Read Philippians 1:27-30
27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
PONDER
How do you tend to think about or approach suffering?
Meditate on the truth that our salvation is from God. Our belief in Him and our suffering for His sake have been granted to us for the sake of Christ. Let this reality lead you to worship.
PRAY
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment” (Phil 1:9)
- Father, by your grace enable us to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.
- Father, convict us of the ways that we fall short—of our apathy, our fear, our selfishness, our pride, our disunity.
- Father, thank you for your salvation.
- Father, help us to rightly respond to and endure suffering for the sake of Christ.
- Father, strengthen our resolve to stand firm and strive today as we rejoice in what lies ahead in Christ Jesus.
- Father, prepare me to gather with my church and worship you. You are worthy! To you be the glory!
Sing: Listen to this week’s songs on Spotify
PRactice
Gather! 9:30am or 11:00am.
5 Practices to Gathering Well:
- Be Present – The first step to gathering well: Gather!
- Be Early – Prioritize the gathering with your time. Don’t be late. The practical discipleship of this priority can be profound for you and your family.
- Be Prepared – Ponder, pray, sing, fast, and praise are all good ways to prepare.
- Be Uncomfortable – Sit with different people. Sing loud. Challenge routines. Gather on mission.
- Be Responsive – Don’t just be hearers of the Word, be doers. Pray. Ponder. Practice. Too often we gather to affirm what we already hold, rather than be taught, rebuked, corrected, or trained in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Gather to be transformed.
- Get help and accountability in Prepare Sundays at 9:30 am across from the Give2Go Cafe. Prepare is a Go Study Group aimed to help us grow as doers of the Word by working through the next steps required to faithfully apply the biblical text we’re reading and preaching through at TCBC.
Talk about the things of the Lord in your families and your Go Groups. Make it a regular practice to ponder, pray, and practice the truths of God’s Word. Check out the Behind the Message podcast as a way to help start your conversations.