A Life of Joy

PHILIPPIANS--The Joyful Christian Mind

I. THE SINGLE MIND-

- Chapter 1

Joy in spite of circumstances

Key Verse- -1:21

1. The fellowship of the Gospel-1:1-11

2. The furtherance of the Gospel-1:12-26

3. The faith of the Gospel-1:27-30

I1. THE SUBMISSIVE MIND-

- Chapter 2

Joy in spite of people

Key Verse- -2:3

1. The example of Christ--2:1-11

2. The example of Paul--2:12-18

3. The example of Timothy--2:19-24

4. The example of Epaphroditus--2:25-30

lI

1. THE SPIRITUAL MIND-

- Chapter 3

Joy in spite of things

Key Verses- -3:19-20

1. Paul's past-3:1-11 (the accountant-"I

count")

2. Paul's present-3:12-16 (the athlete-_"I

press")

3. Paul's future- -3:17-21 look")

(the alien-"I

IV. THE SECURE MIND-

- Chapter 4

A joy that defeats worry

Key Verses-1:6-7

1. God's peace-4:1-9

2. God's power-1:10-13

3. God's provision- -1:14-23

Mark Twain was a professional humorist whose

lectures and writings made people around the

world laugh and, for a short time, forget their

troubles. Yet Mark Twain himself was, in private,

a man whose life was broken by sorrow. When his

beloved daughter Jean died suddenly of an epileptic seizure, Twain, too ill to go to the funeral, said to a friend,

"I have never greatly envied any- one but the dead. I always envy the dead.

Jesus Christ was

"a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." Yet He possessed a deep joy

that was beyond anything the world could offer.

As He faced the cruel death of Calvary, Jesus said

to His followers, "These things have I spoken unto

you, that My joy might remain in you, and that

your joy might be full" (John 15:11)

Those who have trusted Christ have the privilege

of experiencing "fulness of joy"

(Ps. 16:11). Yet,

few Christians take advantage of this privilege.

7

They live under a cloud of disappointment when they could be walking in the sunshine of joy. What

has robbed them of their joy? The answer to that important question is found

in a letter written centuries ago. It was written by the Apostle Paul when he was a prisoner in Rome

about A.D. 62; and it was sent to his fellow Christians at the church in Philippi, a church Paul had

founded on his second missionary journey (Acts 16). One of their members, Epaphroditus, had been

sent to Rome to bring a special offering to the apostle and to help him in his time of difficulty

(Phil. 2:25-30; 4:10-20). Paul's letter to the Philippian church is something of a missionary thank-you

letter, but it is much more than that. It is the sharing of Paul's secret of Christian joy! At least 19

times in these four chapters, Paul mentions joy, rejoicing, or gladness!

The unusual thing about the letter is this: Paul's situation was such that there appeared to be no

reason for him to be rejoicing. He was a Roman prisoner and his case was coming up shortly. He

might be acquitted, or he might be beheaded! Acts 28:30-31 indicates that he was a prisoner in

his own hired house, but he was chained to a Roman soldier and not permitted to preach in

public. Paul had wanted to go to Rome as a preacher (Rom. 1:13-16); instead, he had come as

a prisoner. And, unfortunately, the believers at Rome were divided: some were for Paul and some

were against him (Phil. 1:15-17). In fact, some of the Christians even wanted to make things more

difficult for the apostle!l Yet, in spite of his danger and discomfort, Paul

overflowed with joy. What was the secret of this joy? The secret is found in other words that is

often repeated in Philippians: it is the word mind. Paul uses mind 10 times, and also uses the word

think 5 times. Add the time he uses remember and you have a total of 16 references to the mind.

In other words, the secret of Christian joy is found in the way the believer thinks--his attitudes. After

all, outlook determines outcome. As we think, so we are (Prov. 23:7). Philippians, then, is a Chris- tian psychology book, based solidly on Bible doctrine. It is not a shallow "self-help book that tells the reader how to convince himself that "everything is going to turn out all right.

" It is a book that explains the mind the believer must have if he is going to experience Christian joy in a world filled with trouble. The best way to get the total picture of the book is to discover first the "thieves" that rob us of our joy, then determine the kinds of attitudes we must have in order to capture and conquer

these "thieves."

1. Circumstances

Most of us must confess that when things are going our way" we feel a lot happier and we are much easier to live with. "Dad must have had an easy day at the office,; little Peggy said to her visiting girlfriend. "He didn't squeal the tires when

he pulled into the driveway, and he didn't slam the door when he came into the house. And he even gave Mother a kiss!"'

But have you ever stopped to consider how few of the circumstances of life are really under our control? We have no control over the weather or

over the traffic on the expressway or over the things other people say and do. The person whose happiness depends on ideal circumstances is going to be miserable much of the timel The poet Byron wrote,

"Men are the sport of circumstances.

And yet here is the Apostle Paul in the worst of circumstances, writing a letter saturated with joy! 2. People

My daughter jumped off the school bus as it stopped in front of our house and slammed her

way through the front door. She marched defiantly up the stairs into her room and again slammed the door. All the time she was muttering under her

come in?» She replied, "No!"

I tried again, but she said it even more belligerently: "NO!"

I asked, "Why can't I come in?" Her answer: "Because you're a people!"

All of us have lost our joy because of people: what they are, what they say, and what they do. (And no doubt we ourselves have contributed to making somebody else unhappy. It works both ways.) But we have to live and work with people;

we cannot isolate ourselves and still live to glorify Christ. We are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. But sometimes the light grows dim and the salt becomes bitter because of other people. Is there any way to have joy in spite of people?

3. Things

A wealthy man was moving into his mansion, and his Quaker neighbor, who believed in the simplicity of life, was watching the activities carefully. The neighbor counted the number of chairs and tables and the vast amount of bric-a-brac that was being carried into the house. Finally, he said to the lord of the mansion: "Neighbor, if thou dost need any-

thing, come to see me and I will tell thee how to get along without it!" Abraham Lincoln was walking down the street

with his two sons, who were crying and fighting. "What's the matter with the boys?" a friend asked.

"The same thing that's wrong with the whole world," Lincoln replied. "I have three walnuts and each of the boys wants two!" Things! What thieves they can bel Yet Jesus said, "A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15). In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus warned against laying up treasures on earth: they are not safe, they do not last, and they never satisfy. Yet most people today think that joy comes from the things

4. Worry

This is the worst thief of all How many people have been robbed of peace and fulfillment because of worry! In fact, worry even has physical consequences, and, while medicine can remove the symptoms, it cannot remove the cause. Worry is an

"inside job." You can purchase "sleep" at the drug store, but you cannot purchase "rest." If Paul had wanted to worry, he had plenty of occasion. He was a political prisoner facing possible execution. His friends in Rome were divided in their attitudes toward his case. He had no mission board supporting him and no Legal Aid Society defending him. But in spite of all these difficulties, Paul does not worry! Instead, he writes a letter filled with joy and tells us how to stop worrying.

These, then, are the four thieves that rob us of joy: circumstances, people, things, and worry. How

do we capture these thieves and keep them from taking away the joy that is rightfully ours in Christ?

The answer is: we must cultivate the right kind of mind. If outlook determines outcome, then the

attitude of mind that we cultivate will determine our joy or lack of it. In the four chapters of Philippians, Paul describes four attitudes of mind that will produce joy in spite of circumstances, people, and things, and that will keep us from worrying.

The Four Attitudes That Maintain Your Joy

1. The Single Mind--Philippians I

"'A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways"

(James 1:8). Or, to use the old Latin proverb: "When the pilot does not know what port he is heading for, no wind is the right wind." The reason many Christians are upset by circumstances is because they do not cultivate "the single mind." Paul expresses this attitude of single-hearted devotion to Christ thus: "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (1:21). In chapter 1, Paul discusses his difficult circumstances and faces them honestly. But his circumstances cannot rob him of his joy because he is not living to enjoy circumstances; He is living to serve Jesus Christ. He is a man with purpose: "This one thing I do" (3:13). He does not look at circumstances in themselves, but rather in relationship to Jesus Christ. He is not the prisoner of Rome; he is"the prisoner of "Jesus chist Eph. 3:1). The chains he wears are "my bonds in Christ"

Philippians 1:13 KJV 1900

13 So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;

He is not facing a civil trial; he is "set for the defense of the Gospel (1:17). He did not look at Christ through his circumstances; rather, he looked at his circumstances through Christ--and this changed everything. When a Christian is single-minded, he is concerned about the fellowship of the Gospel (1:1-11), the furtherance of the Gospel (1:12-26), and the faith of the Gospel (1:27-30). Paul rejoiced in his difficult circumstances because they helped to strengthen his fellowship with other Christians, gave him opportunity to lead others to Christ, and enabled him to defend the Gospel before the courts of Rome. When you have the single mind, your circumstances work for you and not against you.

2. The Submissive Mind--Philippians 2

This chapter focuses on people and the key verse says, "Let nothing be done through strife or vain- glory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better [more important] than themselves" (v. 3). In chapter 1, Paul puts Christ first. In this chapter, he puts others second. Which means he puts himself last! The reason people aggravate us

so much is usually because we do not have our own way. If we go through life putting ourselves first, and others go through life putting themselves first, then at many points there are going to be

terrific battles. A mother and her little son got on an elevator to go to the doctor's office. At the second floor group of people got on, among them a rather large woman. As the elevator sped upward, the quiet

was broken by a scream from the lips of the plump passenger. She turned to the mother and said

"Your son just bit me!"

The mother was horrified, but the little boy had an explanation:

"She sitted in my face and I bited her!"

What took place on that elevator is taking place all over the world: people and nations bite each other because they get sat on or crowded. But the Christian with the submissive mind does not expect others to serve him; he serves others. He considers the good of others to be more important than his own plans and desires.

In chapter 2 we find four wonderful examples of the submissive mind: Jesus Christ (2:1-11), Paul (2:12-18), Timothy (2:19-24), and Epaphroditus (2:25-30).

Each of these examples proves the principle, "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14:11).

3. The Spiritual Mind-Philippians 3

Eleven times in this chapter you find Paul using the word things. He points out that most people

"mind earthly things" (v. 19), but that the spiritually minded Christian is concerned about heavenly

things. "For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ' (v. 20). The person with the spiritual mind looks at the things of this world from heaven's point of view-and what a difference that makes!

When five missionaries were martyred by the Aucas in Ecuador, some newspapers and magazines considered the tragedy to be a great waste of life. While it did bring sorrow and grief to friends and loved ones, subsequent events proved that their deaths were not "waste" either for them or for the world. The words of Jim Eliot were

true: "He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." The quest for "things" is robbing people of joy, and this includes Christian people. We want to possess things, and then we discover that things possess us. The only way to victory and joy is to have the spiritual mind and to look at things from

God's point of view. Like Paul, we must be accountants with the right values (3:1-11), athletes with the right vigor (3:12-16), and aliens with the right vision (3:17-21).

"I count . . . I press . I look" are the verbs that describe the man with the spiritual mind.

4. The Secure Mind-_Philippians 4

Worry is actually wrong thinking (the mind) and wrong feeling (the heart) about circumstances, people, and things. So, if we have the single mind, the submissive mind, and the spiritual mind, we should not have too much trouble with worry. All

that we need is something to guard the heart and mind so that worry will not enter. Paul describes the secure mind:

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (v. 7). That word keep is a military term; it means "stand guard, garrison." (Paul was chained to a soldier, you will remember.)

Chapter 4 describes the spiritual resources the believer has in Christ: God's peace (4:1-9), God's

power (4:10-13), and God's provision (4:14-23). With resources like these, why should we worry?

We have the peace of God to guard us (v. 7) and the God of peace to guide us (v. 9). The peace of

God comes to us when we practice right praying (vv. 6-7), right thinking (v. 8), and right living

(v. 9). This is God's secret for victory over all worthy.

What Should We Do? This rapid survey of Philippians ought to convince us that it is possible to live a life of Christian joy

in spite of circumstances, people, and things, and that we need not worry when the going is difficult. But how can we put all of this into practice in our lives?

1. Be sure you are a Christian. Paul wrote this letter to "all the saints in Christ Jesus" (1:1). That word saint simply means "a set-apart one." When you give yourself to Christ, you no longer belong to this world; you belong to Him and have been set apart for His glory. Each chapter in Philippians begins with either "in Christ" or "in the Lord" (1:1; 2:1; 3:1; 4:1).

You cannot have the single mind ("For to me to live is Christ"-1:21),

or the submissive mind ("Let each esteem other better than themselves"-2:3),

or the spiritual mind ("For our conversation is in heaven"-3:20),

or the secure mind ("And the peace of God... shall keep your hearts and minds". 4:7) unless you belong to Jesus Christ.

How does one become a child of God? Paul answered that question when he was in

the Philippian jail: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (read Acts I6:6-40 for the whole story).

2. Admit your failures. If we have been double-minded, proud, worldly-minded, and filled with worry- -then we are sinning! And the sooner We confess it to God, the sooner His joy will fill our lives. (Some people are actually proud of the fact that they worry, in spite of what Jesus says in Matthew 6:24-34.)

3. Surrender your mind to Christ daily. Ask Him to give you a single mind, a submissive mind, a spiritual mind, and a secure mind. (In the chapters that follow, we will explain the way each of these "minds" functions in the Christian life.) When you find yourself losing your joy during the day, take inventory: "Do I have a double mind? Have I been proud? Am I grasping for things? Am I worrying?"

If guilty, confess your sin then and there, and ask God to restore your mind as it ought to be.

4. Look for opportunities to put your mind to work.

If you really want a single mind, you can be sure the Lord will arrange circumstances so that you can begin to practice. "I told the Lord that I wanted Philippians 1:21 to work in my life, a new Christian told her pastor, "and guess what happened:

The pastor asked, Opportunities to further the Gospel, the way Paul did in Rome?" Her face clouded. "No, I guess I didn't. I spent most of my time complaining." You will discover during this study that God will give you regular "examinations" in your daily life, to help you develop your spiritual attitudes. Learning and living go together, and He will give you the grace you need for every demand. As you practice exercising the right kind of attitude, you will find a deep joy welling up in your heart-joy in spite of circumstances, people, and things-and The joy that defeats worry and fills you with the peace of God.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace" (Gal. 5:22). Start letting this fruit grow in your life.

Worry is a weed that will choke out joy and peace

"How about coming over to the house for some fellowship?"

"What a golf game! Man, did we have great fellowship!”

"The fellowship at the retreat was just terrific!"

The word fellowship seems to mean many things to many different people. Perhaps, like a worn coin, it may be losing its true impression. If so, we had better take some steps to rescue it. After all, a good Bible word like fellowship needs to stay in circulation as long as possible.

In spite of his difficult circumstances as a prisoner in Rome, Paul is rejoicing. The secret of his joy is the single mind; he lives for Christ and the Gospel. (Christ is named 18 times in chapter 1, and in the Gospel 6 times.) "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (1:21). But what really is "the single mind"? It is the attitude that says,

"It makes

no difference what happens to me, just as long as Christ is glorified and the Gospel shared with others.” Paul rejoiced in spite of his circumstances, because his circumstances strengthened the fellowship of the Gospel (1:1-11), promoted the furtherance of the Gospel (1:12-26), and guarded the faith of the Gospel (1:27-30).

The word fellowship simply means "to have in common.

" But true Christian fellowship is really

much deeper than sharing coffee and pie, or even enjoying a sport together. Too often what we think as fellowship is really only friendship. You cannot have fellowship with someone unless you have something in common; and for Christian fellowship, this means the possession of eternal life within the heart. Unless a person has trusted Christ as his Saviour, he knows nothing of "the fellowship of the Gospel." In 2:1, Paul writes about "the fellowship of the Spirit, because when a person is born again he receives the gift of the Spirit (Rom. 8:9). There is also'

"the fellowship of His sufferings"

(Phil. 3:10). When we share what we have with others, this is also fellowship (4:15, translated as "communicate" in KJV).

So, true Christian fellowship is much more than having a name on a church roll or being present at a meeting. It is possible to be close to people physically and miles away from them spiritually. One of the sources of Christian joy is the fellowship that believers have in Jesus Christ. Paul was in Rome, and his friends were miles away in Philippi, but their spiritual fellowship was real and satisfying. When you have a single mind, you will not complain about circumstances because you know that difficult circumstances will result in the strengthening of the fellowship of the Gospel.

Paul uses three thoughts in 1:1-11 that describe

true Christian fellowship: I have you in my mind (wv. 3-6), I have you in my heart (vv. 7-8), I have you in my prayers (vv. 9-11).

1. I have you in my mind (1:3-6)

Isn't it remarkable that Paul is thinking of others and not of himself? As he awaits his trial in Rome, Paul's mind goes back to the believers in Philippi, and every recollection he has brings him joy. Read Acts 16; you may discover that some things happened to Paul at Philippi, the memory of which could produce sorrow. He was illegally arrested and beaten, placed in stocks, and humiliated before the people. But even those memories brought joy to Paul because it was through his suffering that the jailer found Christ! Paul recalled Lydia and her household, the poor slave girl who had been demon-possessed, and the other dear Christians at Philippi; and each recollection was a source of joy. (It is worth asking,

"Am I the kind of Christian who brings joy to my pastor's mind when he thinks of me?")

It is possible that verse 5 is talking about their financial fellowship with Paul, a topic he picks up again in 4:14-19. The church at Philippi was the only church that entered into fellowship with Paul to help support his ministry. The "good work of verse 6 may refer to the sharing of their means; it was started by the Lord and Paul was sure the Lord would continue it and complete it.

But we will not go astray if we apply these verses to the work of salvation and Christian living.

We are not saved by our good works (Eph. 2.8-9).

Salvation is the good work God does in us when we trust His Son. In Philippians 2:12-13 we are told that God continues to work in us through His Spirit. In other words, salvation includes a threefold work:

• the work God does for us- redemption;

• the work God does in us--sanctification;

• the work God does through us--service.

This work will continue until we see Christ, and then the work will be fulfilled. "We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2).

It was a source of joy to Paul to know that God was still working in the lives of his fellow believers at Philippi. After all, this is the real basis for joyful Christian fellowship, to have God at work in our lives day by day.

"There seems to be friction in our home," a concerned wife said to a marriage counselor.

«I really don't know what the trouble is.'

"Friction is caused by one of two things," said the counselor, and to illustrate he picked up two blocks of wood from his desk. "If one block is moving and one is standing still, there's friction.

Or, if both are moving but in opposite directions, there's friction. Now, which is it?"

"I'll have to admit that I've been going backward in my Christian life, and Joe has really been growing, the wife admitted. "What I need is to get back to fellowship with the Lord."

2. "I have you in my heart" (1:7-8)

Now we move a bit deeper, for it is possible to have others in our minds without really having them in our hearts. (Someone has observed that many people today would have to confess, "I have you on my nerves!") Paul's sincere love for his friends was something that could not be disguised or hidden.

Christian love is "the tie that binds." Love is the evidence of salvation:

"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14). It is the "spiritual lubrication” that keeps the machinery of life running smoothly. Have you noticed how often Paul uses the phrase "you all" as he writes? There are at least nine instances in this letter. He does not want to leave anyone out! (Some translations read, "You have me in your heart" in verse 7, but the basic truth is the same.)

How did Paul evidence his love for them? For one thing, he was suffering on their behalf. His bonds were proof of his love. He was "the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles" (Eph. 3:1). Because of Paul's trial, Christianity was going to get a fair hearing before the officials of Rome. Since Philippi was a Roman colony, the decision would affect the believers there. Paul's love was not something he merely talked about; it was something he practiced. He considered his difficult circumstances an opportunity for defending and confirming the Gospel, and this would help his brethren everywhere.

But how can Christians learn to practice this kind of love? "I get along better with my unsaved neighbors than I do my saved relatives!" a man confided in his pastor.

"Maybe it takes a diamond to cut a diamond, but I've just about had it!" Christian love is not something that we work up; it is something that God does in us and through us.

Paul longed for his friends "in the bowels [love] of Jesus Christ" (v. 8b). It was not Paul's love channeled through Christ; it was Christ's love channeled through Paul.

(Rom. 5:5). When we permit God to perform His "good work" in us, then we grow in our love for one another.

How can we tell that we are truly bound in love to other Christians? For one thing, we are concerned about them. The believers at Philippi were concerned about Paul and sent Epaphroditus to minister to him. Paul was also greatly concerned about his friends at Philippi, especially when Epaphroditus became ill and did not return right away (2:25-28).

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth"

' (1 John 3:18).

Another evidence of Christian love is a willingness to forgive one another.

"And above all things have fervent charity [love] among yourselves: for charity [love] shall cover the multitude of sins"

(1 Peter 4:8).

"Tell us some of the blunders your wife has made," a radio quizmaster asked a contestant.

"I can't remember any," the man replied.

"Oh, surely you can remember something!" the announcer said.

"No, I really can't," said the contestant. "I love my wife very much, and I just don't remember things like that."

First Corinthians 13:5 states that

Christians who practice love always experience joy; both come as a result of the presence of the same Holy Spirit.

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy. . " (Gal. 5:22.

3. I have you in my prayers (1:9-11)

Paul found joy in his memories of the friends at Philippi and in his growing love for them. He also found joy in remembering them before the Throne of Grace in prayer. The high priest in the Old Testament wore a special garment, the ephod, over his heart. On it were 12 stones with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel engraved on them, a jewel for each tribe (Ex. 28:15-29). He carried the people over his heart in love, and so did Paul. Perhaps the deepest Christian fellowship and joy we can experience in this life is at the Throne of Grace, praying with and for one another.

This is a prayer for maturity, and Paul begins with love. After all, if our Christian love is what it ought to be, everything else should follow. He prays that they might experience abounding love and discerning love. Christian love is not blind!

The heart and mind work together so that we have discerning love and loving discernment. Paul wants his friends to grow in discernment, in being able to "distinguish the things that differ."

The ability to distinguish is a mark of maturity.

When a baby learns to speak, it may call every four-legged animal a "bow-wow." But then the child discovers that there are cats, dogs, white mice, cows, and other four-legged creatures. To a little child, one automobile is just like another, but not to a car-crazy teenager! He can spot the differences between models faster than his parents can even name the cars! One of the sure marks of maturity is discerning love.

Paul also prays that they might have mature

Christian character,

"sincere and without offense.

The Greek word translated sincere may have several meanings. Some translate it as "tested by sunlight.” The sincere Christian is not afraid to stand in the light!

A man told Charles Spurgeon, the great British preacher, that he wanted to write his biography. Spurgeon replied,'

"You may write my life in the clouds! I have nothing to hide!"

Sincere may also mean "to whirl in a sieve," suggesting the idea of a winnowing process that removes chaff. In both cases, the truth is the same;

Paul prays that his friends will have the kind of character that can pass the test. (Our English word sincere comes from a Latin word that means “unadulterated, pure, unmixed.")

Paul prays for them to have mature Christian love and character, "without offense till the day of Christ" (v. 10). This means that our lives do not cause others to stumble and that they are ready for the judgment seat of Christ when He returns (see 2 Cor. 5:10 and 1 John 2:28). Here are two good tests for us to follow as we exercise spiritual discernment: (1) Will it make others stumble?

(2) Will I be ashamed if Jesus should return?

He also prays that they might have mature Christian service. He wants them filled and fruitful (v. 11). He is not interested simply in "church activities," but in the kind of spiritual fruit that is produced when we are in fellowship with Christ.

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me" (John 15:4).

Too many Christians try to "produce results" in their own efforts instead of abiding in Christ and allowing His life to produce the fruit.

What is the "fruit" God wants to see from our lives? Certainly, He wants the "fruit of the Spirit" (Gal. 5:22-23), a Christian character that glorifies God. Paul compares winning lost souls to Christ to bearing fruit (Rom. 1:13), and he also names "holiness; as a spiritual fruit (Rom. 6:22). He exhorts us to be "fruitful in every good work" (Col. 1:10), and the writer to the Hebrews reminds us that our praise is the

"fruit of the lips" (13:15).

The fruit tree does not make a great deal of noise when it produces its crop; it merely allows the life within to work in a natural way, and fruit is the result. "He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

The difference between spiritual fruit and human "religious activity" is that the fruit brings glory to Jesus Christ. Whenever we do anything of our own strength, we have a tendency to boast about it. True spiritual fruit is so beautiful and wonderful that no man can claim credit for it; the glory must go to God alone.

This, then, is true Christian fellowship--a having-in-common that is much deeper than mere friendship.

"I have you in my mind . . . I have you in my heart . .. I have you in my prayers."

• This is the kind of fellowship that produces joy, and it is the single mind that produces this kind of fellowship!

Jerry had to go to New York City for special surgery, and he hated to go. "Why can't we have it done at home?" he asked his doctor.

"I don't know a soul in that big, unfriendly city!" But when he and his wife arrived at the hospital, there was a pastor to meet them and invite them to stay at his home until they got settled. The operation was serious, and the wait in the hospital was long and difficult, but the fellowship of the pastor and his wife brought a new joy to Jerry and his wife. They learned that circumstances need not rob us of joy if we will but permit these circumstances to strengthen the fellowship of the Gospel.

Put it into practice! This week, let your circumstances bring you closer to your Christian friends. If you have the single mind-living for Christ and the Gospel--then you will discover that difficulties and problems will strengthen the fellowship of the Gospel, and that fellowship will greatly increase your joy. In 1966, I was in a very serious automobile accident. A driver hit me going 90 miles an hour. Yet the deepening fellowship that resulted was worth all the pain and difficulty. My circumstances only brought me closer to God's people!

"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"

(1:21). Or, as the children's song puts it:

“Jesus and

Others and

You! What a wonderful way to spell JOY!"