Calvary Chapel Bakersfield

In studying the book of Philippians the overriding theme is that of JOY. Paul speaks of the joy filled life that is not based upon the circumstances of life but is constant. Here in just three verses Paul shares with us the secret of contentment.

Its been well said, “OUR LIVES ARE ALWAYS MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR strongest thoughts. What we think shapes who we are.” “Finally” means the rest or the things that remain. “In conclusion” Verses 8 and 9 contain two verbs… Paul is calling his listeners to action. Not just action to do but as we see in verse 8 the action is to think, to mediate, to ponder. And the second verb we see in verse 9 is to do, to do what you think about. Thoughts produce action like the old saying by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny.”

Are you aware that the number one threat to our joy is fear, worry, anxiety so when the apostle Paul speaks about deep lasting and satisfying joy its only right that he addresses the very thing that stands in our way. What you have to love about how the apostle Paul goes about addressing the issue is he does so in two short verses. I like that. The solution to our worry and stress is not as complex as some might think. Simple yes, simplistic no. Think about it for a moment… what are you afraid of. Perceived worry from real fear. Most of us worry about things that will never come to pass all the while ignoring things that are right in front of us. Its estimated that 20% of all drivers don't wear seat belts, and that 75% text while driving. How about cigarette smoking? It says right on the package that smoking is the number one cause of lung disease and can kill you.

Let me begin this morning by asking you, what first attracted you to Jesus? What was it about Him that made you want to give up everything this world has to offer to follow Him? If we are like any of the apostles or earliest disciples at all, it is His love. Ephesians 3:17-19, “being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” The greatest attraction the church has to the world around us is our love, our sacrificial love for one another because of the sacrificial love of Jesus for you and for me. The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that the greatest things in this life are faith, hope and love and that of those three things love is the greatest. More than truth, more than holiness, love is what draws us to Jesus and what Jesus says draws the world to us.