Welcome to Hank’s Place – FLORIDA EDITION
Coming to you from Venice, Florida, which the locals refer to as Paradise. The epistle to the Philippians may be the Apostle Paul’s first letter. Paul began the church at Philippi 11 years earlier – that’s in Acts 16 where Paul and Silas were beaten and tossed in jail – and God delivered them. Now Paul, this time in a Roman jail, missing his beloved Philippians, writes them a letter. What should he write? GRACE and PEACE to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
GRACE and PEACE to you, dear friends, the GRACE and PEACE that only comes from the Father and Son. We need both in these tumultuous days!
Then Paul reminds them that this Christian life of ours came from God. It was begun by God, it is carried on by God and it will be completed by God on the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:7. Friends, the Christian life is not a ‘to do’ list, not instructions for godly living and working as if we were employees of some heavenly corporation. It is LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS, Glorious Life – Living In Him. Him living in us. Colossians 1:27.
Spurgeon comments, “It was indeed a good work begun in the Philippians and in all believers. The work of grace has its root in the DIVINE GOODNESS of the Father, it is planted by the SELF-DENYING GOODNESS of the Son, and it is daily watered by the GOODNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; it springs from good and leads to good, and so is altogether good.”
So how do we partake of this goodness of God who is altogether good? We simply, well, not so simply maybe, YIELD to the Holy Spirit – Remember Steven in Acts 7? He summed up the rebellious actions of Israel in the days of Moses, through whom the Holy Spirit was speaking, saying in verse 51 “You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are always resisting the Holy Spirit; as your ancestors did, so do you.” The natural man isn’t interested in responding to the Holy Spirit. But you and I are SUPER-natural now!
The Spirit will lead us into Goodness, Self-denying Goodness – as demonstrated by Jesus Christ. Don’t fear. Inwardly you want to yield to the Spirit for you have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Do it. Forget what is behind. Reach forward to what is ahead, the goal — the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus — COME ALIVE!
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