Good Morning Girls Resources (Philippians Week 2)
Welcome back to Week 2 in the Book of Philippians!
The daily reflections you have shared out on Instagram and Facebook have been wonderful! They are such an encouragement! If you missed those discussions – I hope you will join us this week. They are so helpful!
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Here’s what mine looked like last week:
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This Week’s Bible Reading Plan:
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This week’s Reflection & Discussion Questions
(Leaders: Copy and paste these into your groups. If you do not have a group, use these for a personal time of reflection.)
Philippians 2:1-4
After having encouraged the Philippian church to stand strong and bold in the face of persecution, Paul gives them the ingredients for a unified church that is able to withstand the persecution that was about to come. In order to be a strong church, they needed to be a unified church. They needed to be unified in their purpose and the way they cared for one another. They needed to forsake the temptation to be driven by personal interests and self-glory. A unified church is made up of humble believers who make an effort to elevate one another, instead of elevating themselves.
The phrase “lowliness of mind” flew in the face of the Greeks in Paul’s day because it was considered a weakness, not an advantage, to be humble and allow another to have the advantage. It is not much different today. Many times, our fear of being manipulated or taken advantage of tempts us to look out only for ourselves and our own ego; but Paul is urging the church to elevate one another in unity so that each person’s interests are considered.
How well are you contributing to the unity of your local church? Is it a struggle for you to let others have the advantage in an area where you feel you are the best qualified? It can be painful to set aside our own ambitions and interests to let someone get ahead. It contradicts everything we’ve been taught, but Paul is letting us know that when the church functions in this way, it is a strong and beautiful picture of Christ’s bride. Take some time today to write down in your journal 4-5 ways you can help promote unity in your local church.
Philippians 2:5-11
Paul continues to address the subject of humility and unity in the church, urging the Philippian church to have the mind of Christ. Christ never had to achieve his deity. He didn’t hold on to it with an iron grasp. He knew who he was and still chose to humble himself and take on the form of a man. He didn’t cling to his deity to prove he was God any more than he considered it beneath him to take on human form. Paul follows this up by saying that because Christ humbly took on the form of man, God exalted him and gave him a name above all names – a name to which every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
When we know who we are in Christ, we don’t have to strive to cling to a position or title; nor do we feel any kind of servitude is beneath us. We can both serve in an elevated or humble position with equal joy and contentment because we know who we are and whose we are. When people see Christ in us, he is glorified.
What are some ways that you serve others in the church? Are you secure enough in your identity in him that you can serve with joy wherever there is a need, whether small or great? If this is a struggle for you, pray and ask God to reveal to you the security and contentment of being his child and the joy of serving without having to cling to an identity or title.
Philippians 2:12-13
When Paul urges the Philippian church to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”, he didn’t mean that they had to work for their salvation. The meaning of the phrase “work out” in the Greek means to perform or to apply. We could think of it in terms of exercising. When we work out our muscles, they grow stronger, and they give us the ability to do things we could not do before and keep us healthy. When we daily exercise our salvation, by being obedient to Christ and his word, we grow as strong, healthy Christians, living in a way that pleases Christ.
Whenever we see a command like this in Scripture, we can always be rest assured that God has already given us the tools necessary to carry out that command. We’re commanded to exercise our salvation, but God didn’t just expect us to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. Paul goes on to say that while we are working out our salvation, God is working in us, planting the desire and the power to live in obedience to his commands. God gives us the command, and then by his grace he gives us the desire to carry out that command and his strength to carry it through to the end. Isn’t that amazing? Is there an area in your life where you are finding it hard to walk in obedience? Why do you think it is so hard? Purpose today to take that first step. As you do, you will discover how God is already working in you, giving you the desire and the strength to continue walking in obedience to him each day.
Philippians 2:14-18
Paul began Philippians 2 by urging the church to function in unity, to serve with the same humility that Christ served, and to exercise their salvation through obedience to God’s word. Now, he puts final parameters around these commands by urging the church to do all these things in a right attitude, without grumbling or disputing. He goes on to reason that if we do this, we will be blameless and innocent children of God who shine brightly in a world that is corrupt and dark.
Without a doubt, we are living in a world that is both corrupt and very dark. It is in desperate need of pure, innocent lights that shine to the glory of God. When the church serves with authentic unity and humility, walking in obedience to Christ, she will stand out just like light stands out in darkness. Do you find yourself grumbling and complaining at times? Living our Christian lives with a wrong attitude dilutes our light in this dark world. This doesn’t mean that we won’t walk through seasons of trial and tribulation, but we can walk through them with assurance that God is with us and that we will come out stronger on the other side. Remember, God gives us the desire and strength to walk obediently and with a right attitude, because he’s working in us while we work out our salvation. If this has been a struggle for you, take some time today to write in your journal the areas where you’ve been grumbling and disputing; then write down how you can start living out those areas with a right attitude, by God’s strength and power so you can shine a pure, bright light to the world around you.
Philippians 2:19-30
As we wrap up Philippians 2, Paul lets the church know that he is wanting to send Timothy to them and to join them himself as soon as he’s out of prison. In the meantime, he’s sending Epaphroditus back to them. Epaphroditus had brought Paul an offering from the Philippian church. While there, he ministered to Paul but became ill and nearly died. God healed him, and now he is returning to them.
Paul urges the church to receive Epaphroditus with all joy and to value men such as him because he gave to Paul sacrificially in a time when Paul was in great need. Through these verses, we see a real-life application of the commands in the earlier verses of this chapter. Epaphroditus served Paul selflessly and sacrificially, esteeming Paul greater than even his own life. He served Paul and met his needs joyfully and without grumbling. After God healed him, Paul sent him back to the Philippian church, honoring him for his sacrificial service and urging the church to value him as a precious brother.
Is there someone you know who serves the way Epaphroditus did, selflessly and sacrificially honoring others without complaining? Take some time to write below some practical ways you can show them honor and value them as precious brothers and sisters of God. Also, how is their service to God an example to you of how you can serve selflessly and joyfully.
To print the 20 Reflection and Discussion Questions for Philippians –> Click Here
This Week’s Verses of the Day:
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Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Here’s the Printable Bible Bookmark for Philippians.
Here’s another explanation of the SOAK Bible Study Method and Bible Coloring Chart if you need more guidance:
Here is the SOAK method I refer to in the video:
And the Bible Coloring Bookmark:
Click HERE to Print the full page Coloring Chart
or Click HERE for the Bookmark Coloring Chart
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Remember to leave at least 20 minutes for your reading each day. I am in prayer for you all and asking God to help us understand his word clearly.
Have a wonderful week in God’s Word – I’ll see you back here on the blog this Friday as we go deeper into God’s Word together! (Don’t forget to visit me Monday through Friday over on Facebook and Instagram. )
Keep walking with the King,
COURTNEY
Did you miss this week’s new video? Here it is again:
The Philippians Journal
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