Hello again. Welcome to the program. We're continuing in our series in the book of Philippians. Today we're in Philippians chapter 1, verse number 3. I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Have your Bible ready. We're looking in this series on how to make it through the difficult times, and Paul the Apostle was going through a very difficult time right here. And in it all, he says in verse 3 of Philippians 1, I thank my God of every remembrance of you. The phrase, I thank my God, occurs five times in the Bible, and all of them were spoken by Paul the Apostle. once in Romans, twice in 1 Corinthians, once in Philippians, and once in Philemon. In 1 Thessalonians 5.18 it says, In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Now it doesn't say for everything, it says in everything, and there's always something we can be thankful for. For example, maybe you're driving along on a very cold and wet raining very hard and you have a flat tire. Well, can you thank God for that flat tire? It doesn't say to say that. It says in everything, not for everything. And so we could thank God that we have a car. We could thank God we have the strength to be out driving it around. Some people are in the hospital. We could thank God we have the strength to change the tire or to call someone to do it. In everything, we can find something to be thankful for. In all the hardships, a lot harder than worrying about a flat tire, in all the hardships that Paul went through, Five times he said, I thank my God. In this case, he is thanking God for the people back at Philippi. He said, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you. He also said in Philippians 4, 8, 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." And then in verse four he focuses on prayer. Always in every prayer of mine for you, all making requests with joy. What an interesting verse. He's going through all these hard times, always in every prayer. The word prayer occurs three times in the book of Philippians. in this verse number four, and then in verse 1 and 19, for I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer. And then in Philippians 4, 6, be careful, the word means full of care, anxious, be anxious for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." It is also interesting that in this very difficult time, Paul is not praying for himself. He says, every prayer of mine for you, making requests with joy. We find Paul making a request in Romans 1 and verse 10. He said, making requests, If by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you." Once again, he's concerned about others, making requests with joy. In Acts chapter 20 verse 22 through 24, Paul said, And now, behold, I go bound in the Spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, In every city, he continued, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me, but none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy. The hymn writer has written, there's joy in serving Jesus as I travel on my way, joy that fills my heart with praises every hour and every day. There's joy in serving Jesus, joy that triumphs over pain, fills my soul with heaven's music till I join the glad refrain. There's joy in serving Jesus as I walk alone with God, tis the joy of Christ my Savior, who the path of suffering trod. There's joy in serving Jesus, joy amid the darkest night, for I've learned a wonder secret and I'm walking in the light. There is joy in serving Jesus, joy that throbs within my heart every moment, every hour, as I draw upon his power. Paul referred to joy six times in this little book of Philippians. In 1 Thessalonians 1 verse 6 he talked about receiving the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Ghost. In Psalm chapter 5 verse 11 we read, but let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice. Let them ever shout for joy. Some time ago I met a Christian. I asked him, how are you doing today? He said, oh, not too bad under the circumstances. I said, what are you doing under the circumstances? So when the difficult times come along, Paul gave the secret in Colossians 3, 2 where he said, set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.