The Book Of Philippians

I was sitting there going to request that song and you requested it, Robert. Good morning everyone. It's a blessing to be here again. Appreciate the opportunities that we have to gather with one another. Is there any prayer requests? Well, God knows our needs. All right, let's stand and pray. Father, we just come before you this morning with a humble petition to ask that your spirit would be with us this morning and with us and edify us and comfort us by your word. We thank you for all that you do for us, Lord. Please help us to be faithful in these times. In Jesus' name, amen. For my devotional, I just wanted to read the book of Philippians. It's a special epistle to me and I I think it's just filled with a lot of instruction for the present age we're in. Really encouraging. You know, when it's your time to give the devotional, you always want to come up here and have something that's really inspirational and motivated and inspired by the Holy Ghost. And so God's word is inspired by the Holy Ghost. So you can't go wrong with a devotional from the Bible. So you can read along with me if you'd like. It's the book of Philippians. Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, which are at Philippi with the bishops and the deacons. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine, for you all making requests with joy. For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ. Even as it is me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, in as much as both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. That you may approve things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory and the praise of God. But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel, so that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace and in all other places. And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ even as envy and strife, and some also of goodwill. The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds, but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel. What then, notwithstanding every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer in the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor, yet what shall I choose, I won't not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better, nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same confident conflict which you saw in me, and now here to be in me. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bows and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that you be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the to the glory of God the Father. Wherefore my beloved as you have always obeyed, not in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and a perverse nation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. Holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye and rejoice with me. But I trust the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort when I know your state. For I have no man like-minded who will naturally care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. But ye know the proof of him, that as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel. Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it will go with me. But I trust in the Lord, that I also myself shall come shortly. Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Ephroditus, my brother and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick, nigh unto death, but God had mercy on him, and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. I sent him therefore, the more carefully, that when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such in reputation, because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me. Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord, to write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh, if any man thinketh that he hath where he might trust in the flesh, I more. Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, and Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, touching the righteousness, which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gained to me, those I count a loss for Christ, yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect, but I follow after that I may apprehend, that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore as many as be perfect be thus minded, and if anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal this even unto you. Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an example. For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved, and long for my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. I beseech ye odious, and beseech ye that they be of the same mind in the Lord, and I entreat thee also, true yoke fellow, help those women which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow laborers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and your minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things which you have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do, and the God of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein you were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye have communicated with my affliction. Now ye Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica you sent once and again into my necessity. Not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all abound, I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. I salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. If you thought of anything edifying and you wanted to add to it or share, that would be a blessing. I don't really have a whole lot more to share. But I hope that was a blessing. God bless you all. Amen brother Teo. The only comment is to obey what the apostle told us to do. No corrections at all. Heart of hearts is to obey what Paul said. And of course when he wrote that he was in a mountaintop. He was in the top of the world looking down in creation and wow everything to his feet. No he was in a stinky prison with other convicts and maybe one good meal a day or who knows what. Epistle of joy in the circumstances. Kind of like that song. In a song it's not a good facsimile of the scriptures. When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost, count your many blessings. Well the scripture with brother Teo read Philippians, that is the way we should live. Count your blessings is a beautiful song. But when he did it, when the apostle Paul follow Christ, follow me as I follow Christ, is our example. And you know we have all the fear mongers today and the virus and the government and all this. And just as Jesus told Peter, what about this guy John, he said just follow me, just pay attention to Jesus words and the Lord be magnified. Yeah I found it a blessing. There's this one verse in here that kind of blows my mind. It says I have no one like him who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare. All of them are seeking their own interests. Did Paul actually face that? All of them are seeking their own interests and not those of Jesus Christ. I think we need to be aware of that but it just stands out to me that things were not very pretty for Paul. He strove a lot and we need to strive too. Thank you. And so thinking about how Paul laid aside all that he had through having, being blameless through the law of Moses, that he may have the way of Christ, having the righteousness that is through of living after the pattern of Jesus Christ. And I'm thankful for the words on the bus out there, you know, that Christ doesn't want division. And I not in his body. And so I think that examples also can be, you can translate as pattern. And so the idea of that we all being of one mind, one pattern, one all the same weave of the same cloth of purity and undefiled. As many, therefore, are perfect. Let us think this, that if any, you think otherwise, this also God shall reveal to you. But to what we have come by the same rule walk, the same thing. I pray that that this fellowship would grow in striving to live lives according to the pattern of Jesus Christ and the gospel and would bless y'all. And that as you walk in love and thinking each other's better as yourselves as Christ and serving each other as Christ did. Thank you very much, brother, for reading Philippians. It's so nice to hear so much of Christ's words and maybe a little less of our, our thoughts. Bless you. All those who are welcome, Grace and salvation For all your strength Thank you, my heart Once and refined Love and affection Steal me and make me Pure as the wine Then to the world would I be your father Then to sin I would I want to be Crucified, all in earthly within me And here of sin and self may I be All around the world Grace and salvation For all your strength Thank you, my heart Once and refined Love and affection Steal me and make me Pure as the wine I would be dying and serving forever Filled with my spirit Lost in my love Until my heart, O Lord, comes with anointing Showers of grace shed down from above All around the world Grace and salvation For all your strength Thank you, my heart Once and refined Love and affection Steal me and make me Pure as the wine And when he and I were safely made In the shelter of the fold That one was out on the hills away Far off from the gates of old Away on the mountains wild and bare Away from the tender shepherd's care Away from the tender shepherd's care For now, as did I, I, he and I Are they not enough for thee That the shepherd may answer this of mine As while they're away from thee And on the road beyond the sea I go through the desert to find my sheep I go through the desert to find my sheep But none of the rest I'll ever do How deep were the waters' cross Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through There he found his sheep that was lost How in the desert the earth is dry Sick and outcast and ready to die Sick and outcast and ready to die Lord, when tide of blood drops all the way Not a part of the mountain's tread They were shed for the one who had borne us free And the shepherds bring him thanks Lord, when star-laden, snow-red, and torn Their bears to guide by many a thorn Their bears to guide by many a thorn But all through the mountain's thunder bill And all from the rocky sea There arose a glad cry from the gates of heaven Rejoice, I have found my sheep And the angels echoed around the throne Rejoice, for the Lord brings back his home Rejoice, for the Lord brings back his home Oh, the grace that saves has appeared to every man For it teaches us to say now to all ungodliness Let this self-controlled and godly gift of present days Wear him while we wait for our Savior And love that's settled from Him For the faithful priest who has given up his life To redeem us from our deeds Let our love ascend in sight We beheld the love, his glory When the Word in flesh appeared For he came to indwell us And of death remove the fear What shall we now say? Shall we sing that grace abound? That man may endeavor ye That in us his heart is found Let us come boldly to the throne of grace In time of need To find help for our troubles And the grace that makes us free Praise the Lord Praise the Lord Praise the Lord