Understanding Love - 3

They were going to be considering the subject of love is a comes up early in the Philippian epistle love in our world is a very valued sentiment and is often talked about lauded and honored. Love is what makes the world go round. We used to say years ago, but as love is understood by most people in America today. It really is more of a vague sentiment than a clear reality and the meaning of love is seldom studied carefully for clarity of thought, we tend to assume that we know what it is.

Everybody knows what love is, of course, of course, we need to examine what the Bible says about it to increase our understanding now. First Corinthians 13. Of course, is the premier chapter on love and we can go there to study it there in the course of that chapter you will find 15 statements to describe love and that's a wonderful definition of the rather full definition of love were told there that love suffers long and is kind and does not pop-up itself and does not behave unseemly, and so forth. 15 things so if you want a full description of love. That's where I would point you to. But here in Philippians chapter 1, we find a great deal about love will pay attention to what Paul has to say learn, for example, the love involves affection but is much, much more. We will learn that love is action that springs from affection.

It it does certain things because it is a proper love within us. In fact, affection without appropriate action is mirrors empty sentimentality. So in this Philippian epistle after the salutation, and after the greeting in the customary giving of thanks. The apostle Paul first expresses his love to the Philippian believers and then praise for their love to grow in here and we can learn a great deal about the true nature of love.

So, as the apostle Paul helps us to understand the nature of biblical love, we will look at it in two parts. First of all, Paul's declaration of personal love verses seven and eight. Secondly, Paul's prayer for the Philippians love in verses nine through 11. Paul's declaration of personal love and for this I did back one verse into our text for last Sunday which breaks into the middle of a sentence, but Paul says in verse seven. Just it is it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart.

It is much as both of my change in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. You are all are partakers with me of grace for God is my witness how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ. Paul declares his love to the Philippian believers, but the question is how does Paul describe his love for them as he describes it.

First of all as a warmhearted affection secondly is a strong spiritual connection. Paul's love for the Philippians is indeed a warmhearted affection. He says I have you in my heart I thought that was interesting. Bible students know the sometimes love warm affections are expressed in the Greek language in terms of bowels of mercy that the Greeks had other parts of the body that they used to express the innermost feelings of warm emotions, but even in that day.

They also used what we use today heart is exactly what Paul says here verse seven because I have you in my heart record card.

Do you it's a very same word that means the organ that pumps blood in our bodies. The physical hardware here obviously is not referring to that part is referring to something else is referring to his inward emotion sees using the word heart the way we use it we talk about love.

I love you with all my heart don't me. I love you with all of that organ. The pumps the blood throughout my body but I love you from the innermost recesses of my my D and it's interesting that 2000 years ago when Paul wrote to the Philippians he wrote exactly the same language.

I guess nearly from the beginning, men and women have described love in terms of something that comes from the heart. So Paul describes his love for the Philippians as a warmhearted affection which is there. He says because of the bond of Christian connection saving grace as has created the bond between Paul and these believers that really takes his back even one more verse to verse six to try to verse seven, but in verse six he said being confident of this very thing, that he who has begun a good work in you will perform it or completed until the day of Jesus Christ. Just as it is right for me to think this of you because I have you in my heart.

Remember what that is getting at you saying I'm confident that God has begun a good work in you. In other words, that you are true believers. I'm confident that your Christians I'm confident that God has done a work of salvation in your heart. Because of this warm affection which I have in my heart for you and I can explain that any other way except in terms that God has saved you, and joined us together in this bond of affection. The believers have one for another. So because of the bond of Christian connection which saving grace has created mutually in all and in the Philippian believers he has this affection for them, but it's more than that, because verse seven goes on to indicate that it's also because of the grace of Christian partnership. Remember, again verse seven we we talked about it last Sunday but it's germane to this point today. So back to verse seven just it is as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I can have you in my heart but applies in the insert. At this point, Paul recognizes that as genuine as these emotions are and as convinced that Paul is at this warm affection that he has for them is based upon the spiritual connection. Nevertheless, feelings are subjective and we need something more. We need something that is more objective to be absolutely certain and so Paul goes from the warm feelings of affection to the objective work of partnership in the gospel. Inasmuch as both in my trains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. You all are partakers or partners with many of grace. So Paul says I have this warm affection for you. Number one because of this bond of connection which I feel love is affection, but the way I can be sure that this subjective feeling is not misleading me because emotions can be misled. I also recognize this partnership in the gospel you support me in the gospel you encourage me in the gospel you contribute financially to the work of the gospel is clear that God has given you a heart for the kingdom of Christ and for the gospel and for gospel workers. That's the objective evidence of saving grace in your heart and so I have this strong affection for you because there is this clear evidence you belong to Christ, a warmhearted affection, which he then described in verse eight is a strong spiritual connection, for he says God is my witness how greatly I long for you with the affection of Jesus Christ, the strong spiritual connection that Paul is describing is his personal love for them is an inward reality that they can't see the going to see the, the, the evidence, the manifestations of flow out of it. But as far as what's in his heart they can't see it. Paul can declare it I have this warm affection for you in my heart but how can I prove that to you.

How can I show that to you will be put it that way. How can I show that to you and Paul says well I know I can't show you my heart, but God knows my heart. God sees my heart and so I call upon him, to bear witness to what I'm saying to you I love you with a strong inward affection and God knows my heart and God knows that this is true, it is a strong spiritual connection.

A strong desire how greatly I long for you all how greatly I yearn for you all. In other words, therefore their presence to be with them to see them again.

He's imprisoned in Rome their course in the city of Philippi, he can't travel to them, but he longs to because love draws us to the objects of our love. That's one of the characteristics of genuine love. Love draws us to the objects of our love and so because Paul loves the Philippian believers. He's drawn to them. He longs to be with them. He wants to see them again. He wants to be with them face-to-face because that's what love does it draws us to the objects of our love. That's why take romantic love married Mary look for someone to say I love you but I make every excuse I can to be away from you and to get something's wrong.

I love you dear, but I'm not in a hurry to get home to see you. I find all kinds of other places to go after work. I find all the all kinds of other places to go on the weekend that don't involve you die I involve myself with sports and with friends than with other activities because because what because evidently I don't really enjoy being around you, but oh yes, I love you I love you I love you liar liar pants on fire level draw you to the object of your love taking notes, milk, milk, liar liar pants on fire. That's why there's something wrong with people who say they love God but they can't seem to find any time to read his word. They say they love God but they can't seem to find any time to spend with him and for prayer and are drawn into his presence.

They say they love God but they don't seem to enjoy being in the place where he is worshiped with the people that he is saved all yes I love Jesus, but I find that I can worship God better on Sunday. Out on the lake fishing than I can in church. I love Jesus liar liar pants on fire level draw you to the objects of one's that you love if you love your wife. You want to be with her. If you love your family want to be with them you love if you love God you want to spend time in his presence. If you love the people of God.

You want to be in their presence. Love draws you to the ones that you love and Paul says God is my witness how greatly I long for you all in the affection of Jesus Christ.

So what do your actions reveal about your hearts. True affection is not what you say not what you profess, not what you even have deceived yourself into thinking but what do your actions say about the affections of your heart.

What are you drawn to, because that will tell you what you love the most. That's the way love works were learning about love the true nature of love and level draw you to the object of your affection.

So the things that you are drawn to are the things that you love the most. Paul says I love you all long for you all with this affection of Jesus Christ affectionate Christ possesses for you in the affection which God, the Lord Jesus Christ has produced within me for you. I love you without affection. That's the way Paul describes his love for them. Secondly, we can learn a great deal about true Christian love is we examine this prayer that Paul prayed for their love to grow in verses nine through 11, and what did Paul prayed for it all read it and then look at it and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, and that you may approve the things that are excellent that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being with the being filled rather with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

What did Paul pray regarding their love for things as I see it here with a little overlapping between them before things that we can distinguish number one. He prayed that their love may grow secondly prayed that their love may mature 30 prayed that their love may guide them forth. He prayed that their love may bear fruit. First of all their love, may grow. Verse nine and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more your love may abound still more and more now. This is a love already possessed.

Paul doesn't say. I pray that God will give you love. Paul knows that if there safety already has.

He's already confident of this very thing that God has begun a good work in them so he's not asking God to give them something which they don't already have they already have a love they didn't have before the new birth they already have a love for God, the love for God's people. In fact John in his first epistle makes it clear that if we don't love God, and we don't love the people of God. We are no child of God. That's that's a plain statement of God's work.

You can't hate the people of God and love God, you can't dislike the people of God and be a child of God.

God gives every one of his children. They measure of Christlike love, so Paul doesn't need to pray God will give them the love he already has one of the commentators I'm using for this series a J a mod. At this point he said and I quote other religions call list to become what we are not Christianity calls us to become what we are is a profound statement. If you can think it through other religions call upon us to become what we are not. These are this is the way you are not satisfied with that. This is what you need to be and so we call upon you to change. Change yourself, change, change your ways become something you are not other religions call upon us to become what we are not Christianity calls upon us to become what we are.

What would God is already begun to work within us, but to become that more and more to become that were conspicuously to become that to a greater degree to grow in Christ likeness.

God calls on us to become more of what he has already made us and so Paul prays not that God would give them love. But Paul prays that your love may abound more and more that it may grow. This tells us that Bible love is capable of growth and development.

Just because you have some love doesn't mean that there isn't more to obtain and develop the furthermore tells us that this love that God has given us not only is able to grow but needs to grow it needs to grow is not fully developed in India needs to grow.

The apostle Paul he would be the first to say so it needs to grow in all of God's children no matter where we are in our growth and development. Only Jesus Christ had this to perfect degree. We have love that we need more love God has given us love, but he calls upon us to grow and develop in our love and love which we know is the fruit of the spirit that mindful fruit of the spirit.

Where does the list begin love, joy and peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, meekness, faith, love very first in the list. That's the fruit of the Spirit is given to us, but it needs to be developed.

Its present to some degree and all true believers, but it is not present in any believer to its fullest development so I pray that your love may abound yet more and so that's the first part of Paul's prayer for their love that it may grow.

Secondly, it is that their love may mature reverse nine goes on to say that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment that their love may mature. You see, even Christian love can go straight even Christian love can be ill advised. Even Christian love can do the wrong thing out of the right motive. The motive of love, but nevertheless not a knowledgeable love, not a discerning love Alfred Plummer said this is pretty pretty strong but I quote it Misty thought emotional conduct and indiscriminate good nature are perilous. Misty thought emotional conduct and indiscriminate good nature are perilous. You ever think of that, but evidently Paul saw that as a problem and so he prays that their love may grow in knowledge and discernment. First of all knowledge.

This is a common Greek word in the New Testament.

Epic gnosis is used 20 times in the New Testament has the idea of full knowledge fully developed knowledge not just gnosis, knowledge but epic gnosis, the fully developed knowledge and we remember that Paul himself said in that great love chapter, first Corinthians 13 that I referred to earlier that knowledge without love is nothing.

Remember though, I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I'm nothing. So knowledge isn't everything. Knowledge isn't the totality of what we need is Christians knowledge without love is a big zero. But now Paul is telling us lot without knowledge is very good either. It is filled with danger. Both the knowledge apart from love is nothing love apart from knowledge can be reckless to become a Christian we must come to knowledge that's really what it means, at least in part, to come to Christ as was theirs are other elements to it.

The volitional element the surrender and so forth of our life to the Lord Jesus Christ is the knowledge we have to know some things about ourselves that are true that we don't like to admit our sinfulness in our inability to please God got to know some things about what Jesus Christ has come to do what God sent him to do in order to save sinners. In what way he saves centers in so as we learn these things. This is knowledge that we have to know then we have a basis upon which to come to God through Christ and embrace the gospel for the salvation of our souls. So, become a Christian we must come to a certain level of knowledge. But Paul is telling us that to grow as a Christian we must continue knowledge, we don't get in the door and say you be my by learning days are over.

My starting days are over. My my exercise in my mind is over. That's why a lot of Christians view it now I just want to feel my Christianity I just want to be jacked up emotionally. I don't want to have to exercise my brain that's too much like school that's too much like work and yet the Bible keeps telling us over and over and over and the Christians are expected to learn knowledge can't even have the love you want to have increasing your love through knowledge which directs you love informs you love every Christian must become a student of God's word.

Every Christian must become a student of God's word. Every Christian is that you every Christian must become a student of God's word. If you have a mental block a mental hang up about that and ask God to take it away because every Christian must become a student of God's word.

I pray that your love may abound in knowledge and discernment. The sore deserve it is a rare word.

It's not used often. Like the word knowledge. In fact, this is the only time this particular Greek word is used in the New Testament, but it means to perceive the true significance of discernment is the ability to perceive the true significance of something.

In other words, to be able to discern the good from the bad to be able to discern the best for the better to be able to discern the truly important from the trivial. As I was thinking through these things. This we got so many illustrations came to mind of this deal with a few of them at the close of the of the message, but how many Christians get off on a tear running devote their whole lives to something which is virtually nothing. It's of no real importance. It's trivial, but all they get off on that track and they give all of their energies and attention to this little project. This little thing that needs correcting this thing that's rock this thing. It's gotta be done and they're doing it. No doubt out of a sincere love for Christ, but they are doing it out of an abysmal lack of Bible knowledge and the terrible lot, lack of discernment there. Discernment is zilch. If they had some discernment. They know better. I am tempted to throw in some things here that I didn't put down for the end of the sermon step on somebody's toe. Here's but I hope the Lord will give you discernment to understand all this arguing about whether or not the King James Bible is the only accurate and reliable, and God honoring translation is a bunch of nonsense, but it has it has diverted so many people often to a path of triviality that has wasted and squandered their energies. They do it out of love for God. They do it out of love for God's word but they do it with misunderstanding. Lack of knowledge and discernment and create wreck and ruin wherever they go. That I step on your to hosts. I'm sorry but I'm not sorry because you need to hear that. I pray that your love may then I'm not saying you may prefer the King James, that's fine. There's nothing wrong is an excellent translation, but this idea that it's the only one.

And if you don't use that when the your apostate is a terrible assault upon the body of Christ and upon true believers, and upon truth.

It's all based upon this information. Terrible distortions about the nature of Bible translation and Bible transmission and if you just get a little knowledge having trouble with that. Come see me and I'll loan you a book or think of early loan. That book out to somebody else but I'll find another one for you hopefully will help you. I had a dear saint years ago who was off on that track very intelligent person often attract intelligent people do get sucked into this people with doctor's degrees get sucked into the sometimes I got off on the track so I just forget which book I gave to this person, but I knew they were they were student finger reader. I just gave the book and read it. They did read it never said a word return the book that was in that no more KJV only stuff it was God's God book destroyed all of their their reasons for doing that gave the knowledge which then allow them to have proper dessert is not, therefore, enough for love to drive us to action as it should, but we must understand what action is appropriate and beneficial in knowledge and discernment. The two go together directs love into the best and most helpful action we want to do something for Christ because we love him but don't just jump on your horse and charge-off in every direction at once physically impossible. Of course, but that's a description of the way some people are having that charge it off here today and charge it out of here tomorrow and charge charge and fear the day after that. Wow wow wow oh well rated, said get some direction. Get some understanding get some discernment, get some maturity here and make your love worthwhile. Make your love profitable. You've got love but the way your your utilizing it is not profitable. Your love needs to be informed by knowledge, discern some number one of their love may grow number two that their love may mature number three that their love may guide them in. Here's were some of overlapping comes because what I've already said, and in the maturing of love talks about how our love is guided by knowledge and discernment. But Paul does go on to say in verse 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, we could couple that with the maturing aspect of verse nine but I made it a separate thing that is that their love may guide them. Paul prayed that the Philippians love would develop in such a way so that they could be guided accurately by the love the Christ is formed in their hearts if I hear this one more time and I'm sure I will have already heard, probably hundred times more if I hear this one more time somebody's in a dilemma trying to figure out what to do. Just let your heart guide you just just follow your heart you'll be fine. I'm going to say excuse me because an unregenerate heart is not capable of guiding anyone the right and that's in most cases, what were talking about here.

How can a heart which is fallen and sinful and deceitful and desperately wicked guide anyone to write. Just follow your heart. Your sinful craved wicked, self deceiving heart. Of course the people who talk this way don't understand that because they don't have the knowledge of God's word but that kind of heart is not going to guide you are right. But Paul is telling us that even Christians who are regenerated have come closer to a right understanding into a better better heart condition.

Certainly a better heart condition than those who are unregenerate and yet he's telling us that even Christians, if they are not properly informed are not biblically informed, can also be misled by their heart, their heart's can lead them astray our hearts. My heart can lead me to stretch your heart can lead you astray so we can't just follow our heart until her heart has become perfect right that we can follow our heart until were in heaven and we need help now.

Upon earth would we don't need as much guidance in heaven is we need right now and so we need hearts that are informed we need hearts that are discerning. We need hearts that are able to approve things that are excellent that are sincere without offense till the day of Christ.

We need hearts that are that are developed that way if were going to get any benefit out of following our hearts and so he is praying that they will they will mature and will be guided they will come to the place where they are able to be guided, that you may be able to choose wisely, but you may be enabled to walk blamelessly. The two concepts in verse 10 to choose wisely to approve things that are excellent and sincere without offense, several concepts go packaged in a short verse excellent. It's a word that means the differing thing so that you can approve among the different things you can approve what is excellent what what we want as Christians is not just what is barely acceptable. We want what is best write only one life will soon be passed. So let's make account for Christ instead of spelling are tireless tires and something that's of trivial significance. Let's choose the best in every area of life. Sincere is a word that means tested by the light of the sun. I'm told that sometimes in stores in the first century that sold pottery if they had a crackpot. And they wanted to be a little this dishonest they would fill the crack with wax and kind of paint over it and hope people didn't notice it by defective pot read online about someone who just bought a new not a brand-new late-model car from one of the one of the highly touted car companies will tell you which one you can ask me afterwards if you want to know and the something was wrong with that he took in the shop and found that it had been erected in the flood had been had more miles on the what it said. Another was that it been totally misrepresented by unscrupulous people.

What a disappointment. So what did you do if you're if you're smart if you were you were wise. If you are sincere. One wanted what was right and excellent when you went to buy that that pot so you take that face outside the shop and holds it up to the sun and this will review the crack.

The sun will show you what's been filled in the sun will show you the deceit that is being being foisted upon you and Paul says I want you to be guided by a heart that is sincere that is tested by light, which of course is truth and without offense which has the idea of the heart doesn't cause you to stumble. Offense is the idea of stumbling or and both coupled with it, a heart that doesn't cause others to stumble. That's what I'm praying for you which will be guided by a reliable heart not misled by a heart that's all emotions without this kind of substance to it and then finally that their love may bear fruit.

Verse 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Abundant fruit.

Do not divinely enabled fruit God honoring fruit that you may be filled with the fruits of righteousness, not just a little bit a lot Jesus talked about fruit coming in terms of thirtyfold, some 60 folds on the hundredfold. Interestingly, he didn't talk about any Christian whose fruit was no fold, no fruit, no such thing. No such thing. If your life is bearing any fruit.

It's fruit, it's because you are no child of God, but it is true that different Christians bear different levels of fruits and thirtyfold, some 60 fulsome wonderful just like in agriculture. Some crops do better than others.

Well, wouldn't we all desire to be not thirtyfold hundredfold Christians being filled with the fruits of righteousness is not what our desire is certainly ought to be abundant fruit. How does that come about divinely enabled fruit.

These are the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ.

He tells us, obviously we are active in this by the design of God. But even in our activity. It's not us that produces it were not able in ourselves. It's what God has done in us. It's the fruit of righteousness which he is created, and that is the work of Jesus Christ continuing in us in the person of the Holy Spirit that enables us to produce any fruit whatsoever, but with with resources like that. Why shouldn't we be one hundredfold Christians for goodness sakes, we have been made righteous and the fruits of righteousness should be spring and will be springing out of our life we are the children of God in which Christ is continuing to work with his powerful omnipotence in our lives. Why are we producing more fruit. All beloved said Paul. I pray that you will be for don't fall righteousness God honoring fruit to the glory and praise of God to glorify God is to manifest his nature and character to put it on display to make it clear, plain before others to praise God is to give him a grateful homage. That's worship bow the knee bowing homage and worship and pray every knee shall bow to why because he's worthy of it. Why because he enables we can do this without his enabling anyway. So we do this quietly because he is doing it in us, and thereby God is magnified in his virtues are extolled right a few lessons. First, let's talk about love. That's what this is all about about love and where love is found.

We've all heard the phrase that that somebody was looking for love in all the wrong place. Usually what we mean by that is there someone who's going off into bad sexual relationships, hoping to find love and they don't find love. That way they think they're going to end it turns out empty and they been looking for love in all the wrong places, but this passage tells us we could look for love in the wrong places he has nothing to do with sexual relationships. We can be looking for love in the world. We can be looking for love and emotional stimulation. We can be looking for love in all kinds of ways and we need to we need to be looking for love in the right places where is that first of all, in Christ you Experience love until you come to Christ. That's the fountain of love, or else among the people of God where you can find human real life on earth. Expressions of love, imperfect as they may be, but but more greatly develop that you're going to find any place else in this world where you can find it among the people of God to look for love in the right places look for love in church look for love among the people of God where you going to find love by studying the word of God in the pages of Scripture and learn what true love really is going to find their house love developed.

We see that mere emotional of a shallow but we learn in this passage. Love is develop by knowledge of the word and the ability to apply it.

That's discernment we could substitute the word wisdom that's why Christians need to value the word. That's why we urge you to study the work.

That's why we urge you to redo the Bible every year. I know that's not what I said is not the 11th commandment, but beloved.

Don't you understand how valuable that is important to us Christians need to value the word in churches need to preach the word for a lot of churches don't even understand what their main main job is to preach the word of God to teach all things whatsoever I have commanded you to equip the saints to be able to do the work of the ministry by teaching them the word of God.

The main job of the church is to see how many people can get into our services to PFP if we get the minute don't help them spiritually what good is that the primary responsibility of the church is not to eject people emotionally so they feel good about themselves and go out will try a little harder this week until there emotional energy drains down to zero and then come back and get a jacked up again. Week after week after the purpose of the church is not to give people psychology and help motivate help self-help motivation and pep talks so that they can learn how to be a little better this a little better that the purpose is to preach and teach the word God.

So your love can develop a knowledge each discernment and wise discernment needed knowledge and discernment was needed will number one because it keeps us from wasted efforts. I've already tried to show you that want to spend your life loving Jesus by spreading your tires in the sand and going nowhere.

I love Jesus, look how fast my tires are spirited yet look how far you've gone nowhere. Learn to love Jesus with a knowledgeable love deserving love that really amounts to something that will enable you to develop the fruits of righteousness keeps us from well-meaning liability not only from wasting our efforts. But in some cases creating harm. I gave you illustration of that earlier how the well-meaning love for God and for his word can actually create harm the body of Christ. We don't want our love to be a liability to Christ and to his cause, but will bake if it's not informed by knowledge, by discernment, we want to evangelize.

We need to evangelized with loving knowledge and discernment. We want to defend the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints want to defend the faith with knowledgeable love discernment not just go out slashing the sword in bashing everything comes across our path because we don't we let the discernment to be able to understand things that are significant from things that are trivial so many the things which argue about us Christians are strictly cultural they really don't have any right significance will I don't think you want to come to church address this way will cultural now you need to be modest, you need to be covered. You need not to be displaying your flesh in an ungodly way, but folks, I don't care whether you wear a tie suit and tie or not speaking to the man. It really doesn't matter. It's trivial. Let's that's that's and that's a nonsense issue.

I think preachers are to dress a certain way so to live like this trivial, I hear people fighting over things like that trivial, but the Fed you a very excellent breach of which you have a tie on can use you sir for you either your time, let's get let's get beyond this kind triviality and into things that really matter. But that requires knowledge, discernment, wisdom to know how to apply that knowledge use you bill you got your time. Good things about your Isaiah series and Sunday school. People really enjoy benefiting from but you take your time off that's it's it's a fads come and go, not only in the secular world, but also the Christian. Some people have to be the first to jump on that the new fad that comes down the pike without the discernment to realize it's a fad it's not substance. It's a fad will be over in just a few years you have to either go on the next failure be left behind. I remember as a boy, my mother saying this was in regard to loving factions and she said be not the first, by whom the newest tribe were the last to set the older side you hear that not the first, by whom the newest tribe, nor the last is that the old site site. Don't be the first one to try the new fashion. I hope to make sure it's going to be around a little bit and don't be the last one to let go when everybody has changed in here.

You are wearing your whatever suspenders and out of style close coats with the pills at about 6 inches wide, and so forth.

Don't be the first by which the newest tribe, nor the last to leave the older side. That's a pretty good piece of discernment, biblical wisdom, I would say regard to so many things that come down the pike with Christianity up here something new over here so we all rush over there. I'm surprised that we don't capsize the boat we all rushed to the same side of the railroad. While what's is over here now all rush back over the other side to the boat. The other way calm down slowdown get some knowledge get some discernment in the mature and productive persevering in solid truth until Lord calls us home gently.

Father, help us in these matters. Help us to learn the kind of love that Paul had for the Philippians and the kind of love he wanted to see developed within them.

We pray in Jesus name