NOTE to TTUF Readers:
You may have noticed that the publications of articles has slowed to a snail’s pace. Anne Kisly has been called away these last few years on very needful family situations leaving me to hold the fort, which I’ve been glad to do. Only now I’m facing some rather serious health issues involving cancer.
Your prayers are appreciated as the LORD leads me through these “troublesome waters”! Thank you and GOD bless you way too much!
INTRODUCTION: In the midst of his sufferings, incarcerations, loneliness and frustrations the apostle Paul is still focused on the needs of the saints, and in this case, the church at Philippi and in selfless service provides GOD-given counsel.
“Love suffers long and is kind…” (1 COR 13:4) and here this is aptly demonstrated by Paul. He is a willing and kind vessel of the LORD to be used for the blessings and benefits of others, regardless of any personal trials and tribulations he suffers.
In fact, it’s because of his sufferings that he becomes a more able minister to dispense comforts to his fellow sufferers with the same comfort that he himself is granted by the LORD (2 COR 1:3-6).
Paul inspires, instructs, directs and demonstrates in this chapter (and the epistle as a whole) the proper Christian conduct in the midst of suffering, persecution and abject circumstances that would avail in discouraging the saint, tempting them to quit.
PHILIPPIANS 4:1-2
1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved. 2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
Paul uses the same Greek word twice in verse 1: agapaytos, the root word of which is agape. Again we see the ardent affection and godly love the apostle has for these saints that he has “longed for” (same as in PHIL 1:8). He refers to them as his joy as well as his crown or stephanos. That is a prize won in the Greek games: laurel leaves dipped in gold, forming a temporary victor’s crown. Only in the case of the apostle, a crown that will last forever – a reward granted to him by the LORD Himself.
He made a similar remark to the Thessalonians (1 THESS 2:19-20). His labors have wrought tremendous results that he anticipates will earn him great reward and commendation from the LORD.
PHILIPPIANS 2:16“Standing fast” is a recurring theme in Pauline epistles (1 COR 16:13; GAL 5:1, PHIL 1:27; 1 THESS 3:8; 2 THESS 2:15). In most cases it refers to a military standing with a “not budging” attitude. To remain rooted and grounded in love (EPH 3:17) carries the same idea. And if there is ever a conviction to “stand fast” in, it’s love – as in GOD’s love manifested in the lives of us saints. To “stand fast in the LORD” says the same thing. To abide in the vine also reiterates this truth (JOHN 15).
…holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
Collectively, when we are standing fast in the LORD, we are united in heart and soul (ACTS 4:32; PHIL 1:27) and where that sort of unity is present, it’s extremely difficult for Satan to find a crevice or crack with which to create division.
Paul’s imploration to stand fast in the LORD was because he had heard that there was some strife among a couple of the sister saints “Euodia and… Syntyche”. And as is so often the case, where there is a striving between two individuals, the body can rally behind one or the other, effectively creating a “church split”. This is why love must be the preeminent factor in our dealings with one another (1 COR 13:4-8).
Paul just got done exhorting the saints of Philippi in the previous chapter that the mature in Christ would have a unity, a singleness in mind, and if there was any variance among the saints, that GOD would reveal it to them (PHIL 3:15).
Where there is love, there is humility, humbleness of mind, uprightness, preferring others above oneself, honest and open demeanor, care and compassion. There is then no room for gossip, backbiting, betrayal, strife, hostilities, jealousies and malice.
When the apostle – or any godly pastor for that matter – sees the attributes of love in the congregation, according to the truth as found in GOD’s Word and an absence of the fleshly, destructive tendencies, there is great cause for joy!
Apostle John said so himself regarding the truth just as Paul mentioned with love,
3 JOHN 1:3-4PHILIPPIANS 4:3
3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.
Whether apostle, pastor or layman, we are all members of the body of Christ, all subjects of the kingdom of GOD, and we labor together in the Gospel, in discipleship, in ministry to the poor, to our fellow saints in the church.
We aren’t building independent, separate kingdoms or fiefdoms – that is to say, we shouldn’t be. There are however some churches that feel a need to compete with other churches.
The church down the road has ‘x’ number of members, so the other church labors hard to increase their own membership. That church down the road erects an elaborate Cross on their property that lights up, so the other church buys a Cross that not only lights up but revolves! The church down the road has a Gospel Crusade, bringing in a local Christian celebrity, so the other church has its own Crusade and brings in a nationwide celebrity.
We ought to rejoice when the church down the road brings in a harvest of souls – because they are ushered into the kingdom of GOD, not merely a local church! When we engage in street evangelism and lead people to Christ, and then instead of coming to our church, they go to the church down the road – are we upset? Jealous? Resentful? Or are we rejoicing because even though we are separate fellowships, we are after all only one body in Christ (this is assuming that both fellowships are Christ-centered and biblical).
In Nehemiah’s day, the Jewish people weren’t building their own walls – they were assigned to their particular sections of the wall that surrounded Jerusalem. But they were all focused on the same mission, to rebuild and restore Jerusalem and its wall. With a trowel in one hand to lay the stone and a sword in the other.
Let’s not forget that a church that works together also wars together – against the common foe of Satan and his army of darkness.
The laborers mentioned by apostle Paul all had their names written in “the book of life”. Much is said about this book – which some believe is just allegorical; I believe its literal. I think that in heaven, there is an actual book (it must be huge!!) with the names of the redeemed recorded in it.
It’s the book that Moses asked GOD to erase his own name from if He wouldn’t forgive EXOD 32:32). It’s the book that the Psalmist implored GOD that the names of the wicked would be blotted out (PSA 69:28). The prophet Daniel revealed that through the time of Great Tribulation, those of GOD’s people whom He delivered have their names recorded in this book (DAN 12:1). The LORD told His disciples to rejoice more that their names are written in the book of Life than the spiritual authority that was granted to them (LUKE 10:20). Those who overcome the world, who are the “overcomers” have their names written in the book of life and the LORD Jesus will confess them by name (REV 3:5).
The damned – those who rejected Christ’s redemption will be indicted because their names are absent from the book of life (REV 20:12). None of the unrighteous will have the right to enter into the holy city of New Jerusalem, only those whose names are recorded in the book of life (REV 21:27).
There are those who criticize others who believe that “borders whichrestrict the passage of illegal immigrants are good things”. They say those who hold such views are not Christian. And yet what do we see in Scripture? While the Gospel is presented to all souls who are welcome to heaven without exception, there is ONE qualifier that they must submit to: they must be children of GOD, native to the kingdom of GOD (JOHN 1:12-13). All others who are certainly the creation of GOD, but not born again in Christ, are spiritually speaking “foreigners” to the kingdom of GOD and on that basis disallowed from entering through those gates of heaven.
Those who believe that the salvation that Christ offers can be lost will often point out those verses where names are blotted out of the book of life. As if those whose names are written in the book were once saved but then were blotted out when they lost their salvation.
First of all, the blood of Christ avails for salvation for all the human race (1 JOHN 2:2), because Christ is our kinsman redeemer as established in the New Testament. Yet though salvation avails itself to all humanity (2 COR 5:14-15; 1 TIM 2:5-6), only those who enter into the New Covenant by faith in Christ and His Gospel actually receive salvation (ROM 10:9-10; ACTS 8:37; MATT 26:26-28).
For this reason, I believe every human soul had their names recorded because Christ shed His blood for all, but since GOD exists outside of time, because He has foreknowledge, He knows all who will reject His Gospel, and thus their names are blotted out even before those souls were ever born!
What I’m eager to see is this other mysterious book that was written “before [the LORD GOD]”, this “book of remembrance”:
MALACHI 3:16Somewhere in the halls of heaven I expect to find this book and pore over its pages to read about how the saints who fear the LORD, in speaking to one another as the King of the universe listened in and had (maybe?) some angel as an amanuenses writing down these conversations.
Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who meditate on His name.
Think about all the times you spoke to your fellow believers – family and church members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. and look forward to finding the recording of those conversations once we’re in heaven!
PHILIPPIANS 4:4-5
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Are you struggling in finances? To provide food on the table? Trying to find gainful employment? Is your marriage faltering? Is your health failing? Did sudden and unexpected tragedy smite you with serious trauma?
We are to rejoice in the LORD – sometimes? Only when times are good? Whenever we’re in the mood?
We are to rejoice in the LORD always, and apostle Paul emphasizes is by repeating it. It’s not that we are rejoicing in the circumstances, but despite the circumstances – “in the LORD” because for one:
No struggle you’re going through is apart from Christ. He is with us in the storm (sometimes a storm that He Himself created! As it’s been said before, “There are times He calms the storm for His child, but in other times, He just calms His child in the storm”). He is an ever present help in need (PSALM 46:1-6).
Another point: trials have a way of tempering us, strengthening us (though it sure doesn’t FEEL like it, nonetheless, they do!). Trials cause us to draw near to the LORD, and in the presence of the LORD, there is ALWAYS cause to rejoice!
“The Lord is at hand.” We rejoice in the LORD for the hope of His promised return – where all of these struggles we go through will no longer be part of our reality! And even if the LORD doesn’t come back in our lifetime – at the end of our life, we shall go Home and be with Him!
But the Scripture states “behold I come quickly”. Unbelievers mock this verse and say something like, “Since when is 2000 years ‘quickly’?”
The Greek word used here for “quickly” means “suddenly”. When was the last time you saw a bolt of lightning meander slowly across the sky? No, if you blink, you might miss it! Lightning bolts happen suddenly, instantly and that’s how the LORD will return to take up His Holy Reign as the King of Israel and King of kings!
MATTHEW 24:27PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7
"For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
There are no exceptions to this admonition. “Nothing” here means nothing. With all of the uncertainties of life, with the potentialities of danger and threats, it’s easy to feel anxious about what lurks around the bend in the road of life.
But this is where our trust in GOD comes in – do we trust the LORD in any and all circumstances? Certainly the tests that the LORD brings into our lives are incremental in their duration and intensity. We see trials in the saints of Scripture that gradually intensify. One example is Abraham; another is David.
In our own lives as we pass each test by the grace of GOD, the trials increase just like a goldsmith will increase the temperature of the forge to draw out impurities that are hidden deep within the ore. Remember, the hotter the forge, the purer the gold – and that’s what GOD is after, the purification of His saints. Your suffering is NOT pointless but serves GOD’s purpose in your life!
Once our faith is solid and unshakeable, we are in a place where we need not ever “be anxious for nothing” for our trust in GOD will be resolute and implicit. Job said it perfectly, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him…” (JOB 13:15a).
Prayer is our lifeline, the expression of our trust and dependence on GOD, the means by which we pour out our humble heart before the LORD, commune with Him and put ourselves in a place where He can operate on us in the deepest of spiritual matters.
He desires that we supplicate, that we voice our needs before Him as a testimony to His sovereignty as we behold His answers and provisions. Note that prayer and supplication is bound in triplicate with “thanksgiving”.
Not only do we petition the LORD in prayers requested, but we also offer up thanksgiving for prayers already received and responded to. As we give thanks to the LORD for His provisions granted previously, noting His faithfulness in all things, we are encouraged to pursue Him in prayer and witness further faithfulness from our heavenly Father!
The fruit of such prayer and thanksgiving? Answered prayer that are custom made in accordance to the wisdom of GOD Who sometimes makes amendments to our prayers to more closely align with His perfect will for us. That, and also a perfect peace that “surpasses all understanding” – we can’t explain why and how we experience such peace, even in the midst of such dire circumstances that can wreak havoc with our lives – we only know the experience as reality.
We are to be ruled by such peace, not by anxiety or fretfulness (COL 3:15). This peace in our hearts and minds is under the watchful guard of the Holy Spirit, Who will ensure its continuation on our lives. All we are expected to do is keep our minds steadfast upon our Prince of Peace!
ISAIAH 26:3-4PHILIPPIANS 4:8
You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. 4 Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
In today’s world where we are absolutely bludgeoned with information from various sources (mostly it seems from social media), and so much of it is bad news with acts of violence, deceit, injustice, oppression, etc. that we can get easily discouraged. It’s important that we focus on the good, the pure, the lovely, the virtuous and the praiseworthy. What sources can we look to and find these things?
The pages of Scripture – the best good news anyone can find! And specifically the Person of Christ Jesus Himself. In times of prayer and worship, I meditate on the LORD Jesus – His nature, His character, His attributes – and I find myself enraptured by His glory and beauty and as a result, greatly encouraged!
The pages of Scripture offer us such sublime hope when we consider the prophecies up and coming to fulfillment: evil will yet have its day at its apex, when the Beast rules this world system, but afterwards, he and the false prophet will be swept away, cast into the lake of fire, and Satan himself locked up in the abuso for a thousand years. And we will enjoy fellowship with the LORD and all the saints and angels as the Earth is rejuvenated in glorious fashion. Sickness and suffering, struggles and sinful principalities and powers will be erased. All of this will be preceded by the Blessed Event of the Rapture where the bride of Christ will be with her Bridegroom, celebrating and rejoicing together as the world below endures its darkest time.
Then we will witness GOD’s fresh new creation in the heavens and the earth, even as New Jerusalem is brought down from heaven and we saints will “live happily ever after” (and that ain’t no faerie tale!).
While it’s important to live each day as it comes (MATT 6:34), we ought to have eternal vision that looks beyond the tribulations and trials we are guaranteed to face (JOHN 16:33) to that glorious and eternal (read that EVERLASTING!) future we are destined for!
PHILIPPIANS 4:9
The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.
Just as Paul followed Christ, he encouraged the saints to follow (“imitate”) him (1 COR 11:1). But not to follow him blindly – rather to learn the truth of GOD’s Word as they received it and then witness Paul’s example that lined up with his doctrine.
Following the Prince of Peace will inevitably, eventually bear the fruit of peace.
I was incredibly blessed in my early Christian life, being discipled by some awesome saints including most notably my spiritual parents in the faith (my own parents were not yet saved, so GOD provided!).
In turn I’ve had my hand in the discipleship of others and one day as they mature, they will lead others in discipleship. And so goes the church – or so it should! Today the very concept of discipleship is a rather rare function in the church. Let’s pray that this trend reverses, especially since these days are dark and in need of being redeemed (EPH 5:16).
We will conclude chapter Four and the Book of PHILIPPIANS in Part Two next time!
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