In our lives, the mere thought of some people brings joy to our hearts. Personally, I have been blessed with a group of friends and whenever their names appear on my phone or email, I’m reminded I am being prayed for and will never truly be alone. God knew I needed such people to keep me focused on my goals and I continually praise God for them.
This reminds me of the Church at Philippi. Paul’s recollections of this community include an earthquake that led to the salvation of a jailer and his family. Paul recalls the days when he wondered if he could go any further and it was then that the Philippians sent a care package that met his needs.
From start to finish, one can sense Paul’s deep and unwavering devotion to these people, just as the Philippians brought joy to his heart. It reminds us of the significance of genuine fellowship and spiritual companionship in our lives.
However, the Philippians were facing suffering. Rome was exerting pressure and persecution was on the rise. In the midst of their challenges, Paul wrote this letter to encourage them, just as they had encouraged him on numerous occasions.
Personally, Philippians is my favorite book in the Bible. In these four concise chapters, Paul addresses almost every practical question about living as a believer. He is candid about his personal struggles and frustrations, yet he never loses sight of redirecting his dear friends to their faith in every difficult decision. The keyword here is “rejoice!” By choosing to rejoice in the Lord, we tap into a deeper wellspring of joy that remains unshaken by external factors. It is a joy grounded in our relationship with God, knowing that He is sovereign, faithful, and working all things together for our good.
I can personally testify that his wisdom has sustained me and guided me back so many times to what truly matters—the Lord! I am excited to share my favorite Bible book with you.
God Bless You
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Paul and Timothy, bond-servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the [a]saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, [b]including the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, 5 in view of your [c]participation in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 [d]For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my [e]imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. 8 For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the [f]affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may [g]approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless [h]until the day of Christ; 11 having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Walking With God 
So…I once had a one-man show based on the book of Philippians. It was called Letters From Prison. I memorized probably about 80% of the book and then had some original transitions where I (as Paul) would talk to “Bob the Rat”–a puppet rat that happen to be in prison with Paul. I did the show for a number of different churches back in the 90’s. Anyway, one of my favorite moments to recite was, “Rejoice! I will say it again, Rejoice!” I had staged a “prison flogging” just before I picked back up in the chapter that includes that verse. The idea that in the absolute depth of our despair and pain we can be called to rejoice and praise the Lord is such a powerful message to remember and embrace. This blog really blessed me, today.
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