He shifted the position in which he was sitting because the hard surface of the stone bench that he was chained to had begun to, once again, put his legs to sleep.
The light that had earlier in the day streamed through the tiny window of this pit, was fast becoming a precious commodity with which a man could see what he was writing.
He laid the ink stalk down for just a moment in order to rub his swollen hands together in an attempt to restore circulation to his wrists and fingers.
Looking back down to the parchment in front of him, he dipped the stalk into the stone blotter, and continued to scratch out...
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" ~Philipians 1:6
Paul, at the writing of this letter, was the prisoner of a madman.
Nero (15 December 37 – 9 June 68) was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the writing of this letter to the church at Philipi dates to about 64 A.D.
Historians tell us that, during his reign, Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy, trade, and enhancing the cultural life of the Empire. Nero's rule is often associated with tyranny and extravagance. He is known for many executions, including that of his mother, and the probable murder by poison of his stepbrother.
He is infamously known as the Emperor who "fiddled while Rome burned" and as an early persecutor of Christians. He was known for having captured Christians to burn them in his garden at night for a source of light for his parties.
Paul is writing to the church and from all that we gather from this letter, there is nothing wrong within the church. I guess what makes this letter stand out to me so much besides the beautiful passages that are found within it are the contrasts that are going on in the background.
The circumstances that Paul is in directly contrasts with the people that he is writing to. Paul is Nero's prisoner, and the church is celebrating victory and freedom.
Yet here in the opening of the letter we find a passage like verse six.
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:" ~Philipians 1:6
If we go through this letter we will find some other interesting passages, but ampilfied in power due to the condition of the environment from which they were birthed. I know that you have read these passages before, but i would ask, in light of the background that has been set, that you would please read these words again slowly and let them sink into your Spirit. (Read them out loud and listen to them as you read them.)
"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." ~Philipians 1:21
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
~ Philipians 2:13
"But what things were gain to me, those i counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and i count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom i have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that i may win Christ, and be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: that i may know Him and the power of His ressurection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto death; if by any means i might attain unto the ressurection of the dead." ~Philipians 3: 7-10
"Not that i speak in respect of want: for i have learned , in whatsoever state i am, there with to be content. I know both how to be abased, and i know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." ~Philipians 4:11-13
Reading this blog post this today you may emotionally feel as though you are either on one side of this letter or the other. You may be in a season of visible victory and freedom of your mind, will, and emotions or you may be in a season of a prison like experience in those areas.
I want to encourage you to catch the essence of this letter. The Christian experience is NOT what is going on around the believer, but rather what is going on IN the believer.
"For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." ~Philipians 1:21
"For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure."
~ Philipians 2:13
I read passges like 1:21, and 2:13 and I am challenged because God desires to give me the strength and opportunity to work out what He has placed within me and that is Himself! God provides us opportunities and the strength to reveal Himself to those around us TODAY!
How can you write a letter with such passion and resolve Paul? You are imprisoned right?
I firmly believe that Paul discovered that both the prison and the pulpit were both the same: Opportunities provided by God to diplay Himself to the audiences that both of those extremes offered.
What is going on in your world today? Who has God allowed you to be surrounded by today? May I submit to you that God has allowed both of the answers to those two questions for the express purpose of displaying Himself and He has given you the strength and the ability to do so!
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." ~Philipians 4:13
Easy? No. God never promises that life is going to be easy, but HE does promise that life, lived through Him, is possible!
Climbing with you,
~Dan
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