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Now, here's today's message from Pastor Skip Heitzig. The name Yodia. Is a Greek name that means good journey. You know, we say, Have a good journey, good journey. Yodia.
Sun tuke. Is fortunate. That's what her name means, literally. Fortunate.
So good journey and fortunate.
So let's call one Miss Good Trip. And one, miss lucky. For some reason, Miss Goodtrip and Miss Lucky are at odds with each other. We don't know what it is. We're not told what it is.
We would have to guess what it is. It could be anything menial from the color of the tablecloth at the Thanksgiving woman's banquet to some doctrinal issue. That Makes them at odds with each other. The thing is, we don't know, and Paul doesn't. Need to tell us.
But he does need to tell them. You gals need to work it out. You need to get on the same page. To be of the same mind in the Lord.
Now, who, whatever the issue was. Because he brings them up. And he tells us just a little bit about them. We can surmise that they were prominent women. Because He says In verse 3.
The rest of my fellow workers whose names are in the book of life.
So they shared some kind of ministry responsibility. With them. Here's my guess. And I'm just going to guess. When Paul went to Philippi the first time, these two women were among the women who were meeting at the riverside when Paul had the first meeting in that town.
Let me refresh your memory. When Paul First, he came to Europe, came to Macedonia. The first city he came to was Philippi. Remember, he had a vision in Troas, a man from Macedonia saying, Come over to Macedonia and help us. He sets foot on European soil.
In the city of Philippi. And it says That He spoke to a group of women who were meeting at the river. Side. A group of women meeting at the riverside.
Now, there's a lot in that. What that tells me, number one, is there was no synagogue in the city. There were Jews, but there was no synagogue.
So there were very few Jews living in Philippi. Because according to Jewish law, You had to have a minimum of 10 Jewish males. in order to form a synagogue.
So it tells me there weren't 10 Jewish males in that city, but there were Jewish women, and so they met at the riverside. Why the river? Because that's where living water was. flowing water, water that flowed and wasn't stagnant. And so they could have ritual baths, ritual ablutions in the riverside.
That was the typical place where they met.
So I'm guessing that We know one of the gals' names was Lydia from the book of Acts. Who believe the things spoken by Paul? and invited Paul to be cared for by her. And now I'm guessing there was Yodia and Suntuke. These three gals among the group that was meeting there at the Riverside, and now they have.
a disagreement with each other. What? is unfortunate. Not for us. But for these two gals, is that their names are immortalized In the scripture.
as being the two gals in Philippi who didn't get along. You say, oh, their names in the Bible. Yeah, but look at the context of it. You know, it's kind of a bummer to be forever known. And here we are, 2,000 years later, talking about these two chicks who couldn't get along in Philippi.
And so, yeah, their names are written in the Bible, but. He had to, he felt the need, he felt compelled to bring it to the surface. and tell them to get along. And then he continues, verse three: I urge you also, true. Companion.
Help these women who labored. With me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers whose names are written in the book of life.
Now who is he talking to we don't know.
Some person at Philippi Yeah, Paul says Mediate for us, mediate for them, help them get on the same page. They obviously haven't been able to figure it out on their own.
So whoever he's writing to, he's a true yoke fellow or companion.
Now, there's a guess. There's a couple of guesses here. If you're interested in this stuff, this is just a little bit of extra FYI. Um The Greek word for companion. Or the old King James says, my yoke fellow, yoke fellow or companion.
The Greek word is syzygus. Systygus or Suzugas. Suzugas.
Some scholars believe that that was actually the guy's name. And so it should say, and I urge you, Suzugas, help these. Checks Yodia and Suntuke. Um so he's actually naming There was a guy by the name of Suzugas who lived in Philippi that he is referring to. Others believe he is speaking generically of a yoke fellow or A companion, since that's what Souzagas is translated into our English language.
So it's either a guy named that, or it's. A guy who embodies that. a companion of Paul, Help these women who labored with me in the gospel, Clement also, the rest of my fellow workers whose names are in. The book of of life. To be honest, I would rather.
Just have my name in the book of life. Then have my name in the book of Philippians. like Yodi and Suntuke did. Your name is in the book of life. Do you ever just think about that?
Whatever you're going through, no matter how bad your day, week, month, year has been. Your name is in the book of life. That's a good truth, and from time to time you're just Measure what you're going through with that truth. Mm. One of the reasons Paul was so joyful is because of this truth.
You remember when the disciples went around the Sea of Galilee and did the ministry Jesus told them to, and they came back and they were all stoked in the Gospel of Luke, I think chapter 10. And they said, Man, it was so awesome. You sent us to all these cities and we. We cast out demons in your name, and they came out of people. We worked miracles and it like was awesome.
And Jesus said, Don't rejoice that the demons are subject to you. Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Again, I don't know how bad your week has been. But You're not going to hell.
Oh, but you don't know how bad this month has been for me and the disease that I'm facing. Yes, okay, but you're not going to hell. I have relational issues. You have no idea.
Okay, but you're not going to hell. Your names are written in heaven. You're in the Lamb's book of life. No wonder he speaks so much about joy in this book. And so look at verse 4.
Boy, we're going slow. Rejoice. In the Lord. Always Again I will say, rejoice. That's a command.
Because it is a command. I can only Surmise. That joy is a choice that you make. Make sense? You can't give a person a command to rejoice unless it's possible to rejoice.
as an act of one's will.
So, joy is a choice more than it is a feeling. Joy is a decision more than it is a sensation. Joy is an outlook based upon an uplook. I mentioned that last week. Uplook was Christ, therefore his outlook was joy.
So he says, as a matter of command. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, Rejoice. Let me give you what I think is a good definition of joy. Joy?
Is the personal decision? To respond to life's difficulties. With faith. I'm not feeling so good. Rejoice in the Lord.
And because you are not rejoicing in your circumstances, but in the Lord. You can do it always. And then he says, just in case you forgot what I just said. Again I will say it. Rejoice.
Life is tough. But God is good. Keep that in mind. Life is tough. But God is good.
When Paul was in Philippi, you know his story. He was imprisoned. in chains beaten with rods. and at midnight he sang praises to God. Joy is the personal choice.
The personal decision. To respond to life's difficulties, learn with faith. I love joyful people. Don't you? Do you love angry people?
Do you love hanging out with bitter people? Do you love being in the same room with a complainer. And some people Spread joy, bring joy wherever they go. Have you noticed that?
Some people are just wow. I love it when they show up. They bring joy wherever they go. Other people bring joy whenever. They go.
Phew. They laughed. We can be happy now. Which are you? Do you bring joy wherever you go or whenever you go?
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice. You're listening to Connect with Skip Heitzig. Every day, friends like you help connect people around the world to the life-changing truth of God's Word through clear, verse-by-verse Bible teaching. And this month, we'd like to thank you with a practical resource designed for the challenges of everyday life.
When you give, you'll receive Biblical Wisdom for Everyday Living, a collection of four lifestyle booklets from Pastor Skip Heitzig. Through Pray This Way, Technicolor Joy, Unforgiveness, Forgiveness versus Sweet Revenge, and Standing Firm in Unsettling Times, you'll discover biblical wisdom for prayer, joy, forgiveness, and finding peace when life feels uncertain. We'll send this special collection as our thanks when you give $30 or more to support ConnectWithSkip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskiff.com slash offer.
Now, let's return to today's teaching. You know, there's a great... Verse of scripture in Proverbs, so many good things in that book, but Proverbs 15, verse 15. He who is of a merry heart. has a continual feast.
Continue with fees, wherever you are. Just you have it and you spread it. Verse 5: Let your gentleness be known. Boy, I got to speed up. Let your gentleness be known to all men.
The Lord is at hand. In other words, have a reputation for being gentle.
Now the word gentleness Better translation. Listen to this. This is a good one. Sweet reasonableness. Let your sweet reasonableness be known to all men.
It speaks of being Patient. with people's Fault. Shortcomings. issues, problems they have. Personality quirks, being persevering and being patient, being merciful.
with with other people, people's faults. When you were first saved. Newly born again Were any of you rough around the edges? I saw one hand. We were all rough around the edges.
And then you matured.
Now, I wonder if when you matured, you sort of got the feeling like, you know, I'm pretty awesome now. You might be awesome. You might be the person who spreads joy wherever they go. But you weren't always that awesome. You've blew it.
You made mistakes.
So. Give people a little slack. Who are growing in their faith, who make the same mistakes you did. That's the idea of sweet reasonableness, or let your generalists have a reputation for being that kind of a person, not arrogant. because you're mature and they're not.
but patient with him. Remember one of Jesus' attributes, he said, I am gentle. lowly in spirit. and you'll find rest for your souls.
So let your gentleness be known to all men. Why? Because the Lord is at hand.
Now that can mean one of two things. The Lord is present. In all these situations, wherever two or three gather, the Lord is there, He's present. Or it could mean the Lord's coming soon. Because either one are true.
You say, well, Paul thought the Lord was coming soon 2,000 years ago. You're right, he did. It's always good to live in the imminence of Jesus Christ. that he could come back at any moment and he could. You say, yeah, but he believed Jesus would come back and he never did.
You're right. But he's a lot closer today than he was then. The Lord is at hand. The Lord is coming soon. Let's get into the heart of it.
Be anxious for nothing. Another command. Be anxious for nothing. Don't be filled with worry and anxiety and care. Instead, pray about everything.
Be anxious for nothing, but In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer. Prayer is general prayer. Often it's a word that means to worship God.
Adoring God? Realizing who it is you're talking to, think of Sundays or this last weekend's message. We said that the five directions they looked, remember, they looked up, that's adoration. They looked back, that's reflection. They looked within, that's confession.
They looked around, that's petition. They looked ahead, that's submission. Same elements here. Everything by prayer, adoration. Supplication, those are your personal, heartfelt petitions.
With Thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God. and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts. and minds through Christ Jesus.
Now, a word about the word. Anxious. It's a very interesting word. It's the combination of two words. Here's the word in Greek: merem nao.
Merimna'o. Try to say that. Mere M na'o. That's.
Now it comes from two words. Morizzo which means to tear or shred or rip. To divide And Nos which is the mind.
So the word anxiety, merem na'o, literally means from those two words to divide. the mind, to tear the mind. Anxiety or worry divides or tears your mind between having legitimate thoughts. and destructive thoughts. That's what it does.
It rips, it shreds the mind. Anxiety tears the mind. It's the battle, the division between legitimate thoughts And unhealthy thoughts, destructive thoughts. Merimna'o is the word translated anxiety. Worry And care in the New Testament.
It's Found in the Greek New Testament 19 times. Jesus said, Don't worry about your life, Meramnao. Paul said in Corinthians, I would that you would not. That you would be without care, same word, merim na'o.
So it's that division of the mind. But in everything, so don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. Prayer, supplication, thanksgiving. Let your request be made known to God.
Now, Again, I don't want to go too deep, but I'm guessing that every audience I speak to has some people who are dealing with anxious thoughts or worry. It's just a given. I say that Solely because I'm a human being. And everybody I've ever met. deals with that.
So He gives the command, he says, don't be anxious for anything, but. That's a word of contrast.
Now listen, the contrast. is the solution. The contrast is the solution. The cure or the solution. For anxiety, worry, care.
Replacement Replace the thoughts that are dividing your mind. with other thoughts. Prayer, supplication, thanksgiving, request.
So Replace anxiety. With what the Bible calls in Peter, first Peter chapter five, casting. That's replacing casting. Peter says, casting all your cares, mere emnao, casting all your cares upon him, because he cares for you.
So, the cure, the solution is in the contrast. Don't do that. Don't let your mind, because your thoughts, neuroscientists tell us. That the average human mind Thanks. Thousand Thoughts.
Per day. Your thoughts are like rabbits. Boom, boom, boom. You gotta harness them. You gotta control them.
You have to bring every. Yeah. captive to the obedience of Christ. And so, when you're having thoughts and they're dividing your mind, Replacement, casting. All your Anxiety, care, worry, merimnao on the Lord, on him, because he cares for you.
When you do that, he gives you a guarantee, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard or mount up as a guard or a sentry. That's your heart and mind's Through Christ. Jesus. Cast all your cares upon him. All your cares upon him.
Pray about everything. You know, sometimes we go, well, I do the big things in life, but I don't want to bother things, God, with the little things. I have this little thought. I don't want to pray about that. Why not?
It's when you cast the little things to him.
Now when you do that, you're keeping the little things from becoming big things. The little things grow and become big things. A woman came, this is one of my favorite stories of G. Campbell, Morgan. A woman came to G.
Campbell, Morgan, and she said, Do you think God minds if we bring the little things to him? And he smiled and he said, ma'am, Can you think of anything? That's big. To God? You're asking me about little things.
What's big to him? Bring everything to him.
So don't let it grow. Everything, casting all your cares upon him. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard. your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. There is a difference between Peace with God and The peace of God.
Peace with God happened the day you were saved. Peace of God is an experience. That is different from the first. The peace with God is not a feeling, it's a fact. The war is over.
You're redeemed. You're saved. If you're a saved individual, God declares you're at peace with Him. There's nothing that stands in the way. Even though you may have peace with God and you may be a saved man or woman tonight, you may not be experiencing and feeling peaceful.
The piece With God. Is a fact. This peace, the peace of God, is a feeling. It's a feeling. It's an experience that you have.
Mm-hmm. Jesus Christ as your Savior brings you peace with God. Jesus Christ as your Lord brings you the peace of God. One's a fact, the other is a feeling. A feeling of peace is promised to those who have the fact of peace with God, and you can enter into it, and you're told how, right here.
I've always loved that little quip about This guy who was a worry word. He was a worrier. Every day you come to work and you just like, you know, worry and. And talk to himself, and just he looked miserable. And one day he came whistling and happy, and everybody at work said, Um Dude, what's up?
And he goes, you know how I worried like every day, all the time, every week, every month, every year. Yeah, yeah, I know that. You're known for that. We all talk about you in the office. He goes, well.
I finally figured it out. I hired somebody to worry for me. And they all said, You hired somebody. What are you paying this person? He goes, I'm paying him $200,000 a year, but it's worth it.
He said, $200,000 a year, you make $50,000 a year. How are you going to afford it? He goes, I don't know. That's his worry. Have you ever thought I'm God's property.
This is his worry. I've cast it on him. He bought me with a price. I got a lot of problems. You got a lot of problems.
Let him have those problems. He can handle them. Cast all your cares on him. Thanks for joining us today on Connect with Skiff Heitzig. Before we go, remember, your generosity helps share God's word with people around the world, bringing biblical truth, encouragement, and hope to those who need it most.
And this month, we'd love to thank you for your gift of $30 or more by sending you biblical wisdom for everyday living. a collection of four lifestyle booklets from Pastor Skip Heidzig. Pray this way, technicolor joy, unforgiveness, forgiveness versus sweet revenge, and standing firm in unsettling times. These practical resources will help you apply God's truth to everyday challenges and grow deeper in your walk with Christ. Give today at connectwithgift.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888.
See you next time. Make a connection! Make a connection, never fool. Of the crisis. Castle and burst.
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