Well, good morning, church. I'm always amazed at how God providentially and in His sovereignty uses all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. It is not uncommon at all for authors to write books related to the times in which they live. It is not uncommon for pastors to focus on messages that the church needs equipping in. But please know this. This morning's message was chosen about a year ago. And praise God who knows everything. He knows what we need to hear at exactly the right moment. There can be no doubt in my mind and in any born-again believer's mind that God loves his church. Look no further than the cross of Christ, and listen to John 3, 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Jesus Christ loves his bride, the church, and purchased his bride with his shed blood. I love the gospel as it is given in a nutshell in 1 Corinthians 15, 3-4. For I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. We should always be reminding ourselves of the great cost that Jesus paid at Calvary and what we have been saved from, and that is an eternity in hell. Brothers and sisters, when we read our Bibles, especially about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it should cause us great joy and constant worship and a life marked by obedience to God's Word. Amen? Let's pray. Dear Heavenly Father, surely you love your children with a love that we, even in eternity, will never truly fathom. We come to your word this morning, as we always should, to hear you speak and with hearts that are prepared to do anything that it takes to let your word saturate every part of our beings and obey it to bring you the most glory in these last of the last days. We could never pray enough for you to open our eyes that we may behold wonderful things from your law and point out anything in our lives that offends you and lead us along the path of everlasting life. May we always obey your word, to imitate you in everything we do, because we are your dear children, and live a life that's filled with love, following the example of your son, Jesus Christ, who loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, and it's in your precious name that we pray, amen. If you're visiting with us today, I am not Pastor Kerry. I get to say that about once a year. Our beloved pastor and his family are on a much needed vacation. I am humbly blessed and consider it a great privilege that he would entrust the pulpit to me today. Most of us would agree that we dearly love our pastor, his wife Lois, and their family. So much love and sacrifice proceeds from a pastor's heart for the flock that he has been called to shepherd. And their long history is a testimony to this. When a pastor steps into a church, there is often conflict at every level. There is relational conflict, doctrinal strife, philosophical differences, leadership unrest, and financial pressures, just to name a few. And just for the record, that's not me standing between Pastor Kerry and his twin brother Chris. We are challenged in Ephesians 4, 15 to 16. But speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into him which who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Our physical bodies cannot afford to have the heart disagreeing with the head. When the church and all of its members are functioning the way that they should, then the body is healthy and growing strong. When it's not, then there's conflict. Nothing could be more relevant to churches today than the proper management of conflict. Since the dawn of human history, beginning with Cain and Abel, Genesis 4, there has been conflict between individuals. No believer, no church can escape that fact. Wherever there are people, there is potential for conflict. Such turbulence can threaten the effectiveness of the church's ministries. Conflict begins when we take our eyes off of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And conflict will continue to increase to the degree that we are not in God's word, faithful of reading, studying, and obeying it. Conflict continues when we selfishly focus on ourselves and fail to remember how much our Savior suffered on our behalf. The church in Philippi was no different. As great as this church was, there nevertheless was strife. So the apostle Paul writes to the church in Philippi to address this problem. There were two women at the heart of this brewing storm. He calls them out by name, permanently recorded in the word of God for every generation to know and to learn from. Their strife was creating a rift in the fellowship of the church, and it had reached a point where Paul felt that he must address them publicly. As this letter was read to the entire church when it was delivered from Rome, there was no doubt in anybody's mind what the problem was in this church. It was these two women who could not get along. Now, don't get hung up on the fact that it was these two women. Two men can be just as much of a problem as well. Conflict can occur and does occur almost everywhere you look. So please stand with me as we want to honor God and his word as we read Philippians 4, 1-9. So Philippians 4, 1-9, verse 1. 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 Odia and I urge Syndice to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask also to help with these women who have shared my struggle and the cause of the gospel, together with Clement, also and the rest of my fellow workers, who names are in the book of life. Verse four, rejoice in the Lord always, and again I 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. Verse eight, 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 anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. And verse nine, the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. Praise God for his word and may the Holy Spirit work in and through our lives from this passage this morning, all for God's glory. You may be seated. This morning I want to cover seven elements of standing firm and help direct our thoughts to discovering joy and peace in our everyday challenging lives. And you'll find the outline in your bulletins. This morning I wish to give credit where credit is due. Much of the material in this morning's message has come from Stephen Lawson. I cannot recommend the book Philippians for you enough. And if you read it, then buy a box of highlighters as you're going to need them. This morning, we're gonna see into the heart of the Apostle Paul, who though is some 800 miles apart from the church he founded, shows us how much he loved the church and desired their spiritual growth, unity and love for one another, as they all run the race and need to keep their eyes firmly fixed on the finish line. Today we're going to take a step back and look at what Paul is saying to the Philippian church. There are so many excellent verses in this book. Don't be surprised when you're reading through all of Paul's epistles that how much is repeated. Paul is writing these things to remind those believers of the many truths that he has written because they needed reminders. And guess what? So do we. So why should the book of Philippians be so important to your spiritual life? A great pastor friend of mine always likes to say, I'm glad you asked. So let me quickly give you seven reasons. First, this is an intensely personal book. This book reveals the depth of authentic Christian fellowship between believers. Verse 4-1. Your walk with the Lord will thrive to the extent that you are a part of the kind of community that the Philippian church and their founding pastor enjoy together. Second, the Book of Philippians is a joy-producing book. It was written by Paul to encourage the hearts of believers and urge them to rejoice in the Lord. Chapter 218, 3-1, and 4-4. Joy is a spiritual grace that we all need to experience in our Christian lives. We live in a world of stress and anxiety that all too easily and supply can steal the peace of God from our hearts. We need an abundant, overflowing joy to flood our souls. The book of Philippians is written for that very purpose, to point us to that joy. Third, the book of Philippians is a gospel-focused book. There is a repeated emphasis upon the good news of salvation that is in God's Son, Jesus Christ. Paul places great stress upon the saving message of the gospel, as well as the need for us to live it out in our daily lives. Fourth, the book of Philippians is a doctrinally rich book. Here Paul teaches how the Son of God entered into the world to take upon himself human flesh and die for our sins. Chapter 2, verses 6-8. Further, we see the exaltation of Christ to the right hand of God the Father, 2, 9-11. We discover the eternal security of the believer in 1, verse 6. Fifth, the book of Philippians is a prayer-inclining book. From the opening of this book, the Apostle Paul expresses his sincere prayers offered on the behalf of the Philippians 1, 3 through 11. In the last chapter of this letter, Paul reminds the believers once again of the need to cast their burdens upon the Lord in order to experience his peace. In like manner, we should read the book of Philippians and allow it to deepen our own prayer life. Sixth, the book of Philippians is a holiness growing book. This letter teaches us much about how to live the Christian life. Paul will tell us that we bear great responsibility to work out our salvation in fear and trembling. Chapter two, verses 12 through 13. At the same time, he will instruct us that it is God who is at work within us for his good pleasure. And seventh, this book of Philippians is an eternity gazing book. Here we are given the eternal perspective we need as we are faced with life difficulties. Chapter three, 20 through 21. This letter reminds us that we must rejoice whenever the gospel is advancing, regardless of the personal affliction that we might have to suffer. The apostle personally models how to live triumphantly and joyfully in the midst of difficult circumstances. Thus, this letter is intended for every church and every Christian in every generation. In this letter, God himself is still speaking to each one of us today, and that fact should bring great comfort and courage to each one and every one of us. Paul is the Roman or Greek name of this towering figure who was previously called by his Hebrew name Saul. Many would insist that the Apostle Paul was the greatest Christian who ever lived. He was so active for the Lord that it could be well said that he lived the life of nine men. He was a dynamic missionary, church planter, powerful preacher, caring pastor, gifted evangelist, astute theologian, brilliant teacher, interim speaker, and prolific author, all merged into one extraordinary person. This is the same Paul who authored 13 epistles in the New Testament, so no doubt it was something very special to receive this letter from the chief apostle in the church. Now as much as we have to learn how much Paul loved the Philippian church and prayed constantly for them, this church, like all churches, faced many trials, tribulations, and trouble with the people in and outside of the church. Perhaps the following will sound familiar. We learn from chapter one, verse 27, that they were perhaps having trouble with temptation. In 128, they were reminded to not be alarmed by their opponents. In 129, they were suffering for God's sake. In 130, they experienced the same conflict that they saw in Paul, which was persecution. In 22, it indicates that they were not of the same mind, not maintaining the same love, and not being united in spirit. In 2, 3, and 4, they were selfish. They weren't humble and didn't regard others as more important than themselves, and only looked out for their own personal interests. In 2, 14, they were told not to grumble or dispute. In 2, 18, they were being urged to rejoice, giving the impression of fretting. In 3, 2, they were warned of the dogs, evil workers, and false circumcision. In 3.18 and 19, they were warned of the enemies of the cross, whose God is their appetite, whose glory is in their shame, and who set their minds on earthly things. And in 4.2, our passage today, we learn about two women who were not living in harmony. And finally, in 4.6, we learn about those who worry and are anxious. The Philippian church, like every church, is being admonished by Paul to be spiritually stable. Otherwise, there will be no true joy. Now, all of that was necessary as an introduction to our text, and so let's dive into our text this morning, and Paul starts us off in verse one by saying, therefore, my beloved brethren, whom I long to see, my joy and my crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. Paul begins a small section with a word therefore. This serves as a bridge that connects two units of thought. It reaches back to what he previously wrote and brings it to a bottom line conclusion. One author said, all truth must be followed with a therefore because all truth has implications for daily life. The first words in which Paul addresses the Philippians are my beloved. No more tender word can be used to express his love for these men and women than to refer to them as my beloved. He cherished the reality that they were brothers and sisters united together in the same family of God. This term indicates a deep abiding relationship that they enjoyed with one another and it underlines the seriousness and tragedy of conflict within their fellowship. This verb, long, expresses a strong desire marked by intense affection. This instance is the only time it is used in the New Testament. He reserves this level of deep affection for this church in Philippi, which has gained such a special place in his heart. Finally, Paul writes that this church is his crown. Crown refers to the victor's crown that was given to an athlete who won an event. Who is the crown upon your head? To whom have you passed on the word of God? Is it a son or daughter? A person whom you have just witnessed for Christ? The members of your small group Bible study? Or perhaps a colleague at work? Since they have received the gospel from you, do you see them as your crown? Can you give thanks for the joy which their faith has brought to your life? Paul now speaks directly to the Philippians and has given them a charge. In this way, refers back to how he had previously spoken of himself in the preceding chapter. As he has stood firm for the gospel, so they too must stand firm. They should look to Paul as an example of being immovable in the will of God. Stand firm is a military charge from a commanding officer to his soldiers, charging them to hold their position in the battlefield. Paul is saying to the Philippians that they must understand that they are in spiritual warfare and are positioned like soldiers on the front line. They must hold their position in the midst of a godless culture. They must not compromise over the gospel. They must not collapse under the pressure of persecution. They must stand firm in what they have been taught. My brothers and sisters of Cornerstone Bible Church, like all God-fearing and Bible-believing churches who are obedient to his word, we should be in a battle when it comes to proclaiming the gospel. And if you're not attending a church that is in a constant battle for the gospel, then something is probably wrong. Folks, make no mistake, we are in a spiritual war. And so, you and I must stand firm in the Lord as we face the many challenges that are before us. Now we come to the first element of standing firm, which is cultivating peace in the fellowship. In verse two, Paul says, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I urge Odia and I urge Syndice to live in harmony in the Lord. After expressing his love for them, Paul addresses the problem that was festering within this congregation. Putting his finger on the live nerve, he writes, I urge Odia and I urge Syndicate to live in harmony with one another. Obviously these two women were at odds with one another. Christians are not immune from disagreement and disharmony. In his books on conflict and peacekeeping, Ken Sandy writes, We can't easily escape conflict because we are all products of our own misguided desires. We are all part of the problem, and the problem is part of all of us. Unfortunately, as fallen humans, we tend to take offense and assume the worst. God wants us to assume the best until we actually know otherwise. Many conflicts are the result of sinful attitudes and desires that lead to sinful words and actions. Ken Sandy goes on to say, we should be aware of three important facts. One, that people are different and want different things. That's often the spark of conflict. Secondly, differences get worse when sinful selfishness and pride drive our reactions. That's the gasoline of conflict. And lastly, destruction results when we fail to respond properly and allow our sinful desires to continue driving our words and action. That's the fire of conflict. In the Bible, God gives us a powerful way to respond to conflict. Our natural approach to conflict is to focus on what an opponent did to us. Yet if we try to resolve conflict by focusing only on what someone else did wrong, we never reach a real solution. God's approach begins with us understanding the gospel, everything Jesus Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Through the gospel, God treats us with extraordinary, unearned kindness, and his gracious response to us gives us power to respond to others in an entirely new way. These steps aren't difficult to discover. They're clearly taught by Jesus and others in the Bible. God explains why conflicts happen and how we should deal with them. Peacemaking comes naturally to no one. It always goes against our normal human impulses, but the more we draw on God's power and the more we wrestle with and obey what God teaches, the more effectively we can work out our disagreement with others. And all I can say that Pastor Kerry would say is amen. Verse three goes on to say, 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. Notice that he says, indeed, true companion. I ask you also to help. These women were members of the Philippian church. Apparently, they were well-known members of this congregation and fellow workers with Paul in the gospel. As verse three states, these were not obscure members in the life of this flock. They were frontline warriors, two servants who had put their shoulders to the plow in cause of the gospel. The problem was not that they were not involved because they worked hard in God's labors. The problem was that they were not united, suffering a serious disagreement that was quite a clash. Even worse, their breach was affecting the unity of the entire church. The friction between these two was disrupting the spiritual life of those around them to the point that this feud was fracturing the fellowship of the church. Paul urged these two women to live in harmony because this was the very thing that they were not doing. This was not a small feud in this church, but a major problem threatening its strength and witness. This conflict was not theological, but relational. The problem was that these two women were in conflict with one another and remained unreconciled. Paul mentions another by name in verse three, Clement. We do not know who Clement is, but he was obviously a well-known man in the church with spiritual influence. He is cited here as working with these women and the rest of my fellow workers. This is the team spirit that characterized this church in Philippi. Paul concludes by underlining that the protagonist's names are in the Book of Life. This is to underscore that these are true believers who are in conflict. The Philippians are not to conclude that these women are unbelievers. To the contrary, their names are in the Book of Life. Having been chosen by the Father before time began, these are sisters in the Lord who must now work this out. Usually there is a progression in how something like this escalates within a person's spirit. Paul outlines this elsewhere. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice. Ephesians 4 31. Things begin with bitterness and conclude with malice. Our initial heart problem begins with bitterness, meaning a resentment or a grudge. It starts out relatively small, but as irritability begins to fester, a sour spirit develops as an attitude problem. If unaddressed, our bitterness progresses to wrath. describing wild rage escalates on the inside. It builds and builds until it leads you to you losing your temper. Something is said that punches a hot button, and when bitterness has built up, a single spark will cause an explosion. Suddenly you fly off the handle and say something in a moment of rage, and then this leads to anger, which is an internal smoldering, a deep feeling of animosity. That moment of wrath does not go away, but settles in and brews into ongoing anger. Wrath erupts in a moment, but anger is long-lasting. From there, anger builds to clamoring. This word speaks of a public outburst in front of other people. There is no restraint now, but an outward loss of self-control. We begin to speak without any fear of reprisals. This, in turn, leads to slander, which is a character assassination of someone. Finally, there is malice, which is the proliferation of evil. This undoubtedly was a problem with these two women in the church at Philippi. It was not a doctrinal problem, this was a well-taught church. Their problem was strictly a relational one. Such problems must never be allowed to fester in any of our lives and relationships within the body of Christ. Why? Because God will be robbed of honor and glory. and the light of the gospel will not shine on those around us as it could through our very own lives. Matthew 5 16 says it very clearly. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven. Okay, well that was some pretty heavy stuff. I can't make this stuff up, no matter how much it speaks to our situations in everyday life. I'll say it again, praise God and how relevant His word is to each and every one of us. The book of Philippians has so much instruction on how to address all areas of our Christian walk. And again, like the other epistles, we find ourselves being reminded by the Apostle Paul as we need these constant reminders. So how can we live in such a way that pleases God and moves us forward in our sanctification and helps us in all the relationships around us? And again, I'm so glad you asked. Let's continue on with verse four and the next element of standing firm that is maintaining a spirit of joy. Verse four says, rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. In spite of the friction between Odia and Syntyche and the two sides that they represent, Paul urges the believers to rejoice in the midst of this conflict. Such a dispute can make rejoicing seem impossible. However, Paul urges the believers to rejoice nonetheless. This verse expresses a central theme of the Book of Philippians, which is a call to believers to rejoice, no matter what the circumstances are. So important to Christian living is rejoicing that the Paul repeats this command for emphasis. Rejoice is a present imperative verb, a command that requires continual, habitual rejoicing. These in-house differences and disagreements should not prevent the Philippians from rejoicing. Most likely rejoicing together may serve to heal the divide. Rejoicing in the Lord always gives us the proper perspective on everything else, especially in conflict. I love the many verses in scripture that uses words like always, or in everything, or do all, or everything. 1 Corinthians 10 31 is one of those such verses. Whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 through 18, rejoice always. Verse 17, pray without ceasing. Verse 18, in everything give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. And Philippians 2, 14, the one that we always need to work on, do all things without grumbling or disputing. Otherwise, that's basically is telling us that we need to do everything without complaining and arguing. In verse four, we are told to rejoice in the Lord. How often? How often? Always, good. This is my check to make sure everybody's awake. And just in case we aren't getting it, Paul repeats it again. He said, again I will say rejoice. So I just had to look up this word in the dictionary which describes always as eternally, forever, permanently, and perpetually. Dear brothers and sisters, these few verses alone leave no room for anything else but to live as God designed and intended us to live. Does not God deserve all the glory, honor, and praise that we can give him? And your answer? Amen and yes. Now on to our next element of standing firm, which is learning to accept less than you are due. Verse five tells us to let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Given that this conflict exists, Paul makes this appeal. Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. In the midst of this relational storm, the believers in the church should not allow their emotions to escalate and intensify, and so become angry at others, possibly reacting harshly to one another. Such times as fiction can bring the worst out of people. Instead, they should show a gentle spirit. It is a call to overlook the faults of others. A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15 one. So why does the end of verse five say, the Lord is near? This brings us to our next element in the call to stand firm, which is to rest on a confident faith in the Lord. The last part of verse five says, the Lord is near. And the first part of verse six says, be anxious for nothing. To conclude this section, Paul reminds the church that the Lord is near. This is not a statement concerning the second coming of Christ, although it is true that he is coming soon. Rather, it is an affirmation that the Lord is near to his people in order to give his joy to troubled hearts. This is a simple reminder of Christ's closeness to his people in a time of unrest to grant his peace and to calm hearts. Such closeness by the Lord to his people is a reminder that we all need to be reminded of again and again. When conflict occurs between believers, it's important to remember that what they have in common in the Lord is always greater than anything that is driving them apart. It's so easy for us to forget that. And those who spend eternity in joyful unity and peace ought to start by living in it right here, right now. There seems to be a noticeable transition from this conflict from verses two and three to verses four through nine. Or is there? Perhaps between all the conflict described earlier and the hardships that Paul faces under house arrest, along with the Philippians church's concern for him, gives the church at Philippi, Paul and all other believers of all time the needed direction and focus that everyone needs. The first part of verse six says, be anxious for nothing. With all that we have learned about the Apostle Paul, who would blame him for being anxious? If anyone had a reason to be anxious and worry, wouldn't it have been Paul? Put yourself in his shoes. Second Corinthians 11, 23 to 27 spells it all out. in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers from false brethren. I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food and cold and exposure. And now, he is in chains attached to a Roman soldier. 24 hours a day, seven days a week. And he has been in this situation for two long years. Now, what is it that we have need to complain about, especially to the degree that we suffer for the sake of the gospel today? We get anxious if there's more than a few people ahead of us in the checkout line at the grocery store, or maybe we're in the drive-thru waiting for our coffee, let alone be chained to two guards 24 hours a day. The Apostle Paul previously lived an adventurous life, traveling from city to city. Now he goes nowhere. He has restricted movement, limited resources, and dwindling support. To be anxious is to be a worrier, to be fearful and distressed, as such anxiety compromises our faith in the sovereign purposes of God. And in that way, anxiety robs us of our joy. Worry comes from an old English word meaning to strangle. This is a good image because stress chokes our inner life and sometimes the way we feel physically. Robbing us of peace, worry squeezes the life out of the heart, strangling all enjoyment of life. When Paul says, be anxious for nothing, that is a command. Though it may be strange to think of it like this, to be anxious is to be disobedient to God. So, so what is worry? Worry is a failure to trust that God is in control. It reveals that we are not sure that God will provide what we need in his perfect timing. This does not mean that we should not be concerned about the issues in our lives in the midst of difficulties. Yet Paul stresses that believers must not be pulled apart and strangled of peace and joy. We must not be anxious and worried. Do not worry is both a command to trust the Lord and an invitation to enjoy peace with the Lord. Paul, especially, and even we, can be tempted to ask the question, why did God allow this, and you can fill in the blank, into our lives? Why did he allow it to happen? Maybe it's the passing of a loved one. Maybe it's a wayward child that was raised in a loving Christian home. Or maybe it's a car accident that has permanent effects. Or maybe it's even severe health issues. Or maybe even conflict with your best pals, Odia and Sindiki. A terrible thing maybe was committed by another person. Maybe it's even a person that you trust. Often we may never know why something has happened. If it were up to us, in hindsight, there are many things that we would never have done or have done differently. It's during these times and these circumstances that we have to trust God at his word. Proverbs 3, 5, and 6 makes it very clear. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. And in Romans 8, 28, as we read earlier, and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. I still fall back on what my Christian principal taught me in high school. He always told us, when things go wrong, ask yourself, is God trying to teach me something through this? And the second thing, how can I glorify God through all of this? Now for our next and most important element, which teaches us to react to all of our problems with prayer and a grateful heart. So how does Paul handle this and what does he instruct us to do? What is the cure? And we'll find it in the rest of verse six. Let's look at the last part of verse six together again. But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. He encourages them to not be anxious for him or anything else that they might encounter personally. Rather, they must commit every concern to God in prayer and focus their minds upon what is pure. All true prayer will be marked by gratitude. At the same time as recognizing what we are lacking, we must also acknowledge what God has provided for us. No matter how dire our circumstances, he has lavished his blessing upon his children. So his children must constantly pray, ask, and offer thanksgiving. There is no shortcut to peace, but prayer is the path to it. It's been said many times over, focus on how God has provided for our eternal life in heaven through his son, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for our sins and rose again so that we could be wrapped in the robe of Christ, of Christ's righteousness that we could never, ever deserve. The moment we believe this and put our trust in Jesus and turn from our sinful ways and follow him, we have salvation. This kind of thankfulness and focus will solve our anxiety and will take care of the trouble that we get ourselves into with those around us. And what are the results of our prayers and thanksgiving? This brings us to another element in standing firm. Verse seven tells us, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. The result will be that God's peace will flood their minds and hearts. Though Paul's in prison in Rome, he is a man who knows peace. Nevertheless, the message that comes from this imprisoned man is not that of a chronic worrier. He is not replaying the circumstances of his life, wondering how he got into this trial and how he might escape it. Instead, this is a man who knows peace in his heart despite his circumstances. In the midst of the storm that's raging around him, a tranquil calm has settled into his heart. Paul, who has many reasons to feel conflicted and anxious, is a man who is at peace. We have much to learn from him. Paul was being guarded by Praetorian guards, the most elite soldiers in the Roman Empire. However, he was also being guarded in a far more secure way. God was protecting his heart so that anxiety and fear would not enter it. Fear was being denied entrance into his heart. When proceeded by prayer, the peace of God is always standing watch like a sentry over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Paul specifies that this peace is found in Christ Jesus. This supernatural peace of Christ is all sufficient even in the most turbulent storms of life. There is not a drop of genuine peace outside of him. nor a moment of relief apart from resting in him. All peace and all comfort are found in Christ and in him alone. Are you expressing this peace? Do you need this kind of inner tranquility? Friend, it is found exclusively in trusting Jesus Christ and it is obtained through prayer. We must come before his throne of grace and pray. We must commit our problems and our trials to the Lord. He supplies a perfect peace that is unexplainable and incomprehensible. If you are outside of Christ, you actually have much reason to worry, more than you realize if you consider eternity. But if you will come to him, he will receive you and forgive you, and you will become the recipient of his abiding peace, which is experienced only in life with him, and is elusive when sought anywhere else and in anything else. So we have arrived at our next to the last element in how to stand firm, and that is to focus our thinking on godly virtues. As we come to verse 8, which is addressed to all Christians, all who are born into God's family, none of us are above this and no one is excluded from this. God's word says in verse eight, 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. So Paul reaches the climax of his appeal when he writes, finally, brethren. And by doing this, he is directing his appeal to all the believers in Philippi and to every believer in every place, including ours right here, right now. Paul prioritizes the mind. Dwell on these things. Dwell on means to think about, to be focused on mentally. The word means to reckon, to evaluate, to consider, to take into account, and conveys the idea of thinking carefully about something. Dwell on is in the present tense, meaning that they should always be thinking on these things. In other words, there are no exceptions, no loopholes here. If we focus upon what is right, we will live rightly. Conversely, if we think, if we focus upon what is wrong, we will live wrongly. There is this inseparable connection between what we think and how we live. Right thoughts produce right living, just as wrong thoughts produce wrong living. We cannot focus our minds on what is wrong and then live out what is right. And I'll repeat that one more time. We cannot focus our minds on what is wrong and then live out what is right. One scholar points out, Spiritual stability is a result of how a person thinks. The Bible leaves no doubt that people's lives are the products of their thoughts. With each one of these descriptions, Paul is putting a fence around that which we ought to be allowing into our minds. Here is a requirement for the peace that God establishes. 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. Believers must discipline their minds to speak, think, upon these spiritual subjects. So, let's run through these very quickly. Number one, whatever is true. True means that which is reliable and faithful, distinguished from what is false or a lie. That is, our minds need to be focused upon whatever is real, genuine, and authentic. What is true is found in or aligns with the word of God. Whatever is true is defined by scripture. Whenever the Bible says something, it is real. Focusing upon what is true leads to true Christianity. Number two, whatever is honorable. The Greek term means worthy of respect. Believers are to meditate on whatever is worthy of awe and adoration. Number three, whatever is right. This means which is right and holy and it conforms to the law of God. In ancient times, this word was used of scales in the marketplace. A standardized measure would be placed on the one side of the scales and an amount of grain of equal measure would be poured onto the other side until the scales were balanced. At that point, they would be said to be right. It is sad in our day and age when there is conflict within any relationship. Very few will actually step back and look at the situation constructively with a full view of the picture. Meaning we tend to go straight for everything that is wrong in the other person and completely leave out anything that is right or any effort that is positive that the other person is taking. Number four, whatever is pure. This comes from the root word for holy. Holiness and sanctification. This word refers to what is unmixed with moral impurities and is set apart to be ethically clean. Christians should think upon whatever is wholesome, virtuous, and unstained by corruption. If we are to live a pure life, that is an unstained Christ-like life, our minds must dwell upon what is pure. Number five, what is lovely. This speaks of that which is pleasing, attractive, and beautiful, which reflects ethical beauty. This word refers to the beauty of holiness as opposed to the hideousness of sin. Whatever is lovely is that which is beautiful in the eyes of God. and spiritually attractive to those who are pure in heart. In this way, believers must direct their thoughts onto what the Bible says is pleasing to God. Number six, whatever is of good repute. Good repute means that which is well spoken of or highly regarded. It is that which is highly respectable in the eyes of God. Those with a high and holy calling upon their lives should be dwelling upon what is morally respectable. Number seven, if there is any excellence. Excellence means mental virtue. Only that which reflects high moral standards should dominate our thinking. Whatever reflects the holiness of Almighty God, that which is morally excellent and pleasing should fill our minds and occupy our thoughts. If we dwell upon that which is excellent, we will live a spiritually excellent life. Our affections will then be consumed with His perfect and pleasing will." Romans 12, 2. And it all starts at the highest level with the mind. And number eight, and if anything worthy of praise, This encompasses whatever is and can be praised by God. It means that we should think about whatever we can, about whatever can be applauded in the presence of God. In other words, Christians should focus their thoughts only upon these things that can be commended by God. In short, Paul says, let the minds of believers be set upon these things. These eight marks define what should saturate our thinking. Ultimately, these virtues is a description of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is how he thought, constantly and consistently, in every circumstance and at every point. Now, what are we commanded to do at the end of verse eight? Dwell on these things. We must guard our minds because we will soon become like that upon which we are thinking. Now we come to the last point and the most important element in standing firm, and James makes it very clear to us in James 1.22, but prove yourselves doers of the word and not merely hearers who delude themselves. Delude, this word was used in mathematics to refer to a miscalculation. Professing Christians who are content with only hearing the word have made a serious spiritual miscalculation. Now let's get back to our text as we read verse 9 with me again. And it says, As followers of Christ, our greatest delight will always be found in our obedience to his word. How do we put these defining marks into practice? One way is by seeing them lived out in the life of a more mature believer. This is why Paul says next, the things which you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. There is a direct connection between what is required in verse 8 and what Paul urges in verse 9. As the Philippians strive to dwell on what is acceptable, they should look to Paul and emulate him. In verse 9, Paul gives four ways that they should put into practice that they should put into practice what Paul has prescribed in the preceding verse. The first thing is things learned. Paul first urges them to imitate the things you have learned. This refers to what Paul has taught them and preached to them when he was in Philippi. The focus is upon the truth that he expounded and the sound doctrine they learned. This underscores the importance for every Christian to sit under sound biblical teaching and preaching, just as the Philippians had done. Then there are the things received. These same truths were also taught to the Philippians in the things that they received. This refers to what Paul wrote to them in this epistle. Here is the importance of the public reading of scripture in the church. Paul intended that the written word of God be read to the people of God in their corporate gatherings. See Colossians 4.16 and 1 Thessalonians 5.27. The next things heard. There was also the things that you have heard. This refers to what they have heard from others about Paul. It includes the reports of those who were with Paul and observed in his life, especially when he was in prison. How was Paul responding to this Roman imprisonment in which he found himself? How was Paul reacting to the unjust suffering? The reports that they had heard about Paul's Roman imprisonment and how he was living his life were a powerful teaching tool. Our lives can also be an amazing witness to others by what they hear from us and see in us. The question is, how are we doing at leaving matters into the hands of God when addressing conflict? Well, this does not mean that we sit blindly and do nothing in life, but it does mean that after a reasonable manner of time, effort and prayer and consideration for what Christ has done for us and how he has forgiven us and in a biblical manner, we move on and leave it in God's hands. We can be, as scripture describes, a stubborn and stiff-necked people. Is not our God able to cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose? And the answer is yes, and hopefully an amen in there too. And lastly, there's the things that are seen. Paul says that they should practice what they have seen in Him. This points to those things that Paul modeled when in their presence. Here, it is what they directly observed in Paul's life. They were to remember how he walked in the faith, how he handled himself, and how he acted and reacted. In every situation, this was an aid for them in living a godly life in Christ. Paul is saying that you need to live in a manner consistent with my life and with my teaching. Paul has modeled his own message and has become a visible example to the Philippians concerning how they should live in their pursuit of Christ's likeness. And isn't this what the principle of discipleship is all about? And so, what is the result of our efforts to dwell upon that which is holy? Paul tells us in no uncertain terms, the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4.9. In other words, purity of mind is essential for peace of heart. Peace in the heart can only come from God. It is part of the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5.22, that Christ gives, John 14.27. So friends, in many ways, the battle of the Christian life is the battle of the mind. And the victory in the battle is the experience of peace. Prayer and purity are the two keys to the life of peace. And I'll end with these thoughts. You will become in practice what fills your mind in thought. Godly thoughts will produce godly living. Holy thinking will lead to holy living. We must set our minds on the written word of God, dwelling upon Jesus Christ. As the old saying goes, either sin will keep you from God's word, or God's word will keep you from sin. We will always be fighting sin every moment of our lives while we're here on earth. Sin is always pouring into the cups of our lives. The question is, Is God's Word being poured into your life at such a rate that it's flushing out the sins in each and every one of our lives? And making sure that that sin does not linger and cause you to take your eyes off of the finish line. Like produces like in the battle for the mind. So be careful what you allow behind the steering wheel of your mind, because either it will take you where you never intended to go, or drive you deeper into the ultimate peace of knowing and obeying the Lord. Remind yourself dozens of times per day, I am living in God's presence right now. Is God being glorified by my thoughts, by my words and actions? Let's pray. Our gracious, merciful, loving, and forgiving Savior, what can we do with a message like this but fall down on our knees when we stop and look into the mirror of our hearts and see our lives through the lens of your word? We call on you to forgive us for not thinking as you tell us to think. We call on you to forgive us for not reading, studying, and obeying your word as we should. We call on you to forgive us for not loving and forgiving others as we should, as modeled by your Son, Jesus Christ. And we call on you to forgive us for robbing you of the glory that you deserve at all times, and by focusing on ourselves rather than you. Protect your bride, the church, from Satan's attacks in such a way that we would always be true to your word and examples of how to handle all conflict in our lives in a godly manner. As we are told in scripture, these things I have spoken to you so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage. I have overcome the world. May all we meditate on, say and do, bring you great glory and honor until we kneel before you in heaven and shout how great is our God. Amen. You can please stand for our last song.