Philippians 1:27-30

Hello Everyone!

Pleeeeease forgive me for being an little late with my post.

I will try to do better next week!

Pictures to come...my sweet husband, the "man of a thousand pictures",

is feeling puny tonight and in fact, I am not feeling so swift, myself!!

But he will add them asap. (Sunday ~ pictures are done ~ thank you, dear!)


Thank you for all who prayed for our family last week.

We said good-bye to 4 family members who will be living overseas

for 3 years . It was a bittersweet time. We were reminded of the

verses in Ecclesiastics 3 that say that there is a time to laugh and

a time to cry. Truly, that is how we felt...we were so proud of them

stepping out and answering the call of God on their lives, but inwardly,

not imagining how 3 years of separation really feels like.


When I read our verses for this posting, the word "stand firm" ~

"stood" out to me.

The Apostle Paul was "walking his talk" here...

He was standing firm when he was in the dire

circumstances of being chained to a Roman guard.

But before we get into the Bible Study,

please go to my Playlist on the left sidebar,

all the way to the bottom and click on the song "Stand"

by Donnie McClurkin. (If you do not see the song, click

on the arrows until it shows and then click on the song.)

I thought of this song when I read verse 27.

Please enjoy and then we will start on

our Bible study for this week!

Wow! Stand firm, don't give in!! That will be our topic this week.

Verse 27 ~ "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel."

• "Whatever happens"...hmmmm...this reminds me of our theme verse
  

for this Book of Philippians ~ 4:11 ~"...for I have learned to be content

WHATEVER the circumstances."

• ..."stand firm in one spirit"...this reminds me of the Upper Room in Acts 2:1.

The King James Version says that they were "all with one accord in one place".

• The New Century Version of the Bible states verse 27 in the following manner:

"Be sure that you live in a way that brings honor to the Good News of Christ."

Verses 28-30 ~ ..."without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved - and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had and now hear that I still have."

From Ray Stedman commentary :


"There is only one way to handle fear, and that is to face it at its worst.

What is the worst thing this thing or these people I fear can do to me?

Will it be to cast me out of the group? Is it to kill me?

Whatever it is, face its worst threat, and then make a clear choice

between Christ and your fear. When you take Him at His Word

and recognize there is no possible compromise, that it

must be one or the other, that is the way to be delivered.

Putting it in those terms, a true Christian will inevitably choose Christ.

Once we face it on this basis we are delivered from the

power of this fear."

I know of a person that right now is experiencing panic attacks

because of possibly bankruptcy from having his ID stolen by a

family member. The family member is non-apologetic! This man

has to talk to people through out the day to make a living. He never

knows when one of these attacks will "cripple" him and he cannot

function at that time.

Mr. Stedman says to think of the worse-case scenario and know that

EVEN IF that happens ~ "that" being a panic attack, the loss of your home,

feeling like a failure, a divorce, a report of bad news from your doctor,

a death in your family, a child born with special needs, ECT...

God still will love you and will care for you and bring you out of that

trying time a better person...He did for Paul and He will do that for us,

also ~ I know personally that it works!!

Stand firm, don't give in!

Let's hear of some testimonies of how God has loved you

and cared for you during a trying time in your life.

I'll go first! Please click on the word "comment" below my name.


Until next week, may God keep you under the shadow of His wings, Psalm 57:1,

Debbie G.