- For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. Philippians 1:22-23 – While not a conversation you’d think you’d have with the Apostle Paul, here he clearly says he isn’t sure which he’d rather have right now, life or death. Understand this isn’t coming from a place of depression, but a from a place of true understanding of the life to come. Paul knew what was ahead from him and it would be a gain in his life no matter how blessed this earthly life might be for him. His future was Heaven with the God that he so faithfully followed and served. Yet if now wasn’t the time to be there with the Lord, then he would remain in this life yet with a sole purpose. To live for Christ. If he was to remain living then the only option was fruitful labor for the Gospel. What a mindset for us believers to have! Death should not be something we fear for it truly is only going to be a gain for us. Eternal paradise with the Lord! Yet, if today isn’t our day to go to our heavenly home, then we live for Christ. We live with the determination to be fruitful for the Lord. If God has placed breath in our lungs than that breath is to be given out in worship of Him. If God has given us another day to live, than this day ought to be used for His purposes alone. If we’re living, we’re living for Christ. What changes then would need to be made in your life for such a statement to be true? Cherish the breath and day you have been given, and now give it back to the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3416
- 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
Daily DEVO 