Sabbath School Class Week 14
INTRODUCTION: This week we continue in chapter 4. Paul started to tell the Philippians how much he appreciated their help and concern. He starts, but then he has a bit of a diversion explaining that he has learned to be content in nothing, and how he does it. So this passage is just getting back to thanking the Philippians for what they did for him. I have already this week starting with Sunday, been overwhelmed with friends who have been showing their concern for me, helping me out, giving me of their time and talents. I may not be in prison, but life has been so full of challenges and seemingly impossible obstacles, which has made it so much easier to relate to how Paul was feeling. On Sunday my church family had an amazing bridal shower for my soon to be daughter in law. As I arrived a few minutes late my son's fiance and then was offered a chair, I felt so loved and experiencing a role I'm not accustomed to. I KNOW all the work that went into putting on the shower that was filled with so many amazing special details. The hours and hours of work, and then all the lovely ladies who took time away from their Sunday to come and celebrate with us was incredible. Then yesterday, as we faced some incredibly difficult challenges, friends and coworkers came to my aid lending their expertise. Lucy texted and said she would teach this class Sabbath so that Chris can leave earlier and join me for lunch on Sabbath! My husband texted me and let me know that he was taking care of one of the things on my incredibly long to-do list. Then this morning, I woke to a beautiful email from a friend across the country who told me she was praying for me. I understand because of all of you the beautiful experience that Paul is writing about. I pray this week is one that fills each of you with blessings from one another.
Philippians 4: 14-19
14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Have you ever had an experience when you were overwhelmed, felt all alone in a fight and someone came and shared in your troubles?
Have you ever had someone really understand what you are passionate about and join you in your quest?
What areas in your life do you feel most alone?
When can sharing in each others troubles be unhealthy? Or can it? Is there a healthy way to share in each others troubles?
What does verse 17 mean?
Read it in several different versions.
The message says: Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.
Would you say your life is more filled with being a Paul in need of support or a Philippian giving help?
There is no question some of us have a tendency to be helpers and have a hard time accepting, or evening admitting we need help. On the other hand some of us need and need and get upset when others don't help or just start drowning. However I'm sure all of us have been on both sides at least once! There is great blessing from receiving help but there is also great pleasure in giving.
Would you say you are needing and good at receiving?
Would you say you are giving and not so good at receiving?
Are you experiencing the balance of both?
If you are not sure? Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. At the top on one side write BLESSED BY: on the other side write A BLESSING TO:
Then write under each heading who you have been blessed by in the past week and who you have been a blessing to. If it is an unusual week, then expand it to the past month etc.
Are they balanced?
Do you find that you are upset because of the imbalance or do you feel challenged?
INGREDIENT 29 # Be Balanced in Giving and Receiving!
ACTION: NO MATTER HOW CRAZY YOUR WEEK... find someone to help this week. Go along side them and support them! If help is extended to you...accept it!
It is so important that we learn to to receive blessing and to bless others!!!!
There is great great great JOY in both giving and receiving.
Verse 18 continues.... I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
To find the healthy balance, I think it is incredibly important for us to keep this sentence in mind. Our gifts of time and help and money should not be for each other, but for God. Our choices in what we do for one another are our gifts to him. If you are like me, and love to please others, it is easy to get lost. It is easy to start getting very unbalanced. Yet if we keep our focus on doing what God would have us do, perhaps we will find it easier to find the balance.
Ask the question, "Lord what would you have me do?"
On the other hand, when we find it hard to accept or to ask others, if we also see it as God wanting to bless us, wanting to lavish on us his gifts, what a difference it can make.
Paul continues on in verse 19 with the verse we all know....
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
He will he does but he is the beautiful thing about reading in context. It is what we do for each other, it is what we accept others doing for us, that is God meeting our needs. Yes there are moments when a deer walks across my yard or I see a beautiful sunrise that I know God is giving me a direct "good morning Beth" or an "I love you and am with you". He supplies my needs for sure! Yet his vehicle of choice, His most powerful plan is to meet our needs through each other.
Chris and I will celebrate our 25 wedding anniversary this summer. (Forgive me for using this illustration all of you who have heard it a million times.. but... ) His love and his acceptance of me has given me such a beautiful first hand experience of God's love for me. When Chris forgives me and not just in word but with love and admiration and joy behind his eyes, and then he takes me in his arms and gives me a hug that tells me he not only forgave me but he adores me, loves me, and where I have failed.... it is gone. He isn't harboring or hanging on to it for a later time, it is gone and I am his new beautiful perfect bride! There is no bible study, no scripture reading, nothing other than humanly experiencing it to begin to understand my heavenly fathers, love and forgiveness for me.
We have an opportunity to be the instruments of God to help him bless each other according to his riches in Glory.
INGREDIENT # 30 BE HIS HANDS! GIVE HIM the GLORY!!!
ACTION: This week don't do for others so you feel better! Don't give and give without thought for balance. Don't sit back and need and need without letting someone know of your need....
This week! BE HIS HANDS by
1. Go to God in prayer and ask for him to help give you the wisdom to serve others.
2. Ask God for direction in who and how you can be apart of his team.
3. Ask for him to give you the strength to do what he asks!
I pray that this week you experience both giving and receiving JOY! I pray that this week you through each other you experience what our heavenly father wants to do for you! I pray this week you give him the glory for all the incredible gifts you receive from those around you! Remember HE God will supply all your needs!
Have a blessing filled week!
Have you ever had an experience when you were overwhelmed, felt all alone in a fight and someone came and shared in your troubles?
Have you ever had someone really understand what you are passionate about and join you in your quest?
What areas in your life do you feel most alone?
When can sharing in each others troubles be unhealthy? Or can it? Is there a healthy way to share in each others troubles?
What does verse 17 mean?
Read it in several different versions.
The message says: Not that I’m looking for handouts, but I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.
Would you say your life is more filled with being a Paul in need of support or a Philippian giving help?
There is no question some of us have a tendency to be helpers and have a hard time accepting, or evening admitting we need help. On the other hand some of us need and need and get upset when others don't help or just start drowning. However I'm sure all of us have been on both sides at least once! There is great blessing from receiving help but there is also great pleasure in giving.
Would you say you are needing and good at receiving?
Would you say you are giving and not so good at receiving?
Are you experiencing the balance of both?
If you are not sure? Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. At the top on one side write BLESSED BY: on the other side write A BLESSING TO:
Then write under each heading who you have been blessed by in the past week and who you have been a blessing to. If it is an unusual week, then expand it to the past month etc.
Are they balanced?
Do you find that you are upset because of the imbalance or do you feel challenged?
INGREDIENT 29 # Be Balanced in Giving and Receiving!
ACTION: NO MATTER HOW CRAZY YOUR WEEK... find someone to help this week. Go along side them and support them! If help is extended to you...accept it!
It is so important that we learn to to receive blessing and to bless others!!!!
There is great great great JOY in both giving and receiving.
Verse 18 continues.... I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
To find the healthy balance, I think it is incredibly important for us to keep this sentence in mind. Our gifts of time and help and money should not be for each other, but for God. Our choices in what we do for one another are our gifts to him. If you are like me, and love to please others, it is easy to get lost. It is easy to start getting very unbalanced. Yet if we keep our focus on doing what God would have us do, perhaps we will find it easier to find the balance.
Ask the question, "Lord what would you have me do?"
On the other hand, when we find it hard to accept or to ask others, if we also see it as God wanting to bless us, wanting to lavish on us his gifts, what a difference it can make.
Paul continues on in verse 19 with the verse we all know....
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
He will he does but he is the beautiful thing about reading in context. It is what we do for each other, it is what we accept others doing for us, that is God meeting our needs. Yes there are moments when a deer walks across my yard or I see a beautiful sunrise that I know God is giving me a direct "good morning Beth" or an "I love you and am with you". He supplies my needs for sure! Yet his vehicle of choice, His most powerful plan is to meet our needs through each other.
Chris and I will celebrate our 25 wedding anniversary this summer. (Forgive me for using this illustration all of you who have heard it a million times.. but... ) His love and his acceptance of me has given me such a beautiful first hand experience of God's love for me. When Chris forgives me and not just in word but with love and admiration and joy behind his eyes, and then he takes me in his arms and gives me a hug that tells me he not only forgave me but he adores me, loves me, and where I have failed.... it is gone. He isn't harboring or hanging on to it for a later time, it is gone and I am his new beautiful perfect bride! There is no bible study, no scripture reading, nothing other than humanly experiencing it to begin to understand my heavenly fathers, love and forgiveness for me.
We have an opportunity to be the instruments of God to help him bless each other according to his riches in Glory.
INGREDIENT # 30 BE HIS HANDS! GIVE HIM the GLORY!!!
ACTION: This week don't do for others so you feel better! Don't give and give without thought for balance. Don't sit back and need and need without letting someone know of your need....
This week! BE HIS HANDS by
1. Go to God in prayer and ask for him to help give you the wisdom to serve others.
2. Ask God for direction in who and how you can be apart of his team.
3. Ask for him to give you the strength to do what he asks!
I pray that this week you experience both giving and receiving JOY! I pray that this week you through each other you experience what our heavenly father wants to do for you! I pray this week you give him the glory for all the incredible gifts you receive from those around you! Remember HE God will supply all your needs!
Have a blessing filled week!
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