Bible Study - Thrive - Purpose Exemplified (6) - Philippians 1-1-11 - October 13, 2024

 

Bible Study – Thrive – Purpose Exemplified (6) – October 6, 2024

GOD is glorified when we, who have been redeemed from walking in the path of sinners to walking in the path of JESUS.

When a person accepts JESUS as his/her Savior, that person has a change of direction. The person turns around and chooses to walk as led by the indwelling Holy Spirit, WHO is the third person of the Trinity and revelation of GOD to humans.

A person’s faith in JESUS is the beginning of his/her walk as a Spirit-born Christian. Let’s explore as guided by our selected scripture Philippians 1:1-11.

Greetings

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus:

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, including the overseers and deacons.

² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you,^[a] 4 always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer, ⁵ because of your partnership (koinonia) in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you^[b] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. ⁷ Indeed, it is right for me to think this way about all of you, because I have you in my heart,^[c] and you are all partners with me in grace (unmerited favor), both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. ⁸ For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. ⁹ And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, ¹¹ that filled with the fruit of righteousness comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

A person must be grafted into the vine, who is JESUS, to produce the “fruit of righteousness.”

Notice, when a person is Spirit-born, he or she produces “fruit” and not “fruits” as often referenced. There is only one fruit that is produced which is defined in Galatians 5:22-23: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

What must a person do to produce this fruit? JESUS said it best in John 15:1-The Vine and the Branches

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. ² Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. ⁸ My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be^[a] my disciples.

Christlike Love

⁹ “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

¹¹ “I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.

¹² “This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master^[b] is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you.

¹⁷ “This is what I command you: Love one another.

In our focus scripture, 1 Philippians 1:5: The Apostle Paul used the word “koinonia” or “fellowship” which carries the idea partnership in the work of the LORD. The term also carries the idea of fellowship as “Spirit-born” or “kindred,” brothers and sisters, reaching out, as a loving family, to those who are in or not in right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS.

The physical birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of JESUS removed forever that which blocked the eternal path to GOD, which is sin. The path to the One True GOD, I AM/YAWEH is open because the sin barrier has been removed. However, every person must accept the Gift of salvation from hell to receive eternal life through faith in JESUS. JESUS knocks upon every person’s heart’s door. Only the person who hears JESUS knocking on his/her heart’s door can open it because the latch is on the inside of that person’s heart.

We find this in Revelation 3:20: ²⁰ See! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat (reside) with him/her, and he/she with me.

Sin blocks a person’s relationship with GOD. The Good News of JESUS is that HIS passion of living a sinless life, willingly giving HIS perfect life by the shedding of HIS blood, paid in full for all sin. But there is an important step every person must accept and that is to acknowledge what JESUS did for all people. When JESUS’ lady disciples discovered the stone that had once sealed the entrance to the tomb where JESUS was buried had been rolled away, they looked in and discovered an empty tomb.

JESUS is the first fruit from HIS Passion. Life after bodily death is a fact as proven and guaranteed by the resurrection of JESUS. Over 400 people witnessed the bodily resurrected JESUS before HE ascended into Heaven.

A number of years ago, while driving on Interstate 85, I saw a vision outside my car in the sky accompanied by a booming voice like I had never heard. The voice identified the lady in the vision as Mrs. Green. Mrs. Green was the mother of a lady with whom I worked. We, along with co-workers, had been praying for her healing. I would not have known it was Mrs. Green (I had never met Mrs. Green) if she had not been identified by the clear booming voice. If you care to read about this event in my life, go to actsclass.blogspot.com and look at the top left-hand top corner of the page and there is a search box. Type in the name of Mrs. Green and you should be able to access it.

Yes, there is life after the death of our physical bodies and that is GOOD NEWS for all who place their faith in JESUS and HIS Passion – Physical life – born 100% human/yet GOD – physical death on the cross -proves JESUS was 100% human – physical bodily resurrection from death is proof that JESUS conquered death – physical bodily ascension into Heaven to take HIS seat at the right-hand of HIS FATHER, GOD

As many may know, South Carolina experienced the ravages of hurricane Helene.

We are roughly over 350 miles from the coast where hurricane Helene landed, yet we and cities over 100+ miles further suffered even greater damage.

There is an entourage of people helping – Samaritan’s Purse was one of the first responders I saw serving in North Carolina. The South Carolina Baptist Disaster Relief is another organization ministering to the needs of so many people, as well as so many more people, churches, and organizations.

All who have experienced the miracle of Spiritual Birth, the divine sperm of GOD is in them along with the attributes of GOD given via the gifts of the Holy Spirit. All Spirit-born people have the same Father thus Spiritual brothers and sisters.

Spiritual Gifts are given by GOD to those Spirit-born to minister to others and serve the true church. Fellowship or koinonia includes fellow Christians with a heart for those who do not know JESUS as their Savior, as well as meeting their physical needs. Also, to reach out to fellow Spirit-born Christians who may be struggling in their walk with JESUS. We are to come to the aid of each other. The hot coals of a fire gives off heat when together but when separated, they begin to go cold.

It is the same with walking with JESUS, Satan uses every trick to defeat Spirit-born Christians. The ministry of the church is to minister to all: those who are seeking, those who are walking and those who have been gifted to minister. As we approach the second coming of JESUS, the church, the body of true believers, must be united in the bond of love to minister and serve.

When the hurricane went through our area, most, if not all, lost electrical power. Many people who had generators could share electricity with their neighbor and many did so. Neighbors helped neighbors or helped others just out of their desire to help, do good deeds and minister.

We are blessed to have a loving daughter and her family to minister to us along with those out of town checking to see that we were being taken care of. What a blessing!

Some people use the plight of people to take advantage of those with needs. One person I spoke with told me that a truck came through their neighborhood and offered to cut the tree that was on their home for $34,000.

When we see the ravages that the storms of life bring to good and bad people, as Spirit-born people, that is our call to action. We offer comfort, hope, a listening ear, a helping hand and so much more.

JESUS told us in Mark 13:8 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be earthquakes in different places and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.”

Folks, JESUS is coming again. Let us who know the truth share the truth and the Gospel Light of JESUS while there is still light.

Blessings!!!