Welcome to Day 2319 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Philippians-3 What a Way To Live! – Daily Wisdom

Putnam Church Message – 11/19/2023 Joy in Living – What A Way To Live! Last week, we began walking through Philippians as we delved into Joy in Living, specifically, how we can be Confident Enough to be joyful for this Thanksgiving season and all year. This week, we will continue this month of Joy in Living as we dig into the letter in a message titled What a Way to Live. Let’s read Philippians 1:12-20. 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. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl observed, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” If we pursue happiness instead of choosing joy, we’ll become, as Frankl put it, “plaything[s] of circumstance.” Our inner peace will be tossed back and forth according to the whim of events beyond our control. But if we choose our attitude—the one essential freedom that can’t be taken away from us—we can choose joy even amid the cruelest circumstances. I am convinced that joy does not come from without, but from within. A life of calm, peaceful satisfaction, a positive attitude, a contented spirit—these aren’t dependent on circumstances but on our mindset. The way I see it, there are two types of people: Negative Mind-Set People & Positive Mind-set People It’s not enough, though, simply to say, “I choose to be happy, or I choose joy.” The Bible’s not a self-help manual to stir up your inner power of positive thinking. That’s rubbish. When I talk about a “positive mindset,” I’m talking about the joyful disposition that comes from the renewal of the mind by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:2). “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” That’s the internal work of God. But God also uses external means to reinforce His work in us, like when we intentionally set our minds on the things of God (Phil. 4:8). “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” So the question that we need to ask ourselves is: On a daily basis, what do you think about? What occupies or takes up residence in your mind? In Philippians 1:12–20, Paul embodies the decision to live a joyful life in spite of troubling circumstances. Remember who it is we’re talking about. He wanted to go to Rome as a preacher. Instead, he went as a prisoner. As a Roman citizen, he had the right to be treated with fairness and justice. Instead, he had been mistreated, falsely accused, and unjustly arrested. On top of all this, he was shipwrecked during his journey to Rome! If anybody had a right to look at the world through dim lenses, complaining that he had been victimized, it was Paul. But even through all this, he did not complain. He was confident, despite hardship (1:12–14); joyful, in spite of others’ ill will (1:15–18); and hopeful, regardless of uncertainties (1:19–20). 1:12–14 In light of the chain of events leading to his imprisonment, Paul was convinced that his circumstances had turned out as God had planned as he wrote, “Everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News ” (1:12). I love that! There’s no pouting, no “woe is me” mentality. Rather than viewing his chains as intolerable restrictions, he saw them as God-appointed megaphones to get the gospel's message into the imperial barracks. Because of his imprisonment under the ever-watching eyes of Roman soldiers, the cause of Christ had become known to “everyone here, including the whole palace guard” (1:13). In other words, the gospel had penetrated into places it never would have without Paul’s “tragic” arrest.  He realized that his prison sentence allowed the Good News to impact the very center of the Roman government! Think about it. With each changing of the guard came a new opportunity for sharing Christ, for telling his compelling story of conversion. How he was once a persecutor of Christians. How he had met the Lord Jesus face-to-face. How he had gone from enemy to emissary overnight. For two to three years, the guards heard Paul pray, preach, and dictate letters. They listened as he conversed with others about the consequences of sin and offered a new start by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. In this way, the gospel penetrated the imperial palace like an arrow through armor. None of this could have happened had Paul chosen despair instead of joy. Instead of asking, “Why did this have to happen to me?” he asked, “How has this resulted for God’s benefit?” He rejoiced that the unfair circumstances brought about by those trying to silence him ended up amplifying (megaphone) the proclamation of the gospel far and wide. His own positive attitude during imprisonment encouraged those who were still free. They could put up with more, suffer more, speak out more…and spread the gospel with far more courage than they had before (1:14). What Paul’s enemies had intended as a death blow to Paul’s ministry had breathed new life into the church worldwide! I wonder if the words of the ancient patriarch Joseph (son of Jacob/Israel) ever entered Paul’s mind as he reflected on his circumstances with a smile: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Gen. 50:20). 1:15–18 Besides being confident even amid hardship, Paul was also joyful in spite of what other people did to harm him. While Paul was stuck under house arrest, he had to count on others to carry on the work of spreading the gospel beyond the cities he and other apostles had already reached. Many had picked up the torch and were bearing it honorably in the same spirit of self-sacrificial love as Paul had. I think of Timothy, Luke, Mark, and others who were faithful to Paul’s cause. But with Paul stuck in a pit stop, his absence also encouraged others to infringe on his mission field with less honorable motives. Some began preaching the gospel not because the love of Christ compelled them, but because they saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to do what Paul had done and to get a little of the glory they thought Paul had received. I can imagine that, as Paul’s faithful friends visited him in his rented home and saw his unbelievably optimistic attitude, they may have become a little frustrated. Let me employ a little creative license: (Scarfs/Signs) Paul smiles widely, eyeing the Roman guard sitting nearby. “Isn’t it amazing how God’s working through all this?” He waves his hand around his home and then gestures toward the soldier. “Did you hear what Claudius here said? The guards were talking about Jesus last night! The palace guards!” “Huh?” Luke lifts his pen from the parchment on which he has been writing since lunch, ignoring everything that has been going on all afternoon. “Oh, yeah. Sure, that’s true.” He sets down his pen. “But think of all the places where you could be taking the gospel.” He points down at his paper. “I’ve been writing this account for that court official, Theophilus, all about the adventures we’ve already had. It’s so amazing! So thrilling! I know there’s more ahead. You still haven’t made it to Spain like you wanted. But you’re stuck here. We have to get you out of Rome as soon as we can. I have this plan—” Paul interrupts Luke with a wave of his hand. “Luke, so many other workers are rolling up their sleeves and digging in. I think being ‘stuck’ here may be a good thing. It’s actually gotten people off their seats and serving. I feel like many of those guys were a little intimidated by me. Now they’re boldly preaching in my place!” Luke takes a deep breath. “About that …” Paul, “Yes?” “Well,” Luke says, “you need to know that there are some, well—” he pauses, searching for the right word. “Let’s just call them ‘less than sincere’ people preaching out there. Not that they’re spreading heresy. It just seems like they’re trying to make a name for themselves. Mark thinks they’re driven by envy—envy of you and of each other. They’re actually acting like it’s a big competition, to see who can plant more churches. I even think a few might be trying to nudge you out a little while you’re stuck here. All the more reason for us to figure out a way to get you out as soon as possible.” Paul lets out a long sigh and responds, “Hmmm. You know what, Luke? So what if some are preaching with wrong motives? So what if some are a little too interested in themselves? So what if there are some who are taking shots at me while I’m out of pocket? None of that matters. What matters is this.” He leans in and looks Luke right in the eyes. “Christ is being preached, even more than when I was out there myself. And that thought alone is enough to make me rejoice!” Although we have no official record, a conversation like this could have occurred. We do know Paul had been made aware of some fresh contenders out in the field—some preaching Christ “from envy and strife” and “selfish ambition,” while others preaching with pure motives (1:15–17). In either case, Paul concedes, that Christ is being preached (1:18). But isn’t this a contradiction in Paul’s teaching? Didn’t he strongly condemn those who were preaching a “different gospel” in Galatia (Gal. 1:6–9)? Is he now okay with false preaching? No! In Galatians, the apostle denounced those who misinterpreted the gospel message into a message of works. They were preaching heresy. In Philippians, he’s rejoicing that despite the impure motives of some, the authentic good news about the true Jesus is still being proclaimed. A heretic with sincere motives is still preaching a gospel that has no power to save anyone. But a presentation of the truth, even by those who aren’t living in accordance with it, still has the power to bring a person to faith. Never forget: It’s the work of the Holy Spirit, not His empowered preachers that saves people. 1:19–20 So far, we’ve seen Paul model a particular lifestyle for us by remaining confident through hardship (1:12–14) and choosing to be joyful despite others who might otherwise rob him of reasons to rejoice (1:15–18). Now, Paul shows us how to be hopeful, regardless of uncertainties (1:19–20). With the gospel spreading and people proclaiming Christ, Paul was greatly encouraged, not simply in spite of Paul’s imprisonment but because of it. This helped boost his trust in God instead of deflating his confidence. Yes, Paul’s future was filled with countless uncertainties. I’m sure some reminded Paul that his own legal situation in Rome could conceivably take any number of negative—even tragic—turns. But Paul chose to be hopeful despite the uncertainties. He was confident that the Philippians’ prayers and the Lord’s provision would ultimately result in his deliverance, likely referring to a literal release from prison (1:19). But what if he wasn’t set free? What if his opponents somehow rigged the system, like they had done in the case of Jesus Christ? What if Paul faced the same path as his Lord? Despite these uncertainties, his hope remained. He was unafraid and unashamed. Whether he lived or died, he knew Christ would be exalted (1:20). Application: Philippians 1:12–20 Three Truths to Help You Live Well The secret to living well is the same as the secret to having joy: the centrality of Jesus Christ. Keeping Him as our top priority in life will give us great joy. Many people today are in a relentless but empty pursuit of happiness through other means. If that’s you, Please stop! True happiness is the cultivation of a Christ-empowered life. When Christ is the center, He replaces anxiety, fear, and insecurity with contentment and impacts our perspective regarding the three areas of concern Paul has described in this section. The three truths outlined in the bulletin insert correspond to these three areas and will help us live well even when we suffer. Plaque First, when Christ is the center, He changes our attitude toward our circumstances. I once read that one of the requirements for working alongside Mother Teresa in her ministry in India was a joyful attitude toward life. Surrounded by so much pain and suffering, there was nothing in the appearance of their work that would make somebody feel anything but sadness and sorrow. But their inner joy reached out to those in need and took them in, washed their wounds, and set them on the road to recovery. Those who live with an internal, abiding joy can’t help but seek to conform or even transform their attitudes toward circumstances to their deep-seated convictions. It’s transformative! Choose today to serve with joy rather than suffer under the circumstances. Second, when Christ is the center, He delivers us from our preoccupation with how others view us. The more Christ means to us, the less other people’s opinions mean. We’ll care less about how many “friends” or “followers” we have on social media. We’ll care nothing about how many “likes” we get on something we post. How silly we’ve become! Over the years, I’ve been bothered less and less about pleasing others, not because I care less about people, but because I care more about Christ—His priorities, His passions, His pursuits, and His plan for me. The more I care about my relationship with Christ, the more I can earnestly care about others and their needs. If I make Christ the center, He delivers me from my preoccupations with others. Choose today to care more about the mind of Christ than the opinions of others. Third, when Christ is the center, He calms our fears about ourselves and our futures. People frequently say when worried, “I might die!” Let me tell you: Unless you happen to be among the generation that sees the Lord return, there’s no “might” about it. You will die. So will I. Death has it out for all of us. It may not be for years, or it may be soon. You don’t know, and you can’t know. The last thing you should do is worry about when you’ll die; instead, you should focus on how you’ll live. If Christ is the center, it doesn’t matter whether we live long or short lives, whether we die sooner or later. What matters is that we love Him, serve Him, and rejoice in His salvation today. Christ will take care of our tomorrows. Choose today to think more about focusing on Christ, His death, and His resurrection than about fretting over your own life and death. Isn’t it amazing that everything starts to make sense when the person of Christ is in complete focus, centrally located in our hearts and minds? Order emerges out of chaos. Clarity out of confusion. Life from death. As the title of today’s message says: What a Way to Live! Next week, we will continue this month of Joy in Living as we find Paul perplexed in a message titled, Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Please read Philippians 1:21-30. If you found this podcast insightful, subscribe and leave us a review, then encourage your friends and family to join us and come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. Thank you so much for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and, most importantly, I am your friend as I serve you through this Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this trek together, let us always:

1. Live Abundantly (Fully)
2. Love Unconditionally
3. Listen Intentionally
4. Learn Continuously
5. Lend to others Generously
6. Lead with Integrity
7. Leave a Living Legacy Each Day

I am Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Everyday! See you next time for more wisdom from God’s Word!