ELNORA’S BIBLE STUDY WITH FAMILY & FRIENDS, Philippians 1, Saturday, August 16, 2025

-


Context for Chapter 1

Chapter 1 introduces the major themes of Paul's letter. A large proportion of the passage is given to thanking the Philippian church for their loyal support of Paul. Paul also encourages them with a reminder that, good or bad, anything a Christian experiences can be used for the glory of God. This sets the tone for the rest of the letter, where Paul will continue to stress the importance of living out the Christian life. This, he says, starts with having a proper attitude and approach. 

Philippians is another of the prison letters. These letters were written while Paul was in a Roman prison. He actively ministered even while in prison. The circumstances described in the letter acutally sound more like house arrest as opposed to being in the dungeons of a high security prison. 

A Source: https://www.bibleref.com/Philippians/1/Philippians-chapter-1.html)


Paul's Thanksgiving & Prayer, Verses 1-11, KESHIA

This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders[a] and deacons. 2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. 8 God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. 9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. 10 For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ[b]—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. 

SECTION QUESTIONS: To Be Added

1. What do you notice is different about Paul's letter to the Philippian church? 

Paul's Joy That Christ is Preached, Verses 12-19, TBD

12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters,[c] that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard,[d] knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers[e] here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message[f] without fear. 15 It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. 16 They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. 17 Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely, intending to make my chains more painful to me. 18 But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. 19 For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.

SECTION QUESTIONS: To Be Added


Paul's Life For Christ, Verses 20-26, TBD

20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. 25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. 26 And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.

SECTION QUESTIONS: To Be Added


Live As Citizens of Heaven, Verses 27-30, TBD

27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

SECTION QUESTIONS: To Be Added


 

Confessions for Philippians, Chapter 1

1This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders[a] and deacons.3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. (Philippians 1:1, 3)

Heavenly Father, thank You for the awesome example of Paul and Timothy, who were bond-servants of Christ. They used the gifts and graces with which they were blessed, to further the good news of the gospel of grace for the benefit of the whole Church. Develop in me the heart of a servant that is ready and willing to think of others before myself. Use whatever gifts and graces I have, to forward the gospel in my corner of the world. And, Father, expand my territory according to your will. May I die to self and live for Christ, for Your honour and glory.  As I lift up the pressing needs and requests of my family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, may my prayers be bathed in love and grace, forgiveness and faith, care and concern. And may I always remember to beautify my prayers with joyful thanksgiving and grateful praise, in Christ’s name I pray, AMEN.


6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. 7 So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. (Philippians 1:6-7)

Dear Lord, thank You that You began this amazing work of grace in the soul of each believer. You knew each one of us before we were formed in our mother's womb, and You authorized each day of our lives. In Your grace and mercy, You will perfect and complete the good work that You began, to our eternal benefit, and to Your eternal praise. Heavenly Father, in a world where the truth of the gospel is despised by the masses and the grace of God has been rejected in this humanistic society, help me to be like Paul. Help me to keep my brothers and sisters in remembrance and to lift them upin prayer. We are all one in Christ and all partakers of the glorious gospel of grace. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.

 

13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard,[d] knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers[e] here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message[f] without fear. (Philippians 1:13-14)

Heavenly Father, in your strength and wisdom, I am so 'one with my Saviour', that I learn to entrust every situation into His hands, no matter how difficult or distressing it may be. Holy Spirit, remind me that ALL things in life serve to advance the gospel of Christ, to Your praise and glory. I choose to rejoice in all things, knowing that there is nothing that can touch my life that You cannot use to further the good news of the gospel of grace to a dying world in need of a Saviour. Heavenly Father, thank You for the wonderful witness of Paul and for the many instances where You took simple people, absurd equipment, and seemingly inappropriate circumstances to forward Your plans and purposes. I am willing, God, that You fulfill Your will in my life in whatever circumstances I may find myself. This I ask in Jesus' precious name, AMEN.

    

25 Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. (Philippians 1:6-25)

Heavenly Father, what an example the apostle Paul is of a man whose driving passion was to exalt Christ in all he said and did, to minister to his brothers and sisters in Christ, and to share the gospel of grace with the lost. I pray that I may have that same holy mindset so that, so that as I live and walk in the earth, my earnest desire would be to exalt the Lord Jesus in my life, to conduct myself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, and to stand firm with my Christian brothers and sisters. May I continue to progressively grow in grace and in the knowledge of my Lord and Saviour, and like Paul, will continue to help others grow and experience the joy of your faith. 

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/Philippians/1

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ELNORA’S BIBLE STUDY WITH FRIENDS, Ephesians 3, Saturday, June 21, 2025

-
Image
  Context for Chapter 3 In this text, Paul focuses on the "mystery" of God's plan to unite Jews and Gentiles in one body, the Church, through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul, as a prisoner for the gospel, emphasizes his role in revealing this mystery to the Gentiles and prays for the Ephesians' spiritual growth and understanding of God's love.  The first three chapters of Ephesians are doctrinal, the last three are practical. Chapter 3 begins the transition from a Christian understanding of salvation, grace, and the power of Christ into a practical guide for Christian living. To make the transition, in this chapter, Paul refers to his own calling by God and prays for the spiritual strength of the Ephesian church. The early verses of chapter 4 will flow out of Paul's references to his own imprisonment.   A S ource:   https://www.bibleref.com/Ephesians/3 /Ephesians-chapter-3 .html ) God's Mysterious Plan Revealed, Part 1, Verses 1-7 ,  DR. DEBBIE 1   When I thin...
Read more

ELNORA’S BIBLE STUDY WITH FRIENDS, Galatians 4, Saturday, April 26, 2025

-
Image
Context for Chapter  4 Galatians 3   ends with Paul stating, once more, that those who are in Christ are Abraham's offspring, just as  Christ, himself,  is  He has made us  heirs along with Him.  Galatians 4  continues that idea, showing how Christ's arrival signaled the moment all people could receive the inheritance with Him and be adopted as God's children. Paul makes his appeal personal, asking why the Galatians moved from blessing him to rejecting the message of Christ. The chapter ends with Paul's allegory about the difference between being born into slavery under the law and being born into freedom by the power of the Spirit through faith in Christ.  Chapter 5  will continue by expanding on the freedom we have in Christ. ( https://www.bibleref.com/Galatians/ 4 /Galatians-chapter- 4 .html ) Chapter Intro , Verses  1- 7 ,  KESHIA 1 Think of it this way. If a father dies and leaves an inheritance for his young children, tho...
Read more

ELNORA’S BIBLE STUDY WITH FRIENDS, Galatians 2, Saturday, April 12, 2025

-
Image
           Context for Chapter 2 In Galatians 1, Paul defended himself in order to defend the trustworthiness of his message. He made the case that he was a legitimate apostle. He shows in Galatians 2 that the other apostles stand with him in teaching the gospel of salvation through faith in Christ. He describes a moment in which he rebuked Peter for hypocrisy and then makes the case that only faith in Christ can bring justification for any person in the eyes of God. The works of the law can never make anyone righteous, or Christ would not have had to die.   ( https://www.bibleref.com/Galatians/2/Galatians-chapter-2.html ) Greetings & The Good News, Verses  1-10 ,  KESHIA 1Then fourteen years later I went back to Jerusalem again, this time with Barnabas; and Titus came along, too. 2 I went there because God revealed to me that I should go. While I was there I met privately with those considered to be leaders of the church and shared ...
Read more