Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. This is Gary Neron welcoming you to the Lamp and Light broadcast coming to you from the studios of Central Baptist Church in beautiful Ocala, Florida. Lamp and Light is a ministry taking a book of the Bible verse by verse teaching, as it is, to men as they are, without compromise or apology, speaking the truth in love, and our purpose is to give the lamp and light to all. Yesterday in our study of Philippians chapter 1, we looked at Christians showing the joy of God even when they are afflicted with hardship. Let's continue with that subject today. Now, here is our teacher and pastor, Dr. Andy Bloom. When the saints at Rome saw Paul living above the circumstances of being unjustly a prisoner, and using his confinement to preach Christ, They were challenged by his example. You know, when people know that you're going through trial and tribulation, boy, if there's a time that we need to smile and reflect the joy of the Lord, that is it. Isn't that true? That we need to reflect the joy of the Lord more than ever, especially if they know we're going through it just so that people will know. That God can do that, and He will give it. It doesn't have to be a fake joy. He can give you joy if you just live obediently, do His will, and you lean on Jesus totally. And He sustains you, and He gives you joy. I wonder. What must God do today to take Christians from their clever and proper self-satisfaction to manifest the gospel? What will it take for us to speak the word without fear, not worrying about what others think, or what it might cost me, or what if people reject me? So often people get saved. either at home, or at a devotional, or at some religious recreation, or during a revival meeting. But they do not make it public. They do not follow the Lord's first command to get baptized. And actually their pride is greater than their commitment. They've had a religious experience, but they've not had salvation. You see, we call that sensuality, not substance. It is time to go from religious cliche and to repentance and consecration to God. It's time for decisions that stick, not just days of emotionalism. If you or I were chosen by God to suffer pain, poverty, or persecution, would we be defeated under the circumstances? If so, we discourage the brethren, and we testify that our Christianity isn't that real. It doesn't sustain in trial, and we forsake faithfulness. But if we live joyfully and triumphantly above the circumstances, we will encourage the saints. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 4, it says, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. Going through trials in the full trust of God will allow you later to help those that are going through trial. Now Paul's attitude left others with a for or against attitude, but at least they were not indifferent. In verse 15 he says, some indeed preach Christ even to envy and strife and some also of goodwill. The word strife is an interesting word in the Greek. It means to stir up. It refers to demons and spirits that stir up strife. Envy, that is jealousy, and strife, those two things still hurt the church. Alcohol and drugs outside a church have ruined homes, broken hearts, and has provided Satan's crowd a venue to blaspheme when a Christian is involved. Some of you could probably give spellbinding illustrations of that very thing from someone in your own family. But alcohol and drugs on the outside of the church has not hurt the local church as much as envy and strife on the inside. I was sharing with our folks in our church services recently, God looking at homosexuality in the scriptures, and he said that it was an abomination in God's sight. And it is. It's an abomination in God's sight. What is interesting, when talking about sowing discord among brethren, it said it was also an abomination and uses the same word. Now isn't it interesting that what is an abomination to God as homosexuality that would also be an abomination to most of you that are listening? is put on the same level as sowing discord among brethren. Now, my friend, you and I probably don't put sowing discord among brethren, but if you really think about it, there's been sowing discord among brethren in churches all across this land, and because of that, It has prevented souls from being saved. It has quenched the work of the Holy Spirit in the church. Perhaps there are children, God has called, that turn their back on church and everything else because they have heard this stuff and they don't want to hear it anymore. It all seems hypocritical to them. Oh, my friend, I hope that you're not guilty of that awful abomination of God. But if you are, confess to God, make things right, and don't go that direction any longer. Go and sin no more, as Jesus said. Now, in our text, some were preaching Christ of contention, not sincerely. And the contention shows they were doing it to exalt self and to make the apostle Paul look bad. If a preacher from another church in town falls into immorality, how quick are we to jump on it and to make that entire church look bad? Well, if we do that, we've joined the world in adding to their trial. No, we don't condone that. Matter of fact, we oppose adultery. And we oppose those things that are evil, but we do not have to jump on the bandwagon of gossip. And we don't have to jump on the bandwagon of kicking dirt on others. The group opposing Paul were Judaizers that thought Jesus is Messiah and Savior, but the Gentiles must enter through the gate of Judaism, that is, through circumcision. And their preaching of Christ as a way of being right, although their Judaistic ritualism wasn't, people could get saved hearing about Jesus Christ and that he was the Messiah. And so they saw converts not as triumph over paganism. These Judaizers saw the converts as a triumph over Paul. But what is Paul's attitude? Well, verse 18. What then? Notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached, and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. What a beautiful verse that is, Philippians 118. Psalms chapter 119, verse 165 says it this way. Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." Oh, they were doing things to Paul, saying things about him. He wasn't offended by it. Paul was a rejoicer. Others preached Christ of love, knowing Paul was set for the defense of the gospel. So whether you were for him or against him, Christ was preached, people were witnessed to. And my goodness, that was what made Paul rejoice. And it ought to make our heart rejoice when people are witnessing and lost or getting saved. Now, God's Word never returns void. Rather, we preach it to hurt someone or to preach it in singleness and purity of heart. Long as it is the Word of God It's the Word of God that has power not the one so much that is speaking it men who loved God but were weak in the faith saw that Paul was rejoicing and Sustained even in the midst of severe trial and the threat of death that cancer That lawsuit against you, that situation you're in, may be your opportunity to prove to others God's grace is sufficient and they may be encouraged to lift up the cross and follow Jesus Christ. And it may even be those in your own family over whom you have influence. Young people need not see our religion is fun, rather that it is real and sustains us in the trials of life, even with joy. But how can you as a Christian have this attitude? First of all, surrender all to Him. Family, home, job, hobbies. Nothing takes the place of God. His will and His word, even if the family opposes. In Matthew 10, verses 37-39, He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it, and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. My friend, accept your trials and your sufferings as from Him. Paul had a Roman prison with his confinement and discomfort. Others told him of those preaching in contention. But Paul does not smart under the strife, the jealousy, or the ill will of those who should have supported and encouraged him in desire. He derives his strength from his relationship to God. Do you remember in 1 Samuel chapter 30 when David came back from being with the Philistines and they got back there and his city had been rifled and it was burnt to the ground and his wives and children were taken and all the soldiers' wives and children were taken? And everybody was mad at David and they were ready to stone him. They talked of stoning him and killing him. David had no one, and the Bible says in verse 6 of 1 Samuel chapter 30, that David encouraged himself in the Lord. Oh my friend, if we could just learn that principle, not to look to even good preachers or good Christians as our strength, But learn to get our encouragement and our strength from the Lord. Learn to find it in God's word. And then, my friend, you will find the best strength, because it does sustain. Psalms 138, 2, it says that he exalts his word even above his name. Oh, what a name that is. At the name of Jesus, every knee is going to bow. Of things in heaven, things on earth, and things underneath the earth, Philippians 2, 9 will tell us. Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and to the glory of God the Father And my friend if every tongues won't confess him and that his name is going to be the high and holy name of all eternity And yet he's exalted his word above his name. Oh Then that tells us there's great strength to be derived from the Word of God he that suffered for us because he loved us is worthy of us suffering for him and It is a privilege. What are you going through? Philippians 4.13 says, I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Now, my friend, are you in some very hard circumstances today? He has trusted you with the circumstances. He is giving you an opportunity, just like he did Paul, to bring glory to his name, even to rejoice in suffering. Ask God to help you to do so. Look at your problems and say, oh great, God is giving me an opportunity to allow his strength to work through me. God has actually trusted you with the problem, hallelujah. This is your radio pastor, Pastor Andy Bloom, saying, May the Word of God be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your pathway today. We want to thank you for listening to the Lamp and Light broadcast. If you would like a CD copy of today's message by Dr. Bloom, send us your name, mailing address, and include the radio station by which you are listening and the date of the broadcast. We would appreciate a gift of five dollars to Lamp and Light Broadcast, 1714 Southeast 36th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34471. You may also visit us on the website and freely download the sermons by clicking on the sermon library. That website is www.centralbaptistocala.org. Again, the address for the Lamp and Light broadcast is 1714 Southeast 36th Avenue, OCALA, Florida 34471. And again, our website is www.centralbaptistocala.org. This is your announcer Gary Neron saying, May God's peace be with all that are in Christ Jesus. Stats, Berkeley Stats!