1. When we look at the letter Paul wrote to the Philippians he refers to himself and Timothy as bond-servants of Christ Jesus, verse 1. Can we legitimately use that title, ‘bond-servants of Christ Jesus’ for ourselves? How are we serving? Are we serving with joy and willingness?
2. Paul thanks God for the believers at Philippi, verse 3. Often we might pray for our church members and Christian friends but do we think to thank God for our fellow Christians as Paul did?
3. Paul prayed for the Philippians with great joy for their ‘participation in the gospel,’ verse 5. Are you doing your part in spreading the gospel message? And do you pray for others involved in gospel ministry?
4. Paul had confidence in the Lord’s ability to continue the work He had begun and see it through to the end in the lives of these believers, verse 6. Paul didn’t need to be there to supervise the job. Can we leave those in our care, whether our children or grandchildren, Sunday school classes, bible study members etc in the Lord’s hands, secure that He will bring the work in them to completion?
5. Paul had a deep love for his fellow believers, verses 7 and 8. There is nothing wrong with having that deep love for other believers. In fact it is indicative not only of Paul but of Jesus and His example to care deeply about people. Is our love for other Christians like this?
6. Paul prayed for the Philippian Christians – for their love to abound ‘still more and more in real knowledge and discernment’, verse 9. Is our prayer for our children and our fellow Christians like that?
7. Paul’s prayer for the church at Philippi is that they discern not what is good, but what is best for their lives – ‘the things that are excellent,’ and that they be ‘sincere and blameless until the day of Christ,’ verse 10. To do that, they need love, knowledge and depth of insight. Is our love, knowledge and insight increasing so that what we discern what is best? And do we pray for increasing love, knowledge and insight for our fellow Christians?
Bible verses from The New American Standard Version
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