‘I want to know Christ.’ Philippians 3:10 NLT

Paul said, ‘I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead. I want to suffer with Him, sharing in His death.’

Let’s take an in–depth look at this verse.

(1) ‘I want to know Christ.’ In Scripture, the word ‘know’ indicates physical intimacy between two people who love one another. For example, ‘Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain.’ (Genesis 4:1 NKJV)

(2) ‘And experience the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.’ What’s dead in your life that needs to be raised? There is no problem that Christ’s resurrection power can’t handle. And how do you access it? When you make intimacy with Christ your top priority, you tap into His power.

Some of us would be more comfortable if the verse ended after the words, ‘the mighty power that raised Him from the dead.’ But the truth is, if you want intimacy with Christ, you must be willing to ‘suffer with Him.’ Here, the word ‘suffer’ isn’t referring to catching a cold or getting a pay cut. For Paul, it meant being beaten, betrayed, and bullied. But it brought a level of intimacy with Jesus that can’t be experienced any other way. If you have ever suffered deeply with another person, you understand this principle. You will never experience true intimacy with somebody by telling them, ‘I only want to share the good times with you.’ Often, the strongest relationship bonds come from the suffering we go through together; trials that cause us to know, love, and trust each another in a newer, deeper dimension.

SoulFood: [bible passage=”John 5:1–15, Isa 54:9–17″ version=”esv” heading=”H3″]

Renungan Hari Ini [The Word for Today] is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.’ Psalm 37:8 NLT

A weapon can either protect or destroy; it all depends on who is using it. Anger works the same way; that’s why it’s wise to know what triggers or sets you off. Some of the most common triggers surface at these times:

(1) When your rights have been violated. Is it always bad to get mad? No, sometimes the problem that infuriates [upsets] you most is the one God has called you to help solve. This world is a better place because of men and women who devoted their lives to fighting disease, poverty, corruption, and injustice. That’s what Jesus did when He cleaned the temple of extortionists see Mark 11:15. The Bible says, ‘If you are angry, be sure that it is not out of wounded pride or bad temper… don’t give the devil that sort of foothold.’ (Ephesians 4:26–27 PHPS)

(2) When you’re frustrated because things aren’t going right for you. A recent news report told of a man who went hunting on his mountain bike. When it broke down, he got mad and shot it to pieces. That makes no sense! Robert Ingersoll observed, ‘Anger is a wind which blows out the lamp of the mind.’

(3) When you’re under constant stress. Paul writes, ‘Have a sane estimate of your capabilities.’ (Romans 12:3 PHPS) By cramming too much activity into too little time, you set yourself up for stress. Like a guitar string that’s pulled tighter and tighter, you end up snapping. Then you feel guilty and think you’re not spiritual enough. Anticipate challenges and allow time for the unexpected. Bottom line: ‘Do not lose your temper—it only leads to harm.’

SoulFood: [bible passage=”1 Kings 16:1–18:15, Matt 14:13–21, Ps 121, Pro 12:23–24″ version=”esv” heading=”H3″]

Renungan Hari Ini [The Word for Today] is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©