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I ‘m Brenda Critchley and I ‘ll be reading a Bible or doing brief remarks here and at that place. Dr Derek Stringer is our communicator here on Word Alive –

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And I ‘m glad of your aid Brenda as we return to Philippians in the New Testament of our Bible and take another expression at a cardinal transition –

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And that ‘s Philippians 1 poetries 27 to 30 and the rubric we ‘ve given to it is ‘A Christian In A Non-Christian World. ‘ As of all time we ever appreciate your remarks so please do acquire in touch with us – I ‘ll give you our contact information toward the terminal of the broadcast. Here ‘s Derek.

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Okay – thanks Brenda, and thank you for fall ining us for today every bit good. But allow me instantly manus back to you Brenda so that you can look into out today ‘s Bible transition.

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We ‘re looking at verse 27 of chapter 1 through to versify 30.

Paul writes:

“ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a mode worthy of the Gospel of Christ. Then whether I come and see you or merely hear about you in my absence, I will cognize that you stand house in one spirit, postulating as one adult male for the religion of the Gospel, without being frightened in any manner by those who oppose you. This is a mark to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved-and that by God.

For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ non merely to believe on Him, but besides to endure for Him, since you are traveling through the same battle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. ”

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One of the most moving movies is Salvaging Private Ryan.

It ‘s one of those rare films that impacts your full twenty-four hours. I chatted with a male parent and boy who had watched it together and they said, “ We merely sort of walked around numb for hours reexamining what we had witnessed-replaying the chief scenes in our heads over and over once more. ”

The movie is partly based on the true narrative of a household named Ryan in which there were four boies. The male parent is dead and all four male childs travel away to contend in World War Two, go forthing their female parent entirely and when the war section discovers that three of the four have been killed in action, they enlist the aid of a Captain John Miller, played by Tom Hanks, to happen the last living boy and convey him place so his female parent will hold at least one kid left – one boy to transport on the household name. Well, Captain Miller puts together a unit of alleged “ voluntaries ” and they go in hunt of this Private Ryan. And as they scour the countryside, going from unit to unit looking for this one soldier, they engage in several conflicts with the Germans.

They literally fight their manner to this adult male. When they finally do happen Ryan, he refuses to go forth his unit until supports arrive and before that happens they are attacked by a superior force of the enemy. There ‘s a ferocious conflict. In the terminal, combat is literally manus to manus. Captain Miller and his fellow soldiers are winning but most of them are killed or wounded.

And, the scene that stands, possibly even more than their shocking but realistic portraiture of the D-day invasion, is the scene at the terminal of the film as Captain Miller sits on the land, propped up against a landrover, deceasing of lesions sustained seeking to protect Ryan and with his last breath he pulls the immature private stopping point and susurrations, “ Gain IT! EARN IT! ” In other words, “ Listen – many fantastic work forces – good work forces – gave their lives to salvage yours. Populate in such a manner that you deserve their forfeit! ” At this point, the film flashes 50 old ages into the future – as Private Ryan, now an aged adult male, is touring a memorial graveyard in France with his married woman and adult kids. He wanders through the cemetery seeking until he finds the grave of the captain who had led the unit that found him and brought him place so many decennaries ago and so he begins to reel and he falls to his articulatio genuss crying. His married woman hastes over to assist, believing he ‘s had a bosom onslaught or something and with cryings of torment he says to her, “ State me I ‘ve lived a good life – state me I ‘m a good adult male! ” She assures him that he has so – that he has been a fantastic hubby and male parent and he seems slightly relieved because all his life he has lived with this load – this cognition that several brave work forces died so that he could populate. Remembering their forfeit on his behalf made him unrecorded every minute of his life otherwise – more honorably.

Today, as we continue our survey of Paul ‘s missive to the Philippians we come upon a transition where Paul reminds them – and you and me every bit good – that person has died on our behalf. And, this person was non merely a good adult male ; he was the lone PERFECT MAN to of all time populate for He was God ‘s ain Son – His Lone Son. And, to me, at this point in his missive it ‘s about as if Paul is take a breathing his last and as he does he screen of mentally reaches out to pull all Christians close and susurrations, “ Gain IT! EARN IT! Remember Who has died so that you might populate! ” Look once more at poetry 27 and you ‘ll see what I mean.

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Paul says, “ Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a mode WORTHY of the Gospel of Jesus! ”

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Now do n’t misconstrue. In this poetry Paul was NOT stating that we could of all time Make anything that would do us DESERVE Christ ‘s decease on our behalf. He was n’t deducing that it would be possible for us to populate in such a manner that we could somehow EARN ageless life. No, if there was anyone who understood the philosophy of GRACE, it was Paul. He knew and repeatedly taught that we can ne’er Gain or DESERVE Christ ‘s forfeit on our behalf. Brenda! –

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We merely necessitate to retrieve what Paul wrote to the Ephesians: “ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is non from yourselves – it is the gift of God… non by plants, so that no 1 can tout. ”

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We CAN ne’er be worthy of Jesus ‘ decease for us – BUT THAT DOES N’T MEAN THAT WE SHOULD N’T TRY!

In this poetry Paul is stating that, cognizing Jesus DIED for us should impact how we LIVE. We should try to carry on ourselves in a mode WORTHY of Jesus ‘ forfeit.

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As he wrote in Two Corinthians, “ Those who live should no longer unrecorded for themselves but for Him Who died for them and was raised once more. ”

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Now, if you and I are at all similar PRIVATE RYAN, so I think we would Desire to populate our lives in a manner that is suiting of Jesus ‘ decease for us. I mean if we truly understood what Jesus endured for us, so OF COURSE we would desire to seek and make something – anything – to delight Him.

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Bruce Marshiano, who portrayed Jesus in the VISUAL BIBLE presentation of the Gospel of Matthew said, “ I believe every Christian should hang on a cross for at least 30 seconds. Their lives will ne’er be the same. ”

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If we did that or anything to assist us understand what Jesus ‘ has done for us certainly we would desire to populate in ways that make Him proud.

Well, in today ‘s text Paul says that one thing we can make – one manner we could carry on our lives if we were TRYING to be worthy of Jesus can be found in the manner we respond to enduring. For when we react to tough times in a reverent manner, we give incontrovertible grounds that we are followings of Christ.

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As he says in poetry 28, this “ is a mark that we are so saved – and that by God. ”

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When Christians are persecuted – when they face times of agony and still go on to follow Christ dependably, people notice. They see that we have something particular and they hunger to cognize what our secret is – and this DOES delight our Lord.

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If you ‘re new to Word Alive allow me acquire you up to rush by stating you that this is the 3rd in a series based on Paul ‘s missive to the Christians at Philippi.

Up until this point in his missive Paul has been speaking about his ain agony: his apprehension on false charges, his imprisonment in Rome. But Paul knew that as he was composing this missive, the Philippians were enduring for their religion every bit good. The book of Acts records that he had left Philippi after a storm of persecution and that persecution was inherited by the Philippian church.

In poetry 30 he alludes to this when he says, “ For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ non merely to believe in Him but besides to endure for Him, since you are traveling through the same battle you saw I had and now hear that I still have. ”

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Now, you may be sitting back experiencing comfy and thought, “ Well, this does n’t truly use to me. I do n’t endure for my religion like those Philippians did. I do n’t confront persecution as a Christian. ” And, I do n’t desire to pique you but if that is so true ; if you are n’t aching in some manner because of your Christian religion so you must non be presenting much of a menace to Satan and his intents. For, anyone life like a Christian in a NON-Christian universe will confront persecution of some kind.

You see, enduring is non optional for the Christian who wants to carry on themselves in ways that please our Jesus.

Persecution is non something you could go through by on the “ buffet tabular array of discipleship ” and opt non to set on the home base of your life. No – if you are a Christian, agony is inevitable.

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Paul wrote these words to Timothy, “ EVERYONE who wants to populate a reverent life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. ”

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A newsman one time asked a sportswoman about hurts. He asked, “ How make you maintain on maintaining on if you ‘re playing professional football? ” The adult male replied, “ If you ‘re non playing hurt, you ‘re non playing football. ”

Understand, we do n’t endure because Jesus wants us to. Our Lord is non some cruel drill Sergeant who delights in doing life tough for His recruits. No, enduring is ineluctable for Christians because we live in an imperfect universe that is hostile to the One we follow.

Jesus ‘ rejection, disaffection, and finally His crucifixion were the direct consequence of the fact that Christ came to make His work in foreign district that was dead set against His success.

You see, every facet of Christ – His character, His instruction, His attitudes and responses to life – all of this – is a menace to the reign and kingdom of the God of this age. And if we follow Jesus – if we pattern our lives after Him – we will confront enduring for the same ground.

This should n’t surprise us for Jesus warned us of this.

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In John 15, He said, “ If the universe hates you, maintain in head that it hated Me foremost. If you belonged to the universe, it would love you as its ain. As it is, you do non belong to the universe, but I have chosen you out of the universe. If they persecuted me, they will oppress you besides. ”

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Well, in our text Paul cites two ways that we should react to enduring – two features that all adherents should encompass if they are seeking to populate worthy of Jesus ‘ forfeit.

First of wholly he says that when enduring comes, we have to STAND FIRM.

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Expression at poetries 27 and 28 where Paul says, “ One manner I will cognize you are populating worthily is when you STAND FIRM – without being frightened in any manner by those who oppose you. ”

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The phrase that is translated “ standing house ” is a Grecian word significance “ doggedness ” or “ doggedness ” , so in this poetry it refers to hanging in there – being systematically loyal to Christ no affair what happens – following Jesus merely every bit closely when enduring comes as when it is absent.

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It ‘s the same thought as in Hebrews 12, when the author says, “ Let us run with PERSEVERANCE the race marked out for us, repairing our eyes on Jesus the Author and Perfector of our religion. ”

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We have to maintain on maintaining on, following Jesus, populating harmonizing to His written word in good times and in bad.

This reminds me of the narrative of a 104 twelvemonth old adult male who was being interviewed by a newspaper newsman. The newsman asked, “ How did you make it? How have you lived So Long? ” The centenarian answered, “ I ate the right nutrient, got plentifulness of sleep each dark, did n’t gull about, and ne’er indulged in intoxicant, fumes, or chewin ‘ baccy. ” The newsman replied, “ I had an uncle who lived like that but HE died at 55. Can you explicate that? ” “ Sure, ” the old adult male replied, “ he merely did n’t maintain it up LONG plenty. ”

Well, many times as Christians we do n’t maintain life for Christ up long plenty. We ‘re on fire for God for a piece. Initially we try to populate worthy of Jesus ‘ forfeit but before long we revert to our old ways. Tough times come and we fall off. We do n’t persist. We are n’t consistent.

And this has a annihilating consequence on our efforts to take people to Christ. I mean, think about it. What ‘s the typical reaction of a non-Christian when they hear of a dramatic transition to Jesus Christ in the life of a friend of colleague? Do they state, “ Oh, that ‘s fantastic! State me all about it? How can that go on to me? ”

No – unluckily, this normally is non their response. Most of the clip they say things like, “ Born-again? Did n’t Bob Dylan do that for awhile? About every non-Christian we know could give you the names of people who CLAIMED to hold a echt spiritual experience of some kind merely to return back to normal behavior in a month or two.

Most non-Christians who learn of person who all of a sudden professes to be a Christian will see the proclamation with the same degree of cynicism as they would if person told them they were traveling to travel on a diet or stop imbibing. And in this text Paul is stating, “ Listen, do you desire to indicate some people to Jesus Christ? Do you desire to turn out to them that you have so been saved? Then live systematically before them.

Live for Jesus Christ twenty-four hours in and twenty-four hours out.

Live for Christ when the charts are traveling down every bit good as when the charts are traveling up.

Live for Christ when you get passed over for the publicity.

Live for Christ when unexpected calamity takes your breath off.

Live for Christ when populating for Christ costs you something and you ‘ve got to pay.

Live for Christ when populating for Christ sets you up for ridicule and contempt.

Live for Christ for the long draw.

The consistence of your mundane life will hold a profound influence on people whose lives you ‘re seeking to impact. Therefore Paul says to the trusters at Philippi, “ Are you taking STEADFAST lives? Are you demoing the sort of consistence to the people you ‘re seeking to impact? Are you hanging in at that place even when times are tough? ”

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In his book, Living Above the Level of Mediocrity, Charles Swindoll portions the narrative of an revivalist who loved to run. The adult male bought two whelps that were ace bird Canis familiariss – two large Compositors. He kept them in his big backyard, where he trained them. One forenoon, a small barbarous looking bulldog came scuffling and snorting down the back street. He crawled under the fencing into the backyard where the compositors spent their yearss. It was easy to see he intend concern. The revivalist ‘s first urge was to take his compositors and lock them in the cellar so they would n’t rupture up that small bulldog. But he decided he would merely allow the animal learn a lesson he would ne’er bury. Naturally, they got into a hassle in the backyard and those two compositors and that bulldog went unit of ammunition and unit of ammunition and unit of ammunition! There were growls and yipes as bulldog hair flew everyplace. The small critter eventually had adequate, so he squeezed under the fencing and took off.

All the remainder of that twenty-four hours he whined and licked his sores. Interestingly, the following twenty-four hours at about the same clip, here came that same small bulldog back under the fencing and after those compositors.

Once once more those two bird Canis familiariss beat the stuffing out of that bow-legged animate being and would hold chewed him up if he had n’t retreated down the back street. But, the really following twenty-four hours he was back! Lapp clip, same station, same consequences. Once once more after the bulldog had had all he could take he crawled back under the fencing and found his manner place to cream his lesions. The revivalist had to go forth for a series of meetings and was gone for several hebdomads. When he came back he asked his married woman what had happened. She said, “ You merely wo n’t believe what has happened. Every twenty-four hours, at the same clip every forenoon, that small bulldog came back in the backyard and fought with our two compositors. He ne’er missed a twenty-four hours. And I want you to cognize it has come to the point that when our compositors merely hear that bulldog snorting down the back street and topographic point him squashing under the fencing, they instantly start whining and run down into our cellar. That small old bulldog struts around our backyard now merely like he owns it. ”

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Now, that ‘s continuity! Staying at it. Hanging tough with “ dogged ” finding. Peoples will notice when we do this – when we systematically follow Christ no affair how hard it is to make so.

Paul advised immature Timothy, “ Be prepared [ to populate for Christ ] in season and out of season – Watch your life and philosophy closely. PERSEVERE in them, because if you do, you will salvage both yourself and your listeners. ” What about you? Are you as on fire for Christ as you one time were? Was there a clip when you truly radiated Christ but now you ‘re back to “ normal? ”

If you truly desire your equals to see the difference Jesus can do so be consistent over the long draw.

Imperativeness on. Nothing in the universe can take the topographic point of continuity. TALENT will non ; Nothing is more common than unsuccessful work forces with endowment. GENIUS will non. Unrewarded mastermind is about a adage. EDUCATION will non. The universe is full of educated derelicts. PERSISTENCE and DETERMINATION entirely are of import.

And so the 2nd quality that Paul urges all Christians who are digesting enduring to expose is UNITY.

Expression at verse 27.

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Paul says that we are to, “ stand house IN ONE SPIRIT, postulating as ONE adult male for the religion of the Gospel. ”

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Now, this is something Christians have ever had trouble making. We tend to split instead than unite and work together. Yet this was Jesus ‘ last supplication before His apprehension and crucifixion. Remember His words? Mentioning to the 12 He said, “ My supplication is non for them entirely – I pray besides for those who will believe in Me through their message. [ THAT ‘S US! ] [ I pray ] that all of them may be ONE Father, merely as You are in Me and I am in You. May they besides be in Us so that the universe may believe that You have sent Me. ”

Make you gain that this is the lone supplication that the Church has the ability to reply. And I think Jesus is still waiting for us to reply this supplication. I say this because there are 1000s of different Christian denominations! And most of them tend to work independently – non AS ONE. I do n’t believe we will of all time carry through the great committee until this alterations and all of us go more inter-denominationally related. Many times even within single churches Christians do n’t value UNITY. They engage in struggle with one another over fiddling issues and in so making they waste cherished clip and energy. Ministry is hampered because they spend more clip ARGUING in concern meetings than they do really DOING God ‘s concern.

But the worst affect of this tendency toward DIS-unity is that it costs us our credibleness with a lost universe. You see, there ‘s no ground for the universe to believe Christians are from God if they act like the Satan when they are together.

I guess most of us can state narrative ‘s of people go forthing churches after a concern meeting in which people attacked one another verbally, and they have ne’er been back. Disunity can be that damaging.

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I think Paul Billheimer is right when he says, “ The uninterrupted and widespread atomization of the Church has been the dirt of the ages. It has been Satan ‘s maestro scheme. The wickedness of disunity likely has caused more psyches to be lost than all other wickednesss combined. ”

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You see, people outside the household of God observe political infighting and ugly power struggles all the clip. They see it in governmental personal businesss, in concern sectors, in establishments, and in administrations ; and it sickens them. These yearss, more and more people have come out of households that fought and bickered and battled to the point where they are emotionally bruised and they wonder, “ Will I of all time be able to happen a group or a community that I can belong to where people come together and associate genuinely? Will I of all time be able to be a portion of a community where people will hit directly with one another, where they will decide struggle by coming to one another and sitting down, seeking to work it out? ! ” Peoples are shouting out for a community of incorporate people who are making something worthwhile together. And Christians can and Necessitate to be that sort of community.

Now, understand, for trusters, integrity is non uniformity. It ‘s non stating everyone must be precisely likewise. That boundary lines on cultism. I remember one time seeing an ad in a newspaper for a hyper-conservative Bible college. It showed images of it ‘s pupils – all male -.all with the same haircut – all have oning short-sleeved white shirts with thin black neck-ties. The caption below proudly read, “ Our pupils look like this! ” To them integrity was uniformity – but they were incorrect because the Bible Teachs that UNITY is a one-ness of intent found in a group of DIFFERENT Christians – UNIQUE trusters who are mature plenty to bond together and bask family around the 90 % of the things that they agree about instead than reason about the 10 % that they do n’t hold on. They derive their integrity from their indispensable beliefs and do n’t put on the line damaging their integrity over irrelevant non-essentials.

And you know, unity truly is a GRACE-driven thing. It begins non in demanding that others change to be like us but in acknowledging that we are n’t so perfect ourselves. Integrity is the consequence of three scripturally-based observations.

It begins with first, seeing that as Mark 2:7 says, ONLY GOD CAN FORGIVE OUR GODLESSNESS. Then, secondly, as Romans 14:4 says, merely God can judge our neighbors for their wickednesss And thirdly, it comes from an obeisance to God ‘s bid in Romans 15:7 where we are told that we must accept who God accepts.

In short, it is an apprehension that God loves me and makes me His kid. God loves my neighbour and makes him my brother. My privilege is to yieldingly finish the trigon, to shut the circuit by loving who God loves. When we understand these basic biblical rules, we become one. And we can so work together with a single-mindedness that is genuinely marvelous. We make it possible for God to work through us like the assorted parts of a human organic structure obeying the instructions of its caput.

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You are listening to Word Alive produced by Good News Broadcasting with Derek Stringer and I ‘m Brenda Critchley. Today ‘s message is based on Philippians 1 poetries 27 to 30. Back to Derek –

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Okay – thanks once more Brenda – You know, as Christians we must gain how of import it is for us to larn to associate in such a manner that we can state to the people around us, “ Join us. We do n’t claim to be perfect, but we strive to be reliable. We do n’t claim to see oculus to oculus on everything in this church but we disagree with self-respect and grace. We do n’t claim to be without clash and misinterpretations, but we are committed to integrity. We try to love one another here – to be low – to truly seek to reconstruct hurt relationships. Join us if you want to play a critical function on a squad that is prosecuting the most of import work in the universe! ” We must demo people outside the household of God that the church is the lone hope for a high unity, relational community that truly loves.

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This is why Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:3, “ Make every attempt to maintain the integrity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ”

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By the manner, the Grecian word Paul uses here for “ endeavoring together ” is a word from the field of sports and literally means to wrestle together or to wrestle in harmoniousness.

A comparable image today is eleven work forces on a football squad working together to travel the ball toward the end line. Eleven different work forces – some slow but strong -others little but fast – all UNIFIED around the same intent, making things TOGETHER that they could non make Entirely.

Many old ages ago JIMMY DURANTE was asked to be a portion of a show for some World War Two veterans. Although his agenda was busy, he agreed to make a SHORT soliloquy after which he would hold to go forth instantly for his following assignment. When Durante went on phase that dark, he finished his short soliloquy and so started another. The hand clapping grew louder and louder as he did soliloquy after soliloquy. Finally, after a long public presentation, he took his last bow and left the phase. Someone stopped him wing and said, “ I thought you had to travel after a few proceedingss. What happened? ” Durante answered, “ I DID hold to travel, but I can demo you the ground I stayed. ” He pointed to the forepart row where two work forces were seated following to each other, each of whom had lost an arm in the war. One had lost his right arm and the other had lost his left. But together, they were able to clap, and that ‘s precisely what they were making. Loudly and cheerfully.

This is what UNITY means: uniting our strengths to carry through the same intent and when we do, particularly in the face of enduring – the universe notices as Durante did.

What does this part of Paul ‘s missive say to you? Are you populating a consistent Christian life? Do you walk the talk? At place? On the route when you are behind the wheel in heavy first-come-first-serve hr traffic? At the supermarket when the check-out procedure line seems a stat mi long?

What about the 2nd characteristic Paul listed? Are you making all you can to protect the UNITY of the church? You know Mark Twain one time said, “ Everyone negotiations about the conditions, but no 1 does anything about it. ” Are you like all those Christians who talk about integrity but do nil about it?

I think this text should actuate all of us to stand steadfast – to continue the integrity of the church – to inquire ourselves whether or non we are populating in such a manner as to be WORTHY of what Christ has done for us.

You may be listening and understood merely how much God has sacrificed to salvage you. And possibly this realization has led you to desire to give your life to Him – to follow Him as Saviour and Lord, stating to Jesus, “ You DIED for me – I want to Populate for You! ”

Others of you who are already Christians may experience led by God to fall in a church – to go a critical portion of a local BODY of trusters. It is much easier to Stand FIRM in our civilization with the aid of other Christians.

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Dr Derek Stringer has been rounding off today ‘s Word Alive. We ‘ll merrily direct you a free transcript of this message every bit good as others in the series through Philippians – they make a great resource for personal survey or even group survey. We ‘ll direct a transcript to an electronic mail reference. There are besides CD ‘s available, merely inquire us for inside informations.

You can make us through our web site www.gnba.net That ‘s gnba.net

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I ‘m Brenda Critchley

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And I ‘m Derek Stringer.

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Word Alive with Derek will be back once more following clip with more from this missive of joy that Paul wrote to the Philippians –

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I hope that you ‘ll fall in us once more.

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Word Alive is a Good News Broadcasting Association production. Our Manufacturer is Phil Critchley. GNBA produces wireless programmes that span the universe – we teach the Word and touch the universe. Thank you for sharing with us.

Until following clip – adieu and God bless you.

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