Hey friends,
I am so excited to study Philippians together. Guess what?
Paul wrote the book of Philippians while he was under house arrest!!
I did not realize that when I was asking the Lord to reveal to me what He wanted me to study during this time. I love His sense of humor!!
While we are “sheltering in place” we can glean wisdom from Paul’s divinely inspired words written in approximately AD 61 while he was under house arrest in Rome.
We will be encouraged by words originally written to the first church founded in Europe. Just as Paul urged the church at Philippi to have joy in the midst of trials, the Holy Spirit is now urging us to do the same.
Paul was aware that his detention was being used by God to spread the Gospel to many who might not otherwise have been open to its life-giving truth. We too must be cognizant that while we are uncomfortable in our current situation, it is providing the opportunity to spread the Gospel beyond what “normal” life might have permitted us to do.
Do you have a neighbor whom you have never had time to really get to know? Maybe it is time for a yard to yard chat….
A hurting friend who is stuck at home in a bad situation? A long phone call might be a healing salve to a broken heart…
Is there someone to whom you could deliver groceries? Drop a handwritten card in the mail? Leave a Starbucks on the doorstep?
All of these actions, actions that we now have the time to perform, may be the relationship builders that allow us to be the hands and feet of Christ to a hurting world. This may also provide open doors, open hearts, open conversations that can draw lost souls to the ultimate freedom found only in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Beyond the opportunity to reach out to the people around us, we can also use this time, this study, to examine our own hearts and lives. In the book of Philippians, Paul reminds us that Christ is the only source of true joy and fulfillment in our lives. Without the busyness of our normal activities, we can no longer hide behind worldly appearances, successes, accolades, and achievements to veil any lack of eternal identity. We can no longer drown out any insecurity and brokenness that might exist deep in our hearts, with the constant noise often swirling around society. There is no escaping the reality of imperfect relationships that exist in every family. With nowhere to run and no place to hide, we have the amazing gift of allowing the Lord to heal, to bind up the broken places in our lives and to breathe life into our weary hearts. Will you allow Him to do just that?
Let’s not come out on the other side of this quarantine, this house arrest, the same. I pray that we will use this time to lean into who the Lord is, who He says that we are and what He has in store for our lives. Will you join me?
The reading plan is simple:
04/13 – 04/15: Philippians 1:1-11
04/15 – 04/17: Philippians 1:11-26
04/20 – 04/22: Philippians 1:27-29
04/22 – 04/24: Philippians 2:1-11
04/27 – 04/29: Philippians 2:12-18
04/29 – 05/01: Philippians 2:19-30
05/04 – 05/06: Philippians 3:1-14
05/06 – 05/08: Philippians 3:15 – 21
05/11 – 05/13: Philippians 4:1 – 3
05/13 – 05/15: Philippians 4:4 – 9
05/18 – 05/20: Philippians 4:10 – 23
It isn’t too much to read. In fact, I would encourage you to read each passage several times. You might even decide to memorize some of it as we go…
Additionally, each Monday will be a new post with some encouragement for the week. On Wednesday, I will have some questions to consider for the week’s reading. On Friday, I would love it if you would consider commenting to the group and sharing what the Lord is teaching you as we study.
Does all that make sense?
Please feel free to reach out to me at any time, (via email, women@jfbc.org, or comment), to let me know how you are doing, how I can be praying for you or even just to say hi! I miss you all!!
Thank you for joining me…I am looking forward to seeing all that God has in store!
Hugs!
Kinsee
