Author Archives: justkeithharris

Philippians 4:4-9 —
⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ⁹ What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me – practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

           I’ve got to give a disclaimer for today’s devotion: it’s beneficial for me. I’ve probably said before that writing these devotions helps me before it helps anyone else, but, today, it’s especially true. My mind is a mess, and I’m neck deep in depression, or a “funk” – whatever you want to call it, I’m in it.

            This is not to say that I have it bad or that I am trying to draw attention to myself when the plight of many, many others is far worse than mine. But many find themselves feeling the same way and much worse – not just in times of social distancing and isolation, all the time.

            So, today, we will look at what God’s Word offers us[1], and there we can find some peace of mind.

            If there is anyone who knows what it’s like to struggle, it’s Paul. He was in a Roman prison awaiting execution as he wrote the letter to the Philippians, yet it is often described as an epistle of joy.

           Here, again, it is important to understand that joy and happiness are not synonyms. So, when Paul tells the church at Philippi to rejoice in verse 9, he has something much bigger for them. Rejoice here is “not a happiness that depends on circumstances but a deep contentment that is in the Lord”[2]. Happiness is fleeting and dependent on so many things outside of our control, but finding that deep rooted contentment in the Lord is eternal.

           He also urges them to let their “reasonableness” be known. This word can also be translated as “gentleness” or a “gentle spirit”. This, along with rejoicing, reminds us of who we are supposed to be – and most importantly whose we are! This is especially important because the “Lord is at hand”. 

           This is not a threat to produce fear in us; it’s a reason to rejoice – our Savior is coming! I love the way that James puts this in James 5:8b: “Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand”. Our rejoicing and reasonableness are earmarks of a heart that is rooted in one’s identity in Christ.

           This next part is one that I find myself reading often when faced with anxiety. It seems like a nearly impossible command: “do not be anxious about anything”. Anything? Doesn’t he know about ___? To understand what this means for us, we need to grasp the context of this command.

           Paul’s command here is rooted in Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25):

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about the body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?”

           I cannot speak for everyone, but my anxiety is often rooted in the lack of control I feel in life situations. There are times where it is brought on by a chemical imbalance in my brain, but the anxieties themselves are real and my own. Jesus’ urging is for us to combat the things that we do not have control over by trusting in the Sovereign God who has power over everything that is yet stoops to care about our everyday lives.

           You see, it is from this mindset that Paul makes his case. Let’s look at the whole command in verse 6: “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication[3] with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” This becomes less about the anxiety that plagues us and more about the way that we can combat it by letting our “requests be made known to God”. This goes back to the command to “rejoice” – to find that deep-rooted contentment in Christ. Here, it is the trust and faith that is rooted in the action of prayer. Almighty God wants us to talk to Him, and He cares what we have to say. When we give our anxieties over to Him, we do not have to worry about them because He has this in His control. That’s where the peace Paul talks about comes into play.

           It’s important to note that this commandment has an addendum: “with thanksgiving”. Other than that one Thursday in November, this is something that gives us trouble. Big John said something about getting out of a funk that stands out in my mind here:

“Lift up a prayer. Say ‘thanks’ to God. Develop and cultivate a grateful heart…. …[T]he way of getting out [of a funk, depression, or whatever] is purposefully looking into things and saying ‘thank you anyway’, just ‘thank you anyway’.”

           That not only echoes what Paul is saying here, but it speaks to the influence of God’s Word in our lives.

           Paul follows that command with a result in verse 7: “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. That peace is based on the confidence that God is not only able to take care of us but especially in the fact that He is willing to take care of us. That’s good news. When we learn – note that I say learn and understand that it is not necessarily an overnight process – to rely fully upon God, our anxieties are traded for His peace, and Jesus’ words to His disciples in John 14:27 move from being a hope to a reality:

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

            Just because I am moving more quickly through the final section does not belittle its importance. It builds on the previous paragraph. Paul goes through a list of things that we should “think about” (v. 8); we should think on things that are “true”, “honorable”, “just”, “pure”, “lovely”, “commendable”, “excellen[t]”, and “worthy of praise”. Rather than breaking these “things” academically, let me introduce you to the One that embodies them all – Jesus! We should set our mind on Him (Colossians 3:2)! We should think on Him!

            Setting one’s mind on something is a powerful tool. I love that I get to work in the same building as Candice. This keeps me focused on how I need to be genuine and carry myself appropriately. Setting my mind on this helps me remember who I am. Having Keri be able to come to our classrooms when she gets off of the bus does the same thing. If I do not have my mind set where it needs to, my school kiddos would quickly tell Keri – and most assuredly Candice – that I’m a fraud! In the same way, this mindset exposes our faith in Christ. We are to set our minds on Him so that the manner of our life reflects that faith.

            Does that mean that anxiety will automatically cease? No. But it gives us something to practice. Literally, Paul tells the church at Philippi, and thereby us, to “practice these things” (v. 9) – the things that we have “learned”, “received”, and “heard” in the Word of God. The word translated “practice” here refers to things that we do continually, repeatedly, or habitually. So, this is what we need to do: continually, repeatedly, habitually rejoice in, put our trust in, pray to, and think on Jesus. And in doing so, we can trust God in His Word when He says through Paul: “the God of peace will be with you” (v. 9).

            Thank you for reading today and being a part of my meeting up with “the God of peace”. This is a little picture into the way that this part of my walk with Him works – seeking Him in His Word in whatever situation and always finding Him there. I pray that this is true in your life as well!

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[1] This does not negate the need of prescription depression medication nor does it mean that such things and counseling are not necessary. This is not a prescription but an invitation to seek the “God of peace” to help us with the prevalent mental struggles associated with this current time.

[2] ESV Study Bible

[3] Supplication is “to make known one’s particular need” or to “petition [God] for oneself” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: NT).

Psalm 19:7-14 —
⁷ The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul.
  The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
  The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
  The ordinances of the Lord are sure
and altogether righteous.
¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
  they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
¹¹ By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward.
¹² Who can discern his errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
  Then will I be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of
   my heart be pleasing to your sight,
O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

            Books are a glorious and wonderful invention! Books and reading have been and continue to be a big part of my life. While many people do not share my passion for them, I continue to grow in my love and appreciation for the written word – from Shakespeare to short stories to…well, you get the picture.

            But one Text trumps all other texts. God’s Word stands alone. Let’s look at how Psalm 19 breaks down the Word of God and see how it is integral in our being refreshed and restored in our relationship with God.

            Psalm 19 is a beautiful passage, and verses seven through fourteen are, largely, where we will camp today. In these nine verses, David gives us six images of the Word and six corresponding effects it has on one’s life. The words “law” (v.7a), “statutes” (v.7b), “precepts” (v.8a), “commands” (v.8b), “fear” (v.9a), and “ordinances” (v.9b) all refer to the Word. Each of these references gives us an image. Let’s break them down together.

First, the “law of the Lord” is God’s instruction for His people, and how it revives one’s soul. The word for revive can literally be translated “to turn about” or to “return”. In His Word, God is teaching us what we need to have our very souls returned or set to where they need to be.

Second, the “statutes of the Lord” are witnesses to God’s truth. God’s word testifies to its own truth, and His testimony is trustworthy. Trusting in that truth makes our simple minds wise. This is good news because God’s Word contains everything that can be known about God, and we grow in our knowledge of Him when we read it.

Third, the “precepts of the Lord” are divine directions for us to follow. So often we see directions as suggestions because – at least in my mind – sometimes directions are incorrect. God’s directions are always right and correct. Following them can give one’s heart joy – not happiness, necessarily, but a deep-rooted joy that only comes from Him.

Fourth, the “commands of the Lord” are the orders and imperatives that God gives His people. If we are honest, this is the part of the discussion about God’s Word that loses most of us. People, in general, do not like to be commanded. At the very least, we would not call any commandments we have received as being radiant. But, the older I get, I come to see God’s commands as having an ambient light of their own. The more I read the Word, the more I find that it illuminates parts of my life.

God’s Word shines light and chases out the darkness of sin in our lives. It shows aspects of our lives that we would rather not see. In Psalm 119:105, David describes the Word thusly: “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” God gives us commands to show us how life works best, not to tear us down or make us feel guilty. He gives us commands because He loves us and knows what we need.

Fifth, we see the “fear of the Lord”; it is a little different than the previous four images. This, in and of itself, is an effect. The fear of the Lord is a result of knowing and worshiping Him. It is a produced reverence for God that is fostered by time spent with Him in His Word. And this is good news because this aspect – this reverential worship of God – will endure forever because we will get to spend eternity with Him!

Finally, we see God’s “ordinances”. This gives us the image of God’s decisions for us. It is a fatherly image. Just like an earthly father is required to make decisions for his family, especially his children, our Father makes decisions for us – He knows best. However, unlike earthly fathers, His decisions are “altogether righteous”. The more time we spend in His Word, better things are for us because His decisions are laid out clearly for us to see.

Those images aptly sum up what God’s Word is for His followers, but we must be careful not to dismiss His Word as merely a book. God’s Word is Himself. The first chapter of John testifies to this: the Word is God (John 1:1). And that’s not all: God Himself “became flesh and made His dwelling among us” (1:14). He came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, rose on the third day, ascended to the right hand of the Father, and is actively working on our behalf today! But through His written Word, those of us who did not live in Israel during His lifetime nearly 2,000 years ago are able to actively spend time with Him. It’s not about reading; it’s the relationship!

His Word is like a love letter telling us everything we need to know – everything we get to know – about Him and how to grow in our relationship and worship and witness of Him. It is also a big part of the relationship because it is also Him!

I have kept some of the love letters that Candice wrote to me. They remind me of our beginning. They contain integral information that made us who we are. I have written to her as well, but all of those early letters are now woefully outdated because so much has happened in our relationship since then. Our relationship is updated daily – as it should be!

The same should be true for our relationship with the Lord! If you are not spending time daily with Him in His Word, repent and spend time Him in His Word. Whether you read it yourself or listen to it like an audio book, He will refresh You through His presence! You will find that He will keep you from “willful sins”. In it, you will find unparalleled forgiveness. In it, you will find Life as you walk with and are founded upon your “Rock” and your “Redeemer”. My prayer for you today is that you are refreshed in your relationship with Christ. I pray that your time in His Word gets to be to you “more precious than gold” and “sweeter than honey”. I pray that the Word affects “the words of [your] mouth and the meditation of [your] heart”.