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3月25日 Joy In The FutureTowards Christlikeness #4
Phil 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Previously, I talked about joy as a mark of Christlikeness, and how related it is to prayer. Prayer can have a powerful impact upon our countenance, our perspective and our attitude. When we pray, we are also transformed in the process.
We are transformed by our praying for the very reason that when we pray we demonstrate faith in SOMEONE who has power to answer whatever we may be asking for. When we pray, we demonstrate reliance upon somebody of greater power, with able means and capability to grant that request. When we pray, as verse 6 of Philippians 1 say, we declare confidence in God.
This assurance, this boldness and confidence placed upon the power of Jesus Christ, does not merely motivate us to pray even more. It also prompts us to be joyful. The promise that God will complete the good work He started doing in our lives, reminds us that there is an end to the sorrow that we are undergoing. There is a point in our future where all pain shall cease; when hurts and tears shall all be wiped away.
We therefore place our hopes in the future that we have in Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul is as if reminding us that joy should not be essentially based on the present, but on what is before us. On what Christ still would reveal to those who shall strive forward. The future is exciting for those who believe in Christ as their savior and Lord!
So when we look at what is ahead, at what Jesus has laid before us, what appears to be (or what may truly be) a difficult present, should not really be a deterrent to keeping faith and a joyful attitude.
Prayer “Lord, do not let me be consumed by the troubles that I see today, right here, right now. These troubles and difficulties are real. But you have a better plan. Teach me how to fix my eyes on what you have set before me. Let not the past nor the present keep me from taking hold of the glorious things that you have prepared for me. Instead, teach me to always look at what is beyond me, at what is before me. Let my vision be all about You and what You want me to be. Knowing that You have planned nothing but the best for me, I will choose to be joyful at the prospect that I have in You 3月20日 Towards Christlikeness #3Phil 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you...Memories have a way of exposing our heart's true condition. Memories can make us smile, happy & glad. Memories can drive us to tears, can make us emotional, or can bring about a passionate display of emotions. The resulting reaction of remembering people, places and events tells a whole lot about our well-being. It bespeaks of an internal character that hides within and simply waits for an opportunity to rear its ugly head. Unless our heart is right within, we cannot expect it to manifest a Christlike attitude. For indeed, everything that is seen and heard from us emanates from our hearts. For out of the abundance of our heart, our mouth speaks (Mt 12:34) I have been taking note lately of my emotional and mental responses whenever I am reminded of certain people and events. I notice that when I am reminded of hurts caused by others, I am roused to think evil thoughts (sometimes vindictive, sometimes resentful)... Yeah, these thoughts are not nice... I am aware. By the grace of God however, I am able to deal with them eventually and move towards graciousness, joy and peace. I know, that apart from God I would never be able to deal with these painful memories in a Christlike fashion. Paul said that he always prayed with joy & thanks whenever he was reminded of the believers from Philippi. Paul seemed to have wisely cultivated an attitude of always trying to find something good about others. Yeah, other people can be soooo bad and may even hurt us. But in the light of God's grace, surely, there must be something good in it, that we can thank God for? I have observed that whenever I tolerate bitterness in my heart when reminded of hurtful memories, I just end up having such a heavy heart. But when I choose to find something to thank God for and joyfully lift that up in prayer, I eventually feel good about myself and even with the way I relate with others. "Lord help me focus on your goodness and your love. Certain people and events in my past may have caused me pain. I do recognize the hurt and the pain that these have caused me. But I need not live today, bound and strapped by the past. I can live today in freedom and in joy knowing that there is a goodness that lies within that pain. And that good can only be found in the light of your grace and presence in my life. Teach me how to be joyful o Lord. I want to be like you."
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