The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9, NKJV
Keep Practicing
When someone is training for a job—any job—they must eventually make the shift from studying to practicing.
The apostle Paul knew how important such a transition was, which is why—even while confined to a Roman prison—he recorded the following words for the believers in Philippi, Greece:
When someone is training for a job—any job—they must eventually make the shift from studying to practicing.
The apostle Paul knew how important such a transition was, which is why—even while confined to a Roman prison—he recorded the following words for the believers in Philippi, Greece:
“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”Philippians 4:9 NIV
Paul had taught them. Paul had trained them. Paul had loved them. And that’s why, from the isolation of a jail cell, Paul empowered them to live out what they’d learned.
Jesus, too, was passionate about His followers not just trying to look good or to sound good, but to do good—with a heart that genuinely wanted to glorify God. James, the half brother of Jesus, also wrote about not just listening to the Word, but doing what it says.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.James 1:22-24 ESV
It’s one thing to know about something, but it’s an entirely different thing to put that knowledge into practice.
The peace of God is a gift that He gives us. It’s something we experience as we draw near to Him by living in a way that honors Him. If we know His will but don’t do anything about it—that shows that we don’t really want to honor God. But if we do His will, then our actions illustrate that our identity is rooted in Christ. And our closeness to Christ allows us to experience His peace.
Doing the will of God—not just learning about the will of God—unleashes the peace of God.
So today, study what Paul taught and modeled (which is ultimately what Jesus taught and modeled). And then, ask yourself: “What is God teaching me about Himself, myself, and other people? How can I apply His teachings to my life?”
Note after sharing the devotional: to be honest, getting myself to do anything that I haven’t been inclined to do has been an almost impossible task. I like to think that as I’ve gone further and further through life that this particular task (and task category) has become easier the more experience I get. But then there are times and issue areas where, no matter what, getting myself to change just doesn’t happen. I will say that, over the very long term, I have grown. Over the last couple years (and even continuing until now) as I’ve looked back particularly to my college years, I was very aware of what I thought and felt and desired, and overcome by my complete and utter inability to get myself to a place to be able to do most of those things.
When I first began college, I initially wanted to be a Christian, realizing that what I had grown up with was not the real thing. I heard about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior for the first time ever, and I really gravitated toward it. I had no idea that what was also required was a “choice point” where I needed to officially say that I was surrendering my life to Him, with witnesses confirming this. No one in any of the Christian groups in college (including but not limited to FCA) ever explained that step to me. It wasn’t until years later when I realized that the furthest I had ever progressed was that I “liked the idea” of receiving having Jesus as my Lord and Savior. That’s just one example; there are countless others just like this where I was brought right up to the precipice and then left high and dry because someone didn't take the time to explain it to me. (And as I've mentioned in previous posts, the end of my time in college was marked by having completely walked away, becoming even worse of an unbeliever than I was when I first started.)
When I began attending the Vineyard church after I moved back to the Chicago area, that’s when I finally began hearing about the aforementioned “choice point” or the moment of decision of receiving -- and following -- Jesus as my Lord and Savior. That’s when I also heard many other things related to what I desperately needed at that time in my life, which was healing, and a lot of it. For the first time I heard prophecies and words of encouragement, and what I was able to (with what I had) receive, I received. Over the ensuing years was when I was finally given a roadmap to address the first few layers of roadblocks to me going deeper in my faith walk with Jesus and to growing as a person. I unfortunately was nowhere near ready to take on adult life, as much as I really wanted to. It was humbling but I took it. I had to submit to the program that God had placed in front of me, and I submitted to it. Week in, week out, go back for more healing and personal growth, one week at a time. And this was to be done indefinitely until told otherwise. As hard as it was, it’s what I did.
So I did put it into practice. I can put into practice things that are placed in front of me, so long as I am able to understand and, if necessary, have it explained to me. I have too long a history of reading something and it not registering. Praise God more things in His Word make sense, click, and register in my mind than they used to. It’s why I am very grateful for the persistent messages at my current church that drill into my mind about regularly spending time with God, and regularly spending time in His Word. I need the knowledge. I need the wisdom. There was a point where, as great as my previous church was (especially at the beginning), its usefulness in ministering to me ultimately ceased. It was a great healing and prophetic church, and they did explain the Scriptures very well (I thought). But, there was a lack of emphasis about developing one’s personal relationship with God by habit, specifically by prayer and by personal Scripture study (and I’m not faulting my previous church; it’s simply acknowledging that every church has different emphases, and certain emphases worked for me while a lack of other emphases hindered me). My current church, in spite of gaps that I see here, has other areas where they are very strong, and right now an area of great strength is emphasizing daily habits and practices of spending time with God, spending time in His Word, and spending time in prayer and in praise & worship.
I’m grateful that over the last several years I have been able to begin to put these above-mentioned habits into practice. Additionally, through them God gave me a roadmap in which I finally have been able to start to gain victory over a couple of key troublesome areas in my life (and then to walk in that victory). It’s amazing. Praise God!
I can do it. It just takes a very long time when it’s not something I’m already inclined to being able to do, because that’s just the way He made me. I believe I have for the most part learned to accept that about myself. It’s just difficult when others don't demonstrate the capability or willingness to walk with me in this.
Prayer: God, thank You for teaching me through Your Word. And thank You for placing people in my life that inspire me to draw close to You. As I go about my day, please surround me with opportunities to learn more about You, and apply what I learn. Let me be on the lookout for ways to deepen my relationship with You, and the people You love. In Jesus’s name, Amen.