Philippians 3: 15 -21

FELLOWSHIP
John, James (missing their other disciple, Andrew and his brother, Alex) and AnnaPreston waiting for Sarah to arrive.
AnnaPreston led us in the Hallelujah chorus.
The Wednesday Women of the Word and their babes celebratin Liz's freedom. On this particular day, she happened to be the only one. Go Liz! :)

THE WORD

Paul used Chapter 3 as a reinforcement or refresher to what he has already said in Chapters 1-2. In review, one big thing we talked about last week was that when conflict comes into our lives, it is a good time to take a break, look to the example of Jesus as outlined in Chapter 2 and then go back to the situation at hand with new eyes. This has helped me personally over the past week.

This study is brief with an exercise for you to do on your own.

This weeks verses outline that we can not expect our accomplishments and status to be greater to God than our relationship with Jesus Christ. The Philippians were of the colony of Rome which made them Roman citizens. That was a big deal but Paul says to them that their greater citizenship is in heaven. Since Nathan went to heaven, I have a new perspective on what our view of this life should be and Paul really underlines it here. Look at what he says about himself: he wants to be in heaven but realizes God has a greater purpose at that moment for him to remain on earth. Now that I have someone that was really a part of me in heaven, I am looking forward to going there, but I know that God has specific purposes for me as I am here on earth. I will continue to do with enthusiasm what He wants me to on earth but look forward to heaven. So...life is full either here or there, but once we get there we see true perfection. Praise be the name of Jesus!

Perfection is not something any of us will attain this side of heaven and Paul wants the Philippians to realize that and underlines it in verse 14.

One main point made in these verses is that the Philippians could follow Paul's example. Example or pattern for the Greek meant a traceable pattern of the alphabet that one could use to learn to write. We all need a pattern or example to go by and Paul raises his hand to say I am one you can count on as an example of what God can do in a life. Many of us are shy about saying follow me and do what I do, but we need to know that there are people that need a pattern to go by to help them along this Christian walk. I was telling the young moms in our study that they, as Christian moms have the unique opportunity to be examples to other moms that may not have had parents or had poor examples of parents. These ladies can be examples because I know each one and they are doing great jobs of being moms.

We looked at these scriptures about being examples:
Matthew 5:48
I Corinthians 2:5
I Corinthians 4:16
I Peter 5:3

We concluded with this exercise and I think it would be worth your while to do. Make three columns on a piece of paper. The first column is a column to list words about what you see about Paul's life as you go back over Philippians that makes him an example, the second column is who and what qualities do you see in someone else that you can pattern your life after (other than your parent), and in the third column what do you see in your life that others can pattern their life after?

That is enough food for thought for today. Enjoy the pictures of our study group and their children!