OUR FATHER WHO IMBUES US WITH GRACE AND PEACE
Paul wrote a letter to the people in the church of the town of Philippi and in chapter 1 verses 1 - 11, he introduces himself and his protoge Timothy and addressed his letter to all the believers and to the leadership of bishops and deacons of the church.
He speaks grace and peace over them from God the Father and from the Son who is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul then wrote of how he affectionately remembered them as he joyfully prayed for them and that he was confident that the good work that was began in them was going to reach completion in preparation for the day of the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Paul told the believers in Philippi that it was altogether appropriate for him to be have such strong feelings for them because they were all partakers with him in grace and this bond that he had with them made him yearn for them.
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right 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 grace. 8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Paulˋs prayer for the Philippians was that they would love each other even more than before.
He also prayed that they would grow in knowledge and disernment so that they could be act as gatekeepers who allowed only excellent things such as sincerity and meekness to prevail in their midst as a result of the fruit of righteousness which they were being imbued with by the Lord Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
Amen.
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