I can do this with joy

Sunday 6-14-15 (Home in Modesto)

Scripture reading:  1 Kings 15    2 Chron 13-14     Phil 4

S.  Phil 4:11-14  Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little.  I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.  NLT

O.  It is one of our favorite verses to quote, Phil 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” NKJV  But we quote it when facing very different situations than the Apostle Paul when he penned these words.  The context shows us a man held as a prisoner awaiting trial for a life or death sentence. 

Let’s see what he is not saying:  He is not saying, “Through Christ I can scale these rock walls and escape this prison.”  He is not saying, “I can pray for a softer bed than this rock floor and God will supply it.” 

He is telling his converts and theirs in Philippi… “Through Christ I can have the joy of the Lord while I suffer hunger and thirst, pain and discomfort.  I can enjoy dining at a table with the wealthy or I can eat the slop they are serving me in a tin can here in this prison… or even sleep in peace on an empty stomach.  I can enjoy the luxuries of a plush hotel or stretch out here on this cold rock floor.”  These are the kind of “all things” the Apostle Paul can do with joy through the strength Christ gives him.   

A.  All of us face challenges in our Christian lives.  Some of us push the limits and bring about our own challenges… especially us who are missionaries.  We leap into the impossible quoting Phil 4:13 at the top of our voices.  And “Praise God”, so many times Jesus comes to our rescue.  Oh!  Yes, He does!

One unforgettable night Frances and I stayed in a nice hotel in a not-so-good location in the heart of Buenos Aires.  We couldn’t believe it.  The bed was hard as a rock.  There was a huge pile of garbage in the street below our window and all night long… hungry people were yelling as they tore through the garbage seeking food or valuables.  We didn’t get much sleep that night.  The next day we mentioned the hard bed to the front desk.  The reply was, “Oh, we accidentally gave you one of the beds reserved for our Chinese customers that are used to sleeping on a mat on the floor.  We are so sorry!”  Did I hear a “Hallelujah?” 

P.  Lord Jesus, the next time I find myself trapped in a small, smelly room with a bed too cold and hard to be comfortable… or when for situations I cannot alter… I have missed a half-dozen meals, help me to quote this inspiring scripture with its original meaning in mind.  ‘I can stand up under this ill treatment.  I can suffer this without complaint… and not even seek escape.  I can do all this with joy in my heart through the strength that You give me.’  Amen… and Hallelujah, too!

Ralph