Jesus taking care of us. So if the season you are finding yourself in right now isn’t great, know through Jesus, He can help you not only get through but even be content during this time. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 546
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 – Today is day four of high school camp and this passage is one I feel could be spoken into so many situations we are navigating with students this week. The enemy is clearly after the mind of students, and the adults as well. He wants us to focus on things untrue, impure, and lacking of love. For such things are not of God nor what God would call us to dwell our minds on. What we learn as Paul is encouraging the church here in our passage is that we get the choice as to what our minds think on. We can think on the lies and destructive things of the enemy, or we can think of the good and pure things of the Lord. We can dwell on the evil and hurt and hate of this world, or dwell on our Savior who is over all this. You have a choice today on what you dwell on. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2405
Daily DEVO 