Okay, this is online sermon March 18th, 2020. We'll be in Philippians chapter four, and we'll start in verse four tonight. This is Paul's closing thoughts. These were his words written from his prison cell. as he was in bonds, and we'll see that in a moment. But let's open with a word of prayer. Lord, we ask for your blessings. We thank you, Father, for the ability to use media to spread the word out to the people who are not gathered together tonight. But Father, hopefully they will listen and be edified by the message this Wednesday night. Lord, we ask for your blessings. And Father, we pray for all those that have been sick, and we ask that you would have your hand upon each of them. Father, I pray you would protect those that are not sick. I pray that you would help us, Father, to walk the Christian life and to walk the life of faith through this pandemic that seems to be worldwide now. And so Lord, we ask that you'd bless your word tonight. We ask in Jesus' name, amen. Okay, Philippians 4.4. The Apostle Paul, in his closing thoughts, he says, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. And so first Philippians 4.4, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. Know that Paul was writing this epistle from his prison cell and he was still encouraging believers. What an encouragement to us. Let this always, and I say again, let this always, as he says, rejoice in the Lord always, let this always be who we are in Christ. Now turn back to Philippians 1.3 and I'll show you that this is, his epistle when he was in Bonds. And I want you to listen to the spirit of Paul. In fact, several times, I think it's seven or eight times, Paul talks about rejoicing in this epistle. Notice verse three, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making requests with joy for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my bonds, and you can see he's in prison, and in defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye are all partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. In this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment. You notice that he's not, he's not mully grubbing about being in jail. He's not talking about himself being in jail. He's talking to the believers and he's praying for them. And he says, my soul longs after you. Chapter three in verse one is another instance. We won't read them all. But in chapter three, verse one, he says, finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you, it is safe. So Paul rejoiced and was full of joy in his prayers for the believing brethren and for the continued preaching of the gospel. If Paul could rejoice in his prison cell, can't we who have it much easier rejoice? But here's the key, rejoice in the Lord. And I think often we rejoice in other things. We rejoice when things are going well in our lives, but we don't actually rejoice in the Lord. And so that's the key, rejoice in the Lord. So the question is, do we know how to do that? And are we rejoicing in the Lord daily? Back to back at 317, Gary wanted to sing this song on Sunday. And we did, and so I'll read it to you today. If you go to the book of Habakkuk, I'd like you to put your eyes on it and see it. Habakkuk, after the book of Nahum. And this kind of goes along with our time today. He says, although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall the fruit be in the vines, and the labor of the olive tree shall fail, or the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, and the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, and the U.S. economy will tank, and people will get laid off from their jobs, and some of those things may happen. and things may get harder for us, brethren. But, he says, yet, verse 18, I will rejoice in the Lord. Though all these calamities and these things are going on in the world, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places, even in the midst of my trials. to the chief singer on my stringed instruments." So remember first, rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say rejoice, and Paul rejoiced from his prison cell, and so we ought to be able to rejoice in the midst of COVID-19. Now look at Psalm 33.1, just a few more references that I really love, and there's so many, but I chose these because I really, they really resonated with my own heart. I hope they will with yours. Psalm 33, one. The psalmist says, rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is comely, means it's befitting for the upright. And that's how we should be. Verse two, praise the Lord with the harp. Sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of 10 strings. sing unto him a new song, play skillfully with a loud noise. And so I pray that that would be us. And one more, Psalm 94 and verse 19. Psalm 94 and verse 19. I love this little passage out of this Psalm. The Psalmist here says, in the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul, and the multitude of my thoughts within me." Shows us what we ought to be thinking about, and we ought to be rejoicing in the Lord. And then Philippians 4, 5, let's go back to Philippians. We'll continue on. Philippians 4, 5, if you're back there. So he says, rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice. He says it twice. So it's doubly important. Then he says, So think about this. He says, unto all men." In other words, not so much to us, though it needs to be known to us, but unto all men. So moderation should be what is seen in you and I by others. Moderation is children of God. Moderation meaning your patience, your gentleness, but also that you are to be able by God's grace to govern and restrain your passions. Colossians 3 15 comes to mind Paul says there and let the peace of God rule or govern in your heart We should be governed by the peace of God our peace should not be disturbed by what's going on in the world our moderation should be known unto all men and Just a little further what that means is you and I don't panic when calamities come but you and I have meek and quiet dispositions and we're submissive to God in whatever He brings into our lives. And that's very important. So we don't panic when calamities come, but we have a meek and quiet disposition of submission to God in whatever He brings into our lives. And so when difficulties and trials arise, you say within yourself this, you say, it is the Lord. My Lords, we need to remember that, like this is all happening, it's the Lord. And also not my will, but thine be done. So that's very important for us. So let your moderation be known unto all men, the Lord is at hand. And then Paul goes on to say, the Lord is at hand. Turn back to Psalm 46, the Lord is at hand. And what does that mean to us? Well, I think Psalm 46 answers very well for this. If you get back there Psalm 46, one says, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. So he's there, the Lord is at hand. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea, though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. There is a river the streams whereof make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. God is in the midst of her that is in the midst of her church. She shall not be moved. God shall help her and that right early. He goes on to say in verse 10, be still and know that I am God. And so brethren, let your moderation be known unto all men. In other words, others should note this in us. They should see it in us. So let your moderation be known unto all men. That is your meekness and gentleness of disposition in your submission to God in whatever he brings into your life. And then know also and trust that the Lord is at hand. And then verse six and seven, really the crown jewel of this passage, where Paul says in Philippians 4.6, rejoicing in the Lord, let your moderation be known unto all men. Now he says, be careful or anxious for nothing. But in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. So do not be anxious for anything, is what Paul is saying. Now we've all been surrounded with a lot of anxiety and fear lately. No doubt we've probably had some anxiety ourselves. I know I have. But here's where the realness and genuineness of our faith in Christ ought to be fully engaged in trusting in the Lord. We ought to be trusting in the Lord. This is what we use our faith for. But when everything is going well in our lives, and we are faring sumptuously every day, and we have been faring sumptuously every day, we are all so prone to not walk by faith when everything's coming so easy. The truth is, though, we are so often not dependent upon God in our lives, obviously, when we're faring sumptuously, when things are prosperous. But if we were walking by faith on a daily basis now and today, would not be so different and so difficult. In other words, if this is the norm for our lives, and we're walking by faith in the Son of God, and we're trusting God, even in times when things are not difficult, and we realize that even in times when things are not difficult, we must trust in God, and we must have his grace for every single day. If that's how we're walking in our Christian lives, and we're walking by faith, because 2 Corinthians 5, 7 says, for we walk by faith, not by sight. So if that's how we walk every day, now and today, now, that is March 18th, now and today would not be so different and so difficult. Now, now I'd have you go to Matthew 6, 19, Sermon on the Mount, the Lord Jesus, in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, we'll read verses 19 to 24, And before I read this passage, I want you to know that it's all a matter of storehouses. Where is your storehouse? Where are you laying up treasure? And are you living a life of faith? If we're laying up treasure in heaven, then we're living a life of faith. If we're laying up treasure in the earth, then we're living by sight, we're not living by faith. So verse 19 says, lay not up, for yourselves treasures upon earth. In other words, don't accumulate treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. It's very important. The light of the body is the eye. If therefore the eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness. So back to storehouses and laying up treasures. Are you making daily spiritual deposits in heaven? Are you solidifying your citizenship there? Are you laying up and amassing treasure there? Laying up means to amass, to store up. Are you strengthening yourself and your faith in Christ with each passing day? That is akin to laying up treasures in heaven. Matthew 13, just go there for a moment. Matthew 13 and verse 44. See, it's a matter of storehouses. It's a matter of storehouses. Verse 44. In the chapter with the parables, the Lord says, again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in the field. The witch, when a man hath found, he hideth. So he hides the treasure so that he can know where it's at. And for joy thereof, he goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field. And why does he buy the field? Because the treasure's in the field. And if he owns the field, he owns the treasure. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls. who when he had found one pearl of great price, and this is important, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. And so now that you've found that treasure hidden the field as a Christian, that pearl of great price, now that we're in Christ, are you selling all that you have to get that field and that pearl? If you are, then you've got the right storehouse and you're laying up in the right storehouse. But if you're not making daily and substantial deposits in heaven, if you're not walking by faith, if you're not strengthening and increasing your faith in Christ, when the time comes that you need to make a large spiritual withdrawal of faith that you need in this life and in your walk in this life, you might be found to be NSF. Everybody knows what NSF means, means not sufficient funds. Here, I mean it to mean not sufficient faith. And so it's a matter of storehouses. If we're not laying up treasure in heaven, then when we need to take and withdraw on that faith and use it for Christ, it's not gonna be there. And so Peter, or I think it's Jude rather, says, but building up yourselves on your most holy faith. But building up yourselves on your most holy faith. And that's the words of Jude, and that's what we need to be doing. And so brethren, lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, fill the storehouse of heaven where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. And so now back to, actually, no, I'm sorry. Back to Matthew chapter six, and now verse 24. The Lord Jesus goes on and says, no man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, take no thought, that is, don't be anxious for your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor yet for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat and the body more than raiment? Now you remember a moment ago, Jesus said, don't lay up treasures on earth because moths will corrupt it, moths will eat it. Well, in the Old Testament, and even up to the time of Christ, to have more than one garment, you were a rich man. And so when you got garments, you were considered rich. And what do moths do with garments? They eat them. And if you store them up, and you have storehouses full of garments, they eat them. And he says, where rust doth corrupt your silver and your gold and your riches. And so Jesus is now telling us, verse 25, take no thought. for your life. And he defines that of what you shall eat and what you shall drink, nor yet for your body what you shall put on. Is not the life more than meat and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, the birds of the sky. For they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are you not much better than they? You know, I've noticed the creation. I was looking at the birds, I heard the birds. singing this morning when I left my mom's house. And you know, the creation is just moving on and God's taking care of them. And Jesus tells us, are you not much better than they? And we should take that to heart. Even in this time, I saw people in the stores buying up and hoarding food. Listen, our God is gonna take care of us. We're much better than the birds. of the air and the grass of the field. He says, which of you by taking thought can add one cubit to his stature? We can't even add a year or a day onto our lives. And why take ye thought for raiment or clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothed the grass of the field, which today is, notice the shortness, today is and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? We have no idea about this because we have more clothes than we even wear, but consider the culture in that time. If you had more than a one or two changes of garments, you were rich. In fact, if you remember when Joseph sent his brothers back to get Jacob out of Israel, he sent Benjamin back with, I think, multiple changes of raiment, showing him to be rich. And he put silver and gold in his sack of corn. So just understand it like that. And then in verse 31, he says, therefore, take no thought, saying, what shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? or wherewithal shall we be clothed? For all these things do the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. So brethren, back to Philippians, be anxious for nothing. But verse 33, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And all these things, these earthly things, shall be added unto you. Therefore take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. And so back to Philippians, and we'll close out here. Philippians four and verse six again. He says, be careful for nothing but in everything. So be not anxious about anything, but in everything, he says, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. That's very important. With prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving for how good God has been to us because he's been so good to us. So in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God and the peace of God, this is what will come to pass when we cast our burdens upon the Lord. The peace of God which passeth or surpasses or is beyond all understanding, and this is what we need, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. And so God, brethren, will supply us with the peace in our hearts and minds when we cast our burdens upon the Lord. In fact, Romans chapter 14, verse 17 says, this is the kingdom of God. I believe this is the reference. I'll turn there real quick. Romans 14 and verse 17. says, for the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. And this is how we, this is our mindset. This should be our disposition in the midst of whatever's going on in the world, that we should not have anxiety. We should not be anxious about anything. God will supply our peace. And then when he supplies it, he tells us by faith, he said, let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts. And that's how we should be. So the peace of God, and it's beyond all understanding, it's not a peace that originates in this earth, in this world, it comes from God himself. Jesus even told his apostles in, In John chapter 16, when he was getting ready to go to the cross, he says, these things have I spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world. So Isaiah 26 three as well, thou will keep them in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee. And so what a blessing that is. Now let's just finish out Philippians. I wanna read the last, verses from 10 to 23, just to close out Paul's epistle, and I just want you to hear the heart of Paul. I think it's very important, and I think it's a good way to end this. Actually, we'll start in verse eight. He says, 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, if there's any excellence, if there be any praise, think on these things. We should deliberately think on these things. And this is a fantastic verse for us to memorize so that we would think rightly throughout every single day of our lives. Those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen and made do, and the God of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again, wherein you were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. He's basically saying, don't worry about me. Not that I speak in respect of want, for I have learned, and this is what we need to learn, in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. Notwithstanding, you have well done that you did communicate with my affliction. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica, you sent once again unto my necessity, not because I desire a gift, but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all. This is a guy in locked up in a cell. I have all and abound. I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you in odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God. And that's because of how it was given. But my God shall supply your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. And I love verse 22. All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. That's amazing, isn't it? The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. Amen. Let's dismiss in prayer. Lord, we ask that this word would go forth, that it would be glorifying to you. And Father, I pray you would be with all the precious saints Father, I know normally we would be taking requests for prayer now. Father, I trust that the saints will be praying, and Father, praying for each other, lifting one another up in prayer, bearing one another's burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ. Help us, Father, in this time in our lives, and most of all, Father, help us to rejoice in the Lord always. And again, I say rejoice, and we ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.