Kickshaw (Philippians 3:1-14)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “kickshaw.”  One of my favorite chapters in the book of Philippians (my favrit NT book) is the third. It does not get a ton of play because of the chapter it precedes. But Paul said some pretty outrageous comments here. The following verse used an actual cuss word of his day, and the peeps had to be totally astonished to hear him say it. But, he needed to get his point across as to why he followed Christ and believed in the Gospel.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ...” ~Phil. 3:8

The word "garbage" has been inserted here by English scholars to replace a more colorful word that we would use today.  I will let your imagination take you there for explanation.  My question is: what are the important things in your life… what do you value most?  My prayer is that you would take Paul's advice here, which is to realize everything in your life doesn't mean very much, and is pretty trifle in comparison to what Jesus has commanded to do in following him.  Take some time today and ask yourself what would be like to lose everything for the sake of your relationship with Jesus.  He did it for us, and asks us to do the same.

Praying for you,

MO

Certainty (Romans 11:25-32)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “certainty.”  Have you ever felt like God has given up on you?  I know there were a couple times in my life where I really thought that he should have.  But because I stuck close to people who knew both me and God very well, I was able to constantly change to become more recognizable to myself.  God already saw me for who I was, it was me who had the need for change.  I love what the apostle Paul says in the following verse…

“As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

~Rom. 11:28-29

My question is: what is the calling that God is given to you?  I have been trying to answer that with certainty my whole life as a Christian.  I never seem to get an answer that I am okay with.  But remember that God has given all of us the ability to do specific and certain things well (Rom 12:6). My prayer is that you do not underestimate the purpose that God has given you, knowing that the gifts and talents you possess are waiting to define who you are.  Allow yourself to be affected by God so that you might in turn affect the souls of many in a positive way.  Choose to let God use your unique qualities today, your God-given perfection in his sight.

Praying for you,

MO

Rifacimento (1 Corinthians 9:19)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “rifacimento.” The Bible is a compilation of instances and circumstances in which those most unlikely to succeed find themselves in relationship with God. It is fascinating to see the different characters that we meet throughout this Gospel story, past, present, and future. By the time we get to his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul talks about his use of freedom in a most unfathomable way.

"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.”

~1 Cor 9:19

My question is: what are you doing to make yourself part of God's story? Each of you has something unique about your personality and understanding of a relationship with the Lord that can positively influence somebody else. Although you are a slave to no one, it should be your top priority to become a servant to as many as possible, that you might win one or some for the kingdom of God. My prayer is that you look deep within yourself and understand that you are made free in Christ, and so you must serve more.  Become a rifacimento, or the adaptation needed, to do God’s will and add to the Kingdom.

Praying for you,

Mo

Integrant (1 Corinthians 12:27)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is “integrant.” I must admit that I am a total political junkie. I can sit and listen to news and stations of all kinds for hours on end. Whether I agree with somebody or not, I just love the thrill of getting in the middle of political thought. It turned that I always hear is that of a constituent. These of the people that make up a political district and influence the people whom they have elected. Each person in the district makes up a small portion of the bigger body of constituents. In the same way, God has called each of us to be an integral part of his master plan.

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

~1 Cor 12:27

My question is: what part in the body do you play? Just like in politics, sometimes we feel that we are so small and insignificant that we do not matter much. I don't know what to say really about the political end of that, but what I do know is that Jesus Christ has called each of us to play a specific role in this life. My prayer is that you look for your opportunities to make an impact for the body of Christ. There are things that you bring to the table, gifts and talents, that others must rely on. If you do not do your part, somebody may lose out in their understanding of Christ, or the God experience altogether. I know it may seem a little bit unfair that we could screw things up, but I like to think of it as each of us are so important that we must fulfill our duty. Just like when you are out in the field, you must do your part so that your battles can feel secure in fulfilling their parts, as each of us are integrants, or important parts of the whole. And that's what will help us win in the ultimate.

Praying for you,

Mo

Trundle (Philippians 1:12-20)

Good morning all,

The word of the day is "trundle.” So many times today we believe that we have life pretty tough. I am not saying this is not the case, but we must take things and put them in perspective. The apostle Paul lived his life not knowing what would happen from one day to the next. He was always up against some kind of opposition. He did not have to deal with all of this in his life. When he chose to follow Christ he pretty much gave up his standing in the community for reasons of the gospel. The best part about all of this is that he did not expect anybody to feel sorry for him. He knew that the advancement of the gospel was the most important aspect of his life. In this passage today, we see Paul in chains still rejoicing, knowing that the gospel was continuing in this advancement.

“But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ,what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.”

~Phil. 1:18-19

My question is: when considering the advancement of the gospel, where is that on your priority list? I know that there are a ton of things that pull at your time. Whether it is school, work, family, sports, or other commitments that cause you to stress out, where does advancing the Gospel fall within your set of important stuff? My prayer is that you continue to evaluate and reevaluate the importance of advancing God's gospel, not just for the long haul of your life but in the short term as well.  The advancement of the Gospel will trundle, or roll on, with or without us.  I only hope that each of us can be a part of the Lord’s work in doing so.

Praying for you,

Mo