This is a Prayer from Paul to us AMY, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I am confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you WILL COMPLETE IT until the day of Jesus Christ…” (Phil. 1:2-6) He goes on and says, “And this I pray, that YOUR LOVE MAY ABOUND (flourish) still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that ARE EXCELLENT, that you may BE SINCERE and without offense till the day of Christ, BEING FILLED with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the GLORY AND PRAISE of God.” (Phil. 1:9-11)
Then Paul makes this astounding proclamation AMY, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain…above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are STANDING TOGETHER WITH ONE SPIRIT AND ONE PURPOSE, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that YOU ARE GOING TO BE SAVED, EVEN BY GOD HIMSELF.” (Phil. 1:21, 27-28)
“For GOD IS WORKING IN YOU, giving you the DESIRE and the POWER to do what pleases Him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. HOLD FIRMLY TO THE WORD OF LIFE; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” (Phil. 2:13-16)
-Bill Stockham