When Storms Hit Your LIfe—Rock On!
This week’s passage:
Live Clearly
19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Live Confidently
22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24 Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, 26 that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.
Live Courageously
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
Help grow this teaching. Please, share your encouraging comment or word below.
John Parker and the “Giv’m Heaven” Team! (CHT)*
P.S. John’s research notes (sic, as is, not polished up) below:
Philippians 1:18-30
| 1:18 | Yes, and I will rejoice | Χαίρω rejoice. Be glad |
| 1:19 | This will turn out | ἀποβαίνω To go or come out of the ship. To embark or disembark |
| 1:19 | Deliverance | Σωτηρία Salvation |
| 1:19 | Help/Supply | Strong’s 2024. ἐπιχορηγία |
| 1:19 | The Spirit of Jesus Christ | The fellowship of his sufferings Phil 3:10 |
| 1:20 | earnest expectation | Apokaradokía from the head to stretch Attentive/ looking for, as with the neck stretched out and the head thrust forward |
| 1:20 | In nothing shall I be ashamed | to feel ashamed, dishonored—Jesus despised the shame Romans 1:16 I am not ashamed 2 Tim 1:8 8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God 1:12 I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, 1:18 Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, 17 but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me Embarrassment is the feeling of discomfort experienced when some aspect of ourselves (and our SOCIAL CHARACTER) is, or threatens to be, witnessed by or otherwise revealed to others, and we think that this revelation is likely to undermine the image of ourselves that we seek to project to those others. Shame is a more substantial feeling in that it pertains to our moral character and not merely to our social character or image. Article Psychology Today by Neel Burton is author of Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of the Emotions and other books. |
| 1:20 | with all boldness, as always | the act of speaking. Confidence. Freedom or frankness in speaking |
| 1:20 | Christ will be magnified | μεγαλυνθήσεται Χριστὸς μεγαλύνω megalúnō; fut. megalunṓ, from mégas (3173), great, strong. To make great, enlarge. With the acc., in relation to the borders of garments |
| 1:20 | in my body | ἐν τῷ σώματί μου |
| 1:20 | by life or by death | I may die. I will die. Nevertheless, I live! |
| 1:21 | For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain | 20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. -(Galatians 2:20 NKJV) “Our only fear is the fear of dying.” κέρδος |
| 1:22 | Fruitful labor if we live in the flesh sarx | I don’t know whether I will live or die. James 5 Woe to you who say today or tomorrow… |
| 1:22 | What I choose I cannot tell | Good ambivalence! |
| 1:23 | Hard pressed συνέχομαι = in the grips of an illness or an idea (Paul going to Jerusalem) | Between two worlds |
| 1:24 | to remain in the flesh is more needful for you | |
| 1:25 | I shall remain for your progress and joy of faith | |
| 1:26 | Not frightened |
| 1:27 | striving side-by-side. Unite in one spirit, one psyche | |
| 1:28 | Having the same conflict | |
| 29 | For to you it has been granted | |
| 30 | having the same conflict which you saw in me |
As I was pondering verse 27 I thought of a different heading:
“Live Catalytic” “A catalyst is a substance that can be added to a reaction to increase the reaction rate without getting consumed in the process.” When believers “live worthy of the gospel”, they are living in a catalytic connection “striving together” as ONE “spirit” and “mind”. We know the Devil wants believers to be divided. So we see 1000 different brand names and clergy vs. laity division so believers do not “live worthy of the gospel”. They think they are in these divided routines, but they are not. We can help fix this division of “spirit” and “minds”.