My Daily Pause

Thinking about what Paul meant when he said to have the mind of Christ is a great way to prepare for worship. He gave us a letter that describes our relationship to Christ as well as the reasons to rejoice.

Our relationship to Christ

• Chapter 1 – Christ is our life and in control
• Chapter 2 – Christ was sent as a pattern for us
• Chapter 3 – Christ is the goal we should shoot for
• Chapter 4 – Christ is the joy and strength of our life

Rejoice in Christ

• Chapter 1 – Rejoice in evangelism and the opposition to darkness it causes
• Chapter 2 – Rejoice in Christ-like service
• Chapter 3 – Rejoice in our sufferings
• Chapter 4 – Rejoice in Christ-like living

Daily Bible reading for May 5

The Lord gives instructions for unclean people, confession and adultery. Fear not for the Lord is there. Paul urges us to have the mind of Christ.

Psalm 124
Numbers 5
Isaiah 41
Philippians 1:27-2:11

Paul wasn’t afraid of getting out and mixing it up with others when it came to delivering the word of God. He even looked upon his jail time as a chance to make others aware of the Gospel. (Philippians 1:12-13)

Those outside of Christ pay a lot of attention to Christians – both when they stumble and when they stick to their commitment. I have demonstrated time and time again that it is easy to influence an office full of coworkers to not use cuss words. It can be done silently and with respect.

It would sure help if we could be perfect, but Paul’s instructions are attainable even though we are not. Living a life worthy of the Gospel is how we are able to stand firm against opposition. (Philippians 1:27-30) Your lack of fear speaks volumes.

No matter what that opposition is, they will see through us they are in the wrong – well, at least they might become aware that there is a lot more meaning to this life. Perhaps that is why they are urgently trying to block believers from teaching.

Daily Bible reading for May 4

Roll call – the sons of Aaron and their duties. Isaiah comforts God’s people and speaks of God’s greatness. Paul encourages the Philippians about the advance of the Gospel despite his situation.

Psalm 123
Numbers 3-4
Isaiah 40
Philippians 1

The reason I started the My Daily Pause project is to develop a habit of regular Bible study. This is the only way to be fully equipped for our daily needs. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The Bible is often referred to as one’s sword or the Spiritual Sword from the “whole armor of God” listed by Paul in Ephesians 6:10-20. Upon closer inspection, the Bible is the whole armor of God.

• Truth = The Word of God
• Righteousness = The word of God (Your commandments are righteous – Psalm 119:172)
• The Gospel of Peace = The word of God
• Faith is obtained from the word of God (Faith comes from hearing – Romans 10:17)
• Salvation comes from the word of God sacred writings (the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation – 2 Timothy 3:15)
• The Word of God

Soldiers learn to defend through training and repetition. Their skill and strength is enhanced from their armor, and their armor is enhanced from their skill and strength. In the heat of battle, neither has a lot of value on its own.

So don’t leave your armor piled in a corner! …be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God…

Daily Bible reading for May 3

Head count. Hezekiah shows visitors everything he has. Paul describes the armor of God.

Psalm 122
Numbers 2
Isaiah 39
Ephesians 6:10-24

Tight knit families make the local church a functional unit, make communities strong and even spill over and make the workplace better.

It is heartbreaking for the family when they split up, but the church also feel the injury when one of their own goes through this.

Families work better when:

• the wife and children respect the husband as the head of the house
• the husband loves and protects his wife with the intensity that Christ does the church
• the couple understands they are to move, live and think as one
• the children obey the parents

Out of over 8 million marriages from 1990 to 1994 only 87% made it to their fifth anniversary and less than 75% got to their tenth. (here’s the census data )

I’ve been around a lot of families that were strong and many that fell apart over the years. Speaking only as an outsider looking in, the ones that fell apart weren’t operating like Paul laid it out in Ephesians 5:22-6:4.

Daily Bible reading for May 2

Psalm 121
Numbers 1
Isaiah 38
Ephesians 5:22-6:9

If we can stipulate a perfect world for a minute, a father wants his children to be like him. He opes they believe, act and love the same way as he does.

It’s no different with God. He made us in his likeness and wants us to imitate him. He even made a huge sacrifice so that we have a better chance. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

That pang of guilt that you feel when your child makes the wrong decision? That’s what the Father in heaven feels when you do the same thing. If you’re worried about that – that is a walk of love.

Daily Bible reading for May 1

Psalm 120
Leviticus 27
Isaiah 36-37
Ephesians 5:1-21