Daily Devotion (October 1, 2024)
Philippians 3:1
1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
The Christian life is one of excitement. Not only do we get to witness the work of Christ in our own life but also in the life of others. Paul tells us we are to Rejoice in the Lord. We are to celebrate our faith and the blessings we receive. Yes, we do face difficult challenging times. Yes, we do live in a world that at best ignores God, it hates God. But that only opens the door for Christians to be encouraging. We are to share the positive message of Christ and living the Christian life. Christians in fellowship with one another are to be encouraging to each other. Our positive outlook is not only to be to one another but also to the world. This positive attitude is not ignoring he problems around us but allowing God to work through us in solving the problems.
For the Christian to be that positive influence in life, he or she must stay grounded in the faith. Paul’s admonition to the church was to guard themselves by rejoicing in the Lord. We are to keep our focus on God.
As we walk through this world, we will face circumstances and trials of life that will take our focus off Christ. A wash list of these could be listed. We just need to know Satan knows our weaknesses. He knows where to tempt us. The old Epicurean philosophy says, “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” This is bad philosophy. We cannot ignore the world around us. We learn life is not about us, but about Jesus. He is our creator and giver of life. What we listen to, or watch will control our lives.
The Christians life must be focused on Christ. Paul tells us to “rejoice” in the Lord! Rejoicing in the Lord keeps us in the presence of Christ. No matter what confronts us we know that Christ is looking after us. What can separate us from the love of Christ? Paul writes in Romans 8:35–39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Continue to rejoice in the Lord. Do not allow the evil of this world to take you down. That one misstep may have tripped you, but it has not defeated you if your focus is on Christ.