"And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense until the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."
Philippians 1:9-11.
A simple prayer.
But it was one that Paul prayed often. In previous verses, he says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you". Every time he remembered the Philippian church he prayed for them.
He prayed for their love to abound. Not just to grow, but to abound. He wanted the love of Christ to be so evident in their lives that it spread throughout Philippi.
He prayed that they would approve things that were excellent. Basically, that's his way of saying that he prays that they will be able to discern what is best. To be able to look at two options and choose the best one. The one that will bring the most glory to God.
He also prays that they will be sincere and blameless before God. It goes hand in hand with excellent discernment, because if we aren't discerning right from wrong, best from better, then we don't stand much of a chance to be "blameless" before our Father.
Last of all, Paul prays for the Philippian Christians to be filled with the fruits of righteousness. Think the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 6; all of the ways we can be like Christ. We become like Christ only through His power, because without Him we really aren't worth very much at all. And the last phrase sums up the reason behind everything we do in life. For the glory and praise of God. So that unbelievers can see us and see God in us. So that we are little Christs, just like the word "Christians" implies. Icons of our Savior, like our computer icons. Representative of who He is.
This should be our prayer for every Christian we know. Every time we remember them, we should pray as Paul did: for love to abound, to be discerning, to be blameless, and to be fruitful. Yes we pray for physical needs, but more importantly, we pray for the spiritual ones.
For the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11.
A simple prayer.
But it was one that Paul prayed often. In previous verses, he says, "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you". Every time he remembered the Philippian church he prayed for them.
He prayed for their love to abound. Not just to grow, but to abound. He wanted the love of Christ to be so evident in their lives that it spread throughout Philippi.
He prayed that they would approve things that were excellent. Basically, that's his way of saying that he prays that they will be able to discern what is best. To be able to look at two options and choose the best one. The one that will bring the most glory to God.
He also prays that they will be sincere and blameless before God. It goes hand in hand with excellent discernment, because if we aren't discerning right from wrong, best from better, then we don't stand much of a chance to be "blameless" before our Father.
Last of all, Paul prays for the Philippian Christians to be filled with the fruits of righteousness. Think the fruit of the spirit in Galatians 6; all of the ways we can be like Christ. We become like Christ only through His power, because without Him we really aren't worth very much at all. And the last phrase sums up the reason behind everything we do in life. For the glory and praise of God. So that unbelievers can see us and see God in us. So that we are little Christs, just like the word "Christians" implies. Icons of our Savior, like our computer icons. Representative of who He is.
This should be our prayer for every Christian we know. Every time we remember them, we should pray as Paul did: for love to abound, to be discerning, to be blameless, and to be fruitful. Yes we pray for physical needs, but more importantly, we pray for the spiritual ones.
For the glory and praise of God.
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