More meditations on Philippians 2

"...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." -Philippians2:12b-13

As I was meditating on Philippians 2 the other morning, when I read, "...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling..." the Spirit clearly spoke this to me:

"Nevertheless, she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love and holiness with self-control." 1 Timothy 2:15

"Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." 1 Timothy 4:16

In an instant I knew what my "salvation", which is to be worked out with fear and trembling, is.

It isn't a new salvation, seperate from Christ. It is Christ working in me both to will and do for His good pleasure. My salvation is worked out, fleshed out, lived out (that is, God is in me working, fleshing, living, out) in raising the children God has entrusted to my care in His nurture and admonition.

This is the doctrine (along with the rest of scripture's doctrine) that I'm to take heed to, because in doing so I save myself and those who hear me (my kids, if they hear me... Oh Lord open their ears!) Again, I'm not saving myself. This is speaking of the redeeming of my life in the flesh in a very lived-out way and the redeeming of my kids' lives by the power of Ephesians 2:8-10:

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

Ephesians 2:8-10 is how I am "saved in childbearing." And it is where in living out this ministry by faith, which God is the one in me willing and doing for His pleasure, I am saved and so are those who hear me.

It's Christ, redeeming the time in me and in you!

It's Christ living out, through me and you, the workmanship He's always had prepared for us to walk in.

It's not our own effort, our own adequacy, or even our own will... it's Christ living in us, and us simply surrendering to His will. In doing so, you and I live out our salvation on the earth (I'm talking to moms here, I know there are more and differing ways this looks for each of us as we live out our salvation in distinct and differing ministries).

And so I pray for my kids (and my precious husband too... in a sense I labor for him more than anyone to know Christ), that they too would work out their own salvation with fear and trembling and that the Lord would give them wisdom and understanding to do that.

Oh, and it is with fear and trembling! For it is impossible apart from Christ!

Redeeming the time,

Nothing is Lost from Elisabeth Elliot

Reading this in my email this morning surely is the response of comfort by the Spirit, working through Mrs. Elliot, after my meditations on Phillipians 2:12-17 this morning.

As moms, it can be so easy to get discouraged and feel like our labor is in vain. After all, we clean up the same messes over and over, and in regards to our kids, the same issues get addressed time and time again. And for some of us all our effort seems to be burning up in the choices our kids are making or in the seeming never-finished work we're doing. But this TRUE word of comfort is what we must confidently press on in!

Author: Elisabeth Elliot
Source: Keep A Quiet Heart
Scripture Reference:
1 Timothy 6:15 Acts 2:23


Nothing is Lost


A pastor's wife asked, "When one witnesses a work he has poured his life into 'go up in flames' (especially if he is not culpable), is it the work of Satan or the hand of God?"
Often it is the former, always it is under the control of the latter. In the biographies of the Bible we find men whose work for God seemed to be a flop at the time--Moses' repeated efforts to persuade Pharaoh, Jeremiah's pleas for repentance, the good king Josiah's reforms, rewarded in the end by his being slain by a pagan king. Sin had plenty to do with the seeming failures, but God was then, as He is now, the "blessed controller of all things" (1 Timothy 6:15, PHILLIPS). He has granted to us human beings responsibility to make choices and to live with the consequences. This means that everybody suffers--sometimes for his or her own sins, sometimes for those of others.

There are paradoxes here which we cannot plumb. But we can always look at the experiences of our own lives in the light of the life of our Lord Jesus. How shall we learn to "abide" (stay put) in Christ, enter into the fellowship of His sufferings, let Him transform our own? There is only one way. It is by living each event, including
having things "go up in flames," as Christ lived: in the peace of the Father's will. Did His earthly work appear to be a thundering success? He met with argument, unbelief, scorn in Pharisees and others. Crowds followed Him--not because they wanted His Truth, but because they liked handouts such as bread and fish and physical healing. His own disciples were "fools and slow of heart to believe." (Why didn't Jesus make them believe? For the reason given above.) These men who had lived intimately with Him, heard His teaching for three years, watched His life and miracles, still had little idea what He was talking about on the evening before His death. Judas betrayed Him, Peter denied Him. The rest of them went to sleep when He asked them to stay awake. In the end they all forsook Him and fled. Peter repented with tears and later saw clearly what had taken place. In his sermon to the Jews of Jerusalem (Acts 2:23, PHILLIPS) he said, "This man, who was put into your power by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed up and murdered.... But God would not allow the bitter pains of death to touch him. He raised him to life again--and there was nothing by which death could hold such a man."

There is nothing by which death can hold any of His faithful servants, either. Settle it, once and for all--YOU CAN NEVER LOSE WHAT YOU HAVE OFFERED TO CHRIST. It's the man who tries to save himself (or his reputation or his work or his dreams of success or fulfillment) who loses. Jesus gave us His word that if we'd lose our lives for His sake, we'd find them.

Redeeming the time,

What is the gold?

For the past couple years God has been speaking this to me regularly:

"I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent." - Revelation 3:18-19

In the past few months, in light of the economic situation in our country, this section of scripture is speaking to me even more. The Lord, speaking to a people who identify themselves with Him, who think of themselves as rich and needing nothing, who He says are actually, "...wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked...", gives a remedy that involves "buying."

So, I've been asking Him, "How do I buy this 'gold refined in fire' Lord? I get that there will be fiery trials that we will have opportunity to buy, that is, let go of something we hold dear in exchange for something You are allowing in our lives, but what is the gold?"

Last night, after watching Expelled, I was brought to my knees. I was overwhelmed by the lies, and the violence of the enemy, and I began to fear for my own faith and my children and husband. I began casting all those cares on the Lord and He truly met me and spoke hope and confidence into my heart. While reading the verses that He was speaking to me I came upon this one:

"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ..." - 1 Peter 1:6-7 (emphasis added by me)

He answered me!

What is the gold? It is the genuineness of your faith!

Jesus counsels us "rich" Christians to buy His gold. He counsels us to buy the proving of the genuineness of our faith, and this, if need be, comes through the grief of various trials.

Surely, we are only beginning to see the trials we will be grieved by as a nation. May we let go of all we've been holding onto as "riches" and embrace with rejoicing the loving chastisement of our Father that we might be made rich in genuine faith!

Have you ever read Revelation 3:14-22? What does the Lord speak to your heart as you read about the lukewarm church?

Oh, Father, encourage our hearts to trust You! Encourage our hearts to not fight what's out of our control, but to come to you on our knees and buy the gold you offer us, the proving of our genuine faith!

Redeeming the time,

At His Mercy

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." -James 4:8

Sometimes I'm overwhelmed, like tonight, with the impossibleness of the ones I love drawing near to God. Even my own faith is tested and I know, that if my faith wasn't kept by the power of God (1 Peter 1:5) I would not draw near to Him either.

I mean, why would a person draw near to the God who by all means must and should reject you? So many doubts, so many unanswered questions, so much lack of understanding, so much love of darkness... why would anyone come to Him, even these that I love... even myself!?

I think all this, and I'm there, at the table the LORD prepares for me in the PRESENCE of my enemies (Psalm 23:5). Surround by enemies, He whispers this hope:

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise
him up at the last day." -John 6:44

And then I cry, "Oh Father! Draw them! Draw me! Don't stop! We'll never come if You don't draw us!"

I find myself at His mercy, which though I tremble, is the best place for me to be. Though all odds are against me and the ones I love, and though the total otherness of Him who draws me threatens to send me running, I curl up at His feet, with my hands surrendered in the air saying,

"Lord, to whom shall I go? You have the words of eternal life." -John 6:68

I come boldly to You King of kings. I think I might be feeling a bit like Esther right now as I run boldly to the throne of grace, that I may obtain mercy and find grace to help in this time of need! You have every reason to reject me, certainly unless You extend Your scepter of grace towards me I'm dead! And so it is for these that I love too! Unless Your grace is for us, we're dead! But if I die, I die. For it is not hope in me or hope in them that sends me running to You, it's hope in YOU!!! "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at Your right hand making intercession for us!" Oh those words are my hope!!! My hope, encourage my weak heart! The enemy surrounds me and these that I love, and I come to Your table where Your broken body is the feast on which my spirit can live! Let me just trust You! Save us Lord! Save these that I love, not just from hell for eternity, but from believing and helping hell now! Draw us to You and then we will draw near to You and You will draw near to us! My hope is in You Lord Jesus! My hope is in You!!!

Redeeming the time,

The LORD is our Provider: Jehovah Jireh

In the times we live, in whom or what we trust for provision is tested. As I was just fixing my boys their lunch of PB&J, the old song Jehovah Jireh, came to mind. I sang it and it brought me instant peace! I went looking for it on YouTube and instead found this short, beautiful reminder that our LORD is our provider!

And if you want to get up and dance and worship Jehovah Jireh here's this:

Jehovah Jireh

My provider
His grace is sufficient
For me, for me,
for me
Jehovah Jireh
My provider
His grace is sufficient for me

My God shall supply all my needs
According to his riches in glory
He will give His
angels
Charge over me
Jehovah Jireh cares
For me, for me, for me
Jehovah Jireh cares for me

Redeeming the time,