End Of Year Summary
Or
Let His Mind Be In You
Sunday Dec. 27, 2020
An End Of Year Thought:
A few lessons ago Jesus asked, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you?” He also dealt with the pride and evil positioning attitudes of His disciples by placing a little child in their midst and declaring, “Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Today we will return to chapter 2 of Philippians to learn a secret of maintaining a right attitude as we turn the page of life on a new year!
Scripture To Consider:
“Let this mind be in you [us all as true believers] which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
“Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but how much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you [us all as true believers] both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
“Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the Word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.” Philippians 2.5-16
Something To Consider:
Having just celebrated another Christmas season, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Studying the life of Christ is the best method of assuring that our minds are being renewed day by day into the likeness of Jesus. All true believers would do well to pray for the spiritual mind of Christ. It is the best method of sustaining a humble and right attitude as we approach a brand-new year of 2021.
Paul also wrote in Colossians 3.16; “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing [encouraging through the Word of God] one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” What better way to close out one year and to begin a new year and another year closer to Christ’s coming!
Paul followed up by stating in verse 17; “And whatever you do in word or deed [in 2021] do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him [through Jesus Christ].” If we were to focus on these few verses this new year, it would greatly change our lives for the better.
Something Else To Consider:
Jesus alone, is our highly exalted example of perfect humility. As we learn more about Him and His life, our fleshly desire for exalting ourselves is greatly reduced. As we focus our attention on exalting Him, our Father in heaven is greatly glorified.
God declared through the prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 57.15; “For thus says the High and Lofty One [God] who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy: ‘I dwell in the high and holy place, with him [or her] who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite [broken hearted over their sin].”
What if every confessing Christian in the world became contrite over their sin as we close out this 2020 calendar year? What if we all were to begin praying for a contrite and humble child-like spirit? What if we enter 2021 asking God to revive our hearts so we seek first His righteousness even in the midst of so much lawlessness?
Something More To Consider:
By holding fast and firm to His Word, the Word of life, our God given purpose to please Him is once again renewed within us. Once we catch a glimpse of God’s purpose in and through our lives, we are filled with all the passion needed to persist in a crooked, perverse, and lawless generation, and to shine as lights in this darkened dying world.
As we begin a new page in our life’s story, let us heed the above Scripture to consider concerning our letting this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. Let us heed the many end time warnings spoken by Jesus such as; “Watch and pray” and “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching.”
A Few Final Words:
Let us heed the warning given to the Sardis Christians by Jesus in Revelation 3.2; “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.” Are we watching for Christ’s return? Are we strengthening those spiritual things that remain in our lives? For as we approach the end of this age, we will need all the spiritual strength the Word of God can provide. We have been warned!
May we close out this 2020 year with the Word of warning Jesus left all seven churches He addressed in the seven letters to seven churches in Revelation. “He [or she] who has an ear [spiritually eternal end time ear], let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”
Possessing the mind of Christ while holding fast to God’s Word of life is a believer’s surest means of becoming blameless and harmless in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. Therefore, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, teach us to be more like Christ in thought, word, and deed this new year. Teach us to hold fast to the lifesaving Word of God. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 