There is something amazing about partnering in the Gospel. It transforms a person to eternal perspective and it allows us to tap into the vast family of God to attack and meet each day’s challenges. Paul had a deep love for the Philippians’ Church. They understood him. They supported him and they sent folks to care for him during his plight in prison. They truly partnered with Paul to spread the Gospel across the world. Like Paul, however, they also experienced persecution for following the Lord. So Paul made sure he encouraged them, as they had encouraged him.
Our function as the church is the same. We are to partner up in the Gospel. We are to walk along side each other—celebrating victories, mourning losses and recognizing and meeting needs. We see each other as equals and work to help each other grow and persevere. Our circumstances become secondary to the needs of our partners—They then know we are true partners. We encourage and build each other up. We see this as a journey for life and we make sure we are traveling together.
God Bless You
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
