Hi, I'm Ryan. Welcome to Bible at the Beach. Today we will be in Philippians
chapter 4 verses 1 through 9. So glad you can join me today. Paul writes,
My dear and precious friends whom I deeply love, you have truly become my glorious
joy and crown of reward now arise in the fullness of your union with the Lord.
Paul had a very personal and a very passionate relationship with this church
in Philippi. There was an intense bond there that existed and so he's speaking
from this context. You know, you don't tell people the truth unless you care.
And so Paul is giving instructions that are coming forth from his desire to help
them. He says, and I plead with you, Idea and Sintiq, to settle their disagreement
and be restored with one mind in our Lord. Brings up a good question. Do
disagreements happen between believers? Of course. You know, you don't and and
the more believers the more disagreements. So what helps what helps
solve disagreements is maturity. And so if you have two people that disagree,
usually the more mature one will initiate the reconciliation. Now it
depends on the infraction. There are there are grounds for I'm actually
asking people to no longer fellowship. But for the most part we have to be
mature in our dealings with one another, which most often involves taking the low
road and choosing humility and choosing to live a problem free life. It says, I
would like my dear friend and burden bearer to help resolve this issue for
both women have diligently labored with me for the prize and helped in spreading
the revelation of the gospel along with Clement and the rest of the co-workers.
All of their names are written in the book of life. Now Paul's making reference
here to the book of Revelation. It's the last book of the Bible and the the
author of the book of Revelation has a line in it where he says that all who
know Christ are written in the book of life. And Paul is saying that we need to
keep the end in mind that we are that all of this life on earth is really just
a dress rehearsal for heaven. So we want to have peace on earth with each other
because we will have peace on earth in heaven with Jesus. So the ideal for
believers is peace and unity. I'm gonna say that again, peace and unity. Not
dissension, not arguments, not backbiting, but peace and unity amongst believers
because peace and unity amongst believers is a little glimpse into heaven.
That's exactly how it's gonna be. Boy based on the last few years can't you
wait to get there? It's gonna be awesome. So he says be cheerful and joyous. Be
cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let your joy
overflow. Boy Paul sure had context for this. Now remember he's riding from a
jail cell. Paul's talking about having joy in every season of life. I've talked
about this a lot here at Bible on the Beach. This is the 202nd episode and I've
done last three years. Talked a lot about this. God wants to give you
the joy for your life in every season and for every reason. And so our human
nature is we tend to look up when things are going bad. We tend to look to
ourselves when things are going good. That's a broken algorithm. The mature
perspective sees God through everything. The success, the sufferings, the
failures, the mountain peaks attained. The mature believer sees God's hand in all
and through all circumstances and really just tries to get a good rhythm, get a
good routine for life going. And looking to God at all times gives us some great
advice here in verse 5. And let gentleness be seen in every relationship
for our Lord is very near. Boy gentleness. That's a hard one for me. That's a hard
one for me. I'm probably gonna have to repent from that one. I like my routine. I
like my rhythm and sometimes I can be a little ornery and so God's gonna need to
refine that gentleness in my life. Verse 6. Don't be pulled in different
directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout the day.
Offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. So
one focus at all time. The Lord, the Holy Spirit, what does he want to do?
Everything else comes and goes in life. The Lord, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, what does
God want to do today? That's the sweet spot of every believer. Tell him every
detail of your life. Did you know that you can tell God everything that's going
on in your life? This is why I get a four o'clock every day and I pray and I think
about my life and I give thanks and I go through my prayer list etc. I want to
talk to God about everything. God could be your best friend. God could be the one
that you talk to all throughout the day. That's what I do. Not in a weird way like
I'm talking to myself in the coffee shop or whatever. That's weird. But just like
in my mind praying, okay Lord what do you want to do next? Who should I? Where should
I go next? Who should I talk to etc. And God will just guide you and direct you
in your life. He says keep your thoughts continually fixed on that on what is
authentic and real. Boy, there is the fake and there's the real. There's the
inauthentic and the authentic. We need the Holy Spirit to show us the difference
and he says and be beautiful whatever is beautiful and respectful, pure, holy,
merciful, and kind. So there's an asset class that we want to be drawn to in our
thoughts and here it is. Philippians 4. Wow. Whatever is authentic, real,
honorable, admirable, beautiful, respectful, pure, holy, merciful, and kind.
Fasten your thoughts on the glorious on every glorious work of God. So how do you
get filled with positivity? You got to see what God's doing. There's what man's
doing, the news, bad news, etc. There's what God's doing. Good news. Victory. We always
want to be aware of what God is doing in us and through us. So he says and
fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God. Praising them always, putting
into practice the example of all you have heard from me and seen in my life
and the God of peace will be with you in all things you see. God's peace. This is
the gospel. God can give you peace in every circumstance. Ryan, what in the
world are you talking about? When people die, God can give you peace. Yes. When
you're depressed, God can give you peace. Yes. When you're down, God can give me
peace. Yes. In fact, right now you can say, God come and give me your peace and God
will do it. Over and over and over again in my life, I've asked God to give me
peace and he has answered me every single time. Invite God's peace into your
life today. That's the gospel. The gospel of peace in Jesus name. Now with all
things, may God give us the eyes to see, the ears to hear, the heart to feel to
respond to whoever he wants us to be today. In the name of Jesus. Until next
time, hope you have a beautiful day.
Hi, I'm Ryan. Welcome to Bible