2006-08-26 - Success in Cans #2

Response/Commentary

Hey my Friends,

Last week one of you wrote to me about the Success in cans #2 devotional because it is commonly taken out of context. The reader recommended that readers should read the whole passage to properly understand the scripture and not take it out of context. Thanks Alban for being a Berean and encouraging others to be also.

This week I decided to write a commentary to last weeks devotional, because it was taken out of context.

The verse reads as follows: "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Phil 4:19 NIV

Many will read this and then petition God for anything that they want. One might then pray and ask God to give him or her lots of money, a Lexus, a Lear jet, a 10,000 square foot house. Okay maybe I'm going a little overboard, but the truth is that people ask for things which are beyond their needs and expect God to give it to them in the same way that a vending machine dispenses a cola or candy bar.

Where the verse reads "in Christ Jesus" it means according to His will. It doesn't mean that because one adds "Christ Jesus" or "Jesus Christ" to the end of a prayer that it is set in stone and must be answered by God according to your will. We learn to pray from Jesus who in his prayer to God said, "Not my will, but yours be done." Jesus being the God-man, had laid down his right to be God, and therefore did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but he made himself a servant to God, obedient even to death on a cross.

Everything that Satan had said to Jesus when he tempted Jesus was true. Satan was and is the ruler of this world, and he could have given that up to Jesus if he would have worshiped him, however Jesus didn't as God didn't want to be ruler (dictator) over the world, he wants a personal relationship with each of us. That was the joy that was set before Jesus, which was given to him and could not be taken away, one where the people could come to Him through His love. When the scripture says "My God" it indicates that the author had a personal relationship with God. When it says "shall supply" it means God will supply. What will God supply? "All my needs" How many of my needs? "All." Therefore, I should be grateful to God for what he has done in Jesus Christ to set me free from my sin and provide for my needs" and be content whatever the circumstances I find myself in and. I should give thanks every day praising God and worshiping Him because of who He is. The word "according" means according to His will, not my will. It's not about me and what I want. It's about God and his promise to love me. How will God supply all of my needs? With "His riches in glory" What are his riches in glory? It's Jesus Christ and everything else, because He owns everything.

I live in the Katrina affected area right outside of New Orleans in Kenner, Louisiana. We were very blessed not to have damage on our street, no flooding, though some of the others around us got water. My pastor got 10" inches of water in his home. He said he was embarrassed when he put all of his furniture out on the curb to be hauled away. He said that no one on his block had as much furniture in their house as he did.

I believe that God took us away from our stuff to draw us closer to Himself. Stuff doesn't make us love God more, in fact our earthly riches hinder us from putting our love and trust in God.

God Bless you my friends!

In Christ,
Rob

cfrobw@aol.com
http://www.cfdevotionals.org