Running the Race – #18 Philippians 2:16 – holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain. Philippians 2:16 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.16.NASB Don’t run in vain. As Paul continues discussing what it takes to run the race of the Christian life, we see him here tell the people not to run in vain. If they’re going to run this race and consider themselves Christians and talk about how they’ve asked Christ to lead their lives, then they need to be focused on living the life that Christ has commanded them…

Running the Race – #17 Philippians 2:15 – so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, Philippians 2:15 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.15.NASB Stand apart. Yesterday we saw how important it is that we not be the complainers, the arguers, the ones who are putting things down. Today, we see the sentence continued and understand why we should not be that way. We are to be set apart. As followers of Jesus Christ, our attitude should stand apart from the attitude of the rest of the world.…

Running the Race – #16 Philippians 2:14 – Do all things without grumbling or disputing; Philippians 2:14 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.14.NASB Are you the dark cloud? You know what I mean, the person who always seems to have a negative outlook on everything. The one with a reason why things wont work or can’t work or shouldn’t work. Are you the glass half empty sort? This verse is so convicting because it speaks to the very heart of what so many of us spend so much time doing. Stop complaining! Jesus Christ is Lord of all. He has saved us, redeemed us, and lives through us every day. And yet, so often…

Running the Race – #15 Philippians 2:12-13 – So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12‭-‬13 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.12-13.NASB As we’ve seen over the last couple of days, Jesus Christ is Lord of all and Lord over all. Now, Paul turns his attention to the people that he’s writing to. He wants to remind them that they were faithful while he was there and he knows…

Running the Race – #14 Philippians 2:11 – and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:11 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.11.NASB An audible response. As we saw yesterday, God has given Jesus Christ the place above all others and that he also has the name above all others. Because of that name, every single person will bow before Christ. But not only will there be a physical response, there will be an audible response. People will verbally confess, out loud, that Jesus Christ is the Lord. Why will they do that? First, it’s true. People will declare the truth. But second,…

Running the Race – #13 Philippians 2:9-10 – For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Philippians 2:9‭-‬10 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.9-10.NASB Jesus is the Son of God and as such, he is highly exalted. God has highly exalted his name to be above every other name. But, the Bible doesn’t stop there with that description. Just in case you weren’t sure what it meant to be exalted above every name, it goes on to explain that…

Running the Race – #12 Philippians 2:8 – Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.8.NASB We saw yesterday how the attitude of Christ was one of humility. Now today, we see just how far that humility would take him. He humbled himself to the point where he was willing to take our punishment and sin upon himself and die on a cross on our behalf. As we continue to strive to have the same attitude as Christ, the same humility that Christ had, what would that lead us to do?…

Running the Race – #11 Philippians 2:6-7 – who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:6‭-‬7 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.6-7.NASB The verse is continuing on after our discussion on having the same attitude as Christ. Now, it’s going to start to describe exactly what that attitude looks like. Christ emptied himself. He made himself as nothing. No pride. No ego. Nothing. He was simply there to be used by the Father. As we are comparing ourselves to Christ, can we say…

Running the Race – #10 Philippians 2:5 – Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, Philippians 2:5 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.5.NASB A mirror image. Our attitude should be a direct reflection of that of Jesus Christ. There’s a lot to that verse and that’s why we’re only looking at this verse for today. Over the next several verses will get into more detail of exactly what Christ’s attitude looks like. But in the meantime, we must recognize that anything less than a direct reflection of Jesus Christ’s attitude is sin. Do we think like he thinks? Do we respond like he responds? All of these and more are…

Running the Race – #9 Philippians 2:3-4 – Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Philippians 2:3‭-‬4 NASB https://bible.com/bible/100/php.2.3-4.NASB Humility. This is such a difficult concept to live out. While we may understand what humility is, living that out is a challenge. How are we looking out for the interests of others? When you look at your life, are you focused on your own personal interests or the interests of others?