Philippians 4:10-11 - Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Paul was genuinely appreciative of the gifts sent to him, but he wasn’t dependant on them for happiness and in fact being prosperous didn’t really offer him contentment.

Today, we are no strangers to being influenced by wanting more. The American culture is becoming more and more service based rather than being a culture that makes and kills only what it needs to survive. It has become cheaper and easier to just buy these things from someone else, so our industrial and manufacturing concerns are shrinking. Ultimately the desire to have more and more causes us enough stress to never be able to enjoy the things we are working for.

A life lived in Christ will be fulfilling and blessed with all that is needed.

Liberally – Luke 6:38

Sacrificially – Hebrews 13:16

Cheerfully – 2 Corinthians 9:7

Purposefully – 2 Corinthians 9:7

Secretly – Matthew 6:3-4

Philippians 4:9 – Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Again we think about God’s Peace and this time we look at getting help from our brothers to achieve it. Paul was using himself as a model for instructing the Philippian folks how to conduct themselves, including what he taught and wrote publicly and privately directly and through others. These things where to be taken as the rule of faith in order to receive the Peace of God.

We can continue to use Paul as our model by taking people we know and trust to be godly people and follow their example. Now this works both ways and we are to remember that there might be someone out there that is leaning on us to be that godly person. When we live a life where we have surrounded ourselves with godly people we support and strengthen each other.

Philippians 4:10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.

The great Apostle Paul was encouraged mightily when he received the gifts from the Philippian church. Here is perhaps the most important Christian with all the strength of God behind him being so humble as to say he needs their support. Certainly a follow up to surrounding ourselves with godly people would be to depend on them. Conversely, it will be hard to come to depend on them if we are not surrounding ourselves with them.

1. GEORGE WASHINGTON: It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible…. He is worse than an infidel who does not read his Bible and acknowledge his obligation to God.
2. JOHN ADAMS: The Bible is the best Book in the world.
3. THOMAS JEFFERSON: I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, better husbands…. The Bible makes the best people in the world.
4. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS: My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising…. It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day…. It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.
5. ABRAHAM LINCOLN: I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith and you will live and die a better man.

Philippians 4:8 – Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

One of the things that caused Eve to sin in the garden was the promise to know all that is good and evil. (Genesis 3:5) She didn’t stop to think that when one already knows all that is good, there is no need to know the specifics of evil. Eve coveted something she effectively all ready had.

Paul knew that the things we have in our mind will manifest themselves in our daily life. Knowing and contemplating things that are not wholesome does not allow us to have the “mind of Christ” (2:5) Pursuing and contemplating all that is good leaves no room or time for the things that are wrong to enter into our lives and therefore leaving us with a peaceful existence.

Today I’ll simply point to an article by Dr Thomas Stanley (The Millionaire Next Door) describing how one millionaire family lives.

http://www.thomasjstanley.com/blog-articles/131/A_Millionaire_Profile.html

I don’t know their religious backgrounds but they seem to bring us a living example of “Godliness with contentment is great gain.”  1 Timothy 6:6

“The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness.”

– Henry David Thoreau

Armor of God – Ephesians 6:10-18

Fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22-23

15 Exhortations – 1 Thessalonians 5:14-23

What Christians should do – Philippians 4:4-8

Things that Love is – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Philippians 4:7 – And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Here and again in Ephesians 3:18-20 we come to know about a peace that we will never truly understand in this lifetime. We have God’s promise that He will guard our hearts through Jesus in much the same way a company of troops are guarded by a sentry. This protection extends to the very core of our being.

Adam Clark said it well in his commentary that this peace is the harmonizing of all passions and appetites which is produced by the Holy Spirit. Living in this peace will certainly carry us through to the next life.

“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4: 19)

This scripture has been referred to as the “Christian’s bank note.”  It speaks of assurance, providence and care!

The president of the Bank - “My God.” Paul could say “my God” because of his personal experience.  It’s evident that there is a vast difference between knowing of someone and truly knowing that person.  He is “my God” only when I am “His child.”  I possess Him only when He possesses me.  Note the possessive, personal pronouns throughout scripture.  In addition, all God promises to do for the world, for humanity, can be claimed by our own personal pronoun- “For God so loved me that He gave His only begotten son…” The God of heaven and earth is “my God.”

The Promise to Pay – “Shall Supply.” The word “supply” here is translated from the same word translated “full” in the previous verse.  Our cup “runs over.”  Paul said the same thing in a more emphatic way to the Ephesians, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us.” (3: 20) What a wonderful reality!  God will do immeasurably more than we can ever even dream of.

The amount – “All Your Need.” Not all your wants, but all your needs.  This calls for a joyous trust and confidence in God.  Our needs, both spiritual and material, will be supplied.  Do we really believe that?  Has God not shown that to us time and time again? Jesus said, “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not much more valuable than they?….If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe  you?  O you of little faith.  So do not worry…”  (Matthew 6: 26,30,31) “Trust me,” God is saying!

The Capital of the Bank – “According to His Riches in Glory.” There is never any capital shortage with God.  His treasure house is as inexhaustible and boundless as His infinite love and grace.  The words “rich” and “riches” appear six times in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians:  “In Him we have…the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us…” (1: 7,8), “the riches of His glorious inheritance…” (1: 18), “God, who is rich in mercy…” (2: 4), “the incomparable riches of His grace…” (2: 7), “the unsearchable riches of Christ…” (3: 8), and “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being.” (3: 16) Oh, what riches God has for us.

The Cashier’s Name – “Christ Jesus.” Through Jesus, our Savior, these great and inexhaustible blessings flow.  All blessings come through Christ Jesus, through our union with Him!  “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Cor. 1: 20)

No wonder Paul broke forth in the ascription of praise: “Unto our God and Father be the glory for ever and ever. Amen”

Charles Cash