I want to thank the Lord Jesus for the opportunity to write the messages here on the blog each week. When I started doing this over a decade ago, I didn't know what to expect or how long it would last. I just decided to write things down, and then the Lord could lead people to read it if He so desired. I do want to thank all of you who keep reading the messages each week.
We have come to chapter four in our series going chapter by chapter and verse by verse through the book of Philippians. We finished chapter three last week focusing on the fact that one day, Jesus will return. When He does, we will receive a glorified body like unto His glorified body. I am not sure what that will all entail, but I do know that we can trust and have confidence in all that the Lord Jesus does. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Now, as we start chapter four, Paul states that it is his desire to come and see the people in the church at Philippi once again. It is his hope and prayer that they will keep on being faithful to the Lord.
Our goal in life as believers in Jesus is keep on being faithful to the Lord. We are all going to go through ups and downs in life. We will have struggles and times when it is not always easy to do what the Lord has asked us to do. However, as we are enabled by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, we keep pressing on. We keep doing what Jesus would have us to do. We hold fast to Him and to His word and example.
Paul then moves on to urge two members of the church to end their quarrelling. Euodia and Syntyche were two women who had helped Paul and Clement when they were working to establish the church in Philippi. They helped to spread the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. By quarrelling with each other, they had the potential to cause divisions in the church and to be a cause of those outside of the church to not want to have anything to do with the message of Jesus that they were trying proclaim.
As believers, we have to make sure that we maintain a good testimony. Nothing will turn people away from wanting to hear more about Jesus than if they see those who claim to have Jesus as Lord doing the opposite of what Jesus taught and commanded His followers to do.
In verse four, Paul urges all to always be glad because of the Lord. That doesn't mean that we are always happy about everything that happens to us in life. What it means is that we are glad knowing that we have Jesus as our Savior, Lord, Guide and Friend. We are glad because we know that He has forgiven us and cleansed us of our sins. We our glad knowing that He has prepared a place for us, and that when we die we will go to be with Him forever. We can be glad in the knowledge that Jesus is with us always, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.
We can always rejoice in the Lord. And when we are glad in Him, it lets others see what a difference Jesus can make in a person's life. It is a great witness of our faith in Jesus when we are joyful in Him. So let us all love the Lord and love one another. Let us praise the Lord and be glad in what He has done for us. Amen.
Prayer Requests
I am having a lot of trouble with my stomach. Please pray about this. I do want to thank the Lord that I haven't had trouble with arthritis for a long time now.
Please pray that the wildfires in Canada, the US and in Spain will be brought under control
Continue to pray for peace in Ukraine. Pray for peace in Israel and Gaza, and pray for the release of the hostages. Sudan also needs our prayers for peace.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Uzbekistan and Djibouti. Pray that many will come to know about the love and forgiveness of Jesus.
Next week, we will continue in Philippians. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all.
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