For this to happen they had to live understanding and feeling God's grace every day.
Paul encourages them to be true to the Lord and he expressed how he longs to be with them.
There were two women in the church who were in a terrible disagreement. He mentions that he knew them well as they had worked hard alongside him sharing the Good News. Euodia (which means prosperous journey) and Syntyche (which means a "pleasant acquaintance") just could not agree on things. Paul asks them to settle down and come to an agreement in the Lord for they were causing problems in the church to the degree that it was causing some division. His request to them was to put aside their differences in order for there to be unity in the church.
His instruction was for them to live in joy and to be considerate toward each other. He also reminded them that the Lord was coming soon, therefore they need not worry but pray and tell God what was needed. Living that way would bring peace beyond what anyone had experienced. That powerful peace will be a guard on their hearts and minds as they live in Christ.
He instructed the Philippians that they can live in that powerful peace if they think on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise. Doing this, they will not be inclined to think on negative or bad things that can rob them of their peace.
Paul appreciated their continual concern for him. He also said that because he had learned to have an attitude of being content in all situations, there was nothing they really would have needed to do to help him. He had learned to live with very little feeling that life was good, whether his stomach was full or empty. He went on to proclaim it was not he who had this wonderful ability but that the strength he had to endure came from Christ. In spite of what he just said, he appreciated that they shared in his troubles. They did not only feel his discomfort but they had taken action to make a difference in his life in such times.
While they were still young in their faith, they shared with him in a time of need when he had left Macedonia and then helped him twice while he was struggling in Thessalonica.
He wanted to assure them that at the present time, he was equipped with all he needed and that the gifts they had sent blesses him and God as well. He went on to assure them that in turn for them caring for Paul, God would certainly bless and care for them. Those last verses led him to stop and praise God for all He had done.
Paul closes Philippians with his final greeting from himself and all those who worked with him. He also mentioned greetings from those in Caesar's household. These may have been those who had come to Christ because of Paul's teaching while under house arrest there. Many times Paul wrote about how even tough things that happen to him make him glad because even in such times, the Gospel is proclaimed and the Kingdom is advanced. Being under house arrest was just one of those times.
He ends the letter with a blessing , that the grace of Christ be with their spirits.
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So on to May. Let's do Ephesians.
Ephesians is longer than Philippians but Philippians is much shorter than some of the books we have studied previously. I was not sure if we studied Ephesians but think that we have not yet covered it. If I am wrong, please let me know.
Also, can any of you tell me if we have completed a combined study of Philemon and Titus?
The list has gotten quite long and this one is not marked as you all having done it but I may have missed marking it.
Also, last year we took July off and I plan to do the same this year. We will again start back up on August 1.