Verse of the Day 6/30

Verse of the Day 6/30

Philippians 2:1-2

English Standard Version

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

We reviewed this passage in our Men's Blble study the other day.  Today's verses are ones that, like many others, should cause us to pause and take note of what we have received from Christ and take a look at our current spiritual condition.  The verses begin with "so if", I've read that you could literally read it as "so if, and there is" - encouragement, love and affection from Christ.

John MacArthur notes that the word for encouragement means to "come alongside and help, counsel and exhort" and that the word comfort "portrays coming close and whispering words of gentle cheer or tender counsel in a believers ear."  Have you experienced this?  Has it been recently or regularly?  If not, perhaps you need to be spending more time in His Word.  

It also came across to me as if it were to say to us that if you have felt any of this you can have it again and the best way to do so is to be living your life in the company of fellow believers sharing the same "mind of Christ".

The words "any comfort" reminded me of the old hymn, "Just When I Need Him Most", which encourages us in the refrain "Jesus is near to comfort and cheer, just when I need Him most."

1. Just when I need Him, Jesus is near,
Just when I falter, just when I fear;
Ready to help me, ready to cheer,
Just when I need Him most.

Refrain:
Just when I need Him most,
Just when I need Him most,
Jesus is near to comfort and cheer,
Just when I need Him most.

2. Just when I need Him, Jesus is true,
Never forsaking, all the way through;
Giving for burdens pleasures anew,
Just when I need Him most.

Mike

Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV

Philippians 2

English Standard Version

Christ's Example of Humility

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,[a] 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,[b] 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.