Being Able to Do All Things in Christ (1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bible Verses ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phil. 4:11 Not that I speak according to lack, for I have
learned, in whatever circumstances I am, to be content. (12)
I know also how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in
everything and in all things I have learned the secret both
to be filled and to hunger, both to abound and to lack. (13)
I am able to do all things in Him who empowers me.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Words of Ministry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Part 1 of 3)
According to 4:10-13, Paul applies the secret he has learned
to his circumstances in prison. As a prisoner in Rome, he was
far away from many of the believers and from many churches
which had been raised up through his ministry. No doubt,
during his imprisonment, he suffered both psychologically and
physically. He was in need of a material supply. It certainly
was not easy for him to be in prison under such
circumstances.
In these verses Paul indicates that he was in want; he needed
a material supply. When he was in want, he was abased. In the
presence of the jailers, the guards, and even the whole
praetorium he was in want and was abased. Perhaps others said
of him, "Poor prisoner! No one takes care of him, and nothing
comes as a supply to him." Then suddenly Epaphroditus arrived
with a gift from the Philippians [v.18]. Now that Paul had
received their rich supply, he was not lacking in anything.
He could say, "I have all things and abound."
Before Epaphroditus came, Paul was abased. After he came with
the supply, Paul was abounding. But he did not know how long
this abounding would last. He knew that probably the time
would come when once again he would be in want. He had been
in a low situation; now he was at a peak. But perhaps in not
too long a time he would be low again. Knowing that his
circumstances could change again very soon, Paul said that he
knew not only how to be abased and how to abound, but also
how to abound and how to be in want.
(Continued tomorrow)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words
of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Philippians, pp. 245, 247-248
Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA
Please visit us at www.emanna.com
Comments to: comment@emanna.com.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe ultimate.philippine.travel.blog@blogger.com from the mailing list, simply click on the link below:
http://mail.emanna.com/smpro/s.pl?r=1&l=2&e=ultimate.philippine.travel.blog=:blogger.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email: ultimate.philippine.travel.blog@blogger.com
ID: 15436
Time Completed: 11:09 PM
Language: English
List: 2.list
Email type: plain
Message Date: 05/27/2009
