Philippians 4:15-19 says,...
Today's verses are Philippians 4:15-19, which read,
v.15, 16 - You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
Paul gives us the information that the Philippian church was the first and only church to support his efforts of the spread of the gospel. The Philippian church also gave more than once. Paul was their church supported missionary. This practice of giving to others who are on the field is very supported by the Scriptures.
v.17 - Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
Paul was grateful for the gift but he is more focused on the obedience of the Philippians in giving. It is to be with us also. It is not the amount that someone gives to the church but the fact that they have started the spiritual discipline of giving onto the Lord what the Lord has given to them. May the church not be supported by a few generous people but by many who have surrendered all they have to support the growth of God's kingdom. How much greater a church that is supported by the many than just a few for the sake of a plurality of our maturity in Christ.
v.18 - But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
Epaphroditus is the deliverer of this gift to Paul. All has been accounted for and all needs have been met. This gift, given in the proper way, was sweetness to God and acceptable to God. Therefore, what we give and the amount we give is also tied to how we give, our attitude in the giving. We obey God in the giving and part of that obedience is our spirit of giving. We could give the amount He wants us to give but do we give it with the heart that we are to give it? It is a lesser gift if our heart is not given with the resources that He has given to us to give back to Him.
v.19 - And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
When we give to God, we will also receive from God what we need. It will be supplied to us in a way to give glory to Christ Jesus. This is not a teaching on the prosperity gospel. It says that we will receive what we need not what we want. It also says that it will be given to you accordingly, according to Him and His glory and not our own. The Philippians have given rightly unto the Lord to support Paul and Paul is saying that they will now receive from the Lord what they need to give more glory back to Him. This giving and receiving is about our obedience to acknowledging that what we give and what we receive is from the Lord and for the Lord.
How is your giving to the Lord? Do you give on a regular basis? Do you acknowledge Him by giving? Some might think that they can't give because they don't have enough but they are not allowing the God who supplies those needs to do so His way and in His time to receive glory to Him from them. When we don't give, we are saying that we don't trust Him to be the ultimate supplier of our needs. God says that He will supply what we need and sometimes what we need is less than what we have become accustom to. Maybe what we need is to re prioritize what we have so it stays His and not our own. Let's pray.
"Lord, thank You for what You have given to us. May we be obedient to give that amount You want us to give and also with the heart in which You want us to give it. May our current circumstances not dictate if we are going to give or not but see how You are going to supply what we need. Help us to adjust to You rather than trying to make You adjust to us. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.15, 16 - You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs.
Paul gives us the information that the Philippian church was the first and only church to support his efforts of the spread of the gospel. The Philippian church also gave more than once. Paul was their church supported missionary. This practice of giving to others who are on the field is very supported by the Scriptures.
v.17 - Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account.
Paul was grateful for the gift but he is more focused on the obedience of the Philippians in giving. It is to be with us also. It is not the amount that someone gives to the church but the fact that they have started the spiritual discipline of giving onto the Lord what the Lord has given to them. May the church not be supported by a few generous people but by many who have surrendered all they have to support the growth of God's kingdom. How much greater a church that is supported by the many than just a few for the sake of a plurality of our maturity in Christ.
v.18 - But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.
Epaphroditus is the deliverer of this gift to Paul. All has been accounted for and all needs have been met. This gift, given in the proper way, was sweetness to God and acceptable to God. Therefore, what we give and the amount we give is also tied to how we give, our attitude in the giving. We obey God in the giving and part of that obedience is our spirit of giving. We could give the amount He wants us to give but do we give it with the heart that we are to give it? It is a lesser gift if our heart is not given with the resources that He has given to us to give back to Him.
v.19 - And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
When we give to God, we will also receive from God what we need. It will be supplied to us in a way to give glory to Christ Jesus. This is not a teaching on the prosperity gospel. It says that we will receive what we need not what we want. It also says that it will be given to you accordingly, according to Him and His glory and not our own. The Philippians have given rightly unto the Lord to support Paul and Paul is saying that they will now receive from the Lord what they need to give more glory back to Him. This giving and receiving is about our obedience to acknowledging that what we give and what we receive is from the Lord and for the Lord.
How is your giving to the Lord? Do you give on a regular basis? Do you acknowledge Him by giving? Some might think that they can't give because they don't have enough but they are not allowing the God who supplies those needs to do so His way and in His time to receive glory to Him from them. When we don't give, we are saying that we don't trust Him to be the ultimate supplier of our needs. God says that He will supply what we need and sometimes what we need is less than what we have become accustom to. Maybe what we need is to re prioritize what we have so it stays His and not our own. Let's pray.
"Lord, thank You for what You have given to us. May we be obedient to give that amount You want us to give and also with the heart in which You want us to give it. May our current circumstances not dictate if we are going to give or not but see how You are going to supply what we need. Help us to adjust to You rather than trying to make You adjust to us. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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