{"id":2483,"date":"2019-10-13T10:00:40","date_gmt":"2019-10-13T17:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/?p=2483"},"modified":"2019-10-16T18:35:19","modified_gmt":"2019-10-17T01:35:19","slug":"philippians-23-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2019\/10\/13\/philippians-23-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Philippians 2:3-4"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-audio\"><audio controls src=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/sermons\/sermon-20191013.mp3\"><\/audio><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Paul is going to address his main <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">concerns<\/span> for the Philippian church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Selfish ambition<\/span> and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">empty conceit<\/span> are the two chief dangers facing the Philippian church from within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do nothing from selfish Ambition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Selfish ambition tends to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">quench<\/span> the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>People build <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">factions<\/span> trying to get people on their side<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They emphasize areas where they know that people already disagree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And pretty soon the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">truth<\/span> gets lost. It becomes more about showing everyone that the other group is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">wrong<\/span> than about finding the truth from God\u2019s Word!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But these dividing kinds of sins: strife, disputes, dissensions, factions and envying cause damage to the Church!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Empty conceit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some translations call empty conceit <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">vainglory<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A man who\u2019s had a close encounter with God is a humble man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Biblical<\/span> view of humility, and pressing into God in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">prayer<\/span> will combat pride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Humility of mind<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.<\/p><cite>Romans 12:3<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>As Christians, we\u2019re supposed to live no longer to please ourselves, but to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">please<\/span> God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6 Questions to Consider:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Do I know when my pride sneaks it\u2019s way into my conversation? When am I most vulnerable to talk too much about myself?<\/li><li>If I have \u201cthe gift of gab,\u201d how much of my gabbing is all about me? Am I keeping others from talking simply because I am filling up the conversation?<\/li><li>Do I have a sensible assessment of who I am in Christ? What are my gifts, skills, abilities and contributions to the body of Christ? How can I re-think and transform my language to be less about me and more about Him and others?<\/li><li>If I tend to diminish or degrade myself, how can I see myself the way Christ has made me? Do I understand I have something to offer others?<\/li><li>What are several good questions I can learn to ask of others \u2013 rather than having to \u201cmake conversation\u201d or fill the air in the room?<\/li><li>Can I reduce my use of I, me, my and mine in conversations with God and man?<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Regard one another as more important than yourselves<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Humility of mind comes <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">first<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ARE<\/span> rewarded for what God does for us. We <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ARE NOT<\/span> rewarded for what we do for ourselves. We <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ARE<\/span> rewarded for what we do for others (God working through us).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Am I my brother\u2019s <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">keeper<\/span>? Yes!  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-services"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":833,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2014\/03\/02\/going-for-the-gold\/","url_meta":{"origin":2483,"position":0},"title":"Going For The Gold","author":"Robert","date":"March 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Going For The Gold 1 Peter 4:10-11 God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. ________________ are nurtured by a humble ________________. Philippians 2:1-4 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from His\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2676,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/05\/17\/philippians-414-17\/","url_meta":{"origin":2483,"position":1},"title":"Partners in Ministry: Paul and the Philippians","author":"Robert","date":"May 17, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Watch online at 10am by clicking here. Click here to download the printable outlineDownload 14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.\u00a0 15 You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2513,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/01\/12\/philippians-219-24-brothers-in-arms\/","url_meta":{"origin":2483,"position":2},"title":"Philippians 2:19-24: Brothers in Arms","author":"Robert","date":"January 12, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Brother First, Paul calls Epaphroditus brother, which is a little unusual since Jews only called each other brother or sister For Paul to call a gentile \u201cbrother\u201d was a big deal\u2014and he does it over and over in this letter to the Philippians, calling the church his brethren. In Christ\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Blog&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Blog","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/blog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2684,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/05\/24\/philippians-418-22-god-will-supply-all-your-needs\/","url_meta":{"origin":2483,"position":3},"title":"Philippians 4:18-22-God will Supply all your Needs.","author":"Robert","date":"May 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/qYb-0SpH39E Printable sermon notesDownload 18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/qYb-0SpH39E\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2541,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2020\/03\/15\/philippians-41-3-therefore-stand-firm\/","url_meta":{"origin":2483,"position":4},"title":"Philippians 4:1-3 Therefore, stand firm.","author":"Robert","date":"March 15, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"My beloved brethren, my beloved Philippians is the most personal of all the epistles written by Paul. It is a love-letter to this body of believers. whom I long to see Paul is stuck in a Roman prison, and he longs to see his brothers and sisters in Christ. my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1278,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2015\/08\/16\/intentions\/","url_meta":{"origin":2483,"position":5},"title":"Intentions","author":"Robert","date":"August 16, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Intentions Acts 5:12-42 ____________________ is a mental state that represents a commitment to carrying out an action or actions in the future. It involves mental activities such as planning and forethought. Those connections between the mental state (desires, beliefs, and intentions), and actions which are carried out to reach a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2483"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2483\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}