Philippians by Dennis McCallum (2002)

Paul suffered countless times for the Lord, even during these times he was able to find joy in the love and purpose he received from the Lord. Paul constantly turned to his new identity and future eternal life as things to always be thankful for. God can use suffering in our lives to teach us things and to grow our faith.

Paul said to live is Christ and to die is gain. Paul thought he was going to live because he knew God still had plans to use him in the lives of others to share His gospel message. Paul was also secure that if he were to die then he would be going to heaven.

Paul calls believers to be others focused and to strive for unity in the Body of Christ. The world system preaches a message of self interest because they see this life as all we have. As believers who know that there is an afterlife we are called to spend this life serving and loving others which is truly beneficial for us.

Christ emptied himself of his godly abilities in order to become a human and pay for humanities sins. Jesus depended on God in order to perform the miracles and work he did here on Earth. Christ humbled himself in order to save humanity.

Paul calls us to work out our salvation, in other words, living out our salvation. We are called to forgive one another and move towards one another in love. We have been forgiven so much, so we should be free to forgive others.

Jesus and Paul both took strong stances against the pharisaic teaching that our moral decisions could make us righteous in God's eyes. When any works are added to the Gospel of grace, it is no longer the gospel. As we have been saved by God's grace, we can communicate the Gospel in the context of gracious relationships.

Not only did God pay for our sins on the cross, but he also initiated a personal relationship with each human being. All we have to do is accept God's invitation and our whole eternity is changed. Paul said he counts everything as garbage compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord.

God has positioned us into His family as his sons and daughters and has promised us an eternity with him. Often we choose to focus on our temporary condition when God truly views us in terms of our eternal position. God fully loves us and His view of us is what really matters.

Paul explained that trusting in the Lord and rejoicing in Him are not the fruit of happiness, but they are the means of attaining joy. When we face our anxieties how much of the time are we forgetting to put our trust in the Lord and/or depending on Him? This was key for Paul in his fight against anxiety in times of severe persecution.

Paul called the Philippians to set their minds on the good things that are true of them in Christ. Paul found contentment in rejoicing in God's Love and trusting in His provision. Our relationship with God gives us a firm basis for joy.