Do Not Have Any Anxiety About Anything...Thursday

This writing is much longer than our regular devotionals. I hope you will take the time to read it. It is very well done and provides a lot of food for thought.

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6/26/14

Philippians 4:4-9 (Amplified Bible)

Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice! Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon]. Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you.

Philippians 4:4-9 (The Message)

Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute. Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Rejoice in the Lord always (delight, gladden yourself in Him), again I say rejoice

This must be very important, it was not only said once but twice, it was emphasized.

I love how the Message puts it 

"Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him." 

Revel here means to take great pleasure or delight to bask Bask means to indulge wallow.  

When I hear those words or think about those words I can see a large soft fluffy blanket just enveloping me, wrapping it self around me and on the outside are the Lords arms gentle wrapping his arms around me.  And I am swallowed up by his love for me, by how awesome and good he is.  I feel safe. 

Celebrate, rejoice just reminds me of singing praises to Him, to have a song in your heart about your King.  Giving thanks for what He has already done for you. 

When we start mediating and reminding our soul about what he has already done for us,  how can you not celebrate how can you not rejoice in the goodness of our Father God?

How awesome he truly is.

"This isn't instructing us to be happy. Paul commands us to rejoice. Rejoice is a verb; it's something you do, whereas happiness is a state of being. We may not always be happy, but we can always rejoice. We can rejoice regardless of what's happening to us, or Paul wouldn't have commanded us to do it.  Paul commanded us to "rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS." That seems unreasonable and impossible to most people. They think, "You can't always be rejoicing even through bad times!" But the Lord would be unjust to command us to do something that is unobtainable. Rejoicing at all times is not only possible, it is preferable!  It's true that we can't rejoice at all times if we are waiting for our circumstances to be good. Even in the few times when everything seems to be just right, we will have some sorrow because of past tragedies or future fears. Our rejoicing has to be in the Lord."

         —Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary

  

Did you know that Paul was in jail at the time he was telling the church to rejoice, to celebrate our God.  Paul shows us that our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances.  Paul was full of joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him.  Our God is with us through all things he does not leave us nor forsake us.  Inward joy can always be ours because we are in the Lord.  In his presence is fullness of joy.  Indulge in him, allow him to wrap his arms around you and then celebrate what he has already done for you, what he is doing for you and thank him ahead of time for what he is going to do in your life.  Paul knew that there was nothing to difficult for our God!

FYI-- Rejoice is said 192 times in the Bible.

Now on to "⁵Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit)."

The Message says it this way:   "Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them."

The NIV puts it this way: "let your gentleness be evident to all." 

Not to some but to all – not to only those who treat you nice – but to even those who are rude, angry, or treat you like scum, etc.

This word "originally indicated a thoughtful, considerate and decent outlook. Rather than hotly demanding his or her rights, whatever the cost to others, a person with this trait seeks peace in a calm way...." This word is "opposite of an angry harshness that grows out of personal pride and a dominating selfishness" (EDBW, pp. 303-304).

—Andrew Wommack's Living Commentary

This is to be shown to all men, family, customers, bosses, patients and co-workers.  If we can so this then we are fulfilling the command.  We are not to hide our light under a bed, it is to shine and to shine brightly for the kingdom of God.  We are not to be as the world.  I want to be that person that people say there is something different about her.  I want them to come up to me and say I want what you have.  I want to be a walking testimony for my God.

Is this easy, heck no, but with the Holy Spirit living with in I can testify that he reminds us, as we start to go there. It is a gentle reminder to us the Word of God, he will say Kathryn or what ever your name is Let your gentleness be evident to all.  Then it comes down to a choice to what we are going to do.  As for me I want my answer to be yes, let my gentleness be evident to all even this one.  Did my flesh want to, oh no, but I would smile and say yes Lord and my tone would calm back down, the rudeness would go.  I so love the Word of God.  I so love the Holy Spirit reminding me of what the Word says.

The scripture goes on to say

"Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!"

Paul gave reason for letting this godly trait of gentleness be displayed towards men.  It is because Jesus could show up at any minute.  Jesus is coming soon that means each person will soon be facing their maker.  That means all men need to be ready and we are God’s witnesses to get them ready.  We need to be about our Father’s business, leading men to the light.  We have to let our light so shine.  We have to let our gentleness our unselfishness be known to all men.

Written by 

Kathryn Hanson