Philippians 1:12-30

We read Philippians 1:12-30 and watch Paul turn prison into a platform for the gospel. We get honest about fear, shame, and what it looks like to make Christ visible when hardship hits work and home. 
• building the discipline of reading Scripture even in dry seasons 
• Paul’s chains advancing the gospel and strengthening believers’ boldness 
• asking whether public hardship points others to Christ 
• sorting bad motives from false teaching when Christ is preached 
• rejecting prosperity gospel expectations that crush faith under stress 
• wrestling with shame and the fear of hard conversations with people we love 
• “to live is Christ, to die is gain” in the face of real suffering 
• unity and lack of fear as a witness to outsiders 
• defining what counts as suffering for Christ today 
Read your Bible. Don't forget to tune back in next week for Philippians chapter two. Read your word. Read the word.

Transcript

Welcome And Daily Bible Discipline

SPEAKER_00 0:12

You are listening to the Regular Guys Bible Study Podcast, the Bible study for regular guys by regular guys. We are your host, Ken and Steve, and we are just regular guys studying the Bible together. Not theologians.

SPEAKER_01 0:31

Hey Ken.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

Hey Steve.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

How you doing? You sound uh flemme.

SPEAKER_00 0:40

I am very flimmy. I'm gonna be like hacking uh what's hacking hawking hawking up a lung, as they say. Isn't that a southern term? I'm I'm in the south, sort of.

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Gonna do your James Brown impersonation.

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Wait, what? Is that James? I think so. All right. All right. Well, guys, we are in Philippians. Uh last week we did Philippians 1 to 11. This week we will do Philippians 1, 12 to the end. Um we will try to do better this time than last time. I mean, we always do our best, really. Sometimes our best isn't very good.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Isn't very good.

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Yeah. Sometimes it's better. Sometimes it's not very good.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Just um Today's gonna be great. Just great.

SPEAKER_00 1:43

It might. It might. But you know what? I I think it's a good example, though, of sometimes. Um I I'm a big proponent of reading your Bible every morning and praying every morning. Sometimes when you read it, it's just like you're not gonna, it's not gonna be, it's not gonna feel great to you. You know what I mean? But you still need to do it. You still need it's a good discipline to build in yourself. Um, and you'll go through seasons of life even where it's it might be hard for you to listen to what God's telling you through the word. Um, but I found that if I push through it, um God honors that and starts speaking to me. So yep. All right, well, um, if you haven't read it, guys, um as always, I really want you to read this. Uh read the scripture before you listen to the podcast. So please pause us, read Philippians chapter one, verse 11, I'm sorry, 12 to the end, and uh then you will be prepared. All right.

SPEAKER_01 2:55

If if if I'm not mistaken, I read last times, which means you read this time.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

You are mistaken, Steve. We both read last time. Did we? Yeah, yes. I read the first part. Uh oh, hold on. I know I could be wrong. I could be wrong.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

There's only a small you know what?

SPEAKER_00 3:19

I don't care. Um, I can read. I'm not an idiot. I know how to read. Hold it. There's those are not mutually exclusive. I not only know how to read, I am also not a complete idiot. Are you sure? Yes. Completeness in idiocy. I'm not in complete, I'm not complete in anything.

SPEAKER_01 3:41

Including you're you're an idiot in progress.

SPEAKER_00 3:46

I'm an I'm an idiot savant at wheel.

SPEAKER_01 3:51

Hey, don't bring in my gamer name.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

All right. Well, here we go, guys. Um uh I will start in verse 12. Hey, why don't you though start? You can read the very end of it, 27 to the end. I'll do that. And I'm reading NIV, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

You want me to do that while you read the other part?

Philippians 1:12-30 Reading

SPEAKER_00 4:13

No, I want you to wait till I'm done um and then you start. All right, here we go. As long as I don't belcher phlegm into the mic. All right, too late. Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But 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, I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through the 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 this body, in the body, this will mean fruitful labor labor for me. Yet what shall 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 this 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.

SPEAKER_02 6:36

You want me to continue?

SPEAKER_00 6:37

Yeah. Go on, Steve 27.

SPEAKER_01 6:40

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of gos of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one spirit, striving together, as one for the faith of the gospel, without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved, and that by God. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.

SPEAKER_00 7:22

Alright, so just a little bit of a recap. Um, we know that Paul is in Rome and he's in prison, right? Those are things that we know. Many people believe uh I would go as as far as to say most, it seems like most scholars say that this is Paul's last time in prison.

SPEAKER_01 7:50

Is that how you I believe I have heard the same.

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Yeah, I I at least at least a lot of people think this is his last time in prison prison, and he is um actually killed here and does not get uh is never released from this. Um all right, so um that's a a short recap of that. And so what I want to start doing, I talked to Steve about this because I know in the past we have done, we've read some, and then we'll summer uh do a summary um of what we read. And I want to start doing that again. Um, I don't have any notes on the summary. Uh I just want to do it from a high-level view. So this is my summary. Steve, do you want to give a summary?

SPEAKER_01 8:49

No, you're you're doing great. Just great.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

I'm gonna try to summarize this. So Paul's in prison, and um he is saying he's the summary is that he Paul is saying, you know, it's actually good that I'm in prison. It's it's working to even uh spread the gospel of Jesus Christ more. Um some people are spreading it um because they love, I mean, out of you know, pure motives and they want to uh they want Jesus Christ to be known more. Others out of bad, but it doesn't matter. Um I mean bad motives meaning they're trying to hurt Paul, yeah, but it doesn't matter to him as long as Christ is preached. That's all that really matters. Um he also thinks he's gonna go um see them again um and Philippi, but if he doesn't, it's better, you know, by far for him to die, but he thinks he's still gonna go back to see them. Um let's see.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Hmm trying to summarize the very end.

SPEAKER_00 10:16

I guess I did really. Is that really the summary?

SPEAKER_01 10:21

I think you did fine up through 26. I think the very end is more about encouraging them to stand firm and uh be united.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Uh yeah, yeah. What that's the whatever happens. Um yeah. Yeah, I missed that part. I did the part I read.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

I think you did pretty well.

SPEAKER_00 10:44

All right.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

I'm surprised.

SPEAKER_00 10:45

Yeah, me too. Um because now prepare. All right.

SPEAKER_01 10:51

I want to reread 12 and 13.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

Go for it.

SPEAKER_01 10:54

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole Palace Guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. So here's my question.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

When hardship comes to you, and it's public hardship, does everyone around you know your love for Christ?

SPEAKER_00 11:23

Um I can say all my let me think about this. I think everybody that knows my hardship does.

SPEAKER_02 11:46

You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_00 11:47

Like I would not I don't talk about my hardship, for example, to my uh pe the people who report to me at work.

SPEAKER_01 12:00

What if it's a work hardship? Or does that not qualify for this?

SPEAKER_00 12:06

It's a work hardship.

SPEAKER_01 12:09

Okay, well for instance, Meta's laying off 20% of their own.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

I was just about to say. So uh there's yeah, there's rumors of this 20% um layoff coming very soon.

SPEAKER_02 12:24

Um yeah, I no.

SPEAKER_00 12:30

I haven't talked about I haven't talked about at work how uh the reason I'm not worried is because I know God's gonna take care of me.

SPEAKER_01 12:41

Um I'm I'm convicted by my own question. Um I assume you are as well. Yeah. I believe my Christian brothers and sisters that know my hardship are aware of my faith and love in Christ. But I can't say with any sort of certainty that anyone else would.

SPEAKER_00 13:11

No, you're right. And you're and when you look at this, the whole palace guard and everyone else, so I mean, it's not like just the brothers, uh his fellow believers, but everybody knows that um he is in chains for Christ. And I you know, honestly, I think his attitude you can read, you can like feel his attitude in this letter, right? Of the attitude of gratitude, the the yeah, sure. But I mean, you're talking about rejoice in your suffering. Um, you know, it's like he's Mr. Silverlining around this thing. Yes. Um, yeah, yeah. I'm uh I hear you, Steve. All right. So what did that look like, though? I'm trying to figure out hold on, you convicted me here, so I'm trying to figure out how that looks at work with.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

Well, the longer I've thought about it, I'm like, well, there are a few what I don't know their beliefs. When they're going through hardship, they would know that I'm a Christ follower. So I guess that's sort of related. Because I'll talk to them about it.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

Yeah. I mean there's there's a Jewish guy at work I'll talk to about about Christ. Um because he lo he loves to talk about Christianity versus Judaism. He's a funny guy. Um, I really like that guy. Um that's this is Russ's old boss at uh his previous company. Um, anyway, um yeah, that's uh yeah, that is I need to think about that and how to move forward with that um so that others can see why I'm different. I think I think people can see that I'm different in the hardship, but the important part is why I'm different, and that's the part that I don't think I display.

SPEAKER_02 15:44

All right. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:47

Welcome to the conviction podcast.

SPEAKER_00 15:50

Yeah, thank you, Steve. Um, I needed that. All right, um, let's see. Well, you know, um my only comment on 12 is I put a comment that Paul is able to clearly see how God uses even those things that look bad uh that look bad um in his life to spread the gospel. So I think it's easy for us to be clouded by those to you know, our our vision gets clouded by how God is using us when things are tough.

SPEAKER_01 16:29

Well, I think part of that is the false message of a lot of preachers that like the prosperity gospel. Yeah, I mean Brad just talked about that this Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 16:43

Yeah, you're right.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

You you get this expectation, and then when things don't go your way, you're crushed.

SPEAKER_00 16:50

Yeah, but I would say sometimes even when you don't have those expectations, the the things that are going on are so either either the one thing is overwhelming or you have so many things going on that you just feel overwhelmed and defeated. Um and and that's when even though you know deep inside that you should be rejoicing through this, you should be seeing seeking God through this and seeing how he's using this, even though I know that sometimes that can be overwhelming and push me down. Yeah. All right, I have another comment about 14. Go for it. All right, uh 14 says, and because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim proclaim the gospel. Um I don't quite follow this. Um I don't either. Unless you know, is it because they've seen um how bold he can be? And that has um Well I just had a thought. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:15

I think they're seeing the level of his conviction, and so they believe all the more in what he says as truth. He didn't recant what he was preaching to save himself.

SPEAKER_00 18:31

That's true. Yeah. If there were any doubts about Paul's conviction in what he believes, uh certainly those get thrown out. Alright. What else do you have, Steve? Alright, go for it.

Motives For Preaching And False Teaching

SPEAKER_01 18:53

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of good will.

SPEAKER_00 19:02

I that's not called a goodwill. It's not talking about preaching out of a goodwill store.

SPEAKER_02 19:07

Oh, okay. That's not my question.

SPEAKER_00 19:09

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01 19:10

Um there are a lot of churches, religions, sex, whatever you want to call them, that still preach from the Bible or parts of the Bible, and Jesus is at least mentioned. Well, I'll I'll take this even further. Islam, they believe Christ existed. The Jews believe Christ existed. Is that the kind of preaching that he's like, hey, that's still good too, because Christ is being taught. Or does he only mean I mean, because some of these are out of envy and rivalry, so are they even teaching the right things?

SPEAKER_00 20:02

Yeah, I have a similar comment, but I put it on 17. Um uh because 17 says the former preach cross Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I'm in chains. But what does what but 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. So um it's that whole section, I guess, really, that uh is what that points to. And so I have a I have a comment on that. I don't believe that um preaching false things about Jesus um is what Paul is talking about here. So, in other words, I think um preaching the prosperity gospel um is not what Paul is talking about. Um I think Paul is talking about um um you know um confessing with your mouth, uh believing with your heart and c confessing with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. Um that is what is preached, and that that Jesus was the answer to these um these prophecies from from uh the olden days um and that he is the lamb that uh uh the the perfect lamb that sacrificed for all of our sins. That's the important parts I think.

SPEAKER_01 21:51

I I agree, but I do think there are people that uh have been in these I'll call them apostate churches or other religions that have still found their way to a more Christ-centered church or belief and have made their way to Christ. And their first exposure was not necessarily the correct exposure.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

Okay. Let me think about this. You're right. Because, you know, those those um prosperity gospel churches, they can bring people to Christ, but I think they lead them astray in their walk. I agree.

SPEAKER_01 22:42

And I think there are a few people that make their way out.

SPEAKER_00 22:46

Yes. And I I and I think it's probably more than a few. But I believe that I believe Paul would say as long as the Christ being preached part to these pe to these non-believers is valuable. But I think he would write a scathing letter to those churches about what they're teaching. Yeah, I think that that's a that's a there's a fine line there, but I think it that Christ is being preached to the unbeliever. That is important. Now I don't think Islam counts there because Jesus is not uh being preached as He is pre He is, I do believe is my understanding that He is the Christ. But it's different than how we believe that is.

SPEAKER_02 23:58

Right.

SPEAKER_01 24:00

So All right. My next thing isn't till 22.

Courage Over Shame Life Or Death

SPEAKER_00 24:04

All right, I got twenty. Uh all right, verse 20 says, 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. Um it's interesting to me that Paul would write that he um hopes that he will in no way be ashamed. Um because that means he has those feelings at times, right? Those like uh I don't I'm in you know embarrassed to talk about this right now. Um those kinds of feelings that you get like when you talk to if you want to talk to close family about Christ um or a close friend about Christ. And you know, Paul understands those same kinds of feelings, and he's saying, you know, I I don't want to be ashamed in any way. Um and when we are scared to talk to somebody about Christ, who especially man, someone we love. Yeah, that is us being ashamed of the gospel. And yeah, this is conviction day, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 25:34

It is so I don't know that that's just uh there are other reasons for that feeling, like fear of confrontation or fear of putting a wedge in the family or between you and that friend. But that's that's putting your relationship above Christ's relationship.

SPEAKER_00 26:01

Yeah. I don't care if you go to hell later, as long as we can still be friends now.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

As long as I don't have to have an argument.

SPEAKER_00 26:09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:10

Nothing difficult.

SPEAKER_00 26:11

Uh all right. Um then let me see, and then right after that, uh, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Um what do I have about that about uh oh and then um mine's on the next verse. Oh, I see. When um yeah, when he says for me um to uh to live as Christ and to die is is gain, he's talking about a brutal death. You know, it's um it's not like he's saying, you know, if I just pass away in my sleep tonight, he's talking about if they beat me to death, or if I'm hung on a cross like like Christ, or if I'm beheaded, or you know, all these different ways you might be killed.

SPEAKER_01 27:09

Um and none of them are pleasant by um uh he might say beheading would be the way to go.

SPEAKER_00 27:18

That'd be the best way to go. But he might be put in a den of lions. Ooh, is that how that might be how Paul went.

SPEAKER_02 27:28

Um in the uh in the Colosseum. Um wasn't there.

SPEAKER_00 27:36

I I don't I think I was there, but I don't remember. Um anyway, that's what I got for 21. Alright, then you have something on what, 22?

SPEAKER_02 27:49

Excuse me.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Yeah, he says, Yeah, what shall I choose? Does he really have a choice here? He I I don't think that's translated well. I think it's what which would I prefer would be a better translation, the way it reads with the rest of the text. Because I don't think he has any choice in this.

SPEAKER_00 28:18

Yeah, I think he's his point is if I had a choice, which one would I choose? Uh so let's see. I'm asking uh AI, by the way, how Paul died. Uh AY wasn't invented yet. Oh, it says he was there.

SPEAKER_02 28:40

Uh let's see.

SPEAKER_00 28:42

Um probably died most likely died as a martyr under Nero in Rome. Um no absolute confidence in the exact method that uh beheading is possible.

SPEAKER_02 29:07

Um, they don't know for sure. But beheaded is what actually is what they're saying is most likely.

SPEAKER_00 29:21

Alright. Anyway.

SPEAKER_01 29:24

I think that would be the best way to go.

SPEAKER_00 29:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:27

Um the choices we mentioned. Burning of the steak, that would be the worst.

SPEAKER_00 29:31

Oh man. I don't mind I don't mind if the if its steak is like like a little charred, but it's still gotta be pink in the middle.

SPEAKER_01 29:41

Yeah, but if you're that steak, that charring is gonna be a nasty process.

Unity Without Fear And Suffering

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Um, all right. I've got a comment on 25. What you got? What do you have, Steve?

SPEAKER_01 29:58

Nothing again until 27 and 28.

SPEAKER_00 30:00

All right, 25. 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. He's convinced of this. However, we believe, most people believe, that this was it. It doesn't happen.

SPEAKER_02 30:21

So what do we take from that, Steve? That he doesn't know all of what God has in store for him.

SPEAKER_00 30:36

That's true. He does not know.

SPEAKER_01 30:40

And Jesus knew.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

Jesus did know for himself. Um, and it's evident in Paul's writing that he's not sure either.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

Um but um well, even 27 goes, it starts with whatever happens.

SPEAKER_00 30:55

Whatever happens, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Whether I'm right or wrong about this.

SPEAKER_00 31:00

Yes, and that's yeah, that's the comment I have in 27 that you know he's convinced in 25, but then in 20, you know, he says convinced of this, but then in 27, he's going, you know, but I don't know. Whatever happens, blah. All right. What do you uh what do you got for 27, Steve? Is that what you were gonna say about 27?

SPEAKER_01 31:24

No, 27 and 28, um, which is most of this paragraph. Uh blah blah blah. 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 the one spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you? This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved, and that by God. So, how is the believer's lack of fear and their unity a sign of unbelievers' destruction, but of the believer's salvation? Or am I not interpreting that correctly?

SPEAKER_00 32:21

No, no, I that I remember um not writing a note on that because I wasn't sure what to say about it. Um, because I you know, I I can see that if we all have no fear um as they you know arrest us and do whatever, and we show no fear because we trust God, that's a powerful statement. Now does it do what it claims? Um let's see, this is a sign to them that they will be destroyed.

SPEAKER_02 33:07

Um I don't know. I mean it's it's possible that uh I don't know, Steve.

SPEAKER_00 33:25

But I would say that if there's a if you're doing this to a lot of people, if you're rounding up people and beating them and they um continue to rejoice in the Lord while this is going on, that's gonna bother you in some way. There's something going on.

SPEAKER_01 33:47

Hopefully it will bother you.

SPEAKER_00 33:48

No, but I mean it's it's gonna say something is going on here. I've got something is happening here, and it could change hearts.

SPEAKER_01 34:03

Um would probably encourage a number of people to look and see what what the deal is.

SPEAKER_02 34:13

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:16

Um yeah, so I mean it's just basically it's another reminder. Um I think that the way we respond to hardship um I think especially from the outside, from outside the church. It's important. It's extremely important how we respond to that hardship. Um, and it should not be in anger and um and riots and whatever. Yeah, we are not called to uh riot against the government when they don't do what we say. Um I mean that's clear. That's very clear in all of the Bible. That that just never happens for the Jewish people.

SPEAKER_01 35:17

So I'm thinking of what's going on in Cuba right now where they're rioting against the Cuban government.

SPEAKER_02 35:24

You're saying that Christians shouldn't be helping to overthrow that regime.

SPEAKER_00 35:35

I'm not gonna make a statement like that. I don't know, Steve.

SPEAKER_01 35:38

Okay, let's let's make it easier. Yeah. America going against the the United Kingdom.

SPEAKER_00 35:45

No, that this is a um that's that's a um I don't know, Steve. Don't do this to me. All I know is this. This is what I know. Um biblically, if you look at biblical um things that have happened, I mean there were wars and stuff, but you know, when the Jewish people were oppressed and held captive by Egypt, um they did not riot and fight, they left.

SPEAKER_01 36:23

Um God led them out.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

God led them out, and they left. They did not fight. Um the one time Moses fought, uh it did not, I mean, he ended up killing somebody and it was not good. I mean, even his own people were not happy with that.

SPEAKER_02 36:53

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 36:54

Biblically speaking, uh the church, I'm talking about the church or or in uh in the old testament God's chosen people, which was the Jewish nation. Um when they were captured, I there was no uh I don't recall a time when they fought to get out of captivity or um rebelled against the count.

SPEAKER_01 37:29

Like when they were in Babylon Babylon after that happened, they eventually were allowed to go back.

SPEAKER_02 37:38

Yes. Huh. God made a way for them. Yeah. I hadn't really thought about it from that angle before.

SPEAKER_00 37:52

What do you know? Now I've actually given you something to think about, Steve. My job is.

SPEAKER_01 38:00

That's why people tune in to this podcast to hear these insightful things that make you go, huh?

What Counts As Suffering For Christ

SPEAKER_00 38:09

All right. Um, I got one more note, Steve.

SPEAKER_01 38:13

Go for it.

SPEAKER_00 38:14

Uh 29, it says, for it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have. Is this a command, or is this just a is this a command to believers, or is this just saying to the Philippians, um, man, God's now uh granted to you for you to suffer as well, just like um I have and like Christ didn't know.

SPEAKER_02 38:54

I think it's I don't think it's command.

SPEAKER_01 38:56

I think it's um more of a hey, don't be surprised when you're put to the same test and have to suffer for Christ.

SPEAKER_00 39:09

But is it to the Philippians or is it to all of us?

SPEAKER_02 39:19

I'm gonna say it's probably to all of us. But I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 39:25

Yeah, I think it's some, I think it's both. Um but I mean uh the specific detail since you were going through the same struggle you saw I had and now hear that I still have so I think the message is actually to the Philippians, but it doesn't it doesn't, I mean the whole letters to the Philippians, but does it apply to us? Um and I would say it applies to us when we are suffering for Christ.

SPEAKER_02 40:07

So that's an interesting question.

SPEAKER_01 40:08

Is anything we suffer suffering for Christ?

SPEAKER_00 40:13

No. That's my answer. Uh my we do struggle, and it's important that when we struggle with things, um that we do it in a Christ-like way. But I think suffering for Christ is when you're being when you're being beaten for believing in Jesus or for being a Christian. There are places in this world that this happens today.

SPEAKER_02 40:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:50

Um, we don't go through that. Um I think um there have been uh there have been cases in the US where people get end up being fired because of their um a share of the.

SPEAKER_01 41:07

Or their business gets shut down. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 41:10

Oh yeah, or their business gets shut down. Yeah. Um so I mean, there are people in the US that suffer for their faith, but not like um not like they do in some parts of the world.

SPEAKER_01 41:24

Like in Africa and Middle East, China.

SPEAKER_00 41:29

Yes, China. All right. Anything else, Steve?

SPEAKER_01 41:37

No, I think we've run the gambit.

SPEAKER_00 41:41

All right. Well, that's it, guys. Uh next week, we will be doing Philippians chapter two. Um, I don't know how many verses we'll do, but um I am at least through 11. At least through 11. Um, but I am convinced we will not be doing full chapters um because I like to discuss the stuff that I've done.

SPEAKER_01 42:04

I find you discussing.

SPEAKER_00 42:10

All right. At any rate, guys, that's it for today. Read your Bible. Uh don't forget to tune back in next week for Philippians chapter two. Read your word. Read the word.