Project: Philippians

Hey, friends, during this season of silence, I would still love to hear from you. You can reach me at [email protected] and Peace!For those who are interested, here is a link to the other podcast I mentioned: https://shows.acast.com/godlypassionholyflame/episodes/a-season-of-silence Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(Phil 1:22-24)This may be one of the most important podcasts I've ever recorded. It certainly is the most transparent. Today, it is my goal to take you on a candid and revealing tour inside the vacillating heart of the Apostle Paul, and of my own. But though this may be a tour into a dark valley, I trust that you find that we will not get stuck in the misty depths, but we will emerge on the other side... and we will be transformed by the journey.~~~~I'd love to hear from you! [email protected]: "Most Holy Place," by Doug Beiden. https://www.beidenmusic.com/music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[This episode originally aired in August, 2024.]"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)As I write this, 2024 is half over. And do you know what the unrivaled highlight of this year has been for me? The answer might surprise you: it was the memorial service for my dear and precious mom. No, I was not happy to see her go. Far from it! It was a day of deep sadness and the most blubbery weeping that I have ever done in public. BUT, it was also a day of great celebration and joy. How could that be? How could a day of such bleakness be so triumphant? Only one reason: because for my mom, to live was Christ, and to die was gain. Her death was a great loss for me, but a glorious reunion for her -- a reunion that she had been looking forward to with all her heart. And it is a reunion that I am looking forward to as well. And so did the Apostle Paul. Join me today as we ponder that together for a few moments...~~~~I'd love to hear from you! [email protected]: "Most Holy Place," by Doug Beiden. https://www.beidenmusic.com/music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[This episode originally aired in July, 2024.]"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21)“But fairest of all was the great white gem, which the dwarves had found beneath the roots of the Mountain: the Heart of the Mountain, the Arkenstone of Thrain.... 'For the Arkenstone of my father,' said Thorin, 'is worth more than a river of gold in itself, and to me it is beyond price.'” (The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)Some gems are so precious that are no words to describe their beauty adequately. Some verses in Scripture are like that as well. I, for one, feel completely unworthy to even lift today's verse into my hands, let alone speak about it. But, if all I can do today is coax you into meditating upon it yourself, I will have accomplished enough.~~~~I'd love to hear from you! [email protected]: "Most Holy Place," by Doug Beiden. https://www.beidenmusic.com/music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

[This episode originally aired in July, 2024.]"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." (Philippians 1:20)The theme of today's podcast is “themes”.A theme is like the common thread that ties something together. It is the unifying idea. Themes elevate a simple sequence of events into a true work of literature or art. You might say that themes are the beating heart of all meaningful narrative. They give stories depth and resonance. They give sermons coherence and power. And they give lives direction and meaning. Join with me today as we study what I believe to be the central theme of Philippians... and of Paul's life.~~~~I'd love to hear from you! [email protected], or text me at five-oh-nine, six one nine, six four one fourMusic: "Most Holy Place," by Doug Beiden. https://www.beidenmusic.com/music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things."  (Philippians 3:18-19)Hey friends! I'd love to hear from you! Send me a note at [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ." (Philippians 3:18) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do." (Philippians 3:17) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Only let us live up to what we have already attained." (Philippians 3:16) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you." (Philippians 3:15) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I don't want to walk with God anymore.There. I said it. I'm just kinda fed up with the whole thing. I've been doing it for years and I've just had enough. It was fine for a while, but, to be perfectly honest, I just feel like I've outgrown that stage in my life and I'm ready for something else. So I decided to come on this podcast and make a public announcement: I really don't want to walk with God anymore.... I want to RUN. Walking is for newbies and slowpokes. I want to pick up the pace and kick it into high gear. I want to stop strolling and start sprinting. I want to snuff out "This little light of mine" and replace it with a raging, dangerous, pyroclastic wildfire. I don't want a casual relationship with the Savior; I want intense blazing intimacy. What I'm trying to say is, I'm hungry for MORE: More light, more heat, more holiness, more boldness, more love. More JESUS. I don't want an easy, safe, meandering kind of faith -- a casual stroll in the park kind of faith. I want a tightrope-over-Chicago-with-no-net kind of faith. A lactic-acid-all-over-the-next-morning kind of faith. I want to sprint to the end, I want to finish hard, I want to cast off every hindrance and the sin that so easily entangles and run the race set out for me. I want to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.No more walking for me.I want to RUN."One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13-14) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on..." (Phil 3:13) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Philippians 3:12)[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it." (Philippians 3:12-13) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Phil 310-11) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead." (Phil 3:10c)Send me a note! I'd love to hear from [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.: (Philippians 3:10-11) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"...that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith." (Philippieans 3:9) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." (Philippians 3:7-8)[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ." (Phil 3:7-8)[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"...though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless." (Phil 3:4-6) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh." (Philippians 3:3) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. (Philippians 3:1-2) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Finally, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you." (Philippians 3:1)~~~~I'd love to hear from you! [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me."(Philippians 2:25-30)[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel. (Phil 2:19-22) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we will be celebrating Good Friday. And, of course, words like "celebrating" and "Good" don't quite feel appropriate for the atrocious execution that took place on this day. But it's my goal today to remind you of some of the reasons that we have to "cherish that old rugged cross."(This is a recast of a previous episode.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I hope you don't mind this short interruption from our normal programming, but it is relevant, I promise! In this episode I am going to read a chapter out of one of my (Lord willing!) upcoming books, "Being Saints". In it, we will take a deep dive into the story of one of the Apostle Paul's most trusted companions, and a man who takes a central role in the next verses of Philippians, which we will be back to studying in our next episode. Until then, I hope you enjoy this story of faith... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you. I have no one else like him..." (Phillipians 2:19)~~~~Questions? Comments? Join the conversation! Reach out to me at:[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you soon, that I also may be cheered when I receive news about you." (Phil 2:19)~~~~Questions? Comments? Join the conversation! Reach out to me at:[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me." (Philippians 2:17-18)Want to go deeper on this topic? I invite you to check out the "Holy Flame" podcast, and specifically "Invitation to Happiness" (https://shows.acast.com/godlypassionholyflame/episodes/invitation-to-happiness)~~~~Questions? Comments? Criticisms? Join the conversation! Reach out to me at:[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you." (Philippians 2:17) “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)~~~~Questions? Comments? Criticisms? Join the conversation! Reach out to me at:[email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you." (Philippians 2:17) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Hold firmly to the word of life, in order that I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain." (Phil 2:16) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"That you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the universe as you hold to the word of life." (Phil 2:15b)Excerpt quoted from "Motion: Changing the Narrative in Jenta", by Lengdung Tungchamma. (exp. publ. date: Fall, 2025) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation." (Phil 2:14-15) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Do everything without complaining or grumbling, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky" (Philippians 2:14-15)Book referenced:"The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment", by Jeremiah Burroughs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.(Phil 2:12-13) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Therefore, my beloved friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,    to the glory of God the Father."Philippians 2:10-11 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place    and gave him the name that is above every name."(Philippians 2:9) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place    and gave him the name that is above every name"  (Phil 2:9a) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honor of the Christmas holiday, I'm taking a break from our normal trek through Philippians to bring you something entirely different...I'd like to share with you a play I wrote years ago, inspired by the extraordinary events in the hills outside Bethlehem on the original Christmas night. Although fictionalized, this account is drawn from my research into the story and background of the Bethlehem shepherds (as recorded in Luke 2), stirred together with some holy imaginiation of what it might have been like to experience that holy night, not to mention the years that followed...Music by Julius H. from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:Who, being in very nature God,    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he poured himself out    by taking the very nature of a servant,    being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,    he humbled himself    by becoming obedient all the way to death—        even death on a cross!" -The Apostle Paul  (Phil 2:3-8) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philippians 2:6-8 -"Christ Jesus, being in very nature God,    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he made himself nothing    by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,    he humbled himself    by becoming obedient to death—        even death on a cross! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philippians 2:6-8 -"Christ Jesus, being in very nature God,    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he made himself nothing    by taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philippians 2:6-7 -"Christ Jesus, being in very nature God,    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;rather, he made himself nothing    by taking the very nature of a servant." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Philoppians 2:6 -"Christ Jesus, Who, being in very nature God,    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.