And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. - Philippians 1:9 –11 (ESV)

Where did you find joy this week? Did you remember that God is not finished with you even when you feel like a failure? Did that bring you joy?

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (ESV) - Deuteronomy 29:29

This summer we have been exploring the attributes of God in our series - No One Like. One of the obvious truths to come through in this series is God is not like us. (It was literally in the title of the series!) He is not just a bigger, super powered version of us. He is fundamentally different then us. He is omniscient, omnipresent, holy, just, loving to name just a few attributes.

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. - Philippians 1:6 –7 (ESV)

In the Chinese calendar each year is represented by an animal. If I was making the calendar for 2020, I think this years animal should be  Eeyore. That's right, the sad donkey from the beloved children's story. I mean that's what 2020 feels like right? It has seemed like an endless string of horible circumstances that only worsen. (You have heard there is a double-hurricane sorta headed our way). So I'm calling it! 2020 is the year of the Eeyore.

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” - Exodus 33:18 –20 (ESV)

In the passage above something strange happens. Moses has been leading the new nation of Israel out of Egypt and into the wilderness. This has been a crazy journey filled with miracles and demonstrations of the presence of God, but Moses wants more. He wants to know and see his God. It's an amazing and bold request.

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. - Philippians 1:1 –2 (ESV)

You have seen the memes. You probably have talked about it or at least you have felt it. 2020 is weird. It's the oddest collision of circumstances I can remember in my lifetime. A virus, confinement, endless cancellations and re-arrangements, unrest, political conflicts, disconnection and disunity, financial instability, etc. It will be a year to remember (although we'd like to forget).

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. - Galatians 3:13 –14 (ESV)

Legalese is always funny to me. I'm always wondering why and how it came to be. One that always makes me smile is the disclosure on a coupon. If you look at the top it usually says something like 'Actual Cash Value 1/10 Cent'. It doesn't matter if the redemption value is 5 cents or 500 dollars, it always says that. I guess in one sense it's not worth the paper it's printed on.