Again, be sure you have scheduled about 15 minutes of quiet for our devotions today.
On Sunday, I (Isaac) encouraged us to be ready for the whole journey with community groups. We are being honest up front that any time we create groups of humans there will be interpersonal challenges that arise. This may all be totally new for you or you might have experiences with groups before. In either case, this current group will be an unique experience. Today, we are going to read a several verses from Philippians that can help us be ready with the right attitude towards the people in our group.
Read out loud:
1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate?
2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:1–11 (NLT)
Take a few minutes and look back through these verses. From the verses write out a few words or phrases that stick out to you. What is the Holy Spirit directing you to focus on as you meditate on his scriptures? Write down how these verses might apply to you.
Next, read back through these verses and imagine the rest of your group acting in the way that these verses instruct us. What would it be like if others were this way towards you? What would you think about them? What might you feel about them? Write down what comes to mind.
Finally, write a prayer asking God to help you be a “Philippians 2” person to your community group and our church.