Journey towards joy! Today’s passage is from Philippians 1:1-6. Paul and Timothy are greeting the Philippians and thanking them for their love ministry there in Phillipi. They were thankful for all the good memories they had about them, their service, their love towards each other and for faithfully giving out the gospel message.
Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
This passage reminds me to pray for my fellow believers as they serve in the cause of Christ. They are a blessing to me and those around them. Paul is thankful for these friends and fellow coworkers in Philippi. He gives thanks for their love for Jesus and diligence in spreading the good news of Christ. He is prompted to pray a prayer of thanksgiving for them, and it fills him with joy whenever he does. Paul states emphatically that he knows God will continue this good work in them, using them, keeping them and moving them forward because it is God’s work in them. God is doing the work! All God’s work is good and God will see all things to completion. God does not give up, change His mind or let us down in any way. James 1:17 promises, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change”.
Who do you need to pray for today? Tap into the joy of thankfulness as you pray.
Then mediate on verse 6 and consider God’s promise a source of joy:
- joy in your salvation– God loves you and has provided a secure future for you.
- joy in God’s work within you through the power of the Holy Spirit. He is leading you to be more and more like Jesus.
- joy in His ability to finish what He has started in you by faith. God is sovereign and He will not fail. His victory = joy and hope within us, no matter what the circumstance look like.
JOY is a byproduct of thankfulness, prayer, salvation and God working within us. Thank you Lord that I can experience these even in the midst of a pandemic. God you are good. Here is a favorite verse of mine- Nahum 1:7 ‘The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” Walk with Jesus and He will restore your joy because He is in control and He cares for you in His goodness!
Linda
Fearless Living 
you had me totally engrossed with your teaching and instruction that came through this post. I received it with gladness Linda. Thank you for being such a wise exponent of the things that the Lord places on your heart. Thank you for yielding to the leading of the Holy spirit and making yourself available inspite of so much happenning around you….you will certainly reap a rich reward, that’s my prophetic prayer for you.
Thank you Sophia for your encouraging words. God is indeed good and in times like these we need to really open our hearts and eyes to see Him, that will truly bring us into His joy!