Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 4
Saturday


SITUATION
EXCELLENT

READ:
Philippians 1:3-14
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The things which
happened to me have
actually turned out
for the furtherance
of the gospel.
__Philippians 1:12
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At the First Battle of the Marne during World war 1, french lieutenant general Ferdinand Foch sent out this communique: "My center is giving way, my right is retreating. Situation excellent. I am attacking." His willingness to see hope in a tough situation eventually led to victory for his troops. Sometimes in life's battles we can feel as if we are losing on every front. Family discord, business setbacks, financial woes, or a decline in health can put a pessimistic spin on the way we look at life. But the believer in Christ can always find a way to conclude: "Situation excellent.


Look at Paul. When he was thrown in prison for preaching the gospel, he had an unusually upbeat attitude. To the church at Phiippi he wrote, "I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel" (Phil. 1:12).

Paul saw his prison situation as a new platform from which to evangelize the Roman palace guard. In addition, other Christians became emboldened by his situation to preach the gospel more fearlessly (vv..13-14).

God can use our trials to work good in spite of the pain they bring (Rom. 8:28). That's just one more way He can be honored. __Dennis Fisher

````````````````````````Comfort us, Lord, when life's trials assail__``````````````````````
```````````````````````we fail and stumble so often. Renew us, and``````````````````````
``````````````````````````help us to grow so that others may also````````````````````````
`````````````````````````````know Your goodness and comfort.``````````````````````````
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Trials can be God's road to triumph.

*********************Today's Bible Reading __ Philippians 1:3-14************************

3 I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you,

4 always in every prayer of
mine making request for
you all with joy, 5 for your
fellowship in the gospel
from the first day until now,

6 being confident of this
very thing, that He who has
begun a good work in you
will complete it until the
day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as
it is right for me to think
this of you all, because I
have you in my heart,
inasmuch as both in my
chains and in the defense
and confirmation of the
gospel, you all are partakers
with me of grace. 8 For God
is my witness, how greatly I
long for you all with the
affection of Jesus christ.

9 And this I pray, that your
love may abound still more
and more in knowledge and
all discernment, 10 that you
may approve the things that
are excellent, that you may
be sincere and without
offense till the day of
Christ, 11 being filled with
the fruits of righteousness
which are by Jesus Christ,
to the glory and praise of
God.

12 But I want you to know,
brethren, that the things
which happened to me have
actually turned out for the
furtherance of the gospel,

13 so that it has become
evident to the whole palace
guard, and to all the rest,
that my chains are in Christ;

14 and most of the brethren
in the Lord, having become
confident by my chains, are
much more bold to speak
the work without fear.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
In his letter to the church at Philppi, Paul addressed a congregation
he had helped establish. After receiving a call from God to go to
Macedonia (Acts 16:6-10), Paul and his companions left Asia Minor
(Turkey) for Phiippi in northern Greece. There the first European
convert came to Christ and the first European church was planted.