Gary Gleans

Not that I have already   obtained this or   am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.    Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do:   forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,   I press on toward the goal for   the prize of the upward   call of God in Christ Jesus.    Let those of us who are   mature think this way, and if in anything   you think otherwise,   God will reveal that also to you.    Only   let us hold true to what we have attained.   As we grow in Christ, there are a couple of attitudes that we need promote in our own lives.  Both humility and persistence are called for in our walk with the Lord.  We must never be deluded into thinking that we have “arrived.”  All of us have work to do and progress to make.  At the same time, we cannot allow discouragement over our weaknesses derail our progress.     RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR GROWTH: There are no perfect believe

Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.   To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.  Look out for   the dogs, look out for   the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.    For   we are the circumcision,   who worship   by the Spirit of God and   glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day,   of the people of Israel,   of the tribe of Benjamin,   a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law,   a Pharisee;   as to zeal,   a persecutor of the church;   as to righteousness under the law blameless.  But   whatever gain I had,   I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.    Indeed, I count everything as loss because of   the surpassing worth of   knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I   have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may

I hope in the Lord Jesus   to send Timothy to you soon, so that I too may be cheered by news of you.    For I have no one   like him, who will be genuinely concerned for your welfare.    For they all   seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.    But you know Timothy's proven worth, how   as a son with a father   he has served with me in the gospel.    I hope therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me,   and   I trust in the Lord that shortly I myself will come also.    I have thought it necessary to send to you   Epaphroditus my brother and fellow worker and   fellow soldier, and your messenger and   minister to my need,   for he has been longing for you all and has been distressed because you heard that he was ill.    Indeed he was ill, near to death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.    I am the more eager to send him, therefore, that you may rejoice at seeing him again, and tha

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.     Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.     Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.     Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. There are instructions that are vital for us to follow as we seek to walk in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.  We are called to live lives that are marked by holiness and joy in the midst of a broken and perverse worl

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from   love, any   participation in the Spirit, any   affection and sympathy,   complete my joy by being   of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.    Do nothing from   selfish ambition or   conceit, but in   humility count others more significant than yourselves.    Let each of you   look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.    Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in   the form of God, did not count equality with God   a thing to be grasped, but   emptied himself, by taking the form of a   servant, being born in the likeness of men.   And being found in human form, he humbled himself by   becoming obedient to the point of death,   even death on a cross.  Therefore   God has   highly exalted him and bestowed on him   the name that is above every name,   so that at the name of Jesus   every knee should bow,   in heaven

Only   let your manner of life be   worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you   that you are standing firm in one spirit, with   one mind   striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,   and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is   a clear sign to them of their destruction, but   of your salvation, and that from God.    For   it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also   suffer for his sake,   engaged in the same   conflict that   you saw I had and now hear that I still have.   What does it mean to walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel?  The answer to this question could be long with a variety of answers possible.  However, Paul mentions two important ones in this passage.  If the Gospel is impacting our lives and if we are going to impact the world in which we live, these two qualities are going to be present.   UNITY IN THE FAITH: Christianity is not an

Yes, and I will rejoice,   for I know that   through your prayers and   the help of   the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,   as it is my eager expectation and hope   that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full   courage now as always Christ   will be honored in my body,   whether by life or by death.    For to me   to live is Christ, and to die is gain.    If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.    I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is   to depart and   be with Christ, for that is far better.    But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.    Convinced of this,   I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your   progress and   joy in the faith,   so that in me   you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.   This world is marked by suffering.  Paul was aware of this reality as he writes this letter from

I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really   served to advance the gospel,   so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and   to all the rest that   my imprisonment is for Christ.    And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold   to speak the word without fear.    Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.    The latter do it out of love,   knowing that I am put here for   the defense of the gospel.    The former proclaim Christ   out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.    What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Paul’s priority in life was the advancement of the Gospel.  It did not matter to him what price he had to pay for the Gospel to advance or even the motives behind the advancement of the Gospel.  His greatest priority was for t

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.     And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.     It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.     For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.     And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, fil

So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing,   Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything.    I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may   encourage your hearts.    Peace be to the brothers, and   love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.    Grace be with all who   love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible. The distinguishing mark of believers is love.  Paul loves the believer in Ephesus and knows that they love him too.  This letter closes with a personal update and a blessing from Paul.  The relationships of believers should be marked by this kind of encouragement.     A CURRENT UPDATE: Paul is writing from prison and wants his readers to know how he and his team are doing.  As members of the body of Christ we should care deeply for one another.  It is a blessing to be a part of the family of God.  No matter where we are from in the world and no matt