SATURDAY, May 3rd, 2008

I AM ON MY NEW LAPTOP!! WOO-HOO!!!

This is so cool! What a blessing! I was on a video chat with my dad for a couple hours last night, and my grandparents for even longer. Are any of you on AIM? If you are, post your screen name with your devo's today. This is going to be so much fun!

A Few Thoughts from Yesterday:
Amy: That is so cool that you are so interested in missions! I majored in Missions and Bible in college. I have always felt a burden for missions. I have been interested in Senegal, Morrocco, and Romania. Maybe we should visit one of them on a youth group trip.
Alex: Yes, I agree, Paul is so cool! We should strive to be like him.
Rachel: You said that you "want to be like that"... Refering to Paul... Did you mean that you want to be in jail? or that you want to spread the gospel? Just wondering...
Gaby: Only 3 More Days!!! We <3>
Jessica: Glad you made it, I was on a midnight and I thought you missed a day. Sorry you were so sick today? Do you have chicken-pox?

Phillippians 1:19-26

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.
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell.
23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.
24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,
26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.


Picture this: Paul sitts in this Jail cell, and as he sits here, it seems almost as if he is day dreaming about heaven. What a wonderful relationship with God: Paul daydreams about being with the God that he loves so much. The key verse in this passage is verse 21 in which Paul says: "for me to live, is Christ; and to die is gain". What a concept, Paul explains to us that he is torn, part of him wants to stay here on earth and continue living for Christ, and the other part of him wants to go ahead and die so that he can go to heaven to be with Jesus Christ.
I dont know about you, but I dont day dream about dying, so that I can be with Jesus. I think that just shows where I am spiritually in comparison to Paul. I have some work to do.
The interesting part is that Paul did not just day dream, but he literally reasoned this whole idea out in his head. In verses 22-24 Paul explains his reasoning: (22) Paul says, I honestly do not know which I would choose if I were given the opportunity. He explains in 23 that to be with Christ would be greater than anything else, but verse 24 explains that He still has work left to do. Paul tells us that it is more needful for the church at Phillipi (and us) for him to stay alive at this point, because we needed to hear what he would continue to say to us through the word of God.

What an incredible man, I am looking forward to spending time with him. A man who truely understood what death and life is. May we understand as well.