1 00:00:02,759 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your Nightly Scripture, 2 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: a calming, scripture centered devotional podcast designed to help you 3 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: end each day with God's word in your mind and 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:26,759 Speaker 1: on your heart. Right after this short word from our sponsors, 5 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: we'll reflect on tonight's scripture, Philippians Chapter one. Tonight's scripture 6 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: reflection is written by Amber Winter and read by Lea Gerard. Philippiums. 7 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: Chapter one, Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to 8 00:00:56,000 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: all God's Holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together 9 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: with the overseers and deacons, Grace and peace to you 10 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I 11 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 1: thank my God every time I remember you and all 12 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 1: my prayers for all of you. I always pray with 13 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the 14 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: first day until now, being confident of this that He 15 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: who began a good work in you will carry it 16 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It 17 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: is right for me to feel this way about all 18 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 1: of you, since I have you in my heart, and 19 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 1: whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the Gospel, 20 00:01:40,880 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 1: all of you share in God's grace with me. God 21 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: can testify how I long for all of you with 22 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:51,960 Speaker 1: the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, 23 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge 24 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: and depth of insight, so that you may be able 25 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: to discern and what is best, and may be pure 26 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the 27 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the 28 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: glory and praise of God. Now I want you to know, 29 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,720 Speaker 1: brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has 30 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:22,080 Speaker 1: actually served to advance the Gospel. As a result, it 31 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,880 Speaker 1: has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to 32 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And 33 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,959 Speaker 1: because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters 34 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 1: have become confident in the Lord and dare all the 35 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 1: more to proclaim the Gospel without fear. It is true 36 00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but 37 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:50,079 Speaker 1: others out of good will. The latter do so out 38 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: of love, knowing that I am put here for the 39 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: defense of the Gospel. The former preach Christ out of 40 00:02:58,360 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: selfish ambition, sincerely supposing that they can stir up trouble 41 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: for me while I'm in chains. But what does it matter? 42 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: The important thing is that in every way, whether from 43 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of 44 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:25,079 Speaker 1: this I rejoice, yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 45 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: for I know that, through your prayers and God's provision 46 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to 47 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 1: me will turn out from my deliverance. I eagerly expect 48 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, 49 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 1: but will have sufficient courage so that now as always 50 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life 51 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 1: or by death. For to me, to live is Christ 52 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: and to die is Gain. If I am to go 53 00:03:57,080 --> 00:04:01,040 Speaker 1: on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor 54 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:04,839 Speaker 1: for me. Yet what shall I choose, I do not know. 55 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,880 Speaker 1: I'm torn between the two. I desire to depart and 56 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: be with Christ, which is better by far, but it 57 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:16,440 Speaker 1: is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 58 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and 59 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: I will continue with all of you for your progress 60 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: and joy in the faith, so that through my being 61 00:04:26,560 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 1: with you again, your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound 62 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: on account of me. Whatever happens. Conduct yourselves in a 63 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ. Then, whether I 64 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 1: come and see you or only hear about you in 65 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 1: my absence, I will know that you stand firm in 66 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,560 Speaker 1: the One Spirit, striving together as one for the faith 67 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:54,360 Speaker 1: of the Gospel, without being frightened in any way by 68 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:58,000 Speaker 1: those who oppose you. This is a sign to them 69 00:04:58,000 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved, 70 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: and that by God, for it has been granted to 71 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, 72 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: but also to suffer for Him. Since you are going 73 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: through the same struggle you saw I had and now 74 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 1: here that I still have. Do you know what it 75 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: means to live with true and confident hope, to live 76 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:33,080 Speaker 1: with a faith that withstands hard times, persecution, famine, and despair. 77 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: In Philippians Ie, this is the type of faith our author, 78 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: the apostle Paul described. In this particular passage, we see 79 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 1: that some people were sharing the Gospel message with the 80 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:50,039 Speaker 1: wrong intentions. It was out of envy and even rivalry, 81 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: but others did share the truth out of goodwill because 82 00:05:54,920 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 1: of their authentic love for the Gospel. It seems strange 83 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 1: doesn't it that people would be sharing the Gospel out 84 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: of envy, rivalry, selfish, ambition, and trouble That defeats the 85 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 1: entire message of the good News. And yet Paul reminds 86 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: us that what matters most even in this debacle is 87 00:06:17,839 --> 00:06:22,839 Speaker 1: that Christ is preached. Living with confident hope is a 88 00:06:22,880 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: hope that clings to just that that Christ is preached. 89 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: Others may do it for the wrong motives, and in 90 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:34,599 Speaker 1: today's culture we see it all the time, people sharing 91 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,160 Speaker 1: Jesus for the sake of being credited or being seen 92 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 1: as good. Leading at a megachurch, just for the sake 93 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 1: of being popular, loved, or famous. Just like the Pharisees, 94 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: these people pray in public and wear certain showy clothes 95 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,919 Speaker 1: to make it known. But friends, watch your heart, watch 96 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: your motives, watch your ambitions. Some thing with confident hope 97 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: is a faith that's real, raw and genuine. It's not 98 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:10,720 Speaker 1: for show, and it's certainly not for popularity. Even Jesus 99 00:07:11,640 --> 00:07:15,680 Speaker 1: was abandoned by all his disciples when he needed them most. 100 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: Being a Christian isn't always what's popular, but it's what's right, holy, true, 101 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: and rooted in the firm word of God. Today, ask 102 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: yourself these questions. Am I sharing the Gospel out of 103 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: envy or to get self satisfaction? Or am I sharing 104 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:43,400 Speaker 1: it out of the goodness of my heart? Do I 105 00:07:43,480 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: get jealous of others who share the Gospel and are 106 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,480 Speaker 1: more successful or popular than me? What are my motives 107 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: for sharing Jesus with others? As you prepare for rest, 108 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:02,720 Speaker 1: ask yourself what's the condition of my heart? If you 109 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: need to repent humbly, go before the Lord. Know that 110 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:11,000 Speaker 1: it's okay, but then ask him to help you change, 111 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 1: to be a person who shares the Gospel at all costs, 112 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,840 Speaker 1: to be someone who shares his life changing truth for 113 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: the right motives, so that in turn their lives will 114 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:29,040 Speaker 1: also be transformed. Allow First John three point twenty to 115 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: be your prayer today. If our hearts condemn us, we 116 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,560 Speaker 1: know that God is greater than our hearts, and he 117 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: knows everything. Dear Jesus. Living with confident hope is something 118 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: that all Christians are called to do. When I share 119 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:54,280 Speaker 1: the Gospel with wrong intentions, please convict me. When I 120 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:56,960 Speaker 1: share it with the right motives, it strengthens my heart 121 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,600 Speaker 1: and equips me help me to be made Write with 122 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: you and to bring all glory and honor to your name. 123 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 1: I love you, Jesus, Thank you for this gift of 124 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: your eternal, life changing and never ending hope. Amen. How 125 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:21,440 Speaker 1: did Tonight's scripture speak to you? Share your thoughts in 126 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:34,120 Speaker 1: the Your Nightly Scripture Forum discussion. Thank you for listening 127 00:09:34,520 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: to Your Nightly Scripture. Tonight's scripture was read from the 128 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: New International Version by Biblica. All rights reserved. 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