Good Morning Girls Resources (Philippians Week 4)
This is it! Our final week in the Book of Philippians!
Are you wondering what’s next?
After we finish Philippians, the Good Morning Girls will go on a break through the month of October.
Then on Monday, October 30th, I’ll begin leading my most popular series of the year – The Making Your Home a Haven Challenge! This is an all NEW study in this series! So watch for more details about that study coming soon!!!
If you are looking for a Bible Study to do on your own during break, you can find all of our past Bible Studies listed —> here.
Then, the next book of the Bible we’ll study for the “Reading Through the Bible Series” will be announced in December and begin in January – so be on the look out for that announcement as well.
Now, let’s get back to this week’s study and finish strong!
If you are looking for guidance for the color coding and daily insight into the reading – please visit me on Instagram and visit the hashtag #WomenLivingWell . Remember, there is no right or wrong way to do this and not all of our Bibles will look alike.
Here’s what mine looked like last week:
If you are new here – jump in with our reading this week and catch up on the weekends.
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This Week’s Bible Reading Plan:
(Facebook Leaders: You can use this as your Facebook Header this week. Just right click and “save as” or screen shot it.)
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 4:1-3
As Paul wraps up the book of Philippians, he begins this final chapter with deep, heart-felt words for the Philippian church. He doesn’t correct or rebuke them as he had to with other churches. The letter to the Philippians is a letter of encouragement. So, starting from where chapter 3 left off in talking about fixing our eyes on Christ and remembering that our citizenship is in heaven, Paul urges the Philippian church to “stand firm in the Lord.”
The only way we can stand firm is in the Lord. There is no other firm foundation on which we can stand but the Lord. But also, we are able to stand firm when we know who we are in Christ and remember that this world is not our home. The closer we are to Jesus’ second coming the more necessary it is to have a firm foundation and the strength to stand in the Lord. Pressure from this world to conform to their worldview is growing ever stronger. Are you feeling a little wobbly at times? Are there times when you feel tempted to give in to the pressure you feel from the world to conform to a worldview that you know displeases God? List the areas where you need to stand more firm and then pray and ask the Lord to give you strength to continue standing.
Philippians 4:4-7
Paul is in prison, chained to a guard 24/7, and still he is talking about rejoicing. In fact, joy is seen all through out the book of Philippians. Paul is able to rejoice in the most undesirable of circumstances because he has found a source of peace and contentment that isn’t controlled by outward situations. He goes on to list two more commands that open the door for God’s peace in our lives. He first says that we should be known for our gentleness, mildness, and refusal to contend with those around us. The second command is that we refuse to become anxious, but instead bring everything to God by prayer and with thanksgiving. Paul was living these three commands out in his own life as he waited for his trial. He rejoiced despite being on house arrest. He was gentle with the guards and as a result many came to Christ. He wasn’t worried about the outcome, because he knew that whether he lived or died, he was still the winner. The result of living out these three commands, the peace of God ruled his heart.
The Greek word for “guard” in verse 7 means a garrison. When we rejoice, be gentle, and refuse to entertain anxiety, God will set up a military guard to rule over and to protect our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Have you been anxious lately? Are you plagued with thoughts of “what if”? Has the unknown element of a situation been keeping you up at night? Paul didn’t say to rejoice because of our situations, he said to rejoice in the Lord; and because of the Lord’s goodness, we always have reason to find joy in the midst of our struggles. He gives us his gentleness and his peace so that we can walk out these commands. He never gives us a command without giving us his ability to walk it out. So write below the thing that is bothering you today and surrender it to God. Ask the Lord to exchange your anxious thoughts for his peace.
Philippians 4:8-9
How was Paul able to continually walk in the joy and peace of the Lord despite the many times he was beaten, persecuted, left for dead, and imprisoned; knowing that each time he was in prison it could be a death sentence for him? He set up a filter for his thoughts. When a thought entered his mind, it went through a filtering process so that he only meditated on those things that made it through the filter.
When we fail to have a filter over our mind, we invite destruction in our lives. The enemy of our souls knows he can destroy us by targeting our mind and thoughts. Paul knows that the supernatural peace of God can only guard our mind in Christ Jesus when the proper protection is in place.
What are you allowing to traffic in your heart and mind right now? Are your gates wide open, or have you placed the filter of Philippians 4:8 over your mind as a protection to keep the enemy’s thoughts from defiling your mind? At first, this takes great intention, discipline, and follow-through to successfully create a habit of filtering your thoughts; but after a while you will find yourself automatically allowing the godly thoughts through that agree with Scripture while rejecting the thoughts the enemy sent your way to confuse and distract you. This is exactly what Paul meant when he commanded us to renew our minds and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ. We limit the traffic in our minds and hearts, we compare every thought with Scripture, and arrest any offending thoughts, making them conform to God’s word.
Philippians 4:10-13
Though Paul rejoices that the Philippian church is once again able to care for him by supporting him financially, he reminds them that he has learned to be content in whatever condition he finds himself. Paul isn’t saying this in theory, he has been both well off and in need; he’s been both on the mountain tops and in the valleys. Currently, he is chained to a Roman guard 24/7, and yet can speak of joy and contentment.
There are two keys that Paul brings out in this passage on contentment. The first key is that he learned contentment. Contentment isn’t something that comes to us naturally, it is a trait that must be learned as we enjoy the good times and walk through the difficult times. The other key is that he understood that it is Christ’s strength that enables him to be content in all situations. Jesus said in John 15 that without him we can do nothing.
It is easy to be content when life is going well, but when we’re faced with financial reversal, when our child receives a difficult diagnosis, when our marriage hits a rough patch, or when we find out that we will potentially lose our job, this is when contentment must be learned. How content are you today? Have you leaned on Christ’s strength to learn contentment when life is hard? Sometimes we miss the lesson God wants us to learn because we’re too busy looking for a way out of our problem rather than learning to be content in season to which God has led us. Trouble in the life of a Christian does not mean lack of faith or God’s blessing in our life. Many times, testing and trials are evidence of God’s hand at work shaping us and molding us to be more like him. How do you see God shaping you right now? In what ways can you rely more on Christ’s strength in you to learn contentment in your difficult circumstances?
Philippians 4:14-23
It is easy for us to suppose that Paul was well supported by all the churches he had planted and ministered to during his mission trips. The truth is that for a season the church in Philippi was the only church supporting him financially. In other letters we learn that the financial gifts they sent were sacrificial, and it is thought they were likely not large gifts. Yet, Paul says that he was “well supplied”. He knew that it is God who supplies every need. Because Paul had learned contentment in every situation, he was free to rejoice in the sacrificial gift the Philippian church sent, not because of the gift but because God would credit their spiritual account with the fruit of that gift. He rejoiced in how God would abundantly bless them for their generosity toward him.
We see a perfect circle of God’s blessing and supply in this passage. The Philippian church gave to Paul freely and generously in his time of need. Paul rejoiced in their gift, not for the gift, but for the way God would richly bless them for their generosity. Both had hearts that were not tangled up in material things but were content knowing that their supply came from God. Jesus said in Matthew 6 to seek first his kingdom and righteousness and all these things (food and shelter) will be added to us. He will supply our every need. Is there something you are in need of right now? Are you struggling to maintain faith in God’s promises to provide? In what ways have you been generous and as a result, seen God provide for your needs?
To print the 20 Reflection and Discussion Questions for Philippians –> Click Here
This Week’s Verses of the Day:
(Leaders: You can use these images in your groups by using right click and “save as” or screen shoting them.)
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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click HERE!
