December 18, 2018

I AM PERSUADED THAT HE IS ABLE:

TO HELP ME REJOICE (part 4)

PHILIPPIANS 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice

God has given us precious resources to enable us to “rejoice” in our everyday lives. Rejoicing should be a characteristic that is present in our lives. It is, or should be, one of those things that sets us apart. Let’s look at some more of these resources that are given to us in Philippians chapter four.

4. A PATTERN TO SHOW US (8-9a)
Philippians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do…

God, writing through Paul by divine inspiration, encourages the church at Philippi to do what they had learned, what they had been taught, what they had heard, and what they had seen in Paul. God had given them a pattern to follow. And what is the result of doing this? The end of the verse says, “and the God of peace shall be with you”. Obedience produces peace, and peace produces joy.

Paul even said, “for me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”. God said to follow Paul’s example because Paul was following Christ’s example. What was Paul’s example? Paul discusses this in chapter three:

* Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

We have Christ as our example, and we have those who truly follow Christ as examples also. Our pattern is Christ, and every pattern should mimic Christ. If it is not Christlike, do not follow it.