Philippians 1:1-11

Personal Note:
Just received Dreamweaver today @ 3:15 - yeah!! Three guesses what I'll be doing tonight...

Overview:
Timothy is with Paul and they both warmly greet the church at Philippi. This is yet another one of those great prayers of Paul's that teach us how to pray for fellow believers:

1. thank God for them
2. pray for them continually
3. pray for Christ's work that began in them (salvation) is maturing and will continue to do so until Christ's return
4. with love (holding them in his heart)
5. that their love may be growing (abounding)
6. that they show love and discernment in what they learn (knowledge) so that they can tell what is excellent. 
7. that their Christian walk would be pure and blameless until Christ's return
8. that they would be filled with the fruit of righteousness
9. and that they would bring glory to God

Application:
How can we possibly have disunity among believers if we (I) were praying like this for one another. It can't be done! That tells me when folks are disgruntled, angry or are holding grudges - they are not praying for the person they are harboring those feelings against. I know I can't. If I did, and had not been praying for God to help me forgive, I know there is no real point of praying. God wants me to pray to Him with a clean heart. If I am harboring bad feelings toward someone, I'm sinning - even if I've been the one that was wronged - therefore God may in His grace answer my prayer, but Scripture says He has no obligation to do so.


"Lord, rid me of my sinful hurt feelings and expectation of others. Help me to remember this passage and pray for them, rather than dwelling on the wrong that was done me."