The book of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul, who used to be Saul of Tarsus.
Do you know who Saul was, as the persecutor of Christians and the Paul as the Apostle of Christ, or who Timothy was?
Saul had a huge hand in the stoning of Stephen and persecuted many many believers of Christ. He put to death many in the church. He was ruthless. As the Apostle Paul he was grace filled, he’d been in prison many times, he was Jesus hands and feet to the Gentiles.
Timothy was fearful and sickly. He was afraid of much!
Both of these men needed grace in their ministry; and they knew how to give grace in their ministry.
The Apostle Paul wrote this book while in prison. Philippians has long been known as the book of joy- Joy happens to be one of the three major themes of the book.
Philippians 1
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the [a]bishops and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Who is this letter written to? Yes, to their friends in Philippi. Paul and Timothy were actually more specific in who this letter was to!
First, let’s talk about Paul’s state of servanthood in the first verse…. He was a well-known convert to Christianity – He went wherever He was told by the Lord to go. Everywhere he went he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ, proclaiming the Good News! He was an Apostle, but he called himself and Timothy bondservants; because he knew who he was, and he knew who Christ was! Paul knew his place and he knew that it was only by grace that he was even alive.
Therefore, who better to speak grace to the church of Philippi. He wrote to these below:
- To all the saints in Christ Jesus – All the Saints- Holy ones in Christ, those who walk in holiness *
- in Philippi- those active in the church in Philippi
- the Bishops & the Deacons- The leadership of the church in Philippi
Grace is a seed that must be planted & cultivated.
Which do you believe in irresistible grace or cooperative grace…. and what’s the difference?
Irresistible grace, believed to be only given to a select few. Started in Calvinism. (I think)
Cooperative grace to be embraced as a gift.
The first place we cultivate grace is the mind. The devil plays with our minds all the time- the first battlefield is in our minds!
So, the first place we need to plow is our brain. We need to rid ourselves of all our “stinking thinking”.
Another way to cultivate grace is to be thinking about those we want to pray for and those who need our prayers-keep them in your mind- not just a fleeting word or two of God please sentences. Real thought and awareness of them. Paul said, “Peace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”. Pray grace and peace to people! We cannot have grace without peace.
We must apply grace to receive grace!
For instance, Grace allows us to see similarities in people and not their differences. That does not mean we condone sin in people, it just means we pray grace and peace to them.
Be a part of a grace filled church? Are you?
Be the grace-filled church. Grace must be cultivated in the heart!
Love & grace go together–cultivate grace in your mind, in your heart & in person!
The Rich Man and Lazarus
For those who are lost – separated from God because of their iniquities – separated from His wonderful promises – not headed toward the narrow gate – and you have not been praying grace, peace and love over them; read Luke 16:19-31.
Luke 16:19-31
19 “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and [h]fared sumptuously every day. 20 But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, 21 desiring to be fed with [i]the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’
27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’
Firstly, Take the time to pray grace over people and your enemies. Forgiveness is key to freedom as well!
It is pretty clear, in Hell folks are fellowshipping in agony, probably praying that their loved ones don’t end up there like them! Importantly, if love doesn’t urge prays for them away from hell … these scriptures should!
Closing
The cross of Jesus Christ is for all of humanity-that is grace; it is an aggressive forgiveness we do not deserve.
Why did Jesus do all that for us? Why did He go through all that for us? Why did Jesus want to save us?
Think about this… God did not send someone else to save us; He came himself!
That is how important we are to Him and that is how important this mission was. That tells us how valuable we are to Him!
That should show us how eager He is to give the gift of His Spirit!
A shaking is coming like we have never seen before– He is definitely separating the true church from the false church! Let’s pray our loved ones to the true church and to the narrow gate!
Leave a message if you want to chat more on how to receive the Power of God’s Spirit!
Until next time, hope you’veare blessed by… In the Word!
Cyndi- Tu Sisters in the Garden
Words to live By…
This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ, not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. 1 John 1:6
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