Whatever – 2015-08-25
Philippians 4 is another of my “go to” verses.
I always start with 6, but today I didn’t, and I am intrigued by the phrase “help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel.” It is so unusual for women to be mentioned specifically, I wonder what their part was? I know that women didn’t publicly teach men. However, that doesn’t mean they didn’t teach women and children and doesn’t mean they weren’t key in the ministry… the first key to any ministry is prayer.
You remember the saying from my Big Fat Greek Wedding? The husband may be the head, but the woman is the neck who turns the head? The atmosphere of a home is often reflective of its matriarch. A praying, Godly woman makes such a difference in the house and in her church! The older women are instructed to teach the younger. There are things that women learn more easily from other women. Let’s face it, we often speak a little different language than our men and need Godly women who speak the same language. Our husbands can be amazing husbands, but there are some aspects of our being a woman that they simply don’t relate to. And, honestly, I’m not sure it would be comforting if they did relate. Let’s face it, “feel” is often a four letter word… “How do you feel about that?”
“There’s no need to pull out those 4 letter words on me!”
Anyway, that was a fun rabbit trail for me because I’m so seeking where God wants us to go with this Lodge Ministry… and there is the heart of the matter…
Rejoice in the Lord,
Be reasonable (also translated appropriate, moderate)
God is at hand… (Does God is “at hand”, sound as though He’s close enough to reach out and keep us from falling?
Don’t be anxious
Pray – petition with a heart of gratitude
And the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That’s the kind of guard I want!
Focus our minds: What is true? What is Honorable? What is just or right? What is pure? What is lovely (also translated acceptable)? What is commendable? What is worthy of praise?
Does it seem as though peace is related to what we think about and focus on? If we focus on our difficulties, we live apart from peace. If we focus on hope, on blessings and praise, we walk in peace even when circumstances are difficult. Each day, we choose which to clothe ourselves with.
I love the idea of keeping a prayer journal – write your difficulties, pray for them, then praise God for the answer. If your difficulties are transferred to the praise list after your first prayer, your prayer focus is different. When we were praying for the lodge, there was a point when God revealed He had answered our prayer – but in His time zone, not in this time zone. God always answers in His time zone, and His answer is always praiseworthy, though we may not know it yet in our timezone. Faith… now that’s another lesson.
” Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Php 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
Php 4:5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Php 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Php 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Php 4:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”