Philippians 4:4-9 BRETHREN, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 1:12-20 Brethren, I want you to know that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the praetorian guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brethren have been made confident in the Lord because of my imprisonment, and are much more bold to speak the word of God without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of partisanship, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I shall rejoice. For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope.

"change our lowly body to be like his glorious body" St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 3:20-21; 4:1-3

Brethren, our commonwealth is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the
Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our lowly body to be like his
glorious body, by the power which enables him even to subject all things
to himself. Therefore, my brethren, whom I love and long for, my
joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved. I entreat
Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. And I ask you also,
true yokefellow, help these women, for they have labored side by side
with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow
workers, whose names are in the book of life.

"The power of his resurrection." - Philippians 3:10

The doctrine of a risen Saviour is exceedingly precious. The resurrection is the corner-stone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the key-stone of the arch of our salvation. It would take a volume to set forth all the streams of living water which flow from this one sacred source, the resurrection of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; but to know that he has risen, and to have fellowship with him as such--communing with the risen Saviour by possessing a risen life--seeing him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness ourselves, this is even still more precious. The doctrine is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is more lovely than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine itself. I would have you believe that Christ rose from the dead so as to sing of it, and derive all the consolation which it is possible for you to extract from this well-ascertained and well-witnessed fact; but I beseech you, rest not contented even there. Though you cannot, like the disciples, see him visibly, yet I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the eye of faith; and though, like Mary Magdalene, you may not "touch" him, yet may you be privileged to converse with him, and to know that he is risen, you yourselves being risen in him to newness of life. To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified all my sins, is a high degree of knowledge; but to know a risen Saviour as having justified me, and to realize that he has bestowed upon me new life, having given me to be a new creature through his own newness of life, this is a noble style of experience: short of it, none ought to rest satisfied. May you both "know him, and the power of his resurrection." Why should souls who are quickened with Jesus, wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen.

Philippians 2:12-15

BRETHREN, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but
much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good
pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be
blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the
world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may
be proud.

"I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." - Philippians 3:8

Spiritual knowledge of Christ will be a personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through another person's acquaintance with him. No, I must know him myself; I must know him on my own account. It will be an intelligent knowledge--I must know him, not as the visionary dreams of him, but as the Word reveals him. I must know his natures, divine and human. I must know his offices--his attributes--his works--his shame--his glory. I must meditate upon him until I "comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge." It will be an affectionate knowledge of him; indeed, if I know him at all, I must love him. An ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning. Our knowledge of him will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Saviour, my mind will be full to the brim--I shall feel that I have that which my spirit panted after. "This is that bread whereof if a man eat he shall never hunger." At the same time it will be an exciting knowledge; the more I know of my Beloved, the more I shall want to know. The higher I climb the loftier will be the summits which invite my eager footsteps. I shall want the more as I get the more. Like the miser's treasure, my gold will make me covet more. To conclude; this knowledge of Christ Jesus will be a most happy one; in fact, so elevating, that sometimes it will completely bear me up above all trials, and doubts, and sorrows; and it will, while I enjoy it, make me something more than "Man that is born of woman, who is of few days, and full of trouble"; for it will fling about me the immortality of the ever living Saviour, and gird me with the golden girdle of his eternal joy. Come, my soul, sit at Jesus's feet and learn of him all this day.

Philippians 2:12-15

BRETHREN, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but
much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good
pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be
blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a
crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the
world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may
be proud.

Philippians 2:16-23

BRETHREN, I do not run in vain or labor in vain. Even if I am to be poured
as a libation upon the sacrifical offering of your faith, I am glad
and rejoice with you all. Likewise you also should be glad and
rejoice with me. I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, so
that I may be cheered by news of you. I have no one like him, who will
be genuinely anxious for your welfare. They all look after their own
interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But Timothy's worth you know, how
as a son with a father he has served with me in the gospel. I hope
therefore to send him just as soon as I see how it will go with me.

Philippians 3:1-8

BRETHREN, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is not
irksome to me, and is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for
the evil-workers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we
are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory in
Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh. Though I myself have
reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the
eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew
born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee, as to zeal a persecutor of
the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless. But whatever
gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed I count
everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus
my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and
count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ.

Philippians 3:8-19

BRETHREN, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of
knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of
all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain
Christ, and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based
on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of
his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in
his death, that if possible I may attain that resurrection from the
dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but
I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his
own. Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one
thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what
lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward
call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature be thus
minded; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, God will reveal that
also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Brethren,
join in imitating me, and mark those who so live as you have an
example in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you
even with tears, live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is
destruction, their god is the belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds
set on earthly things.