Day 279 – Philippians: Joy in believing and giving

“Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.” Philippians 3:8-9 NLT

Read Philippians 3:1 to 4:23

Through this letter, Paul shows us how we are called to live the Christian life. We can become mature by being so identified with Christ that His attitude of humility and self-sacrifice becomes ours. Christ is both our source of power and our guide to be true ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven. Developing our character through faith begins with God’s work in us. But growth also requires self-discipline, obedience to God’s Word, and concentrating on the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus laid aside His rights and privileges as God to become human and selflessly poured out His life to pay the penalty we deserve. Laying aside self-interest is essential to all our relationships. We are to take our Christ-centred attitude in serving others by giving it our all. Giving is not just financial or humanitarian – it’s your time and yourself. Renouncing personal recognition and merit, we can give with joy, love, and kindness.

Prayer: Father, thank You for teaching us the meaning and value of giving. May every journey we are on, everything we go through, strengthen our faith and belief in the true living God. Your ways are mysterious to us, but You, O Lord, always look after Your children, and even through these times (trials and tribulations), we come out stronger in faith and stronger in Jesus. Amen.