philippians 1.15-18 (ms), it's true that some here preach CHRIST because with me out of the way, they think they'll step right into the spotlight. but the others do it with the best heart in the world. one group is motivated by pure love, knowing that i am here defending the message, wanting to help. the others, now that i'm out of the picture, are merely greedy, hoping to get something out of it for themselves. their motives are bad. they see me as their competition, and so the worse it goes for me, the better—they think—for them. so how am i to respond? i've decided that i really don't care about their motives, whether mixed, bad, or indifferent. every time one of them opens his mouth, CHRIST is proclaimed, so i just cheer them on!
now that is the way to show that having CHRIST in your life really works. by not responding the same way that people who don't have CHRIST respond. does joy shine through in your negative episodes of life or do you respond just like everybody else?
paul is saying that if you want something to steal your joy quicker than anything else, just let
other people begin to criticize you. then he said 18 (niv), but what does it matter? so what. paul wasn't going to let anybody steal his joy. not circumstances nor critics. he said their motives may be wrong, their style may be wrong, but if the message is getting out. what does it matter? he had set his priorities, his values, so he would not let little things steal his joy. so I just cheer them on!
how many arguments in your marriage are over little things that really don't matter? is it worth losing your joy over? no! he's saying that if you want to have constant joy you have to know what is important.
so what is important? proverbs 3.6 (lb), in everything you do, put GOD first and HE will direct you and crown your efforts with success.
that’s what counts -- put GOD first. do what GOD wants. the important stuff. focus on what really counts.
just a thought from bill's front porch...
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