Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Philippians 3
Our Sure Foundation

Our Sure Foundation

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Our Sure Foundation

…and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith….

Philippians 3:9

We have spoken in the last few days of the things which we must discount if we are to have a relationship with Christ. Today we are going to move forward to consider the basis upon which our relationship must proceed. Having ‘cleared the decks’ of all dependency upon human merit. Paul proceeds to declare that he desires to ‘be found’ in Christ, ‘…not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.’  The foundation of our relationship with God is our acceptance with Him upon the merits of Christ. This brings us to the subject of justification. ‘Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone.’ We cannot have a relationship with Christ without this foundation. Everything that follows in our development in holiness rests upon this sure foundation. No attempts at holiness will succeed apart from the underlying foundation of justification. All of Paul’s thoughts of knowing Christ follow the laying of this foundation. Hence, we want to understand, and make much of this imputed righteousness of Christ to us. Justification means that in the eyes of God’s law, we are as righteous as Christ Himself. This does not respect our personal holiness, but rather our legal standing before God. Once that matter is settled, the rest of our relationship with Christ proceeds. Does your relationship with God, rest upon this sure foundation?

Our Holy and Justifying God,
we praise You that You make us righteous in Christ.
We rejoice that His merits are all the merit that we require
to be made acceptable in Your sight.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Clearing the Decks

Clearing the Decks

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Clearing the Decks

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Philippians 3:8

The great passion of Paul’s life was his relationship with Christ. To that end he sacrificed everything. We spoke yesterday of Paul’s clearing the area in order to build this relationship. We spoke also of all the human ‘merits’ upon which he might have depended to commend him to God. Paul categorically discounted all those things. In our text for today he totally ‘clears the decks.’  He declares, ‘Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.’ This statement provides some excellent value for us who desire a relationship with Christ. We want to be very clear about who and what we are by nature. We want to clearly understand that in order to have a vital relationship with Christ, we cannot approach Him with any idea that we have merit or ‘selling points’ to commend us to Him. Once we understand that, we, as helpless, hopeless breakers of God’s law, cast ourselves utterly upon the mercy of God. The foundation of our relationship with Christ will only ever exist after we have utterly abandoned all hope of redeeming ourselves. To this end, Paul clears the decks regarding his own merit. So also, must we, if we are going to have a relationship with Christ. This utterly abases our pride. It completely removes all our self-trust and self-righteousness. It is therefore, an excellent thing, because by that abasement we are prepared to start with Christ.

Our Great and Gracious God,
we praise You that the Righteousness of Christ is all we need.
We rejoice that we need not to depend upon any of our own merit,
but, that all righteousness comes from You.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Preparing to Worship

Preparing to Worship

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9:30 am Worship Service

10900 Huron Street

Northglenn, CO

Scripture – Philippians 3:1-11

Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Sermon – Knowing Christ – Tomm Tice

  1. We must know Christ in His life.
  2. We must know Christ in His death.
  3. We must know Christ in His resurrection.

Catechism – Westminster Shorter Catechism Questions #3

What do the Scriptures principally teach?

The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.

1 Genesis 1:1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. John 5:39. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. John 20:31. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Romans 10:17. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 2 Timothy 3:15. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Deuteronomy 10:12-13. And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the LORD, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Joshua 1:8. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Psalm 119:105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Micah 6:8. He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? 2 Timothy 3:16-17. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

Worship

Seek Ye First

Jesus Thank You

There is a Redeemer
Knowing Christ In Every Way

Knowing Christ In Every Way

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Knowing Christ In Every Way

‘…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…’

Philippians 3:10

Paul wanted to know Christ in every way that He could be known. As Paul expounded upon these various ways in which Christ can be known, he categorizes these ways in such a manner that we can recognize them. We want to know Christ in every way. He is willing to reveal Himself to us. As Paul writes, he begins with his desire, ‘that I may know Him.’ He then continues by delineating the category of, ‘the power of His resurrection.’ He goes on to speak of, ‘the fellowship of His sufferings.’ He concludes with, ‘being conformed to His death.’ How may we title these categories in order to comprehend them? We may term, ‘the fellowship of His sufferings,’ as all that Christ endured by His Life. ‘Being conformed to His death,’ speaks of His Passion and Sacrificial Death. ‘The power of His resurrection,’ brings us to think upon knowing the resurrected, glorious, exalted Christ. So, we conclude that if we are to know Christ, we must know Him in His Life, in His Death, and in His Resurrection. This brings us to consider all that the Scripture has laid out before us to enable us to know Christ in all these areas. The Holy Spirit takes the things of Christ and shows them to us as we interact with the written Word of God. This elevates our perceptions of the Word to view it as more than a manual for moral behavior. It is, rather, that which will enable us to know Christ in every way.

Our most Holy and Wise God,
we rejoice that we may know You.
We praise You that You have revealed Yourself
In the Glorious Person of Christ,
and that every day provides a new opportunity for us to know Him more fully.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush Burning
‘Being Conformed To His Death’

‘Being Conformed To His Death’

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‘Being Conformed To His Death’

‘…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death…’

Philippians 3:10

In order for us to thoroughly know Christ, we must identify with Him in His death.  We cannot know Christ unless we clearly understand that the end goal of His earthly ministry was to make ‘his soul an offering for sin.’  If we are going to know Christ, we must know Him at this level and in this arena. Hence, Paul declares that he wants to ‘know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.’ What does this mean to us in real terms? How exactly will this look in real time? For the justified person, saved by Free and Sovereign Grace, sanctification is an ongoing process of being conformed to the likeness of Christ. This means having a definitive identification with Christ in His death. Hence Paul says, ‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.’ Our union with Christ includes all which relates to Him. When Christ died, we died. When Christ arose, we also arose. As He is exalted and seated in heavenly places, so we also sit with Him there. Our Divinely ordained experiences of life enable us to learn to die to self. As we become ‘conformed to His death,’ we become more selfless and more self-sacrificial. All that Christ did, He did for others. So, in ‘being conformed to His death,’ we live, not unto ourselves, but unto Him Who lived and died to make us like Himself.

Our Gracious Master and Our God,
We rejoice in Your Atoning Death,
We praise You, that by it, You have made Atonement for all our sins.
We count it a high privilege to be able, by Your Power,
to be conformed unto Your death.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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