Happy Tuesday!

Philippians 2:1-4 “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. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.”

Today the Burton Hill Fellowship met in our home. We shared wonderful food, conversation, concerns, prayer requests, shared answered prayers, thankful praises and this passage of scripture. We discussed how this passage was written for each of us in how we should treat others; not just those who know to be believers, but those who perhaps are not walking with Christ. Remember last week when we studied that the more we know about Christ and the more of our lives we submit to Christ the greater He becomes? We have to become less so Christ can become more.

Today, there were six of us who met for prayer and study. Each of us is in a different stage of our life. Some of us have grown children living at home, some have younger children at home, some have children who are grown and are living away from home and today one of our sisters has a step-daughter who lives away from her home.

There is probably a 20 year age span in this group of women. But we care for each other, listen to each other’s joys and concerns and fervently pray for each other. We encourage each other when the way seems long and hard. We pray for each family represented. Today, after we finished, we went to the plant nursery. Each of us has different levels of expertise and knowledge of plants and how and where they grow best, The more experienced ones assisted those of us who were novices (that would be me!) in plant selection. Lisa, our reigning plant queen patiently answered all of our questions and after we had all made our selections she made hers. She put herself after all of us. Her Christ-like attitude was one of selfless patience.

Christ came to earth to show us the heart of the Father. He came to model the Godly characteristics of encouragement, comfort, love, tenderness, compassion and complete joy. Christ did nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but offered Himself in humility to consider the needs of others before His own. Jesus taught us through His unfailing and perfect love for each of us to not look to our own interests to the interests of others.

The bottom line is the last verse of this passage that says, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” We have a perfect model to follow along this journey. I know of only One who met the expectations in this passage of scripture and could do it all in one single act. The rest of us have a lifetime to meet these expectations. So as we walk along this journey of faith let us encourage each other with the love of Christ and take joy in the journey.

Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.