Beats From Your Pastor’s Heart
Philippians 2:7-8, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
We need to allow the cross to operate to completely terminate this self and to germinate resurrection life.
In this way, the life that is manifested in us is life out of death (2 Cor. 4:10-11).
Life out of death!
For this we need to let the cross operate.
And how do we let the cross operate?
Philippians 2 gives us the way: we empty ourselves, not grasping anything, just as the Lord Jesus emptied Himself.
And then He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death.
In that emptying and humbling, God was operating.
These verses are in the context of Philippians 2:13, “It is God who operates in you.”
Let God operate.
You cannot do anything.
You simply empty.
Empty out your energy, your striving, your self in its religious workings.
This is the meaning of Paul’s word, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I” (Gal. 2:20).
Terminate and end that self.
Just empty it out.
And then humble yourself.
The humbling is uniquely related to obedience.
Though you cannot change yourself and you cannot reproduce resurrection life, you can let God operate by emptying out your own energy and self and then obeying.
Just go along with whatever He is saying, whatever He is doing.
In our emptying and in our obeying, God is operating.
The cross is operating.
Death is operating to change us, to transfer us out of our self into the Spirit, and to reproduce Christ in our being until we are completely conformed to His image.
This is God’s New Testament economy (Rom. 8:29).
Until Tomorrow
With A Shepherd’s Love,
Pastor Jackson
TUESDAY’S PRAYER REQUESTS
Linda Alexander
Marlon Cook
Nora Allison
Rose Fuller
Eric Magnusson’s Mothe
Faith Burnette
Amy Garner
Amy Garner’s Mom & Dad
Andrew Halevi & Daughter
Ashely Burn’s Sisters
Brandon’s Dad
Coly/Connor – Allison’s G’sons
Dan Haines
Darlene Wiggins
David Burnette
David Harrison – Riverside
Deanna Fowler
Denise Hulsey – Jordan’s G’mother
Donnie Butler’s Dad
Doris Loyd
Dr. and Mrs. Davis
Easton Fielder
Ed Mays
Eric Ward
Freddie May’s Mom
George & Linda Alexander
James Burnette
James Garner’s Friend
Joanie/Jeanie Mom
Jodi Bateman
John Austin
June Cronan’s Sister
Kailey Bateman
Kim McClain’s Mother
Krista Hilscher
Larry Barker
Lee Cronan
Lillanna Magnusson’s Mom
Linda Breedlove’s Sister – Sarah
Linda Hodges’ Sister
Lonzo Christin
Lori Blount’s Mother
Mary Sims
Marynell Ford
Maureen Brown
Michael Stanley
Miles Bradshaw
Pastor & Mrs. Driskell
Ricky Gipson
Roseleigh Osborn
Sandra Graham
Scott Lanier
Soso Nzolo – 17 Yr. Old South African Pastor’s Daughter
Susan & Alexis Tesone
Tom Witcher