mentioned as the verse Paul preached two weeks prior, noted as the second most Googled Bible verse, 'I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you'
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,” says Yahweh, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.
noted as the passage Van preached the previous week while Ray was away
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh;
4 though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:
5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;
6 concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.
7 However, I consider those things that were gain to me as a loss for Christ.
8 Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;
10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;
11 if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.
13 Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, think this way. If in anything you think otherwise, God will also reveal that to you.
16 Nevertheless, to the extent that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule. Let us be of the same mind.
17 Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example.
18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ,
19 whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
21 who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself.
main passage preached, the list of whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, praiseworthy
8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think about these things.
Paul rejoicing that the Philippians revived their concern for him even while he was in prison
10 But I rejoice in the Lord greatly, that now at length you have revived your thought for me; in which you did indeed take thought, but you lacked opportunity.
Paul describing knowing how to get along with little or much, filled or hungry, abundance or need
12 I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need.
referenced as the passage where a father brings his son to Jesus and says 'I do believe, help me with my unbelief' after Jesus asks 'all things are possible to one who believes'
1 He said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see God’s Kingdom come with power.”
2 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James, and John, and brought them up onto a high mountain privately by themselves, and he was changed into another form in front of them.
3 His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
4 Elijah and Moses appeared to them, and they were talking with Jesus.
5 Peter answered Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let’s make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
6 For he didn’t know what to say, for they were very afraid.
7 A cloud came, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.”
8 Suddenly looking around, they saw no one with them any more, except Jesus only.
9 As they were coming down from the mountain, he commanded them that they should tell no one what things they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
10 They kept this saying to themselves, questioning what the “rising from the dead” meant.
11 They asked him, saying, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?”
12 He said to them, “Elijah indeed comes first, and restores all things. How is it written about the Son of Man, that he should suffer many things and be despised?
13 But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they have also done to him whatever they wanted to, even as it is written about him.”
14 Coming to the disciples, he saw a great multitude around them, and scribes questioning them.
15 Immediately all the multitude, when they saw him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, greeted him.
16 He asked the scribes, “What are you asking them?”
17 One of the multitude answered, “Teacher, I brought to you my son, who has a mute spirit;
18 and wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and wastes away. I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they weren’t able.”
19 He answered him, “Unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.”
20 They brought him to him, and when he saw him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground, wallowing and foaming at the mouth.
21 He asked his father, “How long has it been since this has come to him?” He said, “From childhood.
22 Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.”
23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out with tears, “I believe. Help my unbelief!”
25 When Jesus saw that a multitude came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to him, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!”
26 After crying out and convulsing him greatly, it came out of him. The boy became like one dead; so much that most of them said, “He is dead.”
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and raised him up; and he arose.
28 When he had come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we cast it out?”
29 He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing, except by prayer and fasting.”
30 They went out from there, and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it.
31 For he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”
32 But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
33 He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
34 But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way about who was the greatest.
35 He sat down, and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
36 He took a little child, and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
37 “Whoever receives one such little child in my name, receives me, and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”
39 But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name, and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
40 For whoever is not against us is on our side.
41 For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.
42 Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.
43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire,
44 ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, into the fire that will never be quenched—
46 ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
47 If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into God’s Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna of fire,
48 ‘where their worm doesn’t die, and the fire is not quenched.’
49 For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
Ray walked through Philippians 4:4-14, a passage that contains some of the most searched Bible verses in existence, and argued that those verses make far more sense when you read them together rather than pulling them out on their own. He was away the previous week because his uncle Jeff passed away, and Van covered for him with Philippians 3, so this message picked up where that one left off.
What was said
Paul opens this section by telling the church to rejoice, and Ray pointed out that Paul says it twice on purpose. He had already said it earlier in the letter and flags that he knows he is repeating himself, calling it a safeguard. The rejoicing Paul has in mind is not a feeling you wait around for but a posture you choose, grounded in the fact that God has saved you and is still at work in you. Ray put it plainly: we are all works in progress, and that is itself something to be glad about.
From rejoicing, Paul moves to anxiety, and Ray spent considerable time on verse 6. The alternative Paul offers to anxiety is not willpower but honest, humble, grateful prayer. Ray described it as opening a line of communication with God, not hiding your failures or pretending things are fine, but saying plainly what you need while also acknowledging it could be worse. The promise attached to that kind of prayer, he said, is a peace that does not make logical sense but is genuinely real.
Verses 8 and 9 gave Ray what he called the most convicting part of the passage. Paul lists things worth thinking about: whatever is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, praiseworthy. Ray worked through each word carefully, noting that these are not exclusively Christian categories but things any person already recognizes as good. The point is that what you dwell on shapes who you become, and you get to choose what you dwell on. He was honest that he had to delete social media because of what it was doing to his temperament, not as a prescription for everyone but as an example of taking that choice seriously.
Verse 13, the other heavily searched verse in this chapter, comes after Paul describes learning to be content in both abundance and need. Ray argued that reading it in that context changes everything. The "all things" Paul says he can do through Christ are not feats of physical strength but the things from that list: acting with truth, nobility, justice, purity. He connected it directly to the idea that any righteousness a believer has is derived from God, not manufactured, and to deny that is to deny the gospel itself.
Ray closed by returning to verses 10 and 14, where Paul thanks the Philippians for caring about him even while he was in prison. Paul is careful to say he is not speaking from need, that he has learned contentment in every condition, but he also says plainly that it means something to know people are with you. Ray tied that to Van stepping in the week before while the whole Cardon family had the flu, and used it to remind the congregation that the church is meant to carry one another through difficulty. The invitation at the end was simple: if you feel like people here are too busy to help, try them anyway.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages
in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
Ray talked about choosing joy even when circumstances are hard, and quoted James saying to 'count it all joy, even the hard stuff.' What makes that kind of joy feel like a real choice rather than just a feeling, and what has helped you actually get there in a difficult season?
Ray said it is impossible to be anxious and grateful at the same time, and that you can choose to be grateful. Where do you find that hardest to believe, and what does choosing gratitude actually look like for you on a bad day?
Good morning, everyone. Welcome to first b, and we are here to worship the living God. If you would join us and stand and join us in song. And here's an encouraging word from Jesus in Luke 12. He says, don't be afraid.
It gives God great happiness to give you the kingdom. Would you join us in singing Evidence? And in the in Evidence it says, I've seen the evidence of your goodness all over all over my life. Let's sing.
Y'all can have a seat.
Yeah. Have a seat, everybody. Good morning. And I hope with that song, you think of evidence of of God's goodness. One of my favorite people from this church is a lady named Jean DeMarsh.
She used to say, count your blessings, name them one by one. And hopefully that song inspires you today to count your blessings. And some things we have to be thankful for, one of them is Awana. It's back on tomorrow. Last week I was wrong.
It wasn't last week. It's starting up tomorrow. Bring your kids. Bring your neighbor's kids. Let's let's have a blast.
That's what this big circle is in here. They run around and they learn Bible verses. It's really special. Would you be praying for that ministry as it continues to grow? It's wonderful.
Jackson Hole Women's Community Bible Study is happening at Gateway Church. You can sign up online and they also have old sermons on that website as well. You can check that out. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. They're starting something new over at the Driggs Fairgrounds.
It's twenty eighth. The meal music and message with Van, he's gonna be over there with a whole big group of people. It's gonna be real special. Would you come celebrate? And if you have anybody on that side that's looking for a place to be, would you would you bring him by?
And be praying for that as well. The men's lunch study is so great. I think we had like 22 guys there this last week. And guys are just sharing and opening up and making connections. Would you consider coming?
If you're one of the guys in this church, it's really low pressure. You can come completely unprepared and leave filled up. We'd love to have you. The Easter Youth Choir is starting February 1 coming up pretty quick. Please register online though so they know to expect you.
It's it's great. And one of my great regrets is not taking choir as a kid so I can work in my voice. So here's your opportunity to learn from my mistake, little ones. And then men's twenty twenty six men's snowmobile retreat. This is one of the best weekends of the year.
Please come. It's great. Even if you don't snowmobile, I cross country ski and I have a blast. There's so much to do. There's games.
There's puzzles. If you wanna do nothing and just chill by the fire, come do that as well. Great way to connect with guys And and invite somebody. This is a great way to to say to that friend who's kinda on the fridges, hey, why don't you come hang out? We'd love to have you talk to Richard Largie.
It's just a $120. All the details are on the website because you do need to bring a sleeping bag and some other accoutrement to to be a part of So and there first be a church directory. This is one of my projects to try to get pictures of people throughout the church and your contact information. Would you take out your phone right now and send me a horizontal photo, that that would be this direction, of you and your family. I don't need to see the background.
Your faces would be great. It's just a little weird working in a church where people come in and they have a deep conversation and they leave and I'm like, I don't know who that was. But if we have a picture in our directory, can flip through it and see your beautiful faces. We would love to be able to get updated photos and for your tax information. This is how we get that too so we can send you your receipts and stuff too.
So would you consider doing that for me? And for the missions moments, Ted and Kim Rabinold are some of the most industrious people I've ever heard of in the world. They they work in Africa and they're just They do these farm products. They raise tilapia, they grow good crops, and they teach the locals how to do it. And through that, people come from all over the country to learn what they're doing and then learn about Jesus in the process.
It's really amazing. And can we lift them up in prayer real quick? Lord God, thank you so much for the rabbinal's and everything you're doing, everything you're providing, Lord God. And we I pray, Lord, that you would help their crops to be abundant this year, that the tilapia would be abundant too, Lord God. And that through this, Lord, you would provide for the people of the area and open people up to hearing your word and hearing about your grace and your goodness, Lord Jesus, and would they accept you as their savior?
Lord, would you change that whole region because these people who are faithful to say yes, and Lord, would you provide for them in your holy name. Amen. And if you're interested more, we have so many great missionaries from all around the world. You can come on Wednesday mornings and pray with us at 07:30 in the church office. And also go to the missions meetings too to learn more about them.
For more information, check out the church website. Have I missed anything? No? Okay. Alright.
Why don't you stand up, greet each other, and we'll bring you back with some songs.
We do have a covenant ceremony. Oh, we do have
a covenant ceremony.
We'll catch it before the service. We'll catch it before the service.
Good morning, everybody. Hey, Ma'am. Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me now?
Nope. Hey, everybody. Hey, everybody. Can you all hear me? I'm gonna I'm gonna call y'all back to kinda order and have a seat for just a second.
I'm gonna invite the Sherbens up. Danny and Jenny and the kids. And Chris is already up here. And so these have come we occasionally have a a catch up covenant members ceremony. We have been they've been in the process for a long time, but for whatever reason, scheduling has been difficult.
They're here lately more often than I am. All of them are serving already. They have integrated into the life of the local body and in this particular church anyway, But we're going back and making sure. Okay? So y'all become official official today.
Have each of you would you like to would you like to say anything beforehand?
Have to, but yeah. Like like Ray said, I mean, you're most of you
are probably wondering, how are you not members?
I'm a lot like them. But we are just so blessed and so fortunate to be here. I was born and raised in this church. And it's kinda like movie Blindside where they ask him if
he wants to be part of
the family. He says, I thought I already was. Yeah. Yeah. So Yep.
That's how we feel here. We love the congregation. We love this church. We're blessed to be here.
Thank you. And Danny was baptized long time ago. Jenny and the kids were baptized last year about this time. And it was the Sunday that Van and Lauren were here. It was just a cool integration moments all over the place.
So Chris has been what's that? Super Super Sunday, he calls it. Yeah. That's pretty that's pretty good. So have each of you personally trusted in Jesus as your savior and believe that he died and rose again for your sins?
Yep. Do you believe that God has led you to join first b as an evidence of your desire to grow in the grace of Christ and in love and service for his glory? Amen? And you're all doing that. Do you recognize the authority of scripture in the life in your personal life and in the life of the body?
Yes. Alright. Well, then as members together in the body of Christ, will you endeavor to open your hearts to ministry? And will you endeavor to open your hearts to ministry towards both serving others well as well as receiving from others. Would you do that?
Would you all do that? Amen. Alright. Well, we'll as we endeavor to grow in faithfulness to one another and as we grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray let's all pray. Lord, would you make us into what you want us to be?
We do not presume, Lord, that we know. But we know that we can discover it together. We are the continuing body of Christ in the world. This is plan a. There's no plan b.
In Jesus name, lord, we continue and we grow. The Lord is adding to their number daily. That's what we believe. That's what we want. Lord, so would you continue to do your good work through us including these up here with us right now.
Heavenly father, it's great to be here in your house, Lord. It's great to be here to praise your name and to feel the presence in this place, your presence, Lord. Oh, God, we rest on you, and we trust that you would always carry us no matter where we are in this world. Lord Jesus, I know that people are suffering here in this valley, around the world. So I'm asking to bring peace all over the world by the power of the gospel in the name of Jesus Christ.
But now, Lord, may we feel your presence here, and may we We for your to the to the least ones. In your precious presence. Name, pray. Amen.
You can have a seat for a minute. I'll ask ask the ushers to come on forward, and we're gonna sing an oldie but a goodie. We were made to worship, and it's just a reminder of of what how we were made. And in Psalm one fifty six, it says, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Ray, can you pray for us?
Lord God almighty. Lord God almighty, we're thankful to be here gathered in your name this morning, Lord. Sometimes it's overwhelming how little we have in common with each other until we come into you. Lord God, you are all in all. You're everything.
You're our all in all. You are what bring us into this place, Lord. You call us out of and into. And then, Lord, you send us out. So I pray, Lord, that we would be good stewards of the gospel, that we'd be good stewards of the gifts that you have given us, all of them.
Metaphorically, we put all of those in these plates, Lord, as they pass. I pray that you would bless this offering, Lord, everything that is placed in here, that you would do your kingdom's work with it, your will, Lord, done in your way. Thank you for being a part of the people of God.
In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
Don't think it was just batteries on the yield microphone here. I think there's more issues. I've got out of practice over the week I was gone, and I ripped this thing apart stretching. So a couple of weeks ago, I presented on Jeremiah 29, not 11. So twenty nine eleven is the one that all of us know by heart, and we look up, and it's number two on the most googled Bible verses because it says, I know the plans I have for you.
There are plans to prosper you. Yeah. But there's a lot before that, and there's hard stuff before that. And so that's what two weeks ago. I had not expected to be gone last week.
I received word after church on Sunday in the evening last weekend. We were headed up to visit longtime churchman here who lives up in Grable now who has been it's actually Danny's stepdad, Eric Anderson, up in Grable. And we went up to visit, and on our way up, I found out that my uncle Jeff had passed. He's seven years older than me, my closest uncle as far as age goes, and he just fell over dead. And I do a lot of funerals.
You all know that. I do a lot of weddings. I never have considered myself a ceremonial person, but it's kinda hard to deny that after a while. But they asked if I would do the funeral, and it was great blessing to be able to just get up and go and do that. So hearing on Sunday evening and being there on Tuesday.
Large visitation for he's very, very well loved. In the South, we do funerals like this. Right? And so visitation was Wednesday, funeral on Thursday. And I just am thankful that I was able to go.
Thank you for praying for me and for the family. My aunt Deborah and their kids, Lauren and Ben and Sarah would still appreciate your prayers. So if y'all would be praying for him, I already am and Tanya is. But that's that was what was happening last week. And Van jumped in, and he went to Philippians 3, and it was great.
Thank you. Also, it snowed in Georgia last week. The little church that I was going to attend called me and said, we're not doing church today because of the snow. So I was like, are you serious? And two inches of snow shut the whole place down.
They're forecasting it again this week. So this week, Carl's church doesn't have church. So Carl hey, Carl. They're they're watching because Cave Spring's not doing church this week. It's shutting down everybody.
This Philippians three, I love to have context when preaching. Y'all know that. That's why we did this kind of continuous chronological study all these years. My next book that I'm wrestling with for the minor prophet series is Hosea. Continue to pray for me.
I don't have a good way of presenting that one, and I'm not gonna do it until I do. So it's coming, but pray for me. Okay? It's not easy. Philippians three leads into Philippians four.
That's where we are today. So here we go. We'll see how it goes. Philippians four thirteen. It's next on the list of most googled Bible verses.
Any list that you look at of what's the what are the ones people are wondering about? Now some of that is because people are holding up signs at football games. Some of that is because of the makeup under somebody's eyes that has John three sixteen written on it and you're wondering about it. But some of it is just because Christians know and hold on to things that are encouraging form, and they'll sign off a note and put Philippians four thirteen, you know, at the bottom or put Romans eight twenty eight when you're going through a really really hard time. They are verses to hold on to.
There's nothing wrong with them, but a lot of times context helps you understand those verses a lot better. In this case, Philippians four six and maybe seven are also on that top 10 Googled. So I thought we're doing Philippians four, four through 14 today. Here we go. Rejoice in the Lord always.
And again, I'll say rejoice. How many of y'all grew up in church?
Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. Rejoice. Rejoice. And again, I say rejoice.
Rejoice. Rejoice. And again, I say rejoice. Rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say, rejoice.
Now if I
did that twice, everybody who didn't grow up in church would be amazed that it starts into a round. And everybody automatically sounds like an orchestra. But I won't go any further. We got a lot to cover. Rejoice in the Lord always.
Again, I say rejoice. He's saying this, now I know there's context. And if you go immediately before this, he's imploring a couple of people in the church that have had a hard time getting along to get along. Right? That's immediately before this.
But he's saying there's so much joy in being a part of the fellowship and the people of God. Rejoice in the midst of it all. James would say, count it all joy, even the hard stuff. He has already said this once, so rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say, I'm I know I'm repeating myself, but finally my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord.
To write the same things again is no trouble me, it's a safeguard for you. You've got to live in a place of joy. Now, we can begin to navel gaze and look at ourselves and feel like, oh, I'm incapable of righteous joys, and I'm just a terrible terrible example. Woe is me. I'm undone.
Yeah. Get past that to God has saved you. He is sanctifying you. And that is a joyful thing. Right?
God is working on you. We're all works in progress. If we ever have a parade where drive a car, I hope it's a rundown piece of junk, not the shiny thing. We're all works in progress. All of us are.
So rejoice in that. God's not through with you. Let your gentleness or your gentle spirit be known to all people. Does it say pure theology? No.
Does it say? It says gentleness. Let your gentleness, let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. He's near and he is helping you with your gentleness.
Right? If you are serious about looking at your own life, you will begin to feel down. And then you say, but God, how long must I wrestle with my thoughts? How long must I have sorrow in my heart? How long, oh Lord, will my enemy triumph on me over me?
But I trust in your unfailing love. My heart rejoices that you save. Right? Living in a place of joy is really really really important, and it is possible. You think, well, how can I just choose it?
You can choose it. You can choose understanding of who you are and who God is. You can choose to be joyful in the moment. Four six says this, don't be anxious about anything. How are you all doing with that?
Lord, have mercy. Yeah. Don't be anxious about anything. Well, that's easy to say, Paul. Don't be anxious.
Well, says, but instead of being anxious, this is this is your choice. You can choose to be anxious and just sit in it and swim in it and lie there at night and go, oh, I don't know how I'm gonna deal with this. I don't know how I'm gonna pay for that. I don't know how I'm gonna get through this. I don't know.
Or you can say, you know what? God, I don't know. Statement of humility. I don't know. But everything that I'm going through right now doesn't surprise you.
I'm opening up this line of communication intentionally, humbly, and I'm pleading with you. I'm also thanking you. Pleading, but with thanksgiving, recognize it could be worse. And we might have catastrophized it to feel like it couldn't be. Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and with pleading and thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.
It's not gonna surprise him. He knows. Sometimes you don't even know what it is you need, but he already knows. And your openness with him about what it is that you need is very helpful for dealing with your anxiety. If you're hiding it and you're feeling like I should have done a better job with this, I really should have been better at this, and God is upset with me.
God only wants for you to connect with him. He wants for you to be honest with him. The whole thing about your sin in first John one nine where it says, if we are agreeing with God, confessing our sins to him, he's already forgiving them. So if you feel like, I should've been better at this. I'm ashamed that I didn't do what I should've done.
Well, the Lord says, confess that to me. Lord, I'm ashamed of what I've done with what you've given me. Would you, Lord, forgive me and help me get through this without all this anxiety? Would you help me? Would you show me the opportunities, Lord, for me to get better, to do better, to understand you better?
Would you show me, Lord, he will? Don't be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer, open communication with God, listening as well as speaking. Pleading with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And this says, and the peace of God which surpasses all of your comprehension will guard your hearts and it'll guard your minds in Christ Jesus. If you hadn't memorized this one, do.
It's really really helpful when you wake up with the anxious thought with the standing on your chest sort of how is this gonna happen. Lord, all things are possible to him who believes. Do you remember that passage from Mark nine? The guy brings his kid to Jesus' disciples because Jesus wasn't around. Who knows what he was doing?
The disciples were not able to help the guy. They were not able to heal the son. When Jesus comes back, he says, do you believe? All things are possible to one who believes. Do you believe?
And the guy goes, I do believe. Help me with my unbelief. That's the most honest prayer I can think of in the New Testament. Right? I do believe.
But help me with my unbelief. He brought him he thought Jesus could help. He brought him to Jesus. We know y'all are sitting here this morning. Right?
You know that this is a place to gather and gain strength even if it's within this body gaining strength. Prayer and pleading with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses I don't know why I'm okay. Right? Honestly, I'm away one week. I get so nervous before getting up here.
And then I start saying what it says, and that's all you have to do. And it smooths out. The peace of God surpasses comprehension. It's guarding my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus right now, and it works. And I've said this few times recently.
I keep on reading studies about it. It's impossible to be anxious and grateful at the same time, and you can choose to be grateful. Counting your blessings one by one, like evidence this morning. Counting your blessings one by one really does help. So let's be doing that together.
Now, finally brothers and sisters, this is a new American standard translation right here. I think I'm gonna swap over in a minute to New King James because I think it's helpful. Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's anything excellent, if there's anything that's worthy of praise, be thinking about these things. Okay. This should this is convicting.
Right? How are we spending our time? Where are we spending our time? Are we thinking about these things? True, honorable, right, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, worthy of praise.
Are we? Then Paul goes on in nine and says, as for the things you've learned and you've received and you've heard and you've seen in me, be practicing these things and the God of peace will be with you. This is an echo of the peace that he mentions that if you'll just connect directly with God. Now, Paul recognizes that not everybody's at the same place in their walk with God. And for those of us who are a little further down the road that we've been involved for a longer time, we understand and we have come to trust in God.
It's easier for us to open to him. It's easier for us to go to him because we've tested and tasted and seen that God is good and that he is an ever present help in times of trouble. If we are doing that, Paul recognizes. He says, follow after me as I follow Christ. He doesn't say follow after me because I'm wonderful.
He says, follow after me as I follow after Christ. I've learned how I still go wrong. I still get off track sometimes. But if you see anything that's in me, if you've received anything from me that gives you any the God of peace is gonna be with you. Be practicing these very same things.
So I'm a switch over here to New King James. I like the old New King James. Actually, for this funeral when I went, my my uncle Jeff, I I thought that we were baptized on the same day. We weren't. He was two years ahead of me.
And in my down times and in my hard times, when the devil would sort of attack in my life, just throughout my whole life since I've been a believer. There is a pesky little thing that the devil does where he tries to convince you that you're not a child of God. And one of the things that he used that the devil tries to use in my life is, you just love your uncle Jeff so much, and when he got baptized, that's all you wanted to do. Now, that's not true. It was two years.
If I look back in my you know, I thought it was the same day. But if I look back, it was two years ahead of that. I didn't walk the aisle because he walked the aisle. I walked the aisle because God was drawing me to himself. But the devil has a way of reframing things that are not true.
He has a way of reframing things that didn't happen that way. And then when you look over them in your head and you mull over and the devil says, is that really what God did? It's the same trick since the beginning. He doesn't have any new tricks. There's no new news.
It's just old news happening to new people, as Mike says. Right? This is really really good. I love it in the New King James. My aunt Laura gave me a Bible.
I used that one when I did this funeral this time. It's the New King James Bible, 1982, fresh off the presses. It just took out the these and thous and said you, basically, but it's pretty good translation. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true This is why I like this translation. Whatever things are true, this is this.
Whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are living, whatever things are of good report. If there's any virtue, if there's anything praiseworthy, or meditate on these things. That's a lot of things. It's just it's the repent I like the New King James because the poetry because it sounds like the Bible. It doesn't sound just like a bland fourth grade text.
Right? The things which you learned and you received and you heard and you saw in me, these things do and the God of peace will be with you. 10, I'll come back to. 11, I'll come back to. 12, I'll come back to.
And then 13 is this, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. How many of you all are old enough to remember the power team? Do you all know the power team? Just a few of you. The power team toured The United States Of America, and they were bodybuilders, muscle guys.
And it was sort of like the WWF, but they didn't wrestle. They ripped phone books in half while quoting this verse. I can do all things. I cannot rip a phone book in half. I cannot tear quarters in half.
Those guys could do that and did do that. But this was their thing. I've I saw a fighter the other day standing nose to nose with his opponent, and on his chest it said, Philippians four thirteen. I could do all things. I don't think that's what it means.
I'm pretty sure that the things that he's talking about here are those things in that list. Right there. I can do true things, vile human that I am. Because of the spirit of God living in me, I can do true things. Because of the spirit of God living in me, I can do things that are noble.
I can do things that are just and righteous. Though, there's no righteousness in me. Every little bit of righteousness that I have is derived, righteousness derived from a holy and good God who delights to give his children good things. So if I'm to do anything righteous or just, if I am to do justly and love mercy and walk humbly, it's gonna be because of the spirit of God. And it's possible because of him.
Because Christ strengthens me. I can do that. I can do pure things. I can do lovely things. I can do things that are of good report.
And I can do virtuous things, and I can do things that are praiseworthy. Now, Paul says, be meditating on these things. So whatever is true, true, unconcealed, true, walking in the light is the truth. Right? Walking in the light.
Worthy of credit, truthful, what can't be hidden. It stresses the undeniable reality when something is fully tested, when something is known to be true, sealed, certified, bonafide, if you will. Like the word of God, sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. If we're to think on these things, should we be paying attention what scripture says?
Yes. It's really helpful. It's really good. Even if you just spent the 10 most Googled. Look it up.
It's amazing. Amazing Bible study. It might be a series before long while I work on Hosea. Whatever things are noble, noble, venerable, honorable, grave, serious, dignified, weighty, they're deeply respected. They're viewed as majestic because they have some gravity.
There is a way to step into the gap and do something that's noble. It might be a selfless act on behalf of someone else. Whatever is just, just is or it's just. Especially what is just or righteous in the eyes of God, it is righteous or righteousness. Whatever is pure, it's a cognate of holy.
Properly, is pure all the way to the core, virginal, chaste, unadulterated, pure inside and out. It's holy because it's uncontaminated or undefiled from sin. Now, if I look at myself and I think, oh, that's not me, but it is. Because God is pure. God is holy, and he has given his spirit to me.
I can dwell on things that are pure, or I can choose to dwell on things that are completely and totally impure. Without spoilation, even within even down to the center of one's being, it's not mixed, unmixed with guilt or anything condemnable. And you think, well, I have guilt though. I have guilt. If you agree with God about your guilt believer, he is taking it and throw it in as far as the East is from the West.
Now, I'm not a believer in sinless perfectionism that you get to a place where you just don't sin anymore, but I am a believer in walking in victory. There will be a new way that you sin. There will be a new thing that comes up that you didn't even know about, and then you look back and go, oh, that was it. Be careful lest you fall. Right?
Pride is one of those silent secret kinda things that's back there that you don't see it most of the time. And then you'll realize, oh my goodness, that was all for my own glory. Yep. God says, and that one's forgiven. Far as the east is from the west, remember no more.
In the sea of forgetfulness, remember no more. Though your sins were in front of me, God says in Isaiah, I will put them behind me. Oh, almighty God. Whatever is pure, whatever is lovely. Lovely.
Prosphile. From pros, extending toward, and philo, affectionate, caring. Properly is worthy of personal affection, hence it's dearly prized worthy of the effort to have and embrace. It's only used here in the New Testament. Now, this is interesting to me and it because of this lift, I started thinking, how does this coincide with the the fruits of the spirit?
These are all Greek virtues. What? Even Paul, when he's speaking to the Philippians, he is using be meditating on these things that you already know to be good. It's apart from Christianese. Right?
Be meditating on these things. It doesn't have to be just within the family. When you see something wonderful or lovely or it gets to praise worthy, virtuous. Yeah. Think on that for a little while.
Wow. God is good and he causes his rain to fall on the just and unjust. You know, the good things. He gives blessing. He causes the sun to rise on the just and unjust.
He is lovely. Ultimately, God is lovely. Of good report, well reported of, spoken of in a high, kindly spirit, laudable, reputable. It's something that people would give a good report about. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.
That is my mama. If you think, oh, not say that. Maybe don't say it. Maybe don't say it because when you hear yourself say it out loud, it just gives you a little more ammunition for the next time you wanna say something like that. Hold on to it.
If it's a good report, go for it. Virtuous, moral goodness, a gracious act, virtue uprightness, praiseworthy, enthusiastic acknowledgement of of what deserves praise. That's good. When somebody does something great, one of our tendencies as human beings is to try to tear them down just a little bit, so they don't get the big head. But if somebody does something that's praiseworthy, give them a pat on the back.
Think on it. Think on, wow, that was an amazing thing they did. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever's true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, whatever. If there's any virtue, if there's anything praiseworthy, be meditating. It says meditate instead of just think on these things.
I think both of them are reliable translations, but think on things seems a little less involved than meditating on these things. He doesn't stop there though. Let me let me pause here for a second and let's think about spending time concentrating on something. Would you all agree that that's meditating? Okay.
Just wonder. What are we watching? What are we reading? Is it true? Is it noble?
Is it just? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good report? Is it virtuous?
Is it praiseworthy? I don't know about y'all's algorithm. I had to quit all that. I'm not I'm not bragging. My preacher said when I was little that he didn't have a television, I just couldn't believe it.
Flat couldn't believe it. I'm not telling y'all not to. I had to. I had to you know, and I'll I'll download them again at some point, I'm sure, because I'm a human being. But I had to get rid of it because it's making me mad.
And I'm not generally a mad person. I'm generally, I think I think, fairly jovial. But man, it was making me mad, and I didn't like who I was. So I had to get rid of it. Not saying you do.
But if you meditate on these things, those are the things you're going be doing. So the things which you learn and you receive and you heard and you saw in me, Paul says, these things do. Now, Paul is meaning that he says, follow me as I follow Christ. Right? He's he's already cleared that up earlier in the book.
This the things which you learned and you received in me. He's not saying, if you do like me, everything will be okay. He's just saying, if you're meditating on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report, if there's any virtue, anything praiseworthy. And some of y'all's algorithms are just pure that puppies and rainbows and everything's wonderful. I know that.
Because my wife says that way. These do. And the God of peace will be with you. He's already said that the God of peace will be with you if you just have open communication with him, and you're grateful, and you let him know what you're anxious about. Okay.
Back to ten and eleven. Now, this all happens in the context of the real world. Paul has been traveling all about. He's been to Philippi, and they were really good to him while he was there. And then when he's away from there, he says, you know what?
I rejoiced. I'm I'm telling you to rejoice in the Lord always. And again I say rejoice. But also, I rejoice greatly that now, at last, y'all have revived your concern for me. I'm not even there.
I'm not even there. I'm stuck where I am in prison. I'm stuck. And y'all revive your concern with me. You were concerned before, but I I figure you lacked an opportunity to act on that concern.
Not that I'm speaking from need. Do you get me? I'm not saying to send me more. This is not a missionary support letter. Some people see this as just a missionary support letter.
It's not. Not that I speak from need, for I've learned to be content whatever circumstances. I mean, I I know how to get along with a little. I know how to get along with a lot. In any and in every circumstance, I've learned that the secret of being filled and and going hungry, both having abundance and suffering need.
I'm fine. But, man, it make it feels good that y'all care. You know? Now, I I personalized this one. You can do all of these things that I mentioned through Christ who strengthens you.
Yes. I'm not promising you can rip a quarter in half. I don't think you can rip a phone book in half. I don't I hope you don't fight anybody anytime soon and win. But you can do these things, these true things, these noble things, these just things.
You can act justly. You can love mercy. You can walk humbly because of Christ who strengthens you. You can do these pure things. Although you think, oh, I'm a wretched sinner and I'm impure, but God has called you holy.
He's imputed to you the righteousness of Christ. To deny that is to deny the very gospel. You can do lovely things through Christ who strengthens you. You can do things that are of good report through Christ who strengthens you. You can do virtuous praiseworthy things through Christ who strengthens you.
You can do that. And Paul said, you can. And he said, the things that I've done, I can't even believe I've gotten to be a part of this. I was an enemy of God. I'm the chief of sinners for crying out loud.
And yet, he's the one who wrote most of the New Testament, as far as human beings go. And then he I'll close with this. This is not the close of the letter, but nevertheless, out of all that, the two top 10 Googled verses all in in one chapter. Right? And then he goes, nevertheless, you all have done well to share with me in my difficulty.
And I wanted to stop right there because last week, Fan jumps up on the stage. He hadn't been here what whole week, you know. Just getting his getting himself settled, family settled. All the whole family had the flu last week. Van comes over.
He said, pray for me that I don't get the flu before I have to get up there. Right? Jumps up. Y'all are so gracious, and I appreciate that so much. Nevertheless, you've done well to share with me in the midst of my difficulty.
It feels good to know that people are praying for you. It feels good to know that we've got people with you. And I want you to know that you've got people with you. I want you to know that we want to be helpful in any way that we can. So really, if you feel like, oh, they're too busy for that, just try us.
Try it anyway. How how can we help? We want to be helpful to you. Would you stand? I'm gonna ask the band to come back up.
The altar is always open for prayer and I'm gonna pray right now. Lord, it is for your glory. It is for your glory that we gather. We we we want it to be for your glory. And Lord, you say that it's for your glory and for our good.
What's the chief end of man? Right? To love God and glorify him forever for our good, Lord, and for your glory. In Jesus name, I pray that you would strengthen us today to do the things that are good and noble, holy, and just, merciful, loving, and kind. Would you spread your love to this world through us?
Amen.
Sing with us. For your glory we say yes lord we say yes say, yes, lord, lord you you can can use we me, lord.
Amen. May the Lord bless and keep you and make his face to shine upon
