Posts with the category “philippians”

17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.20 T...  Read More

12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.Philippians 4:12-13I don’t know that I really know what it is to be in need. But I certainly know what it is to have plenty. And yet, l...  Read More

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:4-7We dealt with thi...  Read More

18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.Philippians 3:18-19Isn’t that sad… It’s kind of the line you imagine your grandma saying over and over as she watches the nightly news. It’s fi...  Read More

12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heave...  Read More

7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain ChristPhilippians 3:7-8Some would say that many people in our community have everything. You drive around the Northern Suburbs and som...  Read More

12 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, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.Philippians 2:12-13Something I hear pretty regularly from people is, “I have a faith in God.” The people who I’m speaking about often d...  Read More

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place    and gave him the name that is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father.Philippians 2:9-11Jesus endured the greatest of humiliations. From eternal paradise in heaven to a criminal's ...  Read More

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:6 Who, being in very nature God,    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;7 rather, he made himself nothing    by taking the very nature of a servant,    being made in human likeness.8 And being found in appearance as a man,    he humbled himself    by becoming obedient to death— ...  Read More

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking ...  Read More

29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, 30 since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.Philippians 1:29-30I wonder what you would say to someone who asked, “what has God given you?” There’s a bunch of things we might say. Hope. Love. Confidence. Comfort. Strength. But would you eve...  Read More

27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel 28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be save...  Read More

25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.Philippians 1:25-26Again I am struck by the other person's centredness of Paul. Go back a few verses and we were invited into his personal wrestle - pulled between the joy a...  Read More

21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Philippians 1:21-24If you could sum up Paul’s thinking in as few words as ...  Read More

18 Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.Philippians 1:18-20How would yo...  Read More

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false moti...  Read More

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.Philippians...  Read More

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may 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 1:9-11What do your prayers sound like? Look like? This?This is Paul’s prayer for the Ph...  Read More

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.Philippians 1:3-6Have you ever started something that you didn’t finish? I’ve got a bunch of projects like...  Read More

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deaconsGrace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Philippians 1:1-2We are going to spend the next few weeks in Philippians before we go there for our next Sermon Series.Philippi was a Roman colony in north-eastern Greece. It was a melting pot of...  Read More