SERMON NOTES: PRAYER REQUESTS
Y Pray for continued courage on Dwight
Zvorak’s recovery from alcoholism.
JANUARY 23, 2011
Y Gene Moore, Paul’s uncle, who’s having
trouble with his health.
DEVOTION
Y Jacob Mielke a 19 year old man who is This week we have the opportunity to
struggling with cancer. He is getting read the book of Philippians. In these
chemo at the Mayo Clinic.
remarkable four chapters, the apostle
Y Peter Ralston, Faith Ralston’s son who is
Paul shares his own robust faith. His
struggling with addiction. example is inspiring to all of us. Enjoy!!
Y For Steven Muhia’s family, sick wife, and Comments about the devotion can be E-
children’s & family commitments, and for mailed to [email protected]
their struggle with finances.
Monday, January 31
Y Dave Nyberg as he recovers at home Read Philippians 1:1-11
from his knee surgery. From the start of this letter it is obvious
that the apostle Paul is living by a
Y Gina Irlbeck’s recovery as she had gall different set of values. He is in prison as
bladder and hernia surgery. he wrote the letter. Scholars aren’t sure
if Paul was in prison in Rome, Ephesus
Y Christina Glasgow as she goes through
or Caesarea. No matter the city where
her final month of pregnancy.
he was in prison, Paul was unsure if he
Y Nikki Gilman, family and new born son. would live or die.
Amy & Paul Moore’s daughter-in-law had
her baby boy early Tuesday morning. To learn more about how Paul first
interacted with the community at
Y For Gina Irlbeck’s co-worker, Rachel, Philippi read Acts 16:11-40.
who’s recovering from surgery.
Despite being under a death sentence it
Y Donna Mc Cullen, Ken Mc Cullen's wife as is clear that Paul is not bothered by
she goes through more intense being imprisoned. His prayer in verses
chemotherapy treatment. 9-11 is powerful:
“And this is my prayer, that your love
Y The Pastor Nominating Committee of
may overflow more and more with
Community Presbyterian Church in
Plainview as they discern who God is knowledge and full insight to help you to
calling to be their new pastor. determine and full insight to help you to
determine what is best, so that in the
Y Gary Wassam as he looks for a job. day of Christ you may be pure and
blameless, having produced the harvest
Y Pray for understanding, peace, of righteousness that comes through
acceptance and love for the Tse family. Jesus Christ for the glory and praises of
God.”
Y Bill Fink as he looks for a job.
2 3 4
Can you remember a time in your own emptied himself and humbled himself to spiritual friends that exist in the
life when you were going through a the point of death. community.
difficult time, but you weren’t burdened
by the circumstance? Can you think of a As you read these eleven verses what Who would you describe as your
person who displayed love and grace surprises you? What inspires you? spiritual friend at Chain of Lakes? If you
when the person was going through a What puzzles you? don’t have one, would you pray that
hard time? This is the type of faith that God would reveal who your spiritual
God calls us to develop. If you ever wanted to know how to friend could be? A spiritual friend can
explain Jesus to a friend, these verses be of immense help on our journey of
As you pray today, pray for this type of can help. faith. What’s stopping you from
faith. developing a spiritual friendship?
One helpful exercise would be to take
these eleven verses and put them in Friday, February 4
your own language. If you have some Read Philippians 3:1-4:1
Tuesday, February 1 time, this exercise can help you In this remarkable chapter Paul shares
Read Philippians 1:12-26 articulate your own understanding of some of his own thoughts about what he
Even though he was not free, Paul was who Jesus is in your own life. values in his faith life. His values are far
glad to be in prison. He could see that different than what the world values.
his imprisonment was advancing the As you pray today, take some words or He shared that he had many reasons to
gospel. descriptions of Jesus and pray over be confident in the flesh. But all of his
them. Give thanks to God for these worldly honors meant little to him in
Usually when we are going through a qualities of Jesus. comparison to the value he received
difficult time we can only see the pain of from knowing Christ.
our own situation. Paul gives us an Thursday, February 3
example of how to live. Can we look at Read Philippians 2:19-30 When reading the last part of this
a difficult time as an opportunity to Paul had many spiritual companions in chapter, we can get a sense of how Paul
advance the cause of Christ? Can we his ministry. Timothy was well known to could exhibit such joy while sitting in jail
see how God is working through our the Philippians. He was one of Paul’s not knowing if he was going to live or
situation for good? closest associates. In this passage Paul die. Paul’s ultimate satisfaction came
described him as a son. Some other from knowing Christ and growing in that
These are hard things to see, but this Scriptures that show Paul and Timothy knowledge.
different type of perspective can working together are Acts 16:3 & 19:22.
liberate us from our own pain. If you are How deep is your satisfaction in knowing
going through a hard time right now, Epaphroditus traveled from the town of Christ? In what areas would you like to
pray that God can use the situation to Philippi to visit Paul while he was in jail. grow in your faith? How does Paul’s
advance God’s kingdom. If you know of Epaphroditus almost died during the story inspire you to grow in your own
someone going through a hard time, journey. The two were very close. faith? As you pray today, pray to
pray that the situation can be used to develop even more deeply your own
illustrate God’s love. A spiritual friend is someone with whom satisfaction in knowing Christ.
you can talk about your relationship to
Wednesday, February 2 God; you can share the ups and downs Saturday, February 5
Read Philippians 1:27-2:18 of your faith; you can listen to what the Read Philippians 4:2-23
The eleven chapters in the second Spirit is doing in that other person’s life. Paul gave a wonderful description of the
chapter of Philippians are a beautiful items to keep our mind on in verse 8.
description of the identity of Jesus. The strength of a congregation
Jesus could have taken all the privileges somewhat depends on the number of “whatever is true, whatever is
of a person who was God. Instead Jesus honorable, whatever is just, whatever is
2 3 4
pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is
commendable, if there is any excellence
and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.”
What do find that is honorable, just,
pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent,
things worthy of praise in your own life?
Where do you find these qualities at
Chain of Lakes Church? As you pray
today, reflect on these qualities and ask
God to continue to help you develop
them in your own life.
