[serialposts]Read Philippians 4:21-23 (ESV, NIV, The Message)

Greetings Saints,

While I hope you enjoy the video, I feel it’s important to share a link with you that properly examines this portion of Scripture. In my extensive search for any information about Philippians 4:21-23, I came across a blog post by Dr. Mark E. Hardgrove. Once I read through his explanation, I knew there was nothing left for me to say. HERE is Dr. Mark’s post.

Excerpt (from the Introduction):

In my conversation with many people, who do not profess Christ as their Lord and who have not been Born Again, the reason I often hear from these people is that they feel like becoming a believer is too great a sacrifice to make. In other words, they feel like it is too difficult to live the Christian life in a world that offers the pleasures and the temptations that does.

As a matter of fact, I’ve talked to many people who once were believers, but who no longer serve the Lord, and their explanation for turning their back on the Lord and on His Church is that they feel the Christian life is just too hard to live. I’ve talked with high school and college students who say, “It’s just too hard!” I’ve talked to kids of parents who are not Christians say, “It’s just too hard!” I’ve talked with the spouse of someone who is not a Christian and they say, “It’s just too hard.” I’ve talked with people who work in a work environment where people are heathens and they say, “It’s just too hard!”

That is the report of the enemy to all who would live godly in Christ Jesus, “It’s just too hard.” But the report of the Lord in Proverbs 13:15 is that “the way of the transgressors is hard.”

Jesus did say, “in the world ye shall have tribulation,” but he also said, “but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Paul did say, “they that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution,” but he also said, “these present sufferings are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us.” James said, “count it all joy when ye fall into diver temptations.” There will be trials, temptations, and tribulations, but that’s no reason to throw in the towel. That’s no reason to give up on God and go back to the hog pen. The greater the trial, the bigger the victory. The bigger the giant, the harder he falls. There will be battles, but thank God the victory is already ours!

Now I want you to look at the two verses I just read. There is a phrase in verse 22 that has burned in my heart for over fifteen years. A. A. Ledford, one of the great Bible teachers of the Church of God, brought this phrase to my attention back in the 1980’s and it continues to challenge me. Look at it again with me: “All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.” Did you get that? There were saints, that is, believers in Caesar’s household. They were either members of his family, or slaves who served in the house of Caesar, but they were believers. I don’t know what that does for you, but it sends chill bumps down my spine. Let’s consider our text.

Read more…

To the King,

Evan Dawson

[youtube pAmMxM-4OVE nolink]