No Escape – Part 2

Philippians 2:3-5 says, "Do nothing through selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind consider others more important than yourself.  Do not merely look out for your own personal interest but look out for the interest of others.  Have this attitude which was also in Christ."

Michael continues that Philippians' theme is the Joyful mind.  You can't choose your circumstances but you can choose your attitude.  Philippians 2:6-8 continues about Jesus Christ:  “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Jesus gave up the right to Himself and relinquished His own will to obey His Father's will. We may not know the purposes for God's plan for our lives, but we understand that He's a good and holy Heavenly Father. He has a better plan for us than we could ever imagine. The bond-servant is not bound by law or obligation; rather he is bound by love to willingly serve his master with joy and rejoicing. Jesus Christ emptied himself and became obedient to death on the cross. In His obedience to His Father He who was without sin became the perfect sin sacrifice on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

According to Philippians 3:9-10, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth.”

What God really wants from me and you is obedience. What we do for God is to glorify God and not our ourselves. We have been called "to the praise of the glory of His grace, who has made us acceptable in the beloved." The old human code says, "I want praise and glory for myself." However, as stated in Pastor Herk’s post on Tuesday, humility is the antidote to pride. Let all things be done to God’s glory and not our own. Obedience to God means that our heart is subject to His will. Jesus said to the Apostle Peter, "Do you love me more than these?" Do you love me more than your fishing business and your fishing buddies? "  

You are servants of whom you obey. We, who have been “born again” of God's spirit, can choose whom to serve: our own ego or our Lord Jesus Christ. Our calling is to serve our Master from a heart of humility and love. As Oswald Chambers said, Humility defeats the "insidious preoccupation with self." Jesus said, “Whoever keeps his life shall lose it, but whoever gives his life for my sake will save it."  The antidote to an insidious preoccupation with self is, "humble thyself under the mighty hand of God and in due time he will exalt you." There is no escaping our sin nature on our own. But, though we may not understand what the Lord is doing in our lives, we understand His heart ... for He is a good and holy Father; an Almighty God of loving kindness, tender mercy and gracious love.

May God richly bless you!

Your brother in Christ, Michael