Read: Phillippians 2:12-4:23
Paul has a deep love for the church at Phillip. They are the only church that valued his service enough to support him financially. Paul’ whole life was an offering to the Body of Christ. His foremost desire was to see them grow and mature in their walk with Christ. He was very proud of this church because they were doing just that.
Paul highly commended Timothy who faithfully served with him. He is sending this letter by Timothy so that he could encourage them and bring back a good report. Paul also commends Epaphroditus who was a Roman soldier converted to Christ while watching over Paul in prison. Paul was sending him to accompany Timothy since he missed them. When reading this, I can’t help but feel the sense of family that they all share. Paul was their spiritual father, since so many of them came to the faith through his ministry.
Paul warned them against returning to follow the rituals of the law. These rituals were meant by God to be a shadow of the real. When the real came through Jesus, they were to stop doing the rituals and let the lesson be ingrained in their hearts. To return to circumsism and hand washing was to go backwards, not forwards. Paul tells us to forget the past and press on to finish our race. The end is full of rewards that will make all our trials worth while.
In Paul’s final words he addressed a disagreement between two women, Euedia and Syntyche. He begged them to settle it because they had been such a blessing in their ministry and they were letting the devil steal their testimony.
Lastly, Paul tells us not to worry but to pray about every thing. What we think about is out choice, so let’s choose to think about things that are good, true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. That is the secret to having peace in your hearts.
Lord, we give you our thoughts today and choose to have thoughts of faith and hope.
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