Philippians 1:12-13 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. aul had experienced serious personal trouble, even fearing for his life on many occasions. You might think that he would take the opportunity of a letter to the mature believers at Philippi to seek help, relief or even an effort to see him freed … [Read more...]
A Pastor’s Simple Desire
Philippians 1:7-11 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. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of … [Read more...]
What About “Gray Areas?”
Philippians 1:9-11 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. any Christians are content to settle for second-best. They don’t ask questions like “What is the best that I can do?” but rather “What is the least I can get by with?” … [Read more...]
True Love is Discerning
Philippians 1:9-11 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. nowledge and discernment are not the same. To be discerning is to make wise assessments based upon ones knowledge of scripture. Discernment is the ability to judge … [Read more...]
Love, with an Abounding Love
Philippians 1:9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, aul does not pray that the Philippians would develop love but that the love which he had already observed in them and which he had been a recipient of, would abound more and more (1:5-8; 4:3, 10-20). His prayer was that the love he had already seen developing in them would grow and increase in its maturity. That it would become more and more like the love of Jesus Christ and … [Read more...]