Growing in Godliness

TRANSCRIPT

I greet you all in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Our text for today’s message is taken from Philippians 1, verse 9 to 11.  Allow me to read for you, Philippians 1, verse 9, “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” The Lord bless the reading of His Holy and sacred word.

In the preceding verse, the apostle Paul said, “For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.”  It shows how much Paul loved the Philippians. When you truly love someone, you will desire what is of greatest importance to that person’s life, and what is of greatest importance is not that which is physical, but spiritual.  That was the desire of Paul, that the Philippians would grow spiritually.

Dear friends, when we take a look at our prayer requests or our prayer list, what do we see?  Do we pray more for things that are physical, or things that are spiritual?  The things that are physical is only good for this world.  It is only good for as long as we live on the face of this Earth, but those things that are spiritual will last for all eternity.  We much desire for our church, our families, our children, our lives. Those things that have eternal values, and our spiritual growth is one of them.

Westminster Shorter Catechism question number 1 says, ‘the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever’.  God wants us to glorify him and the way to glorify him is through our lives, that we may be more and more like Jesus Christ in the way that we live, to produce spiritual fruits, to be the salt and the light of this world so that others may be brought to faith in Jesus.

The title of our message is ‘Growing in Godliness’.  There were four items that the apostle Paul prayed for the Philippians and these four items will be our four points.  Paul prayed for spiritual love, spiritual excellence, spiritual integrity and spiritual fruits.  Let this be the prayer of every Pastor for his church, every parent for his own child, and every individual for his or her own life.

I. Spiritual love

Firstly, Paul prayed for spiritual love, that the Philippians’ love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement.  There are several things we need to understand about this love. This is agape love, God’s love.  It is love in its purest sense.  It is the love which God manifested through his only begotten son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  First and foremost, every believer has experienced the love of God – agape.  If you truly believe that you are a sinner, and there is nothing you can ever do to save yourself, and by faith you embrace the Lord Jesus Christ who died for you on the cross of Calvary, shedding his precious blood for the remission of your sins.  You would have experienced the love of Christ.

1 John, chapter 4, verse 7 to 8 says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”  In other words, it is impossible for someone who has experienced the love of God -agape – and yet not be able to love his brother.  The Philippians were true believers and it was not as if they did not have love.  They were already showing love for Paul and for one another.  But, Paul wanted their love to abound even more.  To abound means to increase, to be in abundance. Some people think that to love means to say some nice words, some kind words.  You greet me, and I greet you; you invite me to your house and I invite you to my house.  To them, that is love.  That is a very shallow understanding of love.  Biblical love must be according to knowledge and in all judgement.  Our love must be based on the knowledge that comes from the word of God.

How do we know whether or not we are loving in the right way?  How do we know whether of not this is the kind of love that God approves of?  The Bible, we use the Bible to judge our love.  Is this the right kind of love that God approves of, am I loving in the right way?  Take the word of God and judge ourselves.  Let us turn to 1 Corinthians 13 and see what the Bible says about having this biblical love.  This is sometimes known as the love chapter, and so if we want to know whether our love is according to the knowledge of God’s word, then we take this passage and judge our love.  The word charity is the same word for agape.  Paul began by saying in verse 1, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity” – or love – “I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”  In other words, Paul was saying, ‘even though I may be able to do all these great things.  I may speak in many different languages, I may be able to preach well, I may have great knowledge of the Bible, great faith, great generosity and even give my body to be burned, to become a martyr.  But, I do not have love.  Love is not the motivation behind all the things I do.  Everything is meaningless.’

Then Paul went on to define what love is in fifteen characteristics.  Essentially, he is saying, ‘this is what love is and this is what love is not.’  Verse 4, “Charity suffereth long” (1 Corinthians 13) – to suffer long is to patiently endure, here it is used to describe patience with people not patience with circumstances.  That will be a different Greek word.  It is the ability to endure, being taken advantage of by a person again and again and yet not retaliate.  That is love. ‘Charity is kind’ – to be kind is to be gracious.  The church is a place where we show kindness to one another, we show kindness with the words we speak, words to encourage and edify, not words to discourage or words of gossip, or words to cause divisions.  We show kindness with prayers, we pray for one another, we are eager to attend prayer meetings, to give thanks for answered prayers and to intercede for one another in supplications.  We show kindness by our actions, we serve one another when others are unable to attend to their duties, we are happy to help.  When others are leading, we happy to assist.

Recently someone asked me why I did not speak to some people.  My response was, ‘I did’.  I tried to speak to everyone as much as I can but I have to accept the fact that not everyone wants to talk to me too, right?  Not everyone is as eager as I want to talk to them.  If some people are uncomfortable speaking to you, what do you do?  Do you impose yourself upon them, force yourself upon them?  That is not kind, but you must always keep your doors open, that people may come to you.  That is kind.  To be kind is to be gracious, to always have your doors open, that if people need your help, they come and you are willing to help them.

“Charity envieth not” (1 Corinthians 13:4) – love is not jealous.  Let’s say you have only one talent, you have the gift of singing whilst someone else has five talents.  She’s not only able to sing, but she’s also able to play the piano and teach the children, and she also has the gifts of administration and hospitality as well.  Are you jealous?  If someone else has more opportunities than you to serve, and their services are being appreciated more than yours, are you jealous?  Love is not jealous.

“Charity vaunteth not itself” (1 Corinthians 13:4) – love does not brag or boast.  Boasting is the other side of jealously in a bad sense.  You see, boasting is when ‘I want to you know about me, to make you jealous of me instead of me being jealous of you.’  Like the Corinthians, they were proud they boast and show off their spiritual gifts so that others would be drawn to them, to be jealous of them.  That is not love.

Charity “is not puffed up” (1 Corinthians 13:4) – this pride is closely associated with boasting and here it has the idea of someone who is so puffed up, so inflated with pride that he is arrogant and rude.  Some people are proud of their spiritual knowledge, knowledge is good but these people, instead of using spiritual knowledge for the edification of the saints, they are proud.  They want others to know that they have all this knowledge.  Others are proud because they are associated with certain great spiritual leaders. Again, like the Corinthians, some say ‘we belong to Apollos,’ other says ‘we belong to Peter’, and yet others say ‘we belong to Paul’.  They were proud to be associated with these great spiritual leaders.  Today we have believers who are proud to be in mega churches with massive resources.  That is not love.

Verse 5, charity “Doth not behave itself unseemly” (1 Corinthians 13) – the word unseemly has to do with poor manners, or acting rudely. Without any care of the people’s feelings.  Have you ever encountered someone who says whatever he feels like saying, or he does whatever he feels like doing without any thought for anyone?  When you ask him why do you do that, his response is ‘well this is the way I am, I have the right and the freedom to say and do what I want.  I like to be straight and direct. This is the way I am.’  Often times, when you do the same thing to him, and be straight and direct with him, he will not be able to accept you.  People who behave themselves like that, they think only about themselves.  They do not care about others. Simply put it, they do not put themselves in the shoes of others.  That is not love.

Charity “seeketh not her own” (1 Corinthians 13:5) – love is not self seeking.  A loving person does not seek only his or her own interest.  Love is not selfish.  Love is not easily provoked.  To be provoked is to be aroused to anger.  A person who is easily provoked is not an approachable person.  Why?  Because he cannot stand others, he is not an open person, he is not a teachable person.  He can teach others but he will not allow others to teach him.  He is not a person that will accept criticism, he will criticise others but he will not accept any negative things about himself. That is not love.

Charity “thinketh no evil” (1 Corinthians 13:5) – the word thinketh is an accounting term meaning to reckon.  To take into account, which means love does not keep a record of the wrong done to you.  Love does not habour ill feelings.  Of all the wrong done to you, dear friends, do you keep a record of the hurts don’t to you?  Do you hold grudges? It does not mean that we have absolutely no memory of the things done to us.  We can still remember, surely we can, but we choose not to take into account and we are willing to forgive.

Verse 6, Charity “Rejoiceth not in iniquity” (1 Corinthians 13) – rejoicing in iniquity can take many different forms.  It can take the form of hoping someone will make a mistake and fall into sin, especially people whom we do not like.  Another form of rejoicing in iniquity is gossip, what gossip does is to amplify the sins or weaknesses of others.  Even though what you say may be true, it is still gossip because of the intention, the motivation.  It is to hurt, not to help.  I often say this, ‘there are some people who live for the drama’.  By that I mean when things are smooth sailing, they are not happy.  But when there’s trouble, trouble in the church, they are very excited. They want to get involved, to fight, quarrel and divide.  That is another form of rejoicing in iniquity, that is not love.

“But rejoiceth in the truth” (1 Corinthians 13:6) – the word but is the contrast.  Instead of rejoicing in iniquities, in sins, we rejoice in the truth.  Love is to be able to recognise what is right and wrong, what is righteousness and unrighteousness according to God’s word.  And whenever we see God’s word, God’s truth being manifested, being esteemed highly, we are happy, we rejoice.  Like we did in our recent church camp.  We hear God’s truth being preached faithfully, we rejoice.  We are so happy.

Charity “beareth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7) – it does not mean love simply accepts anything and believes anything.  Most certainly, we do not believe false teachings, right?  Here ‘all things’ means all things acceptable and are in accordance with God’s word. As long as it is acceptable and in accordance to God’s word, we are most happy to bear all these things.

Charity “believeth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7) – what does it mean to believe all things?  One theologian explained it this way ‘it means that I would rather be wrong by believing you than to wrong you by not believing you.  I would rather be taken advantage of than to hurt you by judging you in an inaccurate way’.  In other words, love is not suspicious.  We cannot see the heart.  We can only hear what the person says, and we accept the person on face value.  We do not want to try to judge the person’s heart’s intentions, motivations.  Which is something we do not know.  Though sometimes we may be discouraged because people do not say what they mean and they do not mean what they say.  But, charity believeth all things. We accept, on face value.

Charity “hopeth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:7) – have you ever felt like giving up?  What is the use of serving when no one seems to understand and appreciate.  What is the use of preaching when no one seems to be listening, what is the use of evangelising when no one has been saved so far through our efforts?  Surely there are times we felt like giving up. There are times when I felt like giving up.  What is the thing that cause us to persevere, press on, hope?  Our hope is in God, and that hope cause us to press on.

Love will not give up.  Instead, love endureth all things.  Dear friends, our love is going to be tested by very difficult circumstances, and by very difficult people as well.  But by the grace of God, we will endure, we will remain steadfast, we will pass the test, if we have true love.

So, love is not just ‘you shake my hands, I shake your hands, you pat me on my back, I pat you on your back’.  Our love must be in accordance with God’s word in knowledge and in all judgement, and we take the word of God and we examine ourselves.  If we lack in any areas, we ask the Spirit of God to strengthen us, and if we have been exercising this love by God’s grace and mercy, we ask the spirit of God to help us because God saves.  He wants us to abound more and more in this love.  He wants this love not only to be what we are exercising today, but to increase, to abound even more.  So that was the prayer of Paul for the Philippians, who were already exercising this love, and he says, ‘I’m praying that your love may abound more and abound in knowledge and in all judgement.’

II. Spiritual excellence

Secondly, Paul prayed for spiritual excellence, that the Philippians may approve things that are excellent.  If your love is constantly increasing and your love is based on God’s truth, and you are able to think and live biblically, then there will also be this desire to want to live according to God’s will.  And God’s will for us is that we be holy for He is holy.  The word ‘approve’ means to prove, discern, or to determine.  So, what it means here is that you study, you investigate, and you seek out the most excellent way to obey and please the Lord, and then live according to that.  Paul was not talking about distinguishing between right and wrong, between good and evil, that is elementary.  You have gone beyond that.  He wants the Philippians now to seek that which is excellent, the highest level of spiritual obedience and spiritual devotion.  So, not that which is elementary, you move on and seek that which is excellent.

If I may draw an illustration, one day your child returns home from school with his report card and he’s so happy, so excited.  ‘Mum, I passed my English test.’ ‘What is your score?’ ‘I received fifty-five marks out of one hundred’.  I doubt you will say ‘well done, keep it up’.  You will not say ‘well done, keep it up’ because that is not what you want for your child.  You may some nice things to encourage him, but you want him to push towards excellence.  If we can have that kind of mentality for things temporal, how much more should we push harder for spiritual excellence?  Do you what is the thing that separates the mature believer from the immature believer?  The one who is strong in faith from the one who is weak in faith?  The committed believer from the less committed believer?  It is this push for spiritual excellence.

There will always be people who are only seeking to do the bare minimum for God.  They are happy as long as they come to church once a week, attend the Lord’s Day worship service and nothing more than that.  If they are able to attend one church camp, that’s it, they are done. On the other hand, there will always be people seeking to do more and more for the Lord.  It seems as if they just cannot get enough of spiritual things, and these people will always be engaged in spiritual activities in the fellowship groups, in the prayer meetings, in the bible study classes etc.  Who do you think will ultimately be approved by God?  The one who seeks for spiritual excellence.  The one who pushes and pushes for spiritual excellence, because complacency in itself is sin.

Dear friends, if you are not growing, you are backsliding. If you are not moving forward, you are falling backwards.  That is the reality.  When John Wesley went away to Oxford, his mother, Susanna, wanted to give him Godly counsel. So in one of her letters, she wrote, ‘whatever weakens your reason dear son, whatever impairs your conscience, whatever obscures your sense of God, whatever takes off the delight for spiritual things, whatever increases the authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin.’  How many parents will push their children for such spiritual excellence?  But that is what God wants us to be, and to do.  So you and I must examine, approve, seek out the most excellent way in which we can obey and please our Lord.  Not to the bare minimum, push and push and push and then live our lives according to that.

III. Spiritual integrity

Thirdly, Paul prayed for spiritual integrity, that the Philippians will be sincere and without offence, till the day of Christ.  A believer must live a life that is sincere, which means a life that is pure.  ‘Without offence’ means blameless or faultless, a want that does not lead to sin.  In other words, do not live a double life, do not say something and then do something else.  You believe in the scriptures, then live your life according to the standards of the scriptures.  In ancient times, there were many people who were involved in pottery.  The cheapest pottery was thick and solid and did not require much skill to make, it could be found everywhere.  But the finest pottery was thin, it had a clear colour and it is even extremely expensive because it required a lot of skill to make it.  Fine pottery was very fragile and often it will crack.  So there would always be this dishonest dealers who would try to cheat by filling in the cracks with wax that would blend with the colour.  This would make the cracks practically undetectable in the shops, especially when it has been painted over.  But when you put this pottery against the light of the sun, the wax would immediately be detectable.  So, there would be those honest dealers who wanted to distinguish themselves from those dishonest dealers so they would often mark their fine product by this caption, ‘without wax’, and that is the Latin word for sincere.  It is pure, which means it is faultless, it is without wax.

This very similar to the lives of the believers, our lives must not be covered up, our lives are not perfect, no man is, our lives will always have flaws but we do not disguise artificially.  If we have sinned, we repent and ask God to forgive us.  But we do not pretend that everything is alright, we may be able to hide our sins from the eyes of the people, and pretend that everything is alright, but when our lives are being measured in the light of God and His word, it will show whether or not it is a life that is sincere and it is a life without offence.

The opposite of sincerity is hypocrisy.  Are we sincere or are we hypocrites?  If we try to appear genuine and sincere only in church, only on the Lord’s day but not in our private lives, in our workplace, in our homes, in our schools, we behave in the most horrible way, what do you call that?  Hypocrites.  Notice the last phrase, ‘till the day of Christ’.  We must live our lives in sincerity and without offence till the day of Christ because when Jesus comes he will return and when he comes for his people, that will be the day, that will be the time when “we must appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5 verse 10).  And on that day, all our works shall be revealed by fire. 1 Corinthians 3 verse 13 says, for ‘the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.’  On that day, whether we have lived our lives in sincerity, and without offence or whether our lives are but a pretence and it is in hypocrisy, everything will be revealed, everything.

IV. Spiritual fruits

Finally, Paul prayed for spiritual fruits. that the Philippians may be ‘filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God’.  We must be fruitful Christians, the fruits of righteousness are the fruits that righteousness will produce. Jesus said to his disciples, “ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7, verse 16).  You know the Christians by the fruits they produce, which means those fruits can be seen externally, acts of kindness, acts of love, acts of generosity, acts of services, acts of worship.  Every believer in Jesus Christ is called to perform and produce these fruits.  Notice we are called to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, it carries the idea of being fruitful.  ‘Bringeth forth much fruit’, this is in line with what our Lord Jesus has taught us.

You see, there’s no way you and I can produce fruits, how much more much fruits except one way, depending on the Lord himself.  That was why Jesus just before he went to the cross of Calvary, he said to his disciples in John 15, verse 5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”  In other words, there will be no fruits, no fruit of righteousness in anyone’s life apart from a total dependence in the Lord Jesus Christ.  One hundred percent depending on the Lord himself.  That is why we have the phrase, ‘which are by Jesus Christ’.

Some people may argue ‘but there are many unbelievers who have also done many good works.  In fact, they have performed perhaps works of charity that surpasses the Christians.’  In the eyes of the world, that may be true, but do you know the difference between the good works of the unbelievers and the fruits of righteousness of the Christians?  Firstly, and obviously, the good works of the unbelievers are not done in the Lord Jesus Christ, and they are not done for the glory and praise of God.  One theologian gave this excellent illustration, he says this, allow me to quote him, ‘the unbeliever trying to practice good works is like a child just after he has fallen into a mud puddle.  He knows that he must practice the piano, he knows that he must do his homework, he must clean up the kitchen etc, worried that his mother may be upset, he comes into the house by the front door and goes through into the living room and plays the piano.  Then he goes into the bedroom, picks up his school books to do his homework.  After that, he goes into the kitchen, everywhere he goes, there are traces of mud and dirt.  What do you think the mother will do?  Instead of praising him for his good deeds, she takes him to the bathtub and washes him.  Then, she sends him again to play the piano, and to do his homework’.  In the same way, the unbelievers may be seen doing good works but they will always be marked with the traces of sins. It will not be approved and accepted by the Almighty God. He must first be washed of his sins by the blood of Jesus Christ before he can even begin to produce the good works that God the Father has ordained for the believers to produce.  Unto the glory and praise of God.

Dear friends, just as the apostle Paul prayed for the Philippians, his spiritual children.  That they may grow in godliness, in spiritual love, spiritual excellence, spiritual integrity and spiritual love.  These should also be the prayer of every Pastor for his congregation, every parent for his or her child, and every individual for his or her own life.  What is our desire for Bethel BP Church?  That we may increase in numbers?  There’s nothing wrong with the increase of numbers, it is good.  But it is only good if it is for the glory and praise of God.  Imagine if we can have one thousand members next week, increase maybe nine hundred times or how many, nine times what we have today.  But all of us are living in secret sins, all of us are unloving, all of us are hypocrites and all of us are complacent, not pushing for spiritual excellence.  Then what is the use of such a huge number?  It is only for the glory and praise of God.  Then, it will be meaningful.  What is our desire for our children?  We have seen many parents hoping that their children will do well in their academic studies, they will do everything they could even at the expense of their children’s spiritual growth.  They want their children to get a good education, and to ultimately be successful in society, and they have achieved that, many have achieved that.  But, where are their children today? Many of them are atheists, many of them are no longer in the church, many of them are living their lives blatantly, contrary to the Holy Scriptures.

If we really love our children, if we really love our people, we will pray for them like the way Paul prayed.  We will say ‘my son, my daughter, I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement. That ye may approve things that are excellent, that ye may be sincere and without offence, till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are but by Jesus Christ unto the glory and praise of God.’  If we truly love the people, then we will love them to have what is of greatest importance to them, not things physical but things spiritual.  Growing in godliness, in spiritual love, in spiritual excellence, in spiritual integrity and in spiritual fruits. Let us pray.

Our Father in Heaven, we thank thee for enabling us to consider this portion of scriptures.  We thank thee for how thou hast reminded us once again that what is of eternal value should always be our consideration, not things physical but rather things spiritual and these are things of great importance to us, and let this be the prayer of every Pastor, every parent and every individual whom thou hast brought into this church.  Let our prayers be for spiritual love, spiritual excellence, spiritual integrity and also spiritual fruits.  That all these things may be done to the glory and praise of the Almighty God.  One life to live and we live this one life glorifying and praising thee all the days of our lives.  We give thee thanks and we pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

SERMON OUTLINE

• I. Spiritual love
• II. Spiritual excellence
• III. Spiritual integrity
• IV. Spiritual fruits

THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS

The Church at Philippi

The Church at Philippi

Philippians 1:1-2

The Joy of A Spirit-Filled Life (Part 1)

The Joy of A Spirit-Filled Life (Part 1)

Philippians 1:3-5

Elements of True Joy

Elements of True Joy

Philippians 1:3-6

The Joy of a Spirit-filled Life (Part 2)

The Joy of a Spirit-filled Life (Part 2)

Philippians 1:6

What are the Things Most Important to Us?

What are the Things Most Important to Us?

Philippians 1:7-8

Growing in Godliness

Growing in Godliness

Philippians 1:9-11

Message 5: Praying for the Church

Message 5: Praying for the Church

Philippians 1:9-11

Growing in Godliness

Growing in Godliness

Philippians 1:9-11

Are All Things Really Working For Good?

Are All Things Really Working For Good?

Philippians 1:12-14

In Times of Adversity

In Times of Adversity

Philippians 1:12-18

Trouble in the Church

Trouble in the Church

Philippians 1:15-18

For to Me to Live is Christ, to Die is Gain

For to Me to Live is Christ, to Die is Gain

Philippians 1:19-26

To Live is Christ

To Live is Christ

Philippians 1:19-26

Living Worthy of the Gospel

Living Worthy of the Gospel

Philippians 1:27-30

Live your life worthy of the Gospel

Live your life worthy of the Gospel

Philippians 1:27-30

The Motivation for Spiritual Unity (Part 1)

The Motivation for Spiritual Unity (Part 1)

Philippians 2:1-2

Let's Have Fellowship

Let's Have Fellowship

Philippians 2:1-4

Essential Principles of Spiritual Unity (Part 2)

Essential Principles of Spiritual Unity (Part 2)

Philippians 2:3-4

The Ultimate Example

The Ultimate Example

Philippians 2:5-8

The Ultimate Example

The Ultimate Example

Philippians 2:5-11

What Is Christmas?

What Is Christmas?

Philippians 2:6-11

The Greatest Name

The Greatest Name

Philippians 2:9-11

Living a Sanctified Life

Living a Sanctified Life

Philippians 2:12-13

Work Out Your Own Salvation

Work Out Your Own Salvation

Philippians 2:12-18

Moving Forward Not Backward

Moving Forward Not Backward

Philippians 2:13-14

Stop Murmuring and Complaining

Stop Murmuring and Complaining

Philippians 2:14-16

The Exemplary Example of a Spiritual Servant: Paul

The Exemplary Example of a Spiritual Servant: Paul

Philippians 2:17-18

The Exemplary Example of a Spiritual Servant: Timothy

The Exemplary Example of a Spiritual Servant: Timothy

Philippians 2:19-24

The Importance of Spiritual Discernment

The Importance of Spiritual Discernment

Philippians 3:1-2

True Believers Worship God in Spirit and in Truth

True Believers Worship God in Spirit and in Truth

Philippians 3:3, John 4:4-30

Nothing to Boast Of

Nothing to Boast Of

Philippians 3:3-6

What Is Gain To Me Is Loss

What Is Gain To Me Is Loss

Philippians 3:7-9

The Power of Christ's Resurrection

The Power of Christ's Resurrection

Philippians 3:10-11

What are Your Spiritual Goals?

What are Your Spiritual Goals?

Philippians 3:10-11

Pressing Toward The Mark

Pressing Toward The Mark

Philippians 3:12-14

Pressing Toward the Mark

Pressing Toward the Mark

Philippians 3:13-14

Morning Devotion 2: God’s High Calling for You

Morning Devotion 2: God’s High Calling for You

Philippians 3:13-14

How to Know the Will of God

How to Know the Will of God

Philippians 3:15

Who Are You Following?

Who Are You Following?

Philippians 3:16-19

Heavenly Or Earthly Minded

Heavenly Or Earthly Minded

Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 15:50-57

How Do You Stand Fast?

How Do You Stand Fast?

Philippians 4:1

How to Maintain Christian Unity

How to Maintain Christian Unity

Philippians 4:2-3

Having Peace in Times of Trouble (Part 1)

Having Peace in Times of Trouble (Part 1)

Philippians 4:4-7

The Cure for Anxiety

The Cure for Anxiety

Philippians 4:6-7

Message 6: Praying for the Troubled

Message 6: Praying for the Troubled

Philippians 4:6-7

Having Peace in Times of Trouble (Part 2)

Having Peace in Times of Trouble (Part 2)

Philippians 4:8-9

Learning To Be Content (Part 1)

Learning To Be Content (Part 1)

Philippians 4:10-12

How To Be An Overcoming Christian

How To Be An Overcoming Christian

Philippians 4:13

Learning To Be Content (Part 2)

Learning To Be Content (Part 2)

Philippians 4:13-19

My God Shall Supply All Your Needs

My God Shall Supply All Your Needs

Philippians 4:19

Living By Grace and For God's Glory

Living By Grace and For God's Glory

Philippians 4:20-23