Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Philippians 3:3


3 For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances—

The Holy Spirit does not have us know our Father through physical acts, but through spiritual ones: love, faith, humbleness, and hope. We place no confidence whatsoever in our flesh. We know that we cannot ever do anything on our own, everything that we do comes directly from our Father. This takes away all condemnation, Romans 8:1, and all boasting, Romans 3:27. The only boasting that we do is in the glorious power of our Father. 

AND JESUS summoned to Him His twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out, and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of weakness and infirmity. Matthew 10:1

The power that our Father gives us is for other’s. Look at the lives that Jesus, the Disciples, and Paul lived. All of these men were given great spiritual power from our Father. Yet, did any of them live in big luxurious homes? Did they have huge bank accounts? Did they become civic or political leaders? Did they build huge building to fellowship in? No, they had no worldly advantages. When they were empowered our Father used them to go out and serve the world. They were used by our Father to serve those who wanted it and those who denied it. They were beaten for being empowered, mocked for it, imprisoned for it, and killed for it. Yet the Spirit caused them to continually love and it showed in serving. 

And I was in (passed into a state of) weakness and fear (dread) and great trembling [after I had come] among you. And my language and my message were not set forth in persuasive (enticing and plausible) words of wisdom, but they were in demonstration of the [Holy] Spirit and power [a proof by the Spirit and power of God, operating on me and stirring in the minds of my hearers the most holy emotions and thus persuading them], So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men (human philosophy), but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:3-5

The wisdom of man says that a person is educated, prosperous, or good looking so they are blessed and called. The Truth is our Father uses the poor, the lost, the weak, and the sick to serve. 

[No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame. 1 Corinthians 1:27

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