Refuge for a Single Mom

1 Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,

2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.

3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;

4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,

6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling;

13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing;

15 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 appear as lights in the world,

16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.

17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.

18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Philippians 2:1-18


These verses have truly become some of my favorites.  If you look them up in the Online Parallel Bible , they are entitled “Be Like Christ”.  They are pretty much self explanatory and truly lay out the guidelines for living a righteous life.  I came across them last week while hunting for some other ideas and made a note.  This morning, while rifling through papers for the dentist`s phone number, I came across the note again.

Monday night we had the extreme pleasure of having dinner with the pastor, his wife and children and another family from church.  

Ultimately, conversation turned to the issues of forgiveness and Godliness.  (As it often does with this group.)  We also discussed the difference between living for people and living for God and striving to live in a way which is pleasing to Him.  So, obviously, these words were laid on my heart today for a reason.  (The Lord works in mysterious ways.)

Yes, I`ve visited this issue a lot lately, but it is something that I am dealing with and working at and I think, as human beings interacting with other human beings, most of us always will.

In this world, full of fleshly whims and desires, it is impossible to be perfect.  It is impossible for us to be perfect and it is impossible for those around us to be.  (That includes those we love, those we don`t and even those that are seemingly unlovable!)

Personally, I think that if we cease to be amazed by people`s behavior, we have become desensitized, we have succumbed to the sinful world we live in. (I certainly don`t want that to happen to me!)  Initially, the audacity, ignorance, repulsiveness, thoughtlessness, hatefulness, inconsideration, etc., should shock us!

At that point however, it becomes our responsibility to deal with it – to make a choice!  (What a task!)  We can choose to be a part of the ongoing problem or we can choose to be part of the solution!  (By the way, judging, pointing fingers, gossiping, etc. does NOT serve any real purpose!  That type of behavior only lends to the problem!)

We can`t necessarily change the world or the people in it.  We CAN change ourselves!  We are responsible for our own salvation and Godliness!  We can choose to stand up straight and tall, full of the Holy Spirit and deal with the blows the world deals out with composure, grace and class only available by the grace of God!

From there, we can hope and pray that our `rightness` will become infectious!

Be ALL that you can be through Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior!

Labels: Choices, Godliness, Righteousness