STAY TRUE TO THE LORD

As we begin the final chapter of the book of Philippians, Paul gives a closing appeal for staying true to the Lord and unity among the believers in the church in Philippi. Paul said these words of encouragement in Philippians 4:1-3, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work. Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life." Since Paul loved and cared for the believers in Philippi, He encouraged them to stay true to the Lord. Staying true to the Lord means genuinely living out their faith in the Lord and continuing to pursue their spiritual maturity. For if they would not stay true to the Lord, it would bring disunity among them, just as Euodia and Syntyche, who were quarreling for some reason, in spite of their service to the Lord. Paul was encouraging the church to help these women unite again. 

When we do not prioritize our relationship with the Lord, we give Satan the opportunity to bring disunity among us. We are prone to being self-centered and prideful, and this is the reason we need to stay firm in our faith in the Lord. We must not give in to our self-centeredness and pridefulness. God wants us to be humble and not only think about ourselves, but also the good of others. Being spiritually mature means showing kindness to others by being willing to listen and be understanding. It is possible to continue to serve the Lord and go to church, and not prioritize our relationship with the Lord. We can harbor self-centeredness and pridefulness in our hearts, and everything that we do is all about us and not God. Our Lord Jesus is encouraging us this morning to stay true to our faith in the Lord and pursue our spiritual maturity that brings unity in the church. 

We do not have a choice but to stay true to our faith in the Lord. Let us walk in humility and show kindness to others. We need to prioritize our relationship with our Lord Jesus in everything that we do. Let us not give in to our self-centeredness and pride.

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Am I prioritizing my relationship with God in everything that I do? In what ways do I prioritize my relationship with God? Why is it important to prioritize my relationship with God? 

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, please help me to prioritize my relationship with you in everything that I do, that I may walk in humility that promotes unity in your church. Do not let pride and self-centeredness grip hold of my heart. Please continue to change my heart and renew my mind with your truth. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.