Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Planning”
Our Bible verse for today: “I don’t say this out of need, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content – whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need.” Philippians 4:11-12 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “Plan to rely on Jesus.”
The Apostle Paul certainly had his share of both good times and bad. He had times when he was treated like a superstar and was lauded by the people, and he had times when he was chased out of town and stoned. There were many occasions when his fellow Christians loved him, but there were also times when some of them hated him. There were periods when he was well fed and safely housed, and other times when he was homeless, hungry, lonely, and even shipwrecked.
Paul went through it all. But as we read in Philippians 4:11-12 (written while he was in prison), Paul had learned the secret of being content in whatever his circumstances were. What was that secret? He tells us in verse 13, “I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
In all situations, good and bad, Paul looked to Jesus. That was his secret. And don’t miss the fact that he had learned it. Over time and through experience Paul had learned to constantly look to Jesus. And when he did that, he discovered that along with Jesus he could handle whatever the situation was.
I once read a statement about the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah that expressed a similar truth about his life. If you read Jeremiah’s story you discover that his ministry years were a lot like Paul’s, only worse. Paul had lots of good times to balance the bad times. Jeremiah had mostly bad times. He was scorned, persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, and ended up witnessing the total destruction of Jerusalem. It was a tough life. And yet, he never lost faith and he never gave up. One Bible commentator said of Jeremiah that “He lived above his circumstances, not under them.”
That’s exactly what Paul was writing about in Philippians 4:11-13. He had learned to live above his circumstances, not under them, and he did it by keeping his eyes on Jesus. You can too. Whatever your situation is – the answer is Jesus. There’s nothing you’re dealing with that He can’t help you with. Life will always be better with Him than without Him.
This is where faith and planning come in. You have to have decided in your mind and heart that Jesus is in fact the answer and when you are faced with tough times, you will always look to Him to get you through.
Like Paul you learn through experience that Jesus has always been there for you in the past, and He will always be there for you in the future. You know that no matter what you face, you can do all things through Him who strengthens you, and therefore your plan for dealing with it will always be to look to Him for help and guidance. Now that’s a good plan for handling whatever circumstances life brings your way!
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 