Practice these things

Have you ever been reading God's Word, and you can't get past a certain passage for several days? Well, that is what has happened to me the past four days. God has kept me in Philippians 4:4-9 and has been speaking into my spirit. Let me share a little bit with you.

I love Philippians 4:9. There are four things in this verse that Paul says we should "practice these things" and if we do, the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me--practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Remember that Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1 "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." There are many that say, "Don't follow me, I may lead you astray", yet here is Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit saying, "Follow me..." There is a big difference between worshipping someone, and following their example. No one should worship us, but everyone should be able to follow our example if we are Christian men and women. We should, like Paul, be able to say, follow me as I follow Christ. To better examine how good of an example we are, we need to look closely at Philippians 4:9 and what Paul says.

First of all he says, what you have LEARNED from me, put it into practice. For us to tell people to "practice what you have learned from me", we must first ask ourselves the following question: What am I TEACHING? Are those who are around me learning forgiveness from me? How about faith? Worry? Fear? Anger and frustration? Joy? Patience?

Before I tell people to put into practice what they have learned from me, I better make sure that I am following Jesus in what my life is teaching.

Secondly, Paul says what you have received from me put into practice. Now we need to ask ourselves the question, what am I giving? Am I giving of my time? Am I willing to sacrifice? One of the most powerful stories in the Bible is found in 2 Samuel 24. Let me share a little bit of it with you:

2 Samuel 24:21-25 Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" "To buy your threshing floor," David answered, "so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped." (22) Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. (23) O king, Araunah gives all this to the king." Araunah also said to him, "May the LORD your God accept you." (24) But the king replied to Araunah, "No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. (25) David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Before we say to those around us, put into practice what you have received from me, we must examine what we are giving. Do we, like David, say and MEAN, "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing." We have some who's worship of God depends upon the style of music that is being played. My friends, true worship is a matter of the heart and not of style. Worship never has been about style and never will be. If it is for you, then I am afraid that you haven't found the essence of worship. What are you willing to give to the Lord? What price are you willing to pay in worship to your God? David was concerned with what he was giving to the Lord. May we be as well.

Thirdly, Paul said what you have heard from me put into practice. I need to ask myself, what am I saying? If I encourage people to put into practice what they have heard from me, I better watch my tongue and my words. Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."

The message puts the same verse like this: "Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit--you choose." "Oh be careful little tongue what you say" because your words are impacting more people that you can imagine.

Finally, Paul said what you have seen in me put into practice. I need to ask myself what I am doing. My daily decisions: the places I go, the way I place myself in compromising situations, the way I refuse to avoid the very appearance of evil, the words I speak, the habits I develop (good and bad) impact people. I need to be careful what I do.

Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ" by practicing what you learned, received, heard and received from me. When you do, God's peace will be with you.

As I have studied this, the Holy Spirit has asked me over and over again, "as people follow you, where will it lead them?" Ask yourself that question. Will your example lead people closer to Christ, or further from Him? It really is something to think about, and re-examine. Amen? Blessings!

Pastor Rusty