Hello, I'm Tyler. Thanks for joining me tonight for Sleep Scriptures, as we hear Paul's letter to the Philippians in the new international version.

Paul established the church in Philippi, which was a Roman colony known for its patriotic nationalism.

He had faced resistance there, and the church still continue to suffer persecution this letter was

written from prison after Paul received a financial gift from the church

Paul responds with gratitude explaining that if he must suffer in order to share the gospel it was

his way of participating in the story of Jesus Paul recounts the gospel story to the

Philippians that the Messiah lowered himself from equality with God

to become a human servant and to be obedient to God to the point of death but that through

the resurrection Jesus the Messiah has been exalted as Lord and King of

all and is the one true God Paul challenges the Philippians to live out Jesus's story, to follow Christ's example of

humility and not to give in to fear despite their persecution.

If we focus on what is good and lovely God will give us peace Paul shares that he has

learned the secret of contentment simple dependence on the one who strengthens him the

book of Philippians encourages us that knowing Jesus is deeply personal and

transformative it's our awareness of Jesus's love that gives hope and humbles us to live

like Jesus that is a message to hold on to philippians chapter 1 verse 21 says for me to

live is Christ and to die is gain to live like Christ is the ultimate call for Christians this verse should

encourage us to proclaim the gospel of Christ through how we live and to follow

Christ's example of the suffering servant no matter what we face in life we can hold on to Jesus

example and be encouraged to live a life of sacrifice and trust that even in death we

will gain everything by being present with God let God give you a glimpse of his

presence now as you close your eyes and focus only on him contemplate the gospel

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