Day 5 - Forty Days in the Word

Philippians 3:17- 4:7 including the verse for the day:
 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Paul reiterates in Chapter 4 his encouragement to “stand firm in the Lord…rejoice in the Lord always…let your forbearing spirit be known to all men…

Using the “pronounce it” technique of Rick Warren’s devotional Bible study method, I will take verse 6 bit by bit:

Do not be anxious  I just took my blood pressure, (a somewhat regular practice recommended by my doctor) and it is in the acceptable range. As I prepare to push the start button on the device, I take 10 slow, deep breaths so that I am “not anxious” as the cuff tightens around my arm and measures my blood pressure. It is a discipline for me to “not be anxious” and I will practice it today in every situation.

About anything This covers everything! I will not be anxious about my health, my job, my marriage, my adult children, the weather, my neighbors, the future, my cars, my finances, my next meal, …anything.

 

But in everything  See above list.

By prayer and petition Talking to God, making my requests known, spelling out everything that has the possibility of making me anxious.

With thanksgiving  The antidote to anxiety seems to be thanksgiving. Don’t worry, be thankful.

Present your requests This describes a formal presentation, an action with intentionality involving my personal requests.

To God Sitting here in my family room in the quiet of this Friday morning, it is important for me to remember and acknowledge that my prayer is a presentation to the creator of heaven and earth, the Lord of the Universe, the eternal all powerful, all knowing, ever present God. Wow!!!

Thank you Lord for hearing my prayer. I will endeavor to be anxious for nothing but in everything give thanks to You and present my requests before your throne. Today I rejoice and forbear.

Day 4 - Forty Days in the Word

Last night our Wednesday night Life Group Experience met in the gym. We had 35 adults seated around 5 tables, plus about 8 tables of youth who viewed the Rick Warren video together. During these 40 days, he is teaching 6 aspects of the “devotional” Bible study method. He is teaching and encouraging a personal devotional time. My day is shaped around my morning hour of scripture, prayer, reflection and application of God’s word.

Philippians 3:1-16

Paul has written this letter to the church at Philippi, and sent it to them with one of their members who has been travelling with him, Epaphroditus (2:25). He begins chapter 3 with “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.” He reviews how it is that he puts no trust in the flesh (unlike the false teachers, the judiazers who insist that Christians must follow all Jewish teachings in order to please God.) He reminds the Philippians that if anyone could put trust in the flesh, he could do so, born a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the eighth day, a Pharisee, zealously persecuting the church…

 

Paul summarizes that he “count(s) all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” He want s to “know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” He affirms that he has not already obtained this or become perfect – which leads to the verse for today:

“I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”

 

I, Bruce Baxter, also press on – day by day moving forward. I am not going to coast, I am not preparing for a life of ease in retirement, I am pressing on – pushing forward against the pressures of the day, against the enemy of God who tries to hold me back. I press on, fighting undertows that would suck me down. I press on against the storms of life that are raging, against unexpected waves that  almost knock me down. I press on, into an uncertain future within the certainty of God’s redeeming love. I press on, even as the light of God’s word illumines only the next step. I press on, leading the way for others who are pressing on. I strive forward, keeping my eyes on Christ, who for the glory set before Him endured the Cross, despising its shame and is seated at the right hand of God. I press on, as the arrows of the enemy wound and the wounds from friends slow me down. I press on to the glorious salvation in Jesus Christ!!!

 

Guide me today, most holy Lord as one who is pressing on!!!!

 

Day 3 - Forty Days in the Word

On this cold February morning I turn to Day Three in the “40 Days in the Word” workbook for the scripture that will be my meditation throughout the day. The instructions are to read the book of Philippians this week, without a suggested reading guide, other than the single verses for each day. So I choose to read chapter 2, verses 1-18 as I focus on verse 13.

Philippians 2:1-18, especially 2:13 “for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”

For God  - I must consciously remember everyday that the unseen God is a reality.

Is working in you  - In the unseen reality, there is the power and presence of God working in me, Bruce Baxter to accomplish His purposes in this brief, earthly life. God is working in me – wow!

Giving you the desire – God is giving to me the desire – the longing – the orientation. As one surrendered to Christ the desires that emerge within me are from God. David stated in Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” God will create in the heart of those who delight themselves in God the actual desires. As a Christ-follower, I pay attention to the inner leanings, recognizing that they very likely come from God, and discerning which inner desires come from the flesh, the “old man” the evil one.

And the power – God gives the power, the ability, the natural and supernatural force to accomplish the holy desires. David against Goliath, Moses at the parting of the sea, Jesus on the cross, Peter on Pentecost, and Bruce Baxter in 2014.

To do what pleases Him – The ultimate goal in my life – to do what pleases God. With every breath I take, every plan I make, every person I speak with, every sermon I preach, every activity – my desire is to please God.

 

It is so refreshing this morning to remember that God is working in me, giving me the desire and the power to do what pleases God! It is important for me to remember that God is the source of my desire to please Him, and the source of my power. On this 26^th day of February, 2014 work in me, Holy One, giving me the desire and the power to do what pleases You as I pastor the Wesley United Methodist Church in Springfield Missouri.

Day 2 - Forty Days in the Word!

This morning as I sit on my recliner with the gas fire warming the room I turn to the scriptures for Day 2 of our church-wide emphasis. The sky is getting lighter as the dawn develops, and I desire to experience the light of God through the Word this morning.

Philippians 1, especially 27a: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”  

Verses 9-11 provide great preparation for actually doing the above. “…that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless  until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:9-11)

Whatever happens – anything can happen. I must anticipate the best, the worst, and everything in between as possible things that could happen.

Conduct yourselves – I have the choice of how I will conduct myself. There are many options – my conduct is important.

In a manner – so many different “manners” possible for conduct – in school conduct is evaluated separately from academic performance. I am aware that conduct matters!

Worthy – there are various unworthy ways to conduct oneself. Christ died for me at the hand of sinners who falsely accused him and thought they were getting rid of him. My conduct must be worthy of Christ’s death.

Of the Gospel of Christ – as a Christian and as a pastor, I represent the Gospel of Christ in what I do. This is my standard, this is the measurement of worthiness.

Lord, whatever happens today, may I conduct myself in a manner worthy of Your good news, of the life you have made possibly through your obedience. As others observe my life, may they see You in all I do, say, imply, suggest and affirm. This is the day that you have made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!

Day 1 - Forty Days in the Word

At Wesley United Methodist Church we have just begun "40 Days in the Word" as an all church emphasis. We are using the material developed by Rick Warren including the life group Workbook. I will be using the suggested readings for my daily devotions. For days 1-7 the recommendation is to read the book of Philippians, and focus on the scripture for the day. Philippians is one of my favorite New Testament books. I have also found great comfort in the Psalms, so each day I will add the Psalm recommended for the day from the One Year Bible.

Philippians 1:6

NASB:” For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  I find great hope and comfort in this verse. God has begun a good work in me. God is not finished with me yet. My walk with God is not stagnant or idle. It is God who began the good work in me, and it is God who will perfect, or complete it – the good work – until the return of Christ or until I am called home, whichever occurs first.

Last night I read the Feb 23 selection from a compendium of Bonhoeffer’s writings in which he described faith and obedience. It was a complex thought; y take was essentially that you cannot choose to have faith as a construct, while at the same time refusing to obey by following Christ in every detail of your life. He wrote from the context of the Nazi buildup in the 1930’s as he led an underground seminary and wrote The Cost of Discipleship. His life is a great example of one in whom God began a good work and perfected it, as Bonhoeffer obeyed, right up to the end of a hangman’s noose. I have great opportunity to obey God today, this week, this month, this year.

Guide me Holy Lord and perfect Your good work in me today as I live for the day of Christ Jesus.

Psalm 40:11-17 (February 24 from the One Year Bible)

“…may all who search for You be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, ‘The Lord is great!’ As for me, since I am poor and needy, let the Lord keep me in his thoughts. You are my helper and my savior. O my God, do not delay.”

February 21, 2014

We are beginning 40 Days in the Word as a church. We kicked it off this past Sunday and our Life Groups are having their get-acquainted meetings this week. The workbook we are using is a tremendous tool, written by Rick Warren.  As I mentioned on Sunday, I spend time in the Word each morning before breakfast, and this year I am using the One Year Bible as a guide.

This morning my life is lifted by Psalm 37: “Trust in the Lord and do good… Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. (Verses 1-7)

I take these verses as promises to Bruce Baxter today. My life is a daily surrender to God’s will, an ongoing commitment of my way to the Lord, trusting in Him, being still before Him. As we journey together through these 40 days in the Word, I look forward to the ways that God will speak to you, and the light that God will shed on your path as you seek Him daily by reading the scriptures and through prayer.