Today’s devotion comes from Philippians 1:7-11.
“For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.
And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:7-11.
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Wow! Paul considered it all grace: “both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel”. And, Paul did humbly not single himself out as the only one receiving grace: “you all are partakers of grace with me”. “For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.”
Do we talk like that?! Do we feel like that?!
But, there is hope!
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent”.
What are these “excellent things” that we should know, discern, and approve?
We can infer that Paul will at least teach us some of these excellent things in the rest of the Book of Philippians. So, we will sit up straight and pay attention to find these excellent things as we read through the rest of the Book of Philippians.
But, we also know Scripture contains many more excellent things than just what is mentioned in the Book of Philippians. Realizing that the author did not need to label everything “excellent”, what are some of the excellent things specifically labeled as “excellent” in Scripture?
Psalm 150:2
“Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.”
“Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.”
Proverbs 22:20
“Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,”
“Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge,”
Proverbs 31:10
“An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.” See also Proverbs 12:4.
“An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.” See also Proverbs 12:4.
Isaiah 12:5
“Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth.”
“Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth.”
1 Corinthians 12:31
“But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.”
“But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.”
Hebrews 1:4
“having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.”
“having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.”
Hebrews 8:6
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.”
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.”
1 Peter 2:12
“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
Above all, we see the name of Jesus described as excellent. We also see Jesus’ ministry as described as excellent. We see praise for God, “for He has done excellent things”. “Praise Him according to His excellent greatness.” But, we also see love described in 1 Corinthians 13 as “a still more excellent way.” We see an “excellent wife”. And, we see a reminder to “Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles”. Finally, let us consider Paul’s attitude described in the very first paragraph as “excellent”.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 