2-9-21   THOUGHTS

Paul’s prayer-life must have been awesome!  Here he notes a “participation in the gospel” from the Philippians.  Paul says “I have you in my heart.”  Paul’s prayer below goes to the application stage in verse 9.  Here is what he wants for them!  ABOUND and APPROVE and FILLED are keywords.  The objects of those keywords are love and real knowledge and all discernment, excellence, sincere and blameless, and fruit of righteousness.  It all comes through JESUS!

Php 1:1-11   Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons: 2  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3  I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4  always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5  in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 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. 7  For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8  For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9   And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10  so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11  having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Paul is not praying for some mediocre, plodding, ho-hum existence for these loved ones.  This is “BE ALL YOU CAN BE” terminology.   This is a description of a highly motivated person ACTIVELY PURSUING FAITH WITH THE WHOLE SOUL!  

1Pet 1:8-9    and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9  obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

My Prayer:
Thank you Father for the good news that is in Christ Jesus.  May our lives be totally drawn into Jesus and absorbed in His glory.  Remove vanity and lust from our souls, and help us to serve.  May we approve the things that are excellent.  Help us to be filled with the fruit of righteousness.         In the name of Jesus the Christ         Amen