<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Philippians 1;15-18<div><br></div><div><b>15. &nbsp;Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.</b></div><div><b>16. &nbsp;The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel;</b></div><div><b>17. &nbsp;the former proclaim Christ out or partisanship, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.</b></div><div><b>18. &nbsp;What then? &nbsp;Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice.</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>Whether the person cooking and serving my food is my friend or my enemy, either way, the food still has power to give life.</div><div><br></div><div>This is true for preaching Christ, and&nbsp;the administration of the Sacraments. &nbsp;The spirit and heart of the person doing it, in no way diminishes the power of God’s Word, the gospel. &nbsp;A poor pastor or evil teacher can not harm the Word itself, or the ability of the Word and Spirit to impart repentance, faith, forgiveness, and new life. &nbsp;The undiminished love of God in Christ flows purely to those whom he has made to hunger and thirst for righteousness, through the Word.</div><div><br></div><div>Paul refuses to be distressed in his imprisonment, or in&nbsp;partisanship (party spirit)&nbsp;inflicted upon the Church. &nbsp;Instead, he affirms that God is working good in everything. &nbsp;Satan’s efforts to kill God, turns out to be the tool by which the Life of God comes into us.&nbsp; God’s&nbsp;will <u>is</u>&nbsp;being done.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>&nbsp;Our own&nbsp;sinful flesh (which if it&nbsp;is not at all times comforted), rejects this wonderful truth, instead it&nbsp;says, ‘If I am&nbsp;suffering, something must be wrong, for I am in the place of God! &nbsp;All things must bow to me, I am the center of the universe!” &nbsp;Such thinking was first spoken by a snake in a garden at the dawn of time…</div><div><br></div><div>Suffering with Christ is our earthly purpose. &nbsp;We live now having been baptized <u>into Christ,</u>&nbsp;and even in the resurrection, the mark of the nails and spear were still visible in his glorified resurrected body. &nbsp;Our life and salvation are found in those holy marks, for <u>we</u>&nbsp;are <u>the Body of Christ</u>&nbsp;his Bride the Church.</div><div>Christ <i><u>is</u></i>&nbsp;our Head. &nbsp;To suffer with Christ is our glory. &nbsp;(see, Acts 5;40&amp;41)</div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>What glorious peace such truth imparts to us. &nbsp;We need never to</span><span>&nbsp;be fearful, frightened, or insecure.</span></div><div><span>Instead, we rejoice with unutterable joy as we share in the joy of (from)&nbsp;Jesus. (see, John 15;7-17 and</span></div><div><span>1 Peter 1;6-12)</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, let no fear find place in our hearts, for <i>“we are more than conquers through him who loved us.” &nbsp;</i>(Romans 8;37) <u>In</u>&nbsp;Jesus we pray, Amen.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Love,</span></div><div><span>Dad/Baba/Eric</span></div><div><span>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</span></div><div><span>“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word. &nbsp;God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><br><br><br><div><a href="https://mail.onelink.me/107872968?pid=nativeplacement&amp;c=Global_Acquisition_YMktg_315_Internal_EmailSignature&amp;af_sub1=Acquisition&amp;af_sub2=Global_YMktg&amp;af_sub3=&amp;af_sub4=100000604&amp;af_sub5=EmailSignature__Static_" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a><br></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>


Philippians 1;15-18
15.  Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.16.  The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel;17.  the former proclaim Christ out or partisanship, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.18.  What then?  Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in that I rejoice.
Whether the person cooking and serving my food is my friend or my enemy, either way, the food still has power to give life.
This is true for preaching Christ, and the administration of the Sacraments.  The spirit and heart of the person doing it, in no way diminishes the power of God’s Word, the gospel.  A poor pastor or evil teacher can not harm the Word itself, or the ability of the Word and Spirit to impart repentance, faith, forgiveness, and new life.  The undiminished love of God in Christ flows purely to those whom he has made to hunger and thirst for righteousness, through the Word.
Paul refuses to be distressed in his imprisonment, or in partisanship (party spirit) inflicted upon the Church.  Instead, he affirms that God is working good in everything.  Satan’s efforts to kill God, turns out to be the tool by which the Life of God comes into us.  God’s will is being done. 
 Our own sinful flesh (which if it is not at all times comforted), rejects this wonderful truth, instead it says, ‘If I am suffering, something must be wrong, for I am in the place of God!  All things must bow to me, I am the center of the universe!”  Such thinking was first spoken by a snake in a garden at the dawn of time…
Suffering with Christ is our earthly purpose.  We live now having been baptized into Christ, and even in the resurrection, the mark of the nails and spear were still visible in his glorified resurrected body.  Our life and salvation are found in those holy marks, for we are the Body of Christ his Bride the Church.Christ is our Head.  To suffer with Christ is our glory.  (see, Acts 5;40&41)
What glorious peace such truth imparts to us.  We need never to be fearful, frightened, or insecure.Instead, we rejoice with unutterable joy as we share in the joy of (from) Jesus. (see, John 15;7-17 and1 Peter 1;6-12)
Prayer:  Merciful Father, let no fear find place in our hearts, for “we are more than conquers through him who loved us.”  (Romans 8;37) In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Love,Dad/Baba/EricGrandpa Pickle Pastor“A chapter a day, every day, progressively, be transformed, ‘soak’ in the living Word.  God’s Word is our habitation, and we are His.”




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