第140章

because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me."By Epaphroditus, Paul sent the Philippian believers a letter, in which he thanked them for their gifts to him.Of all the churches, that of Philippi had been the most liberal in supplying Paul's wants."Now ye Philippians know also," the apostle said in his letter, "that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.Not because I desire a gift: but Idesire fruit that may abound to your account.But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.""Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because Ihave you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all....And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."The grace of God sustained Paul in his imprisonment, enabling him to rejoice in tribulation.With faith and assurance he wrote to his Philippian brethren that his imprisonment had resulted in the furtherance of the gospel."Iwould ye should understand, brethren," he declared, "that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;so that my bonds with Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places; and many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."There is a lesson for us in this experience of Paul's, for it reveals God's way of working.The Lord can bring victory out of that which may seem to us discomfiture and defeat.We are in danger of forgetting God, of looking at the things which are seen, instead of beholding by the eye of faith the things which are unseen.When misfortune or calamity comes, we are ready to charge God with neglect or cruelty.If He sees fit to cut off our usefulness in some line, we mourn, not stopping to think that thus God may be working for our good.We need to learn that chastisement is a part of His great plan and that under the rod of affliction the Christian may sometimes do more for the Master than when engaged in active service.