From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>

To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"

Cc:

Sent: Fri, Mar 10, 2023 at 6:16 AM

Subject: 3-10-23 THOUGHTS

3-10-23   THOUGHTS

A bad circumstance has been turned to good, Paul says.  Good things are happening because he has been put in jail for the cause of Christ.  The Philippian Church has been jointly participating with Paul in his preaching of the gospel. He loves them for that!  “Participation” verse 5, and “partakers” verse 7, is the word we use for “communion”.  There’s a prefix on the latter which presses the together idea, but koinos is the root of both.  Verses 9-11 are powerful!  Paul’s imprisonment has been the cause for knowledge of the Lord in a greater circle, and “far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.”   Would that we could duplicate this joint participation among brothers and sisters.  

Php 1:3-14    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 [koinonia]  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 [sugkoinonos]  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.  12  Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel,  13  so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else,  14  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 to Timothy...
2Tim 4:2-4  Message Bible  so proclaim the Message with intensity; keep on your watch.  Challenge, warn, and urge your people. Don’t ever quit. Just keep it simple.  3  You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. 4  They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages.

My Prayer:
O God, we humbly request a closer walk with You.  Give us more aliveness, and a greater desire to know Your majesty.  Enrich our love and fellowship so that a joint-participation in our preaching the gospel will overflow to Your glory.  Awaken and revive us!  Give us courage to speak Your word without fear.  

In the name of our Savior,       Amen.