Skip to main content

ALL THINGS DUNG...

Philippians 3:8
"Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,"

This is the second week of Advent, the time of year we celebrate Jesus becoming incarnate. Last week we marveled that Jesus came to us as a baby who cried. That baby grows up to become the person who is sacrificed on the cross and cried there.
AND, it's a cry that SAVES All others!
The reason for The Season!!
Praise the Lord!!!

This week we are going to study; A Baby Needs A Change. While this is self evident to everyone who has cared for a baby; it's not something we normally think about. Jesus needing His diaper changed! But, He did. While Jesus is 100% God He is also 100% human. We love this GREAT event and love to think about the Angels visiting the shepherds in the field. Or, the wise men following the star. There is so many GLORIOUS aspects to the event. We love to get caught up in the excitement of it all. 

Perhaps it would be good for us to remember this moment was also very earthy.  It was "natural" child birth in a barn, where cows, sheep, camels and more were living. There would have been many barnyard smells and animal sounds. Something that looks good on the screen or in a painting but being immersed in this setting is another experience. 

For some perspective on this subject we turn to the Apostle Paul's letter to the Philippians. Here Paul surveys his life and accomplishments and counts them VERY LOW next to his FAITH in Jesus and the Salvation given by God's Grace! "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of ALL THINGS, and do count them but DUNG, that I may win Christ,"

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

I will make you

Matthew 4:19&20 "19 And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him." In our "Follow Me" series, we study Jesus calling His disciples in the Gospel of Matthew. By the Sea of Galilee, a thriving fishing hub, Jesus saw Simon and Andrew casting nets as humble fishermen. His disciples were ordinary workers, not wealthy or educated elites. Jesus approached them and said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Remarkably, they immediately left their jobs to follow Him. This brief exchange conveys a profound truth: Jesus says, "I will make you." Only God can transform us to accomplish His purpose. We should often pray, "Help me, God," seeking Jesus' guidance to follow His plan for our lives.

God’s patience

2 Peter 3:9 "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." God did not immediately punish King Solomon when he allowed his foreign wives to build altars for false gods. Despite multiple compromises, God remained patient. Over time, Solomon’s endorsement of idolatry defied God’s covenant, leading to divine judgment, including the loss of the kingdom for his son. Some mistake God’s patience for indifference or inaction, but He follows His plan in His timing. If our nation, culture, church, or we ourselves stray like Solomon, we can repent and return to God’s path. And, should do so sooner than later! Amen!

we also...

Romans 6:3&4 "3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." In our studies we are striving to understand God’s love and care. God's unconditional love for His followers, appreciating that we are part of GOD’S family! God is with us from cradle to grave. His divine presence is always giving us purpose and guidance. One of the most important milestones in the life of a Christian is baptism. When we are baptized, an indelible mark is made on our soul. This mark signifies a permanent transformation and dedication of the individual to God. The act of Baptism involves water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity. This ritual is seen as a symbolic washing away of original sin and a new birth into the life of Christ. Baptism is a foundational s...