Josh Benner

Tag: scripture

  • You’re (probably) misquoting Philippians 4:13 – and why it matters

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    I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
    -Philippians 4:13
    According to Bible Gateway, Philippians 4:13 is the second most popular verse in the New Testament, only behind John 3:16.
    It’s a verse memorized and beloved by many.
    But for as popular as this verse is, it’s also often misunderstood and taken out of context.
    The context of the passage must always influence how we interpret it.
    And what’s the context?
    Paul has just said, in verse 12 that he knows the secret of how to be content in both good and bad circumstances. And it is in the light of that that he says these glorious words. The secret to being content: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
    I did some searches online of people quoting this verse.
    Instagram, popular photo sharing sight, people have quoted this verse over 56,000 times. The most common references I saw were people quoting it in regards to some sort of exercise or fitness goal. I saw others quote Philippians 4:13 after winning beauty pageants or graduating from college.
    Some people, to my surprise, used it in reference to their diet: “Pre workout meal coming up. Healthy creamy chicken with mushroom and sundries tomatoes + brown rice” Philippians 4:13.
    I think this verse almost always gets quoted in conversation with some sort of goal.
    “This is what I want to do. And it’s me and Jesus.” I’m going to win that pageant, I’m going to run that marathon, I’m going to get that promotion because I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
    And certainly, Jesus is the God of everything in our lives. It’s GOOD to look at everything we do through the lens of walking with Christ.
    But Philippians 4:13 has nothing to do with accomplishing your personal goals.
    Philippians 4:13 is a verse that’s not about us. It’s about Jesus.
    The verse is not about the power of positive thinking, that you can accomplish your goals with Jesus. It’s not saying that you can overcome hurdles because of Jesus. It’s not telling you that you can do anything you set your mind to because of Jesus.
    Those things might all be true also.
    But that’s not what this verse is saying.
    The verse isn’t saying you can accomplish your dreams, it’s saying that you can survive your nightmares.
    And again, I know that goes against the popular keychain, coffee mug, t-shirt, poster interpretation of this verse.
    My point isn’t to ruin a verse for you that you might love. It’s to point you to the glorious Lord Jesus.
    Because our life is more than personal goals. It’s that when we have been run over, conquered, defeated, everything is going against us, that we can be content and walking in joy because of knowing Jesus.
    And that’s something else I notice when I look at people quoting Philippians 4:13. It’s always when something really good is happening in someone’s life.
    I don’t see people saying “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” when they’ve just lost a job. When they can’t afford to pay utilities.
    Philippians 4:13 is just as true in the bad times as it is in the good times.
    Because our contentment and joy and satisfaction need to always be found in Christ.
    This verse isn’t just calling us to be cheerleaders for God when we’ve finally gotten to the top of the mountain. But to always be praising the glorious God who invites us into life when we are at the bottom of the valley.
    But how do we do at embracing the reality of it?
    The secret of contentment in good times and in bad is knowing that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.
    When things really do get tough, when there is total upheaval and uncertainty, are you still able to walk confidently in faith knowing “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me?”
    In America, things are so comfortable for us, you have people living their lives thinking that they don’t need God. That they’re fine on their own. But what about when you’ve lost everything? What about you’re at your lowest?
    What about when you’re going through the worst experience of your life? In those moments, do you turn your back on God. Do you get mad at God? “Why would he do this to me?” Or do you walk with God? Do you rely on God more fully? Do you trust in Him more deeply?
    I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
    Are you still able to say that when the going gets tough?

    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

  • Tips for developing a daily Bible reading plan

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    I did a survey of people who say that they spend time reading in the Bible everyday. I asked “For people who read the Bible everyday, curious if it’s ever a challenge?”
    I gave two possible answers
    1. There are days where I definitely have to push myself.
    2. Nope, never ever a challenge, never fight being lazy about it. Always love it.
    Of the 134 people who responded, 133 chose option one.
    Spending time in the Bible everyday is hard.
    It’s a challenging book to read. It’s highly self-referential. We’re reading it in different cultures separated by thousands of years of history. We often don’t understand the significance of events and teachings. Some things can seem cryptic.
    It can be easy to get discouraged.
    It can be easy to put it off.
    But in the Christian life, it is so important to spend time in the Bible every single day.
    If this is something that you’ve tried and failed at doing, here are some tips on developing a daily devotional life.
    1. Figure out a reading plan
    There are lots of great Bible reading plans. If you need any suggestions, Bible Gateway has a list.
    What’s the best plan?
    It’s the one that has you in the Bible everyday.
    Different plans might work for different people. One popular plan has four readings a day from four different books. That’s not my personal favorite but it works well for many others.
    Some plans go through the Bible chronologically. Some plans go through the Bible in its canonical order.
    Find a ;lan that has you going through the whole Bible.
    1. Find a time of day that works best for you. 
    For  me, this has changed at different times of my life. It used to be in the evening. Lately, I like to do some reading in the Bible as soon as I wake up, before my feet even touch the ground.
    Fifteen minutes a day, and you can read through the whole Bible in a year.
    1. If you miss a day, don’t let that be a reason to derail the entire plan. 
    It happens.
    1. Some days will be easier than others. 
    Just like the result of my survey. Even for people who read from the Bible everyday, there are definitely times where you do it more because you feel like it’s what you should do than it being what you want to do on that day.
    If you’re holding out for a time when it’ll always be easy, and you’ll always be in the mood to read, that day will never come.
    Don’t make Bible reading about doing it only when you feel like it. I’m not knocking the Bible. As sinful people, we struggle.
    1. Some days are more enriching than others. 
    If you workout with any frequency, you know that not all workouts are equally good. Somedays, it’s an amazing workout.
    Other days, you went to the gym, you did your program, but it just didn’t feel as productive.
    But it’s still worth working out. You might not always see huge gains. But working out over time produces results.
    The Bible is unlike any other book. The book of Hebrews says: “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
    Matthew 24:35 says: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
    Somedays, you can read a passage in the Bible, and it almost seems like it was put there just for your situation and what you’re facing.
    There can be other times where you read, and think “I don’t understand what’s going on at all.”
    1. Get a good study Bible. 
    A study Bible can help to make some connections and point out some things about the background and history of a verse or passage that you wouldn’t have noticed.
    My favorites are the ESV Study Bible and the New Bible Commentary.
    1. Start today! 
    Don’t wait. Don’t put it off. It’s the word of God. It is the story of God’s work in a sinful world. It tells us God’s gospel. It points us to moral truths which God desires for us to live by.
    “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28).
    I’d love to hear other things you’ve found helpful. Feel free to leave a comment below.
    Josh Benner is the associate pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Fergus Falls, Minnesota and has a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He enjoys writing about faith and culture. He lives with his wife Kari in Minnesota.

     

     

     

  • Scripture and the Reformation: our infallible authority

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    500 years ago this month, the history of the church, of Europe, and of the western world were forever changed in the town of Wittenberg Germany. Martin Luther wrote his 95 theses, a list of grievances against corrupt and unbiblical practices within the Catholic Church. The impact of this event continues to ripple throughout the Christian world.

    Luther was not the first person to call for reform in the church. (more…)