Most items we have today need to be plugged in to work properly. They need to be left plugged in or they need to be recharged on a continual basis. Paul here is reminding the church they need to be plugged in and connected with Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Knowledge and Wisdom are both gifts of the Holy Spirit Paul talks about to the Corinthians. He is encouraging them to be energized and full of passion so they can effective.
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11
Have you ever gotten up in the morning to realize you had either forgotten to plug your cell phone in or maybe someone unplugged it to plug their own in? I have and you get that brief feeling of it isn’t going to last the day thoughts. I know it is trivial to compare our lives with a cell phone but let me just give you a few insights.
Connected – If our cell phone isn’t connected to a network how effective is it? it still can do things but it lacks the functionality of a cell phone and becomes just a paperweight. If it is a smart phone with out network or internet access it can still work and provide some applications but the effectiveness isn’t there. Well if we aren’t connected with our creator how effective are we? We connect through prayer and reading the word. Without those in our lives we can’t be effective in our Christian walk.
Power – Like the fact your cell phone won’t work if you don’t plug it in, our Christian life needs recharging too. I believe this is what church is all about. It is a time to come recharge and prepare yourselves for a busy week ministering to people around you. Missing that opportunity isn’t the only way to recharge, connecting as above will provide recharge as well.
Applications – Newer Smart phones are loaded with things that can fill up your phones limited space. We have to be careful that if we overload the space it will slow our phone down. In our Christian lives, it is very similar. What we apply ourselves to will fill up our lives. Paul was praying that the Phillipi believes would abound in love, knowledge and insights. These things are gifts given by the Holy Spirit for all who seek them. Filling our lives with these applications will improve our lives and help us become a passionate people.
We need as believers to be connected, recharged and seeking the applications (gifts) of the Holy Spirit. To be a passionate believer who is mission center we should be keeping these keys in mind. If your life is full of other things that aren’t glorifying God then maybe it is time to free up some space for him.
If you are reading this and don’t have a relationship with God let me tell you it is the most important choice you will ever make. You may say but there is no God, I say well if I am wrong and there is no God what am I losing out by trusting him anyways. If your wrong it is everything.
Father, I pray for my fellow believers. As Paul wrote I pray that they abound in love being filled with knowledge and insights. Hive them wisdom to reach those around them who need to know you. Ignite their passion for reaching the lost. Let all the glory and honor be to you Jesus for you free people from their bondage of sin and give them life. I pray for an explosion of people coming to know you. Use me and use those reading this to be a light in the darkness. Amen
50 Days of Pray 