And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment].
—Philippians 1:9
When something abounds, it grows and becomes so big that it chases people down, overtaking and overwhelming them. This is how Paul prayed for the church—that love would abound. Then he said, "So that you may surely learn to sense what it vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value" (Philippians 1:10).
It is very important to be a person of excellence—to do your very best every day in all you believe God is asking you to do . . . to do every job to the best of your ability. You can't be an excellent person and not walk in love, and you can't walk in love and not be an excellent person. To abound in love is the most excellent thing you can do.
A Substitute Father
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Then said Ziba unto the king, According to all that my lord the king hath commanded his servant, so shall thy servant do. As for Mephibosheth, said the king, he shall eat at my table, as one of the king’s sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Micha. And all that dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants unto Mephibosheth. So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem: for he did eat continually at the king’s table; and was lame on both his feet.”
2 Samuel 9:11–13
In Bible times it was not uncommon for new kings, upon taking the throne, to kill off every member of the previous dynasty. This ensured that they would not be challenged by those who wanted to foment rebellion. Though most of Saul’s line perished in battle before David became king, Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was still alive. And David, rather than executing Mephibosheth, brought him into his house and fed him at the royal table along with the rest of his own family.
That is a beautiful picture of what God does for us in salvation. All of us, regardless of if our earthly fathers were godly men or ungodly men, were born into the wrong family. Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
When we trust Christ as our Saviour, however, God adopts us as His children, making us the sons of God. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). The Bible description of God as our Father is not simply metaphorical. In His love and mercy, God makes us His very own, and He is to us the perfect Heavenly Father.
2 Samuel 9:11–13
In Bible times it was not uncommon for new kings, upon taking the throne, to kill off every member of the previous dynasty. This ensured that they would not be challenged by those who wanted to foment rebellion. Though most of Saul’s line perished in battle before David became king, Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, was still alive. And David, rather than executing Mephibosheth, brought him into his house and fed him at the royal table along with the rest of his own family.
That is a beautiful picture of what God does for us in salvation. All of us, regardless of if our earthly fathers were godly men or ungodly men, were born into the wrong family. Jesus said, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
When we trust Christ as our Saviour, however, God adopts us as His children, making us the sons of God. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12). The Bible description of God as our Father is not simply metaphorical. In His love and mercy, God makes us His very own, and He is to us the perfect Heavenly Father.
Today’s Growth Principle:
Rejoice that God has adopted you into His family and made you one of His own children.
A More Excellent Way
by Joyce Meyer - posted June 18, 2017And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment].
—Philippians 1:9
When something abounds, it grows and becomes so big that it chases people down, overtaking and overwhelming them. This is how Paul prayed for the church—that love would abound. Then he said, "So that you may surely learn to sense what it vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value" (Philippians 1:10).
It is very important to be a person of excellence—to do your very best every day in all you believe God is asking you to do . . . to do every job to the best of your ability. You can't be an excellent person and not walk in love, and you can't walk in love and not be an excellent person. To abound in love is the most excellent thing you can do.
No comments:
Post a Comment