Today’s devotion is based on Philippians 1:1-11: Joy in the Journey: Week 1 (WATCH HERE)
Philippians 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
When you care for people, you want what is best for those people, or that person.
Paul loved the Christians in Philippi with a love rooted in the grace of Christ. He was grateful for their partnership, but he doesn’t want to rest on past realities, but calls them up to grow into the blessings God has ready for them.
Here’s his prayer.
First, that their love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. He doesn’t just pray that they would “love more” or “feel love more deeply” but rather that their love that is rooted in Christ would grow due to two things: knowledge and depth of insight. Love is a learned behavior. We need to take time to learn more about the facets of love, the nuances of love, the expressions of love, especially from the one who gave perfect love, Jesus. For example a growing knowledge of love leads us to understand that love is unconditional, it demands nothing in return. Love is expressed to enemies. Love seeks to serve, not be served. Grow in your knowledge of God’s grace and love. Abound more in depth of insight to what love is. Depth of insight comes when you experience putting love into practice. You begin to realize the impact and importance of love. You begin to feel love in your inner being. You experience the love of Christ more fully and express it more freely.
Second, Paul prays that as love abounds and your heart and life are tuned into the love of Christ, it provides a place from which discernment can be made to remain pure and blameless until the return of Jesus. A question that is helpful in seeking discernment is this, “Is it loving?” Remember loving isn’t accepting every behavior as ok. Loving is calling evil, evil and good good. Love is living in and by God’s truth, not accepting or giving into the lies of Satan. Love gives us permission to be discerning. God’s love keeps us walking in his commands and focusing on living a life that leads to the praise and glory of God.
Discernment leads us to get rid of these things in our lives:
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Third, as love abounds, discernment grows, and the fruit of righteousness fills our lives. Here’s what it looks like (Galatians 5:22-25):
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
There is no question of Paul’s passion and heart for the Christians in Philippi. He is calling them to grow in the grace they have experienced and enjoy expressing it each and every day.
The same is true for you.
Grow in God’s love.
Be discerning to stay pure and blameless.
Live today filled with the fruit of righteousness!
Apply: Take time to read Philippians 1:1-11. Make it personal. Don’t read it as the “Philippians” but directed at you and your heart.
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you for Paul and his passionate prayer for all of us that we would grow in your love, be ever more discerning, and live each day filled with the fruit of righteousness. AMEN