Jean Stockdale...

JOY IN THE JOURNEY-Satisfied in Jesus-Lesson #10

Satisfied in Jesus

In Paul’s day, the care of prisoners fell to families and friends and not the state. It was up to the prisoners to enlist help. Paul had no visible means of support. He was cast wholly on the Lord and the kindness of His people. The Philippians had sent Paul financial support on several occasions. One of the purposes of Paul’s letter was to thank the congregation for their generous and timely gift. Paul’s letter was full of heartfelt gratitude and spiritual instruction. The Philippian church had ministered to his physical needs. In turn, Paul ministered to their spiritual needs.

I. A Generous Gift-Philippians 4:10 Paul was grateful for financial gift Epaphroditus delivered and for the love it represented. The sacrificial financial assistance represented the Philippians’ love for the Lord and for His servant, Paul. Because the gift was based on their spiritual relationship in the Lord, their material gift was an occasion for Christian joy. The believers at Philippi shared a unique bond in the Lord with the apostle Paul. He had personally led many of them to the Lord. He had planted the church there. He had invested in them through preaching, teaching, and disciple making. He considered them his joy and crown, his riches and his reward (Phil. 4:1). The finances gift represented the riches in Christ they all shared. It touched a responsive chord of praise in his soul. Paul praised God for His gracious provision through the Philippian believers. Paul rejoiced in the Lord greatly (Phil. 4:1). Apparently, some time had elapsed between gifts from the Philippian church. Paul was aware that the passage of time did not represent a lack of interest, but a lack of opportunity. Paul wrote, Now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity (Phil. 4:10). This sentence sounds a bit like a rebuke but Bible commentators do not think it was meant to be. Perhaps a better translation might be, “You have renewed your concern for me because you have been concerned.” Bible commentators believe this is more along the lines of Paul’s intention. The Philippians had been concerned all along and had wanted to respond, but because of Paul’s situation, they had not been able to get aid to him. The church created an opportunity to send financial aid to Paul. Epaphroditus would be the courier of the gift. Travel in this day was very difficult. No lodging was available. Transporting food was a problem. Safety issues were a constant concern. Robbery was a common occurrence as travelers ventured through isolated areas. With little or no security patrols, muggings often escalated to murder. Epaphroditus would be traveling with a cash gift, making him an especially vulnerable target. Furthermore, contact with a prisoner of Rome was dangerous. Paul was considered a conspirator against Nero. Anyone who provided help to Paul was in danger of falling under suspicion. Association with Paul was risky at best. The sacrificial financial gift represented only a part of the gift; the danger Epaphroditus risked to deliver the gift was equally significant.

II. A Contented Convert-Philippians 4:11-13 Paul was grateful for the gift. It caused him to rejoice in the Lord for His supernatural provision. However, he wanted to make it very clear. His joy was not dependant on financial aid from the Philippians or any other source. Paul had learned to be content in whatever circumstances he found himself. Contentment is learned through experience. Paul had learned to live in complete detachment from his circumstances. Paul reckoned the circumstances of his life to have been ordered by the Lord. Consequently, he fared well in and through them because of his own relationship to Christ. Paul had experienced prosperity and he had known poverty. Because he considered God to be in control of the circumstances of his life, his soul was at rest regardless of the prevailing situations of life. Paul could rise above any set of circumstances and prosper spiritually. Why? Paul wrote, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13).Christ strengthened him. As Paul sought to live in the center of God’s will, he could rest in God’s power, provision, and providence. Please notice. This verse, often lifted out of context, is a conditional promise. The promise of God’s power is limited to the sphere of His will. Paul was content. In poverty or in prosperity, Paul was content. In prison or in the pulpit, Paul was content. Full or famished, Paul was content.

III. A Satisfied Soul-Philippians 4:14-23 Paul was grateful for the financial relief that the Philippians had sent. However, he was not seeking a gift. His contentment was in Christ. Still, Paul was very aware of the value of the sacrificial gift - not to his account, but to the balance sheet of eternal rewards laid up in heaven for the Philippians. Paul wrote, I seek for the profit which increases to your account (Phil. 4:17). The love gift would serve to meet Paul’s needs, but it would accrue heavenly interest and eternal rewards for the Philippian Christians at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Paul knew the members of the Philippian church were not wealthy. The size of the gift represented sacrificial giving. Paul was humbled by their sacrifice but he was well aware it was impossible to out give God. Out of His limitless treasury, God would supply the need of these who had given with liberty. God’s sufficient supply through the Philippians’ gift caused Paul’s thoughts to linger on God’s glory and grace, prompting a doxology. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Greetings were sent to the Philippians from all those with Paul, especially those of Caesar’s household. What divine irony. Paul’s imprisonment for preaching the gospel had lead to the furtherance of the gospel in Caesar’s very own household! Paul was satisfied, amply supplied, with the Philippians’ gift. Beyond that, his soul was satisfied with Jesus. I cannot help but think that Jesus was satisfied with Paul! I trust your soul is satisfied with Jesus. May you walk with The Lord Jesus Christ as a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. May you enjoy His endless supply of Joy in the Journey.

Today is our last lesson on the Book of Philippians entitled "Joy in the Journey." For a live video feed or to view archived messages go to www.bellevue.org. We will begin the MOMS MINISTRY in September. Please join us then to study the Book of Ephesians.

Jean's current writing and speaking schedule has kept her away from her daily posts on the blog. Please check back in next week when she promises to return. She misses you all terribly!

To purchase Bible study workbooks or further information on Jean's ministry go to www.jeanstockdale.com. Sign up for her newsletter while you are there.

Joy in the Journey-Trouble in Paradise! #9

A Fly in the Ointment

The Philippian church held a special place of affection the Paul’s heart. He wrote, It is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Phi. 1:7-8). Throughout his letter, Paul affirmed his love for them and the spiritual delight he felt for their forward progress with the Lord. But Paul was aware of a problem in the assembly of believers in Philippi. Sadly, there was a fly in the ointment!

I. A Word of Affirmation-Philippians 4:1 Paul longed to see his Philippian friends and co-laborers in the faith. He was homesick for them. In his mind’s eye, he could picture his dear friends and recall sweet times of shared fellowship. John wrote, You too may have fellowship with us; indeed our fellowship is the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (I John 1:3). Sweet memories of the Philippian flock flood Paul’s soul, bringing joy to his heart and encouragement to his weary soul. Paul wrote, Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved (Phil. 4:1). Like a father proudly considering the godly maturity of his child, Paul reflected on the spiritual growth of the body of Christ in Philippi and it brought great delight to him. Paul writes, You are my joy and crown. In this way stand firm in the Lord. Paul knew God was at work among the Philippian believers. It is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Phil. 2:13). But he also knew that they had chosen to cooperate with God’s purposes and plans in order for eternal work to be accomplished in their midst. It spoke to the maturity of the Philippian church and it produced joy in the apostle’s heart. Eternal rewards were laid up for Paul because of the Philippian congregation. They would prove to his crown in glory. A crown that the apostle would gladly cast at the nail-scarred feet of Jesus! So, Philippian church, keep standing firm in the Lord!

II. A Fly in the Ointment-Philippians 4:2-5 Solomon wrote, Dead flies make a perfumer’s oil stink, so a little foolishness is weightier than wisdom and honor (Ecc. 10:1). That is, when dead flies are discovered floating in a vat of perfumed oil, the whole batch is ruined! Dead flies give, even a vat of concentrated perfumer’s oil, a bad smell! And it only takes one or two flies in the ointment to spoil the sweet fragrance of the perfume and most is worthless. Likewise, in the body of Christ, one or two malcontents can spoil the fellowship and stink up the place! In the midst of the sweet aroma of a united fellowship, striving to fulfill the purposes and plans of God, a fly can spoil the ointment! Division among believers spoils intimacy in fellowship, shakes the faith of new converts, damages the cause of Christ to the unbelieving world, and breaks the heart of God. At the church of Philippi, Paul was aware of a fly in the ointment. Epaphroditus brought word to Paul of the conflict between two women in the congregation, Euodia and Syntyche. Paul urged the two women to reconcile their differences and live in harmony in the Lord (Phil. 4:2). Can you imagine what it felt like to be one of these two women? In a letter that contained no rebukes, no correction of doctrinal error, or reprimand for moral failure, in a letter that consists of positive encouragement to press on in the Lord, in a letter intended to be read publicly to the congregation, can you imagine? Can you imagine hearing your name announced as one of the two flies in the ointment that was spoiling the fragrance of Christian harmony? Just how much was holding on to that grudge worth to those two women? We do not know the details of the disagreement but I don’t think it was worth what it cost them. Mercifully, the reference to Euodia and Syntyche was brief. Much was left unsaid causing me to fear that the details were well known to the congregation. Paul’s gentle plea for unity is immediately tied to joy. These two women had lost the joy of Jesus. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near! (Phil. 4:4-5). The joy of the Lord produces a gentle spirit. Joy. Gentleness. Fruits of the Holy Spirit. That is the testimony the Christian world should be known for, not bickering and in-fighting!

III. A Plea for Peace-Philippians 4:6-9 Prayer and peace. There are two things every mom can use! Paul writes, Be anxious for nothing (Phil. 4:6). How do you avoid anxiety when children are involved? The answer is through prayer. Pryaer is a divine mystery. Why pray when God already knows our needs and requests? What’s the point? We do not know how prayer works but we do know that God designed it to encourage us to come to Him. He longs to hear from us. He delights to meet with us. He wants us to pour out our hearts in prayer and make our requests known to Him. The process of prayer allows us to formulate the cries of our heart into prayer requests, causes us to spend time developing a thankful heart, teaches us to praise the Lord, and invites us to participate in kingdom activity. While we cannot explain prayer, it is one of the loveliest of Christian disciplines and it moves us into a closer walk with the Lord. Prayer produces peace. How? Prayer brings the activity of the Almighty into play. It moves us from our earth-bound living and lifts our eyes to heavenlies places as we change our focus from our situation to our Savior. We begin to bring our circumstances in line with God’s heavenly perspective. Prayer produces confidence in God’s presence and power in our situation. It focuses our eyes on Jesus. Through prayer, we draw the courage to persevere, the ability to know God’s heart, the divine power to do God’s will, and the confidence to live in the audacity of faith based on the Word of God and made operational by the Spirit of God. Pure thoughts. Think on these things. Think on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent and worthy of praise. Think on these things. Think on Jesus. When we do, the peace of God distills upon our souls, reminding us the God of peace is with us (Phil. 4:9). Oh the joy of knowing Jesus!! He produces Joy in the Journe

Watch us live at www.bellevue.org today at 10:45 CT or later in the Archived Messages for MOMS Spring 2009-"Joy in the Journey" A Joyeous Look at the Book of Philippians.

Joy in the Journey-In Christ Alone I Stand! #7

In Christ Alone, I Stand!

As a young Hebrew student Paul’s hunger for knowledge combined with his strict standards had caused him to rapidly rise to the top of his class. Paul had excelled at his religious education, showing early signs of genius. He verbally sparred with his peers and handily outshone their meager performances with his razor sharp rhetoric and nearly photographic memory. He had rightfully won bragging rights over all the other students. The bright Jewish scholar brought his parents no small measure of pride when he went off to Jerusalem to sit under the tutelage of the renowned Jewish rabbi, Gamaliel. Paul, born a full-bloodied Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, from a child was thoroughly grounded in the Scriptures. His parents recognized the early signs of genius in their son. They carefully guided their gifted child and relished the brilliant future their son had ahead of him. His home life, his schooling, his accomplishments, his passion, his position were all part and parcel of the components to groom Paul for a coveted seat on the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling counsel. That is, until that moment. In a blinding flash Paul was intercepted by the resurrected Lord of Glory on the Damascus Road.

I. Religious Gains-Philippians 3:3-6 Prior to his conversion, Paul had vigorously pursued a life that conformed to the letter of the Jewish Law. That is, using his human giftedness, his acute mental capacity, and his ironclad willpower Paul had achieved greatness according to man’s standard. If anyone had reason to believe he could gain favor with God through human effort it was the apostle Paul. Paul wrote, If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more. No one had scaled such heights of religious ritual. He was born of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless (Phil. 3:4-8). On the human level, Paul could boast about his Jewishness. No one could have bested Paul in his national, tribal, or parental claim to his Jewish heritage. None could approach Paul’s zeal and enthusiasm for garnering religious (self-made) righteousness. A brilliant mind. A skilled orator. A learned scholar. A Hebrew of Hebrews. Paul was rapidly climbing the ladder of the Jewish hierarchy to rule the Sanhedrin. Paul’s rehearsal of his Jewish pedigree was directed at the Judaizers who mistook their strict religiousness for righteousness. Relying on a works-based manmade righteousness, they believed sinful man could find favor with God through good works, religious ritual, and strict adherence to the Law. The pretense of such heresy is laughable, knowing the sinfulness of unregenerate man and the fallacy of the flesh. In Paul’s day the rabbis were adding their interpretations and traditions to the Scriptures. As these oral teachings began to be written down, the Talmud emerged and nearly eclipsed the Torah! Piror to Paul’s conversion he too had been immersed in Jewish traditions and religious rituals. But then he met Jesus. Paul’s encounter with Christ revealed the inadequacies of man’s futile attempt to gain God’s favor by works of righteousness. Salvation is in Christ alone. Beware of what I call “pretty flesh.” Human effort clothed in religious activity by a believer or an unbeliever is little more than an attempt to disguise the flesh and make it presentable. When we rely on natural gifting, sheer willpower, or pretense “to perform” and appear to possess an acceptable measure of spirituality, we are controlling the flesh with the flesh. This exercise results in strengthening the flesh. Believers are to crucify the flesh and surrender to the Savior.

II. Spiritual Liabilities-Philippians 3:7 Prior to his conversion, Paul had been captured by the self-effort of a religious system, which was never intended to produce righteousness. He was relying on his personal Jewish pedigree, his religious education, and his good works to gain God’s favor and secure entrance into heaven. Paul’s manufactured religious gains had turned into a spiritual liability. His religious rituals had dulled his senses, masqueraded his sinfulness with self-righteousness, and blinded him to his spiritual bankruptcy and his desperate need for a Savior. Religion had gotten between his soul and the Savior. Then he met Jesus. One glimpse of the Lord Jesus Christ and all of Paul’s self-righteousness turned into filthy rags in his sight. Taking account of his religious balance sheet Paul’s wrote, Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:7). Paul realized his religious gains were spiritual liabilities. He was religious, but lost. Morally upright, but spiritually bankrupt. Still dead in his trespasses and sins. Upon meeting Jesus, Paul discarded his synthetic self-made religious ritual for the substitutionary sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. An honorable standing before men based on self-righteousness could not compete with a perfect standing before God based on the finished work of the cross! Whatever things were gain are all lost to me for the sake of Jesus Christ! In Christ alone I stand!

III. Intentional Losses-Philippians 3:8-11 Paul wrote, More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ (Phil. 3:8). Nothing matters but Jesus. In Christ alone, I stand. Christ gave His life for us (justification) as that we might be found in Him, not having a righteous of our own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes form God on the basis of faith (Phil. 3:9). He now lives His life through and we are progressively changed into His image (sanctification) by the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death (Phi. 3:10). See Galatians 2:20. One day He will take us to heaven (glorification) where we will attain to the resurrection from the dead (Phil. 3:11). No other call to consecration can compare with Paul’s evaluation of Christ. Should we be able to grasp the truth of this text, the lure of the world, the lies of the devil, and the lust of the flesh would fade from our conscious state. The things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace! And, oh the joy!! Irrepressible, unexplainable, uncontainable Joy in the Journey!

To watch live video stream of this message,click here. The message is live on Thursday, March 26, 2006 at 10:45 CT and then archived at www.bellevue.org under MOMS Spring 2009 "Joy in the Journey". We will soon be posting podcasts of this series on this blog. Blessings.

Joy in the Journey-Lesson Six

Rejoice!

Paul’s undeniable faith was validated by his irrefutable testimony. Paul’s joy was not manufactured. It was not pretense or performance. It was not dependant on circumstance. Paul’s joy was genuine. Outrageous. Outlandish. Unspeakable joy. Deeply rooted in his relationship with Jesus Christ, the joy of the Lord was Paul’s strength (Neh. 8:10).

I. The Sanctuary of Joy-Philippians 3:1

About joy, Paul wrote it is a safeguard for you (Phil. 3:1). A Sanctuary. Nothing places us out of the grasp of the enemy’s reach quite like the joy of the Lord. When the joy bells are ringing in the soul, the heart soars to the presence of the Lord seated in the heavenlies. The eyes are fixed on Jesus, the author and finisher of the faith. The mind is renewed. The will is surrendered. The behavior is transformed. Joy flows out of the inner most being. In Colossians 3:16-17 Paul wrote, Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual sons, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father (Col. 3:16-17). Regardless of circumstances, Jesus is ruling and reigning. The sooner we realize we are not in control and have never been, the sooner we will relinquish the need to control our circumstances and relinquish ourselves to Him. This attitude in living produces a heightened sense to the move of God in our lives. As we develop an awareness of His presence and a hunger for the restoration He provides, we are progressively changed. The spiritual discipline of renewing our mind combined with the desire to walk in obedience and dependence produces a practice that reflects our position in Christ. The end produce is outrageous JOY. Rejoice in the Lord. It is a safeguard for you. There is Joy in the Journey!

II. The Worship of the Spirit –Philippians 3:2-3a

One sure joy-stealer is unbelievers who are intent on wrecking havoc among God’s people. While some unbelievers live by a lofty moral code, content with the pursuit of self-righteousness, others have set their face against God and His people. We can gather from Paul’s epistles that the early church was being troubled by false teachers, many of whom planted themselves inside the church. They feigned conversion in order to divide and destroy the body of Christ from within the church. Paul called them dogs, evil workers. In Paul’s day dogs roamed in packs and were regarded as dangerous mongrels, rending, tearing, and devouring. God refers to His people as sheep. Dogs disturb and destroy sheep. Beware of these evil men. The word translated “evil” literally means depraved, bad. Beware. A renewed mind that can rightly divide the truth is the best defense against false teachers. Paul referred to these unbelieving agitators as members of the false circumcision. The Bible forbids any type of heathenistic cutting of the flash (Lev. 21:5; I Kings 18:28) which is most vividly seen in the story of Elijah. The prophets of Baal cut themselves in a religious ritual of Baal worship. Paul regarded the Jewish ordinance of circumcision, when demanded of Gentile converts by Jewish zealots, to be no better than a heathenistic cutting of the flesh. Circumcision had come to distinguish the Jews from the Gentiles. It was an outward symbol for the nation of Israel that represented her unique covenant relationship with God. It was never intended to become a condition of salvation. Since salvation is wrought by the finished work of Christ on the cross, the insistence by some to add the rite of circumcision as a condition for genuine conversion nullified the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. And frankly, it sickened Paul. To add the requirement of circumcision in order to be converted put the ritual in the same category as the heathen’s practice of cutting the flesh as an act of their worship. Paul denounced the practice and warned his readers to beware of the false circumcision. For any to preach the so-called addition of works of any kind to the once-for-all-time Sacrifice for sin, was to deny the sufficiency of the cross. Christ and the finished work of the cross is the basis for our worship. We worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:3). In John 4:24 Jesus said, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” And for all who have met God on His terms of faith and repentance, there is Joy in the Journey!

III. The Fallacy of the Flesh-Philippians 3:3b

The Judaizers were deluded into thinking righteousness could be achieved through works of the flesh. In Romans 3:28 Paul wrote, For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law. Religious activity, no matter how sincerely believed and sacrificially followed, is never a substitute for righteousness. God created man to be inhabited by God. Indwelling the human spirit, the Holy Spirit had access to the soul (the mind, the will, and the emotions). When Adam sinned, the Holy Spirit vacated the human spirit and man was left with a sin principle in control of his soul – teaching his mind, controlling his emotions, directing his will and ultimately determining his behavior. This principle of indwelling sin is referred to as the flesh (Rom. 7). At conversion, we are given the power to crucify the flesh and walk in the Spirit. However, this is not automatically achieved in the Christian life. Apart from the renewing of the mind and the conscious surrendering the will in obedience to the Spirit of God, it will never be realized. Paul wrote, Lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lust of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Eph. 4:22-24). Put off the sinful habit patterns of the old man, which is corrupted by the flesh, trained in depravity prior to conversion. Put on the new man, which is progressively being formed in you by the righteousness of Christ. Do not attempt to control your flesh with the flesh. Do not put any confidence in the flesh. Do not attempt to reform the flesh. View it as your enemy. Crucify it. Exalt Christ and live to His honor and glory. And beloved, have Joy in the Journey! Outrageous. Outlandish. Unspeakable joy. Unshakable joy. Undeniable joy. Unparalleled joy. In the midst of your circumstances, joy. Joy in the Journey!

Finer Things Friday

Amy over at Amy's Finer Things is hosting a wonderful carnival called Finer Things Friday. Click here to go there and read more Finer Things Friday. Consider writing your own post and join in the fun.There is nothing finer than God's Word. I am studying and teaching the Book of Philippians to my MOMS Bible Study. We are working our way through this series called Joy in the Journey. I have been pondering Paul's admonition, "Do all things without grumbling or disputing so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as light in the world" (Phil. 2:14-15).

Don't grumble. Don't argue or be drawn into a dispute. Seriously? Can you imagine how many homes would be transformed if we implemented just this one small fragment of the Word of God?!?!? Some people would not have anything else to say if it weren't for murmuring and grumbling! Obviously, if we would consciously choose to carefully guard our words we could consistently be lights in the dark world for the glory of God! There is no greater joy than living a life that is well-pleasing to the Father. There is nothing finer!

Joy in the Journey-Philippians-Lesson Five

The Marks of Maturity!

God created man to be inhabited by God. Indwelling the human spirit, the Holy Spirit had access to the soul (the mind, the will, and the emotions). He was able to supply man’s code of behavior from the inner most part of his being (his human spirit). Man was created to manifest his invisible Creator God to the world. When Adam sinned, the Holy Spirit vacated the human spirit and man was left with a sin principle in control of his soul – teaching his mind, controlling his emotions, directing his will and ultimately determining his behavior. His body became subject to disease and death. His soul was governed by depravity as he become subject to the lusts of his flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind (See Eph. 2:1-3). Man in sin was not what God had in mind for His creation. Sin marred the image of God. What did man do? In a vain effort to cover his sin without confessing it, Adam took fig leaves and made a covering with the work of his own hands – a pathetic testament to the best a man without God can do to deal with his sin problem. A man without God can be quite creative. He can invent systems of religious ritual and, using the power of persuasion, convince thousands to join up. He can be financially successful, socially savvy, and intellectually brilliant. Engaging his own willpower he can turn over a new leaf, employ positive thinking, live an outwardly moral lifestyle, follow a 12-step program to deal with his addictions, pull himself up by his own bootstraps, and make New Year’s resolutions. But a man without God cannot win the approval of God. His sin separates him from God. He must be born again (John 3:7). The only solution to sin is Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is God’s remedy for man’s ruin. On the cross, Jesus Christ paid for the sin debt of the whole world (See 1 John 2:1-2; 1 Tim. 2:3-5). When we meet God on His terms – faith and repentance – we are reconciled to a holy God and gloriously saved. Our conversion ushers us into a process known as sanctification. Sanctification involves our cooperation in order for it to produce a holy life pleasing to God. This is the slow process accomplished as we renew our minds with the Word of God and surrender ourselves to Holy Spirit, but we are progressively conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote about three benchmarks that identify our forward progress in the process of sanctification.

I. Walk Blamelessly-Philippians 2:14-16

Sin moved God out of man. Salvation gets God back in man. Deity is once again clothed in humanity. We become His ambassadors. Our representation of God is marred at best, but as the body of Christ is conformed to the image of Christ we show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus (Eph. 2:7).The church, having been built on the Chief Cornerstone, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Eph. 2:21-22). Christians are to strive to maintain a living testimony above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation (Phil. 2:15).We are to renew our minds with the Word of God in order to transform our behavior. Paul wrote, Appear as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life (Phil. 2:15-16). As we saturate our souls with the Word of God and surrender our wills to the Spirit of God, we appear as lights in the world. Paul saw the Philippians as a living sacrifice being consumed on the altar of sacrifice and service. In Old Testament times, when a person brought an animal sacrifice to God, he also brought wine to be poured out as a libation. Since wine is symbolic of joy and exhilaration, the message implied was the way of sacrifice is the way of joy. Paul considered his life to be an accompanying drink offering on the burnt offering of the Philippians’ consecration. Would you like to experience Joy in the Journey? Live sacrificially. Walk blamelessly.

II. Work Faithfully-Philippians 2:17-24

Sacrifice leads to joy. Service leads to joy. Paul referred to his beloved true child in the faith, Timothy, as an example of a servant. Paul was hoping to send Timothy to Philippi so he could bring the apostle news of that flock. Timothy’s reputation of care and concern for the apostle, as well of the fledging church, was well known. Timothy was a faithful companion, a compassionate servant, and a devoted co-laborer in the gospel ministry. Timothy had the heart of a servant and the love a son towards Paul. He was a faithful worker. Timothy was heavily invested in kingdom work – edifying those within the body and evangelizing those without a personal relationship with Christ. Paul’s use of Timothy’s example as a kingdom worker illustrated the presence of the joy of Jesus, which bubbled up and overflowed from the heart of Timothy. Would you like to have Joy in the Journey? Develop the heart of a servant. Work faithfully for the kingdom of God.

III. War Tirelessly-Philippians 2:25-30

Timothy was a worker; Epaphroditus was a warrior. If Paul considered Timothy to be his true son in the faith, he saw Epaphroditus as his true brother in the family of God. Paul called him my brother, and fellow worker and fellow soldier (Phil. 2:25). Epaphroditus had brought a love gift from the congregation at Philippi to invest in Paul’s ministry and support him during his time of incarceration. Paul intended to send Epaphroditus back to the Philippians to deliver his letter and give a report of the apostle’s well-being. Shortly after arriving Epaphroditus become seriously ill, close to death for the work of Christ, risking his life (Phil. 2:30) to serve the Lord and minister to Paul. Epaphroditus put himself in harm’s way in order to minister to Paul. Travel was difficult and could be quite hazardous. Associating with a prisoner considered an enemy of the state could potentially label Epaphroditus as a traitor to the Roman government. Of Epaphroditus Paul wrote, Receive him then in the Lord with all joy, and hold men like him in high regard (Phil. 2:30). Indeed. Men of the caliper of Epaphroditus and Timothy are rare and worthy of honor and respect.

Servants. Soldiers. Workers. Warriors. Benchmarks in maturity. Blessings in the kingdom of God. Do you want to know outrageous Joy in the Jorunery? Saturate your soul with the Word of God. Surrender yourself to the Spirit of God. Walk blamelessly. Work faithfully. War tirelessly. Live for the glory of God!

To watch the live video stream on Thursday morning at 10:45 CT, click here. Then chose today's date from the drop down menu (Moms Spring 2009 Joy in the Journey) The message will be archived afterwards at the same location.

Joy in the Journey-Philippians-Lesson Four

Make Up Your Mind!

Satan must have rejoiced the day Paul was arrested, thinking the apostle’s ministry would be stalled and possibly stopped. Little did the enemy realize the positive impact on the spread of the gospel Paul’s imprisonment would have. Paul would become an even more dangerous threat to the kingdom of darkness as he spent unending hours in prayer storming the enemy’s camp with prayer. Paul’s imprisonment emboldened the timid to speak up, forced the naysayers to shutup and caused the blood-bought church of the redeemed to stand up!Satan’s most powerful tool in his arsenal may very well be dissension among the body of Christ. The church is the living testimony of the power of Christ to change lives. In our lost state, we walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air. We indulged the lusts of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest (See Ephesians 2:1-3). God did not abandon us in our sinful condition. God was rich in mercy and sent His only begotten Son to redeem us from our lost state, remove us from the enemy’s camp, and restore our fellowship with the Father. Colossians 1:13 says, Christ rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.When we meet God on His terms of faith and repentance, we are gloriuosly saved by grace. No longer pawns of Satan’s devious deception, we are eternally secure, sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise. Since Satan cannot recapture our souls once we have been translated into the kingdom of light, he settles for stealing our testimony. Appealing to the lust of our flesh, he subtly locates an unguarded weakness and exploits it for his advantage. To battle the onslaught of the enemy, Paul set forth the example of Jesus Christ.

 

I. A Crucified Life-Philippians 2:1-4

While the Philippian church was progressively making forward progress as a body, Paul was well aware of some internal squabbles among the membership. Satan had slipped in and sown seeds of discord. Dissension, allowed to proceed unchecked in the body of Christ, can quickly become disastrous. Our united representation of Christ to the lost world causes those outside a personal relationship with Christ to consider the claims of the gospel. When the enemy is allowed to produce disharmony in an individual believer, it will give way to dissension among the body. If the spread of dissension is not arrested, it caves to division among the body of Christ – the earthly representation of Christ.  The end result is that the lost world sneers at the testimony of the church.Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, the apostle pleaded (Phil. 2:1). Paul had learned the secret of joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8). The discord in the Philippian church was hitting a sournote in Paul’s sympathy of joy. Paul’s spirit was disturbed within him. The believers were cheapening the value of their redemption, bringing disgrace upon the church, and damaging the testimony of Christ.Paul was not intent on patching up a spat or reconciling a rift in the fellowship. Instead he called the congregation to unity in the Lord. Being unselfish in attitude and action cuts to the heart of our human nature.  It means we are willing to forego our own comfort, our own personal preferences, our own schedule, and our own desires to benefit another. In order to do so, the self-life must be crucified and the Christ-life demonstrated. Be likeminded, Paul commanded. Be Christ-centered rather than self-centered. Make up your mind!

 

II. A Renewed Mind-Philippians 2:5-8

In the context of selfless living, Paul illustrates his point in the person of Christ Jesus. Christ embodies unselfishness and a meek spirit. Jesus spoke of Himself saying, “I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:29-30).  It was His attitude of unselfishness that launched Him from the glories of heaven to a humble birth in Bethlehem and propelled Him to the cross of Calvary. Paul wrote,  For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).Totally yielded to the Father’s purpose and plan, Christ laid aside the splendor of heaven, the worship and adoration of the angelic host, the unveiled presence of God, and humbly clothed His deity with the humanity of His fallen creation, yet without sin. He willingly came to earth, exchanging glories of heaven for the agonies of earth. Christ emptied Himself of His deity and took the form of a bondservant in the likeness of men. He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross (See Phil. 2:5-8). Jesus Christ accepted the most painful and humiliating death by crucifixion in order to redeem lost humanity. Christ freely laid down His life. In John 10:17-18 Jesus says, For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it up again. No one has taken (My life) away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take is up again.  Paul wrote, For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above very name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow (Phil. 2:9-10). Deity clothed in humanity. Humble. Obedient. Holy. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil. 2:5) by renewing your mind with the in-depth study of the Word of God. Make up your mind!

III. A Mature Faith-Philippians 2:9-13

Paul urged the congregation to pursue a mature faith, not in his presence only, but also in his absence. An immature believer requires constant supervision and cannot serve up the meat of the Word without relying on the guidance of another. Rather than learning how to study independently and apply the truth of the Word, the immature Christian leaves the hard work to the maturing believer with no intention of learning the disciplines of the Christian life. Paul wrote, Work out your salvation. Co-operate with His purpose and plan Sanctification is a slow process, which requires work – reading, memorizing, meditating, praying, studying to show yourself approved. Make up your mind the things of the Lord. And that, beloved is exactly what produces Joy in the Journey!

Joy in the Journey

Could you use more joy in your life? The secret to experiencing real joy is found in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Beyond knowing Jesus for salvation, we need to "get to know Jesus" in the process of sanctification. Having once met the Lord on His terms of faith and repentance, we are required to grow in grace and knowledge of Him in order to become conformed to His image. That is when the joy bells start ringing!

Join me for a live video feed on a practical look at Philippians on Thursday, Feb. 26th at 10:45 CT by clicking here and following the prompts. The message will be archived if you need to join us later. The notes to this lesson will be posted on this blog later in the day.  Join me for Joy in the Journey. Blessings.

Joy in the Journey

Mothering is a tough job. It is usually thankless and it can quickly steal your joy. How do you have joy when life falls apart? How can you have joy when difficult circumstances threaten you? I it even possible to have joy in the midst of the hard seasons of life?

Do you want to have joy? Not just happiness when the circumstances of life are producing a respite. I am talking about joy-hilarious, unspeakable, outrageous, unending JOY. Joy that springs forth from the wellsprings of a continual river that flows from your innermost being. I am talking about the joy that only Jesus gives.

Paul wrote the book of Philippians during one of his imprisonments. Chained to a Roman guard and confined to house arrest for two years, he wrote of the outrageous joy that Jesus provides. Join us on Thursday morning at 10:45 CT at www.bellevue.org for a live video feed of a message entitled "Choose Joy!" Click on Watch & Listen Live and follow the directions. A handout of the message will be provided later in the day. So grab you Bible and come and study along with us.

To purchase a the Bible study of Joy in the Journey, click to www.jeanstockdale.com. The 200-page interactive workbooks sell for $15.00 plus s/h. Full of profound truth, practical insight and personal illustrations, I invite you to come along and enjoy the faith walk of joy in Jesus Christ.

Not Me Monday-Oh No I Didn't!

I did not lock my keys in my car. Not Me! I spent Friday evening with a precious group of women from Advent Presbyterian. We shared a wonderful meal together and then I shared a message from the book of Ephesians on how to develop the aroma of Christ. God touched down and we had a fresh encounter with Him. On Saturday I met the ladies at the Hyatt Hotel and shared 3 more messages with them on developing a love affair with Jesus Christ and being light and salt in a lost world. We wrapped up at 4:30 in the afternoon. I reluctantly told them goodbye.They had become very dear to me in the 24-hour period we had shared. It has been a marvelous weekend, feasting at the banqueting table of Jesus Christ.

I won't lie. I was tired. Virtue had gone out of me. As well as an enormous volume of words!! But I loved every minute of it and God touched down in a mighty way. I packed up my book table and pulled my rolling bin out to my car. With one hand on the wheeled cart, I used the other to dig in my purse for my keys. Seriously. Where are my keys? Seriously.

I certainly have my issues. I am the first to admit that. But my keys. I never misplace my keys. Seriously, where are my keys? I never lose my keys. At least, that is what I kept repeating as I stood at the door of my locked car and locked at my keys laying on the front seat. Seriously. I never lose my keys. I never lock my keys in my car. Seriously. Never. I have me some issues, but this is not one of them. So how come I was standing outside my car...locked out...tired...without my keys...weary from my well-doing...with no keys. Seriously, how did this happen?

It took me a moment to reconstruct my morning. I had left the house at 8:00, with my Bible and notebook tucked under my arm. I had a message from God burning on my heart. I was listening to my IPod (that's right, an IPod. I am so totally techno-savvy!). I had on some worship music and I had it up loud. I was abut halfway there when "Shout to the Lord" came on. I cranked up the volume to near deafening volume and I had me a sure 'nuf worship service! I sang at the top of my lungs. When the song ended, I hit replay, again and again. Over and over again, I shouted to the Lord. Up until the moment I pulled in the parking lot, got out of my car, and promptly locked myself out of the car.

Realizing what had caused my mental malfunction earlier that morning, suddenly caused me to smile. Beloved, when you face any difficulty-big or small-turn your eyes upon Jesus. Praise Him. Bless His holy name. Psalm 98:4 says, "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy and sing praises." What's a girl to do that is locked out of her car? Shout to the Lord!!! Blessings.

For more NOT ME MONDAY tales, click here.

Calling All Moms-How To Have Joy!

Have you lost your joy? Is your newborn making your nutty? Is your toddler tiring? Is your school-aged child driving you crazy? Is your pre-adolescent perplexing you? Have you lost your mind trying to train your teen and navigate the minefield of adolescent angst? Have you had conversations with your teen that sound like this, "Why can't I? All my friends are getting to! You don't really love me, do you? You act like you don't trust me. My parents are so weird!"

As a mom, I would like to invite you to join us for a 10-week Bible study written especially for MOMS. The material is suitable for MOMS of ALL ages. My studies are non-denominational and open to the community. I am adding more and more matierial to both my Bible studies and my lectures on dealing with teens and releasing grown children into the adult world. Many Christian parents do a great job parenting, up until the teen years and the totally freeze up trying to properly release grown chidlren.

As Christian parents we all know that the Bible holds the key to training kids iin the way they should go. But we stumble at making the profound truths of the Word of God practical for daily living. Paul's letter to the Philippians is chock full of pertinent ways to parent and includes tips for finding joy in the journey of training toddlers to teens. Join us in the Moms Ministry for answers for raising and releasing great kids. We offer groups for MOMS of newborns, preschooler, school-aged and one just for moms of teens. Come for a healthy dose of humor, an abundance of encouragement, and Bible study with like-minded moms who are in the same season of life.

If you are in the Memphis area and are interested The Moms Ministry begins on Thursday, Feb. 5 at 9:30-11:30. The cost of $15.00 includes your workbook entitled, "Joy in the Journey". Lunch is available afterwards for $5.00. Registration is available online at www.bellevue.org. Nursery is available by reservation only.

If you are not in our area or otherwise unavailable on Thrusday morning, but would like to study along with us, you can purchase the workbooks at www.jeanstockdale.com to work through the study on your own. The lectures are streamed live on Thursdays at 10:45 CT. They are also archieved for later viewing. I have study notes that I can email you. Request those at jean@standingnearthecross.com and put Notes in the reference line. 

As you raise your little flock, I hope you can join us at Bellevue Baptist Chruch (beginning Feb. 5th) for the next 10 Thrusdays or online via the internet. Blessings.