PASTOR'S CORNER

Phil 4:10-23 Everyone loves getting secrets and we love sharing a secret.  Paul learned a secret and he wanted to pass onto the people of Philippi, a secret that we can apply to our lives daily.  is this secret you might ask? The secret is to be content in all circumstances.  Paul knew what it meant to be content because he trusted in the providence of God over his life.  What do I mean by that?  In Acts last chapter Paul has been in prison attached to a Roman soldier for the past 2 years and it’s in this time Paul pleaded with the local leaders of the Jews. (Acts 28:17).  Paul also pleaded with Caesar and still no one would listen to his plea of innocence to why he was bound with chains. (Acts 28:19).  So Paul preached the gospel despite the opposition and in fact it was falling on deaf ears and blind eyes. (Acts 28:23-27) Paul quotes from Isaiah 6:9 reminding his listeners that this was going to happen as it did in Isaiah’s day “Go to this people, and say, "You

Phil 4:8 How important is our mind when it comes to spiritual growth? The Christian mind should be fully engaged in love for God. Jesus said “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind .” Matt 22:37.  In 1 Peter 1:13 we read “Therefore, preparing your minds for action , ( to be unhindered of anything that will trip you up) and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  The bible says that sin wars against the mind. “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Rom 8:6-8.  Before we can act we are to prepare our minds for battle against anything that pulls us away from God and godly living.  Paul said “Set your minds on thing

Phil 4:4-7 This portion of Paul’s letter is the central theme of this book.  We the believer, are to rejoice always, no matter what our circumstances might be.  Is it a challenge to rejoice all the time? Yes!  On many occasions our circumstances suck the life and joy out of us.  Our rejoicing becomes stagnant and nonexistent when we allow the circumstances of our lives to consume our thoughts and actions.  When times are tough to rejoice it’s usually because we are focused on our needs and not His grace in our lives. How can we as Christian’s find joy when circumstances of life want to destroy our joy? The simple answer we overlook all the time is: Look to the Cross .  We forget to look back to what Jesus endured for every single one of us.  The greatest sacrifice He made on the Cross for sinful man and woman.  The very sins that grieved the Godhead before the  worldwide flood “And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.