June 26, 2025 -- Philippians 2:14-15 -- Living as the righteous, straight in the midst of a crooked generation

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit’s power: Sh’ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…
Philippians 2:14-15 ESV
 
Yesterday as I was driving to one of the prisons where I lead a bible study, I was listening to an older Tim Keller sermon. His comment on grumbling was like a punch to the forehead. He said that grumbling is like questioning God on His throne. As if you know better than He does. As if you know how to run things. You are putting yourself in the place of God as if you have all the perspective, knowledge and wisdom you need to run things. I was cut to the heart by those words. I confess how easy it is to grumble and complain. Instead, we are to be blameless and innocent—that is a description of righteousness. The righteous are straight, not twisted up in themselves with complaints nor crooked with corrupted lies about their circumstances. The righteous shine as lights in the world precisely because they do not grumble or dispute. The righteous put their past, their present, their future, their day and their night, their good times and their trials in the hands of Almighty God, trusting in Jesus Christ, Who has reconciled them to the Father in heaven.
 
This message was brought home to me especially clearly as that same morning I met with an inmate for a one-on-one visit. He looked at me and said, “Richard, if I ever grumble or complain, call me out on it, right away”. The context was his awareness of his own sinfulness, the justice of the sentence meted out against him, and his willingness to endure so that the Name of Jesus would be honored in his life. I know him well. I know he has experienced some harsh treatment. The place which is supposed to be rehabilitative has in many instances been punitive. (According to Correctional Services Canada (CSC), prison itself is the punishment. Being separated from family and work and community is the punishment and while a person is in the care of CSC their resources are to be directed at rehabilitation.) But there he was, seeking honour God and live out the righteousness that is his in Christ despite another setback.
 
Interestingly, this same man noted every time he thought he’d been humbled, the Lord brought him to a new low. Before I could even ask him about it, he explained. This had the purpose of exposing places in his life where he still trusted in himself or his abilities, rather than truly trusting in God. Let me be clear. This man is a new Christian. He is finding it hard to be true to God, faithful in the context of a prison where many in authority over him mock his “prison conversion”. Those who are supposed to rehabilitate him snidely say, “He is just clinging to Jesus, no one else will have him.” Or things like “once a monster, always a monster”. It was humbling to be meeting with him, hearing him explain to me, every new, lower plateau of humiliation and scorn served to deepen his trust in Jesus.
 
Dear prayer warriors, financial backers, volunteers with Redemption Prison Ministry, fellow soldiers in the army of Christ, thank you for the high privilege you give me to serve in this mission field. May God purify me and His Spirit convict me so that I too will repudiate grumbling and seek to be content in Christ, whatever the circumstances.
 
Father in heaven, with believers near and far, help us to rejoice in Jesus Christ, the highly exalted one, whose Name is above every other name. By Your Spirit living in us, humble us to such an extent that we bend our knees in humble obedience to Jesus so that our lives shine forth the His beauty and glory. Spirit of God, forgive us for the times we grumble and complain, as if we from our perspective know enough to question God. As it is written, let us be found in Jesus having a righteousness which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that we may know Him and the power of His resurrection, becoming like Him in His death, that by any means possible we may attain the resurrection from the dead. Amen.
 
Prayer ends with a quotation from Philippians 3:9-11
 
https://youtu.be/9zGbdg1YCYY?si=TQ-S8BGy8mN2FJG0 Afflicted Saint, to Christ Draw Near
 

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