Be Content with your Birth order

S - Scripture     

Matthew 1 v. 3  And Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar.       

O - Observation             

It's interesting to note that in the long list of Genealogy, Perez and Zerah are the only multiple sets of kids mentioned. Everyone else was the Son of so and so and the Father of _____.  What's so special about these two guys? First, Perez and Zerah are twins. Zerah was coming out first, Tamar even put a ribbon around his arm, but was pulled back in and Perez came out First. Reminds me of the switcharoo that Jacob did to Esau. The conception of the twins in interesting as well. See Genesis 38  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+38&version=NIV

A - Application            

What makes these guys stand out? What differentiates me from my brothers? Tim after all is the birthright linage to the Kiehl name. Am I honoring my brothers?    

P - Prayer  

Jesus,  Thanks for my birth order. Thanks for putting me where you want me. Love Will.   

Doing all things!!!

S – Scripture

Philippians 4 v. 13 I can do all things in him who Strengthens me.

O – Observation

This is one of my favorite verses. When ever I face a challenge, a problem, I always come to this verse. It reminds me, that I just need to plug into the right source for Power – Jesus Christ. He will and has strengthened me. This verse is actually a badge of courage as you face life. If you believe this verse with your heart, life becomes liberating. The insurmountable challenges will become surmountable. They will not necessary go away, but we can conquer them. Reminds me of a key verse, John 16 v. 33, “In this world you will  have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

A – Application

Am I plugged in? Have I done All things?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Thanks for Strengthening me. Help me to face ALL things with great confidence. Love Will.

The best thing to learn

S – Scripture

Philippians 4 v. 11 Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be
content.

O – Observation

Contentment. That is a great word. Everyone wants it. Most people experience it occasionally or for a season. But, perpetual contentment? That would be Golden. The Key word here is “Learned”.  Paul writes that he has LEARNED how to be content at all times. And… some of his times have sucked.  How do you learn to be content at all times? Trust in God. Recognize that you are a Steward of all his Gifts. They are not yours. Remember Psalm 24 v. 1, “The earth is the Lords, and all therein.”

A – Application

Am I content in all times? Do I recognize that nothing is mine?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Help me to learn to be content at all times. Love Will

How do you want to be defined?

S – Scripture

Philippians 4 v. 8  Finally, Brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

O – Observation

This is God’s prescription for living a Christian Life. He recognizes that we are sinful. Jesus says in Matthew 15 v. 18, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the Heart and this defiles a man.” I think you could change to that to be – Defines a man. It’s so easy to be an armchair quarterback, and complain about things, or see and want things that might be contrary to what God wants you to have. No. We need to dwell on the positive. We need to be lights in this dark world.

A – Application

So… How am I defined? Are my thoughts always focusing on the honorable, pure, lovely, just and
gracious?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Help me to think about these things at all times. Love Will.

How to manage worry

S – Scripture

Philippians 4 v. 6  Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

O – Observation

Wow! The first five words of this verse is tough. I guess Bobbi McFadden called it when he sang, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” But how can you achieve this? By bringing EVERTHING, not just the Big Things, but the Little Things to God in prayer. He wants us to talk to him. He also wants us to be thankful for all that we have, both Good and Bad. It is from God for our benefit. Regarding worrying remember what Jesus called a spade a spade when he said in Matthew 6 v. 27, “ Any which of you by being anxious, can add one cubit to his span of life?”

A – Application

Do I worry needlessly? If so, can I take my worries to Jesus? Am I bringing everything to Jesus?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Give me the blessing of a worry free life. Help me to fully rely on you. Love Will

There is so much to be thankful for!!

S – Scripture

Philippians 4 v. 4 Rejoice in the Lord Always, again I will say rejoice.

O – Observation

There’s 2 Key words in this verse. The first word is In. Not with, or alongside, but IN. How do you get “in”? It’s recognizing that everything you have is a Gift from him. Your house, your cars, its my

wife (Great Gift!!). It’s all from Him. There is a lot to rejoice over. The second word is, Always. Being in America we make take for granted various things. We may take for granted our health, or that our left pinky finger doesn’t hurt. However, we sure feel it when it does hurt. So… Always rejoice. There is so much to be thankful for.

A – Application

Do I spend time rejoicing in the Lord? Is it a part of my daily life?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Thanks for all that I have; Health, Home and Family. Love Will

Hold on to the truth!!!

S – Scripture

Philippians  3 v. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

O – Observation

Three words jump out in this passage. 1) Attained. What do we have? Eternal Life! Something better than we can imagine. 1 Corinthians 2 v. 9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. 2) True. This is most certainly true. But now days, truth seems to be variable. My truth may be different than your truth. I just don’t want to offend you.  However, Jesus said, “I AM THE TRUTH.”  Finally, 3) Hold. This is an action verb. It requires effort. We must have effort on our part. We must spend time in the word of God.

A – Application

Am I holding on to the TRUTH?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Thanks for being the TRUTH. Help me to hold tightly to you. Love Will

Pressing on - even when its hard

S – Scripture

Philippians 3 v. 14 I press on towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

O – Observation

Press on. Marathons. Sometimes it feels like we’re running down hill (easy). Sometimes it’s going up a steep hill. This is where we get to the point where the Cows eat the Cabbage. You must press on to achieve the prize. What good is it to run the race only to quit with a 100 yards left? Such is our life and faith. We must press on, never waiver, always abide, study God’s word, pray and fix our eyes on him. Till the day we die.

A – Application

Are there times when I want to take a break? Are there distractions in my life that will redirect me from the prize?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Give me the spiritual toughness of a marathon runner. Love Will

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Choose Relationship over Religion

S – Scripture

Philippians 3 v. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ

O – Observation

These are Paul’s words. He was saying in the previous verses that he had Power and Prestige among the religious leader, but gave that up for becoming a Follower of Christ. But his experience is different; he had a close relationship with Jesus. I think that’s the key- Religion vs. Relationship. Paul gave up the religion and instead developed a very close and personal relationship with Jesus. That is what God wants, not our good deeds, or how we look, or our status. No – He wants our hearts. For where you Heart is, there will be your treasure.

A – Application

Am I giving Jesus my Heart?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Help me to have a deep personal relationship with you. Love Will


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Choose your friends wisely!

S – Scripture

Philippians 3 v. 2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil workers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.

O – Observation

This verse to me is all about friendship. It’s about choosing the right ones. 1 Corinthians 15 v.33 says it all, “Do not be deceived, Bad company ruins good morals.” Thus as we develop our friends we need to make wise choices. We need to develop a solid base of Christian friends, But, does God want us to ignore the Bad Company? No. He desires that All (that means EVERBODY) be save we need to mix it up with the Dogs.

A – Application

How are my choices for friends?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Help me throughout my life, to make wise choices with my friends, Love Will

Build each other up!!

S – Scripture

Philippians 2 v. 29 So receive him in the Lord with all joy; honor such men.

O – Observation

Paul was saying these words about Epaphroditus, a fellow missionary and partner in his work. Epaphraditus nearly died for the work of Christ. I don’t know anyone like him personally, but I do know several people both paid professionals (pastors, youth leaders, etc) and unpaid, my Mom and Dad, Eric Basset, Dan Brush, Ryan Stockamp, Jake Dablemount that put their faith on the line. We need to honor them. That strengthens them, encourages them. We need to work to build each other up. It’s what family does.

A – Application

Am I building my fellow Christian Brothers and Sister’s up? How can I encourage them?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Help me to be a great Encourager for those who believe in you. Love Will

We all need a cheerful heart!

S – Scripture

Philippians 2v.18  Likewise you also should be Glad and rejoice with me.

O – Observation

This verse sums up my personal mission. Being a Christian is NOT a drag. No it’s a great experience. We do not need to be serious and think woe is me. Or, since I’m a Christian, I can’t have fun. NO WAY!!!. Being on the winning team is absolute Happiness. It’s laughing. It’s being silly. See 2 Samuel 6.16, “King David leaped and Danced before the Lord.” That is very, very cool!!

A – Application

How is my Mojo? Am I solemn or can people see my happiness? Would I be willing to Dance before
the Lord?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Fill me with a Cheerful heart, to reflect the Joy of being one of  yours. Love Will.

Why we need to do things without grumbling

S – Scripture

Philippians 2 v. 14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning.

O – Observation

Ouch!! There’s three words that kill me. All. Grumbling. Questioning. Jesus want’s us to be 100% consistent. He knows that there will be situations that suck or cause hardships. So why don’t we get any slack? The following verse (15) clues us in. “So that we may be Children of God without blemish in a perverse generation, so that we will shine as lights in the world.” Think about it. To keep a fire burning it needs something to burn, and it takes a continuous effort to keep it burning. So burn brightly for God.

A – Application

Am I keeping my light lit? Does it burn at all times for Jesus

P – Prayer

Jesus. Help me to keep the light on. Help me to not grumble or question. Love Will.

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Absolute Power and Authority

S – Scripture

Philippians 2 v. 10 That at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow, in Heaven and on earth and under the earth.

O – Observation

Absolute Power. Absolute Authority. Just the name of Jesus will cause every knee to bow. Why would you bow? Respect or Fear!  Perhaps to worship. I know that Jesus is my King. I will bow to
him. The other interesting observation about this verse is where the knees are located, in Heaven, perhaps angels, perhaps the souls that are in heaven. On earth, that is now. And… interesting enough, under the earth. Is that Hell? Which is reserved for the Devil, his demons and unbelievers? It makes no difference. Every knee will bow.

A – Application

Will I bow out of Respect or Great Fear?

P – Prayer

Jesus. Thank you for being by King. Help me to bow in love and respect. Love Will

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Count others better than yourself

S – Scripture

Philippians 2 v. 3  Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.

O – Observation

This is God’s instruction on how to be a Christian. It goes hand in glove with Jesus instruction to Love others as yourself. These instructions are COMPLETE opposite of how the World is today. Today, we glorify those that promote themselves. How can we possibly do what this verse instructs us to do? Prayer. Pray that God will give you a servant heart. Discipline. Recognize the times and practice humility.  Hmm.. Perhaps this is a form of suffering as we mentioned yesterday.

A – Application

How often am I playing the comparison game? Am I living a servant’s life? Have I put others before me?

P – Prayer

Jesus, Help me to have a Servant’s heart. Love Will

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Suffering for Christ

Philippians 1 v. 29  For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him, but also suffer for his sake.

O – Observation

Belief. Suffering. Suffering for a cause is the most sincere sign of complete belief. How am I suffering for Christ? I’m not being persecuted, perhaps made fun of, but I haven’t been beaten or
thrown in jail. Perhaps for now, my suffering is more private. Tithing money to Lord does reduce my spendable income. I might not have as big of an account for cooler things or vacations. What about discipline? Setting aside time to be in God’s word, journaling or sending out my Deep Thoughts. These are time commitments away from other things.

A – Application

Am I really suffering for Christ? Would I be ready to suffer for him when called?

P – Prayer

Jesus, Inspire me when the time comes to suffer for  you. Love Will

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The two-step process for spreading the Gospel

S – Scripture

Philippians 1 v. 19  Yes, and I shall rejoice. For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.

O – Observation

Paul gives a two step process for spreading the Gospel to those that do not believe. It’s a lot like a plant. One plants a seed and somehow it knows to break open and start to grow. This is much like the Help of the Holy Spirit. He needs to kick start everyone’s faith. (And fertilize it for that matter.) Then much like a farmer that waters the plants for growth, we need to water the seeds of faith that has been planted with our prayers. This is life and death.

A – Application

Who am I praying for? Am I watering the seeds regularly or only on occasion?

P – Prayer

Jesus, Help me to develop my prayer life to be a constant spring of water and encouragement to those I know and love.

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How to react when Life Happens!

S – Scripture

Philippians 1 v. 14  And most of the brethren has been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the Word of God without fear.

O – Observation

Two things come to mind when I read this verse. 1) Sometimes things happen to you for the benefit of others. It’s true sometimes, it’s NOT really “all about me.” In this case, it’s Paul’s leadership during bad times that inspires folks to be Bold and Fearless about sharing the Good News. 2) Trust in God. Paul trust that God has put him in various situation for a purpose. How he reacts speaks volumes to his faith. Do as I say, AND as I do.

A – Application

How am I reacting to the situations in my life? Do I inspire others for Christ?

P – Prayer

Jesus, Help me to inspire others for you. Love Will

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Take advantage of your life experiences

S – Scripture

Philippians 1 v. 12  I want you to know brethren, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel.

O – Observation

These are Paul’s words. Think of all the things that happened to Paul. Shipwrecks. Beatings. Prison. Check out 2 Corinthians 11 v. 23-38 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+11%3A+23-28&version=NIV

If it was me, I’d think that I was snake bit. God just hated me. But no… Paul used these life
experiences to spread the Good News. Each instance had put him in front of many different people. And he delivered for God.

A – Application

What has and is happening to me? Good or Bad, am I using my life experience to advance the Gospel?

P – Prayer

Jesus, Thank you for the situation that I’m in right now. Help me to use this as time to share the Good News. Love Will

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Things to pray for

S – Scripture

Philippians 1 v. 2-4  I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with Joy.

O – Observation

There’s two key things that come out in these verse. 1) Thanking God. So often when we use God as a medicine cabinet for what ails us or our friends. And, God did say, “cast your fears on him” but, I
think he would want to hear our thanks too. 2) Praying for others. Sure we pray for our immediate family, but do we pray for our Brothers and Sisters and their families? What about the folks at work? What about our friends? What about for our kid’s unknown spouses?

A – Application

Am I taking time in my prayer life to be thankful and to pray for more than just my family?

P – Prayer

Jesus,  Help me to be joyful. Help me to pray for my whole family, friends and others. Love Will

Jesus will be there for you

S - Scripture

2 Timothy 4 v. 13  The Lord will rescue me from every evil and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

O - Observation

Fear not! In all situations Jesus will be there for you. Psalm 50 v. 15, "And call upon me in the day of trouble; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." Knowing that God loves you as his own is completely reassuring. I love how the Psalm and this verse in Timothy are exactly alike. We call Jesus for help. He delivers us. Then we glorify him. Others will see this. Which makes me think, perhaps God allows troubles, trials to come our way, so that we DO call upon him. The end result will be a strengthening of ourselves, and others as we glorify God by saying how he saved us.

A - Application

Do I have the confidence of knowing that Jesus will be there for me always?

P - Prayer

Jesus, Thank you for saving me. I will glorify you.  Love Will.

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