Today's Verse: Philippians 2:1-2

Sunday, September 14, 2014

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.
— Philippians 2:1-2

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Our call to sacrificially submit ourselves to others does not begin with our sacrifice, but with God's blessings. The actual grammatical construction of this statement is more accurately translated when all the "if"s changed to "since"s! We are called to unity in spirit and purpose after having received all these blessings from being in Jesus! We are encouraged by being united with Christ. We are comforted by his love. We do share in fellowship with the Holy Spirit. We have received tenderness and compassion. So how can we not share those with our Christian family and find a way to live together in his Kingdom in harmony?

My Prayer...

Holy and righteous Father, you have blessed me so richly in Jesus. Open my eyes to see how those around me in my spiritual family need to receive those same blessings from me. In the name of Jesus, and because of the grace he has lavished upon me, I pray with thanksgiving in my heart. Amen.

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Illustration

Illustration of Philippians 2:1-2 — 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.

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About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

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