WHAT REALLY MATTERS (Captioned)

GRACE AND PEACE TO YOU FROM GOD OUR FATHER, AND FROM OUR LORD AND OUR SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. DEAR FRIENDS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD: WHATEVER! DO YOU SAY THAT? OR HAVE YOU HEARD IT SAID TO YOU? OH! WHATEVER! THAT WORD REALLY CUTS TO THE QUICK, DOESN'T IT? WHEN YOU GET TO THAT POINT AND I ... I I WILL ADMIT I'VE SAID IT TO MY WIFE. OH, WHATEVER! WHAT .. WHAT .. WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THAT ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, ALREADY. WE'VE GONE TO THIS POINT, I AGREE. AS TO WHATEVER IT IS, JUST CUT TO THE QUICK HERE. WELL, PAUL DOES THAT TODAY. PAUL SAYS IT THIS WAY. HE SAYS: WHAT DOES IT MATTER? AND WHAT PAUL IS SAYING, HE'S KIND OF QUICKLY SETTING ASIDE THE ACCOUNT THAT HE HAD BEEN DISCUSSING. ALL THE DIFFERENT MOTIVES THAT THERE HAD BEEN FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL AMONG THE PHILIPPIANS. OH, WHATEVER. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. LET'S MOVE ON TO WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SO LISTEN TO THIS WORD OF GOD TODAY. AND HEAR WHAT PAUL AGAIN SAYS IS REALLY IMPORTANT ... WHAT REALLY MATTERS. WE READ FROM PHILIPPIANS 1, 18 THROUGH 27. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, 1973, 1978,1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA, INC.] WHATEVER, UH, PAUL SAYS: 'WHAT DOES IT MATTER? THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT IN EVERY WAY, WHETHER FROM FALSE MOTIVES OR TRUE, CHRIST IS PREACHED. AND BECAUSE OF THIS I REJOICE. YES, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO REJOICE, FOR I KNOW THAT THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS AND GOD'S PROVISION OF THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME WILL TURN OUT FOR MY DELIVERANCE. I EAGERLY EXPECT AND HOPE THAT I WILL IN NO WAY BE ASHAMED, BUT WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT COURAGE SO THAT NOW AS ALWAYS CHRIST WILL BE EXALTED IN MY BODY, WHETHER BY LIFE OR BY DEATH. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN. IF I AM TO GO ON LIVING IN THE BODY, THIS WILL MEAN FRUITFUL LABOR FOR ME. YET WHAT WILL I CHOOSE? I DO NOT KNOW! I AM TORN BETWEEN THE TWO: I DESIRE TO DEPART AND BE WITH CHRIST, WHICH IS BETTER BY FAR; BUT IT IS MORE NECESSARY FOR YOU THAT I REMAIN IN THE BODY. CONVINCED OF THIS, I KNOW THAT I WILL REMAIN, AND I WILL CONTINUE WITH ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR PROGRESS AND JOY IN THE FAITH, SO THAT THROUGH MY BEING WITH YOU AGAIN YOUR BOASTING IN CHRIST JESUS WILL ABOUND ON ACCOUNT OF ME.' SO FAR GOD'S WORD. PAUL'S WHATEVER IS MUCH NICER, ISN'T IT? BUT WHAT DOES IT MATTER? PAUL ... PAUL'S JUST MAKING IT SO CLEAR ... THE BOTTOM LINE ... IS THAT THE GOSPEL KEEPS BEING PREACHED! BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IS SO IMPORTANT. IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THE MOTIVE BEHIND THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL WHAT MOTIVATES THE PREACHER, THAT'S NOT WHAT IS IMPORTANT. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT THIS GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION FROM GOD AND ALL THE GLORIOUS TRUTHS FROM GOD ... FROM BEGINNING TO END ... THAT THAT CONTINUES TO BE SHARED WITH THE PEOPLE. LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THIS PASSAGE AND THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT PAUL IS SAYING AND WHAT HE'S NOT SAYING. THERE WERE THOSE WHO SEEMED TO BE PREACHING AT THAT TIME THE GOSPEL ABOUT JESUS BUT IN PART BECAUSE OF FALSE MOTIVES AND THAT CONCERNED THE PEOPLE HEARING IT AND PAUL SAYS: WELL, WHAT'S IMPORTANT? SO WHAT? THE FALSE MOTIVES - THOSE THINGS AREN'T IMPORTANT. IT'S THAT THE WONDROUS PREACHING OF THIS GOOD NEWS OF JESUS IS IMPORTANT. SAME THING HAPPENS TODAY. WHETHER SOMEONE IS OUT THERE PREACHING THE GOSPEL SO THEY CAN GET MORE AND MORE IN GREATER NUMBERS OR PERHAPS THEY'RE ZINGING SOMEONE ELSE, KIND OF WHAT'S IMPLIED. THEY WERE PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO ZING PAUL BECAUSE PAUL, HE'S STUCK IN PRISON AND HE CAN'T PREACH RIGHT NOW. IF THAT'S WHY THEY WERE DOING IT, PAUL SAYS: SO WHAT! IF THEY WERE JUST PREACHING THE TRUTH AND THE WHOLE GOSPEL OF JESUS, THAT'S WHAT MATTERS! WHATEVER ELSE ... THE TRUE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED! THAT IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT. AND THAT TRUTH REMAINS. IF THERE'S A PASSAGE THAT'S CAUGHT UP IN WRONG MOTIVATION FOR PREACHING WHETHER IT'S PRIDE OR HOW GOOD HE IS AT DOING IT OR JEALOUSY, WELL ... I'M GOING TO GET MINE BETTER THAN YOURS, OR GREED, YES ... HE'S GOING TO FACE THE LORD FOR HIS OWN SINS. BUT FOR THOSE HEARING THE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED BY HIM, THAT TRUTH! THAT'S WHAT'S TRULY IMPORTANT. HIS MOTIVES ARE ... ARE NOT ANYTHING COMPARED TO THE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED, AND HEARD AND LIFTING PEOPLE UP. THAT'S WHAT IS TRULY IMPORTANT! SO PAUL WAS SAYING. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT NOW THAT HE'S IN PRISON THAT SO THEY STILL ARE PREACHING THE TRUTH. BUT ... AND DON'T MISUNDERSTAND THIS PASSAGE. THESE PREACHERS ARE PREACHING 'NOT' THE TRUTH! THEY'VE BEEN PREACHING SOME OTHER GOSPEL OR A GOSPEL THAT'S LESS THAN THE WHOLE TRUTH OF GOD'S GOOD NEWS. THAT'S IMPORTANT, TOO. TO KNOW THAT AND THEN TO DEAL WITH THAT. ANY SUCH PREACHING OR TEACHING THAT ... WELL, OKAY SOME OF CHRIST'S WORDS ... BECAUSE SHARING SOME OF IT IS BETTER THAN NOTHING AT ALL. THAT'S NOT WHAT PAUL IS SAYING HERE. THIS PASSAGE DOESN'T PROTECT FALSE OR EVEN MIXED-UP TEACHINGS. PAUL IS IN NO WAY SAYING THAT IT'S OKAY TO BE UNCARING ABOUT WHAT DOCTRINE YOU ARE PREACHING. OR ... WHAT GOSPEL YOU'RE LISTENING TO ... HEARING, SHARING AND SUPPORTING ... IT IS MOST IMPORTANT THAT THE PREACHING BE THE WHOLE TRUTH OF JESUS. AND NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT WE LIKE TO SHARE. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ANY OF US TO BE REJECTING PARTS OF GOD'S WORD. GOD DOES NOT KEEP DIFFERENT TRUTHS IN HIS WORD. THEY ALL FIT TOGETHER. IF YOU SAY: I LIKE THIS AND I'LL SHARE THAT, BUT I DON'T LIKE THAT. I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT. THEN YOU'RE MAKING LIKE GOD GAVE YOU SOME UNTRUTH. AND IF GOD GAVE SOME UNTRUTH, THAT WOULD MAKE ALL OF HIS WORD UNTRUE AND IT'S NOT. IT'S THE TRUTH! SO YES! ON THE ONE HAND, IT'S NOT TRUE WHAT MOTIVE PUSHES THE PREACHER TO SHARE THIS WORD. TO SHARE IT. IT IS ULTIMATELY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE TRUTH OF GOD'S WHOLE WORD, THE TRUE GOSPEL, THAT THAT IS ALWAYS PREACHED. HEAR THIS AND ALSO BE REASSURED BY THIS AND DIRECTED BY THIS. GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE TRUTH. YOU CAN PUT YOUR LIFE ON IT! SO WHAT'S IMPORTANT ALSO FOR YOU TO DO THEN, IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS GOSPEL ... THIS WORD THAT YOU ARE HEARING PREACHED: THAT IT'S THE TRUTH. PREACH GOD'S WHOLE WORD. PREACH IT. AND PROBABLY YOU'VE ALL HEARD THAT WORD USED IN BAD WAYS. OH, DON'T PREACH AT ME. SINFUL NATURE LIKES TO TAKE ANYTHING THAT GOD GIVES YOU THAT'S GOOD AND MAKE IT SOMETHING BAD AND SO IN THE WORLD PREACHING THAT WORD ... IT IS LIKE A JOKE. BUT GOD SAID: NO, PREACHING IS GREAT! PREACHING IS GOD'S WAY OF GETTING HIS WORD, HIS TRUTH, HIS SALVATION TO EVERYONE. PREACHING IS SIMPLY YOUR AND MY PROCLAIMING ... SHARING ... SPEAKING OUT GOD'S WORD. AND SO TODAY WE'RE ALL ENCOURAGED TO PREACH. PREACH AND BE GLAD ABOUT IT. PREACH WHAT YOU CAN. WHEN YOU CAN. PREACH FOR THOSE WHO LIKE THE DEEP THINKING AND WANT TO WRESTLE WITH GOD'S WORD. PREACH TO THEM WHAT YOU KNOW ABOUT GOD'S ELECTION. HOW GOD BEFORE EVEN THE BEGINNING CHOSE ALL THOSE WHO WOULD BE SAVED AND WILL BE WITH HIM FOREVER IN HEAVEN. OR ARE YOU LIKE ME? AND YOU ENJOY SPENDING SOME OF YOUR TIME IN THE GARDEN? WELL, YOU CAN PREACH THERE, TOO. AND JUST POINT AT THE ROSES AND THE DAHLIAS, AND SAY: YOU KNOW, GOD MADE THE WONDER OF THIS TO GIVE US THIS VARIETY OF ROSES. THINK OF HIS LOVE. POINT IT OUT. RIGHT HERE IN THE GARDEN. PROCLAIM THAT GOOD NEWS! AND THEN THOSE HARD TIMES AND THOSE QUIET TIMES. YOU WANT TO DWELL WITH PEOPLE ON THE PROMISES OF GOD ... OF GOD'S GREAT LOVE, OF HIS SALVATION, OF HIS RESCUE OF FALLEN MANKIND. YOU WANT TO PREACH HOW GOD GAVE HIS VERY OWN SON TO SAVE EACH ONE OF US. OR THE OTHER TIMES. MAYBE YOU'RE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND YOU'RE WATCHING THE NEWS. AND YOU CAN BRING IN GOD'S WORD AND PREACH HOW THESE CURRENT EVENTS IS EXACTLY WHAT GOD SAID. THE WORLD IS GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE UNGODLY. LOOK IT UP. GOD SAYS IT. SHARE HOW BY REVELATIONS AND PROMISES OF HIS LOVE, GOD CONVINCES PEOPLE OF HIS GRACE AND MERCY. IT'S BY THIS PREACHING, BY SHARING HIS WORD THAT GOD TOUCHES HEARTS AND MAKES THEM ALIVE AND GROWS THEM IN FAITH. IT'S THE PREACHING, THE SHARING OF HIS WORD, THAT GOD MAKES PEOPLE CERTAIN THAT THEY ARE REALLY FORGIVEN OF ALL THEIR SINS. BECAUSE GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD. SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOU PREACH GOD'S WORD IT'S GREAT TO MEMORIZE GOD'S WORD BECAUSE THEN YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE IT WITH YOU SO WHEN YOU GET THE CHANCE, PULL OUT THE BIBLE AND SAY: LOOK IT SAYS RIGHT HERE. "HEAR ME LORD AND ANSWER ME. I'M POOR AND NEEDY" ... GOD REACHES OUT AND HEARS THE POOR AND NEEDY. IT SAYS IT RIGHT HERE. OR USE THE WORDS YOU'VE HEARD TODAY FROM ISAIAH TELLING THE WICKED TO REPENT. RECEIVE THE GOOD NEWS OF A GOD THAT FREELY PARDONS OR SHARING JESUS' PARABLES. THAT STRIPS AWAY THAT SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. THAT ... WELL, I WORKED ALL MY LIFE OR THE PARABLE ... ALL DAY LONG IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY AND THESE PEOPLE JUST WORKED A LITTLE BIT, AND THEY GET THE SAME? WE'RE ALL SAVED BY GRACE, NOT BY WHAT WE DO. SHARE! PREACH THE WORD OF GOD AS GOD GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY. PREACH THE GOOD NEWS! PAUL SAYS THAT'S WHAT MATTERS! PROCLAIM CHRIST CRUCIFIED. THAT GIVES FORGIVENESS. THE POWER OF GOD IS THE GOSPEL AND WE CAN PREACH IT. PREACH ... BECAUSE THOSE SHARING THE GOSPEL ALSO SHARE IN THE GIFTS OF THE GOSPEL. YOU CAN'T LET THE SIMPLENESS OF YOUR OWN HEART STOP YOU FROM BEING IN GOD'S WORD. OH, I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH TODAY TO HEAR GOD'S WORD. I'M NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO APPROACH GOD. NO! SIN CANNOT STOP THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD TO GIVE YOU GOD'S ASSURANCE IN YOURSELF OF GOD'S LOVE, OF JESUS' REDEMPTION. OF HAVING THE SPIRIT COME AND WORK WITHIN YOU. YOU NEED IT ALL THE MORE ON THOSE DAYS. SO THE GOSPEL BEING PREACHED ALSO REACHES OUT TO OTHER PEOPLE AND THEIR HEARTS. IT CAUSES SOME THAT FIRST TIME TO BE BORN AGAIN AND IT GIVES OTHERS LIKE US WHO CAN HEAR IT AGAIN, THAT GIFT OF LIFE RENEWED TO PREACH ABOUT JESUS' LIFE AND DEATH, HIS RESURRECTION, HIS ASCENSION. PROCLAIM ALL THAT JESUS HAS DONE. AND WHEN YOU ARE DOING THIS, DO AS PAUL DID AND THEN BECAUSE OF THIS ... I REJOICE! BECAUSE HE KNEW GOD'S WILL WAS BEING DONE. GOD'S GRACIOUS POWER WAS AT WORK. SOULS WERE BEING SAVED. AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES PREACHING IMPORTANT. PREACHING SAVES SOULS. THAT'S WHAT BRINGS JOY TO GOD - THE SALVATION OF YOUR SOUL AND MINE AND OTHERS, AS WELL. THAT BROUGHT JOY TO PAUL. AND TO DO THIS THEN, TO BE READY TO PREACH WHEREVER ... WHEREVER YOU ARE. MAKE SURE YOU ARE PREACHING TO YOURSELF OFTEN BECAUSE BY THE POWER OF THE WORD BEING PREACHED TO YOURSELF IT SHAPES YOU TO BE WORTHY TO SHARE THE GOSPEL. AND SO PAUL EXPLAINS: WHATEVER HAPPENS CONDUCT YOURSELVES IN A MANNER WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. THEN WHETHER I COME AND SEE YOU OR ONLY HEAR ABOUT YOU IN MY ABSENCE, I WILL KNOW THAT YOU STAND FIRM IN ONE SPIRIT CONTENDING AS ONE MAN FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL. SEE PAUL WAS SAYING: THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING. PAUL WAS CONDUCTING HIS OWN LIFE IN A MANNER THAT WAS WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL. PAUL SPELLS IT OUT FOR US. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN BEING WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL? IT'S DOING EVERYTHING BY THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL. KEEPING IN LINE WITH THAT GIFT OF SALVATION. YOU WANT TO BE WORTHY OF PREACHING THE GOSPEL? BELIEVE IT! BELIEVE IT! RECEIVE THIS POWER IN YOU THAT JESUS LIVED AND DIED FOR YOU SO THAT NOW YOU CAN LIVE AND DIE IN FAITH IN HIM. PAUL SAID IT ANOTHER WAY. HE SAID: I EAGERLY EXPECT AND HOPE THAT I WILL IN NO WAY BE ASHAMED, BUT WILL HAVE SUFFICIENT COURAGE SO THAT NOW AS ALWAYS CHRIST WILL BE EXALTED IN MY BODY, WHETHER BY LIFE OR BY DEATH. [VERSE 20] THE WORKING OF THAT PREACHING OF THAT GOSPEL IN PAUL ... PAUL SAYS IT KEPT HIM IN FAITH. IT KEPT HIM TRUSTING JESUS. THAT FAITH THAT PAUL EXALTED IN JESUS WAS EVERYTHING EVEN WHEN HE WAS LOCKED UP IN PRISON. HE WAS STILL LOOKING FORWARD EAGERLY TO JESUS' COMING TO THE ETERNAL LIFE HE WOULD HAVE WITH HIM. TRUSTING THE PROMISES OF GOD, THE REDEMPTION THAT JESUS GAVE ... THAT GAVE PAUL COURAGE TO GO ON LIVING, AND EVEN TO DIE IF THAT'S WHAT IT TOOK - HE'D DIE FOR THE LORD. YOU WANT TO READ SOME EXTREMES ABOUT A CHRISTIAN LIFE ... READ ABOUT PAUL. IN GOD'S WORD PAUL GAVE ALL THE EXTREMES. PAUL 'DID' GO TO PRISON FOR HIS FAITH! LATER HE 'DID' DIE FOR HIS FAITH IN JESUS! BECAUSE HE REFUSED TO STOP PREACHING ABOUT HIM. IN BETWEEN PAUL WOULD GO ON AND CONTINUE TO SHARE WITH HIS FELLOW JEWS THE MESSAGE THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPENT AND BELIEVE. EVEN WHEN THEY TRIED TO HIDE THEIR SINS: WELL, WE DON'T NEED TO REPENT. OR TO STONE HIM WHEN HE SHARED THE TRUTH ABOUT JESUS. PAUL EVEN STOOD BEFORE GOVERNORS AND KINGS AND TOLD THEM THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPENT AND BELIEVE, TOO. EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE WILD-LIVING GENTILES AND ROMANS WHO OFTEN PROVED THEIR SINFULNESS BY THEIR LIVING. PAUL PUT HIS LIFE ON THE LINE TIME AND TIME AGAIN TRUSTING IT IN ONE WAY BUT IT DIDN'T MATTER. AND HE PUT IT THIS WAY: BECAUSE IF HE LIVED, WELL THEN HE'D CONTINUE TO SERVE JESUS. AND IF HE DIED, WELL THAT WOULD BE EVEN BETTER BECAUSE THEN HE'D BE WITH JESUS FOREVER. FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, TO DIE IS GAIN. [VERSE 21] AND HE ENCOURAGES US TO LIVE THIS WAY, TOO. HOW CAN WE? HOW CAN WE? WELL, PAUL SAYS: YES, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO REJOICE, FOR I KNOW THAT THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS AND THE HELP GIVEN BY THE SPIIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME WILL TURN OUT FOR MY DELIVERANCE. [VERSE 18b AND 19] PAUL WAS STRENGTHENED TRUSTING THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FOR HIS FINAL DELIVERANCE INTO HEAVEN. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FOR THAT DAY WHEN JESUS CALLED HIM HOME. WHAT PAUL ALSO FOUND CONFIDENCE IN WAS KNOWING THAT OTHERS WERE PRAYING FOR HIM. HE FOUND CONFIDENCE IN THAT. THAT'S LIKE YOU AND OTHERS LIKE YOU WERE PRAYING FOR HIM. ISN'T THAT A WONDROUS THING? A GOOD REMINDER? BUT, WE PRAY, RIGHT? SOMETIMES WE FOLD OUR HANDS. SOMETIMES WE JUST SPEAK OUT LOUD. OTHER TIMES WE CLOSE OUR EYES AND JUST TALK TO THE LORD WITHIN OUR HEAD. WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO? PAUL'S CONFIDENCE ... IT DOES GREAT GOOD. BECAUSE IT RESTS ON GOD'S PROMISES THAT THEIR PRAYERS ARE HEARD BY HIM AND ACCOUNTED BY HIM. THINK WHAT CONFIDENCE THAT YOU COULD GIVE TO EACH OTHER AS PAUL RECEIVED. PRAY FOR EACH OTHER. YOU'RE FACING HARD TIMES AT WORK? ASK EACH OTHER: WOULD YOU PRAY FOR ME? YOU'RE GOING IN FOR SURGERY? GIVE THE CONGREGATION THAT CHANCE TO SAY: OH, LORD, BE WITH OUR BROTHER, BE WITH OUR SISTER. AND TRUST THAT GOD IS HEARING THOSE PRAYERS. I ASK YOU PRAY FOR ME! AND FOR MY SISTER. I GOT AN EMAIL, GOT BACK ONLINE LAST NIGHT. GOT AN EMAIL FROM MY SISTER, HER HUSBAND, SAME SITUATION. HE'S GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR WORK. PRAY FOR US SO THE LORD WILL DIRECT US IN NEW WAYS TO PUT OUR GIFTS TO GOOD USE. POWER OF GOD'S GOOD NEWS: HE LISTENS TO YOU. HE LISTENS TO HIS CHILDREN. HE GIVES YOU YOUR PRAYERS AS A MEANS THAT YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. SO PRAY FOR EACH OTHER. PRAY FOR YOUR PASTOR, FOR YOUR CHURCH. PRAY FOR THOSE WHO DON'T YET BELIEVE IN JESUS. JESUS MIGHT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY JUST WAITING FOR THAT NEXT PRAYER FOR YOU FOR THAT ONE YOU'VE BEEN WORKING ON. THAT ONE THAT HASN'T COME YET. ONE MORE PRAYER. ONE MORE INVITATION AND THEY'LL BE HERE FOR STUDY ... AND FAITH AND WORSHIP. TRUST THAT GOD'S WILL IS DONE AND THAT HE'S WILLING TO LET YOU WORK WITH THEM IN PRAYER. PAUL TRUSTED THAT. SO DO I. SO SHOULD YOU. PAUL ALSO IS STRENGTHENED IN HIS CONFIDENCE BY THE SPIRIT OF JESUS CHRIST. THAT'S ANOTHER NAME FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE KNOWS. THE SPIRIT'S GRACE FLOWS IN US BY THIS GOSPEL. THE SPIRIT OF JESUS GIVES US FAITH THAT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR LIVES IS GONNA WORK OUT FOR OUR ETERNAL GOOD. NOW PAUL IS ALWAYS A GREAT EXAMPLE WHEN HE'S TALKING BECAUSE PAUL WAS REALLY FACING WHAT ALL OF US WOULD UNDERSTAND IS HARD TIMES. LIFE WAS TAKEN AWAY FROM HIM STUCK IN A PRISON CELL. PAUL'S SAYING: THIS IS GONNA WORK OUT FOR MY GOOD, MY ETERNAL DELIVERANCE. PROBABLY AT THE TIME OF PHILIPPIANS, HE WAS CONVINCED BY THE LORD THAT HE WOULD GO OUT AND PREACH AGAIN FOR A WHILE. THAT HE WOULD BE DELIVERED FROM PRISON BUT THAT'S NOT ALL OF THE DELIVERANCE. THAT HE WOULD FINALLY BE DELIVERED FROM SIN'S TEMPTATIONS, THAT HE WOULD BE DELIVERED FROM THIS LIFE INTO HEAVEN. PAUL WAS TRUSTING THAT THE SPIRIT WAS STRENGTHENING HIM AND THE CONGREGATION AT PHILIPPI. PAUL WAS TRUSTING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE ONGOING HARVESTS OF SOULS FOR SALVATION. YOU NEED TO TRUST THAT, TOO. AND THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO KEEP PREACHING. YOU KNOW I'VE BECOME LIKE MOST OF YOU NOW. I DON'T GET TO PREACH MUCH IN PULPITS ANYMORE. I DO MOST OF MY PREACHING ONE-ON-ONE. SOMETIMES THE EDITOR OF THE LOCAL PAPER LETS ME DO A LITTLE ARTICLE AND I PREACH THERE, TOO. BUT TO SHARE GOD'S WORD; THIS GOOD NEWS OF JESUS WHEREVER YOU GET THE CHANCE. BECAUSE YOU CAN TRUST THE GOSPEL'S THE POWER THAT SAVES. AND THEN BE LIKE PAUL. TO GO ON LIVING NOW IN THIS BODY, THIS IS GOING TO BE FRUITFUL LABOR FOR ME. EVERY DAY GOD'S GOT SOMETHING GOOD FOR ME TO DO. BE ASSURED. WHILE YOU ARE ON THIS EARTH, JESUS IS GIVING YOU TIME TO LABOR FOR HIM. HE WILL BLESS THE GOSPEL THAT YOU SHARE IN WHATEVER WAY YOU SHARE, HOW YOU SHARE. AND PAUL ALSO SAID: YET WHAT SHALL I CHOOSE? I DO NOT KNOW. I'M TORN BETWEEN THE TWO. I DESIRE TO DEPART AND TO BE WITH CHRIST, WHICH IS BETTER BY FAR. CHRISTIANS ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT. TO KNOW WHAT WAS THE BEST DAY OF OUR LIFE ON EARTH? THE LAST ONE! THE LAST ONE! WHEN WE GET TO LEAVE HERE AND KNOW WE GET TO BE WITH GOD FOREVER IN HEAVEN. THAT'S THE BEST DAY! BUT BEFORE THEN, OUR DAYS ARE STILL BLESSED AS WELL. AS PAUL SAID, OH, BUT IT'S MORE NECESSARY FOR YOU THAT I REMAIN IN THE BODY. I'M CONVINCED OF THIS. I KNOW THAT I WILL REMAIN AND I WILL CONTINUE WITH ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR PROGRESS AND JOY IN THE FAITH, SO THAT THROUGH MY BEING WITH YOU AGAIN YOUR JOY IN CHRIST JESUS WILL OVERFLOW. THAT'S WHAT WE CAN DO FOR EACH OTHER EVERY DAY. JUST LIVE BY FAITH, EXALT CHRIST IN EVERYTHING, AND BRING JOY TO OTHERS BY SHARING THIS GOOD NEWS. WHATEVER! OR WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT? PREACHING! PREACHING GOD'S GOOD NEWS TO YOURSELF AND TO OTHERS AND PREACHING FOR THE DESIRE TO MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO EXALT CHRIST IN EVERYTHING. THAT'S WHY PAUL COULD SAY: WHATEVER! WHATEVER ELSE WE DO. BY LIVING OR DEATH, WE SHARE THE GOSPEL. BECAUSE THAT MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR ETERNITY. AMEN. THE PEACE OF GOD THAT SURPASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING KEEP YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS AMEN.