Morning Moments

The Christian life cannot be lived without Christ! DUH! Let me explain what I mean from the letter of Paul to the church at Philippi.

Before we look at the texts, let's ask ourselves some questions.
1) What did Jesus mean when He said, "You shall receive POWER after the Holy Spirit has come upon you?
2) Why would He offer us HIS peace?
3) Can I know HIS purpose for my life?
4) Why does the Bible place so much emphasis on Praise?

Now let me suggest four principles from Paul's letter to the Philippians that answer the questions.

1) In chapter 1:20-21 he says very simply that his desire is for Christ to be magnified IN his body. Then he says, "For me to live IS Christ..." So, you and I need to be clear about this: Christ IN me is a life of POWER. There are basically two types of power: 1) The power of strength, and 2) the power of authority. Jesus said "ALL power (authority) is given unto me; go ye..." Now obviously Jesus has both strength and authority, but for my day to day life, which is more important? The AUTHORITY! I may be frail and weak, but if I wear a police officer's badge, it is authority enough. Here is my point: When Adam was created, God GAVE him dominion over everything, but when he sinned, he forfeited that dominion and hid in fear. We who are redeemed have Christ IN us and HE laid down (set aside) His authority as God to live for 33 years under the authority of man, so that we might live with the authority of God. So we can now live by HIS authority, and that, my dear brother or sister IS POWER. In other words, the Life of Christ lived by me is a life of POWER!

2) In chapter 2:5 Paul says, "Let (allow) that mind (that mental attitude) to be IN you that was IN Christ Jesus. Was Jesus ever ruffled? Was He ever frustrated? Was He ever fearful? NO! But He did suffer pain, rejection, criticism and insults. Was He oblivious to this? NO, but he hurt so that He might know the hurt we feel when we face those things. You and I know however that we can be hurt and still have the peace that passes all understanding that keeps our emotions and our minds in Christ. To KEEP means not to lose, so His peace is so that I might neither lose my feelings or my mind. HALLELUJAH! So the MIND of Christ IN the believer is PEACE, just as the life of Christ by the believer is POWER.

3) Chapter 3:10 Paul writes, "That I may KNOW Him and the power of His RESURRECTION and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His DEATH." THAT is our PURPOSE! It is absolutely impossible to share in the fellowship of His suffering (sharing in HIS afflictions), unless we are living in the power of His resurrected life. So God's determined PURPOSE is that I be conformed to the image of His son, and that is only accomplished through suffering. Peter said, "For hereunto were you called..." This clearly answers the question as to why the righteous suffer, and COMPLETELY dispels the TV garbage of the health and wealth gospel. HE suffered and HE died. WE share in HIS resurrection that we might SHARE in HIS suffering. Glory to God. If that does not light your fire, as the man said, your wood is wet. So, just as the Life of Christ lived BY the believer is POWER, and the Mind of Christ IN the believer is PEACE, the GOAL of Christ FOR the believer is PURPOSE for hereunto are ye called. WOW!

4) In Philippians 4:13 Paul affirms that we can do ALL things THROUGH Christ Who STRENGTHENS us. Do you get that? THAT means the STRENGTH of Christ FOR us is PRAISE! How does one live a life of PRAISE? THROUGH HIS STRENGTH and that is what makes me PRAISE HIM! The expression Praise the Lord is not just some cute catchy phrase that makes folks thing I am spiritual, neither does it take the place of an appropriate "Thank You" for a job well done. But it DOES prompt PRAISE to the ONE in whose Name and Power I choose to live my life.

There you have it: The life of Christ lived BY the believer is a life of POWER; The mind of Christ IN the believer is PEACE; The goal of Christ (Himself) FOR the believer is PURPOSE; and the strength of Christ THROUGH the believer is PRAISE.