WEEK TWO
Day Four
DAILY SCRIPTURE
Philippians 2:4
LEADER GUIDE QUESTIONS
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Know: Read Philippians 2:3-4
Note: Read slowly, carefully marking keywords.
selfish ambition, conceit, lowliness of mind, esteem (prefer) others better than himself.
Observation:
What was the purpose for each person preferring the needs of the other?
What does selfish ambition look like?
What: In what way can you speak to your trouble about your God?
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:3-4
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”(NIV)
“Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (The Message)
“So I’m asking you, my friends, that you be joined together in perfect unity—with one heart, one passion, and united in one love. Walk together with one harmonious purpose and you will fill my heart with unbounded joy.” (The Passion Translation)
When my kids were young, they would inevitably argue about something as trivial as their body being in the other person’s personal space. The shoving would start subtly until it escalated into full-blown tears and accusations. They would come to me in tears, crying with their version of the story, each wanting me to side with them.
The struggle is real for parents! I realized that it was a full-time job to keep children getting along.
One day, my two daughters came to me with a toy car they were arguing over. It was a question of who had it first (in hindsight, a ridiculous argument since neither of them played with cars). I had already been on alert when I heard voices escalating.
At this point in my parenting journey, I had implemented a sometimes workable rule stating that they were not to come to me with arguments unless they had worked it out on their own using the Matthew 18 system. The passage says, "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses."
The idea was that when they argued or were offended by one another, they were to go to the person who offended them and make things right by bringing the offense to the table and allowing the other person to ask for forgiveness or apologize. (*see note below) If the other person would not budge, they could come to me, but rest assured, I would not just side with the person who felt most offended. I always made my children tell me their version in front of each other without interruption. Once they aired out their offenses and allowed each one to keep the story right, I went for the heart. Why did they let the offense divide their relationship? What did they want (attention, to be right?), and why was it worth fighting over?
The day the girls came to me with their argument over the car, I took it and held it up. I asked, “When you are both in heaven, will this car matter?” They both agreed that the vehicle was unimportant in the grand scheme. “What will matter, your sister or this car?” Even their little three and six-year-old minds could understand that line of reason. They both agreed that a toy was not as important as peace with one another.
Learning to prefer one another is a matter of what is truly important.
I had a difficult season in ministry a few years back. I was experiencing what a lot of women do: gossip and slander. It was painful and made me want to quit. I remember, in the middle of this emotional trauma, I felt utterly defeated. One morning, as I read Philippians, the passage in today’s study grabbed my attention. The Holy Spirit asked me, “How can you prefer them today?” It had not occurred to me that I could change how I viewed these problematic women. I was rehearsing the pain, telling God the problem, and trying to get Him to side with me. He would not side with me because He had already provided a solution: to prefer one another. When I began seeing the problem through God’s lens, my heart toward the women changed, and my joy and hope returned because I had a vision of what God wanted for each of them. I no longer wanted them to go away; I began to see the pain they were in. They slandered because they did not know the love of God; they gossiped because they were living out of false identity. My vision for them became one of hope. Where there is pain, there is healing when they glimpse the Son's glory.
Instead of talking to God about our problems, we will see a turnaround if we take God to our problems. God has empowered us with His power through the Holy Spirit to bring solutions to problems.
If you are sick, instead of telling God how sick you are, tell your body what a great Healer you have. Take God to your sickness.
If you are in a problematic marriage, instead of telling God how difficult it is, tell your heart about your God—He is a peacemaker. Declare over your marriage that God is for you and not against you. When your husband is asleep, lay your hands on his back, declare life over his mind, and speak it over yourself too. Declare hope, not defeat. Words are powerful- they carry with them life or death.
If you are in a financial bind, instead of complaining to God about your problems, tell your finances about your God- He is your provider!
Learn who your God is, and you will know that the greater the trouble, the greater your God is!
“Therefore,” [says the LORD] “behold, I will make them know— This time I will make them know My power and My might; And they will know and recognize [without any doubt] that My Name is the LORD.” Jeremiah 16:21
He is:
El Elyon (The Most High God)
Adonai (Lord, Master)
Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
Jehovah Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
El Olam (The Everlasting God)
Elohim (God)
Qanna (Jealous)
Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
Note: There is a difference between asking for forgiveness and apologizing. When you knowingly offend someone, it is appropriate to acknowledge the offense and ask for forgiveness. When you have unknowingly offended, such as bumping someone accidentally, apologize. You did not deliberately offend, but it is kindness that acknowledges the other person’s annoyance, pain or inconvenience.