I Pray All Is Well With Everyone…And Your Hearts And Minds Are Full Of Love, Joy, And Compassion…For The Light Of God Within Yourselves… And For The Light Of God Within Everyone Else! And As We Approach The Holidays…Giving Thanks For Love, Life, And Family; And Enjoying The Colorful Lights Glowing Brightly – Or Maybe The Solid Colored Lights Are The Preference Of Some; But Whatever The Choice…Remember That The Energy It Takes To Brighten Those Bulbs…Symbolizes The Light Of God Within Each One Of Us – Our Mighty I AM Presence”; And It Is ThatĀ Light, Power, And Energy Of God…That Keeps Us Going…Growing…And Glowing ! Amen…
Give Thanks And Praises For Love And Life…
And Y’all Be Love…
“If youāve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you careāthen do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Donāt push your way to the front; donāt sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Donāt be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didnāt think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all.
When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didnāt claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient deathāand the worst kind of death at thatāa crucifixion.
Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earthāeven those long ago dead and buriedāwill bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.
What Iām getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what youāve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience.
Now that Iām separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is Godās energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure.
Do everything readily and cheerfullyāno bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so Iāll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. Youāll be living proof that I didnāt go to all this work for nothing. (Philippians 2:1-16 MSG).
Iām not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, donāt get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but Iāve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onwardāto Jesus. Iām off and running, and Iām not turning back.
So, letās keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred visionāyouāll see it yet! Now that weāre on the right track, letās stay on it.Ā Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal.
There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. Iāve warned you of them many times; sadly, Iām having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christās Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
But thereās far more to life for us. Weāre citizens of high heaven! Weāre waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. Heāll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him. (Philippians 3:12-21 MSG).
And thatās about it, friends. Be glad in God!” (Philippians 3:1 MSG).