Sunday, 21st July

the beginning of Philippians in preparation for this week chapter 1 adding that was there anything to say to anything that jumped out for you when you re chapter 1

You just say yes, you probably had the baby was something that spoke to you. Yeah, I pray that today that they will be something that will be new and fresh. Some of you may have read this so many times and but I pray that you would come with fresh eyes to us as we unpack the scripture today. So I so I encourage you to say instead.

On your phone, so I said to people and I put it as well drain on Facebook bring your Bible so that you can also I really encourage you cuz you can be my be something in that you can Circle that in your Bible and entrata nights of things of what God might be saying to you through the best topic for Wake series best traffic is living as if God is in control.

Who has control issues?

Now I'm taking off.

There are times when yes, we do like to be in control. We like to know what's happening. I have to say probably as I've got older I see whole thing's a lot more Loosely into what's happening. And what's going on. I am. In which is a Jenny and I think that's part of a j anywhere. I've learned all sorry about trust and that probably comes from childhood in that sense. And that's the thing some of the things that way we end up is actually something that has happened usually earlier in our lives of where we've Jenny's free damn, but I have to say that I same time and time again when I like guy amazing what God can do and the thing is sometimes I will think that I know you better than good and then I fell flat on my face because I really didn't he had it all started because he what was the head and Savannah Lane about Pole. Just as well and then we got into on to go through and look at some of the areas there of what pool has the has encouraged and said, it's true. He's would let's pray. Heavenly father. I thank you for your word. I thank you for your book that time that brings life to us Lord. I pray as we begin this series that load that you will just continue to our bodies shed is Shed from your heart Lord and Lord that time the words that are they are prepared that Lord that if there's something that you don't want me to share or to add that you would just leave me by your Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit full upon us this day. We thank you that you young lady totally by your Holy Spirit in that you are present. So we thank you for what you have been doing and I'm and we just give you this time in your precious name, I mean Well, alright love it. When we unpacked the word of God. I love the word of God. He loves the word of God. Yeah, there's just us so much that it's just it's awesome. So this letter is going to show us about a community learning how to live together with one another in God's presence and through difficult times. Sorry. What a great place to stop. Is there a recognized in the gods paper will always FaceTime of Trials and testing is that an encouraging right? It's not well, that's the reality the reality we have many times of testing and trial but let me take you back to to we're going to start about Way Pool. He learned his lessons during his time and Philip II and better strategies lijah. When when he first went to the field to say the Philippians using Phillipi.

And then in the Philippines is about 10 years lights on side a little bit of history in there as well to let me reach you at a vaccine stay just a little bit. I'm just going to pick out a few things in here. That's when he went along that Paul was there and on the seventh set as he was in in Philip on that his first visit there. They went from there travel to Philip II Roman colony and leading City from that district and I stayed for several days on the 7th went out to the city to the river where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and began to speak to the woman who had gathered into the women who had gathered a one of those listening was a woman from the city and her name was Lydia idea in purple cloth. I like this woman. She was a worshipper of God the Lord Ivan to hadn't responded to pools message when she in the members of a household word baptized. Invited us to go home. If you consider me a believer in the Lord. She said come and stay at my house and she persuaded to do so. So this is Paul and Silas. So then it is time that once that I was going to the place if we made it famous life you had as Spirit by which predicted the future she and a great deal of money for it by her are in his by fortune-telling Chipotle pool. And the rest of us sharing these men as Servants of the most high God you are telling you who I telling you the way to be saved. She kept us out for many days and could you imagine having someone yelling that to you walking along all the time but several days, I think Paul was very patient that time that I have to that but he turned around and said in the name of Jesus Christ. I command you to come out of here and at that moment the spirit left him think I might have been doing that on the first day, but that's where Paul was very patient, and I'm butt The authority of Jesus Christ has realized that their height of making money was gone They seized Paul and Silas and drag them into the marketplace to face the authorities and in any tree that through their that because they were not happy and I had end up having psilocin pool float and trying to jail and done was put in the in a cell and they fasten their fate in the stocks and I have refused that we have no idea. Do we all. John the persecution that comes when we proclaim the name of Jesus and what they had to do back then in some countries, it still happens today, but you know about midnight Paul and Silas we're praying and singing hymns to God and the other prisoners were listening to them and suddenly could you imagine he suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison was shaken at once all the prison doors flew open and everyone's trying to come. That isn't that amazing with that guy. Wow, and that the Jayla work out and when he saw the prison doors life and he drew his sword and with a bad to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. Pol shouted during how I'm yourself. We are still here. So in that it continues and talks and talks about how that that prison. God end up coming tonight the Lord and its way Paul went that. He was able to Proclaim Jesus and where people's lives were transformed. It didn't matter whether he was in a persecuted spot over there. He was out on the streets. He was still sharing the love of Christ and what happened in that job that visit and and how he end up with a back at the house. I'll prison but it just puts these first visit and that's kind of a memory for him to be his first visit in Phillips Academy in prison, but there was a place that he planted a church and so we get to Philippines where it's a short book. It is in AZ Ray, but it's got so much practical application and and the the date of this was written with a bat ID 49. So I in here is a sequence of events that happened in Philippians of where Paul is back in prison, but he said he didn't presume that he's a long way away and use goes back to the Philippian church. And in that when it goes back to the Philippians Church of the people that he loves that he enjoys. Baking with administering to they straight away that they mainly them could are frittatas to travel 800 miles to check in on pull that Paul was in prison miles side. That's about 1200 K. So that's a little bit further than Sydney to Garden have the contents of a car that like we all went to heal some last weekend and very comfortable car to drive and take this to enter a day that would have taken days for him to get there. But that's where the church wanted to support pull to the purpose of the visit was to express their love to pull just support out of the can support into concern that had for him and I brought his will see in the next couple of chapters that were in that sport about where they bought a financial gift because in prison back in that time, they had to supply their own food and they're our needs and so if he was to wait he had to pay for it and and also I forgot it's time to update pool on the church side going in to give the report written from the team of all what has been happening. So in his poles response was he write a letter and send it back with are frittatas to deliver it back to the church. So that's what we going to be reading today. And don't because when he what did he want to write this letter he wanted to thank them and update them. Hose outside pastor and he wanted to pass through them and to encourage them. So right of these theme that we're looking here is actually that joy and so joy and rejoiced mentions about 16 times in this book so that when life is difficult, you can still have joy. So let's unpack this a little bit. So it begins in Philippians of Paul and Timothy was with him in here and Servants of Christ. Jesus to All God's holy people in Christ. Jesus of Philip II together with the overseer and Daikin Grace and peace to you from God a father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I always loved every later and you've had me say it many times that the pull away starts with a greeting and now I'm an encouragement to the people there and and so it stops in where we here. Where we going to from the air of the first Under The Heading of Thanksgiving and prayer so as we might be things that that jump out to you that job. I don't know my way you're at maybe that you might be facing some sort of personal trial today, whether that be part of a horrible working relationships of finances or illnesses that they they may be some struggle that job that you are in may this be an encouragement to where you're at today as well. That's that is we go through trials that remind me to be reminded that we go through them that we dine if I remain in them. Cuz the gospel that we come and we bring he's would it's not a Jewish thing is not a Ryman thing. It's a God thing off of 2 people all over the world how reassuring is that? Which is pretty cool. So I'm so here is his letter that he's riding a Divine prison in Roy and and he's talks about I thank my God every time I remember you in all my praise for all of you. I always pray with joy and here he's in prison and he's praying with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day. I until now being confident of this that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Is it right for me for you to feel this way about is it right for me to feel this way about you all of you since I have you in my heart and whether I'm in Chains or defending of confirming the gospel, all of you sharing God's grace with me. God can testify how long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus and this is my prayer that you'll love may abound more and more knowledge and depth of inside so that you may be able to descend. What is the best and maybe pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God talk about prayer and persecution. So it comes out of there where he's praying and reminding them that the how important it is to pray and encourage him that he's consistent in that that it's that is he talks about they opportunity that he says that I this is my prayer that you'll love my advance. I don't think it's a reminder to me that also that have prairie so important and how it is to be consistent in prayer. How many times do we say? I'm going to pray for you. We have all the intentions of doing it and then when we get home that someone's we get distracted and we may not get to pray. And I'll do my thing. Is it when someone else me to price I stop right there and pray because I want to be on a roll to when I say I'm going to pray for people and the top opportunity of when we we actually can ride a cells over a situation that I had name that time. I'll sometimes it's right that he my Dario are my phone is reminder about people and situations of praying for them or they may have a interview. Will they may I have a I'm a dingo. They might have a funeral or something and I put that in my diary or my finest set an alarm to remind me that that's the time that I can be intentionally praying for them because we come from a place of knowing that we had said a Greek god that he wants and desires for us to be praying for one another. What are the things that I'm so grateful for is the pasta spray pain has that knowing that we have that I have, you know, it's a partnership that that I have on on Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings where I pray for each person in this church and knowing that these people that are praying for me during the week on each day. And and that's a real encouragement to me and specially becomes quite encouraging when I get messages on Hangouts my day to pray for you. Is there anything specific that people don't need to do that? But it's such an encouragement to me when I do that and I love to be able to have the opportunities to send out to say hey, I'm praying for you and it just have been a reminder that we've got the time to be able to pray. So we do need to be praying consistently. It's not just one of prayers. We aren't just do you always try today? That's it. You know. I was talking to a girl on Friday and and she was telling me a bit about his story and one of the things in his story. She she said what I've actually learned is that I've coming to get to know Jesus. And but you know one thing I know that I need to pray in the morning and pry it not and if I get to the end of the day and I reflect to my day before I'm about to give thanks and if I look at my data hasn't been a great day. She said then I realized that was the morning. I was rushing. I forgot to pray. And this girl was like 23 years old and she was very much of a way prayers become an important part for me for my day for my beginning and my end the hair I needed. She said I needed to book and my day and I was really encouraged to hear. This was a random girl that it wasn't a plant conversation. It was was just an opportunity where I end up in a place that where I just started chatting and a scale his story. And he that really encouraged me now. She's still on a journey greatly, but one thing that she's so lit on is a prayer is a Praying for the morning tonight when we go through difficult times often at those times it when we call out to guy God help me. I don't know why these are often the things that we say age, isn't it instead of that sitting in going? I don't understand, but I need to pray. Can we come out of a place of praying of the joy and the joy doesn't mean it's just about half the feeling of happiness is about Joy of being solid of knowing the joy of Jesus Christ and knowing the strength and I knew he can give us annoying the United the strength and the pace and the counterfeit that I knew he can give you this so that then when we do go through hard time, there is still a joy that can come there's times when people can recognize it if I'm not doing well, but I can often stay spiritually I can still be grounded, but I'm just struggling. Denied somebody recognized that certainly few weeks ago and I was so grateful. I just I had a couple of phone calls who just when I'm just praying for you. I just can't stay that you'll not Ryan and and I wasn't and I and I was really in a such a trial in a trust struggling spell spice, but I knew I had joy in Jesus and what my joy is what I needed to do is I needed to keep him. What should I need to keep you in prayer and I needed to keep Andis wood entry door. Is it continue to be able to honor the great God that is cold me to love him to serve him. and to be his 7 and in that that you know, when so much richness and can come out of when you sitting sometimes those difficult places for the reminder of the scriptures of the stories. Sometimes we have a short-term memory time. We we can find that till we know that God answered our prayer before we know that things if we've come true it and then it for another trial place or another difficult time that we kind of forget that how he was he back then why is he still here? Yes, and we tend to sometimes forget of how God continues to be with us on a journey and how we continue to be the answer when we have our struggles we can call out and sometimes we call that for the things that we think all that they're impossible. But we need that's where faith comes in to be able to step over onto that some of you heard the story that I remember when we were in a difficult time. I was ten years ago and and we'll just struggling greatly as a as just an Asian at home and after leaving a Ministry that heads United Supply down at my house and everything in it and actually stopped Harley again with two teenage children and one of the things that we only had to buy fridge and two teenage children, they've got her legs the food especially Aidan and teenage boys, they like lots of food. Did you know that Timothy Hood by fridge? It's great when you go camping but not when that's your everyday and I remember saying to 10-acre on one on this particular day where I just said I can't do this anymore. I just this is this is frustrating and it's just was difficult and it was everything was just like overwhelmed. And I just went all I know what else to do, but I'm going to go out and pray for fridge today. I'm going to go and I don't know how God's going to answer that. I have no clue, but I'm going to go and I'm going to just go somewhere like that and actually just put my hand on the fridge and pray that fridge into my house.

And God just never know how it goes going to answer the door. We didn't sign that and I can tend to get sitting in the tub guy just after I finish that sentence and my little hero is someone who we hadn't seen for a little while and bracelets and her husband and and said that what has happened to us and where we were and what we were doing and I'm and when he got home and said to respond if he's going to stay that families helped us so much that let's get around there and help them. So that's what we're here. We're here to see if we can help you. We're wondering would you like a brand new fridge?

I just burst into tears as she did because what amazed me was not that I just got the fridge and it was amazing that even the fridge was was femoral that I would have ever gone and I just would have us is going in and try to normal and I just got a bigger fridge but just applying for a job just your top fridge in your freezer and see if this was he nice. This is a huge City. My kitchen we had God goes beyond when we trust him and when we actually pull out how much more he goes and Beyond he goes and when I loved him his story, it wasn't just had God answered my prayer but it was how I was I would have shared with this woman who did not know Christ as we've been helping and supporting them and sharing Jesus with them that I was able to say. I had just cried out a prayer for a few fridge and God used the scaffold to glorify himself in their lives. That was what was exciting because it's not how we often is not a bad ass. It's always a bad. And how we glorify himself in the situations because he's the one that always has to get the glory and how he uses each one of us and pulley sign the same and how he continues to be consistent and to remind the people of their prayers and praying for them as well, you know as he's in in prison and it says goes on in them pulls change advance in the gospel. Now, I want you to know your brothers and sisters that what has happened to me has actually said to advance the gospel that you wouldn't think that would do that here. He is in prison. You wouldn't actually think that that's advancing the gospel. It's really like, you know, I should have put them in a box but not as a result could become please write the whole Palace guard to everyone else that I'm a child. I'm in chains for Christ and because of my Chainz most of the brothers and sisters have become Comfort Inn. Lord and day are all the mulch proclaim the gospel without fear. It is true that some preach out of envy and robbery but others out of Goodwill. The letter do you start out of love just didn't and going back in in there of way. He wasn't bound he was in chines, but he wasn't letting that Bond him and stop him from actually sharing the crotch hair in your back cross people knew that he was across follow up when we do things when we're adding charging paper when we're at you know, when we're at the markets in the things that people have said and shade of the encouragement of us being it's when we when we can sometimes be in a area where that be difficult or not. People are watching that becomes an encouragement to their faith and that's very much of light for pool with him being that's actually encourage the church to be knowing that to have more faith and tonight in that time. The pool can be loving price can be sitting in a place of joy. Andina's place of where he's in Chains, but he's still is I would have proclaimed Jesus. So what excuse do we have? to not Proclaim Christ full had every reason not to Proclaim Christ had every reason to have a pity party and every reason to say not time to do something look at me. I'm bound and going to the space of why he can't instead of the areas of well, I can with my attitude and the words of my math still Proclaim Jesus. So let's look at a second stances and lau them is an opportunity to share Jesus not as a place that robs us from sharing Jesus and it reminds us and of continuing to be in that trust spot of knowing that God is in control. Bedtime should I pull at every reason to be upset? He could have been very pretty cool and the same as being pretty cool when we look at them how when people are at sharing the gospel and and I'm 42 defend for the defense of the Gospel the format preach Christ out of selfish Ambitions, not sincerely supposing that they can stare out trouble for me while I'm in Chains. But what does it matter the important thing is that in every way weather from Folsom ogiesel tree prices being preached and because of this Rejoice these people that saw that pole was in prison, they saw opportunity because someone jealous of tall and envious, so it's also an opportunity even out of such selfish Mercy's to go and preach the gospel and to be able to make them look better. Deadpool could have seen it merges and been really angry and annoyed and disappointed and the ounce but he sits in a place of Rejoice because Christ we use that which Eva weather at a false motives or out of the best of hot cross will still show up and I think that's the thing that remind us that Christ will always show up and jump off tune. Do we look at what's going on and be critical? How often do we complain about things that happen around us? Because they aren't going the way that we think they should go. Oh that made our expectations. Biggie night poll showing at the humble Han and that's where their encouragement to reminded to us. Just sit in a humble heart as well. The true Olive Al Charles that we can in a challenging times that we continue to be reminded all the way pulled attitude and how he reached out to one another. So we trust God for the outcome. So we continue and that is you know, she had that we just he pull his sitting in a place of trust sitting very much in a place of trust that he's rejoicing for what's going on. He's praying for God's provision for him. And for the people he's praying that people will come out of delete will be delivered them will train Their Eyes Upon Jesus that that would change of Christ when he says he sits in his confidence place the Whitney trust God for the outcome. He's sitting in his place at 9 that he if he dies. He still going to be with Jesus and if you still here he's going to be able to share the gospel and I think that's where he comes with his really confident confidence to place and it's where he says the cross will be exalted by my body where that buy life or by death to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Pacino's whichever way it is. He sits in a joy confident place of his relationship with Jesus. He's going to surance of his knowing where he's going. Have we got an insurance if we knew where we we know where we are going. If I am to go on living in this body, this will main fruit flavor for me yet. What shall I choose? I do not know I am torn between the two I decided to depart and be with Christ which is better by far but it is more necessary for you to remain in the body convinced that this I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you your progress and joy in the face so that threw me being with you again, you'll be wasting in Christ. Jesus Will abound on account of me.

So he continues to be strong and a showed all of his faith and die and to be able to leave that ad and then when we finish up in these last few verses of Life worthy of the Gospel to receive suffering of whatever happens conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, then whether I come and see you or I only hear about you in my absence. I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit striving together as one for the faith of the Gospel without being frightened in any way by those who opposed you this is assigned to them that they will be destroyed but they will be safe but that you will be saved and that bike on Friday, but then she you are going through the same struggles. You saw I had and now I hear that I still have Life wasn't easy and it's Christians. Do we find life easy? Do we have struggles or is that just made?

We all have struggles of some sort and what pole is written in that letter that that was just as much as it was strong for them that day for the church and Phillip High. It is just as much relevant and strong for us today. that time that when we go through that the tough times That I just asked that we continue to draw our eyes closer to Jesus that we don't take for granted that Faith, but we become intentional on a faith. That's the exciting thing is that with life groups now for the next four weeks that we going to be going through this series, so he's an opportunity. If you're not in line LifeProof really encourage you to get to get tired of that especially for the series Savory see if it's that if you would like to do that, it took some great questions in there and be watching at a suddenly a video clip as well and discussions about how we continue to learn and grow out of the scriptures out of Philippians of what he has and dumb and so this is going to be awfully just another really I'll pick right up a Chinese recipe place that sells and be reminded of what the word of God says the word of God has granted. But we need to be radiant. We need to be unpacking it. We need to be meditating on it. I really encourage you to do that and to see what God has for each one of you and your eye.

So just to finish of question that we can ask yourselves of a y. Let's not wait for tough time to add to know the joy of the Lord. Is take time. So is Jewel together? And take tonsil of one another in 2K thighs around us. Otherwise white twin things are in in bed situations to show love to each other even though we know when hard stuff happens we say the church's Wednesday people gather. I mean, I certainly can talk about that from Black Saturday of where I just saw a whole community and where we lived Bentley came and the churches and the people became we saw such generous Hearts, but let's be sitting in a generous heart and a place at Olde Tymes. So that sadly though when tragedy or difficulty X happens with one another we're right there where already with a tankful to actually give about God calls us to do the way committee chairs at least in the community demonstrates to the community. And to show pace and generosity. So in these times my license out of Philippians 1 be processed individually and as a church and that we demonstrate that God is in control and live as God is in control our actions become the message allies individually and together become the good news. We can demonstrate to watch it. And so we're watches with a confidence that God is in control God is to my God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Isn't that a great card God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Next week, we're going to look at how we can learn we can learn how to leave a 7th and then in chapter 3 we can learn how to leave a life of loss. And the last one is we can learn had to leave a lot generous friendship Solis will be bringing you the message next week. And please continue to read to really look at your let's pray. Heavenly father. Just thank you for your word. I thank you for the the joy that that I know you can bring I thank you that your word has sewing machine at that we can as simple as that can be but so high to apply into our lives Lord help us to step into that of times. It may be right here today. They are people in difficult situations that they struggling in their faith. Will they just struggling and what's going on around them that they need more of you within not sure how to have more of you Maybe tonight maybe people to sign up. And I had to let God take control because I need to have control Lord. I pray that you will come and break those chains. I come that you will try harder and that you will surely that they the God that you are that you just want to pull your love on each one of us Lord. I pray that is as you just, you just whisper in each of us that little bit in that whisper that they will be that reminding that you are a strength that you are the one that brings us joy, and may we walk in the joy of the Lord that you are. The one is the Healer that you can come and heal us where we're at. You were the one that wants to come and bring clarification bring the clarification load that when we call out to you Lord that we thank you that you reach down to us. Your desire is that we call that too, but we talked back home to you the way that we just loves you. The nun in a way of demanding answers but a way in coming to see in your presence to sit in your presence into know of your heart. Lord when times are normally tough that help us that we go straight to you that we go to your wood but maybe we turn on kind of worship music of whatever style that he's for each one of us that we can hear of what you're saying is we know we have an enemy that doesn't want us to believe any of this we have an enemy that wants to rub all the peace away from us. So you won the victory for us to you and the victory for us to stand for the church in Philippi to do is to stand for stand for and we stand Fame in your name and the we know is we stand for in the paper claim the victory that you're one for us.

We want to celebrate that.

lob think she that we can be an encouragement to each other that we can be a pole and encourage and pray for each other help us to do that. How fast am doing that that we full more and more in love with you Jesus? Lorillard love with you. We praise your mighty name.