Good evening and welcome to the Panhandle. Sorry I missed posting on Tuesday, I got to take 11 kids to our Associational Day Camp. I think it is safe to say the kids had a great time. And the ladies who put the Day Camp definitely taught about Christ Jesus.
Well we finished our study of Jude’s letter and so for the next three weeks we are going to look at Scriptures of encouragement. I don’t know about you but I can always do with a bit of encouragement.
There were two men who were sent by a shoe manufacturer to a remote country to sell shoes? One wrote back: "I have terrible news. This is a God-forsaken country. Nobody here wears shoes. I'm coming home." The other man wrote: "This is a wonderful country. I am so grateful you sent me to this territory. Nobody here wears shoes. Send me 5,000 pairs."
What about the day when attitude won’t carry the day? What of the day when life’s circumstances are simply overwhelming? That’s when you need encouragement the most. Thankfully, that’s also the moment you might realize that encouragement like that is available!
The peace that passes all understanding is one of the most precious forms of encouragement that God has ever given us. It’s the solution for the pursuit of peace. It’s the peace that comes when we avoid impure actions. And it’s the satisfying answer in our chase for contentment, for the ability to actually enjoy life.
Philippians 4:4-7
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
If you would like to experience the peace God offers ...
1. Choose joy in times of anxiety.
When Paul first visited Philippi he and Silas were arrested, stripped of their clothes in front of a crowd, and brutally beaten. 22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. (Acts 16:22-24)
Then Paul and Silas were put in the most secure portion of the Philippian jail, surrounded by prisoners. Their wounds were fresh, and the dirt of the prison floor must have added to the torment. With their feet in stocks designed for discomfort, it made for a day when Paul and Silas needed encouragement about as badly as they ever had.
How did they react to this really bad day? "About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them." (Acts 16:25). Paul and Silas could have been discouraged, some would even say they had a right to be discouraged. It would have easy to be angry for being treated so badly. But not Paul and Silas, instead they sang hymns to God and by morning, their wounds were clean, and a revival was sweeping across the city.
Several years later Paul would write to encourage the believers Philippi. “Rejoice in the Lord always,” (Philippians 4:4). Maybe they had forgotten the innocent prisoners who sang at midnight? “Don’t be anxious about anything. Instead, pray. And God’s peace will cover your heart.” (Philippians 4:
If anxiety rules your day, turn the tables on your stress. Sing a praise song or recite a praise Bible verse as if it’s the best day of your life, and not the worst. Tell God how much you love Him, even if you are feeling unloved during an anxious season. I know it is easy to say choose joy in the midst of anxiety, but if you can this is when you will see your faith lived out.
Chuck Swindoll tells this true story of a couple who had been to a Bible conference for a week. The theme of the conference was spread all over a big placard that was held above the speaker of the week: "Looking Unto Jesus." And his continued emphasis was: No matter what, keep your eyes on Christ. Focus fully on Him. Don't let your circumstances get you derailed. In all things, rejoice!
Now when the conference was over, this couple got in their car and drove across several states to get back home. And late one evening, through a freakish event, they were almost hit head-on by a car. The older gentleman twisted his steering wheel and drove their car into a ditch, and, of all things, it wound up in a shallow ravine, just under a little bridge. This older man and wife, who had just committed themselves to following fully the Lord, decided in that moment that even this must be from God.
So
they quickly climbed out and stood on top of their car, put their
arms around one another and began to sing, “Praise God from whom
all blessings flow...”
There were people already gathering on the bridge to see if they were OK, and now they were watching, the way those prisoners were watching Paul and Silas when they were singing. They sang the entire Doxology, and it had an unusual effect on people. The wife even said, “The policeman was there and he had his hat over his heart.”
When they finished singing the last “Amen,” the husband shrugged his shoulders, looked up at the crowd and said, “You folks might have wondered why we called this meeting this afternoon.” And then he told them about Christ – right there, standing on the top of their wrecked car in the middle of a shallow ravine.
Rejoicing always, choose Joy in times of anxiety!
2. In an immoral world, choose an intentional path of purity.
One of the surest ways for a Christian to lose his or her peace is for them to intentionally choose a path of immorality. If they give in to the temptation, they’ll find that they can have only one of two options – the sin that violates God’s Word … or the peace of God that follows an obedient lifestyle.
Philippians 4:8-9
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Look how intentional Paul is with his instructions: (vs. 8-9). “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice.” So what are you to do with these things?
You are to:
Dwell on these things.
Think on these things.
Concentrate on them.
Meditate on them.
Do you notice something about dwell, think, concentrate, and meditate? They all have to do with focusing your attention. When you focus your attention on the things of God, it only makes sense that the peace of God will follow. However if you focus your attention on worldly things you shouldn’t be surprised at the un-peaceful results, should you? What are you focusing on?
Choose Joy in times of anxiety, and intentionally choose the path of purity.
3. Learn contentment in every life situation.
You should know by now that contentment isn’t an automatic right. It’s another one of those things that are easier said than done. At least for most folks.
Most people seem to frantically chase contentment, pursuing happiness, all the days of their lives. So many seem to be convinced that the next thing they buy or can obtain, the next job they take, or the next hobby they tackle will bring happiness. And so many of are frustrated.
There was a boy, whose mother made him a butterfly net. With that net he spent hours chasing butterflies on his grandparents' farm. He never caught a single butterfly, so finally he put the net down. As he got older it seem like butterflies surrounded him. They landed on his hoe when he was resting from yard work. They’ve parked on golf balls he wanted to hit, which was probably the safest place they could have landed … They’ve even landed on him, in some of his quieter moments.
Perhaps contentment and happiness are like butterflies. The more you chase them, the more they fly away and hide. So the smart thing to do is to put down the butterfly nets. Ironically, once you stop and busy yourself with things that have great value – like relationships with your family and friends – contentment and happiness will sneak up on you from behind and land on your shoulder. And you’ll have encouragement when you needed it the most.
Paul learned an important lesson through his persevering, life-long walk with the Lord. 10 “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have renewed your care for me. You were, in fact, concerned about me, but lacked the opportunity [to show it]. 11 I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret [of being content]—whether well-fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. 13 I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:10-13)
Paul had learned contentment as a direct result of his walk with Christ Jesus. “I am able to do all things through Him ...” This was Paul’s “secret of being content in every situation.” He had cultivated a life of Christ-following discipleship.
If
you can live your life with intentional rejoicing, and intentional
purity, and an intentional concentration on contentment, something
wonderful will happen. God’s peace – which is like no other peace
– will be yours.
Christ Jesus said, “My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives” (John 14:27). It’s the same kind of peace Paul gives here in a great word of encouragement. It’s the peace that passes all understanding, taking away anxiety, guarding against impurity, and blessing us with contentment.
Before the days of Jay Leno, and even before the era of Johnny Carson, Jack Parr was the host of the "Tonight Show." And in those days, America was regularly treated to the piano playing of a man named Jose Mellis.
Mellis, who was the music director for the show, regularly amazed the television audiences with his versatility on the keyboard. One of the really fascinating things that Mellis would do was to invite Parr to come over to the piano and strike the keys in a completely arbitrary manner. Parr would strike a horrendous discord and then say to Mellis, "Okay, Jose, let's see what you can do with that."
Mellis would respond by putting his fingers on the keys struck by Parr and blend the notes of the discord into a beautiful piece of music. He would not only start with the discord struck by Parr, he would come back to it time and time again, making it an integral part of the music. Something ugly was transformed into something beautiful while America watched and listened.
That is what God can do with your life. With sin and pride and greed and mistakes, you have struck enough discordant notes... But God has the ability to reach into your life, when we give Him the chance. And He will make beautiful music out of all your discord.
Is your greatest need for encouragement right now? Choose joy. Choose purity. Choose trust. Reject anxiety. Forget the circumstances. Memorize and soak in scripture. Find the confidence that comes through knowing Christ Jesus, and experience encouragement now.
Thanks for dropping by and I pray I will see you next week. Until then may God’s peace be with you and yours.
Biblesurfer
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