Phillipians 2 Bible study.

This book is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It never fails no matter how many times I read it to open my eyes and give me a big wake up slap across the face. I really like verse one and two in this chapter. Paul is wanting this church in Pillipi to be of one mind and united in love and in spirit intent on one purpose. That purpose is to live completely selflessly for God and to help others. I am such a winy and selfish person every time I read this chapter its a wake up call for me to buck up and not look at me myself and I and look to God and to help others. When you look at the life of Christ it is a perfect example of what selflessness is all about. Verses 6-8 talk about how Christ was so selfless and was willing to serve God no matter WHAT God asked him to do, even if it were DYING for Him. I ask myself am *I* willing to go as far as to DIE for God if that is what He calls me to do? Its a sobering thought. We are to live our lives in such a way that we are willing to do whatever He asks and go where ever He sends us. Not only are we to do what He asks we are to do it without grumbling or disputing. (vrs 14) The entire world is constantly watching us as Christians to see what we will do in a situation and how we will act. This to me is another sobering thought. We are to live our lives in such a way that we stand out from the world and not blend in to it. We can do this and we are not asked to do it alone. God will help us to do this. In verses 19-30 I like how an example is given to us of selfless love. (other than Christ's example) this Epaphroditus apparently had to walk quite a ways to get from Phillipi to Rome. He did this journey selflessly and almost DIED in the process. My goodness! This is another perfect example of how we should lives to serve and not to be served. My application for this week is to devote more time and effort to do things for others and to not grumble about the things that are given to me to do.