And It is My Prayer

Philippians 1:9-11 ESV

“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, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul wrote this letter to the “saints in Christ Jesus” who were at Philippi. He also specifically mentioned the overseers and deacons. And “saints” are believers in Jesus Christ, and they are those who are holy in Christ Jesus, who are different from the world because they are being conformed by God to the likeness of Jesus Christ. As followers of Jesus Christ we are all to be the Lord’s saints. We are all called to holy living, different from the world.

He began this letter by thanking God in all his remembrance of the saints who lived in Philippi because of their partnership in the gospel. And “partnership” is the same Greek word as is also translated “fellowship.” And it has to do with contributory help, participation, sharing in, communion, and spiritual fellowship, which is the fellowship in/of the Spirit of God. So, we have a part in this gospel, something that we are called of God to do.

And what is the gospel? It means “God’s good news.” I like what it says on biblehub.com. It says that the gospel “includes the entire Bible, i.e. it is not limited to how a person becomes a Christian.” So the gospel is not about just “getting saved” so that we can go to heaven when we die. The gospel tells the story of Christ Jesus and why he died on that cross and of our need to turn from our sins to follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his commands.

But it doesn’t stop there. It also tells us of God’s requirements of us who claim to be his followers that we must now walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and no longer according to the flesh. We must die daily to sin and to self and daily follow our Lord in obedience to his commands and to his will. But if we, instead, continue in deliberate and habitual sin, and not in obedience, we will not inherit eternal life with God.

So, Paul’s prayer here is for those who are the saints in Christ Jesus who are partners (participants) in the gospel. He is praying for those who are living holy lives separate (different) from the world because they are being conformed to the likeness of Christ. And he is praying for those who are walking according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh, and who are dying daily to sin and who are following our Lord in obedience.

These are not perfect people, but these are people who are walking in obedience to the Lord and who are not walking in sin. Sin is no longer their practice, but righteousness and godliness are their practice. He is praying that the love they have in Christ Jesus might abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment. So, what is this love? The word is “agape” and it centers in moral preference, and it prefers what God prefers.

And what does God prefer? All that is holy and righteous and godly and morally pure, upright, honest, faithful, and obedient to our Lord and to his commands. For Jesus died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and that we might now live for Christ and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so we will now honor God with our lives.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

So his prayer was really that they would make following Jesus Christ in holy living their preference. And if obeying Jesus Christ was their preference, they would now be choosing his choices and obeying them according to the will of God, in the power of God, and in his strength and wisdom. So they would now be people who approve of what is excellent in the sight of God, and thus they would be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.

And to be filled with the fruit of righteousness means that the righteousness of God is being lived out in and through our lives because of our obedience to our Lord and our submission to him and our surrender to his will for our lives, in his power and strength. And the result of that will be evident in how we live our daily lives in submission to his will and in obedience to his commands and in holy living and in participation in the gospel of Christ.

And why is this important? It is important because this is God’s design and purpose for our lives, the very reason he sent Jesus Christ to die on that cross, that we might be liberated of our slavery (addiction) to sin so that we will now serve him in walks of holiness and righteousness and no longer in habitual sin. And it is critically important because, if we do not live this way, but we keep on in deliberate and habitual sin, heaven will not be our destiny. We will not inherit eternal life with God, but hell is where we will go. 

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

My Sheep  

An Original Work / June 24, 2012  

Based off John 10:1-18 NIV

My sheep hear me. They know me.

They listen to my voice and obey.

I call them and lead them.

They know my voice, so they follow me.

They will never follow strangers.

They will run away from them.

The voice of a stranger they know not;

They do not follow him.

So, I tell you the truth that

I am the gate, so you enter in.

Whoever does enter

Will find forgiveness and will be saved.

Nonetheless whoever enters

Not by the gate; other way,

He is the thief and a robber.

Listen not, the sheep to him.

Oh, I am the Good Shepherd,

Who laid his own life down for the sheep.

I know them. They know me.

They will live with me eternally.

The thief only comes to steal and

Kill and to destroy the church.

I have come to give you life that

You may have it to the full… 

They know my voice, so they follow me.

https://vimeo.com/114938263