Philippians 1:27-2:11 - Self Inflicted Wounds

Philippians 1-27-2-11 New International Version -NIV---27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved-and that by God. 29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.--2 Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.--5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus---6 Who, being in very nature God,- did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage--7 rather, he made himself nothing- by taking the very nature of a servant,- being made in human likeness.-8 And being found in appearance as a man,- he humbled himself- by becoming obedient to death-- even death on a cross--9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place- and gave him the name that is above every name,-10 th

Philippians 1:12-26 It Has Always Been Better

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter- The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God's provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose- I do not know- I am torn between the two- I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far- but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that through my being with you again your boas

Philippians 1:1-11 Digging out of Prisons

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons- Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer- that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.

Matthew 20:17-34 Not Hearing, Not Understanding, Not Seeing

Matthew 20-17-34 -ESV---Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time-17-And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them, 18--See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death 19-and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.- --A Mother's Request-20-Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21-And he said to her, -What do you want-- She said to him, -Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.- 22-Jesus answered, -You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink-- They said to him, -We are able.- 23-He said to them, -You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.- 24-And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers. 25-But Jesus called them to him and said, -You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 26-It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27-and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28-even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.- --Jesus Heals Two Blind Men-29-And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30-And behold, there were two blind men sitting by

Matthew 20:1-16 - It Is Not Going To Be A Matter Of Time

Matthew 20-1-16 -NIV----The Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard-20 -For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard. 2-He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. -3--About nine in the morning he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. 4-He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' 5-So they went. --He went out again about noon and about three in the afternoon and did the same thing. 6-About five in the afternoon he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing-' -7---'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. --He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' -8--When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' -9--The workers who were hired about five in the afternoon came and each received a denarius. 10-So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. 11-When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 12-'These who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' -13--But he answered one of them, 'I am not being unfair to you, friend. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius- 14-Take your pay and go. I want to give the one who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15-Don't I have the right to do what

Matthew 18:23-19:12 A King Never Divorced From Mercy

Matthew 18-23-19-12 New International Version -NIV---23 -Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.--26 -At this the servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.' 27 The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.--28 -But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me-' he demanded.--29 -His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.'--30 -But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.--32 -Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you-' 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.--35 -This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.---19 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan. 2 Large crow

Matthew 18:1-4, 10-22 The One Who Goes After Them

Matthew 18-10-22 -NIV----The Parable of the Wandering Sheep-18-12-14pp-Lk 15-4-7-10--See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. -11- -12--What do you think- If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off- 13-And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14-In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. ---Dealing With Sin in the Church-15--If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16-But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'- 17-If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church- and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. -18--Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. -19--Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20-For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.- ---The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant-21-Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, -Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me- Up to seven times-- -22-Jesus answered, -I tell you, not seven times, but se

Psalm 72 - David's Last Lullaby

Of Solomon. Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness. May he judge your people in righteousness, your afflicted ones with justice. May the mountains bring prosperity to the people, the hills the fruit of righteousness. May he defend the afflicted among the people and save the children of the needy- may he crush the oppressor. May he endure as long as the sun, as long as the moon, through all generations. May he be like rain falling on a mown field, like showers watering the earth. In his days may the righteous flourish and prosperity abound till the moon is no more. May he rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. May the desert tribes bow before him and his enemies lick the dust. May the kings of Tarshish and of distant shores bring tribute to him. May the kings of Sheba and Seba present him gifts. May all kings bow down to him and all nations serve him. For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight. Long may he live- May gold from Sheba be given him. May people ever pray for him and bless him all day long. May grain abound throughout the land- on the tops of the hills may it sway. May the crops flourish like Lebanon and thrive like the grass of the field. May his name endure forever- may it continue as long as the sun. Then all nations will be blessed through him, and they will call him blessed. Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever-

Psalm 113 - Our Praise Set Before Us

Psalm 113 New International Version -NIV---Praise the Lord.-Praise the Lord, you his servants-- praise the name of the Lord.-Let the name of the Lord be praised,- both now and forevermore.-From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,- the name of the Lord is to be praised.-The Lord is exalted over all the nations,- his glory above the heavens.-Who is like the Lord our God,- the One who sits enthroned on high,-who stoops down to look- on the heavens and the earth--He raises the poor from the dust- and lifts the needy from the ash heap--he seats them with princes,- with the princes of his people.-He settles the childless woman in her home- as a happy mother of children.-Praise the Lord.

Matthew 17:23-18:10 His Children Are Free, So Cut It Out!

Matthew 17-23-18-10 -NIV--23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.- And the disciples were filled with grief. --24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, -Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax-- -25 -Yes, he does,- he replied. -When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. -What do you think, Simon-- he asked. -From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes-from their own children or from others-- -26 -From others,- Peter answered. --Then the children are exempt,- Jesus said to him. 27 -But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch- open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.- -----1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, -Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven-- -2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said- -Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me. ----6 -If anyone causes one of these little ones-those who believe in me-to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. 7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble- Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come- 8 If your hand or your foot