My Every Remembrance of You

Introduction

If you were to just now enter this church would you stay? This is a question that I asked my self as I visited churches on my trip. Am i a person that people would want to meet? As we read in Philippians keep this in mind.

Philippians 1:3-11

Philippians 1:3–11 LEB

I give thanks to my God upon my every remembrance of you, always in my every prayer for all of you, making the prayer with joy, because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now, convinced of this same thing, that the one who began a good work in you will finish it until the day of Christ Jesus, just as it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you are sharers of grace with me. For God is my witness, that I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray: that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is superior, in order that you may be sincere and blameless in the day of Christ, having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Joy in Prayer

The Philippian believers had supported has ministry with monetary gifts and prayer. Paul doesn’t accept gifts from everyone, and not everyone offered. Especially in a time when if you wanted to send a gift you have to deliver it in person. Its not like UPS or the United States Postal Service was around.

And He was thankful

So he prays. He prayed that I give thanks to my God. That is a prayer of Thanksgiving. I thank God for my every remembrance of you. What a statement. I thank God for my remembrance of you. Someone has said to be “thankful” is to be “thinkful.” Paul remembered the church of Philippi.

Philippians 1:5 LEB

because of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now,

He uses the word Koinonia in verse 5. We translate it Partnership, association, fellowship. When he uses this word it isn’t talking about people that were just financially invested, like we give the IMB or NAMB. I am not saying we shouldn’t give. but that is not what this is. When he uses the word Koinonia he is telling them of the close personal relationship he feels with them as they participate in spreading the good news to unbelievers about Christ.

Paul knows that God will start something with them and continue it until His return. Until the day of the Lord. The day of the lord goes bak at least as far as the time of Amos, who warns us that the day of the Lord can turn out to be darkness and not light

Amos 5:18–20 LEB

Alas, those who desire the day of Yahweh, why is this for you the day of Yahweh? It will be darkness and not light! It will be as if a man fled from a lion and a bear met him; or he went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall and a snake bit him. Is not the day of Yahweh darkness and not light, and pitch dark with no brightness in it?

So he petitions for their righteousness. He prays that their love may be abound in knowledge and discernment.

Let us take lesson in this. That we may be a church that people take joy in when they remember us. We won’t be for everyone. but pray we can try. This means things like we should have seats for visitors. this means you can’t be married to a seat, when you are to be the bride of Christ. We are to love others, and each other. Which means we have to respect on anther. Treating each other with the Love of Christ ending the little squabbles, because they aren’t important. Christ is.

and let us take not in this that we must be ever prepared for the day of the Lord. That we pray for a time of rapture, to be taken up to the Lord. And I am not going to get into post vs pre tribulation rapture. The arguments can be made either way from scripture. but what we do know is that the day of the lord can be a great and glorious day or a day of heartbreak. Let us be true to his word. growing in his grace. mercy, and word.

This is the sanctification. that begins in salvation. Salvation that is a free gift from God, through the blood of Jesus the Messiah, enabled by the gift that is giving that is the Holy Spirit. That is what is meant in verse 6.

Philippians 1:6 LEB

convinced of this same thing, that the one who began a good work in you will finish it until the day of Christ Jesus,

I pray this for you. That God who begin this good work in you will finish it. until his day or the day you find yourself in glory.

I pray you continue to Go. I pray that you continue to grow. You can’t grow if you aren’t eating. So eat the word. devour it. feed yourself. move from milk to meat. It isn’t enough to say I have learned all I need to. You can survive of milk but you won’t live off of milk. You must grow.

And I thank God for you I have been across the United States in the month of June. And I thank God for you. You are a wonderful group and I am thankful that God has lead me here. and know that I love you. So know that I love when I say GROW IN CHRIST.

Next Steps

Every remembrance of You.

What can you do?

Are you ready for the Day of the Lord? What if it was darkness not light? Would you turn from God?