November
November 1
Chapter 4, Verse 6, con’t, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.”
There is no underlying meaning to “requests” in this verse. It simply refers to that for which you have asked. It reminds me of James 4:3, “you ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on our passions,” and Matthew 7:7-8, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Asking and receiving. What is the secret? None. Perspective is what this is about in our lives. The more we are in God’s word, the more time we spend in prayer, and the more time we spend with God’s people at church, the more we will understand what to pray for and we will begin to see God’s blessings all around us and in our lives as he honors us in his answering.
November 2
Chapter 4, Verse 6, con’t, “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God.”
The last part of this verse reveals where a lot of people’s theology goes awry. First, I believe God is 100%, completely, absolutely sovereign. Nothing gets by him. Second, since God is not ruled by time and space, he knows as much about what is coming as he does about what is in the past. You cannot sneak up on God with something he does not already know. So, why should we let what is on our mind be known to God who already knows what is on our mind. We do it to show our obedience to him and his word, to outwardly exercise our faith, and to put forth the whole idea of supplication, pleading, as it were, that is boiling in our hearts. “Get it off your chest and off your mind” is a good way to look at it. Hand it off to God and let him bless you in ways you cannot imagine.
November 3
Chapter 4, Verse 7, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Sometimes, the word and is in just the right place. Here, and many other places in the Bible, and connects two massive truths. Not only that, the idea after the and is the result of what comes before it. I am afraid we miss this many times. We want the results without the prior effort. It is like getting a payday without doing any work. Except in this instance, it is spiritual issue that is much more important than temporal things like money. If you really want your mind to be safe from the onslaught of the evil in the world–pray. Pray a lot and realize it is your daily connection to mental peace.
November 4
Chapter 4, Verse 7, con’t, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
εἰρήνη, eirēnē, “peace,” is a strange commodity. Some say peace is the absence of war. Webster’s dictionary agrees and adds “freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.” That one sounds like overcoming anxiety. Someone else has said it is “harmony between two individuals.” I suppose that could be true, especially in a family situation where discord and harsh words have existed. We have been conditioned for decades, centuries, even longer, to believe that peace is evident when world governments and their people are not consumed by armed conflict. What if there is not armed conflict but the leaders are either planning for it or leveling accusations that will bring conflict? A calm, satisfied heart is where peace resides and nowhere else. How, then, is that sort of calm possible?
November 5
Chapter 4, Verse 7, con’t, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Most people seem to believe that peace is hard to come by–and that is likely because they have been conditioned all their lives to believe peace is the absence of conflict and, therefore, fleeting and only temporary. I enjoy peace every day, all day long. Peace never leaves me. Why? God is permanently a part of my life. Right in the middle of the biggest conflict, I still have peace. In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. Not as the world give do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” Peace that is real has nothing to do with a lack of conflict and everything to do with the presence of Jesus Christ being in your life. He also said, “I will never leave you.” Thank God he is my peace.
November 6
Chapter 4, Verse 7, con’t, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
And the peace of God. . .ὑπερέχουσα πάντα νοῦν, hyperechousa panta noun, “surpassing all understanding,” is what I have all the time and I have no way of comprehending it vastness. God’s peace emanates from his limitless grace to my redeemed spirit. It does so because of my eternal relationship to him by way of faith in Christ Jesus. God’s peace is with me when I am aware of standing in his will and it will be with me when I am wandering outside his will. The peace of God allows me to face every trial without fear and gives me courage to share my faith with every person. His peace lets me rest at night, face tomorrow encouraged, and readies me for whatever future is ahead. I know his peace, I enjoy it, and rest in it, and still I have no idea how it works.
November 7
Chapter 4, Verse 7, con’t, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
I Think it is fair to say that we protect those things and people that are most important to us. Why? It is simple. We do not want to lose them. φρουρήσει, phrouresei, “will guard,” comes from a compound that means to be a watcher in advance. In other words, a sentinel or lookout aimed to stay ahead of any attack by an enemy. God works that way on our behalf. He is watching out for us even when we do not realize we are under attack. Likewise, we are to be on guard for ourselves. 1 Peter 5:8 reminds us to have a clear head and to watch out because our adversary is on the prowl trying to destroy us. Stay close to God or you may be overtaken by the enemy.
November 8
Chapter 4, Verse 7, con’t, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
καρδίας, kardias, (from καρδία), “heart,” is used over 800 times in the Bible, but it almost never refers to the physical pump muscle that moves blood through our body. It is used figuratively to represent the affective center of our being, the immeasurable part of us that gives the capacity for moral preference. It describes the who that we really are. When you combine the character, will, intention, passions, affirmations, and purposes of a person, you have the heart of their existence. It is both physical and spiritual as it pertains to feelings. And since our feelings about any subject can change in a moment, it is good thing we have God on guard on our behalf.
November 9
Chapter 4, Verse 7, con’t, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
If all our passions, purposes, and desires—everything that makes us a person—is our heart, then the mind is the storehouse and clearing house keeping track of all our decisions and their outcomes. This is why living close to God is so important. Romans 8:6 tells us “to set the mind on the flesh is death, but it set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” Our relationship to God gives us the capacity to think clearly, and godly, so that we can overcome the sinfulness of the heart. Everything that makes us human wants to pull us away from God, but everything that makes us spiritual—if we are saved—draws us close to him so that we can see the many ways he is looking out for us.
November 10
Chapter 4, Verse 7, con’t, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
This is where it all ends up, as it should. In Christ Jesus is the only safe place to dwell. It is the only place where peace and security are always present and in force. Outside Christ there is always chaos and heartache, insecurity and doubt. In Christ, I can live both a defensive life against the evil of the world and an offensive life taking the Good News of the gospel to those who need Jesus. How is this possible? 1 John 4:4 tells me that he who is in me (Jesus), is greater than he who is in the world (someone without Jesus in their life). I have abundant life (John 10:10) everyday, even when I do not realize it and nothing can separate me from this life (Romans 8:8). Why would anyone want to live any other way.
November 11
Chapter 4, Verse 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.”
Verse 8 is the beginning of the ending of Paul’s letter to his dear friends in Philippi. The words are a very important summation of his message and ministry to all Christians of every generation following its writing. The list of intellectual, spiritual concepts are individually and collectively significant and highly consequential for every serious reader of scripture. He begins the ending the same way he began the letter in 1:12 by recognizing the family of faith–brothers. All of us who are saved, male and female, young and old, are part of the adelphos, the brotherhood of believers who have as our common ground, Jesus who is the Christ. We must strive to move along together as we discover the true meaning of these words and then apply them to our everyday walk in the world.
November 12
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
ὅσα, hosa, “whatever,” is a seemingly insignificant word when reading through Paul’s list of personal convictions he seeks to portray for his readers. As I think about whatever, I realize the idea can cover a lot of ground. If I am a shallow, fatalistic thinker, not taking the world and my actions in it seriously, whatever is like a byword used by many young people. “What do you think about. . .?” The answer, “Whatever,” as in “I don’t really care.” But if I see the world around me as a carefully orchestrated, extraordinary creation of a mighty God who deeply cares about what he created, whatever becomes an immense battlefield of the mind as I try to consider anything and everything that might touch the various erudite notions in his catalog of ideas to consider. So, I will look carefully at whatever is contained herein.
November 13
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
ἀληθῆ, alēthē, “true.” True in today’s world is not what it was just one generation ago. Nowadays, true is whatever you claim is true. It does not matter if the rest of the thinking world says you are wrong. And sadly, if you shout “your truth” loud enough and a bunch of celebrities support your claim, the world will fall for your lie. For an idea or claim to be true, it must be supported, unconcealed facts and must be measurable in undeniable reality. What about God and the bible, you say? Evidence for God is not measurable. Oh, yes it is–for those who are not overwhelmed by all the lies fostered by the unbelieving world. They know in their hearts God is real and the bible is true. They just do not want to hear it because it interrupts their affair with sin.
November 14
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
Confusion abounds regarding what is actually honorable, i.e., what deserves honor. I am a big baseball fan. When my team wins their division, the league pennant, and maybe even the world series, I cheer and applaud them. But honor, no. I did not live a charmed life as a kid, nor did I grow up in a Christian home. But I learned to work hard for what I have and respect authority. I said yes sir and no sir. Still, that is not honor. When I look in the cabinet where my dad’s funeral flag is kept, in that triangular walnut case where the shell casings from the 21-gun salute are also housed, and I think of his heroism that saved countless lives and defended our nation, I pause–in honor. Why? My dad deserves honor because his actions actually counted for something important. That is why I honor Jesus Christ, my Lord. What he did at Calvary, and beyond the grave, was the most honorable action in all of human history. Thank you Jesus!
November 15
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
δίκαια, dikaia, “right,” is usually translated just. It makes me wonder what is the major difference in this word and ἀληθῆ, alēthē, “true,” earlier in the verse. True is supported by facts and substantiated over time in verifiable use. In other words, if you deny the facts in evidence, you deny the truth. “Just,” or “right,” is dealing with what is approved by God, hence, righteous and by implication, innocent. What is the difference? It is a fact that evil produces chaos and chaos drives many to violence causing death. But that is anything but righteous. Ideas and actions that are just uphold the commands of God, are biblically virtuous, and always lead one to do what is right as duty demands. I do not try to live a life pleasing to God for what I might get. I do so because of what I have already been given. A just life is a life of service.
November 16
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
ἁγνά (from ἁγνός), hagna, “pure;” when I think about something being pure, i.e., purity, I am thinking about the lack or absence of contaminants. In our kitchen, we use a water pitcher with a multi-stage filter that claims to bring the contaminant level to zero. It works great for several months until it fills up the the stuff it filters out of the water. You know you need a filter change when the water start to taste funky. In this verse, pure means free from defilement, or, free from every fault. Is it possible in the flesh? No. Is it worth striving for? Absolutely. The are so many things that can defile us. 1 John 2:16, “For all that is in the world–the desire of the flesh, and the desire of the eyes, and pride of life–is not from the Father but from the world.” When I struggle with this stuff, and I do, God reminds me that I have let my filter get dirty. I must turn to him to refocus on what is pure.
November 17
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
προσφιλῆ, prosphilē, “lovely,” immediately conjures pictures of my wife in my mind. After 50 years togethers, neither of us look much like we did when we were 18. But when I consider everything we have been through together, both the good and bad times, my mind ends up cradled in the realization that our life together has been beautiful–lovely if you will. That is exactly Paul’s intent here. The word means worthy of personal affection; something that is spiritually acceptable and pleasing. That is also how we should view our relationship with God. Even though he can clearly see all our shortcomings, misgivings and sometimes even lack of faith, our kinship to him is beautiful, now and forever because of Jesus Christ our Lord.
November 18
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
I am a tech guy, so I enjoy working around computers; million of others are the same but just as many millions despise computers. I play guitar and love all sorts of music. One of my hobbies is amateur radio. Not many people what that is now. I commend all these activities to other people. In this verse, εὔφημα, euphēma, “admirable,” (commendable) is not about what I commend but how I commend it. Speaking in a kind voice, having a reputable spirit with good will toward others regarding any subject is much to be preferred over a more caustic approach. Believers, while standing squarely on the truth of God’s word, must always commend Jesus and Christianity with kindness. Sometimes that is hard for me when I fact evil toe to toe in the form of a person who seemingly hates God. Their attitude must not change my ability to share the love of Christ with both candor and love for a lost soul in need of the Savior.
November 19
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
εἴ τις ἀρετὴ, eis tis aretē, “if any excellence;” The first thing of note is the change in sentence structure. From “whatever” to “if.” Paul is now summarizing the preceding qualities of life. Excellence, aretē, was a term used to denote consummate excellence or merit in a social context. The exhibition of such excellence invites recognitions, resulting in renown–or glory. Peter uses the same term (2 Peter 1-4) to describe Jesus, the ultimate manifestation of glory and excellence. So, Paul and Peter both are calling upon all true believers to live a life of moral excellence by allowing the aforementioned traits to be seen in our lives. The result should be an “atta boy” with our response being one of adoration and honor to God in Jesus for making such a life possible.
November 20
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος, kai ei tis epainos, “and if any praise,” the idea worthy of praise is literally, “praise upon” and denotes commendation or, something which is worthy of being commended as in formally approving. The word praise itself just means applaud. the opposite of that idea in the world today might be the very popular “boo” that regularly occurs at sporting events. You disagree, you boo. You agree, you applaud–or yell with wild affirmation. Paul is encouraging us to find things in our world for which we can praise God. When I think about that, it is very easy because I know that everything good, every blessing, every answered prayer comes from God. The more I praise him, the more at peace I am with the world around me. The opposite–brings chaos.
November 21
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
Sometimes, I wake up at night, move around in bed, and go right back to sleep. But, occasionally, I wake up in the middle of the night and immediately my mind goes crazy focusing on issues from the day before of what is coming the next day. And I cannot turn it off. Like it or not, I am thinking. ταῦτα λογίζεσθε, tauta logizesthe, “these things think on,” (from λογίζομαι, to consider), means to meditate on an idea with the intent of obtaining the clear truth in regard to the subject considered. I would call it deep thinking, something painfully lacking in the world now. “Just Google it” will not work if you are a serious thinker. Much reading (the Bible), observation, prayer, and interaction with other believers is a necessity if I want to really know the truth of a matter. Once I have thought through an idea, I then depend upon Holy Spirit to guide me into the truth of the matter.
November 22
Chapter 4, Verse 8, con’t, “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.”
This commentary might be thought of as a cautionary warning, to myself, and to all who read it. I am a teacher/pastor, a bible student, one who studies God’s truth and tries to share that truth with others. I am not a political hack nor a social media nut. But I do try to stay engaged daily to hear and see what is going on in the world–not be reactionary (which is sometimes very difficult not to be), but to respond when necessary from my foundation of faith. Here is my caution. It is way too easy to get caught up in the chaos and conflict of the world as I keep in touch through co-called news media and social media outlets. That is not good for my spiritual health and human interaction. The remedy is sure and simple; it always works. Spend more time in the truth of the word than in the innuendo and lies of media. God will never steer you wrong.
November 23
Chapter 4, Verse 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.”
ἐμάθετε, emathete, “you have learned,” elicits thoughtful remembrance for me. Throughout my years in school, I sometimes was not particularly interested in a course being taught, so I simply focused on passing the test at the end to make the grade and move on. I regret it because learning some of the things I passed over is more difficult now. But the subjects I liked, anything in math, science, and engineering, I digested every morsel and wanted more. This is also my approach the scripture. I am voracious in my investigations into bible lessons. The really neat part of the whole learning idea is that the more I study, the more God opens up to me–the best part being I will never learn it all. God is far too deep and wide to know all there is to know about him. But the challenge of knowing him is the best part of life, after all.
November 24
Chapter 4, Verse 9, con’t, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
καὶ παρελάβετε, kai parelabete, “and received;” I have heard that Albert Einstein once said, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.” Whether he said it or not, I agree with him, at least in part. And I think I understand his point. An unused, unchallenged mind shrivels and life is not worth living. An idle mind, according to 1 Timothy 5:13, results in people gossiping and being busybodies with nothing useful to say (but always seem to have an audience). Paul’s meaning here is much different. He started with what was learned from his teaching. Now he is talking about taking that lesson learned and integrating it into your life. In other words, doing something with what you now know. That is why I enjoy teaching. I get to pass it on–what I have learned from others. Then, hopefully, those who learn from me put it into practice and keep passing it on. The best lesson we can share is the gospel of Jesus and how he saved us.
November 25
Chapter 4, Verse 9, con’t, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
καὶ ἠκούσατε, kai ēkousate, “and have heard;” I do not know who first penned, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” That is a lie. Words used always have meaning to whoever hears them and if they are unkind, they hurt–whether hurt was intended or not. Paul was outspoken, bold, direct, and he did not hold back when confronting sin. I am sure that his words sometimes hurt–but not because they were attacking words. Rather, his words could hurt because they confronted evil in peoples lives. He was an encourager, a teller of God’s truth, a man on mission to invade lives with the gospel. I can only imagine the volumes heard by his friends that helped prepare them for life. I pray any my words will encourage others to follow Jesus.
November 26
Chapter 4, Verse 9, con’t, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
καὶ εἴδετε ἐν ἐμοί, kai eidete en emoi, “and have seen in me;” In 1945, George Orwell began writing 1984, a societal tale about government controlling and keeping an eye on everything. One famous quote from the book is, “Big brother is watching you.” I do not think a drone with a camera is following me around, but I do know my actions are watched every where I go. I must be careful how I act because of my claim to be a believer in Christ. Like it or not, my testimony puts my life under a bright light. Sometimes, people are just waiting for me to mess up so they can take a swipe at my faith. But, sometimes, people–especially young Christians or new adult Christians, are looking to me to learn how to walk as a believer. That is what Paul is speaking to here. The conduct of my life should give others confidence in their walk with Christ and not scare others away from a life of faith; being real is hard work, every day.
November 27
Chapter 4, Verse 9, con’t, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
ταῦτα πράσσετε, tauta prassete, “these things practice,” Practice makes perfect, right? In this case, that is exactly what Paul is addressing. Another Greek word, ποιέω, poieo, sometimes translated practice, carries the idea of simple execution or, one and done. The word used here means to perform repeatedly and/or habitually to become accomplished at any task. the vast list that Paul refers to: learned, received, heard, and seen, make this a seemingly unsurmountable task as I read about Paul’s life as a follower of Christ. I do know this one thing, though. If I want to mimic the strong, bold, Christian life of the apostle, there is certainly one thing I must do. In all I teach, I must put forth the gospel as primary. If I accomplish that task, my life is a success.
November 28
Chapter 4, Verse 9, con’t, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
ὁ Θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης, ho Theos tēs eirēnēs, “the God of peace” is one of the most beautiful descriptive phrases in the Bible. Back in verse 7, Paul spoke of the peace of God that would guard my heart. That great truth came on the heels of the exhortation to present all my concerns to God in prayer with thanksgiving. Now, Paul says that as I live my life as he did–putting life on the line for Jesus as a kingdom bringer–the God of peace will be with me. That means many things, the best of which is I will never be alone, not in life, not in death, never. I cannot effectively live in my own strength. I always need God. His is my confidence. When I present the challenges of life to God, I do not have to worry. I leave them with him, assured he knows best and will act on my behalf. Then, I rest in peace. What a confident hope that brings.
November 29
Chapter 4, Verse 9, con’t, “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me–practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.“
Because I have been saved by God’s grace through faith in Jesus, I will always enjoy the presence of God’s spirit in my life–even when I do not realize it or appreciate it. When Paul wrote the God of peace will be with you, this was neither ethereal or conceptual. This is reality. Why is it vitally important? In the world, two forces are fighting for my life and influence–good and evil. (Thank God, good will finally win). Evil is the purveyor of chaos. Disorder and confusion–chaos–is rampant in the world. It is easy to get sidetracked by all the voices that sometimes seem rational and believable. In fact, they are crazy, denying visible, obvious truth. But God is the bringer of peace, both in y heart and in every circumstance. I choose God over the noise of the world. He is my hope and my future.
November 30
Chapter 4, Verse 10, “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.”
Ἐχάρην, Echarēn, “I rejoiced;” Paul shares the ida of rejoicing over and over. Some may wonder why? I do not. I know his reason. It is why I rejoice all the time, in my prayers, in my conversation, and yes, in my writing. Generally, to rejoice means to delight in God’s grace. Paul does so because of where he came from–a man who persecuted his own ethnic group with arrest warrants that often led to violent death–becoming a man of God who would offer his last breath in defense of the gospel. That is grounds for rejoicing. Likewise, from my lost estate, a misguided self-righteous, selfish, abusing know-it-all, to a born again, heaven bound believer in Jesus. So, I rejoice–a lot.
larrywaynesykes.com 