James and Teabags

Hi Ladies,

Do you resonate with any of these statements?

“I don’t struggle with anger, but whenever I’m around so-and-so, I become a different person!”

“She/he knows just how to push my buttons.”

“If I just didn’t have to interact with [fill in the blank], I’d be a lot more Christlike!”

“He/she did this, and so I couldn’t help but….”

We live in a sin-cursed world. It has infected everything, and everyone. Have you ever heard someone say, “Ministry would be a lot easier if it weren’t for people!”? Despite it being tongue-in-cheek, it’s true. Ministry is hard because it involves people.

But the hardship is not just them. No matter how godly and “balanced” you think you are (or I think I am), you and I are part of the problem. All those statements above that you had names for? Well, you might be the very one in mind for others. (“Surely not!” our inner lawyer rebuts.)

This is humbling. And that is good. 

James 4:1 says, “What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?” 

Throughout the end of chapter 3 and all throughout 4, James is showing his readers all the yucky fruits that stem from a heart of pride. And in this particular verse, he highlights our selfish desires. We are really good at convincing ourselves of the rightness of our thoughts, our ideas, our plans….

“It’s the most logical.” 

“It feels right!” 

“It’s the easiest option.” 

“It’s what I’ve always done!” 

I wish I could say that the Spirit prompted me to write this for you. But I think He probably did so for me. 😊 And yet if I need it, then hopefully some of you can benefit from it too. 

The first step is to recognize the problem. Someone once gave this analogy, and it has been incredibly helpful for me: 

You and I are teabags. 

From the outside, we can look like we’ve got everything together. But as soon as we are put into hot water, everything inside comes out…the good, the bad and the ugly. The people we want to blame? They are simply the hot water. They didn’t make us sin; they simply drew out what was already in our hearts. 

The second step is to remember the power. Maybe that person did sin against you. (Remember, in case you forgot… we are all sinners!) However, no one else’s sin causes you to sin. If you are indwelt by the Spirit, you have everything you need to respond as Christ would. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Believe me, I know! But as you continue day-by-day to saturate yourself in the Word and live in prayerful dependence on our Triune God (think, abide!), He will equip you to live as He has created and called you to live.

And when we fail, repent. Remember, with Him there is forgiveness and plentiful redemption. (Ps. 130:3-7) 

If God - the perfect Creator-Father - is this merciful toward His children, how much more should we be toward our imperfect brothers and sisters in Him. If we have sinned against someone, let’s be quick to own it and repent. And if we have been on the receiving end, let’s be quick to forbear or forgive.

Can we pray these things for one another (and ourselves) this week? We need it. I need it! ❤️🙏🏼

Anna

More than words (Col. 3:12-16)

Hi Ladies,

Wasn’t it great to be back in Proverbs, and James for those of you in our summer study? Words, words, everywhere!

But I keep being confronted with something significant. It’s not all about words. Maybe you already know this, but it’s easy to overlook. At least it has been for me. What do I mean? 

Picture this: a brand new car - shiny, sleek, clean, and fast. At least, potentially. Problem is, the fuel line is broken. This picturesque car is powerless to do what it was designed to do. It must have its needed fuel. 

Similarly, God has designed us - crafted us as His image-bearers - to speak words of life, of truth, of love. But we are powerless to do so without the Spirit’s “fuel.” 

How do we make sure this fuel is flowing? The Bible tells us that if anyone is in Christ, he is “new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). We have His Spirit from the moment we believe (1 Cor. 12:13, Rom. 8:9, Eph. 1:13-14). And yet, we all know that life-giving words don’t naturally spill out every time we’re bumped! So, what’s missing? 

Rather than something “missing,” I think it’s more accurate to think of it as what some have called spiritual amnesia. We forget who we are in Christ.  Our "fuel line" is clogged. And so we stop working to become practically who God has already made us positionally. Sanctification takes work! It’s fueled by the Spirit, but it requires our submission and our obedience. Let me show you this from Col. 3:12-16:

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…”

I want to highlight two things from this passage: 

First, notice who Paul is addressing: “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved.... Forgiven.... Called.” Positionally, they’re His - called and forgiven - they’re holy, and they are fully loved. But Paul doesn’t stop there. This position necessitates “putting on” characteristics that mark God's people. In other words, they - and we - are called to live out practically who He has created us to be positionally (in Him). 

Second, notice the focus on character. Read through it again. The first 10 characteristics are all about our hearts! Only when we get to verse 16 do we read anything about words. And first, we let His Word dwell in us. Then, and only then, after all this putting on and “being” (abiding!) does Paul address our words: “teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom.” 

Ladies, this is so significant! Our words are the overflow of our hearts. This is why Paul focuses so much on who we are to be before what we are to speak. 

Words are critical. But if we don’t begin with our hearts - if we don’t have Spirit-fuel flowing to the engine - we will not run as God designed us to. 

And the glorious news is that we have all we need in Christ - His Spirit’s power in us - to be rightly fueled! So don’t resist the hard work. Be grateful for His power, and His patience, and His forgiveness when we fail and get clogged and have to repent and try again, and again. 

And praise Him for a Body to spur one another on in this! Let’s pray for one another and encourage one another this week not to forget who we are and what we have in Christ by the Spirit. And let's not resist the Spirit's work (even when hard!) to increasingly conform our hearts to Christ's so that we overflow with His words - words of life, of truth, of love. ❤️🙏🏼

Anna 

2026 Halfway Check-up

Hi Ladies,

Happy halfway through 2026!! It’s fitting that we rehearse and check up on our goals for this year as a women’s ministry. The Lord clearly directed us to focus on abiding in Him, and aren’t you so grateful? It’s been a needed study and wonderful blessing for me personally, and I trust for you too. But since it’s easy to forget, I wanted to take this week to remind us all of some of the key truths.

To abide means to remain, to dwell, to stay, to continue. To do that in Christ is possible for all believers since we are placed in Christ - united to Him - at the very moment of salvation. Our union with Him is fixed, and it can never be broken. Praise Him! But our communion with Him takes work, as we all know…both from Scripture and from experience!

Scripture tells us to abide (to remain, dwell, stay, continue):

- in Christ (John 15:4; 1 John 2:28)

- in His Word/commandments (John 8:31, 15:7; 1 John 2:24)

- in love (John 15:9; 1 John 4:16)

And these three are not unrelated. In fact, the passages demonstrate that they are different ways of referring to the same thing. (We looked at this in our study of John 15:1-11 earlier in the year). So what does this look like practically? Or better yet, how can we check up on ourselves to see if we are progressing in this goal this year? 

Here are a few questions to prayerfully think through. I’m praying that these will both encourage and exhort us toward more through the rest of 2026, and beyond! 

- Am I quicker to filter things I hear and think through what I know about my God? 

- Am I more at peace, even if things around me are stormy? 

- Am I able to speak truth more readily? (Either to myself or others?) 

- Do I have increasing capacity and desire to love others, especially those who are harder to love? 

- Am I seeing His strength shine through me more, even in my weakness? 

This list is not exhaustive. And it is not designed to condemn. Our God is so incredibly patient with us. And He has given us everything we need to do what He desires us to. We just need to remind ourselves of this frequently, and then act on it! 

So this email is a check-up for us all. We are here to spur one another on in this great goal. Let’s pray for one another this week, that we would not grow weary in this eternally worthwhile pursuit, and let’s find ways to help each other stay the course. 

Perhaps you could ask or share with someone how things are going in this area! I need you. We need each other. Let’s continue to abide, together. For His glory, and our good! ❤️🙏🏼

Anna

Praying for wisdom to see (James 1:5)

Hi Ladies,

Since not all of you are able to join in the James study this summer, I thought I’d take this week to share some gleanings from the dig. 🙂 

Have you ever heard James referred to as “the New Testament Proverbs”? While the letter does seem to take more of a wisdom-literature approach than the other New Testament books, I’m seeing that James writes with a more cohesive thought than I first realized. Some of its well-known verses have significant context to them. 

For example, how many times have you seen or heard this verse quoted?

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)

We know from the rest of Scripture that wisdom comes from God (Pr. 2:6-7), that Christ is Wisdom incarnate (1 Cor. 1:30), and that asking for wisdom is right and good (1 Kgs 3:9, Pr. 2:1, Ps. 119:66, Eph. 1:17). So this verse from James can stand alone. But we miss a lot without the context! Look at what precedes verse 5:

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom…”

James begins chapter 1 championing steadfastness (vv. 3-4), highlights it again in v. 12, and concludes the chapter with a synonym (perseveres) in. v. 25… not to mention all the occurrences in chapter 5. It’s definitely a theme! 

Here he tells us to consider it a joyful thing when we fall into trials, since we have confidence that God is using them to prove and strengthen our faith. This “worked out” faith is one that can endure longer and longer under pressure. That’s the literal meaning of the Greek word for steadfast (hypomeno…remember that word?!). The final result - the end of sanctification - is our being perfect, complete, whole, lacking in nothing. (Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?) We know that we won’t arrive at this until we are glorified. But God’s good design and plan for our lives is to work in and through the trials to make us more and more like who He created us to be. 

This is God’s perspective. And James tells his readers (including us) this perspective. He could have followed this with something blunt like, “That’s what’s coming, but boy, you all sure lack a lot now!” But, he didn’t. He gently rolled on with something to the effect of, “If any of you lacks wisdom to understand this perspective, then just ask Him…” 

This wisdom James tells us to ask for is not simply about what to do or what to say or where to go…. It’s a wisdom to see life (and particularly the hard parts…which are many) from God’s perspective: designed by a sovereignly good God to make us more like His Son; and then the grace to live in light of it. 

Is it easy to see life this way? No. 

Is it possible? Yes. 

How? Because we have access to the One who tells us to. He bids us come and ask! And not only does He promise to grant it, but He does so generously, liberally, without holding back, and without looking down on us for asking. He delights in hearing from His children and helping us see His glory and goodness. 

Isn’t that amazing?!

If you are struggling to see the hardship you are enduring as a good thing, get on your knees (literally or spiritually), and cry out to Your Father. Ask Him to help you see life as He does. Ask Him for grace to trust His ways. Ask Him to make you more and more steadfast through the pain. And ask Him to give you the resolve to consider the process joy, since you know not only what He is accomplishing now, but also the glorious end to come. 

I promise it will be worth it all, Sisters! 

Let’s pray for one another this week, that we would live this out more and more, so that we might be steadfast women, full of joy in Him! ❤️🙏🏼

Anna 

P.S. Come pray this for one another at our prayer gathering tomorrow at 6pm! 

Christ our Wisdom

Hi Ladies,

I’ve been wanting to share some thoughts on wisdom with you from our ladies’ James study! But before I do, I believe it would be helpful for us to meditate on the lyrics to “Christ our Wisdom.” Kevin introduced this song to us last Sunday, and it fits so well with our study through Proverbs (and James!). 

So, can I encourage you to read the lyrics below, and perhaps write them out or add the song to your playlist this week? 

Christ our wisdom, we are humbled
When You hide Your ways from us.
You have purposes unnumbered
Each one good and glorious.
Help us trust when we grow weary,
Free us from our anxious thoughts;
Give us grace to see more clearly
You are God and we are not.

Christ our wisdom, be our gladness
When we fail to understand
You ordain all joy and sadness
To fulfill Your perfect plan.
Help us know You rule with power
Over every raging flood;
In our most uncertain hour
You are God and we are loved.

Christ our wisdom, we will follow
Though the way ahead is veiled.
As we journey through the shadows
Grant us faith where sight has failed.
Help us cling to Your commandments,
Strengthened by Your faithful word.
We will never be abandoned,
You are God and we are Yours.

Christ our wisdom, we adore You
For the beauty of the cross.
Once in foolishness we scorned You,
But Your blood has ransomed us.
Help us sing the endless mercies
Of Your humble heart to save!
Christ our wisdom, Christ our glory,
You are God forever praised!

Listen here: https://youtu.be/2NlxdVH6c24?is=uZ2dhdc92AqWRL_-

Let’s pray for each other this week, that we would grow to trust and follow Wisdom incarnate more and more as we walk this life by faith, knowing that one day our faith will become sight, and we will be with Him, forever! ❤️🙏🏼

Anna

More on opening your mouth (Ps. 81:10, pt 2)

Hi Ladies,

Some of you probably appreciated the shorter meditation and prayer focus on Psalm 81:10 last week. 😄  But it left some of you with questions. I am so glad it did, and even more so that you asked! My goal is to help you learn how to think biblically, not just to tell you what to think. But sometimes, I’m not as clear as I think I am. So please know that I love your questions, regardless of why! 

Here is the question: How do we practically “fill up” with God? 

First, we must acknowledge that it is ultimately His work: “I will fill.” (God is the one speaking in this verse)

But, it does require our willing obedience: “Open your mouth.” 

So what might this look like for you this week? 

- If you don’t already, purpose to set aside time with Him in His Word and in prayer. He wants it!

- Pray before you open His Word, “Show me more of who You are as I open Your Word. And satisfy me with Yourself as I behold You.” He desires to do this!

- When anxiety wells up, don’t turn to your temporary comfort of choice (you know what it is). Rather, turn to His eternal promises to be Your loving Shepherd, your anchor, your deliverer, your peace, etc. He will provide everything you need!

- When loneliness overwhelms, go to the One who has given you His Spirit to dwell in you. He will never leave you nor forsake you!

- When your schedule threatens to pull you in 10 directions, pause. Hold your plans (and your heart) up to the Lord with open hands, and ask Him to show you His will for you. Ask Him for wisdom and grace to walk in His way, and to be filled with His Words, no matter how busy things get around you. He will guide, and provide!

- When you’re wrestling with defining your worth by others’ opinions of you, saturate your mind with the truths about who He has made you in Christ. And do whatever it takes to keep meditating on them. He wants you to trust His character and His purposes for you fully!

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it! 

Notice that all of these “practices” involve the truths of His Word. Christ (quoting Moses in Deut 8:3) says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt. 4:4). True satisfaction can only come from unchanging Truth. 

But also notice that these truths are relational. He promises to fill us with Himself! (Read the entire Psalm to see this more clearly). As we behold Him in His Word, we are being transformed more and more into the image of Christ. He is producing in us the fruit of His Spirit: love, joy, peace… We are not simply obeying commands. We are communing with Him, “filling up” on Him, obeying out of love and because we know it truly is the best thing for us! 

If our cup is filled with Him, everything else is overflow.

People’s opinions affect us, but not to the same degree. 

We enjoy earthly gifts, but only insomuch as they cause us to acknowledge the Giver.

We feel the weights of the burdens of this life, but they don’t crush us. 

Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. This is what it looks like to abide!

Let’s pray for one another this week, that we would grow in our desire and ability to receive His Words and live them out in every practical area of our lives. And let’s encourage and help each other pursue this together! ❤️🙏🏼

Anna 

Open your mouth and…

Hi Ladies,

I mentioned a while back that I thought the Lord was doing something around the theme of words. Between Pastor Jason's Proverbs series and the ladies' study through James, it's certainly proving true in my own life! And it seems no matter which part of the Bible I am reading or studying beyond these two right now, that theme keeps surfacing. Sometimes it is through very vivid pictures. 

I want to share one with you, in hopes that it will encourage and motivate you this week as it has me. We find the directive "open your mouth" or similar statements almost 30 times in Scripture. The majority of them refer to speaking. However, I read one in Psalms that stopped me:

"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." (Ps. 81:10)

Can you picture it? Sinful creatures (you and me) standing like tiny stalks on this giant globe, gazing up toward heaven with our mouths gaping open, desperate to be satisfied. And our Infinite, intimate Creator is there, waiting and eager to fill us to overflowing.

"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it," He says.

How often do we look horizontally for filling? John Piper keenly notes, "The greatest enemy of hunger for God is not poison but apple pie. It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world." (A Hunger For God) We might think we're okay because we don't crave sin. But have we curbed our hunger for Him by filling up on His gifts instead? 

"Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it." 

If we are filled to overflowing with Him, what comes out? 

Now, we are ready to open our mouths and speak words of life, words of wisdom, words of joy and peace and hope. 

Let's pray for one another this week, that we would look up, open up, and let Him fill us up and satisfy us with Himself. And then let’s go be who He wants us to be for one another. ❤️🙏 

Anna

A Prayer for Persevering Peace (2 Thess. 3:16)

Hi Ladies,

We've prayed through various aspects of persevering this past month, and these prayers will remain important until we see Christ face to face. But I thought that this prayer of Paul's from 2 Thessalonians would be a fitting way to keep applying it forward:

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Th. 3:16

Not only are peace and perseverance connected by alliteration (some of you love that!), but more importantly they are connected theologically. But I want you to see it for yourself…

We usually stick to the ESV translation for these meditations, but I want you to read this verse from the New Living Translation (NLT):

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.” 2 Th. 3:16

Both of the highlighted differences are right implied in the first translation, but I love how the NLT emphasizes 1) the source and quality of the peace, and 2) the extent and application of the peace.

First, this peace is sourced in none other than the Lord of peace Himself - “Prince of peace!” (Is. 9:6), “God of peace” (5 times in the NT!). This is our Lord. And He now dwells in us by His Spirit. This is why He can - and will - give us peace. And not just any peace. His peace!

But let’s step back and ask, what really is peace? 

Is it the absence of conflict? 

All we need to do is look at Christ’s life to know that can’t be true. 

So, what is it? 

According to the Strong’s biblical usage, this kind of peace is “the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is.”

One word picture that captures this well is the calm in the eye of a storm. No matter what may be happening around us, our knowledge of God and all His graces to us - past, present, and future - allows us to live in confident assurance of His sovereign power, wisdom, goodness and love. This is no surfacy or short-lived peace, but a deep and abiding peace that perseveres because of who our God is.

Secondly, notice the extent and application of the peace: “at all times and in every situation.” 

Paul doesn’t leave it at the broad extent of “all,” which is amazing enough! But He draws attention to the specific application of this peace: “in every situation”: 

When your husband misunderstands you. (Again)

When your child hurts you. (Again)

When your friend betrays you. (Again)

When your bank account is low. (Again)

When your car breaks down. (Again)

When you get a cancer diagnosis. (Again)

When your "perfect" plans fail. (Again)

When the desires of your heart remain unfulfilled. (Again)

Every, single situation.

Every time.

His peace is available and sufficient for each one.

We cannot have this peace apart from Him, because it is sourced in the Lord of peace Himself. But if He is in us, we have all we need by faith to trust Him to provide it for all, and every, situation. And then we can walk, even through the storms, with perfect peace. Persevering peace. 

Let’s pray for one another this week, that the Lord of peace Himself would give each of us His peace at all times and in every situation. And let's also seek to be channels of this peace to one another!

And as Paul concluded his prayer, may the Lord be with each one of you, dear ladies. ❤️🙏🏼

Anna

Week 4: Persevering in belief

Hi Ladies,

We’ve made it to the last full week of May! I don’t know if you’ve needed the exhortations to persevere as much as I have, but with the high number of admonitions in Scripture, it seems as if God knew we would all need them at some point. 🙂 

This final week, we will focus on what He says about persevering in the faith, or our belief in Him. The Bible has some strong warnings about this... so much so that many people (perhaps maybe even some of you) grew up thinking that you could lose your salvation.

As with many other topics in Scripture, this one is so important to consider in light of the WHOLE of Scripture. I've heard it said that nearly every heresy is born out of scripture, meaning that it is possible to take a verse or part of a verse and develop a system of belief around it that goes against what the rest of the Bible teaches. This is why we need to know our whole Bible!

Because this is a big topic, I’m going to do my best to give you a high-level view. And if you desire to dig more, I will gladly help you do so. 😊

First, it’s abundantly clear that we must continue in the faith, or continue believing the gospel (who God is, what He has done for us, who we were and now are in Christ, etc). Read the passages below for a small taste:

- “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:1-2)

- “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard.” (Col. 1:21-23a)

- “And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mk. 13:13)

- The book of Hebrews is essentially one big exhortation to persevere and not give in to unbelief. But here are a few specific examples: “For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For,
‘Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not delay;
but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.’... Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…. Consider[ing Christ]… so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Heb. 10:36-38, 12:1-3)

This perseverance is a perseverance to the end - to the finish line where our sanctification becomes glorification… where our faith becomes sight! But maybe you are thinking thoughts like, “This feels impossible! What about my doubts? My eyes keep losing sight of the finish line. I failed… again! Why would God allow so much struggle?” We could all add more.

Every Word is God-breathed and profitable. So we cannot gloss over these passages. But now that we’ve seen how real and clear these warnings are, let’s look at what else He tells us:

- “Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Th. 5:22-23)

- “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” (Rom. 8:28-30)

- “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pet. 1:3-5)

- “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

These passages are glorious! I wish we had time and space to unpack each of them. But to summarize, we are able to persevere because God has promised to preserve us. Do you hear that ladies? If you are His, you will persevere. Not without hard work. Not without tears. Not without discouragements and doubts. But you will persevere.

And as I’ve been reminding us (from Scripture!), part of God’s means of enabling us to persevere is the gift of the body, the church. We need to be reminding each other of who He is, what He has done and continues to do, who we are, and all that lies ahead. These kinds of exhortations protect us from unbelief (Heb. 3:13). 

And that is a huge responsibility - and privilege - we have toward one another.

So let’s pray for ourselves and for one another this week, that we would work hard to persevere in belief, fully trusting that God will be faithful to preserve us to the end. And through His power in us, let’s make sure we do all we can to spur each other across the finish line as well. ❤️🙏🏼

Anna

Week 3: Persevering in love and good works

Hi Ladies,

I hope you're seeing that the Bible has much to say about perseverance. We've looked at passages exhorting us to persevere 1) in prayer, and 2) in trials/struggles. This week, I'd like us to meditate on the repeated charge to persevere in love and good works. 

While the Greek word meaning “to continue under” isn’t specifically used except in one of these eight passages below, they are each connected, either by synonyms in word or thought. I’ll highlight those connections briefly as we look at each passage. Note that this is not an exhaustive list, but enough to prove that God cares about our continuing in love and good works!

1) “Love is patient…. Love bears all things…endures all things. Love never ends”
(1 Cor. 13:4, 7, 8) - In this familiar passage describing biblical love, four times we see the theme of love’s continuance. It is patient (bearing long), bearing all, bearing under (hypomeno!), and never-failing. We cannot love this way on our own. It must be sourced in the Spirit, which is the next passage…

2) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love…patience, kindness, goodness” (Gal. 5:22) - Love and patience are both fruit of the Spirit. So are kindness and goodness! Apart from His indwelling presence and power, we cannot persevere in love and good works toward one another. But if you and I are alive by the Spirit (and I pray that you are!), then let us keep in step with Him! (v. 25). And not just toward people who are easy to love…

3) “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up” (Rom. 15:1-2) - As with the passages last week, this kind of bearing assumes a burden. This passage depicts that burden as people. We are not here to please ourselves, but rather to live for our family’s good, to build up the body of Christ. Paul repeats this admonition to the church at Ephesus…

4) “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Eph. 4:2) - Paul reminds them (and us) to continue persevering patiently in love with one another. We cannot do this if we see ourselves as better, so Paul says to do it with all humility and gentleness, remembering the gospel. This wasn’t an isolated message. The church at Rome got it. The church at Ephesus got it. And so did the church at Colossae…

5) “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:13-14) - As Paul anchored the previous passage in walking worthy of our calling (a present responsibility in light of past action), so here, Paul anchors the exhortation in our being chosen and forgiven. Once again, we cannot persevere simply by our own determination! Because of who we are in Christ, and what He has done and continues to do in us by the Spirit, we can persevere in love and good works. 

But Paul wasn’t the only apostle to exhort towards this perseverance…

6) “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly”  (1 Pet. 4:8) - Peter exhorted the same. This verse more literally reads, “keep fervent in your love for one another.” Love is not a one-time decision. We need to keep fervent in this Spirit-fueled command. But the final two passages don’t let us stop there…

7) “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another…. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more” (1 Th. 4:9-10) - Paul is complimentary, but not satisfied! He reminds the Thessalonian church (and now us) to love to even greater degrees. The more we are conformed to the image of Christ, and His love has captivated our hearts, the more we can love like Him. And the writer of Hebrews echoes this…

8) “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb. 10:24-25) - Ladies, the day of Christ’s return is near! It was near two thousand years ago, and it’s even nearer now. As the culture grows more hostile to Christ, and to Christians, we must put effort into “stirring up” one another to love and good works… and not only from a distance, but especially in person, meeting together to encourage each other to persevere. 

God has given us all we need in Christ by the Spirit to persevere in love and good works. But part of that gift is the church family - (you… and me!), connected to our Head (Christ) and enlivened by the Spirit. Sometimes we lose sight of its “gift,” as personality differences and relational strains and sins can skew our perspective. But we are a gift to one another. And we can persevere in love and good works toward one another, for God’s glory and our good! 

Let’s pray for one another this week, that we would be freshly aware of all that we have to live this way, and then live it. 🙏🏼❤️

Anna 

Week 2: Persevering in the struggle

Hi Ladies,

Last week, I mentioned how I was thinking about perseverance in light of our theme of “Abide.” I want to take a few moments this week to show you just how powerful the connection is - literally and theologically! 

If you remember back to January or to our retreat, I shared that the most common word for “abide” in the original language of the New Testament (Greek) is the word meno (check out pronunciation and more by clicking on the word). It's a rich word that carries a complex meaning: to remain, to stay, to dwell, to continue. 

Well, the Greek word for “persevere” (or “endure”) is hypomeno. Do you see it?! This compound word literally means to remain under. And as you will see in the verses below, the contexts suggest remaining under difficult situations. We would expect this based on how we use the word today. You’d get raised eyebrows if you said to someone, “Keep persevering in your bliss!”  

But what hard things has God specifically called us to endure or to persevere in? 

Look at the following verses: 

- “And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt. 10:22).

- “Be patient in tribulation” (Rom. 12:12).

- “Remember Jesus Christ… for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him” (2 Tim. 2:8-12).

- “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted” (Heb. 12:1b-3).

- “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).

- “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (1 Pet. 2:20).

In this sampling of verses (use Blue Letter Bible to read them all!), we see interconnected themes. God is calling us to endure or to persevere…

- in our Christian walk and verbal witness, despite others’ hatred

- in dire circumstances (tribulations, trials)

- in our own fight against sin and the burdens that weigh us down

Struggles within…struggles around…struggles with others… They all require us to remain under the hardship. We don’t like this! Endurance training is hard, both physically and spiritually. It asks us to push beyond what we think we can push. But this is the very thing that strengthens us. God in His perfections has designed it this way. Just as a loving father disciplines or trains his children in order to mature them, so our loving Father trains us (Heb. 12:5-10). And we echo the writer of Hebrews by acknowledging that “for the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:11).

The beautiful reality is that God has not simply called us to this and left us to figure out how to survive, but He has given us all we need to remain under the struggles. He’s not only given us Christ as our example - “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2) - but He's also given us His Spirit who abides within us, empowering us to persevere in the ongoing struggles. God never calls us to something that He does not provide for. And this is especially true of perseverance in this life! 

Let’s pray for one another this week, that we will persevere in the struggles within, around and even with each other, knowing that God is using these things to mature us and ready us for Christ’s return. ❤️🙏🏼

Anna

Week 1: The Call to Persevere - Prayer

Hi Ladies,

This week, I am writing this as much for myself as I am for you. May is here! And whether you are a teacher, a student, a parent, or you are connected to any one of these, you know that May represents busyness. Perhaps more than that, it reveals our need for perseverance. When we get so close to the end of something, it can be easy to wish it here faster, to get careless or calloused, or simply to grow weary of putting in the work. I understand these feelings! 

I’ve been thinking about perseverance as it relates to our theme of “Abide” this year. If we are not persevering from a Source that is unending, we will certainly crash. Yet it’s easy to say “keep abiding!” and still lose sight of how to live this out practically in the various areas of our lives, especially those that demand perseverance. So, as I have prayed this week about what to have us meditate and focus our prayers on, I believe we are to take this month of May and look at the specific areas in which Scripture tells us to persevere, and how we are to do that. 

We’re going to start with the most powerful, but perhaps the hardest and most neglected:

Persevering in prayer. 

As someone has said, prayer is not the only work, but it is the greatest work. And it is not simply a one-time work. Soak in the passages below:

“Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2).

“Be constant in prayer” (Rom. 12:12).

“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Eph. 6:18).

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, “Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.”’ And the Lord said, ‘Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily….’” (Luke 18:1-8a).

The above passages are prescriptive; they tell us what to do. But there are a number of descriptive passages as well, showing us believers who persisted in prayer:

In chapter ten of his book, Daniel tells of receiving a terrifying vision, and his praying and mourning for three weeks. (Before you say, “Well, that’s not long compared to what I’m experiencing!”, read the whole book and put yourself in his shoes 🙂). After three weeks of semi-fasting, an angelic messenger arrives and says, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words” (Dan. 10:12).

In 1 Kings 18, Elijah tells Ahab that it’s finally going to rain after years of drought. He prays, and tells his servant to go look for the rain clouds. The servant comes back and reports nothing. He tells him to go look again. Scripture doesn’t specifically say that Elijah went back to praying, but it is certainly implied. This exchange happens seven times! And after the seventh trip up the mountain, he finally sees the rain coming (1 Kings 18:41-46). 

Paul prays “three times” for God to take away his thorn. And God responds, just not with what Paul is wanting in the moment. But as he persists in prayer, God realigns Paul’s heart with His so that by the end, Paul is boasting in his thorn! (2 Cor. 12:7-9). 

We could look at more examples, but I hope the point is clear. God calls us to persist in prayer! 

But. Why? 

Scripture doesn’t give us a mathematical equation kind of answer. But here is what is clear:

It’s not because there is a magical number of times to pray. 

It’s not because we have to prove our sincerity to God.

It is because God has designed us to communicate constantly with Him. (Think daily bread! Mt: 6:11)

It is because we are fully dependent on Him, for everything. 

It is because our prayers are the means by which He does His perfect work.

It is because He works through our prayers, not only to bring about the prayer, but more importantly to transform our hearts in the process. 

This is His good and perfect design, that we persevere in prayer.

But. How? 

That little frustration that seems too small to bring to Him? Do it. Every time. 

That “impossible” situation that you’ve given up praying for? Bring it to Him. Again. 

That long-term illness? Don’t resign yourself to despair. Pray, and trust for proportional grace each day. 

That painful relationship? Pray like a little child who has no inhibitions coming to his father, and trust that your Heavenly Father has infinite experience in the business of forgiveness and reconciliation. 

And don’t grow weary of praying. He loves to hear from you.

Let’s pray for one another this week, that we would always pray - big and small - and not lose heart. And let’s pray that our trust in Him would grow, believing that He is constantly at work whether we see it or not. He is! ❤️🙏🏼

Anna

The Fuel of Gospel Partnerships (Phil. 1:6-8)

Hi Ladies,

A few weeks ago, we looked at Philippians 1:3-5 and focused our prayer on strong gospel partnerships within our church family. This week, I’d like to look at Paul’s encouragement that follows…

He goes on to say, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus” (Ph. 1:6-8).

Strong partners are consistently learning and growing together, aren’t they? This is the heartbeat of discipleship! The wonderful (and sometimes challenging) thing about these relationships is that they are dynamic:

None of us has arrived. 

None of us is beyond our need for them.

None of us is too old or young (physically or spiritually) or too unworthy or too… whatever you might be thinking. 🙂

And the beautiful promise found in the passage above is that God, who began the good work of sanctification in those who are in Christ, will continue it until we are fully glorified in His presence. What a comforting and motivating assurance! 

If God has promised to do this in each of us, then we can be - should be - patient and persistent with one another in the growth. But this growth process doesn’t happen in a vacuum. There is a reason the Lord commanded us to disciple one another and partner together! Indwelt by His Spirit, we are His instruments through whom He is accomplishing His work. 

We should be both humbled and encouraged. And we should not lose heart in the length or difficulty of this process. The above passage makes it clear that God’s work does not ultimately rise or fall on our shoulders. We are not tasked to fuel this work ourselves (praise God!). Yet, we are called to be obedient channels of His truth and grace. And we can trust His promise to work in and through (and sometimes even in spite of) us. 

He who promised is faithful. He will surely do it! (See 1 Thess. 5:23-24)

Lastly, notice Paul’s deep and humble love for these brothers and sisters. He held them in his heart. He shared with them in God’s amazing grace, demonstrated both in their solidarity in his imprisonment and in their passion and commitment to spread the truth of the risen and living Christ. He loved all of them with sincere, familial love. This love was not because they were all easy and likable people. He said it was the very affection of Christ Jesus, made possible by His Spirit that united them. May the Spirit fuel this kind of love for one another among our church family!

So, let’s pray for one another this week, that we might pursue one another with patience and persistence, and with a love that flows from the very heart of Christ. 

The Lord continues to increase my love for His church - this church - which means you. And may He do so more and more, in me and in you. ❤️🙏🏼

Anna 

Praying for fitting and patient words (1 Thess. 5:14)

Hi Ladies,

How many words did you speak yesterday? 

Regardless of the number, none of them were lost. You may beg to differ if you have teenagers, but I’m not talking about that. 😉 Words matter. And not only in this life. (Mt. 12:33-36) The Bible has a lot to say about words. If you're not convinced yet, I believe you will be based on how God is leading within our church family heading into the summer!

Words not only matter but they are powerful, both to harm and to help. Some of us, for fear of hurting others or saying the wrong thing just keep quiet. And others of us love to speak and teach and "help" - which may or may not be so helpful!

And yet, Scripture is full of exhortations to speak.
So, how do we know when to be silent and when to speak?
And when we do speak, how do we know which words are fitting?

Paul gives a most helpful paradigm in 1 Thessalonians 5:14. I'd like for this verse to be our meditation and prayer this week. And can I encourage you to commit it to memory? It’s short, but it’s expansive. 

"And we urge you, brothers [and sisters], admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all."

First, notice that people in different circumstances or stages of their spiritual walk need different words. Yes, Truth is Truth! But certain truths at the wrong time or applied the wrong way can be very damaging. (Think Job…)

Let's look at each of Paul's directives:

1) "Admonish the idle" - The word for idle was used in Greek society for those who didn't show up for work. Some versions use the word “unruly.” These people weren't reliable or following the prescribed order. Paul says to admonish them. This word carries the idea of warning or exhortation. It's motivated by love and concern, but it is firm. 

God's Word gives some very clear and direct admonitions. Do you have friends who are in need of these kinds of corrective words? Do you yourself need to allow others to speak these words into your life?  

2) "Encourage the fainthearted" - These people were literally "small-souled," or feeble in mind. They needed comfort. John uses this same word to describe the Jews' words toward Mary and Martha after the death of their brother Lazarus. When people are in the midst of acute suffering, ongoing hardship,
or just plain weariness from this sin-cursed life, we as the body of Christ have the opportunity, and the responsibility, to comfort them with the comforts of God Himself found in His Word. It is full of them!
Do you have fainthearted friends who need to hear some comfort-filled truth? Do you yourself need it? 

3) "Help the weak" - These people were likely struggling to make wise decisions based on Biblical principles. They needed someone to stand alongside them and give support. 

God's Word is full of wisdom to provide light to our path. Do you have weak friends who need your support in sharing wisdom from God's Word? Do you yourself need to hear these words?

4) "Be patient with them all" - Regardless of the category of need, Paul challenges the Thessalonian believers, and now us, to be patient with them all. The word for patience literally means “to suffer long,” or to be of long spirit. 

The “all” within context is speaking about believers, but still…. That is a lot of patience! How are we to do this?? 

We must look to our Triune God. 

God the Father “suffers long,” desiring that His people come to know and love Him. And He has planned, from before time began, that all(!) who are His will be more and more conformed to the image of His Son - a process that will last until completion at Christ’s coming. (1 Cor. 3:18; Phil. 1:6) Lord, haste the day!! 

God the Son modeled incredible patience as His disciples failed again and again to understand Him. He suffered long under the unjust treatment and torture from His enemies. And now, He patiently sits at His Father’s right hand interceding for us until all is put into subjection under His feet. 

And God the Spirit is constantly at work in us, applying the saving benefits of all that Christ has accomplished. One of the very fruits of the Spirit is patience! He patiently guides us into truth and also prays for us in unity with the will of God the Father.

If our Triune God exhibits this kind of patience toward a fallen creation, how much more should we, enabled by His Spirit in us, toward one another!

People are complex. They might not fit neatly into one of Paul’s categories. But we can look to our Father’s perfect plan. We can sit at the feet of our Wonderful Counselor, studying His character and His responses toward people preserved in His Word. We can rely on the Spirit’s moment-by-moment power in us. And in time, we will grow in wisdom, and patience, as we seek to live out 1 Thessalonians 5:14 with one another. ❤️🙏🏼

Will you join me in praying that this would be more and more true of the family at ABC? 

Anna

Koinonia in the gospel (Phil. 1:3-5)

Hi Ladies,

If you have a big task looming in front of you, some of you prefer to buckle down by yourself and get it done as quickly as possible. And some of you need the motivation of others around you to get started (and to keep you going 😊). When it comes to the Christian life, God’s design is that we work together, for better or for worse! This doesn’t mean others can do your work for you, but it does mean that we need each other. Even the Apostle Paul, who seems like he would be the guy in the former category with incredible capacity, passion and drive to get ‘er done, says this to his beloved brothers and sisters in Philippi:

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.” (Phil. 1:3-5)

Notice the bolded phrase. Paul calls them partners. The Greek word here for partnership - koinonia - speaks of fellowship and the intimate bond that unites us around a shared purpose. Despite differences of personality, social status, vocation or interests, koinonia is possible because of a unifying center. This is true of everyone who is in Christ! We are united by one Spirit, members of one Body, with Christ as our Head. 

Paul knew this, and he lived it out. He had taught them, corrected them, modeled to them, prayed for them, and loved them. His deep care for these brothers and sisters shines through this statement and others in his letter. But he had also received from and benefited from them. He didn’t view himself as better or superior, but rather saw them as fellow workers alongside himself - partners for the same purpose: for the sake of the gospel. 

Practically, what does partnership in the gospel look like? We get some hints of what Paul means by looking at a few other statements in his letter. First, “From the first day until now” likely means that Paul is thinking back to Lydia, the first convert in Philippi (Acts 16:11-16). And he probably had many distinct memories of this beloved spiritual family from that point on. They were partners in believing and proclaiming the good news of Christ! 

Second, in Phil. 4:15, he uses the same word koinonia saying “no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only.” So there was a partnership in financial support. Paul worked hard to make a living so that he wouldn’t be dependent on others. But he had times of need, and he ministered to other churches in great need. He needed and valued their vital partnership in this very practical way as well. 

And thirdly, there was a partnership of presence, especially from Timothy and Epaphroditus, extensions of the body of Christ who came to be with him, minister to him and bring gifts from the Philippians (Phil. 2:19-30, 4:18). Paul was not a loner. He needed embodied encouragement just as the Philippian believers did.

But notice, finally, that partnership itself wasn’t Paul’s end goal. As much as he loved this fellowship of believers, he begins by saying, “I thank my God,” and I offer “my prayer with joy.” His ultimate focus - His ultimate love - is the One in whom they are united: the triune God! Paul knew that God was magnified by people partnering together for the spread of the glory of His name. And so it was a great joy for him to have this koinonia with the Philippian church. 

And it is such a joy for me (and I trust for you) to partner together at ABC for the same. There is a good reason our membership is called partners in ministry! I am so grateful for the growing partnership we have with one another, and I trust it will only grow stronger.  

Will you pray with me, that God would strengthen our partnership in the gospel? Partnership in believing and proclaiming the glorious news of Christ, partnership in support, and partnership of presence. These are a great place to start. ❤️🙏🏼

Anna 

Our understanding Savior

Hi Ladies,

Many of you will be gathering with family or friends tomorrow as we celebrate Christ's resurrection. It's a time of togetherness, joy and life.

But some of you - whether you gather with others or not - are acutely lonely. This holiday, like others, accentuates pain and loss. Perhaps even betrayal. My goal in this is not to draw unwanted attention to these feelings, but rather to show you Someone who shares and understands your pain, far more than you realize. (The Spirit directed me to write on this before I knew what we would hear last night. Praise Him!)

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem that Palm Sunday, he certainly wasn't alone: 

Crowds flock. (Mt. 21:6-11)
When He enters the temple, He is surrounded by "crowds," "the blind and lame," "chief priests and elders." (Mt. 21:12-16)
Then come the Pharisees' disciples. (Mt. 22:16)
Then the Sadducees. (Mt. 22:23)
Not to mention the constant crowds. And of course, His disciples. (Mt. 23:1)

Jesus is rarely "alone." And yet, hear His own words:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!" (Mt 23:37) 

"You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'" (Mt. 26:31)
"Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone." (John 16:32)

And not only do crowds and friends flee, but Jesus, as He hangs on the cross, bearing the weight of their sin - and yours - cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mt. 27:46)

Jesus knew what He had come to do. So don't read this as confusion. Read it, rather, as a real expression of grief. (We don't have space here to look into how Jesus' words fit with the eternally unbreakable union of the Trinity, but I've shared some helpful links at the bottom if you'd like to read more).

Jesus felt a degree of loneliness and sorrow that you and I will never have to experience. He knows your pain, intimately. And as our Great High Priest, He right now is interceding for us. Because the sinless Son of God came to deal with sin (our sin!), and to stand in our place, these "light, momentary afflictions" we face point us to the One who not only understands but also has conquered everything that separates us from Him. (2 Cor. 4:17; Rom 8:38-39) 

He is with us. In us! We are not alone. Ever.

So if the feelings of loneliness and abandonment are extra strong this weekend, express them to the One who truly knows. 

And express them to those within our family of God who want to walk alongside you (like me). 

And remember His incredible love AND work on your behalf. Not only for the future, but right now in your pain.

And if this isn't you, I encourage you to pray for those within our family who are struggling. Ask the Lord to guide you to these people, and to give you a love that can be expressed in helpful ways during their grief. That's how the Body is supposed to work, fueled by the One who knows and understands not only intimately, but infinitely. ❤️🙏

Anna 

Articles for further reading:

1) John Piper, responding to a listener's question: https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/my-god-my-god-why-have-you-forsaken-me-didnt-jesus-already-know

2) Kevin DeYoung, responding to an article published in 2018: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/place-condemned-stood/

3) Joel Beeke, explaining what "Christ forsaken" means and doesn't mean: https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/christ-forsaken

Praying for a wise love - Philippians 1:9-11

Hi Ladies,

I can't pick a favorite prayer of Paul's. It usually happens to be the one I'm meditating on at the moment. 😊 But this one below is a prayer that in my role here at ABC, I have personally needed and prayed often. Because it has been on my mind extra, and because I know I'm not the only one who needs it, I believe this is the prayer God wants us to meditate on and pray for each other this week:

"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, SO THAT you may approve what is excellent, AND SO be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God." (Phil. 1:9-11, ESV)

Love continues to be redefined by our culture, but it's so important that we hold fast to what God has revealed about love in His unchanging character, words and actions. 

(Pause: How would you define love from Scripture?)

Paul had such a big heart. And he is praying that the Philippian believers (and we) would have one too - one that is continuing to grow in order to love bigger and better all the time. But he's not only praying for love to abound. Notice the word "with." He's praying that their love would grow in proportion to knowledge and all discernment. 

What does that mean? The Greek word here for knowledge doesn't simply mean knowing about something. It means a real, precise, and thorough knowing. And the word for discernment means a moral perceptiveness. Both of these words necessitate relationship. 

A big heart without accurate knowledge of God or the person we are seeking to love can be dangerous. And a fierce loyalty to knowledge and truth without a heart that has been radically transformed by God's love can do a lot of damage. And so Paul prays that these would grow alongside each other.

Love is not blind. Love is wise. Love considers - and speaks - God's best for His children, even if the circumstances are difficult. Even if the feelings don't match. Even if it means sacrifice (as it often does). But this love willingly, genuinely and lavishly pours out, because it is rooted in the unending Source of truth and love: Christ (Jn. 15)!

Truth-filled love. Love-filled truth. Abiding. Abounding.

Why does Paul pray that the Philippians would grow in this way? Notice the sequence:

> So that they (and we!) might approve what is excellent. (I encourage you to pull up Blue Letter Bible or the STEP Bible, or use your cross-references/concordance and read the verses that use this word.) Approving what is excellent carries the idea of determining (and then championing) truth over falsehood, good over evil, right over wrong. 

> So that they (and we) might be consistently living sincere (unsullied) and blameless lives until we stand before Christ. This can't mean sinless perfection, as Paul makes clear multiple times in this same paragraph and letter (Phil. 1:6, 11; 3:12). But it does mean a heart that is quick to repent (1 Jn. 1:9), that is striving for holiness (Heb. 12:14), and that is resting in Christ for His righteousness (see v. 11, and 2 Cor. 5:21).

> The next phrase doesn't have a "so that." Paul just says "filled." This is In the perfect tense, meaning it can be read "having been filled." It's something that has been accomplished and needs no more completing. I believe Paul is showing that the power to live pure and blameless lives practically only comes from having been filled with Christ's righteousness - our positional righteousness because we are in Him. As Paul says, it is "through Jesus Christ." In other words, we work hard, all by His grace! 

And why is Paul praying all this? Because loving this way brings great praise and glory to God (v. 11). We can't conjure up this wise love on our own, but the Spirit of Christ is at work in us as we respond moment by moment in obedience and submission. And the result is our conformity to Christ, which brings our triune God great glory!

Is your love filled with knowledge and discernment? 

Is your knowledge and discernment governed by love? 

Let's pray for one another this week, that our love would grow in proportion to our knowledge and discernment, in order that we might live practically as Christ has made us positionally, so that we might be ready for Christ's return and bring great praise and glory to our God. 

We need to pray this way for one another, as we will not drift into this kind of love. I encourage you to write out Philippians 1:9-11 on a 3x5 card or something that you will see or carry with you this week as a daily reminder. And know I am praying this for you and for me. ❤️🙏🏼

Anna