After a challenging week dealing with what God has asked us to deal with, lets re-read the passage from Phillipians 1: 20-21

‘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. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.’

To recap from last week:The desire on Paul’s heart is two fold:

1. To not be ashamed of his testimony of the gospel
2. To see Christ exalted in his life

Paul then states that he desires this ‘whether by life or death.’ This is the focus for these two weeks. How can we see Christ exalted in our life through life and death? Last week we focused on ‘through death’ and this week we will look at ‘through life’.

Through Life
‘for me, to live is Christ.’ Paul’s heart here shows us that anything that filled Paul’s life failed to compare with his desire to see Christ exalted. Paul had a view that life was inly important if it meant that Christ was exalted in his life. In other words, Christ would always be the central driving force behind Paul’s actions.

Unlike the Pharisees in Matthew 15: 8-9 whose focus was their own exaltation, Paul’s example to us challenges us to always put God’s plan and purpose first.

Our application this week is simply to ask the following question:
Is there anything in my life that I have placed before the will of God?

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This study on Phillipians over the past few weeks have taught us to love more, to be more joyful, to place our trust in God, to live as citizens our heaven, to be humble in our citizenship, to honour God and to develop a mindset like God’s.
This book has been very challenging and full of incredible wisdom. I hope that you have enjoyed studying it with us.

Looking into chapter four of Phillipians we find another great truth that will help us in our walk with God. Peace!

Phillipians 4:7
7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It is the peace of God that will help us to guard our hearts. In other words God’s peace protects you. How? Verse eight gives us the answer:

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

Peace comes from focusing on worthy, lovely, commendable and excellent things. Focusing on the things of God brings peace. We guard our hearts by focusing on Godly things which bring a peace to us.

Think about this a bit more. The reason peace protects us is because it “transcends understanding!” When we try to understand something we are trying to achieve something. We do it in our own strength. Peace in our hearts comes from trusting in God regardless of our understanding of current circumstances.

It’s easy to trust in God when you focus on Him. He is great, powerful, mighty, graceful, loving, peaceful, trustworthy, reliable, constant and merciful. When you focus on Him you begin to trust Him as He reveals Himself to you. Our need to understand is superseded by our love for Him and our trust in Him. Peace comes from a decision to trust God and not trust in ourselves.

Trusting in our own ability often brings anxiety and doubt. Trusting in God brings peace because He has proved Himself undoubtedly trustworthy.

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As we study Phillipians chapter three we can find three main point that show us how to live as citizens of heaven.

1. Be on your guard
2. Know your heritage
3. Move forward

Be on your guard
Verse to tells us to ‘watch out’ for people you do not honour God (vs 2). It is important to be aware of those people who live in such a way because it stops us from being caught up in their ways. We need to be constantly on our guard from any idea’s, concepts, ways of life and actions that do not honour God.

Know Your Heritage
To know God and what He has done for you will always put your heart right in every circumstance. To understand that your righteousness comes from God and not your works (vs 3-7) keeps us humble. God is able to use a humble person because they are more reliant on Him than themselves.
Knowing our heritage as a citizen of heaven gives us an better understanding of who we are, what we believe and how we should live. The only place that explains our heritage is the Word of God and this is why we need to spend quality time reading His word. In order that we may know our heritage in Christ Jesus.

Move Forward
Paul asks us to move forward continually. To press on toward the goal (vs 14). In our lives as Christians we should always be seeking and striving for more. More fellowship, more intimacy, more obedience, more understanding and more wisdom from Christ. We do this because we have seen Christ in our lives and we have chosen to live in for Him in His kingdom. According to His purpose.
As citizens of heaven we acknowledge God as our King. We are proud of our heritage in Christ and we stay on guard of those who come against our King.

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Are you dead or alive? Are you driven by Godly passion that leads to towards God’s will in your life? When last did your heart beat for the purpose of God?

Last week we looked at how Timothy had a heart for the Phillipian Church and as we read further we see Epaphroditus with the same attitude. These men are mentioned in this passage because they are examples of what Paul is talking about.
In Phillipains 2 vs 1-3 we see the encouragement of Paul saying:

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like‑minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.”

Paul says that if we feel anything for God then we should be like-minded, having the same love and be one in the same spirit and purpose. You see we need to focus on having the same mind as God so that in the future He is able to impress His will in our lives.

As you love God and are obedient to what you read in His word, you will become like minded, you will start to love others in the same way that God love others and you will start to have the same mindset as our Father. When you choose to love God first He will make your heart beat for His will and purpose. Just like Timothy and Epaphraditus had hearts that desired to be with the Phillipian church.

The desire on their hearts lead them to their purpose. Simply because the desire on their hearts was placed there by a perfect God who was in a loving relationship with them.

Is God calling you to something? If not, I encourage you to search through His word - not to find His will but rather to learn how to love Him. The rest will come in His time.

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Phillipians 2: 1-11

Imitating Christ’s Humility
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Christs humility is described for us in this passage and we are asked to follow this example because of our love for Him.
The challenge here is to become completely focused on the things of God that our our selfish desire becomes non existent. Particularly difficult when the world around us is continually seeking to serve itself.
Becoming humble like Jesus would lead us to a place where our hearts are moved by God’s heart and would inevitably lead us to serving others. Just as Christ took on the very nature of a servant.
So this is an attitude of the heart that directly opposes the world view we live in. Therefore it is important to acknowledge and use the power of prayer here. Continually pray for God’s guidance in your life,  ask Him to guide and lead you, ask Him to share His heart with you.
I love the prayer that John Piper gives us:

“Lord, work so deeply in my heart that I am freed from the bondage of self-centeredness and given the disposition to look not only to my own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
A tough call, but what better way to be felt by the world than to go against its selfish principles. The world will stand by in amazement as God heals the broken-hearted, the sick and lame and the hurting souls that plague this planet.
You cannot help people unless your concern is for the people.Concern for people comes through a humble attitude.

The depth of healing that this world needs can only come from God, who works through a humble heart.

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Politeuesthe!! Here is a greek word that we really need to understand. Paul is using it here to show the phillipian christians how to live their lives.
Our passage today is Phillipians 1: 27: 30

²⁷Whatever 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 one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel ²⁸without 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 saved—and that by God. ²⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, ³⁰since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

This portion of scripture encourages us to walk in a way that is worthy of the gospel. You see Paul’s suffering for the gospel is for the sake of the gospel. To see the gospel working out in peoples lives. Even though Paul finds joy through his suffering, the purpose of suffering is to see Jesus Christ glorified. Therefore it is important to note that Paul’s encouragement in Phillipians chapter 1 is to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ. In other words:

• To overflow with love (vs 9)
• To live pure and blameless lives (vs 10)

The encouragement is not to suffer but should this lifestyle bring suffering, then suffer in the knowledge that it is for the gospel of Christ – and this will bring you joy.

Politeuesthe means to behave as citizens worthy [of the gospel of Christ]. The keyword in this definition is ‘citizens’. A citizen is member of a town, a city, a nation and we are members of God’s kingdom.

A citizens lives by the law of the land, supports the land and it’s people and ultimately is united with the other citizens of the land to a common desire and purpose.

Our citizenship in Christ’s kingdom should lead us to live a life worthy of the gospel. A life that calls us to behave as citizens of a most holy, wonderful, glorious, mighty Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

Our citizenship approach that Paul asks of us here, would mean that we obey the law of Christ, live for the body of Christ and be focused on God’s plan rather than our own. That way we will experience joy as we see God’s plan work out and advance in the lives of people all over this world.

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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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