Philippians 2:8-11 - Jesus Gets His Due, Love Wins

Philippians 2:9-11

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

I love the first 11 verses of Philippians 2, and I love the end of the story as expressed in verses 9-11. Still, it is hard for me to put into words the grandeur and the amazing thrill of that day when everyone will bow before Jesus and confess that He is Lord over all. The words that Paul has penned speak for themselves. When I am present on that day, I know the moment will be all about Him. We will all see that Jesus is Lord and His Love is the truest and the most faithful. . I look forward to that day when everything will be crystal clear in everyone’s minds.

However, I want to believe in Him and worship Him before I am compelled. I want to be counted as one of His followers beforehand so that I am standing as one of His children who love Him. While sin is rampant in our world, while my life is far from perfect, I want to stand for Jesus.

I may lose my reputation, but often it could easily be my own fault either through mistakes I make or poor communication on my part. I may not be understood. My love may be rejected, but Jesus has had to suffer so much more on such a larger scale and never because He deserved it. He was willing to take the journey even when He knew what it would be like way before He took it, all because of love.

We do not fully understand. Through years of eternity we will study and learn more and still more about God and His love. Still, I am glad there is a point where we understand enough so that everyone will bow and acknowledge that Jesus is Lord.

 He gives His following, believing children everything. We do not lack. He strengthens us to stand. He protects us when we call out to Him. Even if we must suffer in this world and be in it, He is there every step of the way. He has already won and only a short lifetime on this planet is still necessary to show just how Satan’s plan of government works out to its end. In the end, Jesus will stand tall and all will see that His plan of life and love are best, that Love truly wins every time.

Eve

She had the promise of God that one day, the evil one will be conquered completely. Sin will have an end. This hope must have made her glad in her life.  She wanted her own boy to be the promised savior of the world, but she knew that Jesus would come somewhere down the line of her descendants.

Mary

She thought for a very long time as did most of the Jews that the Messiah would come and set up His kingdom on Earth in His lifetime in our world. She thought He was born to be crowned King, but He was crowned with thorns and killed in the most degrading and cruel manner.  When Jesus rose from the dead, her understanding of the scriptures broadened to see God’s true plan of salvation. She looked forward because she knew the day was coming when every knee will bow. All those who never understood Him would understand.

My prayer

Dear Father in Heaven –

Thank You for Jesus and the hope that You give. One day we will all bow before Jesus. He deserves all our adoration now, however. I pray that You will help my heart to reach out to You in true worship now, before that final day. Please help me by Your grace to walk with You, believe in You and draw others to You during my life in this world. Thank You that all this is possible because of Jesus! Amen.

The Attitude of Jesus & What He Did: Philippians 2:5-8

Philippians 2:5-8

 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

I love to read this part about the beauty of Jesus’ humility, but that first thought that I must have the attitude of Christ Jesus seems like a tricky sentence unless I remember that what God tells me to do comes with His promise to provide for me all I need to accomplish it. Think about this promise! He will work this miracle in me and you that we can have the attitude of Jesus! To be like Jesus is an awe-inspiring thought and miracle.

I am so glad He is the One in charge because He is so loving and good. He knew He must always choose the hard and painful path in order to complete His plan and make a universe where everyone truly understood that He is fully trustworthy and loving. He continues to carry all the pain felt in this world until that time when He will say, “It is completed.”

Now even though I will not ever fully comprehend what Jesus has done and is doing and the sacrifices and suffering He endures, I pause and think on these verses. I am always amazed. I find volumes in the one above paragraph from Philippians chapter 2. I take it phrase by phrase and try to understand or at least catch a glimpse.

Eve

Would Eve despair if she saw the sufferings of Jesus? Or would she have had joy in the hope that He brought to this world through all of the things He endures for us? I see the mercy of God that she did not live to see just how bad things got in our world by the time Jesus was here. As it was, she lived through over 900 years of this world and saw much misery.

She had hoped and hoped to see Jesus come from her womb, but He did not. He waited until He knew the time was right, and none of us can really comprehend when the time is right for important world events like He can. He came and then returned to the Father with the promise to come again. We wait, work and live until that time.

Mary

What must life have been like for her before the resurrection when the scriptures about the Messiah made sense with the life of Jesus? She lived all of those years remembering that the prophet Simeon had told her in the temple that a sword would pierce her soul. She watched the life of Jesus and wondered that He really was God’s Son, but He lived a life of shame and humiliation in poverty. So many things she didn't understand, but many of them became clear after Jesus rose from the dead and she listened to the disciples discussing the prophecies together.

How wonderful it must have been to be with those disciples and the other women who believed in Jesus after He died and rose again. I am so glad that Mary had the chance to know the truth about her Son after those years of wondering and confusion. She understood the Lamb giving His life for sinners and the plan of salvation. She had trusted and obeyed through the years even though she did not understand, but joy must have thrilled her when she did comprehend the answers to those questions she had about Jesus’ life in this world.

My Prayer

Dear Lord,

I come to You in awe of You and Your love and humility. Please help me to let Your attitude inside so that I can be like You. This wonderful miracle is Your promise. Please help me to remember and think about all that You have done and are doing. The more I look to You the more like You I can become. Thank You for taking all the risks and suffering to make Your life and love available to me! Thank You that this love and life is available to all people who will accept the gift! Thank You, Jesus! Amen.

Philippians 2:1, 2 - Encouragement, Unity and Real Power

Philippians 2:1, 2

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?  Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

 When we become believers and join His family, Christ sends us his Holy Spirit to work His miracles in our hearts and lives. The obvious thing for us to do is to submit, relax and allow these gifts to come in and do their work. Then, those who have labored for our lives will rejoice like the Apostle Paul  to see the good results in us and the unity in the church as each heart responds to the Holy Spirit and moves together in one purpose. This unity is because we are all receptive to the Holy Spirit’s leading and guiding. Much can happen when we each have such an experience.

Eve

Did Eve have this experience after she left the garden with Adam? Over time, did God work in her heart and bring unity between her and Adam and their children who believed? Did she let her heart be comforted in the love God had for her? That is where the Holy Spirit must start. He heals us with that great love God has for us so that we can enter in that fellowship. Our hearts become tender and compassionate for others. As the healing is accomplished we reach out and begin to work with other believers as a team in unity. We do not know if Adam and Eve experienced this love, joy and unity together or not.

Mary

Mary’s heart was tender and compassionate because of the work of God’s love in her heart. I am so glad that she lived long enough to see the results of her Son’s work on earth. How hard it must have been for her to see his ultimate suffering. We have only a small idea of the sword that pierced her soul, but her wounds were healed and she was a part of the believers after Jesus went to heaven. From what we understand, she continued on the winning team until she died.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for sending me Your Holy Spirit and working Your love in my heart. Thank You that I can enter into that true bonding with other believers when I respond and receive You and Your gifts personally. I want to have that experience of unity and that circle of love that only comes from You. Entering into this experience as the Holy Spirit heals me and works inside my heart is the only way I can really make a difference in life and have a part in Your Kingdom. All of this is possible because of Jesus! Thank You most of all for Him! Amen.

Phil. 1:27-30 Circle of Love because of the Good News Faith

Philippians 1:27-30

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.  Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.  For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.  We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

“Above all . . . .” This sentence in Philippians 1:27 reminds me of what Jesus said, “Seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. . . .” (See Matthew 6:33.) When God and His cause have pre-eminence in our lives, we put all our efforts into seeking Him. We have one top priority, and our lives are simplified.

Additionally as Jesus and Paul state, the rewards for living this lifestyle are immediate. We are part of God’s family on earth, and we are unified with others who also have the seeking for God and living for Him as their top priority. We work together, and God is on our side so faith is rewarded by His presence. Thus, the Good News of the Kingdom is demonstrated and told to others.

Of course, persecution does come. God’s enemy, Satan, is still alive and will fight. We keep standing in unity no matter what trouble comes. We do not have to be afraid and intimidated. With our attitude of courage and faith, the enemy knows he is defeated and God will rescue us.

Meanwhile, we have joy in trouble because we have the opportunity to suffer with Jesus. We are further unified with other family members here on earth who suffer for their faith. The family unity is a gift from God, a circle of love and protection that lifts us up when we are in the middle of a time of struggle. Our unity and love gets stronger the more that we struggle under persecution.

Eve

Did the hope of the Good News of a Son to save the world motivate Eve’s life, or did she live in shame? Did the enemy, Satan, mostly make her feel intimidated and defeated? Did her children treat her with love and respect, or did they blame all their problems on her?

Yes, her sin started the sin ball rolling. Still, she could have lived in God’s forgiveness. She could have lived as a citizen of Heaven who worked in unity with her husband so they could share the burden of their suffering and support each other every day. Their love could have been a constant draw, pulling their children to God and His great love.

Mary

The mother of Jesus had to walk a lonesome road much of her life. In a very real and personal way she understood a lot about both the suffering and the joy that living for Jesus brings. How comforting it must have been for her to understand God’s Good News and to enjoy that circle of love with John, Jesus’ beloved disciple, and other believers after Jesus returned to heaven.

My Prayer

Dear Father over all, please help me to live today with my priorities straight. Thank You that I can be on the winning team and not be intimidated by the enemy. Thank You for the privilege of living my life as a citizen of Heaven within the circle of Your love that surrounds Your suffering children here on earth.  This life is possible because of Jesus, His suffering and His Good News! Amen!

Philippians 1:20-24 Living and Dying in Christ

Philippians 1:20-24  

        

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.  For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.  But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better.  I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.  But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

Paul really knew what life as a Christian  meant as well as the death of a Christian. God is love, and those who are His children and follow Him have His love in their hearts because of the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. The entire point to living is to be the best blessing and gift to others that is possible, to use what God has given to tell others what God has done and live so that others will be attracted to Him.

Then as Paul says, dying is a gift from God to be desired. The next thing that the dying Christian knows when falling to sleep in death is waking up and being with God, Jesus and all the inhabitants of that better place where no pain or sadness touches them. They live together forever as one happy, loving family building one pleasant and heart-warming memory upon another and praising God all the while.

Eve

God had made His promises to Adam and Eve that One would come to conquer death and restore the garden to humans once again. Eve could have been happy to live each day of her life drawing the hearts of her children and grandchildren to God and the hope of His promises. We do not know how she lived her life other than giving birth to many children in hopes of the promised Son.

We do not know if she could look to death as a gift and a better state than life in the fallen world. She may have wished to die and not see any more of the suffering her children suffered because of her sin and their own choices. Still, she could have held to the hope of God’s promises in the face of death. Then, the prospect of dying would not be something to dread.

Mary

Certainly after Jesus rose from the dead, Mary was full of hope and enjoyed thinking over His life and the prophecies in the scriptures concerning Him. She may have been much help in John’s household, working with that family and spreading the Good News and the story of Jesus. She must have had so many wonderful stories to share about her experiences as Jesus’ mother.

Death may have been a welcomed sweetness to her at the end of her life. She would look forward to being with Jesus and the heavenly family. While she was not a perfect person, she will always be remembered and honoured for living faithfully for Jesus as she did. She will probably go through the ages to come telling her experiences and enjoying being in the presence of King Jesus.

My Prayer

Dear heavenly Father,

I take heart from these words of Paul, and I see what my only purpose as a Christian living my life day to day is. Living means sharing what You mean to me and what You have done for me. Please forgive me for not sharing You more freely and daily.

Yes, I have such hope of being with Jesus forever after I die. I look forward to falling asleep in death and having my next experience to be in Your presence forever! While I must live life to share You, I do long for that time when I will forever be with my Lord in that better place. This perspective of life and death is so blessed. Thank You so much for giving me something so wonderful to live and to die for because of Jesus! 

Amen.

A Further Personal Note

The issues of living for Christ and dying in Christ have been significant in my own life. I gave my life to Jesus as a very young child, but I often shrank from the more negative realities of living life in our world and facing struggles since I have had health challenges from babyhood.

When I was a teen, living life in pain and with frequent illness as I saw I must was discouraging. I saw that any other difficulty in life was made even more challenging because of my physical pain and sickness. When I thought about these matters, I wished I would die young.

Death still looks awfully good sometimes, although I am not suicidal. I have much pain and sickness, but my suffering is usually not serious enough for other people besides my doctor to recognize. I must struggle through the pain to work every day and earn my way in this world as others do. Acceptance of the pain has been a miracle of healing in my heart and mind that God gives and I must daily choose. I am asking God to help me not to complain because He gives me so much.

Meanwhile through the years, I have seen that living life with Jesus always has its daily rewards. Life is sweet and I choose life with Jesus! He constantly suffers much more than I can imagine as He feels every pain and stress of this world and the people He has created because of His great love. Yet, He looks to the final result and the happy times ahead when no one will ever be in pain again. I love to share each day with Him and understand just a little of what His pain must be like as He labors to attract people to His great heart of love and His wonderful plan for their lives.

“Can a mother forget her nursing child?    Can she feel no love for the child she has borne?But even if that were possible,    I would not forget you!See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15&16 New Living Translation – NLT).

“There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office.  But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever.  Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf” (Hebrews 7:23-25 New Living Translation – NLT).

On the other side of things, my aunt has just lost her battle with cancer. She had felt almost all along that she would outlive this bout with the disease, and it would go into remission just like it had about 15 years ago. She felt that God wanted her to live to take care of her husband, my uncle. He is older than she is.


As time went on, she had chances to consider Paul’s words to the Philippians regarding living and dying in Christ. Her body did not respond to any treatment. She took heart in the promise that to be “absent from the body” is to be “present with the Lord.” She died knowing the next thing she knew she would see Jesus. Those of us who love her are sad to miss her now, but we are also glad that she is not suffering and that we will see her again. 


We do no know the why to many things in life. Still, we can take heart because God is still in charge and He is Love. He will make everything right in the end.

“’Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,
all you who remain in Israel.
I have cared for you since you were born.
Yes, I carried you before you were born.
⁴ I will be your God throughout your lifetime—
until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
I will carry you along and save you’” (Isaiah 46:3 & 4 NLT) .