Support One Another

I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. 

—Philippians 4:2-3

Life can get messy with relationship struggles. 

This was the case in the Philippian church. Two faithful servants, Euodia and Syntyche, were in sharp disagreement. 

The apostle Paul wrote to the church to encourage them to work through their problems (Phil. 4:2). 

He also wanted another person to come alongside them with a spirit of gentleness. He wrote, “I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel”.

Realizing we have all made messes in life, we can trust the Lord to help us deal gently with others. 

God is in Control

The counsel of the LORD stands forever,

The plans of His heart to all generations. 

 —Psalm 33:11

We are not at the center of the universe. 
The world doesn’t revolve around us. 
It doesn’t move at our pace, in our terms, nor in accord with our preferences.

Though we might wish it to be otherwise, life is not all about us. 
Everything revolves around the Lord. 

All nature revolves around Him and His control. 
He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the ocean in vast reservoirs. 
Everything in nature operates in accordance with the laws He has set.

The nations also revolve around the Lord. 
No plan or scheme can stand up against God’s. 
Ultimately, it is the Lord’s plan that will stand forever. 
His intentions can never be shaken.

Finally, the lives of all humanity revolve around the Lord. 
God sees the whole human race. 
He made our hearts, and He understands everything we do. 
He has the power to intervene in our lives and deliver us from situations spinning out of control.

Our life is created to be centered on God, not self. 
How thankful we can be to serve such a powerful God.
He has every aspect of our lives under His control. 

Heaven Rejoice!

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. —Luke 15:10

The Lord Jesus Christ told stories about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son.

He told them to the religious people of His day.

He wanted to show how He came to earth to pursue lost sinners. 

The Lord Jesus Christ said, “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents”. 

When we accept God’s gift of salvation, there is rejoicing both on earth and in heaven. 

How wonderful that the Lord Jesus Christ has reached down to us.

How heaven rejoices when we respond!

Angels rejoice when we repent!

Like the Lord Jesus Christ, We also are seeking the lost. 

When the rebellious repent and turn to God, we rejoice with them, and their change of heart is also celebrated in heaven. 

Wait for God

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13)

Romans 12:12 is an encouragement to us to pray and wait.

We are to continue steadfastly in prayer and we are to wait patiently.

We are to find hope in God.

With the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption (Psalm 130:7).

God does not depend on our time.

God will act at the fullness of His time.

Our prayer may not necessary rush God into action, but it places us before Him in fellowship.

What a privilege we have to fellowship with God in prayer and to wait for the answer in the fullness of His time.

We Are Christ-Ones

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18)

When Jesus renamed Simon as Peter, it wasn't a random choice.

Peter means "the rock".

But it took a while for Simon to live up to his new name.

The account of Simon's life reveals him as a fisherman known for his rash ways.

Simon was a shifting-sand kind of guy.

Simon disagreed with the Lord Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:22-23), struck a man with a sword (John 18:10-11), and even denied knowing the Lord Jesus Christ (John 18:15-27).

But in the Book of Acts, we read that God worked in and through Peter to establish His church.

Peter truly became a rock.

Like Peter, we have a new identity.

We are Christians.

The name "Christians" means "Christ-ones".

We are now one of the Christ-ones.

This title lifts up who we are and calls us to become what we are not yet.

God is faithful. He will complete His good work in us.