WEDNESDAY'S THE 3RD DAILY BREAD: EXPECTATIONS

[cimi]

December 3
wednesday


EXPECTATIONS

READ:
Philippians 1:12-21
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My earnest expectation
and hope [is] that...
Christ will be magnified
in my body, whether by
life or by death.
__Philippians 1:20
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Expectations! We all have them. We expect that people will be nice to us, that we'll have good health, great marriages, faithful friends, successful careers. But what do we do when life doesn't live up to our expectations? In Philippians 1, Paul shows us the way. He faced broken expectations of place, people, and the future, yet he remained surprisingly upbeat.

Paul was stuck in prison--not a great place to be! When we get stuck in a tough marriage, an unrewarding job, or a challenging neighborhood, it's easy to get discouraged. But Paul was wonderfully positive. He said that his suffering helped to advance the gospel (Phil. 1:12).

Maybe people haven't lived up to our expectations. paul likely expected other believers to encourage him. Instead, some were actually glad he was in jail and were preaching out of "envy and strife" (v.15). Paul's response? "Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice" (v.18).

Maybe it's an uncertain future--the loss of a spouse, a job transfer, or a health crisis. Paul knew that at any moment Nero might give the order for his execution, yet he declared, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (v.21).

Adopt Paul's only expectation--for Christ to be honored no matter what! __Joe Stowell
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`````````````````````In all I think and say and do,````````````````
`````````````````````I long, O God, to honor You;````````````````
````````````````````But may my highest motive be```````````````
````````````To love the Christ who died for me. __D. De Haan```````
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You can enjoy God's presence
when you honor Him with your life.

************Today's Bible Reading __ Philippians 1:12-218**********

12 But I want you to know,
brethren, that the things
which happened to me have
actually turned out for the
furtherance of the gospel,

13 so that it has become
evident to the whole palace
guard, and to all the rest,
that my chains are in
Christ; 14 and most of the
brethren in the Lord, having
become confident by my
chains, are much more bold
to speak the word without
fear.

15 Some indeed preach
Christ even from envy and
strife, and some also from
goodwill: 16 The former
preach Christ from selfish
ambition, not sincerely,
supposing to add affliction
to my chains; 17 but the
latter out of love, knowing
that I am appointed for the
defense of the gospel.

18 What then? Only that in
every way, whether in
pretense or in truth, Christ
is preached; and in this I
rejoice, yes, and will
rejoice.

19 For I know that this will
turn out for my deliverance
through your prayer and the
supply of the Spirit of Jesus
Christ, 20 according to my
earnest expectation and
hope that in nothing I shall
be ashamed, but with all
boldness, as always, so now
also Christ will be
magnified in my body,
whether by life or by death.

21 For to me, to live is
Christ, and to die is gain.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<T

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Paul rejoices in the advnce of the gospel
regardless of who the messenger might be--refusing to see ministry
as a competition with other Christian leaders. Here, he celebrates
the ministry of those who have opposed him. Both thexts remind us
that the message--not the messenger--is the key. __Bill CRowder