Bound Unto

Lost to the Grace

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Philippians 1:1-3

You know, it did not really matter who came bearing the message whether the most beautiful of saints, angels, or even the devil himself. What matters is the thus saith the Lord and his being true to his calling from there. Perhaps you do not quite know what a calling is just yet. We would only just remembered to give God our best praise in the most impossible of places and to so walk in his ways. It seems the people do not really matter much either what with all the bishops and deacons. When it comes to the Word of the Lord, there is fulfillment then also the preaching which is nothing more than simply bearing a message. What are some of the ways of bearing messages you can find? Last time was the why and this is the how, is not it? Sort of like when someone calls you in from doing whatever was tasked before the next best possible thing can also begin. See, you have already understood it somewhat from there. The how though very much matters at first. When the Lord Jesus appeared to the disciples by the side of the sea, these did not say how much like Mary did prior even though they probably could have. That is because these things are best accepted through faith and so seen kept close to the heart day after day until time comes to make them all seen. Time it seems has often favoured the brave. That is to say those that are found oft taking the risk that fortunes will turn later out for their blessing. It did not though really when it came to these men, Paul and Timothy. They served someone greater than time or the temple as the grown people so often say being found as after the building. His name is Christ Jesus, the someone greater, and he is so called because time does not hardly seem to affect him. It bothers us a very good deal, which is why you would often see people growing first young and then old. Once, Paul was bound for his service to Christ and the Lord. The next he is seen busy preaching to the churches and those to whom time had once served. The text refers to them as bishops and deacons, all just a fancy way of saying the titles that does not much matter. What does though is that these too were with Jesus Christ our Lord, so that in order to find them, you would first have to go seeking the building, even that of the Lord. Now by no means am I saying he will turn all your graves into blessings as seen then at first in his appearance to those in the garden well after he had gone. That is because just as before, we were not focused on all the possible blessings. Instead, it is on Christ the Lord and the grace, peace, and thanks that came trotting on after. For those that remember, you were wondering no doubt where mercy has wandered off to have gotten so lost of the Lord. That is because it has gotten lost to the glory that follows. You know how that wrongdoing has not ceased yet from the fold, being so found as though up and running around. You would only remember the grace and peace that came after next when it has been all but lost to his face.

Hope till the End

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

Philippians 1:4-6

I do not know about you, but we have all got a lot of requests to bring to the Lord. Then again, perhaps you have noticed how some grown folks are in the habit of praying at all times, on all days, and in all possible sorts of the ways. Nor is there anything wrong with going back to our Lord then in prayer. He delights to heard from his children and so talking to him about whatever you wish is the best way of getting there of course. Not that there is a lot of things we would much rather want or have need. It is just though that it is good to have a little talk with our Lord. Someitmes in life there is a lot more he can help with besides just blessings, protection, and divine supernatural intervention. Come on now, my friends, it is a very good thing that we have him then. Paul here had Timothy to come alongside, though perhaps it is not clear from the text how that there was any present help to be had from him for the danger. It seems that Pauls travels took him into captivity just for the sake of the Lord and also the churches to whom he ministered of which Philippi was one of their midst. It is also just as good to hear a recognition of feelings for those to whom it has mattered and those who have labored on our behalf, and to them which were little who then became into much. It is awful hard though for those in this sort of conditions to look back to who had been left without longing and praying for these all just as much but of course. In fact, it is as close to I love you as Paul would ever get from his heart to the Lords. Then too emotions get mixed in the bargain as there is been needed for some and yet some joy to be had in their midst. It is very much an attitude of I pray that all is well between you and the Lord. Though the joy too speaks of them having lived well and to those to whom the watch-care also ministers though at times in danger and of all things fatigued, yet still there is joy to be had at the hands of the Lord. Perhaps his having left them for those of one fold and into the next has been told by some as unfair or unwilling at first. Yet in all things our God is all the more able being the captain of salvation not just of this church as a whole but also of all who would yet come to him still in prayer. Then too it is a good thing these continued in the faith undeterred by the trials that have arisen and followed in all things therein not as them that were hopelessly lost or swallowed up of their fears. The gospel it seems is more than powerful to them that believe and we all know how that to those he is precious indeed. Nor is just a hoped for of the soon coming Lord but rather a God who is actively working in the trials we have faced. It is a good work too despite all we can see at the moment. That is not hardly the point though in that but lies rather in knowing the one whom we would face. I would take that performance rather than a just for show that some have or would rather. You know, they would come to church Sundays or whatever day the Lords house is open. Really though, he is not of the building but rather actively involved in the hearts and lives of the people. Perhaps that is more than half the problem, is not it, this looking for God in all the wrong sorts of places. Small wonder then he is not found to be found for this whole heart approach then you would first go looking and him too as the shepherd would his lamb that is been taken, wandered off, or gone otherwise missing. In the bringing back then you were engaged in learning the ways of the Lord, you know the way he walks and talks and breathes even his sayings and doings. Having thus been invited, you would found the good work by his side has only but begun to blessed as when put to the test not being burdened or otherwise missed. It is very much a picture of a doing God for his people that you just witnessed though perhaps not appreciated just yet at least not until you have met the breath of the Lord. Otherwise, it would be your day too I suppose and not merely a day of having entered into his rest as one of the building and so too of himself being witness then of the things greater still yet to come. As them having entered have all vanished like smoke in the one single breath of the Lord. My, it is almost enough to make the lame shout and the dumb leap for joy and the dead churches rise once more in his arms so too having met up once more with the all consuming day of the Lord. Then it might not be that our troubles have lifted and sorrows have flown but rather having found answer with the hand of the Lord.

But for the Grace

Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

Philippians 1:7-9

Paul here has a very significant problem in case you were having troubles picking it apart from the text. It is worth a notice most certainly how that the focus has shifted from one of to live is Christ to die is gain unto this spoken of as one from this life and into the next. The issue was not on Paul, really, it was not for that he had not suffered and died. Much rather, it was on Christ Jesus who was hereby alive, risen again, seated at the right hand of the Father in Heaven making intercession for us all. Therefore, it very much speaks of a focus here of being found after love. It seems we were going back to Pauls issue as one that had not forgotten about Christ really and truly. Though with the trials faced in this life, it is certainly a temptation at first. I kdo not know if any of you have ever sat at a table and been tempted to think it had all been provided by your own natural effort. Such is certainly not the case here to be sure. Otherwise, the story of Paul would have been mercifully short and with very good reason. Having forgotten Christ and misplaced the focus onto himself very much later, it left him open, laid bare for the picking apart of the doctrinal wolves. Paul it seems here had gone through some issues. He had been down to the grave almost and from there on back to the grace. You know, as though the gospel were some babe abandoned and left for dead in the woods. Then our beloved apostle has come along just all high up and mighty much as a hero rushing in for the rescue. He is just in time for saving the babe with his mighty big sword, that he himself also forged through much trials and afflictions in the furnace of gold, enough to return it back home to its parents for its christening later. At which point, he also preached the whole baptismal service most certainly despite also being in chains for the gospel. Come on now, my friends, what nonsense is this especially being at such a time as the bowels of afflication. Is not it wonderful indeed that Paul has come along with his own natural grace. He had need it certainly for all that he faced and wso would you I was afraid for what he had just rendered. Do not worry though, Pauls heart is enough for them both so I was told. Then all t once you were probably wondering how on earth Jesus Christ bowels came into the bargain. You know, with his being seated way up on high, the mighty great King, and all that how he is allowed it to prosper. It is certainly worth seeing how that our apostle Paul had gotten swallowed up on the whole much as one wowuld a lions cub you were currently defending or the worlds best most popular martyr only to find Christ come inside. The floor is swept and most definitely clean by itself with all this other stuff quite gone out of the house. Still though, it is almost worth it to see our Apostle Paul so swallowed up of the Lord. It would be almost as the lesser swallowed up of the greater lest he himself as anyone else should also boast. Surely the Lord knows though oh so well that we have got our own personal, pet, and private opinions on up to everything and including our teachers. The gowels though speak very much of the longing the Lords much as the eternal Father does for his church. Then too, the much smaller tabby of that haad finally met up with the much larger cat. That is the Lion of the tribe of Judah to you though in case you would hardly yet knew. Though you probably should being that from which our very hearts entered in all his fullness and truth with his love. Though there remains to be seen an abounding of judgment which is the wisdom to do anything much. Knowing him then by whom all these things hold, far better still to have commended you back to the grace of our Lord.