This morning I was reading the later section of Philippians 2. In this part, Paul is telling the Philippians how much he rejoices over them.

Philippians 2:12-13 NIV says,

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

No matter what people say or do, you should do what is right in the eyes of the Lord whether in another persons sight or not. Not everyone can see your good deeds. Remember that our treasures come from the Lord, not from the work of our own hands or from other people. Our treasure is a gift from God. But we must be careful as to what treasures we receive and who they come from.

My husband and I often enjoy watching tv episodes on Discovery and History Channel. On these channels, there are shows like Gold Rush. On these type of shows, you can conclude that gold mining is work; it is a job. You can also conclude that this is a way to pay bill’s and such to take care of your family, that it is an honest income. But while watching these shows, we often look at each other and say, “He caught the fever.” It is gold fever I am referring to. This is when these men are willing to give up life and limb for the shiny yellow stuff that’s been paying out around $1500 an ounce.

These guys leave their families for months at a time, and they spend millions to be able to mine a piece of ground that may not ever produce a return. No doubt, it is a risky business. In watching the show, you can see who is cut out for it and who is not. This is not to say that gold mining is wrong, but it is not for everyone.

In anything we do, we must keep our witts about us. We should be self-controled and not let anything cause us lose sight of what is really important. In this case, it is the yellow stuff – gold.

Gold is only one thing that can be a stumbling block; there are many. As Philippians 2:12 NIV tells us,

… – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

We must be careful as to what we allow into our lives and how it affects us. If it goes against Gods good purpose, it just may be something set in our path to cause us to stumble. This is why we should “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” In other words, it is not something to take lightly.

I finish with Philippians 2:14-15 NIV:

Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in while you shine like stars in the universe,

We should continue to work out our salvation by reading Gods Word and seeking him for wisdom. We should ask God to keep us vigilant so that we make wise decisions and not let the devil get a foothold causing us to stumble.

This is one of the most important acts of worship that we can perform. God delights in it, because you are drawing closer to him; it is his desire to have a relationship with you.

The question I have for you today is this: when was the last time you truly reached out to God, arms wide open, as if you were a little kid wanting to be held by you mommy or daddy and asked for wisdom? He is waiting.

Go forth and be blessed my friend.