He Was A Humble And Sincere Man Religion Essay

When his married woman died, he did n’t cognize at first how he would last. Although he was a curate and had helped many others through times of crisis, now he faced his ain personal minute of truth. How would he accommodate his ain loss with the Christian religion he claimed to believe? What would he state to his ain grieving fold?

The twelvemonth was 1927. The topographic point: Aberdeen, Scotland. The adult male was Arthur John Gossip, curate of the Beechgrove Church. He was 54 old ages old and at the tallness of his power.

Historians tell us that he was a low and sincere adult male, possessing a acute humor and profoundly devoted to his household and friends. A spot of an bizarre, he sometimes scandalised his sedate Scots fold by looking in public with a floppy fisherman ‘s hat perched on his caput. He is remembered as a adult male of strong sentiments who ne’er held back from showing them to any and all who cared to listen. And, eventually, history Tells us that he was beloved as a curate and as a sermonizer.

In fact, he is remembered as a sermonizer chiefly for one peculiar discourse he preached in 1927. Widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time preached, it was the first discourse he delivered after the sudden decease of his married woman. He titled his message “ But When Life Tumbles In, What Then? ” In it, he struggles to accommodate his Christian religion with the loss of a loved one.

These are his words:

I do non understand this life of ours. But still less can I grok how people in problem and loss and mourning can fling away querulously from the Christian religion. In God ‘s name, fling to what? Have we non lost plenty without losing that excessively?

As Pastor Gossip says, “ So many people ‘s faith is a fair-weather matter. A small rain, and it runs and crumbles ; a touch of strain, and it snaps. ” But if we turn from religion in the clip of problem, what shall we turn to? Have we non lost plenty without losing that excessively?

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Dr Derek Stringer has been presenting today ‘s Word Alive and I ‘m Brenda Critchley – thanks for fall ining us.

Derek has been taking us through the astonishing words of Paul written to the Philippian Church when life was really tough and difficult for him – but he knew a batch of joy – great joy regardless of all that was go oning.

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And one of the benefits of analyzing this epistle Brenda is that the joy can rub off on us if we learn the lessons. And this is really Number 14 in the series through the 4 short chapters – we have n’t rushed – and today we wrap the book up.

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We ‘ve got the series recorded and it ‘s available as a gift boxed set. Just inquire us for inside informations. If you have an electronic mail we ‘ll direct free programme transcripts to you. I ‘ll give out our contact inside informations later – but allow ‘s look at Philippians 4 poetries 10 to 23.

I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no chance to demo it. I am non stating this because I am in demand, for I have learned to be content whatever the fortunes. I know what it is to be in demand, and I know what it is to hold plentifulness. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every state of affairs, whether good fed or hungry, whether life in plentifulness or in want. I can make everything through Him Who gives me strength.

Yet it was good of you to portion in my problems. Furthermore, as you Philippians know, in the early yearss of your familiarity with the Gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, non one church shared with me in the affair of giving and having, except you merely ; for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me assistance once more and once more when I was in demand. Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your history. I have received full payment and even more ; I am richly supplied, non that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable forfeit, delighting to God. And my God will run into all your demands harmonizing to His glorious wealths in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glorification for of all time and of all time. Amons.

Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send salutations. All the saints send you salutations, particularly those who belong to Caesar ‘s family. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amons.

Derek Stringer is the National Director and Bible Teacher for Good News Broadcasting – here he is one time once more.

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When my girls were kids our favorite vacation topographic point was a beach. We would try to construct the universe ‘s best sand palace. We decorate it with the shells we have collected and do realistic flags to wing from the crenelations utilizing sea weed and things like that. We build fosses and draw Bridgess and seek to do the walls look merely like something out of the twelfth century.

And – I do n’t mind stating, we ‘ve made some reasonably good looking palaces over the old ages! Well – in my sentiment!

Now, as we build, one thing that is invariably on our heads is to how to do the palace last. So we ever do our really best to do the palace inviolable to the onslaught of the sea. We built midst, high walls. We dig a deep trench around the palace to deviate the H2O. We ‘ve even tried constructing an outer wall or two for added protection. But you know, no affair how difficult we try ; no affair what new sand palace constructing techniques we employ in building ; we ever lose this battle. There has ne’er been a clip when we have succeeded in maintaining the sea out. No affair how high the towers ; no affair how large the trench we dig around the palace ; no affair how many outer protective walls we erect. Finally the sea wins and our beautiful, mighty fortress crumbles. It ‘s a conflict that we ever necessarily lose.

And I think you can all sympathize with us, non merely because of your ain similar sand palace edifice experiences, but because all of us are invariably contending and losing a battle-with ripening. I mean we try to get the better of this enemy that rolls in merely every bit unrelentingly as do those moving ridges at the beach.

We ca n’t halt the physical effects of the of all time clicking clock. We try to protect ourselves against age. We exercise. We take our vitamins. We try to eat right. But those are merely stop spreads. Finally we succumb to our overpowering enemy. Our hair falls out. Wrinkles form around our eyes. Our energy slices. We ca n’t win because merely similar high tide, aging is inevitable. There is nil we can to make maintain this from go oning. And Jesus affirmed this fact.

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Remember what He said in Matthew 6: ? Who of you by worrying can add one inch to your height – .or subtract one twenty-four hours from your age?

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In his book, Laugh Again, Charles Swindoll Tells of one aging adult female who wrote a friend a humourous description of her ain ripening and said:

Remember, old folks are worth a fortune-

SILVER in their hair,

Gold in their dentitions,

STONES in their kidneys,

Lead in their pess,

and GAS in their tummy.

What a life!

P. S. The sermonizer came to name the other twenty-four hours. He said at my age I should be believing about the afterlife. I told him, ‘Oh, I do that all the clip. No affair where I am-in the parlor, upstairs, in the kitchen, or down in the basement-I ask myself, what am I here after? ‘

Well, a good sense of temper does assist but finally we must accept the fact that there is nil we can make to halt turning OLD.

I heard a study that says most of the old beliefs that we would finally widen our life span well-beyond 100 old ages are merely myths. Any recent addition in the mean life-span of the human race has come because of improved attention for babes. Less of us die as babies these yearss which of class increases the norm for all of us. But, most people live about 76 old ages and physicians say that likely wo n’t alter.

Turning old IS an ineluctable fact but you know Turning UP is non. Maturity is a affair of pick. It is a conflict we CAN win. And God wants us to maturate… or Turn UP. He mentions this repeatedly in His book.

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In Ephesians 4 it says, We are no longer to be kids, tossed here and at that place by moving ridges, carried about by every air current of philosophy, by the hocus-pocus of work forces, by cunning in fallacious scheming ; but talking the truth in love we are to GROW UP in all facets unto Him, Who is the caput, even Christ.

In 1 Peter 2 it says, Therefore, seting aside all maliciousness and all craft and lip service and enviousness and slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may Turn in regard to redemption.

Hebrews 5 says, Solid nutrient is for the MATURE, who because of pattern have their senses trained to spot good and evil. Therefore go forthing the simple instruction about the Christ, allow us press on to MATURITY.

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Now as you know, for the Christian, adulthood is a procedure we ne’er complete on this side of infinity. We ‘ve mentioned that repeatedly as we have studied this small missive from Paul. One fact about mature people is they are ever altering, ever traveling toward greater adulthood. Maturity is a developed and spoting competency as to how to populate suitably and to CHANGE justly. Now, there are several indexs as to whether or non an person is maturating. For, illustration I would state that we know adulthood is present when balance replaces extremes or when good picks replace bad 1s.

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Let me propose several other features of a maturating Christian.

We are maturating…

When our concern for others outweighs our concern for ourselves.

When we detect the presence of immorality or danger before it is obvious.

When we have wisdom and understanding every bit good as cognition.

When our consciousness of demands is matched by our compassion and engagement.

When we have the willingness to alter, once we are convinced that rectification is in order.

When we have the ability to turn spiritually by an independent consumption of God ‘s Word.

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Adulthood is the ability to make a occupation whether you are supervised or non ; complete a occupation once it ‘s started ; transport money without passing it. And last, but non least, the ability to bear an unfairness without desiring to acquire even.

We could travel on and on but I think the best manner to understand adulthood is by illustration – by seeing adulthood in the life of a mature individual. Now, I ‘m certain you would hold that the Apostle Paul is himself a great illustration of a maturing adherent for in his life he displays many of the old features of adulthood. And in this transition Paul shows some other cardinal qualities that we should encompass if we want to win the conflict to Turn UP or mature spiritually.

FIRST OF ALL – Paul SHOWS HIS MATURITY WITH HIS PRACTICE OF AFFIRMING OTHERS.

Expression at poetry 10 and you ‘ll see that he affirmed the Philippians for their contemplation in directing a pecuniary gift with Epaphroditus to run into his demands.

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And in poetries 15 to 17 he affirms them for making this in the yesteryear, when he was in Thessalonica.

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Now, the generousness of the Philippian church to Paul went back a long manner. Paul of class founded the church in Philippi and from at that place he went to Thessalonica to get down a work at that place. Since Thessalonica was near Philippi the Philippian Christians sent couriers to happen out how Paul was making.

Word came back that Paul was in fiscal need so they took a aggregation and sent it to him. Subsequently when they had heard that the demand continued they did the same thing again-this clip they besides sent assistants to help Paul.

From Thessalonica Paul ‘s mission work took him south to Berea and so on to Athens. While in Athens his comrades from Philippi went back place but sent on Silas and Timothy whom Paul had left at that place. They caught up to him in Corinth where, harmonizing to 2 Corinthians 11, the Philippians must hold heard once more that Paul was in demand for they sent him extra financess.

Finally the Christians at Philippi lost path of Paul since he was invariably on the move and communications back so were unsure and slow. This is what Paul meant in poetry 10 when he said, You were concerned for me but lacked chance.

While on his 3rd missional journey Paul was imprisoned in Rome. Many old ages had passed since he had founded the church in Philippi but their common love was still strong. News finally reached Philippi as to Paul ‘s location. They learned that he was in prison and in demand of everything. He could n’t work as a collapsible shelter shaper to gain his ain life. He did n’t even hold apparels warm plenty for the long moist winter months in Rome. Well, instantly the Philippians began to roll up financess and they sent them to Rome every bit rapidly as possible by manner of Epaphroditus.

And so here in his missive Paul affirmed them for their continual contemplation and forfeit. He told them their act was a fragrant offering… an acceptable forfeit, delighting to God.

But – I want you to observe that Paul did much more than thank them for what they had DONE. He affirmed them for WHO they were. And that IS a grade of adulthood – this ability to confirm, non merely appreciate. You see, every bit of import as grasp for a occupation good done may be, it is uncomplete. Peoples are non mere tools appointed to carry through a set of undertakings ; we are non human DOINGS, but human BEINGS with psyches and feelings.

We have an interior demand to be affirmed for who we are for those unobserved, concealed qualities that make us alone persons of worth and self-respect. And the best-most mature-people like Paul know this so they appreciate AND affirm.

I have a book on my shelves full of narratives and quotation marks about Fred Craddock. He was a celebrated curate, instructor, and writer in America. He one time wrote of a clip in his life when he and his household went for a holiday. One dark they went to a eating house that looks out over the Smoky Mountains, and as they were dining, a distinguished looking, older adult male who seemed to be the owner, moved from tabular array to postpone talking to the invitees. Craddock acknowledged that he himself was a instead private individual and peculiarly on holiday did n’t desire to be interfered with.

So he looked at his married woman and commented, I hope he does n’t come over here. And he was slightly resentful as the old adult male eventually made his manner to their tabular array and began to speak to them.

Where are you all from? the old adult male asked. Craddock answered, Oklahoma. Then the adult male asked, What make you make for a life? Trying to conceal the fact that he was a curate, Craddock replied, I teach homiletics in the alumnus seminary of Philippis University. Oh, so you are a sermonizer! the old adult male replied. I have a preacher narrative to state you. And with that, he pulled up a chair, and Craddock winced at what was to come.

The old adult male said, I was born merely a few stat mis from here, across that mountain. My female parent was non married at the clip – and the reproach that fell on her fell on me as good. They had a name for me when I started to school, and it was n’t nice. I can retrieve traveling off by myself at deferral and at lunch period, because the twits of my equals cut so deep. What was even worse was to travel to town with my female parent on Saturday and experience all those eyes literally piercing through me, and realise they were inquiring, ‘Whose kid is he? ‘ ‘I admiration who his male parent is? ‘ When I was approximately twelve, a new sermonizer came to the small church in our community and people began to speak about his power and his fluency. I began to travel myself and was intrigued by him, although I ever slipped in late and tried to acquire out early because I was afraid that people would state, ‘What ‘s a male child like you making in a topographic point like this? ‘

Well one Sunday, the blessing got said quicker than I realised, and I found myself caught with a batch of people herding about. Before I knew it, there stood the sermonizer, looking at me with those BURNING EYES of his. He said: ‘Who are you, son? Whose male child are you? ‘ And I thought to myself, ‘Oh, no… .here we go once more! ‘ But so a smiling of acknowledgment broke across the sermonizer ‘s face and he said, ‘Wait a minute… .I cognize who you are! I see the resemblance! You are a boy of God! ‘ And with that he patted me across the dorsum and said, ‘Boy, you ‘ve got rather an heritage! Go and claim it! ‘ The words of that one statement, said the old adult male, literally changed my life.

By this clip Craddock was absolutely enthralled and asked: Who are you? The old adult male replied, I ‘m Ben Hooper. Then Craddock said to himself: Ben Hooper! Oh yes! I remember how my gramps used to state me that on two occasions, the people of Tennessee elected a adult male to be their governor, and his name was BEN HOOPER.

And it wholly started when a mature adult male of God affirmed a little male child by stating: I know who you are. I see the resemblance. You are a boy of God! You ‘ve got rather an heritage! Go and claim it!

Have you of all time been affirmed like that? Has anyone of all time made you experience proud merely because you were God ‘s cherished creative activity… worth more than the life of His ain Son – gifted and called to His intents? I have, and it feels fantastic. This pattern of confirming others in this manner is one mark of adulthood and it is a quality that all Christians, immature and old should encompass.

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As Hebrews 10 says we should all – see how we may spur one another on toward love and good workss. We must, … promote one another-and all the more as we see the Day approaching.

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Yes – mature people see the demand to construct others up – to hearten them on non merely for what they do but for who they are.

And so – another quality of adulthood found in the life of Paul was his ability to be CONTENT in all state of affairss of life.

Expression at poetry 11 where Paul writes – Not that I speak from privation ; for I have learned to be content in whatever fortunes I am. To Paul it made no difference whether he was freed or bound to a soldier, whether the twenty-four hours was hot and humid or black and cold, whether the Philippians sent a gift or failed to do contact.

You know, some people are thermometers in that they simply REGISTER what is around them. If the state of affairs is tight and pressurized, they register tenseness and crossness. If it ‘s stormy, they register concern and fright. If it ‘s unagitated, quiet, and comfy, they register relaxation and peaceableness. Others nevertheless, are thermoregulators. They REGULATE the ambiance. They are the mature change-agents who ne’er let the state of affairs dictate to them. And Paul was a thermostat sort of cat. He was content regardless of his state of affairs.

Now – one thing Paul would state us is that this contentment is an INTERNAL temperament. In other words, we do n’t truly necessitate anything outside of ourselves to be happy. We do n’t necessitate money or ownerships to be joyful. No, true contentment comes from within. Now I think most of us believe that. We merely do n’t populate like we do for we live in such a discontented age.

We change our occupations, our places, our relationships, but we ‘re still non satisfied.

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A household psychologist wrote several old ages ago about the epidemic of discontented ennui in our civilization among suburban flush kids. As portion of his survey he found that on norm the typical five twelvemonth old owns 250 playthings. Now, think about it, a five-year-old has merely lived for 260 hebdomads.

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That ‘s about one plaything per hebdomad! No admiration they ‘re world-weary! I mean, grownups, have your life experiences taught you that contentment comes from holding more playthings or traveling to more films or eating out more or from acquiring manner more weekends or from enlarging your closet? No of class non. The pleasance that comes from roll uping things is ever impermanent at best. Like a drug it satisfies for a short piece but the more we get, the less fulfilling it is. This is because true contentment is non an external thing. No, it comes from within.

A 2nd thing Paul would state us about contentment is that it is a erudite temperament.

In other words, we ‘re non born contented nor do we gravitate instinctively toward contentment. This is a virtuousness that is learned and developed. This reminds me of the testimonies of work forces who were captives of war during the Vietnam War and survived the horrors of Hanoi. These brave work forces said things like, We learned after a few hours what it took to last and we merely adapted to that. They did n’t whine or kick because they had been captured. They did n’t eat their Black Marias out because the conditions were suffering and the nutrient was distressing. No, they chose to accommodate.

Contentment is a erudite temperament.

Now, allow ‘s be certain we understand each other here. There are some things about which we should ne’er be content. We are non to be content with the demands of those around us. We are to be concerned and discontented with those demands, so that we do all we can to run into them. We are non to be content to see people decease and travel to hell. We are non to be content with our ain imperfectnesss… those wickednesss in our lives that continually draw us off from God. There ought to ever be a tension-a discontent that comes from looking at who we are and who God wants us to be. If we let Christ populate in us – we will ever be DISCONTENT with things like this.

Well, how could Paul adapt and endure? What was it that relieved the tenseness and allowed him to be so relaxed within? It was the fact that he was convinced-he had learned-that Christ was in the thick of his every twenty-four hours, pouring His power into him. He had learned that as he said in poetry 19, God would provide all of his demands. And when we believe that, anything is endurable… nil is out of control.

This leads to the 3rd feature of a maturating Christian. You see, like Paul, mature persons have learned to hold CONFIDENCE in God ‘s power.

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And Paul really clearly demonstrated this quality in poetry 13 – one of the most quoted texts in all of Scripture where he says, I can make all things through Christ Who strengthens me.

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It ‘s no surprise it ‘s so good known I guess. But allow me add this – There were people in Paul ‘s civilization who like him had learned to be content. We refer to them as the Stoics. They trained themselves to be self-sufficing. And, to a grade, Paul shared their accent on contentment, but with a turn. You see, for Paul it was n’t self-sufficiency but Christ Sufficiency. The Stoic ‘s sufficiency/contentment came from their ain inner strength. Paul ‘s came from outside, from being a adult male IN Christ on whom he was wholly dependent and therefore non independent at all in the Stoic sense.

You see there are two ways to manage force per unit area. One is illustrated by the bathysphere, which is a illumination pigboat. It is used to research the ocean in topographic points so deep that the H2O force per unit area would oppress a regular bomber like a Sn can. Bathyspheres compensate for the force per unit area with a steel hull that is several inches thick. They are little and cramped. When scientists in bathyspheres reach the ocean floor, nevertheless, they find they are non entirely. When the outside visible radiations are turned on and they look out the midst Windowss, they see fish. These fish header with utmost force per unit area in an wholly different manner. They do n’t construct thick teguments ; alternatively they remain elastic and free. They compensate for the force per unit area outside through equal and opposite force per unit area inside themselves. You see maturating Christians are n’t difficult, tough-skinned Stoics. They are moved by the demands around them. They care about what happens to themselves or others. But, they have learned to trust on God ‘s power within to enable them to defy the force per unit area from without. As Paul said, It is Christ IN you the hope of glorification.

You know we tend to state, I am all right UNDER the fortunes. But fortunes were ne’er meant to be something Christians acquire UNDER. With Christ ‘s indwelling power we can be ABOVE the fortunes of life. This word translated strengthens is besides a rare word in the Grecian but it is one that Paul used rather frequently. Brenda!

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In 1 Timothy 1 he said, I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, Who has STRENGTHENED me.

In 2 Timothy 4 he said, But the Lord stood with me, and STRENGTHENED me.

In Ephesians 6 he said, Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the STRENGTH of His might.

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The word means to inculcate strength or to set power into. This strength, so, was non something that Paul conjured up from within. No it was a power that was infused into his life. Paul ‘s statement in verse 13 was non an look of assurance but instead God-confidence.

Several old ages ago a visitant to the World ‘s Fair noticed a adult male, dressed in a superb gold suit, standing beside a manus pump. His arm was traveling up and down and the H2O was spurting out of the pump. As he observed from a distance, the visitant said, That adult male is truly pumping that H2O. However, when he moved nearer he discovered this was non a adult male but a silent person whose arm was tied to the arm of the pump which was being operated by electricity. He so realized that the adult male was non pumping the H2O. The H2O was pumping him. And that is the manner it is with the Christian. Peoples see us from a distance and exclaim, That adult male truly has power for God. However, when they come closer and truly acquire to cognize us they realise we are non pumping out this power of God. Alternatively, it is pumping us. Paul relied on this power beginning so he declared, I can make all things through Him who strengthens me. If you have of all time allowed God to make full you with His power so that you could hold the strength to make genuinely God-sized undertakings, so you know there is no greater bang in life!

So, we see Paul ‘s adulthood in the manner he affirmed the Philippians for who they were and in his ability to be content regardless of external fortunes. We besides see it in the fact that he relied on God ‘s power and non his ain. Paul was so a mature person.

But you know, in this text we can see another quality of adulthood in the Philippians themselves – for mature trusters GIVE as they did sacrificially to run into the demands of others.

The Philippians gave even when they could n’t afford to give because they had discovered that giving sacrificially enriches the giver.

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In verse 17 Paul pointed to this rule when he exclaimed, Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the net income which increases to your history.

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Paul and his Philippian friends had experienced first manus the truth of Jesus ‘ words when He said, It is more blest to give than to have.

Maxey Jarman who died at the age of seventy-six, was an internationally known Christian man of affairs. He took a company from 75 employees to 75,000 employees. During his hey-day, Maxey Jarman gave away 1000000s. He built churches around the universe and gave liberally to all sorts of Christian causes. Then, he experienced fiscal contraries. He lost his company and most of his personal luck. During the darkest yearss of his fiscal crunch, he was asked by a personal friend if he of all time thought of the 1000000s he had given off over the old ages.

Jarman answered, Of class I have. But retrieve, I did n’t lose a penny I gave off. I merely lost what I kept. That is the paradox of Christian discipleship. What we give, we keep. What we let travel of we hold on onto. When we are willing to empty ourselves we become full. You see no gift that we make to God of all time leaves us poorer for it makes available to us the gifts and the wealths of God. The act of giving forces us to swear God. It deepens our relationship with Him so we are blest in the act.

Paul knew that the Philippians ‘ giving to him materially would open them up to God ‘s giving to them spiritually. And, we need to maturate like this for we will non hold the joy that God wants us to hold until we have learned to give like that.

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You are listening to Word Alive with Derek Stringer. We have completed a drawn-out survey of the book of Philippians.

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And I hope you have benefited as much from hearing these messages as we have from fixing them.

The chief thing I have learned is that this is a missive of joy, a message we urgently need to hear in today ‘s frequently joyless universe.

In chapter 1 you may retrieve that Paul spoke of the JOY OF LIVING stating, For me to populate is Christ! In our survey of these poetries we learned that every bit long as Christ is cardinal in our lives nil can steal the joy He brings.

In chapter 2 of Philippians Paul speaks of the JOY OF SERVING others and we talked about the pleasance that comes from following Christ ‘s illustration of humbleness.

In chapter 3 Paul writes about the JOY OF SUBMITTING everything to Jesus ‘ Lordship – stating that in comparing to the righteousness we find in Christ our earthly achievements are worthless.

And so, in the last portion of chapter 4 Paul speaks of the JOY OF MATURING – he talks about the pleasance that is to be found in turning spiritually.

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Derek Stringer will be back in merely a minute. I have the briefest of minutes to state you that we have all 14 messages through Philippians available in Cadmium in a boxed-set – it will do a great gift to yourself or to person who likes analyzing God ‘s Word. Ask us for inside informations about how you can obtain them. And allow me add that we make the programme transcripts free to an electronic mail reference.

The figure to name is free in the UK – 08,000 92 78 92. That ‘s 08,000 92 78 92.

Travel to the web for the electronic mail – gnba.net That ‘s gnba.net Now back to Dr Stringer –

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And thanks for your aid today Brenda and of class our Producer Phil Critchley and all the GNBA squad behind programmes like this.

Well – it ‘s my desire and changeless supplication that all of us will detect the quality of joy that Paul knew despite his problems.

As I ponder this singular missive of Paul, four decisions come to mind:

Number 1: Undeserved enduring frequently comes to good people. And although we have heard it before, we need to hear it once more. The problems Paul went through did non go on because of any moral mistake in his life. It is a human inclination when calamity work stoppages to believe that if we had merely lived a better life, the calamity would ne’er hold happened to us. Sometimes that is true, but more frequently it is non true. If the narrative of Paul Teachs us anything, it is that sometimes the most reverent people will endure the most unaccountable losingss. Let ‘s nail it down in our thought. Awful things sometimes go on to good people.

Number 2: God is the ultimate beginning of all that you have and he has the absolute right to take that which belongs to him. Your house? It ‘s his. Your occupation? It ‘s his. Your hereafter? It ‘s his. Your wellness? It ‘s his. Your kids? Yes, even your kids. Sometimes he will take back something Oklahoman than you would wish to give it. But that is his absolute right because he is God.

Number 3: Your personal tests can ne’er be caused by unsighted destiny or bad fortune. They all somehow relate to God ‘s intent for your life. If this is non true, so the Bible is non true. And if you do n’t come to believe this, you will finally give up your religion. When calamity work stoppages, our inclination is to seek for a cause, a ground, an account, a concatenation of events stretching back into the yesteryear that would explicate the calamity we now face. But as you search for causes, you go back. . . back. . . back. . . back. . . and at last you come to God. As I say, if you do n’t finally reason that what happens to you somehow flows from God ‘s loving intent for your life, you will sooner or subsequently give up your religion wholly.

And one more point: The one great scriptural intent for tests is to pull you near to God. The inquiry is non, “ Why did this happen to me? ” The deeper inquiry is, “ Now that this has happened, will I remain loyal to God? ”

And that brings us back to the start of our programme – A. J. Gossip and the great inquiry, When life tumbles in, what so? If we turn off from religion in problem, what shall we turn to? Have we non lost plenty without losing that excessively? When life clangs in against us, and all that we value most is taken from us, if we so give up our religion, where will we travel and what will we make?

In his celebrated discourse, Pastor Gossip said these words, “ You people in the sunlight may believe the religion, but we in the shadow must believe it. We have nil else. ”

Stephen Brown tells about a seminar one of his associate curates was taking. During one session, his associate said because God is love, no affair how bad things get, Christians should praise him. Afterwards, a adult male came up to him in great agitation. “ Dave, I ca n’t purchase it. I ca n’t purchase what you say about praising God in the thick of immorality and injury. ” Then he went on to state what many people in secret feel, “ I do non believe that when you lose person you love through decease, or you have malignant neoplastic disease, or you lose your occupation, that you ought to praise God. ” After a minute ‘s silence, his associate replied really merely, “ What alternate do you suggest? ”

We do non derive if we turn off from God in the clip of problem. If we turn off from God, we lose our lone land of hope.

As A. J. Gossip came to the terminal of his celebrated discourse he said, “ I do n’t believe you need to be afraid of life. Our Black Marias are really frail ; and there are topographic points where the route is really steep and really lonely. But we have a fantastic God. ”

Indeed we do. And as the Apostle Paul puts it, what can divide us from his love? Nothing at all. Not life or decease or calamity or grief or agony. We are everlastingly connected to his love with cords a thousand times stronger than steel.

The inquiry remains. When life tumbles in, what so? Through our cryings, we go on believing. We rest our assurance in one great truth. He who brought us this far will take us safely place.