Paul prays

Paul prays for the Philippians - that your love may abound more and more in the knowledge and depth of insight. Phil:1:9

That love may increase - love to the Lord. Based on your knowledge and insight which will become deeper as you spend time with Him.

It's a cycle. Love Him more to know Him more. Know Him more to love Him more.

The key is realising the depth of His love and loving Him and therefore spending more time with Him and thereby loving Him.

But not by your effort or interest or discipline. Paul prays that this would happen to the Philippians. The element of divine grace.

Lord have mercy on me and open my eyes and enable me to see you as you would want me to see you. As you desire to reveal yourself to me. Help me to understand the depth of your love that my love will only abound by the increasing knowledge of you.

Image credit: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2024/12/14/paul-and-prayer/?amp=1

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Family

Eph:5:22 - 6:4 Wives submit to your husbands as the church submitted to Christ. Husband's love your wives as Christ loved the church. Children obey your parents in the Lord Father's, do not exasperate your children. Unless God is in the centre of your family. There is no hope. You can do all these things without being Christ centred. You can be good parents, good husbands, good wives and good children. But to reach the fullness of the purpose of your life, Christ has to be in the center of all relationships. Pray. Obey the word precisely. Teach and discuss God's word. Family prayer. Family Bible studies. Without these you can definitely be a good family. But will not be the epitome that God has planned. Image courtesy; https://www.shutterstock.com/video/search/family-five-silhouette

Be a musician

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. Eph:5:19 Not everyone is a musician. Oh! I can't sing well. I am not musically oriented as others. My voice is croaky and I can't hit those notes. I don't know how to sing. These are comments we often hear. But God is not looking for a performance or a concert. It is in fact a command to be obeyed - sing and make music in your heart to the Lord - not to singers and musicians alone. But to all. Songs are prayers. Hymns are words of praise. Not that the tune is unimportant. But the words communicate more. V:19 starts with, speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs . Col:3:19. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. It is a time of pondering the word of Christ. It is an expression of gratitude to God. It is an act of worship. So even if you are not incli...

Stumbling block

Eph:4:2-3 How do I live my life worthy of my calling? - be completely humble. What is there to be proud? When you remember from where you have been saved. Knowing that whatever you have is a gift, that you do not deserve. Knowing that you are an inherent rebel, a wretch, saved by Grace. - gentle. Gentleness comes out of humility. Arrogance and rudeness comes out of pride. Moses was meek enough to write that he was the meekest man ever lived on earth. - patient. Impatience again comes out of a feeling that you are somebody, which you are not. Patience accomodates because of love. Patience gives yet another opportunity, despite not deserving it. - bearing one another in love. Loving the other person will solve most of our problems in relationships. But we can't manufacture love. We can't force ourselves to love. All we can do is to ask Him, the source of all love to fill us with His love. The more we ponder upon His love, the more we imbibe His love. Humble ourselves ...

Able

Eph:3:20 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. If this is true, then why do I live a life full of concerns and fears about the uncertainties of the future. Of the things which are out of my control. He has got it under control, because He has created it. Then worry is disrespectful. Because He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power. Pour out your fears to the Solid Rock. Vocalize it. He will take care for sure, for He cares. Trust Him. Firmly believe that He is enough. Lean not on your own understanding. Find your security in your Father who is able. 'Able' covers everything. Able is enough. Able is security. Able is satisfying to the core. He is able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns me today He is able, more than able, to handle anything that comes me way, He is able, more than able, to do much more than I could ever dream, He...

Pray

Eph:6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. And pray for me too. This is like summing up of all that Paul had to tell them. Guys. Just pray. In the Spirit. Rom:8:26. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example we don't know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying. For the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. To pray in the Spirit is to agree and acknowledge what the Holy Spirit would pray for you. We do not know what we should pray for ourselves. But the Spirit in us pleads for us and the Father knows what the Spirit is saying. It is like, you pray through the filter of the Holy Spirit. In the Holy Spirit, you pray. At all times and in every occasion. It is the helplessness that will lead you ...

Work ethics

Eph:6:7 Serve wholeheartedly as if you were serving the Lord. There is no slave - master relation in the present world. But this is all the more relevant for an employer - employee relation. Or a subordinate - boss relation. A resident - HOD or a resident - management relation. Work with sincerity of heart as you would obey Christ. Wholeheartedly as if you were serving Christ. Full effort. For the betterment of the company. Be a pro- company man always. Desiring good for the company / senior / boss. Work as a unit. Not seeking personal benefits. Your sincerity at work is a face of your testimony. Your genuinity is your identity as a child of God. Bosses - treat your subordinates in a way knowing that your master and their master in heaven is the same. They are in no way inferior to you. You are all one in Christ. Brothers and sisters in Christ. Let us not make it difficult at work. Let us be sincere and wholehearted. Image courtesy: https://in.pinterest.com/pin/bharat-...

Tossed

Then we will no longer be infants tossed back and forth by the waves. Eph:4:13 It is infants who are tossed by the waves. Mature people stand on solid rock. In faith they are strong. They shall not be affected by the things that will disturb them. Rock solid they stand. They hold fast to the One who called them. They are sure of the One who called them. They are sure of the One who is in their boat with them, who says, 'Be still' to their tumultuous situation. They believe, no matter what. There is their Father who works all things for their good. It is a matter of trusting Him who is with you. It is about the surity of Him who called you. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know, He holds the future. And life is worth the loving, just because He lives. Image courtesy: https://www.freepik.com/premium-ai-image/wooden-ship-is-being-tossed-around-stormy-sea-waves-are-crashing-deck-ship-is-listing-one-side_199535152.htm

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