Friday... This is such a great way to view life.

I love Paul's letter to the Philippian church. I really do.

In Philippians 3:1 (NLT) he shows the way to face life, to view life that makes such a difference. He says, "Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith."

Ok, we need to understand where Paul is when he is writing this. He is a prisoner in Rome. He's not on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea. It's one thing to rejoice when the temperature in just right and your sitting looking at the waves coming in. No he is in prison and he still rejoices.

He says, whatever happens, rejoice. Don't grumble about being in prison, don't grumble at having to wear a mask to help from getting sick or other people sick, don't grumble at not having the freedom of the way it used to be. No, rejoice in the tough times. Look at the good in them and it will strengthen your faith. Grumbling robs your faith, it destroys your faith. It really does.

Paul saw the lasting good he was doing sitting there in prison. He was writing a big portion of the New Testament. He says, "I never get tired of telling you these things." I started writing this blog while a prisoner of this virus.

What could you be doing in whatever tough time you might be going through? For one, your faith could be strengthened. Solomon writes in Proverbs 10:25, "When the storms of life come, the wicked are whirled away, but the godly have a lasting foundation." In verse 24 he says, "The fears of the wicked will be fulfilled; the hopes of the godly will be granted." Faith and hope and rejoicing make such a difference. So does fear and complaining and griping. I choose faith and hope and rejoicing.

The MESSAGE puts it this way, "And that's about it, friends. Be glad in God!" That is a great way to view life. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Friday... We have this hope of expectancy.

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Friday... So what is it that you really fear?

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