Philippians 1:12-19 Shake it Off, Shake it Off

Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 

13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 

14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. 

15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 

16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 

18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 

19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 

Paul was in Rome in chains for preaching Christ as King in a place where Caesar was King. I'd probably be wishing it 'turned out as an opportunity' to benefit my personal comfort. He sees this as an opportunity for the gospel... obviously one of us needs to grow up. He can say what he does because there's not a person in that prison (even the guards) who doesn't know that he is there because of the gospel.

Yea, not like this...

...more like this

   

So, the middle of the jail 'gig' on his world tour 1) the gospel gets shared before Roman guards and because of that  2) the brethren are more bold in sharing the gospel.   Some of these guys have pure motives in sharing Christ (v16).   And some of them are jockeying for position while Paul is in the big house (v17).  What does Paul do about those haters?.....

 ..... he shakes it off...shakes it off... and he rejoices (v18) because Christ is preached.

Again, he doesn't focus on his jail life, his needs, the lack of cannoli (and he is in Rome) or the haters.... he focuses on Christ and the message of forgiveness and new life in Him... the one thing Paul could never shake off.   Everything for him was an opportunity to show, to share and to live out the gospel.... whether making tents, in jail, on a ship, etc.   

Paul didn't end up in jail by 'mistake', it was a divine appointment.  From his perspective, God brought him to a new place where people needed to hear about Christ...'so what' if there were bars on the doors.  He didn't get caught up in everyone else's motives or business, even when they stirred up trouble... he rejoices (v18)... twice, like it's a party.  He shakes it off because that's not what matters most. Paul may have been captive in prison, but the forgiveness he received made him more free than those on the outside. His passion inspired others to live as boldly.

In a bad place?  Haters hatin' on you?... Shake it off. We're not there by mistake.  God never says 'oops' or "O M Me".  It's  a divine appointment to share and live our hope before a different audience. Let's make it count... and remember, like Paul, our team mates are watching... how we handle things will have an impact on them.   

(and now Taylor's chorus will be ringing in your head all day #sorrynotsorry)

Philippians 1:8-11 - What I've Always Prayed For My Kids

Philippians 1:8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 

9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God.

Paul again asserts his great love for the 'family' of God in Philippi.   No phoney "hugging while rolling his eyes" or "bless your heart", but genuine love, and he backs it up.... 'if you don't believe me, ask God, He knows' .... "God can testify" (v8). 

I'd like to think my love is that deep and sincere, but I know that if 'God were to testify' of it, He would see there is still way more work He has to do in my heart. #WhatAFixerUpperProject

What the apostle prays for them is as powerful as how he prays for them. 

He prays for their love to "abound".  Paul wants them to have...abounding love.. to be so full of Christ's love that if someone bangs into us, it splashes over onto them.

Then he tells them how he wants this love to abound.  Their love is to abound in knowledge and depth of insight...not in feeling... not some sloppy agape...but

Whatcha mean Matey?

overflow in knowing and discerning.  Sounds like a weird kind of love, but think of it as a parent's love.... "Honey, I love you, but you cannot eat 3 bags of Sour Patch Kids for breakfast because you'll get sick"... a love that uses wisdom. Paul doesn't want us to love like the world does... a permissive, superficial emotion that winks at bad behavior because we want peace and to be liked, more than we want what is best for our brothers and sisters.  For Christians, a love that is discerning comes from knowing the will of God, which comes from knowing the word of God.  He wants us to grow in a genuine love for their best interest in their walk with Christ.. to 'sharpen' one another.  Why does this matter?  Why does he pray this?...

1) so that they can discern what is best (v10) 

and  

2) be sincere and blameless when Jesus comes by living a life for His glory (v10,11).  

In a culture that thinks 'love' is letting people do whatever they feel without judging, Paul tells us otherwise... he wants us to use knowledge because what we think will affect how we live, and how we live demonstrates Christ to those around us.

This specific passage has been my prayer for my children for about 20 years.  I don't care about their career, their paycheck, their popularity or their education.   My only desire is that they will live a life that will bring honor to the One who bought them at a great price.  Paul felt the same way about the 'Phlippers'.  He wants them to love with some biblical wisdom, so they can make good choices and bring glory to God in the way they live.

And so today I pray for us, that  "9 our love would grow in knowledge and depth of insight 10 so that we may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ--to the glory and praise of God."  

I pray that we would know well

, so we can choose well, so we will live it well.

Philippians 1:2-7

Philippians 1:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.

Paul sometimes gets a bad rap as being rough, but we can clearly see how deeply he loves the Philippians.  He blesses them (v2),  he thanks God for them (v3) .... I can almost imagine a smile there.   He (v4) prays for them often.  (v6) He encourages them with the fact that it is Christ that will complete what they need in their spiritual journey.   The apostle tells them they're in his heart (v7).

C'mon, you know you were thinking it ;)

 He doesn't sound so tough to me.  Kinda sounds like a 'softy'.

And though he is in prison (v7), his focus isn't like mine would be: "oh poor me... I'm scared", "I'm hungry",  "Where do I plug my blow-dryer?", "this floor is like a rock".... #pathetic.   But he isn't thinking about himself.  He takes the focus off his massive problems, and shifts it to his fellow servants of the gospel.  He encourages, validates, appreciates, and reminds them they are loved and valuable.

Paul reminds them that Christ will complete what He started in them.  As much as we try, we have no power to transform this 'hot mess' that we are ... that is His job...He will complete it and He will do it far better than we can.  I don't know about you, but wow, what a huge relief!

"Grace". The first word in this section and the last.... Paul throws it around all the time like it's free... cuz it is.  Instead of the condemnation we deserve, God let's us off the hook and gives us grace & forgiveness paid for by Christ's death.  Instead of getting snippy when things go wrong today,  let's start throwing around some of that grace we have been so generously given... throw some at others who don't deserve it ... and throw some at yourself while you're at it... Christ is still working on you too. 

"Thanks".  Can we take our eyes off our situation long enough to recognize others... shoot them an email or a text to cheer them on and thank them for their fellowship in the gospel... for their ministry or service in the body of Christ or their example we look to?  A little encouragement goes a long way, especially in hard times. 

The Philippians didn't need a task administrator... they needed a praying, caring, fellow-servant to model a godly life and cheer them on through the hard stuff.  I'm sure after 'feeling the love' from Paul, the Philippians were more than ready to hear whatever he had to say to them in the rest of this letter, because they knew it was out of his love and appreciation for them. You see, no one cares how much you know til they know how much you care.    Paul aced this one.  I'm grateful for the reminder.

If you are weary, may God bless you with grace and peace.  Remember, He isn't done working out His plan for you yet (v6), and your fellowship in the gospel impacts those around you, even when you don't see it.  Let's throw around some grace, thanks and encouragement today... it goes a long way in the hearts of others when life is hard and I pray He throws some right back 'atcha.

Philippians 1:1

Philippians is one of my favorite books of the Bible.... practical, doctrinal and inspirational.  Paul writes from prison to his brothers and sisters who are enduring persecution. He repeatedly shares his mindset for having peace and joy in hard times throughout the letter.  Today's devo is a short one but it hit me hard.... right in the 'pride'.

1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons: 

 He doesn't walk out to a cheering crowd on a big stage, introducing himself and Timothy as the 'rock stars' of Christianity... they're not announced following a long bio and list of accomplishments for the gospel.  Paul tosses 'self' aside and calls himself a 'bondservant'. This term literally refers to a slave that is owned by a master.  No ego.  No parchment signings.   No paparazzi.   No special camel parking spot.  Nada.

Paul's attitude is that in himself, he's got nothin'. And because Paul made himself to be nothing, He demonstrated Christ to be everything.  If I want Christ to be evident in me, I have to make myself as nothing (Matt 23:11-12) because the best leaders are actually servants.  Those who are big shots in the kingdom are actually the humble, unassuming ones, not the flashy, spot-light-seekers.  You can tell a lot about people by the way they refer to themselves.  

Paul called himself a slave; not his own, but bought at a price (1 Cor 6:19-20)... a servant who makes no plans, but comes and goes as his master tells him.  He has no possessions that are 'his'.   There was nothing lower than a bondservant, and yet there was nothing else he would rather be.  I get it backwards sometimes.   

Lord, keep reminding of who You are, and who I am... a bondservant.  Help me lay aside my ego and agenda and seek Your will, wherever I find myself today. Amen