The Joy Book chapter of Philippians alone? This represents a frequency of more than once in every two verses. Paul longed to know Christ inti mately. He had achieved many things humanly speaking. Yet, his only desire was a fuller under standing of Cod's love and grace, revealed in the Lord. Christians have always been meant to be filled with Christ, and being filled with Christ also means to be filled with joy, love and peace. You need not think that this is only an ideal. It is a practical and attainable goal. To be filled with Christ is the real secret of Christian living. Few sections of the Bible give us a comparable picture of the mind of Christ as does Philippians. These insights are not really given in the Gospels for they are the record of what Jesus said and did. How much more satisfying is the account from Philippians which is personal, pos itive and world-embracing. Jesus thought it not something to be grasped after to be equal with God. He made Himself of no reputation and He took upon Himself the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man (2:5-11). The Sav iour's coming to this earth involved two tremendous things. In view is both humility and obedience. Hu mility is one of the virtues about which we talk a good deal and yet achieve very little. It consists of relinquishing what we have and
then receiving something that is generally regarded as inferior. Many of us relinquish something we think we can afford to lose if we can get something better in return. I am afraid most of us do not relinquish much of anything for Christ's sake. We hoard things and constantly try to add to what we have. Paul tells us that Jesus did neither of these things. What a beautiful and refreshing picture the Holy Spirit has caused Paul to give us in these One thing we are immediately impressed with is that the Lord Jesus Christ is tremendously ex alted in the book of Philippians. Many great writings have been penned from prison. Cervantes wrote "Don Quixote," Marco Polo put down his travels and Bunyon prepared "Pilgrim's Progress," all while incarcerated. None can be gin to come near to Philippians, written by the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, while in a dungeon. Paul is more than an ancient writer; he is a Christian theologian. Paul introduces Timothy and himself as servants of Jesus Christ (1:1). He uses a word that literally means a slave. He wished to serve the Lord as any obedient servant would fulfill the desires of his mas ter. Such should also be true of us today. We are not our own but are Page 47 precious verses. CHRIST EXALTED
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