Philippians 1:3-11
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. [NASB1995®]
What a beautiful way to begin a letter! We can see so much love for the church in Philippi reflected in Paul’s words.
“I pray for you always,” he tells them, “because I love you and because it brings me joy to see how you are faithful to the Gospel and show Christ through your lives.”
Paul is confident that God is working in the lives of the Philippians, as they have been “filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ,” and his prayer is that they continue growing and being an example of faithfulness in their city and in their church.
Meditate: Let it be our desire also to grow each day in the knowledge and discernment of Jesus Christ; thus we may reflect Him in our lives! Let it be not only our prayer for ourselves, but also for our brothers in Christ; that each of us abounds more and more in the love of Christ! God bless you!
Scripture quotation taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Translation By: Emily Stader
