Our scripture for the Daily Devotional today is taken from Philippians 2:1-8. You just have to turn on the TV to hear about how God wants to bless you. It seems that everyone wants to tell us that God has a purpose for us and wants to bless your socks off!
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!”
The gospel isn’t about me!
We will not take the opposite view but will look into scripture about God’s blessings, and allow you to compare scripture to the teachings of those that you can find on TV, Youtube, or even behind the pulpit of your own church.
My family and I were visiting a new church just the other day. I was quite taken back to actually hear the person delivering a message to be blaspheming God’s Holy name from the stage of this new modern church. I could not believe that I actually heard it. How can someone who claims to love the beautiful name of my God blaspheme it?
The Bible calls us to live a life of humility. We have the greatest example of how we could lay aside our wants, desires, and luxuries for others in love. Jesus did not consider sitting on the throne of all the heavens and universe as anything of value. If His throne room was not filled with His creation, then it would all be meaningless.
Jesus gave up everything to live a life of tragedy, struggles, and pain. We are saved by the love and actions of God’s mercy, the gospel is not just about me. The gospel should turn our gaze and the focus of others toward the King of Kings!
Let’s Pray
Dear Father,
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen