“…praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…” vs 9-12

Observations:
This progression is interesting. First, know God’s will, so that you can please God. You can please God by doing good work, growing in knowledge of God and being strengthened with God’s power. Then you will have great endurance, patience and joy.

Application:
First, focus on knowing God’s will. That will result in pleasing him by doing good work, knowing him better and relying on his strength (not my own). Then I will experience joy, patience and endurance. Makes sense. Seek him first and all these things will be taken care of.

Prayer:
God, please help me to focus all of my efforts on knowing and carrying out your will. I know if I do, I will experience what I want - your peace. If I rely on my own strength, will or purpose, I will never get to my desired end result - peace, patience, endurance, joy. God, help me to follow and please you, forgetting about my selfish ambition and focus. Forgive me for those things. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want, I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” v12-13

Observation:
Right before this passage, Paul says that he knows what it is to be in need and what it’s like to have plenty. Then he moves to this verse as how to deal with each. Interesting, this implies there is hardship to both being in need and having plenty. And the only way to be content in either, to really experience peace, is to rely on God’s strength and not our own.

Application:
There are areas of life where I have plenty. I have been blessed with a good job, enough money, supportive family, etc. And there are areas of my life that I am in need - my desire to find a spouse, unsaved family members, etc. In all of those circumstances, the only way for me to find true peace and contentment is to rely on God’s strength - to let him be in charge. If I follow his lead and not rely on my own strength, I will find contentment that transcends my current situation.

Prayer:
God, forgive me for relying on my own strength for both the areas of plenty and of need in my life. Forgive me for leading myself and for my need to be in control. Please help me to rely fully on you - your strength, your will, your lead. I know that is the only way to true peace and contentment. To the extent that I take over, that is how discontent I will be. Circumstances don’t matter. Whatever happens to me, please help me to give it over to you, trusting that you will handle whatever it is. More of you, less of me. Thanks Lord.  Amen.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” vs 6-7

Observation:
This is a verse I have in my armor and put on everyday. Instead of being anxious, present your requests to God with prayer and thanksgiving. And his peace will guard you. Give it over to him and he will take care of it. Don’t worry. Let go. Let God.

Application:
Although I know this verse well, I don’t often do it. I hold things too tight and my need to control trumps my desire to give it over to God. The fact that Paul says with prayer and petition means to me that it’s a difficult task. I appreciate that he says it that way, because I think it is difficult. I want to hold on and do it myself. I need to release and give it to God. That is the only way I will find peace. And God’s peace transcends any earthly peace. It is so great that it is beyond understanding.

Prayer:
God, forgive me for my controlling ways. Forgive me for holding too tightly to the things of this world. Please help me to stop being anxious about the things in my life. But, rather to give it all over to you, knowing that you can take care of it far better than I can. God, please make any part of me that is unwilling willing to give everything in my life over to you for you to lead, run, manage, take care of, according to your good will and purpose. And please Lord, give me the peace that only you can provide - the peace that I do not deserve and that I will never understand. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” vs 12-14

Observations:
I love this passage! Paul is saying that he does not fully get it, but he presses on as hard as he can to find it. He acknowledges that on one hand we have already received all that we need from God. But, on the other we won’t fully comprehend or realize it until we are with God for eternity. I love the concept of forgetting the past - there’s nothing we can do about it anymore. And then pressing on toward the goal to win the prize. It’s not a stroll or even in a jog, it’s a fast-paced sprint on hot pursuit of winning.

Application:
I want to press on fervently to the goal of knowing God and understanding all that he has taken hold of me for. I want to passionately pursue him and all that he has for me. I know I don’t get it. I know I never will until one day I am standing with God in heaven. But, in the meantime, I want to forget the mistakes of the past, point my eyes toward the future and run like the wind to obtain the prize God has for me.

Prayer:
God, help me to acknowledge all that I don’t know. Forgive me for thinking more of myself than I should. I want to pursue you with passion and intensity but I am often distracted or prideful or lazy. Forgive me for focus on myself instead of pursuit of you and the prize you have waiting for me. Please help me to forget what is behind me and instead strain toward what is ahead, pressing toward the goal to win the prize. Amen.

vs 7-10 “But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ…not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God…”

Observations:
Paul introduces this topic by saying that we should have no confidence in our own righteousness. We have nothing that can earn our right place with God. If anyone could, it would be him. And then he lists all of the reasons why, and there are many. Then he says that none of those things that man thinks are important matter when it comes to our right place with God. Only faith in Christ allows God’s gift of his righteousness to be given to us.

Application:
I need to stop putting so much credence in the things that man thinks are important - job, money, status, etc. Thank God, I have already received God’s free gift of grace in salvation that places me at a right place with him for eternity. I know those things of the world cannot earn me anything with God. But still, I give them a lot of attention and importance in my life.

Prayer:
God, please help me to focus on you and not look to the things of this world to bring me pleasure or anything good. If I am not following you, I am not headed in the right direction. Help me to not look towards those things that don’t matter to you, the things can be so distracting from you and the direction I really want to go in. Thank you for the salvation you have given me. It was a gift and even the act of faith was a gift for me - one that I have never questioned. Thank you for that. Now, please help me to live a life worthy of the calling I have received. Amen.