<html><head></head><body><div><div><div><div><br></div>Philippians 4;10-13<div><br></div><div><b>10. &nbsp;I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me; &nbsp;you were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.</b></div><div><b>11. &nbsp;Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content.</b></div><div><b>12. &nbsp;I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all&nbsp;circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. &nbsp;</b></div><div><b>13. &nbsp;I can do all things in him who strengthens me.</b></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I’ve got a secret…..</div><div><br></div><div>It would seem that Paul was for a time cut off from contact with the church in Philippi, (as well as&nbsp;communication with the Brethren in all the churches). &nbsp;This may have been in part due to his years of imprisonment after his third missionary journey and his final visit to Jerusalem. &nbsp;But, more likely was the extended sea journey, storm, and shipwreck on the island of Malta. &nbsp;Through these things Paul’s location was lost to the churches. &nbsp;It took many months, perhaps close to a year before the church in Philippi learned Paul was alive and had finally arrived in Rome, still a prisoner, awaiting the disposition of his appeal to&nbsp;emperor Caesar.</div><div><br></div><div>Once his location was known, renewed support from the Brethren in Philippi could begin to flow again.</div><div><br></div><div>Paul rejoiced to receive their support, <u>not</u>&nbsp;because he really was in great need of stuff and things, but his heart <u>did need</u>&nbsp;or desired to know, if the love of God was still flowing in the hearts of the Brethren in Philippi. &nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>He wanted them to know he was fully supplied with ‘contentment’. &nbsp;He had <i>“learned the <u>secret</u>&nbsp;of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want”. &nbsp; </i>The secret is to be, <i>“in Him, </i>(Christ) <i>who strengthens him.” &nbsp;&nbsp;</i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div>To be <u>“in Christ”</u>&nbsp;is to give thanks to the Father for everything, knowing the Father is using it all for good, our own good, as well as the good of the kingdom. &nbsp;Contentedness is trusting the Father’s supply. &nbsp;It is knowing we are never forgotten, never cut off or out of touch, we are never alone. &nbsp;As our Lord has promised, <i>“Lo, I am with you always to the end of the age.” &nbsp;</i>(This is my Ordination Verse, Matthew 28;20b)</div><div><br></div><div>A companion verse to this is Psalm 23;1 <i>“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not ‘want’, &nbsp;(</i><i>I have everything I need). &nbsp; &nbsp;</i><span>The secret is: Do not ‘want’ what the Father for now is withholding; instead, give thanks for what you do not have! &nbsp;To ‘want’ is to choose to be discontent. &nbsp;Even if the Angel of Death comes to me, he will be my friend, and kindly&nbsp;usher me into the very presence of my Lord.</span></div><div><span><br></span></div><div><span>Giving thanks in all circumstances is the great ‘art of the faith’. &nbsp;It is not just a ‘disciplined response’, it is by faith,&nbsp;a real&nbsp;meta-physical participation in the divine nature of God ‘<u>in Christ</u></span><span>’</span><span>, it is a supernatural sharing with Him in H</span><span>is sufferings. &nbsp;It is a privilege and an honor. &nbsp;As this world’s pleasures and provisions diminish, true, lasting pleasures in Christ overflow into our souls, our <i>“cup runneth&nbsp;over”.</i></span></div><div><span><i><br></i></span></div><div><span>To suffer with humble patience, thankfulness, and faith, whatever the form our suffering may&nbsp;take, is to display to the world the indwelling presence of the fullness of God in us, His Bride the Church.&nbsp;(see, Ephesians 3;14-19). We are showing the world there is a powerful true joy and peace for us which is not of (from)&nbsp;this world.</span></div><div><br></div><div>Prayer: &nbsp;Merciful Father, deliver us from temptations to complain. &nbsp;Bless us to truly&nbsp;give thanks in Christ in every circumstance. &nbsp;In Jesus we pray, Amen.</div><div><br></div><div>Love,</div><div>Dad/Baba/Eric</div><div>Grandpa Pickle Pastor</div><div>“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.”<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 4;10-13
10.  I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me;  you were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.11.  Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content.12.  I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want.  13.  I can do all things in him who strengthens me.

I’ve got a secret…..
It would seem that Paul was for a time cut off from contact with the church in Philippi, (as well as communication with the Brethren in all the churches).  This may have been in part due to his years of imprisonment after his third missionary journey and his final visit to Jerusalem.  But, more likely was the extended sea journey, storm, and shipwreck on the island of Malta.  Through these things Paul’s location was lost to the churches.  It took many months, perhaps close to a year before the church in Philippi learned Paul was alive and had finally arrived in Rome, still a prisoner, awaiting the disposition of his appeal to emperor Caesar.
Once his location was known, renewed support from the Brethren in Philippi could begin to flow again.
Paul rejoiced to receive their support, not because he really was in great need of stuff and things, but his heart did need or desired to know, if the love of God was still flowing in the hearts of the Brethren in Philippi.  
He wanted them to know he was fully supplied with ‘contentment’.  He had “learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want”.   The secret is to be, “in Him, (Christ) who strengthens him.”   
To be “in Christ” is to give thanks to the Father for everything, knowing the Father is using it all for good, our own good, as well as the good of the kingdom.  Contentedness is trusting the Father’s supply.  It is knowing we are never forgotten, never cut off or out of touch, we are never alone.  As our Lord has promised, “Lo, I am with you always to the end of the age.”  (This is my Ordination Verse, Matthew 28;20b)
A companion verse to this is Psalm 23;1 “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not ‘want’,  (I have everything I need).    The secret is: Do not ‘want’ what the Father for now is withholding; instead, give thanks for what you do not have!  To ‘want’ is to choose to be discontent.  Even if the Angel of Death comes to me, he will be my friend, and kindly usher me into the very presence of my Lord.
Giving thanks in all circumstances is the great ‘art of the faith’.  It is not just a ‘disciplined response’, it is by faith, a real meta-physical participation in the divine nature of God ‘in Christ’, it is a supernatural sharing with Him in His sufferings.  It is a privilege and an honor.  As this world’s pleasures and provisions diminish, true, lasting pleasures in Christ overflow into our souls, our “cup runneth over”.
To suffer with humble patience, thankfulness, and faith, whatever the form our suffering may take, is to display to the world the indwelling presence of the fullness of God in us, His Bride the Church. (see, Ephesians 3;14-19). We are showing the world there is a powerful true joy and peace for us which is not of (from) this world.
Prayer:  Merciful Father, deliver us from temptations to complain.  Bless us to truly give thanks in Christ in every circumstance.  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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