BJ Lord

Paul asks for discernment for the Philippians so that as they grow and mature they will recognize what has lasting value and what doesn't. The things of the world do not have lasting value. Paul is asking for maturity for the Philippians so that their knowledge of God grows deeper and is based on truth not on the ways of the world. Selfishness clouds discernment because we become centered on self and what we want. It focuses on glory and honor for our own name rather than glory and honor for God, which is what it is really all about. We can't do anything. It is God who is doing the work through and in us. He deserves the glory, honor and praise, not us. If we are focused on our own righteousness, we have no discernment to recognize what has lasting value. It is like being caught on a wheel going round and round and never seeing the bigger picture. We get so trapped in it that we forget that we can't "do" righteousness. It is a gift from God. The "good is the enemy of the best" because we settle for less than God intends for us and fall short of the mark. I used to hear people say "Shoot for the moon -- if you miss, at least you'll end up among the stars." In one sense, the saying has some truth to it, but in another way it could also be pointing to the good as the enemy of the best. If we focus on it, we might find ourselves settling for second-best when God wants us to have only the best.

In answer to question 2, when we financially support a ministry we receive God's promise of blessing us and seeing that all our own needs are met. It ties in with the law of tithing -- trusting so completely in the Lord and giving him the first of the firstfruits, etc. When we trust so completely that he comes first before looking to our own needs, he will pour out a reward so large that we cannot contain it. That is his promise. I'm not sure that I know anyone who is really demonstrating this. Even the most generous still seem to struggle financially, so there must still be an element of self-interest involved in some way. I know it is true for myself. God's promise of reward would make everyone millionaires if their giving was done the right way. But, being human, most of us can't do it. Even if we don't realize it, we give in order to get, rather than giving just because we love God and recognize that everything is his to begin with. When we tithe the first grain or lamb or 10% of our paycheck, we are only giving him back what is already his. We give it back for two reasons: 1) as a way of thanking him for taking care of us; and 2) because he has commanded it. It is only our humanness that makes us question who we are giving it to and whether they will use it correctly, etc. It is humanness that makes us want to receive something in return for our giving or to receive something from the partnership. What we all fail to recognize is that we don't own anything to begin with. I wish I could remember all of this when I pay out my tithes.

Slave = compulsory service; solely committed to another. Saint = being dedicated or consecrated to the service of God. Paul was "compelled" to preach. He was "obligated." He could not do otherwise. This implies to me that it did not matter what he might have wanted to do, he was completely and utterly unable NOT to preach. There was something about his experience with Christ on the road to Damascus and the following years that made it impossible for him to be other than a slave to Christ. This ought to be our own response as well. A saint is not someone who is perfect, but one who has been set apart for the service of God. It is not something we do, but something that God does -- first through the sacrifice of his Son and second by the giving of his Spirit. We become God's sacred property and "off limits to profane use." . Both words are saying the same thing about our relationship to God because they both suggest that we can't do other than serve Him. As a "slave" he owns us and as a "saint" we are his sacred property. Both indicate our compulsory need to serve him. But through his grace, we want to serve because we love him, not because a whip is applied to our backs. God calls us "saints" because he loves us. He bought us with the blood of his Son. The danger comes when we take the wrong definition of "saint" and set ourselves up as better than someone else. Our world and our use of language can often put up a barrier between ourselves and our salvation rather than opening the way. I was glad for this lesson. It helped me to come to terms with that word "saint."

Hi, My name is Elizabeth, but everyone calls me B.J. I have studied six different courses with Joyful Heart, but this is the first time I have joined the forum. I was a Methodist, but about two years ago I became a Sabbatarian and have never been happier. I live in a small town in northwest Ohio, USA. I'm looking forward to meeting and talking with others on the forum. BJ Lord