Monthly Archives: August 2026

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…FINALLY – 16c

Bible Study, ,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul’s next “finally” is one of the great keys to a life of rest in the midst of the storms which threatened to destroy them. 

Let’s unlock this one slowly. 

How can one have peace inside when the wind outside is blowing with hurricane force? These believers, under the rule of a hostile government, didn’t know whether they would still be alive the next day. They were under constant surveillance…like those in communist-ruled and Islamist countries today, whose lives are also under constant threat. 

Paul said that there is a inner peace from God that is more powerful and effective than any death threat they faced or any daily situation that confronted them. How could this peace take up its position in their lives? 

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul’s first word…a caution…do not allow your thoughts, not even one, to confuse you. The translation, “anxious”, masks the meaning Paul intended. Where “anxiety” conveys the meaning of “worry”, Paul meant, “Don’t allow your thoughts to pull you in two different directions.” This is not about sin…unbelief…worry. This is about confusion. 

This is the place where the “what ifs” intrude, pulling us apart inside.  Trusting God despite…collides with the frighteningly real thoughts of “what if…”, leaving us exhausted and helpless. 

What do we do with these conflicting thoughts? 

Paul said, ”Give them all to God.” Give Him all the thoughts that confuse you but…and here’s the key…although it sounds like an afterthought…do it with a thankful heart…like someone who is only too grateful to put down a burden too heavy to carry. 

“God, this is what I’m thinking but I’m thankful that you know what is best for me. I gladly give you my confusion and I trust you for the outcome.”

Once the load has been transferred onto the Father, something amazing happens. The anxiety goes…completely…and the thoughts become quiet. The storm inside stops…and a supernatural power takes its place. 

Peace isn’t the absence of conflict. It’s the powerful presence of the God of peace, that sits in the guard-post of your heart…everything you are…and your mind…everything you think…and permits nothing to get past Him that He does not authorise. 

“And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

With Jesus as the guarantor of everything He has done and promises to do, you are secure. Nothing can touch you that does not come through His love and for your good. 

Armed with a peace that is on permanent duty in the guard-post of your heart…the presence of God Himself…no confusion can get past Him to muddy the waters and divert your thoughts from utter and complete confidence in Him…unless you allow it!

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…FINALLY – 16b

Bible Study, ,

“Let your gentleness (patience, moderation), be evident to all. The Lord is near.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬ ‭

The second “finally” leans heavily on God’s presence with them. Some translators introduced the idea of Jesus’ return, “the Lord is coming soon,” as the thing to remember, to keep in mind and to promt their joy… but…is this what Paul really meant? 

The Greek word for “near” is derived from the idea of a bent arm…ready to do something…to take action…to intervene. 

“The phrase “God’s arm is near” or related ideas about His arm not being too short or drawing close are found in Isaiah 59:1, which states: “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.”Another similar passage is Isaiah 51:5, which speaks of His salvation drawing near. 

Key Verses on the Arm of God

  • Isaiah 59:1: Reminds us that God is never too weak to rescue you or too far away to listen.
  • Isaiah 51:5: Speaks of His righteousness and salvation drawing near to the people.
  • Deuteronomy 33:27: Mentions that “underneath are the everlasting arms,” showing His constant support and safety.
  • Psalm 98:1: Celebrates that His “holy arm have gained the victory.”(Source: Google AI)

Surely, then, Paul was reminding his readers that God is always near enough to help them. Therefore, rejoicing in Him always, regardless of the tough things they were enduring, kept them close to Him in their thoughts and prayers as they journeyed through their daily suffering. 

What was it that set these people apart from the world around them, and gave them joy despite their circumstances? Their character…transformed by the power of the Holy Sprit. 

People of the world live on a tit-for-tat basis… “You hurt me and I will hurt you.” Whatever is uppermost in their minds when they are ill-treated will come out. 

The believer, however, in obedience to Jesus, is learning to live by another standard…the law of God, and the character and example of Jesus. So, by putting to death…or reckoning as already dead…the old sinful nature which seeks revenge…the character of Jesus is being formed and begins to shine through deeds and words.  Instead of retaliating, he lets the hurt, the offence go. He trusts in the perfect justice of God to handle his issues. 

Why do I speak specifically of retaliation? Retaliation is our first natural and spontaneous response to injustice…and injustice is the most blatant way that humans treat one another. It’s always, “Me first…no matter who you are!” Think about it! I

Our fists go up, ready to defend or fight, whether we are right or wrong. Unfair words or treatment follow. 

Jesus earned the reward for non-retaliation…

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭22-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…and so will we. This is the way to reveal the character of Jesus being formed in our own lives. 

“But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”

1 Peter 2:20-21 NIV

So, the character of Jesus being formed in them, not in spite of…but because of their suffering…gave them confidence to put their trust in Him rather than to fight for themselves. He was always with them and His grace was always sufficient…in every difficult or dangerous situation. 

Jesus had promised rest to those who came to Him and embraced His yoke…accepting His way as the way to navigate life…rest from having to face life alone…from the fallout from selfishness and sin. 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Living under Jesus’ yoke would release them from guilt, shame, and fear…and grow the gentleness that is evidence of His life within. 

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…FINALLY – 16a

Bible Study, ,

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”…

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬ NIV‬‬

Paul’s “final” instructions often have the most important information in them for his readers and us. However, before we examine the “finally” of this letter, let’s do a quick overview of the “happy” letter. 

Paul was happy because the Philippian church was his faithful partner in preaching, in prayer, and in providing for his needs. 

Paul was happy because, despite his imprisonment, his colleagues were encouraged and continuing to preach the gospel and…he himself was also reaching out to the people in the very jail that kept him locked up. 

Paul was happy because he knew that God will always finish what He started. 

Paul was happy because the Philippians also played their part in suffering with Jesus, just as he did. 

“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭29‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul was also happy not only about…but also to…to remind and encourage them to keep doing and being who they were. Jesus was the model of humility. He has the attitude of a slave, being obedient to the Father even to death. 

Paul was not only happy about the way his readers were maturing in their faith and in their loving service to one another, which would preserve the unity in the fellowship as they followed Jesus. 

Paul was happy to share with them his own journey…from self-righteousness, which amounted to garbage, to the righteousness of Jesus which he pursued with relentless energy. 

Now, Paul arrives at one of his most profound remedies…for anxiety…something that no doubt hounded his readers because of their uncertain circumstances. He begins with a repetition…First…

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” 

Joy was a legacy from Jesus, not just joy but His joy. 

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭10‬-‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

What was the foundation of Jesus’ joy? I think that joy and hope are tied together. It’s difficult to rejoice when the world around is topsy-turvey, and one never knows whether one will be alive tomorrow but…if one’s tomorrow is secure in the purposes of God, then the anxiety about the way one arrives there loses its grip. 

“We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus’ joy lay in His anticipation of the outcome. His hope was anchored in God’s purpose for Him. He rejoiced in the Father’s presence…pleasure…love…because His heart was set on doing the Father’s will. He would not allow the way to the end…the suffering and the cross…to deter Him from gaining the reward. 

Jesus’ legacy…His love, His joy, His peace…was the promise of restoring everything Adam and Eve lost in the garden through their disobedience. Union with Jesus by faith, and obedience to His “new commandment” would bring back what was missing. 

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…CITIZENSHIP – 15

Bible Study, ,

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ NIV

Now, let’s talk about citizenship. Some countries allow dual citizenship. People are allowed to carry two passports…one from the country of their birth, and one from their country of adoption. This means that they have the rights and privileges of both countries and can travel freely between them without hindrance. 

In the spiritual realm, those who have been born from above also have dual citizenship. We are citizens of the earthly realm and are subject to the systems and government in whichever part of this realm we live. 

Some of us reside in countries where the government rules with moderation… others under tyranny and cruelty. Paul instructed that,

…whatever the nature of the government…it has God-ordained authority, and we are obliged to submit…unless the laws oppose the law of God. 

Where we live and under what kind of authority we function in this earthly realm are part of our training for our citizenship in God’s realm. We can never separate the two. In this life, we fall under hostile powers in two ways… the one operates under Satan’s influence in the world systems…and the one inside us that pulls us towards Satan’s influence…called “the flesh” or “the old nature”. 

God planned it that way! Yes, this is part of His strategy to train us for the realm in which He reigns supreme and in which in we live now and will continue to live in the age to come…in the world, because we live under its authority here and now… but not of the world because our loyalty and obedience is to God. 

Jesus prayed…

“I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

First, Jesus gave us new birth into His kingdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

“Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When this happens, we acquire dual citizenship and the training begins. 

Second, under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit who now lives in us, we must learn to navigate the world system in which we live without becoming a part of its evil ways. We must also learn, under the Spirit’s personal guidance and instruction, to live in the kingdom of God, applying its laws to our everyday lives in place of the ways of the world. 

This training is lifelong, difficult, and sometimes costly…as Paul had discovered…hence his imprisonment in Rome. The world is hostile to God’s kingdom. Its standards are designed to function under Satanic influence by deception, in rebellion against righteousness, justice, and truth. 

Our role as citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom is to keep walking in God’s ways in obedience to His Word…and to suffer the consequences of civil disobedience or the injustice and hostility of the world’s people without anger or hatred, and without retaliating. 

This is the place where we learn to live as dead people to the treatment that attacks our very person. Love your enemies. Do not take revenge. Give to those who cannot give back. Rejoice when you are persecuted. Be merciful…like your Father in heaven is merciful. 

These requirements are the real test of our citizenship…not a passport…not church membership…not a baptismal certificate…or even “the sinner’s prayer” prayed at the altar! The real test is fruit…the life of Jesus that flows into the vine to which we are attached…producing the character of Jesus in increasing measure and showing, by our fruit, the nature of the kingdom to which we belong. 

Living as citizens of God’s realm takes power…not will-power but His power working in us. This power is given to us through the Spirit in us when we focus on living where we are supposed to live and keeping our eyes on Jesus, our model and mentor. We live under God’s authority moment by moment…decision by decision…choice by choice…word by word…and action by action. Every minute of every day, we choose in which dimension and under whose authority we will operate and who we will obey…the Spirit in us or the flesh that rules our appetites. 

Now let’s see what Paul says…not what just happens, or over which we have no control…but what is real…what is fact…and where we live here and now. 

Fact number one… “our citizenship is in heaven”. We are only passing through this life, not a permanent part of it. “Living as foreigners…” said Peter. 

“This letter is from Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Fact number two…”we eagerly await a Savior”. Our attention is on Jesus, not on our circumstances or on the world around us. We have a hope and a motive…and we live accordingly…

“Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Fact number three…we have a destiny…a kingdom in which everything will be restored to its original perfection…

“…who, by the power that enables him (Jesus) to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

…including the bodies that were corrupted by sin. 

For everyone who believes in Jesus…our future controls our present. 

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…DOGS – 14

Bible Study, ,

“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In this ongoing battle against the ravages of the old selfish nature, Paul boldly offered his readers two models…himself and his associates who lived under the authority of Jesus…and those who lived for and served themselves. 

Having shown his readers what his model was like…working hard to bring his old, rebellious nature to heel…submitting with joy to the unjust suffering his testimony had attracted…living in fellowship with God and one another…Paul reveals the model of those in the opposite camp. In this exposure, he shares the grief of his Master…not gloating about the punishment they deserve but deep sorrow for wasted lives. 

God has created every person on this earth, from the beginning of time, to express His image by the way they live…to live unhindered in His presence…and to enjoy the blessings that accompany union and fellowship with Him. 

After Adam’s rebellion, God provided a way for fallen humans to return to His original plan. By removing the sin barrier, He calls us back to Himself and restores His plan for us to live in unhindered fellowship with Him again. 

What we do with His invitation is our choice. Some return to the Lord… others turn their backs on Him, and carry on nurturing their selfish nature. Eventually…God gives them what they want. He confirms their choice to be  treated as trash. How tragic is that! 

Now let’s be honest. Apart from avoiding the damage selfishness does to us…denying the satisfaction of our bodily passions…avoiding alienating ourselves from others by tramping on them to get our own way…rejecting our inclination to inflate ourselves by our pride and arrogance…and of course, not cutting ourselves off from God by our stubborn rebellion…there is another reason for choosing to live God’s way. 

This is the reason the Bible urges us to follow the way of wisdom. 

“Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Scripture teaches us that all of history is divided into two “ages”…this present age and the age to come. “This present age”…the world as it is now, with its sin and death, is an invasion, an interruption in God’s perfect plan.  This world system is transient, temporary…and will finally give way to “the age to come”, the one God prepared for His people from the beginning of time. 

The true meaning of “eternal life” is “life of the age”, that is, life in the permanent age…drawing our life from God and living under His rule… that is already here and still to come. This sounds contradictory but it isn’t. 

Jesus came to earth…lived as a servant, died a humiliating death, rose again, and returned to the Father…to give us access to His life by faith in Him. This union begins now when we are born into it by faith in Jesus…while this transient age is still here where we live now and will continue to live in until Jesus returns. Hence, we who believe in Jesus, are living in two “ages” simultaneously…this present evil age which will pass away…and the age to come which is already here in part.

If we choose to live fully under our own authority…making our own rules and satisfying our own desires…we will perish along with this age when Jesus returns to purify the earth from the effects of sin. He will set up His perfect rule on a renewed earth, ruling over those who have already submitted to His authority, in union with Him and sustained by His life. Those who refuse to submit to Him will be cast out into darkness. 

Paul uses derogatory language to describe those who are foolish enough to choose death…a permanent state of separation from God and all that He is. He calls them “dogs”…not the pampered pets we have in our homes…but the filthy, wild creatures that roam the streets and feed on garbage. 

“Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬

Where will these creatures live?

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…outside the city of God…in the darkness…forever cut off from God…from light, comfort, and peace. 

Paul’s warning is serious and real. Anyone who tries to lure people away from trusting Jesus alone for salvation…anyone who lives for self alone…is a “dog”… despised and worthless…part of this present age…transient and soon  to be discarded with the corrupted earth. 

The wise alternative is to submit to God’s rule, live under His authority, and become a citizen of His eternal realm.

Our destiny is our choice!

To be continued