The Apostle Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). Paul had learned to "walk by faith and not by sight" and if we are to "walk worthy" of the Lord, we too must reflect this confidence. God has promised to "strengthen us with all patience and longsuffering, with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). Our conversation should reflect to the world our confidence in God. "In nothing be terrified by your adversaries," which is a sign of unbelief. As Christians we must "stand fast" in mind and spirit striving for the faith of the gospel, even if we suffer in behalf of Christ (Philippians 1:27-29).

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

 

Whatever we do in serving God should be done in "lowliness of mind." We should think about others and not just ourselves. "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others," (Philippians 2:4), having a mind like Christ. Jesus was God's son; you can't go any higher than that. He didn't wear diamonds or dress in the finest clothes or have to have the best place to sit; he was born in a manger, worked as a carpenter, touched lepers, ate with the most sinful people and had time for others.

"But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a SERVANT, and was made in the likeness of men

"And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:7-8).

Jesus knew who he was and the position he held. "God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name." When you know who and what you are, you don't have to push people around to prove yourself. Jesus had a nobler purpose in life and we too must set our affection on "things above, not on things on the earth" (Colossians 3:2).

When we grumble and complain it suggests to others we aren't thankful for what God has blessed us with. It tells "unbelievers" we don't trust God and doubt his ability to provide for us. We need to live "by faith" in God to please him. Grumbling and complaining dims our light to the world. If we are not happy and at peace with everyone, no one will want to be a Christian like us; we should "rejoice in the Lord" (Philippians 3:1). We can find no safer place to be.

"Do all things without murmurings and disputings.

"That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14-15).

 

The Apostle Paul writes, "Have no confidence in the flesh," for you will still sin from time to time, even when you become a Christian. But God has counted us alright because of Christ. If God says I'm all right, then it's settled. The Apostle Paul had everything in his favor. He was a Pharisee (religious) of the Hebrew tribe of Benjamin (God's people). But all of this did not make him "right with God." Paul knew this and did not trust in these things, nor his ability to "keep the law."

"And to be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God BY FAITH" (Philippians 3:9).

Does this mean I don't have to keep God's word? No, it means because I love God I will want to please him and serve him. When I make mistakes and sin, God will forgive me as I confess and forsake them. If I rebel, God chastens me; sometimes a gentle rebuke with the word of God is enough, other times it takes God allowing me to suffer in the "school of adversity" so I can learn to rely on his judgment. Paul knew he was not perfect, he trusted in God to perfect him. He reminds us to forget past mistakes and push on. If he thought about all the Christians he put to death in the past, what good would that do? Part of accepting God's forgiveness is believing we are forgiven. Paul said:

"Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect...

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended- but this one thing I do, FORGETTING those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. "

"I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14).

 

The book of Philippians closes with encouraging words to "stand fast in the Lord" (Philippians 4:1). Talk like a true son of God in your conversation. Let us be pure and act like one whose sins have been forgiven. "For your conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Philippians 3:20). Use moderation in all things and rejoice for our names are written in heaven in the "Book of Life." Let our requests be known to God through our prayers and remember to thank God. If we are children of God and love him, we should talk to him often and value his help and advice and wisdom (Philippians 4:5-6).

"The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall KEEP your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).

As children of God we should have pure thoughts. "As a man thinketh so is he" (Proverbs

23:7). We will become whatever we think about. That's why dirty books, movies, or language will make us become like what we read or see. This is Satan's work.

"Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS" (Philippians 4:8).

 

Paul reminds us that we should do the things he had learned, received, heard, and done; then God would be with us (Philippians 4:9). God will only help us to do right. Be content. We are the richest people in the world when we have God, so learn to be content with whatever blessings come to you in life. "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (I Timothy 6:6). Some of the wealthiest people in the world never have peace and contentment for they always want more. The church at Philippi gave to Paul's needs as a preacher and it was said to be "an odour of sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God." Paul reminds us, "My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ" (Philippians 4:18-19).He had learned to be content.

"For I have LEARNED, in whatsoever state I an4 therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11).

 

God wants us to be filled with the knowledge of his will in all "wisdom and spiritual understanding" that we might "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work." As a son my hope is "laid up in heaven" (Colossians 1:5-10). As Christians, God has "delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son" (Colossians 1:13).

"In whom we have REDEMPTION through HIS BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sin."

"Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature" (Colossians 1:14-15).

If you want to know what God is like, look at the life of Jesus, for he is the image of his father. Jesus was kind, always helpful, even washed feet, for no task was too lowly for him. He talked with the most sinful people. No sin was too great to forgive, no case was ever hopeless; he is an easy Saviour to love. Christ made peace with God for us, who were at times, "enemies in our minds" to God and "did wicked works," but Christ reconciled us to God. Christ can present us "holy" and "unblameable" and "unreprovable" in God's sight if we continue in the "faith," grounded and settled and do not move away from the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:20-23).

It was God's plan to bring all peoples into "one body," the church, with Christ as its head (Colossians 1: 18). When we heard the gospel of Christ, we believed it and trusted in Christ for our salvation. We agreed to turn from sin in repentance. "Buried with him in baptism" (Romans 6:3-5), we entered the body of the saved, forgiven of trespasses (sins). The old law of Moses was nailed to the cross (Colossians 2:12-14) for it was only a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, making us realize God counts us "right" because of Christ and our faith, and not on our performance. This is good, for we can never live faultless, but by faith we can begin to become like Christ, putting off the "old man."

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth,- fornication uncleanness, inordinate

affection evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

"But now ye also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth" (Colossians 3:8).

"And have put on the NEW MAN, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (Colossians 3:10).

 

1. God tells us to have confidence in him for he "hath begun a ___________ ____________ in us and will continue working with us until Jesus comes again (Philippians 1:6).

2. We want to follow Jesus who made no reputation but "took upon him the form of a _______________" (Philippians 2:7).

3. Jesus also "___________ himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8).

4. We are not to love things on this earth so much that we forget God but "set our affection on things __________" (Colossians 3:2).

5. If we really have faith in God we should "do all things without _____________ and disputings so we may shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:14-15).

6. We will always make mistakes but when we become a "______________ Christian we obtain a which is of God by faith" (Philippians 3:9).

7. The Apostle Paul said he had not attained perfection but one thing he did - ______________ those things which are behind and _____________ on toward the mark" (Philippians 3:12-14).

8. As God's child "we have redemption through his _________________, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:14).

9. The Apostle Paul explains that before we became Christians we were "enemies in our ____________" to God and "did ______________ works" but we love God now and this is no longer our desire (Colossians 1:20-21).

10. We become a "new man," renewed in knowledge and should "put off ______________, wrath, malice, blasphemy, communication out of your mouth" (Colossians 3:8-10).

NAME__________________________ LESSON RECEIVED____________________

ADDRESS_______________________ LESSON RETURNED____________________

________________________________ GRADED BY____________ GRADE________

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