Today we start a study on the book of Phillipians. This book is full of joy, in fact, joy is mentioned sixteen times in the four chapters. I am excited to get into this study because sometimes we miss out on the joy of being a Christian. Hopefully this book will help us to experience joy. The Life Application Study Bible has a great definition for joy “Joy is the quiet, confident assurance of God’s love and work in our lives – that He will be there no matter what!”

Please read Phillipians 1: 1 – 11 and we will specifically focus on verses 9 – 11.
Chapter 1 expresses the thanks that Pauls has for being in fellowship with the phillipian church. He excited to see God’s good work come to completition inside each person in the church (vs. 6). Paul then concludes the introduction with a prayer for those whom he is writing to.

1 Phillipians 1: 9-11

⁹And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, ¹¹filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Paul shares with us two very important ways in which we should pour out our love for God.

Knowledge

The greek word for knowledge here is Epignosis which means to have a decisive knowledge of God. In other words we should read God’s word and decisively apply it to our lives.

We are asked to make decisions about the word of God, not to sit back and accept any old silly notion. Thats a trait of a weak person and we are called to be like God who is not weak. We are asked to decisively learn about God, to test His word until it makes sense to us, to know God’s word to such an extent that it becomes our word.

That way we stand by it because it makes sense to us, it is our decision – because we have started to think the way that God thinks – because He has become our teacher who is imparting His wisdom to us.

Don’t follow the bible and don’t follow God because you have to. Follow Him because you want to, because you have decided to.

Remember Free Will – God gave you that – You need to exercise that in your faith. Freely choose to live for Him, by His word and you will never be embarrassed about your belief, never feel pressured into Godless living. Because it was your decision.

Discernment

The word discern here is a verb “dokimazo” which means to put to the test and then to accept as tested. To actively test and accept as tested would mean to have no doubt in the truth of something. It is no longer a grey area, no longer a stumbling stone to you, no longer a conversation stopper with a non-christian, no longer an obstacle to you getting to know God more.

Every discerning action is helpful in bringing you to a better understanding of God. One at a time your discernment will grow and improve as God works in you as you work out, test and approve the things of God. Your perceptions then will be based around the truth of God’s word.

Neither knowledge or discernment can improve in your Christian walk unless you read God’s word. You need to read and study the bible. It is the life line for you as a christian. Nothing else will help you grow.

READ GOD’s WORD – thats all I am asking!!

• Knowledge is the decision
• Discernment is the action

Both lead to a lifestyle that will show the world God’s hearts

If you would like to listen to a sermon about this click here

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We are all ambitious people!

There is a desire that drives us everyday to achieve something, to finish a project, get a degree, build a home, start a family, retire wealthy, buy a  4×4, help someone in need, volunteer at a children’s home, work in the church, become a missionary, devote ourselves to a religion.

That something is ambition and we all have it. In fact, when someone has no purpose, or is in a situation where they cannot realise their amibitions they often become depressed and demotivated.

What is ambition?
Ambition is the one things inside of us that drives us and motivates us to realise the thing that are important to us. In other words ambition leads us to a purpose – ambition directs our lives.

Success and treasure!
As your ambition directs your life, you will experience success, and every now and then you will experience a few failures too.

With success you will gain the rewards for your success. Your failures will give you opportunities to learn so that you can be more successful  in the future and become more successful. Bringing more rewards your way. These rewards are so precious to us as individuals because they were gained by the fulfilling the dreams and ambitions we have. This is why Jesus says in Matthew 6:21 “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also!”

You see, your heart is directly attached to anything that you feel is important. No one else needs to agree in the importance of something you value. If you feel it is valuable it will be close to your heart.

Your treasure is the fruit of your worship
Your treasure is the fruit of your hard work, your time, your passion, your belief, your ideals, your morals and everything that shaped your ambitions in the first place
Worship is a natural reaction that exists in every person – whether they know God or not. It is our natural reaction to whatever we hold most dear to our hearts

Paul Washer explains worship with this analogy: A man is so mesmerized by what he is looking at, that the moment you look at him – you stop looking at him and you start looking at what he’s looking at. Here is the video:

What are you searching for most in your life? Chances are that you are focused intently on it, you talk about it, you read about it, you talk to it, you can’t get enough of it.  More importantly, you experience so much joy and happiness when are focused on it, using it, living it and loving it.

Please read Matthew 6: 19-24 and ask yourself these questions over the next week:

1) Is my treasure eternal or are my ambitions leading me towards treasures on earth?

2) Does your treasure offer everlasting joy? (Psalm 37:4)

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