From: September 30, 2025
“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6–8 ESV).
Paul exhorts us to have the humble “mind” of Christ (v.5). To illustrate, he describes Christ’s voluntary descent from heaven to earth. Though Christ was fully God, He did not cling to His divine rights. Instead, He “emptied Himself” by taking on the true nature of a servant and adding humanity to His divinity. From God to servant, from servant to man, from man to death, and from death to the shame of the cross—He descended the ladder of love. For it was God’s love that sent Him to save us (John 3:16). Unlike Adam and Eve, who grasped at the fruit to be “like God,” Jesus, though truly God, did not grasp at what was already His. Where Adam’s disobedience brought sin and death into the world, Christ’s humility and obedience opened the way for righteousness and life. This section of Scripture is often called the Carmen Christi (“Hymn of Christ”), and it stands as one of the great pillars of Christology, clearly affirming both His full deity and full humanity while magnifying His humility and obedience to the Father.
We are called to think and act with this same humble mindset. Our flesh wants to grasp for recognition, control, or comfort, but the Spirit calls us to let go and empty ourselves in love. When we follow Christ down the ladder of love—surrendering our rights, obeying God, serving others—we can trust that the Father will lift us up in His time, just as He exalted His Son. Let us stop striving for our own advancement and start embracing the way of humble obedience in Christ Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for sending Your Son to descend the ladder of love for us. Forgive us for the ways we have grasped for our own way. Give us the mind of Christ, that we may humble ourselves, serve one another, and obey Your will. Teach us to let You be the one who lifts us up rather than lifting up ourselves. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: September 30, 2024
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isaiah 61:1-2a ESV).
Isaiah prophesied to Israel of the coming Messiah (“Messiah” is Hebrew for the “Anointed One.” In Greek it is “Christos” or “Christ.”). Around 700 years after its writing, the first part of Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled. For Jesus Christ had come.
After Jesus was baptized and spent 40 days in the wilderness being tested, he returned to His hometown of Nazareth. There He attended the local synagogue as was His custom. As He stood up in the synagogue, He was handed the scroll of Isaiah to read. Turning to the passage above, He read it aloud and then declared, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
Jesus stopped reading at “the year of the Lord’s favor.” By stopping before the mention of “the day of vengeance,” Jesus emphasized that His mission at His first coming was to bring good news, healing, and liberty—not condemnation or judgment. Yet there is a Day coming when Christ will return. And at His second coming, the rest of Isaiah’s messianic prophecy will be fulfilled.
The people of Nazareth were confused and angered by Jesus’ messianic claim and drove Him out of the town. But many others in Israel believed. How have you responded to His claim? Is Christ welcome or rejected in your hometown? In your house? In your heart?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we have believed in Jesus as the Anointed One that Isaiah and the other prophets proclaimed. He has fulfilled the first part and will soon return to fulfill the rest. We have believed His good news and been set free from sin. And we have confident hope in His soon return. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: September 30, 2023
“Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News” (Philippians 1:27 NLT).
Paul taught the Philippians that they should live in a “manner worthy” of the gospel of Christ. When we live as worldly, our words have no consistency and the gospel comes across hypocritical. Our lives are to be consistent with the Good News we profess. Our lifestyle should in fact cause people to ask about our faith, so that the gospel comes out easily.
As the apostle Peter wrote, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). The gospel on our lips should match our lifestyle. One cannot be excluded from the other. We are called to both live and share the Good News.
PRAYER: Dear Father, fill us afresh with Your Holy Spirit this day so that we are conducting ourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel. Give us divine appointments to speak of Your Son and to express the hope we have in Him. Give us spiritual boldness that is marked by gentleness and respect. We want to always be worthy of being Your witnesses. Strengthen us for this high calling. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: September 30, 2022
ARE YOU WORKING OUT WHAT GOD IS WORKING IN?
Physically, we are born with the muscles that God gave us. Yet, it is up to us to work them out. As we learn to crawl, then walk, and ultimately to run, we work out the physical strength that God is “working in” us. If we don’t work out, our bodies atrophy from lack of use. Motion is the potion for physical health.
Spiritually, when we trust Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are born again, receiving new spiritual muscles as it were. Now we must learn to move in the Spirit. Being filled with the Spirit, we walk by faith and produce the fruit of the Spirit. We must move in faith by the Spirit!
But what do we do when we lack will power? Look at the Scripture again, it says that “God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” In other words, when we depend on Him, He gives us a new “desire” and a new drive to please Him. We can depend on God’s power not only to do, but even to give us the willpower (or “won’t-power”) to get started.
Are you working out what God is working in?
PRAYER: Dear Father, give us the willpower today to work out what You are working in us. We want to move according to Your power for Your pleasure. Strengthen our physical bodies today, but more than that, fill us afresh with Your Spirit to will and to do what pleases You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: September 30, 2016
The Scriptural basis for a favorite VBS song is found here: “Rise and shine, and give God the glory, glory…