Thank you for once again reading the message for this week. I hope and pray that everyone is having a very good week.
Today, we are going to finish up chapter one in the book of Philippians. If you remember last week, we saw that Paul had a strong desire to go and be with the Lord. He wanted to be the Lord he loved and served. He had been suffering a lot. However, Paul knew that as long as he was on this earth, he still had the opportunity to tell others about the life changing power of Jesus. Whether he lived or died, he wanted his life to be all about serving the Lord and doing the best that he could to honor God.
Paul begins our section of Philippians today by instructing the people that they need to live in such a way that their actions bring only honor and glory to the Lord Jesus. That is what we are to do in our day and age too. We don't want to do anything that would cause someone to turn away from having a relationship with the Lord Jesus. Many people get turned off of Christianity because of the hypocrisy and meanness of those who say that they are believers. I believe that this is one of if not the major reason that so many people don't want to have anything to do with the Christian religion in the Western world.
We don't want to turn people away. We want to live in such a way that people see that we are people of love and goodness who follow the teachings and the commandments of Jesus. We want people to see Jesus is us. We need to be those who are loving God with all that we have within us, and we are loving our neighbors as ourselves. Also, we are following the rule that Jesus gave to His followers to do unto others as we would have done to us.
When we practice what we preach and follow the way of the cross, that will attract people to the message of Jesus. So many people would love to see those who say that they are Christians practicing a little bit of kindness in this world, instead of spewing out hate and acting like the devil.
Paul finishes out this chapter by telling the people in the church at Philippi to be brave in the midst of persecution. Jesus told us that in this world people would persecute His followers just as people persecuted Him.
When a believer faces persecution and criticism in this world, that is the time to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit who gives guidance, encouragement and comfort in and through all circumstances.
Whatever we face. Whatever we do, and wherever we go, we have the mission of telling people about Jesus. It is our mission to live in this world to glorify the Lord. Let us all serve the Lord and follow Him so that others will want to follow Him as well. Amen.
Prayer Requests
Please keep praying for my health. I am having good days and bad. Also, please pray that the rains forecast this week in my area will not cause any problems. Thank you.
Please pray for peace on the streets of the US.
Pray for peace in Ukraine. Pray that aid will reach Gaza and that peace will come there. Pray for the release of the hostages. Let us also pray for peace in Sudan, Yemen and Congo.
Let us all pray for an end to the measles and mpox outbreaks.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us remember to pray for those in the nations of Laos and Guinea. Pray that many will come to know the Lord Jesus.
Next week, we will start chapter 2 of Philippians. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all.
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