Jesus said, in the world you will have tribulation. He spoke those words to the disciples just after telling them what the world should expect just before he returns again. He said there would be wars and disturbances, nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, earthquakes, plagues, and famines, and people even claiming to be Christ Himself. Well, the context of those remarks is mostly eschatological. The fact is we do live in a very troubled world. These alarming and dangerous conditions will remain constant until it will be a constant reality until the end of the rest of human history. A troubled world filled with troubled people and just the everyday trials of life that everyone goes through. All of it brought on by sin. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in sin, they plunged the entire world, the entire human race into sin. And so we live in a world full of trouble and sorrows and pains and sadness. As Christians, we understand this. We understand that we live in a fallen world. The question is, how do we deal with the problems that come with living in a fallen world? How does one cope? I just learned of a man named E. Stanley Jones. Now I know very little about him other than he was a Christian missionary who lived from 1884 to 1973. And I read this about him on a website with his name. This is about him that said of him, his message of the necessity of surrender to Jesus Christ and Jesus is Lord had a life changing impact on the millions of people throughout the world who heard him speak or read his books. Well, he wrote a devotional called Mastery, subtitled The Art of Mastering Life, which I haven't read, but I do have this quote from that book. He said, the art of living is the least learned of all arts. Man has learned the art of existing, of getting by somehow with the demands of life, of escaping with half answers, but he knows little about the art of living with all its demands." End quote. Well, certainly life has its demands. And for many, those demands are too demanding for them. And what I mean is they can't cope with life. It's a sad reality that many people can't deal with just the ordinary problems that everyday people have as they go through this life. Listen to this quote, and then what I tell you at the end may surprise you. People are inadequate and they're unhappy and miserable. Over 10 million Americans suffer emotional and mental illness. As many hospital beds are occupied by the mentally ill as by all medical and surgical patients combined. And according to some statistics, the majority of the medical and surgical patients have their illness directly as the result of emotional stress. One out of every 20 Americans will have a psychotic disturbance severe enough to confine him to a hospital for the insane. Now, that's the number one health problem in America. Now, then that was written 47 years ago. Now, I don't know what the statistics are now, but I can only imagine that they'd be worse. But that only proves that true joy is not obtained by the externals, or else this wouldn't be true. Because this is the United States, and we have no lack of anything that would make people happy. Job 5.7 says, For man is born of trouble as sparks fly upward. In chapter 14, verse 1, he says, People basically handle problems in one of three ways, and I'm stealing these. So they either break out, in a rash or a panic, or they break out in anger, or they break down in silent withdrawal, or perhaps end up in one of these hospitals, or they break through in victory. Well, I don't know about you, but I wanna be the one who breaks through. But there has to be some must haves in order to be a breakthrough person. And we'll see some of those as we look through the first few verses of Philippians chapter four. So if you're not there, I'd ask you please to turn to Philippians chapter four. And I'm going to read verses one through nine. Therefore, my beloved brethren, whom I long to see, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. I urge Iodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice. Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things which you've heard and received and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Well, the first must-have is love, the right love. I know that seems obvious. But look back there at verse 1. Paul says, My beloved brethren, I long to see my joy and crown. Again, he says, my beloved. I said at the beginning of this study that this is one of Paul's most personal letters. This church had a very special place in Paul's heart. If you go back to chapter 1 in verse 3, you'll see, I thank my God in all my remembrance of you. Verse 7, I have you in my heart. Verse 8, I long to see you with the affection of Christ. Chapter 2, verse 12, again, my beloved. And this isn't love as the world defines it, which is mostly about feeling. This is God's love. The kind of love that Jesus demonstrated as he sacrificed himself. God's love is always other-oriented and sacrificial. It's the love that does nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, it regards others as more important. That was chapter 2, verse 3. It's the love that doesn't merely look out for its own personal interests, but it also looks out for the interests of others. That's chapter 2, verse 4. There's something about helping someone else break through their problem that takes the focus off of my problem. Something else that love does, it thinks enough of someone else to confront them in their sin. Not in judgment, but in order to restore. This is what it says in Galatians 6.1 Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, You who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted. Well, that's Paul's intention, even in this passage, as you look at Philippians 4, verse 2 and 3. He says, I urge Iodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life. The church has been under attack since the very first day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Paul's reflected on this, even as he's warned about false teachers back in chapter 3. Remember, beware of the dogs, he said. In Acts 14.22, he said, through many tribulations, we must enter the kingdom of God. Attacks and threats come from three sources, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Second Timothy 3.12 says about the external forces, indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ will be persecuted. And then there are spiritual forces that Ephesians 6.12 points out, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. Perhaps the greatest threat, though, is internal. Church life can be quite... There can be a great amount of instability, especially when there are disputes. Well, Euodia and Syntyche were two women in the Philippian church. And commentators say that these were two prominent women. And they were likely right there with Lydia at the riverside in Philippi when they had the prayer meeting and this church was started in Acts chapter 16. But these women had a dispute that had threatened to divide the church. And Paul was urging them. Paul urged them. This word means to urge strongly or to exhort or to entreat. It's sometimes translated as plead or implore. As when the people were pleading with Jesus to just touch the fringe of his garment. There's an interesting thing about the names of these two women. Iodia means sweet fragrance and Syntyche means pleasant. But it seems like they were neither at this point. But knowing what this unity can do to a church, he urged these women to live in harmony in the Lord. That's probably why he told the Philippians earlier to be of the same mind, to maintain the same love, to be united in spirit, intent on one purpose, do all things without grumbling or disputing. This conflict, though, is serious enough that Paul asked for the help of the church to resolve it. Indeed, he says in verse 3, that's a very strong affirmation. True companion. This word companion is the word susagoth, which means fellow worker and someone who shares a common burden, but It's also a proper name. It is this man's name, Sougagos. So it's actually best left untranslated. Sougagos may have been one of the elders in the church. So Paul uses another play on words here, calling him true Sougagos, which suggests that he really lived up to his name. He was really a fellow workman. Much like the name Barnabas, which means son of encouragement or Onesimus, that means useful. But Sugogos, he says, please help these women who have shared in the struggle for the cause of the gospel. They have labored together with Paul and also with Clement and others whose names aren't written in the book of Philippians, but they are written in the book of life. Sometimes it's about loving the unloving, isn't it? And that can only happen, and it can only come through humility. And there must always be forgiveness. Unforgiving people will never break through. Unforgiveness will eat away like a cancer, and it will only lead to bitterness. There's another book. It's called None of These Diseases. The subtitle is The Bible's Health Secret for the 21st Century and is co-authored by two men, S.I. McMillan and David Stern. They're Christian medical doctors who draw upon experiences from their profession and faith to make the point that the Bible is not only a guide for spiritual development, but is also a guide for healthy living, physical and emotional lives. This is what Macmillan says. For centuries, scoffers have ridiculed the advice of Jesus to love your enemies. They say it's impractical, idealistic and absurd. Today, however, psychiatrists are recommending it as a panacea for many of man's ills. When Jesus said, forgive 70 times seven, he was thinking not only of our souls, but of saving our bodies from ulcerated colitis, toxic goiters, high blood pressure, and scores of other diseases, end quote. I have known people who hold grudges and are unforgiving, and a lot of times they just are not healthy people. They're sick a lot, and they are not happy. But real living is real loving. And you know what else? The love of Christ is already ours. It isn't something that we have to generate ourselves. It's already there. All we have to do is to yield to its flow in our own life. It's there, just let it get out. Well, another must have is a foundation. We must have a solid foundation. Verse 1 says, Stand firm in the Lord. You must be living on a firm foundation. And that can only mean Christ the solid rock, because all other ground is sinking sand. Where do you stand? Where do you stand? You must know where you stand. Breaking through starts with being firmly grounded. As Christians, we are in union with Christ. Paul's whole existence was pervaded by the presence of Christ. There must be a reason for living. Remember chapter one, verse 21, where he said, for me to live is Christ. 2 Corinthians 5.17 says, Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things pass away. Behold, new things have come. And in Galatians 2.20, Paul said, I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me." Stand on what you know to be true. Positionally, our foundation, excuse me, is firm. It can't be moved because it's on Christ. But our life needs to line up with our position. Paul said it this way in chapter one, verse 27, walk in a manner worthy of the gospel. Augustine said this. You stir man to take pleasure in praising you because you have made us for yourself. And our heart is restless until it finds its rest in you." End quote. Until we know God, we are floating aimlessly. We are floating through life with no aim. We think we know what the deal is, but we really don't. 1 Corinthians 8, verse 2 says, if anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know. And in Proverbs 26, 12 says, do you see a man wise in his own eyes? Well, there's more hope for a fool than for him. Or Proverbs 30, verse 2 and 3, Surely I am more stupid than any man, and I do not have the understanding of a man, neither have I learned wisdom, nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. Notice the phrase in Philippians 4, verse 1, In this way, in this way stand firm, Paul says, which unfolds in the following verses. In other words, what Paul is saying is stand firm, one, by helping these women to reconcile. Stand firm by rejoicing in the Lord. Stand firm by praying instead of worrying about everything. Stand firm by thinking on the right things. while another must have is joy. It's chapter 4, verses 4 and 5. Paul says, Rejoice in the Lord. Again, I will say, rejoice. The theme of the entire letter, right? We said that at the very beginning. Twelve times in this letter, he mentions rejoicing. Rejoice again, I say, rejoice in the Lord, not in circumstances. Circumstances change. The Lord never changes. This word Cairo for rejoicing is a present tense imperative, which means it's continual It's the continual habit of practicing rejoicing. But someone asks, how can you command somebody to rejoice? Well, it's because it's not about trying to work up an emotion. Again, the source of our joy isn't circumstance. The source of joy is God Himself. He is the fullness of joy. Listen to Psalm 16, verse 11. You will make known to me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand, there are pleasures forever. You may have heard of a man named Voltaire, who was an atheist. He once said that, quote, men are tormented atoms in a bit of mud devoured by death, a mockery of faith. This world, this theater of pride and wrong swarms with sick fools who only talk of happiness. Man, what an outlook that is. But you know what? He's right. Until a man knows God, he's just like Voltaire described. Solomon said, all is vanity until a man knows God. Jeremiah 9 verse 23 and 24 says, thus says the Lord, let not a wise man boast of his wisdom and let not the mighty man boast of his might. Let not a rich man boast of his riches. But let him who boasts, boast of this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth. For I delight in these things, declares the Lord." I like John MacArthur's definition of joy. He says, it's reckless abandonment to Jesus Christ in any circumstance. It's just constantly saying, hey Lord, I'm yours and I don't understand what's going on, but I'm so glad I belong to you. That's rejoicing, end quote. Joy is not a feeling, but a deep down confidence that God is in control of everything for the believer's good and for God's own glory. and thus it will be well no matter what the circumstances." I learned this new acronym just a couple of days ago, P-T-L-A. Praise the Lord Anyway. I don't know, maybe you've heard it. That was the first time I heard that one. But the source of joy can't be found in a world of wickedness and sorrow and misery and death, and it can't be found in people who change and they hurt and they disappoint. The knowledge of God is the key to rejoicing. The beginning of verse five says, let your gentle spirit be known to all men. In this verse, gentle is probably better translated as considerate. That's what the LSB says. It means not insisting on every right of letter of law or custom. It means yielding. There's a kindness and courteousness about it. It's tolerance. Not the way we think of tolerance in our world, but you know. James 3 verse 17 says, but the wisdom from above is pure, then peaceable. gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. There's also the idea of kindness and forbearance, tenderheartedness. And of course, it can be translated as gentle. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 2, if you would. This is a little bit more lengthy of a passage, but you can find 1 Thess 2. I'm going to expound a little bit on this idea of being considerate and forbearing and tenderhearted. 1 Thessalonians 2, starting in verse 4. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts. For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed. God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ, we might have asserted our authority. Here it is. But we proved to be gentle among you. And how gentle was that as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her children? Now, that's gentle. Verse eight, having so fond and affection for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. Glen Campbell wrote a song once with this line, it says, and if you try a little kindness, you'll overlook the blindness of the narrow minded people on the narrow minded streets. We need to be sure though, you know, there are people who are fiery and they have fury, but hopefully it's not out of personality, but it's a response to something evil. You know, there is a righteous indignation. We saw that when Jesus went through the temple, didn't we? He was angry and he had a right to be, but it wasn't because, it was because God was being attacked. They were defiling the temple. Okay, well, another must have to be a breakthrough person is security. Well, this is seen at the end of verse five, when the Lord, it says, the Lord is near. Jesus said this, I am with you always. Psalm 16, verse eight says, I have set the Lord continually before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. What do you have to fear? The Lord is here. Someone said this, someone said that man-made securities are never more than tissue paper towers. I like that. Well, this security continues in verses six and seven. Paul goes on, he says, be anxious for nothing. But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Anxious. This is to be duly, excuse me, to be unduly concerned. It's usually translated as worry. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said this, for this reason, I say to you, do not be worried about your life as to what you will eat or what you will drink, nor for your body as to what you'll put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? For this reason, Jesus said, what's the reason? Well, the reason is in the previous verse when Jesus said that only a Christian can only serve one master, and that's God. And since God is your master, you have no reason to worry. Well, turn to Matthew 6, and let's just read the rest of this, this Sermon on the Mount here. It'd be good for all of us to see this again. Matthew 6, and I just read verse 25. So Matthew, excuse me, Matthew chapter six, and we'll pick this back up in verse 26. As we talk about this worrying and why we shouldn't worry, Jesus said, look at the birds of the air. They do not sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much, are you worth, I'm sorry, are you not worth much more than they? Verse 27, and who of you Being worried can add a single hour to his life. And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow. They do not toil, nor do they spin. Yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, Will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith? Do not worry then, saying, what will we eat, or what will we drink, or what will we wear for clothing? For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Don't worry. That's what Paul says back in Philippians 4 verse 6. He says, pray instead. But, he says in verse 6, but, in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." So here it is. We should pray for everything and worry about nothing. But how many of us Christians pray for nothing and worry about everything? The Bible mentions prayer over 330 times. Jesus prayed all the time, and He's God. How much more reason do we have to pray? There's something that I'd like to mention here about prayer that I am just now learning. I've been a Christian for 35 years, and I have only recently started to learn about the biblical language of lament. Of course, we know about the book of Lamentations, right? And over one-third of the Psalms are laments. Well, since I'm new at this, I'm just learning about this, I'm going to let someone else explain this much better than I can. And it's from a book called Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy, Discovering the Grace of Lament. It's by a man named, I'm hoping to get this name right, Mark Frogup. Is that close? Vertrop, okay. Quote, who taught you to cry? Of course, the answer is no one. Although you don't remember it, the first sound you made when you left the warm and protected home of your mother's womb was a loud wail, a heartfelt protest. Every human being has the same opening story. Life begins with tears. It's simply a part of what it means to be human. To cry is human. But lament is different. The practice of lament, the kind that is biblical, honest, and redemptive, is not as natural for us because every lament is a prayer. A statement of faith, lament is the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God's goodness. He goes on. Belief in God's mercy, redemption, and sovereignty create lament. Without hope in God's deliverance and the conviction that He is all-powerful, there would be no reason to lament when pain invaded our lives. Todd Billings, in his book called Rejoicing in Lament, helps us understand this fundamental point. It is precisely out of trust that God is sovereign that the psalmist repeatedly brings laments and petitions to the Lord. If the psalmist had already decided the verdict that God is indeed unfaithful, they would not continue to offer their complaint. Therefore, lament is rooted in what we believe. It is a prayer loaded with theology. Christians affirm that the world is broken, God is powerful, and He will be faithful. Therefore, lament stands in the gap between pain and promise. I like this. To cry is human. but to lament is Christian." End quote. Well, the result of praying, Paul says in verse 7 is, that the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. This peace can't even be understood, much less try to explain it to someone. Only a Christian knows peace like this. How do you explain joy in the midst of sorrow? You can't. All you can say is, God. It's God. Listen to Psalm 29, verse 11. The Lord will give strength to His people. The Lord will bless His people with peace. And Isaiah 26 verse 3 says, the steadfast of mind you will keep in perfect peace because he trusts in you. Another one from John MacArthur, if I may. He says an adequate Christian has the peace of God and the God of peace. A marvelous promise. Not only is God with us, but his very peace pervades us. We have the peace of God for our guiding and the God of peace for our going." End quote. Well, we must have love. We must have a solid foundation. We must have joy and we must have security. And finally, we must have right knowledge. Chapter 4, verse 8. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. Whatever is true, he says, we need to always be thinking about the truth. God's word is truth. We need to think about things that are honest and nobly serious. We need to think about what's right and what's just. Things that are pure means things that have moral purity and sincerity. We need to think of things that are worthy of being loved. And if there is any virtue or any good reputation in any of those things, then dwell there, he says. Dwell on these things. What do we think about? What do we fill our minds with? What do we listen to and watch and hear and so forth? What do we saturate ourselves with? Well, whatever it is, it will be produced in your living You are what you think. Listen to Proverbs 23 verse 7. For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, eat and drink, but his heart is not with you. Spiritual stability, which is really what we've been talking about here, is directly related to how a person thinks about God. If you could put that last slide up there. This is from A. W. Tozer, and it's another long one. What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man's spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base, as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God. For this reason, the gravest question before the church is always God himself. And the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at any given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the church. Always the most revealing thing about the church is her idea of God, just as her most significant message is what she says about him or leaves unsaid. For her silence is often more eloquent than her speech. She can never escape the self-disclosure of her witness concerning God." End quote. And then verse nine, Paul says, the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. We saw this in chapter 3, verse 17, the last time when Paul said, join in following my example. Imitate me, Paul says, as I imitate Christ. This isn't pride, like I said before. Paul was translating the life of Christ into his own life so that you could follow his pattern. And if you do, he says, the God of peace will be with you. Well, I started out by quoting from John chapter 16, verse 33, when Jesus said in the world, you have tribulation. But the part of the verse that I left out was what he said before that. These things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace. And I also left out what he said after that. Take courage. I have overcome the world. And because of that, Paul says, stand firm and rejoice. Somebody's written this, and this is what I'll close with. I cannot know why suddenly the storm shall rage so fiercely round me in its wrath. But this I know, God watches all my path and I can trust. I may not draw aside the mystic veil that hides the unknown future from my sight, nor know if, for me, awaits the dark or light, but I can trust. I have no power to look across the tide to see where here the land beyond the river But this I know, I shall be God's forever and I will trust.