Coming to the Still Waters

Today's verses are Philippians 2:1-4, which read,   v.1, 2 - Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Paul gives us another list.  Paul has been speaking of the Christians' faith who are the Philippian Church.  They heard the gospel and then accepted the gospel and then started to immediately do the gospel.  They were supportive of Paul's efforts and even sent resources to the Jerusalem saints who were being persecuted.  They were receiving opposition to their faith but Paul has instructed them that they are not only saved by Christ but also to suffer with Him.  In the face of all of that Paul gives them a list. If there is any... "encouragement in Christ" - Christ coming alongside with help, counsel and enc

Today's verses are Philippians 1:27-30, which read,   v.27, 28 - Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. Paul in prison, looking as if he will be out soon and wanting to see the Christians in Philippi in person, but if not, he tells them to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  Paul's circumstances were not to dictate their actions.  They were to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ if Paul is out of prison and in their presence or if Paul is forever locked up in jail or even executed.  The gospel of Christ is bigger than Paul or any other religious leader. When you walk this way,

Today's verses are Philippians 1:19-26, which read,   v.19, 20 - Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body whether by life or by death. Paul is in prison but he is rejoicing.  He is rejoicing that Jesus Christ's name is being proclaimed by those who love and support him and those who despise him and thankful that he is in prison.  He is rejoicing because the gospel is not hindered by prison walls and chains and also that the gospel is not hindered by critics and ungodly motives and agendas. Paul either has a confidence in his salvation which would probably be a given but maybe this means that he has a confidence in his release from prison this time.  He has the Philippian Christians

Today's scriptures are Philippians 1:12-18, which read,   v.12-14 - Now I want to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. Paul is sharing and showing with us and the Christians in the church in Philippi that the gospel is not contained by prison walls.  Paul is continuing to share the gospel because he has a captive crowd in the soldiers who are guarding him day and night.  "While you are here, let me tell you some of the greatest news of all time" could have been one of Paul's lines to share the gospel with the whole praetorian guard assigned to him.  Suffering and persecution do not diminish the effectiveness of the gospel but ac

Today's verses are Philippians 1:3-11, which read,   v.3-5 - I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. The church in Philippi is on Paul's prayer list.  It is his joy to petition for or make a request on behalf of the Christians in the Philippian church.  Why the joy?  He mentions here that they heard the gospel and received it and then immediately, from the first day, participated or were in fellowship or partnership with him to reach others in the city with it.  Paul had support of the gospel in very short order.  This was not always the case when Paul went into a new town with the gospel of Jesus Christ.   v.6 - For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Three "for" statements are to follow this joy.  The first "for"

Today's verses are Philippians 1:1, 2, which read,   Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons:  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We start a new book of the Bible today, the epistle of Paul to the Philippians.  Much of the information here is from the help of my study Bible introduction to the book.  Philippi was the first church in the region of Macedonia where Paul established a church.  Most believe Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome, along with the letters of Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. Philippi or the city of Philip, received its name from Philip II of Macedon who was the father of Alexander the Great.  It became a Roman colony in the second century B.C.  Many Romans lived there as it was a beautiful place that hosted many nearby springs. Philippi is where Lydia, the wealthy lady dealing in expensi

If I am prideful in the wrong way, many times it is hard for me to recognize it in myself.  Even if I ask a trusted Christian friend that question, they might not know how to answer honestly to you or to me.  These five indicators that we went through yesterday morning could be a help to know so that you can go from being on the prideful path where you will end up walking all alone to the humble highway that is suppose to be full of Jesus followers. Remember that the expert in pride is Satan and Jesus said to His disciples and to us when addressing ungodly pride that we and they are to be, "But it is not this way among you,..." First you take a look at your speech.  Is your speech grateful about God and about others?  Or is your speech full of complaining and criticizing?  If you ask a trusted friend about being prideful and they don't know how to response then ask them about your language.  What do they hear?  What do they read in your e-mails or Faceb

Today's verses are Philemon 21-25, which read,   v.21, 22 - Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say.  At the same time also prepare me a lodging, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given to you.   Paul is assuming a lot here.  Paul is assuming that Philemon is going to hear this instruction from the man who shared the gospel with him and follow suit to obey.  Paul is assuming that Philemon is going to hear this instruction that comes from the words of Scripture and submit to its command.  Paul is assuming that Philemon will actually do more than what is asked here.  Maybe Philemon will not only accept Onesimus back and give forgiveness to this once unconverted runaway slave but now a coming back beloved brother in Christ and then turn around and offer resources for him to go back to Paul in prison.  Maybe Philemon will offer him an opportunity to speak to the church that meets in his

Today's verses are Philemon 17-20, which read,   v.17 - If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me. Paul has written a personal letter to Philemon that is to be read publicly by his wife, son and the church that meets in his home.  Paul brings up an issue that Philemon needs to address in a godly way and it will have an affect on him and all who read the letter.  His slave, Onesimus, has run away from him and possibly with some of his resources.  Onesimus runs into the arms of Paul in prison in the vast city of Rome.  Onesimus gets saved and Paul is sending him back to Philemon to make things right.  Paul is helping Philemon see that maybe this was God's plan all along so that the one coming back to him is not just a run away slave but now a beloved brother in Christ.  Onesimus has had a true ministry to Paul in prison and is showing fruit of true conversion to Christ. Paul is the one who shared the gospel with Philemon that resulted in Philem

Today's verses are Philemon 12-16, which read,   v.12, 13 - I have sent him back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel;... Paul is writing a very personal letter to Philemon that is going to be publicly read by his wife, son, and the church that meets in his home.  Paul shared the gospel with Philemon and now his family is also Christian and his son is a fellow soldier of the gospel with Paul.  Philemon is in deep with Christ. Paul writes this letter to ask but also command Philemon to do something that would positively affect him and all those who are associated with the letter and eventually all of us.  Paul wants Philemon to accept someone who had done something wrong to him but has now become a Christian and showing fruits of that conversion.  Paul wants Philemon to forgive. Onesimus needed to go back to his master Philemon who he h

Today's verse are Philemon 8-11, which read,   v.8 - Therefore, though I have enough confidence in Christ to order you to do what is proper,... Paul is writing to Philemon a very personal letter that is to be read publicly by his wife, son, and the Colossian church which meets in his home.  He is writing to him about something that he is to do that will effect all those who are around him. Philemon is a Christian and his family are also followers.  He has a love of God and of others and it has been demonstrated in very visible and genuine ways. Therefore, because Philemon is such a man in Christ, Paul could just say, "because of what Christ said, you, Philemon need to do this" and that would be enough said.   v.9 - ...yet for love's sake I rather appeal to you--since I am such a person as Paul, the aged, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus-- Paul could have just said, "Philemon, do this because it is in the Bible and Jesus said it"

Today's verses are Philemon 4-7, which read,   v.4, 5 - I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;... Paul is writing a personal letter to Philemon but it is meant to be read very publicly by his wife, son and the church of Colossae that meets in his house.  Philemon and his family are converts to Christianity.  Philemon is a leader in the church and his son is a fellow laborer of the gospel with the Apostle Paul.  We are invited in to listen to the personal conversation between Paul the mentor and Philemon the mentored who has grown in his faith to lead others. I picture Paul with a small piece of parchment with these names on it that he remembers in prayer on a very regular basis.  Philemon is on that list.  Philemon is described by Paul as someone who has love and faith in and toward the Lord Jesus and also for the saints.  Philemon

Today's verses are Philemon 1-3, which read,   v.1, 2 - Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our beloved brother and fellow worker, and to Apphia our sister, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house: We start a new study of this very personal letter from Paul to this family.  May the Holy Spirit aid us in understanding God's Word through this endeavor. The writer of the letter is Paul, identified by himself.  Maybe it is a play on words that he describes himself as "a prisoner of Christ Jesus."   Paul is in prison and so he is a prisoner literally and he is in prison because of the witness given by him of Christ Jesus also literally.  Spiritually, he is also a prisoner of Christ Jesus; held captive by Christ Jesus; under the bondage of His will on his life; and bound to Christ's words and commands. Paul mentions Timothy as he does in many other writings probably to establish him i

Today's verses are Colossians 4:10-18, which read,   v.10, 11 - Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, send you his greetings; and also Barnabas' cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him); and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.   Paul continues his list of brothers and sisters in Christ that are surrounding him during this time of imprisonment.  He wants the new Christians in Colossae to know about them and therefore we are going to spend some time looking at what we know of them from history.  Yesterday was Tychicus and Onesimus who were coming with this message from Paul. Aristarchus is in prison with Paul.  He is a Jew.  He was from Thessalonica.  He was with Paul and seized with him by the rioting mob in Ephesus.  He also went with Paul to Jerusalem and later onto Rome.  He was a long

Today’s verses are Colossians 4:7-9, which read, v.7, 8 –As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord will bring you information.   For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you many know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts; Paul is winding down this letter and as with many of his letters he uses the last chapter or last sentences to mention the names of others who are working with him.   It is full of gratitude and praise for the brothers and sisters in Christ around him.   The first mentioned is this man named Tychicus which means “fortuitous or fortunate.”   He is a Gentile convert and one taken with Paul to Jerusalem to show the church fathers a new Gentile convert to Christianity.   He was Paul’s letter carrier to the churches in Colossae and Ephesus and a personal letter to Philemon.   He was considered as a replacement for Titus and Timothy, so his spiritua