Let's get to it. Philippians chapter 3. We got to verse 9 last week. Today our text will be verses 10 and 11.

What I'll have you do if you're able? If not, that's all right, but you can stand and follow along as I read.

The Apostle Paul, by the Holy Spirit, is writing to the church there in Philippi, and he says

verse 10, I want to know Christ, yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

and so verse 11 somehow attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Would you join with me and we'll pray and ask God's blessing on our understanding?

Loving Heavenly Father, would you at this time, by the Holy Spirit just quiet our hearts,

settle our minds and enable us to focus our attention? Lord, we don't want to be distracted and miss anything

that you would desire to minister to us today. So, Lord, will you get our attention and then

hold our attention as you speak into our lives in and

through your word we pray in Jesus name amen you can be seated thank you so we're gonna do

something we haven't done since we were in our study through the

book of Romans chapter 12 verses 1 and 2, which is to do a two-part series on two verses over

two weeks. 2-2-2.

Here's why.

We're going to deal with the matter of suffering.

And we're going to do so as it relates to God's purpose in allowing suffering into the life of a Christian.

Before we jump into this, I just need to be very open with you, very candid with you. I hope you

don't mind. I hope it doesn't make anybody feel

uncomfortable when I am transparent, but I really have to confess that the text before us

is one for which I personally struggle with in my own walk with the Lord. And I'll do my best

to explain why as simply as I can. But if you're

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