(Php 3:1)  “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.”  When one beholds the many troubles and fears in this world, we have a tendency to become mentally down. Yet, if we just stopped and began to count our blessings: the Lord Jesus dying for my sin; forgiveness; a home in heaven; the blessings of home, family, friends, food, etc.., we cannot help but rejoice in the Lord!

(Php 2:21) “For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” Remember, the context here is “who” Paul had to send for the purpose of finding out about the Philippians’ spiritual welfare. Sad, there were few “ministers” of whom could be entrusted to put those body of believers “first” in the matter of concern. Is this where we find ourselves today? Is it the physical and spiritual welfare of the sheep that is of foremost concern in the life of the local pastor? Only the Lord knows for sure.

(Php 2:19) “But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timotheus shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state. (20)  For I have no man likeminded, who will naturally care for your state.”  This insight into Paul’s carefulness regarding who is sent to them, “likeminded, who will naturally care for your state”, is significant. Souls are entrusted by God to certain individuals, such as missionaries (Paul and Timothy) and pastors of today. This is a sacred responsibility not taken lightly. Responsibility cannot be given or passed away. It can be delegated to another, but the delegator must still answer to He Who gave them. Like it or not, child of God, your pastor must answer for your actions  and thus may at times seem to “meddle” in your life!

(Php 2:17)  “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. (18) For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.”  Here the Holy Spirit is working in the Apostle Paul to bring about the teaching of  Verse 3,  “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves”. In other words, he is giving them the benefit of the doubt: they will reach out to others; they will do all things without murmurings and disputing; they live as much as humanly possible harmless and blameless. God help us to live up to this wonderful spiritual standard!  

(Php 2:17)  “Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.”  To have lived one’s earthly life and win one soul for the Lord, is to have not lived in vain. But to have enjoyed this life’s love, earthly things, along with good health, and yet only save yourself, you have lived in vain – a worthless life; you have failed in your life’s purpose.  

(Php 2:15) “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (16)  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”  The Holy Spirit is the Apostle Paul did not just want to see people saved, but also growing in their spirit, maturing to the point of desiring to take others with them to heaven. Babies think only of themselves – the world in their minds revolve around them. Mature people understand that it does not. Mature Believers understand their purpose is everyone around them.  If we never grow, then in a very real sense the Lord’s servants have labored for us in vain.  

(Php 2:14)  “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: (15)  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; (16  Holding forth the word of life;…..”  Not only do we have how “not” to conduct ourselves here, but how “to” conduct ourselves. We are to “hold forth the Word of Life”. In other words, we are to communicate it to the lost world around us. It is not enough for me to be “better” than the lost, for that does them no good. I must be willing to seek their souls through the communication of God’s Word. This world is not my home, it is theirs. My job while here is to seek to see them saved so that their home will also be with God for eternity!  

(Phil 2: 15)  “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation,….”   It is hard for us to get our minds around the fact that this world is “crooked and perverse”. It is because we do not see things as God sees them. For example, we look at certain unsaved individuals and think how good they are. They are good by human standards. But not by God’s. By God’s all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That’s why every Saved Child of God needs to reprogram this mind (Romans 12:1-2) so that we begin to see this world as our Lord sees it. How much time do you spend reprogramming?

(Php 2:14) “Do all things without murmurings and disputings: (15)  That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”  When God’s people allow Christ to live through them, they stand out from the world as truly different, as different as light from darkness. Sad that we seem to desire to be “like” the world rather than different from it! We even desire our church’s services to be “like the world”. Yes, we may attract the lost, but in doing so have we said to them they don’t have to be “light” – different? Really, the question in this case becomes, why are we having the service? If it is to truly worship the Lord, then we must be different from the world. If it is to entertain the lost and our flesh, then we will be like the world. No, we cannot have both: (1Jn_2:15)  “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”