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OCTOBER 6
for me to think this of you all, because I have
you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my
chains and in the defense and confirmation of
the gospel, you all are partakers with me of 1:18 I rejoice,…will rejoice. Paul’s joy was not
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grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I tied to his circumstances or his critics (Ps.4:7,8;
long for you all with the affection of Jesus Rom. 12:12; 2 Cor. 6:10). He was glad when the
Christ. gospel was proclaimed with authority, no mat-
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound ter who received credit. He endured the unjust
still more and more in knowledge and all dis- accusations without bitterness at his accusers.
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cernment, that you may approve the things Rather, he rejoiced that they preached Christ,
that are excellent, that you may be sincere and even in a pretense of godliness.
without offense till the day of Christ, being filled
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with the fruits of righteousness which are by
Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 22
12 to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But
But I want you to know, brethren, that the
things which happened to me have actually if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit
turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot
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that it has become evident to the whole palace tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two,
guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in having a desire to depart and be with Christ,
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Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in
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having become confident by my chains, are the flesh is more needful for you. And being
much more bold to speak the word without fear. confident of this, I know that I shall remain
15 Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and continue with you all for your progress
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and strife, and some also from goodwill: The and joy of faith, that your rejoicing for me
former preach Christ from selfish ambition, may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my
not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my coming to you again.
chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that 27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the
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I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether see you or am absent, I may hear of your
in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with
in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. one mind striving together for the faith of the
For I know that this will turn out for my
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19 gospel, and not in any way terrified by your
deliverance through your prayer and the sup- adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdi-
ply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to tion, but to you of salvation, and that from God.
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my earnest expectation and hope that in noth- 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of
ing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to
as always, so now also Christ will be magnified suffer for His sake, having the same conflict
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in my body, whether by life or by death. For which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
DAY 6:What was Paul’s prayer for the Philippians?
“That your love may abound still more and more in knowledge” (1:9). This is from the Greek
word that describes genuine, full, or advanced knowledge. Biblical love is not an empty sentimen-
talism but is anchored deeply in the truth of Scripture and regulated by it. “Discernment.” The
English word “aesthetic” comes from this Greek word, which speaks of moral perception, insight,
and the practical application of knowledge.Love is not blind,but perceptive,and it carefully scruti-
nizes to distinguish between right and wrong.
“That you may approve the…excellent” (v. 10). “Approve” in classical Greek described the
assaying of metals or the testing of money for authenticity.“Excellent” means “to differ.” Believers
need the ability to distinguish those things that are truly important so they can establish the right
priorities.“Sincere and without offense.”“Sincere” means “genuine” and may have originally meant
“tested by sunlight.” In the ancient world, dishonest pottery dealers filled cracks in their inferior
products with wax before glazing and painting them,making worthless pots difficult to distinguish
from expensive ones.The only way to avoid being defrauded was to hold the pot to the sun, mak-
ing the wax-filled cracks obvious. Dealers marked their fine pottery that could withstand “sun test-
ing” as sine cera—“without wax.” “Without offense” can be translated “blameless,” referring to
relational integrity. Christians are to live lives of true integrity that do not cause others to sin.
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