Philippians 1:9-11: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.”
BarbTalk:
The Amplified translation of the Bible is one of my favorites, because it expands the limited English translation to show what the ‘very large languages’ of Greek or Hebrew imply and suggest. Both Greek and Hebrew have very full meanings, with grammatical inferences, which may indicate repeated actions, or maybe a simple thing, done once. Notations such as the Subjunctive Mood, open our understanding to know that the assertion is in doubt, perhaps uncertainty or even indefiniteness in the intent of the words used. We can look these things up in a Hebrew Greek Study Bible, or we can read the amplified translation, which shows the intent of the passages more fully.
Matthew 7:7, in the New International version states:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Looking at the Greek Study Bible, there is a little ‘pim’, standing for present imperative. This term is defined as: a command to do something in the future which involves a continuous or repeated action. The word, Ask, defined as asking or begging, and, in the context of Matthew 7:7, it indicates that it is asked, by man, from God.
Here is the Amplified Bible’s translation of the same verse: “Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.”
Interpreting this, when we ask, we are not to just ask once and then it is over. We are told to keep on keepin’ on.. Over and over with hope and belief in the One we are asking.
Now, back to our text:
Philippians 1:9-11, Amplified Bible: “And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment], so that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].”
“May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognized].”
That was a mouthful! Paul was praying without ceasing. He had many babes in Christ that he cherished. Their walk with Christ caused him hours on his knees, imploring God to nourish his newborns. He was in prison when he wrote this letter to the churches. It is possible that he was held with chains so he could not walk about. Friends and family most likely provided his rations of food and provisions. I cannot begin to imagine how disgusting the prison was. The smell alone must have been incredibly offensive. What does he do? He prays. He encourages, he instructs and he remains hopeful, knowing that he can entrust his new babes in Jesus into the hands of the Almighty, who will complete what He has started in them.
I wonder, if I were in the same situation, would I be others-centered? Called to love God and love others, there is no exception to the rule. The Bible says in Romans 12:1-2, “Be transformed by the renewing of our minds,”. In addition, we see in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Philippians Chapter 1, verse 3, in the Amplified version: “Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].”
When I pray a prayer like the one in Philippians 1: 9-11, do I pray with all truth and earnestness? Do I leave my needs out of it, in order that I might ask God to fill others and create in them a beautiful bloom of righteousness and peace in their lives? Do I ask for blessings for those who have hurt me, and restoration for those who have offended me? What about the one who has gone out of their way to rob me of what cannot be repaid? Do I pray for them, or do I pray about them, telling God how awful they are?
Often I think about King David as described in 1 Samuel 24:5-7. Saul was on a mission to kill David. Finding Saul in a cave, he crept up behind Saul and cut off a piece of the his robe while he was relieving himself. 1 Samuel 24:5-7 (NIV)” “Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.”
As I ponder this, I see that David, in his integrity, would not harm or speak ill of God’s chosen man, even if Saul was viciously after him to take his life. “ Acts 13:22 (AMP)W hen He had deposed him, He raised up David to be their king; of him He bore witness and said, I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart, who will do all My will and carry out My program fully.”
David was not perfect, yet God saw him and chose him to lead His people. As we seek to serve our Lord, we become aware that we must remove self-centeredness, eliminate worry about tomorrow, cancel all thoughts of why me, and to turn our back on old ways of doing things is to be a person after God’s heart, who will do and carry out His program.
The ‘program’ of God begins by putting no one, no thought, and no thing above Him in our minds, emotions, body, and spirit. He is to be the highest and best thought. He is to be the center of our lives and the One to turn to at every moment. Communication is the key to maintain this relationship. Involving God in every little part of our lives delights His heart. To talk things over with Him before we open our mouths to others causes less strife. Obeying His instructions as well as we can, gives God a smile, and He is pleased, saying, well done, good and faithful servant!
Part of carrying out His program is to not overlook listening. How can we possibly listen to One who is Spirit? What I put into my brain is what will come out. I read and study the Word of God, and am amazed at how a scripture will go through my mind that is the answer to a situation I am questioning.
We fulfill God’s desires for us as we Ask (and keep on asking), wait, (and keep on waiting), and not striving to figure out everything ourselves keeps us on God’s path. God desires our attention, He longs for time with us. He made us and He likes what He made! Very Good were His words (Genesis 1:31). Being quiet before Him and presenting ourselves to Him, being present (actually being where you are rather than on the next task), and asking for help in listening, will put us in the position for God to bring guidance and insight.
Now back to the prayer: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” To love with insight and knowledge is very different from the love portrayed in our culture. Love, lust, and passion pound into our psyches through the media. Loving others with the kind of love God shows us is sacrificial, kind, gentle, long suffering, and peaceful. When we gain insight from God’s Word, we are able to love others more readily as we learn to receive love from Him. If we have difficulty receiving love from God or others, it is difficult to love freely, with no baggage attached. The Spirit’s leading, time, teaching, and loving support heal the most shattered heart.
The next phrase, “so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” “So that.” This phrase is much like ‘therefore’. We look back and see to what it has reference. Saying it backwards, we read: we will be able to learn what is best and be pure, blameless, and filled with righteousness, when we are able to love with knowledge and insight. Sometimes we pray for insight, knowledge, and understanding, and forget to ask (and keep on asking) for our love to abound more and more. Sometimes we ask for purity, blamelessness, and righteousness and forget about loving others.
Our ‘consumer society’ looks for another notch on our belts: Insight, got it! Knowledge, yup! Jesus’ righteousness, uh-huh.. But what about love? 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, the Message: “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.”
Creaking of a rusty gate, nothing, gotten nowhere, bankrupt. We have an emotional bank account that needs to be filled readily, or we disintegrate. We have all been around people who are bankrupt emotionally and physically. How about spiritually bankrupt? How could that happen? Each one of us needs to find out what fills us up. We cannot continue to give and give love, support, and kindness if we are running on empty. Paul prays for our love to abound more and more. He is asking God to fill us up.
Volumes have been written on these two verses. May our God gift us with His version of love, insight, and knowledge. And, may He look upon us as blameless in His sight, encouraging us as He does His work of completion in and through us.
BarbTalk:
The Amplified translation of the Bible is one of my favorites, because it expands the limited English translation to show what the ‘very large languages’ of Greek or Hebrew imply and suggest. Both Greek and Hebrew have very full meanings, with grammatical inferences, which may indicate repeated actions, or maybe a simple thing, done once. Notations such as the Subjunctive Mood, open our understanding to know that the assertion is in doubt, perhaps uncertainty or even indefiniteness in the intent of the words used. We can look these things up in a Hebrew Greek Study Bible, or we can read the amplified translation, which shows the intent of the passages more fully.
Matthew 7:7, in the New International version states:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”
Looking at the Greek Study Bible, there is a little ‘pim’, standing for present imperative. This term is defined as: a command to do something in the future which involves a continuous or repeated action. The word, Ask, defined as asking or begging, and, in the context of Matthew 7:7, it indicates that it is asked, by man, from God.
Here is the Amplified Bible’s translation of the same verse: “Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you.”
Interpreting this, when we ask, we are not to just ask once and then it is over. We are told to keep on keepin’ on.. Over and over with hope and belief in the One we are asking.
Now, back to our text:
Philippians 1:9-11, Amplified Bible: “And this I pray: that your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight [that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment], so that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value [recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences], and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless [so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied, you may approach] the day of Christ [not stumbling nor causing others to stumble].”
“May you abound in and be filled with the fruits of righteousness (of right standing with God and right doing) which come through Jesus Christ (the Anointed One), to the honor and praise of God [that His glory may be both manifested and recognized].”
That was a mouthful! Paul was praying without ceasing. He had many babes in Christ that he cherished. Their walk with Christ caused him hours on his knees, imploring God to nourish his newborns. He was in prison when he wrote this letter to the churches. It is possible that he was held with chains so he could not walk about. Friends and family most likely provided his rations of food and provisions. I cannot begin to imagine how disgusting the prison was. The smell alone must have been incredibly offensive. What does he do? He prays. He encourages, he instructs and he remains hopeful, knowing that he can entrust his new babes in Jesus into the hands of the Almighty, who will complete what He has started in them.
I wonder, if I were in the same situation, would I be others-centered? Called to love God and love others, there is no exception to the rule. The Bible says in Romans 12:1-2, “Be transformed by the renewing of our minds,”. In addition, we see in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, Philippians Chapter 1, verse 3, in the Amplified version: “Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].”
When I pray a prayer like the one in Philippians 1: 9-11, do I pray with all truth and earnestness? Do I leave my needs out of it, in order that I might ask God to fill others and create in them a beautiful bloom of righteousness and peace in their lives? Do I ask for blessings for those who have hurt me, and restoration for those who have offended me? What about the one who has gone out of their way to rob me of what cannot be repaid? Do I pray for them, or do I pray about them, telling God how awful they are?
Often I think about King David as described in 1 Samuel 24:5-7. Saul was on a mission to kill David. Finding Saul in a cave, he crept up behind Saul and cut off a piece of the his robe while he was relieving himself. 1 Samuel 24:5-7 (NIV)” “Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.”
As I ponder this, I see that David, in his integrity, would not harm or speak ill of God’s chosen man, even if Saul was viciously after him to take his life. “ Acts 13:22 (AMP)W hen He had deposed him, He raised up David to be their king; of him He bore witness and said, I have found David son of Jesse a man after My own heart, who will do all My will and carry out My program fully.”
David was not perfect, yet God saw him and chose him to lead His people. As we seek to serve our Lord, we become aware that we must remove self-centeredness, eliminate worry about tomorrow, cancel all thoughts of why me, and to turn our back on old ways of doing things is to be a person after God’s heart, who will do and carry out His program.
The ‘program’ of God begins by putting no one, no thought, and no thing above Him in our minds, emotions, body, and spirit. He is to be the highest and best thought. He is to be the center of our lives and the One to turn to at every moment. Communication is the key to maintain this relationship. Involving God in every little part of our lives delights His heart. To talk things over with Him before we open our mouths to others causes less strife. Obeying His instructions as well as we can, gives God a smile, and He is pleased, saying, well done, good and faithful servant!
Part of carrying out His program is to not overlook listening. How can we possibly listen to One who is Spirit? What I put into my brain is what will come out. I read and study the Word of God, and am amazed at how a scripture will go through my mind that is the answer to a situation I am questioning.
We fulfill God’s desires for us as we Ask (and keep on asking), wait, (and keep on waiting), and not striving to figure out everything ourselves keeps us on God’s path. God desires our attention, He longs for time with us. He made us and He likes what He made! Very Good were His words (Genesis 1:31). Being quiet before Him and presenting ourselves to Him, being present (actually being where you are rather than on the next task), and asking for help in listening, will put us in the position for God to bring guidance and insight.
Now back to the prayer: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.” To love with insight and knowledge is very different from the love portrayed in our culture. Love, lust, and passion pound into our psyches through the media. Loving others with the kind of love God shows us is sacrificial, kind, gentle, long suffering, and peaceful. When we gain insight from God’s Word, we are able to love others more readily as we learn to receive love from Him. If we have difficulty receiving love from God or others, it is difficult to love freely, with no baggage attached. The Spirit’s leading, time, teaching, and loving support heal the most shattered heart.
The next phrase, “so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” “So that.” This phrase is much like ‘therefore’. We look back and see to what it has reference. Saying it backwards, we read: we will be able to learn what is best and be pure, blameless, and filled with righteousness, when we are able to love with knowledge and insight. Sometimes we pray for insight, knowledge, and understanding, and forget to ask (and keep on asking) for our love to abound more and more. Sometimes we ask for purity, blamelessness, and righteousness and forget about loving others.
Our ‘consumer society’ looks for another notch on our belts: Insight, got it! Knowledge, yup! Jesus’ righteousness, uh-huh.. But what about love? 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, the Message: “If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.”
Creaking of a rusty gate, nothing, gotten nowhere, bankrupt. We have an emotional bank account that needs to be filled readily, or we disintegrate. We have all been around people who are bankrupt emotionally and physically. How about spiritually bankrupt? How could that happen? Each one of us needs to find out what fills us up. We cannot continue to give and give love, support, and kindness if we are running on empty. Paul prays for our love to abound more and more. He is asking God to fill us up.
Volumes have been written on these two verses. May our God gift us with His version of love, insight, and knowledge. And, may He look upon us as blameless in His sight, encouraging us as He does His work of completion in and through us.