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Asking for strong protection and breakthrough for us and all in need. Lord Jesus please fight our battles ( Ex. 14:14). Please grant more strength and encouragement. Thank you.
My email, youtube, and facebook got hacked. i'm hoping and praying i will be able to get them back. i made a prayer request 5 days ago about my computer being hacked for it be repair. good news my computer is repaired and working fine but i'm am still hacked from my email, youtube, and facebook. keep praying for me it's been about 2 weeks.
Good morning! Just meditating that our Oil of Gladness should never run dry by placing our hopes on anything seen or heard in the world. We must be ready when He comes.
Father I'm asking for us and all in need. Please grant salvation to our unsaved loved ones and all the unsaved. Deliver those in bondage. Protect us and our loved ones. Guide us Father and us to bear good fruit and plenty of it. Its been so tough lately for so many. So many enemy attacks but you said in your word that the battle belongs to the Lord. Please rise up Lord. We need you. Father please send the Holy Spirit for Jesus' sake. And Father you know the specific requests we are raising up to you. Please send breakthrough. Praise and glory and honor be unto you. I pray in your holy name Lord Jesus. Amen
My prayer request I'm a born again Christian and I understand you're safe through grace through faith there's so many other scripture in the Bible besides those two I'm okay living on the streets I'm okay going hungry I just want prayer that I keep my phone power up so I can feed my spirit yes I know I can read I hope Jesus Christ comes back because our countries headed down the wide road of life and please pray for all the other homeless people there are so many Jesus knows me he knows my heart I'm not perfect I do have love
An interpretation of chapter, 1 Corinthians 14. (PT 3).
Later the word barbarian was used to mean the uncivilized people at that time. Ancient Greeks used to be a bit racist about the other nations and looked down upon them, they were aware and very proud of their achievements during that time. Same as other nations during history.
Anyway what Paul means here is that if tongues are not be interpreted then we can not understand each other. That is why he suggests us to be zealous about gifts that they are actually beneficial for the edification of the church.
Verse 13, Here again Paul suggests that he who speaks in tongues, that they ask God to give them the interpretation as well. This doesn't mean that they suddenly understand that foreign language, but God puts words of interpretation in their mouth, similarly as He puts the unknown words in their mouth.
Verses 14. Here Paul says that when we pray in tongues our spirit prays but our mind doesn't take any part in the prayer since there isn't any understanding.
So how should we pray? Verses 15-17. Paul says both in Spirit (in tongues that I don't understand) but in understanding (with my mind) as well. How should we sing, praise God? Both in the Spirit and with our mind. Because if we only pray and sing in Spirit how could the other christians say Amen and give thanks to God since they don't understand anything? There is not any benefit to them. Paul always has in mind the function of the church as a whole here.
Verses 18-20. Paul says that he speaks tongues more than any other, but in a congregation he prefers to say 5 words that others understand rather than thousands of words in a language others don't have a clue what is about. So He asks us to be mature in mind.
To be cont. tomorrow. I wish you all a blessed night.
An interpretation of chapter, 1 Corinthians 14. (PT 2)
Prophesy is not in an unknown language (in grk tongue and language is the same word, ie "glosa"), but in the native language of people.
Verse 4. One who speaks in tongues edifies himself. Why? Because tongues are a sign that someone is filled with God's Spirit. And the Spirit when is in work inside a believer produces a fruit, the fruit of the Spirit. That person does not understand what they say in a foreign language but the Spirit inside them does a work, sanctification, so edification is taking place inside them. But the rest of people who hear him talking in an unknown tongue are not afected, nothing occurs to/inside them, the only thing they hear is unknown words.
The one who prophesies edifies not only him but the church as a whole. As said direct messages from God are for the edification, and exhortation, and comfort of all.
Verse 5. Paul wishes everybody to talk in tongues, ie to be filled with God's Spirit but he wishes even more that everybody prophesies so that the congregation as a whole is benefited. So when comparing those 2 gifts, obviously prophesy is more important in the congregation than tongues UNLESS there is somebody who can interprete those mysteries said in an unknown language and so the whole congregation is benefited since they understand now what is said.
In the following versew 6-9 Paul uses the example of musical instruments to make clear that tongues if not interpreted is like "... for ye shall speak into the air.". Nobody hears, nobody understands, no work done.
Verses 10-12. In V11 it says, "Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.". Here the word barbarian has to be understood as the ancients meant it to be. When Greeks heard other nationals talking in their languages at that time, all they were hearing was a continuous bar-bar-bar. So they called non Greeks as barbarians.
An interpretation of chapter, 1 Corinthians 14. (PT 1)
I would like to start from the last verse of ch. 12, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."
Ch. 12 is the chapter where the spiritual gifts to the church are described. It is the chapt. that describes the church as a body where each member has a dinstictive work to do, hence a talent/gift is given to everybody to work for Jesus through it. And it ends as above. The very obvious impression this verse gives is that the "more excellent way" which refers to Love/charity (as described in the following chapter, ie 13) is above all those gifts, so gifts are not essentiall really. This verse is mainly used by all those christians that claim that gifts are not necessary, only love is needed which is the best way. Back in my country there is a reborn church that has changed all words in the NT, instead of prophesy they write teaching
Then comes ch. 12 which is the chapter of Love.
And we go to the first verse of chapt. 14, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy."
So charity/Love doesn't kind of substitute the gifts. Gifts are essential and Paul advises us to desire them, especially the gift of
prophesying. Why prophesying and not talking in tongues? Verse 2, because the one who speaks in tongues does not talk to people because nobody understands him. Imagine somebody who talks say in Chinese in an English congregation. Who understands him? Nobody, not even him himself, so he talks to God what the Spirit gives him in Chinese, which as said are mysteries (unknown) to him and to everybody in the congregation.
Verse 3, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Prophesy is a direct message from God through people that God uses and gifts them, the prophets. Prophesy is not always about future events but as the verse says it is for "edification, and exhortation, and comfort." OF THE CHURCH.
Paul and Timothy. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
It was written to the Colossians. Colossians was written for the Christians in the city of Colossae. Colossians was also supposed to be read in the church of Laodicea ( Colossians 4:16). Colossians was written at the same time as Philemon. Both were written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. ( Colossians 4:3, 10, 18 and Philemon 9, 10, 13, 23)
Timothy, Aristarchus, Archippus, Mark, Ephaphras, Luke, Onesimus, and Demas all appear in both letters demonstrating Colossians and Philemon were written by the same author at the same time.
III. THE HISTORY OF COLOSSAE:
Colossae was a city of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia About 90 miles east of Ephesus. Colossae was in the Lycus Valley along with Laodicea and Hierapolis. The population of Colossae was mostly Gentile but had a large number of Jewish population.
The church at Colossae began during Paul's three-year ministry at Ephesus (Acts Chapter 19). During this three-year period, Epaphras was saved while visiting Ephesus. The Church at Colossae was established by Epaphras, not Paul ( Colossians 1:5-7).
Several years after the Colossians church was founded, dangerous heresies began to circulate in it. Epaphras was so concerned about these heresies that he made the long journey from Colossae to Rome were Paul was a prisoner ( Colossians 4:12-13).
It was written around 63 A.D. while Paul was under house arrest in Rome for two years, as recorded in Acts 28:16-31. This is his first imprisonment. His second imprisonment was of course in the dungeon, and he was killed right after that time.
Philippians is one of four prison epistles or letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were written by Paul during this time that he was under house arrest in Rome.
We went over Ephesians and now we are in Philippians. All of the books have the same outline. Paul always presented doctrine first, and what we would call application. But I don't like to use the word application because people say that you need to apply the scriptures to your life.
In other words, do them. That's not what the bible means. By application, it is God's Spirit, in light of what Christ has done. It's what God's Spirit wants to do in us. So, I would call them the doctrine and the details because it's the doctrine being presented in the everyday function of life.
VI. DELIVERED BY:
Epaphroditus on his return trip.
VII. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS:
CHAPTERS 1-2: The Doctrine of Christian Fellowship.
Of course, our Christian fellowship has a lot of problems with it. That's because we have not looked to the book of Philippians that gives us the doctrine of fellowship and how to solve some of the problems.
CHAPTERS 3-4: The Details of Christian Fellowship.
That is how the doctrine is worked out and lived amongst the believers. Philippians is a fascinating study.
The church in Philippi sent Paul two love offerings for his missionary endeavors in Thessalonica, found in Philippians 4:15-16. Two offerings! In fact, he said nobody else sent for support except for the Christians in Philippi, not once he said, but twice to support the missionary effort.
In 62 A.D., Paul finds himself as a prisoner in Rome. That is in Acts 28:30-31. When the church heard of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, they again sent a love offering to him by way of Epaphroditus. Paul describes him as the pastor (or messenger), the one that gives the messages in Philippi.
So, this is their pastor. And you remember I told you about the mileage? They didn't have airplanes or cars. So Epaphroditus is sent 700 miles with this love offering to help Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome, and to minister to Paul there.
Of course, Epaphroditus, we'll find out later that something happened to him in Rome where he was near death. But God spared him, and Paul sent Epaphroditus back. And when he sent him back to Philippi, he sent the book of Philippians with him.
While in Rome, Epaphroditus became very sick and nearly died. At this time, some 10 years after his original visit to Philippi, Paul wrote the epistle of Philippians. Paul writes to the Philippians both to thank them for their gift and also to report the good news of Epaphroditus' recovery.
IV. THE THEME OF PHILIPPIANS:
Now you will find this to be different than what you will find in most commentaries about the book of Philippians. Most people say that the theme of Philippians is joy. But in reality, the theme of Philippians is fellowship. We saw that Ephesians was our position in Christ. Philippians is our participation in Christ. The focus is on the unity of fellowship.
The church at Philippi was founded during Paul's second missionary journey, recorded in Acts 16:8-12. Paul received a Macedonian Vision while in Troas and crossed the Aegean Sea to preach the gospel first in Philippi. That's found in Acts 16:8-10.
What happened was that on Paul's second missionary journey, he went by land and visited some of the cities that he had established during his first missionary journey. But what he wanted to do was pass those cities, and he wanted to go north and preach the gospel. But he said that Satan hindered him. That's all he said!
So, he decided that it must be a closed door, so I'll go south and preach the gospel, and he said the Holy Spirit hindered him. So, he went straight across and came all the way all the way to the coast of Troas, and he just sat there. I mean how much farther can you go? He's in Troas. He doesn't know what God wants him to do.
And so, while they were in Troas, that's when Paul received what is called the Macedonian vision. That is, a man from Macedonia appeared to him and said come over and preach the gospel to us. At which time Paul went. And as he went over, the first place where he landed, because all the vision said was come over to Macedonia, and so he landed first in Philippi and that's where he preached the gospel first.
In 57 AD, some five years after his first visit, and after his third missionary journey, Paul seems to have visited the church in Philippi twice. That is found in II Corinthians 1:16; Acts 19:21; Acts 20:1-3.
Paul and Timothy. It is written by Paul mainly. But he also signs Timothy on. He has Timothy with him. He has Luke with him. But he says Paul and Timothy are the authors of the letter. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
To the church in Philippi. Philippi became the first European city to receive the gospel.
III. THE HISTORY OF PHILLIPI:
The city of Philippi was founded in 357 BC by Philip II of Macedon who established and founded Philippi. And he is the father of Alexander the Great. Of course, his name being Philip, he named it after himself. Philippi was a city of Macedonia in Northern Greece. It was some 700 miles from Rome and enjoyed full Roman citizenship privileges.
Philippi cooperated so much with the Romans coming in and capturing the land, that Rome turned around and rewarded them by giving them full Roman citizenship and privileges, just like the city of Rome itself.
This is why some of the military from the Roman armies settled in Philippi, because full Roman citizenship and privileges was given to them. It was called "Little Rome" to the people of the day because Philippi was a small version of Rome itself. 700 miles, remember that figure because I'll share something else here in a minute.
Lord Jesus you know the cries of our hearts and the petitions we have made even here. I continue to ask. Please grant soon breakthrough. I ask for strong protection, deliverance, healing, salvation (those not saved), guidance and all the specific situations and circumstances previously mentioned. Please grant help to all in need on here and everywhere, esp. salvation. Please confront A about her behavior and comfort K. Please heal M. Please also intervene concerning the App Thank you. In your holy name I pray. Amen.
I have said several times if we do not see the tribulation period and the wrath of God as being completely different time periods, that it will cause confusion in our understanding of prophecy in the Lastdays. If we get one thing wrong such as this, it will cause other parts of our interpretation of prophecy to not be correct. When this happens we have to twist Scripture to fit our understanding, or as I have said before we would have to read things into Scripture that's not there.
In ( Joel 2:31) We are told "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, ((BEFORE)) the great and the terrible day of the LORD come". The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes.
When does this happen in the book of Revelation?
( Rev 6:12-13) v12 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal. and, lo, there was a great earthquake; ((and the sun became black)) as sackcloth of hair, and ((the moon became as blood)). v13 "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind". The sun is dark, the moon to blood, and the stars fall from heaven, all this happens at the 6th seal. Then if we look at ( Rev 6:14-17) we see the wrath of the Lamb is come in verse 17.
Do we see this any other place in the Bible? Yes we do in ( Mt 24:29-31) "Immediately ((after the tribulation)) of those days shall ((the sun be darkened)), and ((the moon shall not give her light)), and ((the stars shall fall from heaven)) and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken". v30 "and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory". v31 "And he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect".
After the tribulation the sun is darkened, moon shall not give her light, the stars fall from heaven, THEN the Son of man comes in the clouds to gather together His elect. THEN the wrath of God.
Can you explain why Christ chose simple uneducated fishermen to become disciples? What is the difference between a head knowledge of Christ and a heart knowledge? Where does the law meet the gospel in a person of faith. Can the law justify us with only a head knowledge? How does faith intercede for us and can it ,without head knowledge?
This doctrine concerning the law and the Gospel is a common thread throughout scripture!
We must learn when and how to apply the needs of both.
While we may experience temptation, the spirit will be held fast , a promise already given through the sanctifying power of the Blood of Christ.
This promise is an inheritance from Heaven, that strengthens and preserves at any given moment, while we walk the corridors of life.
Uneducated and simple, yet a heart that is ready, will see things while experiencing the glory that is ours. A constant conditioning a purifying being born again! He will give you the desires of your heart, as you move along as a child develops coming forth from the womb! With the heart man believeth unto salvation, a salvation that you can see, as you wait for the next birth pain! Repent and be Baptized
Later the word barbarian was used to mean the uncivilized people at that time. Ancient Greeks used to be a bit racist about the other nations and looked down upon them, they were aware and very proud of their achievements during that time. Same as other nations during history.
Anyway what Paul means here is that if tongues are not be interpreted then we can not understand each other. That is why he suggests us to be zealous about gifts that they are actually beneficial for the edification of the church.
Verse 13, Here again Paul suggests that he who speaks in tongues, that they ask God to give them the interpretation as well. This doesn't mean that they suddenly understand that foreign language, but God puts words of interpretation in their mouth, similarly as He puts the unknown words in their mouth.
Verses 14. Here Paul says that when we pray in tongues our spirit prays but our mind doesn't take any part in the prayer since there isn't any understanding.
So how should we pray? Verses 15-17. Paul says both in Spirit (in tongues that I don't understand) but in understanding (with my mind) as well. How should we sing, praise God? Both in the Spirit and with our mind. Because if we only pray and sing in Spirit how could the other christians say Amen and give thanks to God since they don't understand anything? There is not any benefit to them. Paul always has in mind the function of the church as a whole here.
Verses 18-20. Paul says that he speaks tongues more than any other, but in a congregation he prefers to say 5 words that others understand rather than thousands of words in a language others don't have a clue what is about. So He asks us to be mature in mind.
To be cont. tomorrow. I wish you all a blessed night.
Prophesy is not in an unknown language (in grk tongue and language is the same word, ie "glosa"), but in the native language of people.
Verse 4. One who speaks in tongues edifies himself. Why? Because tongues are a sign that someone is filled with God's Spirit. And the Spirit when is in work inside a believer produces a fruit, the fruit of the Spirit. That person does not understand what they say in a foreign language but the Spirit inside them does a work, sanctification, so edification is taking place inside them. But the rest of people who hear him talking in an unknown tongue are not afected, nothing occurs to/inside them, the only thing they hear is unknown words.
The one who prophesies edifies not only him but the church as a whole. As said direct messages from God are for the edification, and exhortation, and comfort of all.
Verse 5. Paul wishes everybody to talk in tongues, ie to be filled with God's Spirit but he wishes even more that everybody prophesies so that the congregation as a whole is benefited. So when comparing those 2 gifts, obviously prophesy is more important in the congregation than tongues UNLESS there is somebody who can interprete those mysteries said in an unknown language and so the whole congregation is benefited since they understand now what is said.
In the following versew 6-9 Paul uses the example of musical instruments to make clear that tongues if not interpreted is like "... for ye shall speak into the air.". Nobody hears, nobody understands, no work done.
Verses 10-12. In V11 it says, "Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.". Here the word barbarian has to be understood as the ancients meant it to be. When Greeks heard other nationals talking in their languages at that time, all they were hearing was a continuous bar-bar-bar. So they called non Greeks as barbarians.
I would like to start from the last verse of ch. 12, "But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."
Ch. 12 is the chapter where the spiritual gifts to the church are described. It is the chapt. that describes the church as a body where each member has a dinstictive work to do, hence a talent/gift is given to everybody to work for Jesus through it. And it ends as above. The very obvious impression this verse gives is that the "more excellent way" which refers to Love/charity (as described in the following chapter, ie 13) is above all those gifts, so gifts are not essentiall really. This verse is mainly used by all those christians that claim that gifts are not necessary, only love is needed which is the best way. Back in my country there is a reborn church that has changed all words in the NT, instead of prophesy they write teaching
Then comes ch. 12 which is the chapter of Love.
And we go to the first verse of chapt. 14, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy."
So charity/Love doesn't kind of substitute the gifts. Gifts are essential and Paul advises us to desire them, especially the gift of
prophesying. Why prophesying and not talking in tongues? Verse 2, because the one who speaks in tongues does not talk to people because nobody understands him. Imagine somebody who talks say in Chinese in an English congregation. Who understands him? Nobody, not even him himself, so he talks to God what the Spirit gives him in Chinese, which as said are mysteries (unknown) to him and to everybody in the congregation.
Verse 3, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." Prophesy is a direct message from God through people that God uses and gifts them, the prophets. Prophesy is not always about future events but as the verse says it is for "edification, and exhortation, and comfort." OF THE CHURCH.
IV. THE THEME OF COLOSSIANS:
The Believer's Perfection in Christ. The focus of the book is the completeness of a person who is in Christ.
Colossians was written to combat the many heresies of Jewish Gnosticism.
GNOSTICISM BELIEVED:
God is good.
Physical matter is evil.
Jesus Christ is less than God because He was one of many emanations coming out from God.
A certain secret knowledge beyond Scripture was necessary for enlightenment and salvation.
In the worship of angels.
THE JEWISH LEGALISTS BELIEVED:
The necessity of circumcision for salvation.
Jews and Gentiles must observe the dietary laws of the Old Testament as well as festivals and the Sabbath.
V. DATE/BACKGROUND:
Written around 63 A.D. while Paul was under house arrest in Rome for two years ( Acts 28:16-31).
One of four prison epistles or letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.
VI. DELIVERED BY:
Colossians was delivered with Ephesians and Philemon by Tychicus who was accompanied by Onesimus ( Ephesians 6:21-22; Colossians 4:7-8).
Epaphras remained behind in Rome ( Philemon 23).
VII. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS:
CHAPTERS 1-2: The Doctrine of Completeness in Christ
CHAPTERS 3-4: The Duty of Those Complete in Christ
I will share my introduction to 1 Thessalonians soon.
God Bless!!!
I. ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Paul and Timothy. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
It was written to the Colossians. Colossians was written for the Christians in the city of Colossae. Colossians was also supposed to be read in the church of Laodicea ( Colossians 4:16). Colossians was written at the same time as Philemon. Both were written while Paul was a prisoner in Rome. ( Colossians 4:3, 10, 18 and Philemon 9, 10, 13, 23)
Timothy, Aristarchus, Archippus, Mark, Ephaphras, Luke, Onesimus, and Demas all appear in both letters demonstrating Colossians and Philemon were written by the same author at the same time.
III. THE HISTORY OF COLOSSAE:
Colossae was a city of Phrygia, in the Roman province of Asia About 90 miles east of Ephesus. Colossae was in the Lycus Valley along with Laodicea and Hierapolis. The population of Colossae was mostly Gentile but had a large number of Jewish population.
The church at Colossae began during Paul's three-year ministry at Ephesus (Acts Chapter 19). During this three-year period, Epaphras was saved while visiting Ephesus. The Church at Colossae was established by Epaphras, not Paul ( Colossians 1:5-7).
Several years after the Colossians church was founded, dangerous heresies began to circulate in it. Epaphras was so concerned about these heresies that he made the long journey from Colossae to Rome were Paul was a prisoner ( Colossians 4:12-13).
V. DATE/BACKGROUND:
It was written around 63 A.D. while Paul was under house arrest in Rome for two years, as recorded in Acts 28:16-31. This is his first imprisonment. His second imprisonment was of course in the dungeon, and he was killed right after that time.
Philippians is one of four prison epistles or letters: Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were written by Paul during this time that he was under house arrest in Rome.
We went over Ephesians and now we are in Philippians. All of the books have the same outline. Paul always presented doctrine first, and what we would call application. But I don't like to use the word application because people say that you need to apply the scriptures to your life.
In other words, do them. That's not what the bible means. By application, it is God's Spirit, in light of what Christ has done. It's what God's Spirit wants to do in us. So, I would call them the doctrine and the details because it's the doctrine being presented in the everyday function of life.
VI. DELIVERED BY:
Epaphroditus on his return trip.
VII. SECTION OUTLINE OF THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS:
CHAPTERS 1-2: The Doctrine of Christian Fellowship.
Of course, our Christian fellowship has a lot of problems with it. That's because we have not looked to the book of Philippians that gives us the doctrine of fellowship and how to solve some of the problems.
CHAPTERS 3-4: The Details of Christian Fellowship.
That is how the doctrine is worked out and lived amongst the believers. Philippians is a fascinating study.
I will share the introduction to Colossians next.
The church in Philippi sent Paul two love offerings for his missionary endeavors in Thessalonica, found in Philippians 4:15-16. Two offerings! In fact, he said nobody else sent for support except for the Christians in Philippi, not once he said, but twice to support the missionary effort.
In 62 A.D., Paul finds himself as a prisoner in Rome. That is in Acts 28:30-31. When the church heard of Paul's imprisonment in Rome, they again sent a love offering to him by way of Epaphroditus. Paul describes him as the pastor (or messenger), the one that gives the messages in Philippi.
So, this is their pastor. And you remember I told you about the mileage? They didn't have airplanes or cars. So Epaphroditus is sent 700 miles with this love offering to help Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome, and to minister to Paul there.
Of course, Epaphroditus, we'll find out later that something happened to him in Rome where he was near death. But God spared him, and Paul sent Epaphroditus back. And when he sent him back to Philippi, he sent the book of Philippians with him.
While in Rome, Epaphroditus became very sick and nearly died. At this time, some 10 years after his original visit to Philippi, Paul wrote the epistle of Philippians. Paul writes to the Philippians both to thank them for their gift and also to report the good news of Epaphroditus' recovery.
IV. THE THEME OF PHILIPPIANS:
Now you will find this to be different than what you will find in most commentaries about the book of Philippians. Most people say that the theme of Philippians is joy. But in reality, the theme of Philippians is fellowship. We saw that Ephesians was our position in Christ. Philippians is our participation in Christ. The focus is on the unity of fellowship.
The church at Philippi was founded during Paul's second missionary journey, recorded in Acts 16:8-12. Paul received a Macedonian Vision while in Troas and crossed the Aegean Sea to preach the gospel first in Philippi. That's found in Acts 16:8-10.
What happened was that on Paul's second missionary journey, he went by land and visited some of the cities that he had established during his first missionary journey. But what he wanted to do was pass those cities, and he wanted to go north and preach the gospel. But he said that Satan hindered him. That's all he said!
So, he decided that it must be a closed door, so I'll go south and preach the gospel, and he said the Holy Spirit hindered him. So, he went straight across and came all the way all the way to the coast of Troas, and he just sat there. I mean how much farther can you go? He's in Troas. He doesn't know what God wants him to do.
And so, while they were in Troas, that's when Paul received what is called the Macedonian vision. That is, a man from Macedonia appeared to him and said come over and preach the gospel to us. At which time Paul went. And as he went over, the first place where he landed, because all the vision said was come over to Macedonia, and so he landed first in Philippi and that's where he preached the gospel first.
In 57 AD, some five years after his first visit, and after his third missionary journey, Paul seems to have visited the church in Philippi twice. That is found in II Corinthians 1:16; Acts 19:21; Acts 20:1-3.
I. ABOUT THE AUTHORS:
Paul and Timothy. It is written by Paul mainly. But he also signs Timothy on. He has Timothy with him. He has Luke with him. But he says Paul and Timothy are the authors of the letter. Paul's inscription is on all thirteen of his letters.
II. TO WHOM IT WAS WRITTEN:
To the church in Philippi. Philippi became the first European city to receive the gospel.
III. THE HISTORY OF PHILLIPI:
The city of Philippi was founded in 357 BC by Philip II of Macedon who established and founded Philippi. And he is the father of Alexander the Great. Of course, his name being Philip, he named it after himself. Philippi was a city of Macedonia in Northern Greece. It was some 700 miles from Rome and enjoyed full Roman citizenship privileges.
Philippi cooperated so much with the Romans coming in and capturing the land, that Rome turned around and rewarded them by giving them full Roman citizenship and privileges, just like the city of Rome itself.
This is why some of the military from the Roman armies settled in Philippi, because full Roman citizenship and privileges was given to them. It was called "Little Rome" to the people of the day because Philippi was a small version of Rome itself. 700 miles, remember that figure because I'll share something else here in a minute.
I have said several times if we do not see the tribulation period and the wrath of God as being completely different time periods, that it will cause confusion in our understanding of prophecy in the Lastdays. If we get one thing wrong such as this, it will cause other parts of our interpretation of prophecy to not be correct. When this happens we have to twist Scripture to fit our understanding, or as I have said before we would have to read things into Scripture that's not there.
In ( Joel 2:31) We are told "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, ((BEFORE)) the great and the terrible day of the LORD come". The sun turns dark and the moon to blood ((before)) the day of the LORD comes.
When does this happen in the book of Revelation?
( Rev 6:12-13) v12 "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal. and, lo, there was a great earthquake; ((and the sun became black)) as sackcloth of hair, and ((the moon became as blood)). v13 "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind". The sun is dark, the moon to blood, and the stars fall from heaven, all this happens at the 6th seal. Then if we look at ( Rev 6:14-17) we see the wrath of the Lamb is come in verse 17.
Do we see this any other place in the Bible? Yes we do in ( Mt 24:29-31) "Immediately ((after the tribulation)) of those days shall ((the sun be darkened)), and ((the moon shall not give her light)), and ((the stars shall fall from heaven)) and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken". v30 "and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory". v31 "And he shall send his angels with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect".
After the tribulation the sun is darkened, moon shall not give her light, the stars fall from heaven, THEN the Son of man comes in the clouds to gather together His elect. THEN the wrath of God.
This doctrine concerning the law and the Gospel is a common thread throughout scripture!
We must learn when and how to apply the needs of both.
While we may experience temptation, the spirit will be held fast , a promise already given through the sanctifying power of the Blood of Christ.
This promise is an inheritance from Heaven, that strengthens and preserves at any given moment, while we walk the corridors of life.
Uneducated and simple, yet a heart that is ready, will see things while experiencing the glory that is ours. A constant conditioning a purifying being born again! He will give you the desires of your heart, as you move along as a child develops coming forth from the womb! With the heart man believeth unto salvation, a salvation that you can see, as you wait for the next birth pain! Repent and be Baptized
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