Philippians: Shine Like Stars – DAY 12
Family Discussions for a New School Year
Paul prays a lot for a lot of people. Now he tells us what he prays.
[It takes under 5 1/2 min. to read this aloud!]
*This is DAY 12. For previous days, click here.
DAY 12/FRI.-SAT.
Philippians 1:3-11
And This Is My Prayer
“I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:3-11 (NIV)
As we have already seen and noted, Paul prays a lot of prayers for a lot of people. In all his prayers for the Philippian believers, he always prays with joy because they are his partners in the gospel.
In v.9-11, Paul tells us what his prayer for them is.
| His prayer? | That their love may abound more & more in knowledge & depth of insight |
| Why? | So that they may be able to discern what is best & may be pure & blameless for the day of Christ |
| How? | By being filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ |
| To what end? | To the glory & praise of God |
Love May Abound More & More
What is biblical love? In my Scripturewise student series on love, I found,
- “Biblical love is less about feeling and more about choice, commitment, & actions often taken in opposition to feelings.”
- “Love is not just making everyone feel good about themselves!!!”
- “But love does not equal accepting others as they are.”
- “Love is choosing to do what is right based on the truth of God’s Word.”
- “Biblical Love = Obeying God”
- “Love is obeying Jesus.”
*To visit Scripturewise, click here.
Jesus Himself is our greatest example of true love.
“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.”
I John 3:16 (NIV)
When Paul prays that the love of the Philippian church “may abound more & more,” he’s talking about more & more self-sacrifice, more & more doing what may not feel so good, but is good, more & more putting others before yourself, more & more telling others the truth of the gospel.
In Knowledge
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
Philippians 1:9-11 (NIV)
This is not just any knowledge; this is a knowledge that, along with deepening insight, enables discernment, and purity & blamelessness.
Skipping ahead to Philippians 3, Paul tells us the most important thing to know.
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ…”
Philippians 3:8 (NIV)
Knowing Christ Jesus his Lord has surpassing worth for Paul. All the things he used to consider important Paul now considers “garbage;” he has lost them all for Jesus’ sake.
For Paul, there is one choice.
You can choose either
| everything that is important in the eyes of the world | or | knowing Christ Jesus the Lord. |
You can’t do both.
We cannot know Christ the Lord if we are also trying to know worldly success, and high social status, and cultural influence, and a comfortable life, and any version of the American dream.
If you’re not feeling convicted yet (I am!), read this:
Jesus said,
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!‘”
Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)
We can’t just call Him “Lord;” we must know Him as our Lord! If we don’t know Him as Lord, one day He will say He never knew us! I can’t think of anything more frightening!!!
This is what we want to hear:
“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness!”
Matthew 25:21;23 (NIV)
We need to know Jesus Christ as our Lord, as our Master.
What an important thing for Paul to pray for the Philippian church: that their love for Jesus would abound more & more in knowledge of Him!
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other…”
Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
“But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
Ways to Know Him
What are some ways we can get to know Jesus?
- Reading the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John
- Reading the whole Bible, Old & New Testaments
- Praying
- Obeying Jesus’ commands
- Serving Jesus by serving others
- Praise & Worship
- Discussing God’s Word with other believers
DAY 12/FRI.-SAT. Prayer
Father God,
Thank You for Your Word. Thank You that we can know You through Your Word and through prayer, obedience, service, praise & worship, & discussion with fellow believers.
Lord, teach us to love biblically, in self-sacrificial obedience to Your commands.
Each moment of each day we have a choice: to serve You or serve ourselves. I pray our family’s response will always be “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
DAY 12: Paul shares what he prays, with joy, for the Philippian Christians, starting with their love abounding more & more in knowledge.