In the first article which was titled, "A wonderful reunion" it was quite obvious that Paul and the Philippian church went through much together and he was just so happy to be reunited with this very special body of believers even if it was just in the form of a letter. I look at some of these "Reunions" in life and some are, "Well let's get together" but there was a lot of heart and soul with true Godly affection in this come together. Did you ever just like someone or a group of people and your heart just melts at seeing them again? This is the kind of love God desires us to have for our brothers and sisters in Christ because He has tender affection for us.
The second article I wrote was called, "Godly love and expansion" and the main theme here involves these two verbs. Paul desired them to have love but with knowledge and judgment. He did not want their love to be blind. For example we should be reading the Bible and making Godly conclusions for our life. When Paul was in prison while writing this letter he knew people were proclaiming Jesus Christ with the wrong motive but all the Apostle cared about was the expansion of the gospel. Right reasons, wrong reasons if people were coming to know the Lord that is all that he longed for but let this be a lesion to every one of us that our motives better be right when we endeavor for the Lord Jesus Christ because there will be no reward in heaven if why were doing what were doing is for the wrong reason.
The third article I wrote was called, "To the glory of God through Jesus Christ." Paul makes a transition from examining Christian leaders and their motives because it became apparently obvious to him but not necessarily understood by the people listening to these teachers but they were still inviting Jesus Christ into their hearts. He then goes vertical with his personal relationship with God and empathies giving Jesus Christ the praise and glory. Just one word of advise because we need to be listening to Christian leaders on where their "Empathies" is first and foremost because this observation is going to determine if they are biblically sound and heading in the right direction. If they are off on some tangent with their empathies then the listeners like sheep are going to follow because Jesus Christ is not at the center of the congregation and the body of believers listening are not going to be grounded in the word of God.
The forth article I wrote is called, "Should I stay or should I go." Paul goes over this dilemma on whether it would be better if he stayed on Planet Earth or went to heaven. He knew full well that there would be no more temptation of sin in heaven with much joy but he finally settled on the fact that this Apostle needed to stay because the needs of other people were great. We do not determine when we are born nor do we determine when God will take us on home to be with Him for all eternity. This was understood but he was torn between the two and I am one that much appreciated his opening up of his soul being split two different ways because I have faced the same struggle in my path on earth.
In the fifth article I wrote, "How to love one another" and I would have to say this may be a good writing to review because there were enough specifics to go over because God places a high empathies on this subject. We can do something without love and as a result all kinds of bad noise comes out of our spirit and hurts other people in a bad way. The domino effect takes
placewhere they encounter other people and this just goes on and on until someone actually makes a conscious decision to express this type of affection to everyone around them because he or she is making the right choice by obeying God and being in His will.
Article number six is called, "The essence of Jesus Christ" which has amazing content in it because Paul is reviewing the horizontal (how to love one another) to the very essence of who Jesus Christ is but notice he did not delve into this subject until he explained the horizontal and then Paul goes very deep into the heart of who Jesus Christ is especially in relation to us as Christians. What good is keeping our focus on Jesus Christ without being able to relate it to our lives? Exploring the essence of Jesus Christ is wise so if you have to review this article it is posted and Paul does get very specific in the verses. This should touch our soul when we go on a journey in understanding who Jesus Christ is and His resurrection power especially on how it relates to us in our Christian journey down here on earth.
Article number seven is called, "Rejoicing and mourning" and this is so true to our lives but Paul was one of the few people I ever encountered that knew how to blend the two together into one. We will mourn in this world but to just stay there is counterproductive because rejoicing is to be incorporated with our grief. This is when we can just thank, praise and glorify God in
pain and hardships. It is an expression to the Triune Godhead that in the middle of our problems we are putting our faith in God, giving praises to Jesus Christ for who He is and what He is going to do in our life because we do love Him and our called according to His purpose.
Article number eight is called, "Persecuted or the persecutor." Paul describes the types of Christians that are prone to persecution because of their strong stance for Jesus Christ. They are on the right side of true faith and obedience to Jesus Christ. These individuals would never even dream of persecuting anyone because they are in a position before God to stay the course and endue for Him until the end. The persecutors are very earthy in their thoughts and rely on their own strength which produces pride and often goes to the next step into persecuting true believers in Jesus Christ. This is history and it is also what the Bible teaches will happen in the last days. We are in the general vicinity of the rapture and the seven year tribulation period which the world will soon have to go through but true believers are promised a snatching away before this time period starts so make sure you are right with Jesus Christ or you will be left behind.
Article number nine is called, "Living for Jesus Christ and the hope of heaven." I can always tell if a person is living for Jesus Christ. Most decent people do not and it is sad to see them allow the cares of life rob them of their relationship with the Son of God who died for their sins. On the other hand I can always tell if a person is living for Jesus Christ. When I see this there is always the hope of heaven attached to their devotion to the Lord because we are just passing through this old world but our true hope is in heaven because that is our ultimate home. We are not staying down here but are living for Jesus Christ because this is our only true option. He is preparing us for heaven.
Article number ten is called, "Reaching and pressing with hope." Paul desired to put his empathies on two words which are reaching and pressing but it was for the high calling in Jesus Christ. How serious do we take the high calling we have in Jesus Christ? It should be our number one priority but we should strive with Godly hope. People reach and press when they run a race and this is what we should be engaging in our Christian life. This high calling involves reaching and pressing to know Jesus Christ and His resurrection power. We are laboring for Him for the right reason of pointing to the Son of the Living God, not ourselves because it is all about Jesus Christ. We are just the vessels in the hands of God.
Article number eleven is called, "The peace of God keeping our hearts and minds." We as Christians are granted a very special promise that if we trust in God through His Son Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. The fear and anxiety will not be there because this peace will transcend over our excessive cares in life and work through our spirit by experience. I shared a very touching story of my grandmother who got saved by reading Philippians chapter four every night before she died and finally got saved through Jesus Christ. It just goes to show us we really don't know what God may use in the life of a person to bring him or her to Him.
Article number twelve is called, "A special word in observation but content in Jesus Christ." I let loose in the beginning of the article explaining the main problem I was seeing in the average person I observed or talked to which is they never got the sin condition settled before God in most cases because of the cares of this world. Remember demons have about six thousand years of experience in making sure said person has apathy about the truths of God and they probably won't bother you if they know they have you in their possession. Just because everything is fine in your life does not mean you are going to heaven. Unfortunately there is only one other place and that would be hell. This is a horrible existence but if you do nothing then how can you possible expect to go to heaven?
I would like to extend an invitation to you to accept Jesus Christ into your heart as your very own personal Savior and Lord by repenting of all sins and inviting the Son of the Living God into your life by living for Him. This is a decision for your life and eternity and it will be the wisest choice you ever made in your life because it will last forever.
In article twelve Paul expresses how content he was in Jesus Christ. We can not feel at peace through something worldly or earthy because it is temporary and subject to change.
Finally at the end of the book of Philippians Paul says his goodbyes to a wonderful body of believers. In verse twenty, "Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever, Amen." He just kept giving glory to God and that is what we should be doing in our life.
When Paul said goodbye to this church it is obvious that he had a genuine love for all good Christians. Then of course he ends with, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, Amen." Well I say the same thing to you so ...
God Bless you until next time,
Bob D.
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