Tag Archives: Philippians 2:1-4

But Take An Interest In Others

Posted on by
Reply

 

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 237 - Philippians 2:1-4 - But Take An Interest In Others - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 237 – Philippians 2:1-4 – But Take An Interest In Others – Growing As Disciples

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?  Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.  Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. Philippians 2:1-4 (NLT)  

It’s Not About Me

I know, I know, it’s not all about me. What’s not all about you? Life is not all about me. I am not the center of the universe. Life does not revolve me. The sooner I realize this, I mean really realize this, the better. Why is that? I am more than a little embarrassed to come to realize how self-centered my thoughts have been. Even being embarrassed is another symptom of my problem. People are not thinking about me. I am not on everyone’s mind. That’s true.

What are you going to do about your self-centeredness? Even that is heard to hear. That question is hard to take. But it is one for me to think deeply about. That will be good. However, I do know what I will do. What’s that? I will take my focus off myself and put it on you. That will be step one. I will consider you and all that you want to give me. What do I want to give you? You want to give me encouragement. You want to comfort me with your love. You want to fill me with your Spirit.  You want to give me a loving and tender and compassionate heart. You want to root me in fellowship in your body of believers. You want me to work together with fellow believers to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. You want to give me a humble and sacrificial heart that has no need or desire to impress others. In short, in more ways that I can think of, count, or even imagine, you want to make me like you. You want me to follow your example. You want me to love like you loved. You want me to give like you gave. You want me to serve like you served. Yes, I do. That brings me to step two. Step two, was all that you have already mentioned just part of step one? I think so, there is much overlap between step on and step two, of that I am sure. Tell me what is step two. I will look not only to my own interests but also to the interests of others. I will humbly consider others as better than myself. The way I see it, step one puts my focus on you. Step two puts my focus on others that you have called me to love and serve. If I implement step one and two, I will leave my self-centered life far behind me. I will live the life you have called me to live. I will be able to go and do what you ask of me. Yes, you will. That will be very good.   

Lord, I will look out not only for my own interests but also for the interests of others. I will have a tender and compassionate heart for those in need.  I will work together with one mind and purpose with fellow believers. I will fully love others just as you love me. Amen

Key Question… How has the Lord made you tender and compassionate to others who are in need?

Living It Out… Look out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will use you to look out for the interests of others.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how the Lord has helped you to look out for the interests of others.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you take an interest in others by helping them with what they need.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 237 – Philippians 2-1-4 – But Take An Interest In Others – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Like Minded

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 62 - Philippians 2:1-4 - Like Minded - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 62 – Philippians 2:1-4 – Like Minded – Growing As Disciples

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)  

Attitude

I know that’s vitally important. What’s vitally important? The attitude that I have is vitally important. How so? My attitude will determine my perspective in life. Give me some examples. I could have a self-centered attitude. I could live as if the world revolved around me. With this attitude, I might come to expect that others would cater to my whims and meet my every need. I would live to be served. This would be a pathetic attitude to hold. Yes, it would be pathetic. Name another undesirable attitude. I could have a self-sufficient attitude. I could think that I don’t want or need help from anyone. With this attitude, I might live an isolated life that is quite distant from others. I would certainly not ask for or receive any help or wise counsel from anyone. I would likely make huge mistakes and take many gigantic missteps as a result of relying solely on myself. This would be a dangerous attitude to hold. Yes, it would be dangerous. Name another undesirable attitude. I could have a self-righteous attitude. I could think that I could do no wrong. I would never be at fault. I would never be in the wrong. Never would I say I was sorry, nor would I ever ask for forgiveness. This might be the most dangerous negative attitude of all. Why is that? With this attitude, I might never admit my sin to you. I might never ask for your forgiveness. With this attitude, it would be unlikely that I would ever welcome you into my life as my Savior and Lord. That would be a dangerous mistake that would offer tragic consequences both now and forever. Yes, it would.

None of these attitudes are yours. No, they are not. What attitude is yours? I want to humbly love and follow and serve you. I want to become like you. I want to follow your example. I want to think like you thought. I want to speak like you spoke. I want to act like you acted. I want to count others as better than myself. I want to take on the form of a servant. I want my life to be filled with love and tenderness and compassion towards others. I want to love others just as you have loved me. Instead of just looking to my own interests, I want to look out for the interests of others. To sum it all up, I want to live a life that is good and right and true and pleasing to you. That is the attitude that I want you to help me to maintain as I live my life with and for you. That will be very good. I will help you to have this attitude in you. Thank you, Lord.

Lord, I welcome you to completely change my life. Give me new thoughts to think, words to speak, and actions to take. I want to live the life you have called me to live. I want to become like you. Help me to love, follow and serve you with all my heart and mind. Amen

Key Question… How does your new life in Christ look different than your old life in the world?

Living It Out… Allow the Lord to change everything about you as you love, follow and serve Him.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that Christ will help you to live a completely new life in Him.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how your values have changed as you have followed Christ.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you allow the Lord to change everything about you as you love, follow and serve Him.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Becoming Like Christ – Day 62 – Philippians 2-1-4 – Like Minded – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Being United With Christ

Posted on by
Reply
The Sacramental Life - Day 327 - Philippians 2:1-4 - Being United With Christ - Growing As Disciples

The Sacramental Life – Day 327 – Philippians 2:1-4 – Being United With Christ – Growing As Disciples

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)

Motivation

What is your motivation? I’m not sure that I know what you are asking me. What motivates the way that you think and speak and act toward others? That is a very good question that is causing me to evaluate my behavior. Do I think and speak and act out of my own self-interest?  I am living to please myself? Am I listening attentively to others? Am I aware of what those around me want and need? I strongly suspect that you want me to ask and answer those questions, am I correct? You are correct. I will say this, I want to follow your example. I want to think like you thought. I want to speak like you spoke. I want to act like you acted. In every way I want to live as you lived. I could also say that I want to be able to know and do your will. Do you know why you have these desires in you? You are my Savior and Lord. Your Holy Spirit lives and dwells inside of me. I am united with you in living the new life that you have given me to live. Day by day you are molding and shaping my life. It is your purpose and plan to make me to be like you in all that I think, say, and do. You have answered well. You do have a band new life to live in me. I am molding and shaping your life. You are like clay in my hand. Will you keep on welcoming my work in you? Will you continue to live as I lived? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good.

What will your new life that is united in me look like? I will do nothing out of vain conceit. Selfish ambition will not be the motivation of my life. I will treat others with tenderness and compassion. I will love others just as you have loved me. I will live in unity with others, being one in spirit with them, seeking to accomplish your common purposes. In humility, I will consider others as better than myself, so that I can serve them well. It could almost go without saying that I will look not only to my own interests but also to the interest of others. This is how living my new life in you will look. Living this new life in you will be my motivation. That will be very good.

Lord, thank you for giving me a brand-new life to live. Keep on transforming the way I think, speak, and act toward others. I humbly consider others as better than myself. I will look not only to my interests but also to the interests of others so I can serve them. Amen

Key Question…  How has being united with Christ transformed your thoughts, words, and actions?

Living It Out…  Allow your being united with Christ to transform the way you think and speak and act towards others.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that being united with Christ will transform the way you think and speak and act.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how your being united with Christ is transforming your life.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you be united with Christ and like-minded with Him.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here

The Sacramental Life – Day 327 – Philippians 2-1-4 – Being United With Christ – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                          

United With Christ

Posted on by
Reply
Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - If - Philippians 2:1-4 - United With Christ- Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – If – Philippians 2:1-4 – United With Christ- Growing As Disciples

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV) 

Like Minded 

You have had a strong and independent streak in you. You have had your own ideas and done your own thing. You have thought that you knew it all and needed no help from others. Many times you have been driven by selfish ambition and vain conceit. Haven’t you even thought that you were a little better than everyone else? All of what you have said is true. You know me better than I know myself. There is nothing that I can hide from you. I know that you are no longer any of these things. What has happened to you? 

I have been humbled. The pride of my ways caught up with me. My pride led me down a path that left me bruised and battered by life. My own ideas and my own ways were not working. I discovered that I did not know it all. I clearly saw that I needed all the help I could get. I cried out to you for help. You rescued me from my darkness. You forgave me of my sin and cleansed me of all my unrighteousness. You filled me with your Spirit and set me on the path of life. I have been following you ever since. That’s right. Say more about the changes that I have brought in your life.

I am so thankful for all that you have done for me. You have comforted me with your love. You have encouraged me as I have walked with you. You have changed my hard heart and filled me with your tenderhearted compassion for others. I no longer want to live for myself. I no longer want to pursue selfish ambitions. I am no longer driven by vain conceit. Instead, I want to serve you and the people that you bring into my life. I no longer consider myself better than others. I am now looking out for the interests of others. I’m not doing all this perfectly that’s for sure. But, you have changed the entire direction of my life. My self-centered independent streak is gone. Well, mostly gone. I have great joy in working together with fellow believers. I want to live in unity with them. I want to join together in your work with fellow believers with a like-minded passion to fulfill your purposes. I want to bear fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Would you say that I have done a miracle in your life? Yes Lord, you have done a miracle in my life. That’s very good.

Lord, thank you for uniting me with you and filling me with your Spirit. You have encouraged me and comforted me with your love. You have filled me with tenderhearted compassion. Help me to live in like-minded singleness of purpose with fellow believers. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

If – Philippians 2-1-4 – United With Christ – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com