All posts by Luella Campbell

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…DILEMMA – 5

Bible Study, ,

“For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Although Paul was never in charge of his life…and he knew it…his mind was torn between two options.  Was it okay for him to have natural desires? In his predicament…a condemned prisoner in a Roman jail…should he pray to stay or pray to go?

Paul knew that prayer was powerful. His Philippian partners were always praying for him. Of this he was assured. If they prayed, God would deliver him from an impossible situation…but, was deliverance the best thing for everyone at this time?

Paul knew that he could sway the verdict simply by denying Jesus but…for him, this was unthinkable. Perhaps the deliverance he really needed was not from Rome but from himself. His boldness and courage to stand true to Jesus and to preach the truth, didn’t come from will power. It came from the grace that God provided through the prayers of His people. 

“And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul never took his condition in life for granted. He was who he was and where he was because of God’s grace. The prayers of his fellow believers for him was a comfort and a hope that he would finish as he started. 

However, Paul was still faced with the prospect of martyrdom. He was human. Violent death at the hands of Roman executioners…the reality that hung over him…was not a pleasant thought. It was not something he could shrug off easily. 

Yes, going to be with Jesus was a compelling desire but…he knew there was still much work to be done while he was here on earth. What was it, then, that Paul allowed his mind to dwell on rather than the horror that awaited him? Staying or going…which option was better? Both had merits. 

Fortunately for Paul, as much as he would have liked to make the choice, his future was not in his hands. He could dwell on the prospects but…he could not determine the outcome. 

What captures my attention most in Paul’s contemplation of his situation is the focus of his attention…not which was better for him but which was better for them…

“I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.”

Of course, staying alive would mean escape from the executioner’s sword but…that was not his consideration. Staying alive would mean more time to spend with his beloved fellow believers. Going to be with Jesus would mean facing what any person would dread but…Paul looked beyond the way to the destination to the destination itself…the presence of Jesus forever. 

I love Paul’s honesty. He was sharing his intimate thoughts with the people he loved. He didn’t hide his struggles. He showed himself to be vulnerable but, at the same time, he revealed the passion that drove his soul…not self…but Jesus in him. His testimony was not empty words. 

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul’s situation was where the rubber met the road. His life only meant something if he lived it in harmony with his Lord. That was okay if the circumstances were pleasant but…on death row…that was different. 

“Knowing this, I am convinced that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

If I were in Paul’s place, what would my thinking be? 

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…GODLY OPTIMISM – 4

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“And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Where was Paul when he dictated these words? He wasn’t in a comfortable house, or an inn or hotel room…with the prospect of a hot meal and a warm bed.  He was in a cold, dark dungeon, chained night and day to a Roman soldier, as if he were some dangerous criminal. 

Why was he there? He was on trial for his life because he proclaimed, in an empire controlled by a cruel and capricious dictator,  that there was another king…not Caesar…who is to be worshipped and honoured as Lord. He was at the mercy of someone who took revenge on anyone who dared to question his authority…a tyrant who had people killed in the most cruel way for daring to say that he was not God!

Paul had a mission, a mandate from Jesus, to tell the world that He, Jesus alone, is king. This commission consumed Paul’s life…occupied his thoughts…drove his ambitions and plans…and kept him steadfast despite the opposition he faced… but now he was restrained and muzzled. How could he continue to fulfil his mission when he was locked up in prison? 

There was only one way… out there, in the public space, there were many who could continue the witness of the one when the one was restricted and shut up in jail. 

Paul was only one, but he never kept quiet about Jesus. If he could not tell the world outside, he could tell the soldiers in the prison! Imagine the poor Roman guard…chained for hours to the man who never stopped talking about Jesus! 

Paul’s fellow believers caught the fire. If Paul was muzzled and restricted, they were not. If one man was imprisoned, they were free. Little did the Roman government understand that they could not put the fire out by adding fuel to the flames. 

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” (Tertullian…197 AD)

“This famous phrase means that the persecution and execution of Christians often leads to the growth of the faith. Coined by the early church father Tertullian in ~197 AD, it suggests that the sacrifice of martyrs inspires others and helps the church multiply.” (Source:  Google AI)

What captures my attention most is that Paul’s optimism, born of a faith in God that could not be dampened or diluted by circumstances, gave him a resilience that no dark prison or threat of death could extinguish. 

Paul lived, even in the realities of his own life…including incarceration in a Roman dungeon…where he counselled others to live…in the realm outside the earth…the command centre of the universe. 

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Not even his body shut up in the darkest hole in the city of Rome could put out the fire in Paul’s heart for Jesus, nor destroy his confidence in the sovereign purposes of God. If he was there for Jesus’ sake, he was content, knowing that Jesus was in charge. 

If, in the sovereignty of God, Paul was locked up in prison, God, in His sovereignty, had also already set in motion another plan. Nothing ever took Him by surprise and…Paul knew that. God had kick-started the evangelism of Asia Minor and Europe through his chosen apostle, Paul, but His strategy didn’t end there. Lock that one person up…and release many more like him to carry the mission forward. That’s God’s strategy. Multiply!

Jesus put it into words about His own mission and, by implication, the strategy of multiplication that works in His kingdom. 

“Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” …Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬, ‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The principle is general but also specific. 

 “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus died, one seed, but that one seed was producing a harvest everywhere. 

To the world, Paul was already dead but…there was a harvest of new “plants” beyond the prison walls that could continue to proclaim the good news, scattering the seed of God’s word into all kinds of soil. 

The harvest was guaranteed. No earthly Ceasar, however powerful, could stop the process. So, no prison walls could dampen Paul’s joy or optimism…that the kingdom of God would spread and grow on earth. Not even Rome…not even his own imprisonment or impending death could halt God’s power at work.  Even if another seed died, the ingathering of God’s harvest was guaranteed and would never stop. 

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…PRAYER – 3b

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“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Wow! Have you ever prayed a prayer like that…for loved ones…for friends…or even, for someone who has hurt or offended you?

Paul’s prayers followed a pattern…he prayed this for that outcome. “So that…” was the bridge between what he asked of God and what and why he desired for his beloved fellow believers…and he expressed his desire in his prayers. 

Paul also prayed…examples are written in his letters…for spiritual outcomes…things that happened in their hearts and could not easily be seen or measured. Let’s examine what he prayed for these Philippian believers…

Paul prayed one prayer…

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight…”

If I may paraphrase, Paul is asking God to give these people a love that was growing but also discerning.  The Greek words he used all point to the same thing…discernment. Knowledge…understanding…discernment. 

Discerning love…what is that?

In a world system under Satanic influence, the devil’s tools to control are all counterfeit, spurious, and deceptive. He even disguises himself as an angel of light. 

Believers need discernment, continually… to test the “spirits”…the motives and attitudes of the people who make up the body of Christ in which they function. This is not suspicion. This is wisdom…a spiritual filter that sifts out what may damage the fellowship…things like pride, division, competition, manipulation. selfish ambition etc. 

Paul often warned, as did John, against these subtle influences that creep in under the guise of “prophecy”, “the Holy Spirit”, and “love”. 

The Bible warns us not to be so “loving” that we miss the warnings signals. 

“Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.”

‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

How do we test the attitudes and motives of our fellow believers in our fellowship? Jesus said, “Look at their fruit.” 

“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, Paul anticipates. three outcomes that flow from discerning love…

“…so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”

…three outcomes of growing in love that focuses on keeping the lives of God’s people pure and fruitful. 

…discerning and dealing with what creeps in to poison the fellowship…

…pure and blameless lives…not perfect but mature…protecting love and promoting unity…

…fruitfulness that grows in lives that remain attached to the Vine…

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What a prayer! Imagine a fellowship of people who do life together…lovingly guarding and protecting one another from those who try to disrupt and destroy. They are always watching out for attitudes and behaviour in themselves and others that harm the body. They bear the fruit of union with Jesus…love, joy, and peace… and…Jesus gets the glory!

I need to add a postscript here.  Paul never allows or advocates that God’s people play “policeman” in each other’s lives. To do so would destroy the love that sees and expects the best of one another. Living in and walking by the Spirit would guard us against spying on and judging one another…which is never the role of believers in a fellowship. Our part is to walk in the light with one another, guarding our own hearts and lovingly lifting up those who have fallen. 

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…PARTNERS – 3a

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“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭3-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Letter-writing to a group of people like the Philippians was, for Paul, pure joy. He had nothing to rebuke or correct in their behaviour or doctrine. He loved them…they loved him… and, best of all, they were partners in his mission to the world…partners, doing the work together, not passengers going along for the ride. 

In what way was the church in Philippi in partnership with Paul? 

Some were preaching the gospel in the city and region because Paul himself was in prison…restricted to a small congregation of Roman soldiers… while they were free to speak to the people around them and even further afield. This means that the gospel was being proclaimed by more than one person. Multiplied! Spreading further afield than what one person could reach. 

“And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear. It’s true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry. But others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News…But that doesn’t matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭14‬-‭16‬, ‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The fact that there were others preaching the gospel made Paul happy, whatever their motive. Why? God’s power to save is in the message itself, not in the messenger. 

“For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Philippians also prayed for Paul. Praying for him was not incidental. It was pivotal. It was critical. Whatever his circumstances, they backed Paul up in prayer because he not only carried a vital, life-giving message to the world…but he was also vulnerable to both seen and unseen powers. Paul was aware of and valued their prayer backing as he moved from place to place, through test after test, and into one danger after another. They had his back in the very throne room of God and that mattered greatly to him. 

Then there was the matter of resources. As a free man, he was able to support himself with his hands but there, in prison, his hands were literally tied…to a Roman guard. He still had needs…covering…food and…perhaps the little extras that made his life more bearable. Yes, he had learned to take all the good and bad in his life in his stride…

“I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One can only learn these lessons through real life experiences, not through reading books about contentment. 

But…let’s break this lesson down. 

Paul’s life in the main, from the moment of his conversion, was lived on the road. Apart from a few extended stays in one or another city, he was constantly moving from place to place. He was dependent on the goodwill of the people he knew or met for food and shelter. His circumstances were always uncertain. If he had money, he could pay his way. If he had no money, he went without. 

Paul acknowledged that his life  was full of uncertainty. How does one cope with this kind of life. One either accepts the situation and makes the best of it or one continually grumbles and is dissatisfied. Perhaps Paul began this lifestyle by complaining. We don’t know but…he had learned!

Every life lesson begins with some sort of difficulty. One must learn…either by kicking against the circumstances and, in the process, becoming resentful or bitter, eventually against God, or…one accepts the struggles as part of God’s molding process and rejoices in God’s sovereignty in all things. 

So, Paul was always on a learning curve…not only learning himself but also passing on the lessons to others by being the example…and that was a big one!

The Philippians’ generosity was not only a sacrifice of worship to the Lord…

“At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

…but it was also a sign. A sign of what? It was proof that God was doing a good work in them. God’s beginning always has an ending. 

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT

Partnership in these ways were the fruit of the gospel which showed that their faith in Christ was genuine. As James had so eloquently argued…

“You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭20‬, ‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

 Sure…good works cannot save us but…good works are the evidence that we have been saved. 

So, Paul was happy…delighted with the fellowship and faithfulness of his Philippian partners because of the real evidence that they had been transformed in the inside. 

Contentment, in the end, means that we have opened our hands and let go of every expectation, fulfilled or unfulfilled, that locks us into a certain mindset. Open-minded acceptance of all our circumstances, putting no heavy on God to do what we want, giving Him the right and freedom to be God, is one of the most liberating attitudes we can ever adopt. 

After all, whatever we may think, we have no power to control our own lives…but God does. When we drop this foolish idea, relax, and let God be God…He, not our circumstances, takes centre stage in our thoughts and in our trust…

…and that how it should always be and…that is what leads to the confidence that God will finish what He started!

To be continued

PAUL’S HAPPY LETTER…THANK YOU – 2

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“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Wow! Paul never lied! Every time he thought about the church at Philippi, he said “Thank you,” to God for them. Not “thank you, but…” or “thank you, if…” Just “thank you, God…”

Most of Paul’s letters were written to churches to rebuke them, or to teach or correct them about something that had gone wrong. Not this one! He wrote this letter out of pure joy because these people delighted his heart. They were loyal, generous, and faithful followers of Jesus and Paul’s teaching about Him. 

Imagine how Paul must have felt…shut up in prison…in a cold, filthy dungeon…chained day and night to a Roman soldier…knowing that his days were numbered…and yet, full of joy. Why? Was it because he knew that his recipients were truly on the road to eternal life? 

These people showed the evidence of the life of Jesus in them. Some of them were faithfully carrying on Paul’s work, preaching about Jesus despite the threat of persecution. They were generous, giving sacrificially to support Paul when he could not support himself. They were maturing in their faith and faithfulness. From the day that they had become a church, they stood with Paul in the dangerous work he was doing.  He had no reason to be anxious about them, only glad when he thought about them. 

So, he could reassure them with confidence…

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Throughout this letter, Paul’s joy had nothing to do with his circumstances. In fact, where he was and why he was there could have crushed him. “Where is Jesus in all this?” he could have complained…but, instead, he rejoiced…he celebrated.  He was writing to people who were steadfast in their faith and carrying on where he was forced to leave off. Paul knew that, with the calibre of the people of the church at Philippi, the gospel would continue to be preached and lived out to the next generation. 

“It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul’s confidence lay in the truth that both he and they were held firm and steady by God’s grace at work in them. So, in this bond of love forged by God’s grace, he yearned for the fellowship they shared when they were together.   He had the promise of Jesus in his heart, later recorded by John…

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.””

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭27‬-‭30‬ NIV

…and etched into his own conviction and experience…

“For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬

Paul’s “thank you” embraced the real things about the people in Philippi that made his heart glad. He forgot about his miserable circumstances and set his heart on the good things in which he could truly rejoice. 

To be continued