## Keep Looking Up

## Philippians 1:1-8

I find it interesting to think about different phrases that we use in our day to day communication. Often they have a biblical basis. Many folks who use them have no idea that these phrases actually come from Scripture. For example:

IT'S WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE…

JOB 11:16 BECAUSE THOU SHALT FORGET THY MISERY, AND REMEMBER IT AS WATERS THAT PASS AWAY:

A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME…

EC 10:20 CURSE NOT THE KING, NO NOT IN THY THOUGHT; AND CURSE NOT THE RICH IN THY BEDCHAMBER: FOR A BIRD OF THE AIR SHALL CARRY THE VOICE, AND THAT WHICH HATH WINGS SHALL TELL THE MATTER.

I'LL SHOW YOU A THING OR TWO…

1SA 14:12 AND THE MEN OF THE GARRISON ANSWERED JONATHAN AND HIS ARMOURBEARER, AND SAID, COME UP TO US, AND WE WILL SHEW YOU A THING. AND JONATHAN SAID UNTO HIS ARMOURBEARER, COME UP AFTER ME: FOR THE LORD HATH DELIVERED THEM INTO THE HAND OF ISRAEL.

THE BLIND LEADING THE BLIND…

MT 15:14 LET THEM ALONE: THEY BE BLIND LEADERS OF THE BLIND. AND IF THE BLIND LEAD THE BLIND, BOTH SHALL FALL INTO THE DITCH. [2]

WON'T LIFT A FINGER TO HELP...

LU 11:46 AND HE SAID, WOE UNTO YOU ALSO, YE LAWYERS! FOR YE LADE MEN WITH BURDENS GRIEVOUS TO BE BORNE, AND YE YOURSELVES TOUCH NOT THE BURDENS WITH ONE OF YOUR FINGERS.

Another phrase that we often use is "Keeping looking up". Now many folks may think this means we are talking about having a positive attitude about things, but we know it means much more. We are to look up for a reason…it is because God is there, and He will provide exactly what we need.

MY VOICE SHALT THOU HEAR IN THE MORNING, O LORD; IN THE MORNING WILL I DIRECT MY PRAYER UNTO THEE, AND WILL LOOK UP. (PSALMS 5:3)

My routine for Bible reading is morning time. That doesn't mean that we cannot read and pray at other times of the day, but according to David in this psalm, the Lord listens for our voices "in the morning." Notice the last thing David says in this verse, "And I will look up." This phrase comes from a Hebrew term that means, "to peer into the distance." When David says he will direct his prayer unto God and that he will look up he is saying he will speak to the Lord of his needs and look expectantly to the Lord to lead him, guide him and ultimately deliver him. Note a couple of other places this phrase is used.

BEHOLD, AS THE EYES OF SERVANTS LOOK UNTO THE HAND OF THEIR MASTERS, AND AS THE EYES OF A MAIDEN UNTO THE HAND OF HER MISTRESS; SO OUR EYES WAIT UPON THE LORD OUR GOD, UNTIL THAT HE HAVE MERCY UPON US. (PSALMS 123:2)

I WILL LIFT UP MINE EYES UNTO THE HILLS, FROM WHENCE COMETH MY HELP. MY HELP COMETH FROM THE LORD, WHICH MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH. (PSALMS 121:1-2)

Looking up then means not trusting in human strength, human wisdom and human resources, but it means looking to the Lord God as our ever-ready Divine Helper who is always watching over us. Today, the challenge is for us to look to Him with confidence. Note the example of the Apostle Paul.

PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND TEACHING THOSE THINGS WHICH CONCERN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WITH ALL CONFIDENCE, NO MAN FORBIDDING HIM. (ACTS 28:31)

Paul knew God would bless His ministry, so despite setbacks, he kept preaching! Listen to His declaration of confidence.

AND I MYSELF ALSO AM PERSUADED OF YOU, MY BRETHREN, THAT YE ALSO ARE FULL OF GOODNESS, FILLED WITH ALL KNOWLEDGE, ABLE ALSO TO ADMONISH ONE ANOTHER. (ROMANS 15:14)

I REJOICE THEREFORE THAT I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU IN ALL THINGS. (2 CORINTHIANS 7:16)

I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN YOU THROUGH THE LORD, THAT YE WILL BE NONE OTHERWISE MINDED: BUT HE THAT TROUBLETH YOU SHALL BEAR HIS JUDGMENT, WHOSOEVER HE BE. (GALATIANS 5:10)

AND WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD TOUCHING YOU, THAT YE BOTH DO AND WILL DO THE THINGS WHICH WE COMMAND YOU. (2 THESSALONIANS 3:4)

HAVING CONFIDENCE IN THY OBEDIENCE I WROTE UNTO THEE, KNOWING THAT THOU WILT ALSO DO MORE THAN I SAY. (PHILEMON 1:21)

I. We can be Confident in God's Place (v1-2)

A. The letter to the Philippian church is a journal of joy.

1. Though he is imprisoned under house arrest in Rome

2. Though he is physically bound in chains, he isn't complaining…instead he is rejoicing!

3. Note: Phil 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always: And again I say, rejoice!"

B. We remember Paul's ministry in Philippi:

1. God brought Paul to Philippi on his second missionary journey.

2. He led several people to Christ on a riverbank.

3. He cast out a demon from a young girl, and as a result he was placed in prison.

4. There he and Silas were beaten and bound.

5. At midnight as they prayed and sang hymns, God sent a great earthquake to free them.

6. The jailer and his whole family came to Christ and they along with others made up the nucleus of a new church.

C. By the time Paul writes this letter, ten years has gone by.

1. The church has been faithful to support Paul and his ministry.

2. On at least two occasions they sent offerings and they have constantly upheld him in prayer.

3. It is to this faithful assembly of believers that Paul writes.

4. In verse 6 he gives a declaration of confidence.

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: (PHILIPPIANS 1:6)

5. We need to be reminded of that confidence today!

6. Regardless of our circumstances, we can look to God in confidence…knowing we are in His place.

II. We can be Confident in God's Power (v3-6)

A. We can be Confident because God has BEGUN this Work by His Power.

1. Who began the work at Philippi?

2. Paul certainly doesn't say that he began the work.

3. Though he was wonderfully used of God, though he definitely worked hard, he does not refer to the church in Philippi as his work, but God's.

(ACTS 14:27) AND WHEN THEY WERE COME, AND HAD GATHERED THE CHURCH TOGETHER, THEY REHEARSED ALL THAT GOD HAD DONE WITH THEM, AND HOW HE HAD OPENED THE DOOR OF FAITH UNTO THE GENTILES.

4. Did you catch that? Paul didn't tell them all that he and Barnabas had done but "all that God had done."

5. They didn't speak of doors of opportunity that they had opened but that "He [God] had opened the door."

6. Above all, Paul knew and affirmed that it is God who begins the "good work" in the lives of His people.

B. We can be Confident because God will COMPLETE this Work in His Power.

1. Take note of these two words: "begun" and "complete."

2. Paul says, "He [God] who has BEGUN a good work in you will COMPLETE it until the day of Jesus Christ."

3. God always finishes what He starts.

4. Because He began a good work in you and me when he called us by His grace and when He birthed this church, He promises He will complete it.

5. "Begun" and "complete" are like bookends and life is lived in between them.

6. My confidence is based upon the righteousness and the power of God.

7. For God to leave His work unfinished would be a contradiction on His very character.

a. God is unlike man; we start things but we do not continue.

b. We have our enthusiasms, but they only last for a week or two.

c. We propose to do a thing, and we begin to do it, but there is no continuance.

d. Thank God, our future hope does not rest upon my own will power or upon my own desire or understanding.

e. It rests upon this fact that He would have never started the work if He had not decided to finish it!

III. We can be Confident in God's Plan v7-8

A. Changing circumstances cause us to lose confidence.

1. When times are good, we brim with confidence.

2. Let me remind you that God's favor and blessing cannot be measured by the world's standard.

3. As a church, we have been up and we have been down…but we remain confident in God's plan.

4. Paul's statement says it all.

(PHILIPPIANS 4:11-13) NOT THAT I SPEAK IN RESPECT OF WANT: FOR I HAVE LEARNED, IN WHATSOEVER STATE I AM, THEREWITH TO BE CONTENT. I KNOW BOTH HOW TO BE ABASED, AND I KNOW HOW TO ABOUND: EVERY WHERE 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.

B. I have you in my heart...

1. Why did Paul say this?

2. Because he could do nothing else.

3. He longed for their fellowship, but he was imprisoned in Rome!

4. However, even shackled in chains, Paul was confident.

5. He was confident in God's plan.

6. Paul understood that God works all circumstances for our good.

(ROMANS 8:28) AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM WHO ARE THE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE.

7. He knew that if he was in chains it was because God would use him in chains.

8. Look at v.12.

(PHILIPPIANS 1:12) BUT I WOULD YE SHOULD UNDERSTAND, BRETHREN, THAT THE THINGS WHICH HAPPENED UNTO ME HAVE FALLEN OUT RATHER UNTO THE FURTHERANCE OF THE GOSPEL;

9. Paul didn't know if he would eventually be set free or if he would be sent to the executioner, but he was confident in God's plan… and we can be as well!

(PHILIPPIANS 1:20-21) ACCORDING TO MY EARNEST EXPECTATION AND MY HOPE, THAT IN NOTHING I SHALL BE ASHAMED, BUT THAT WITH ALL BOLDNESS, AS ALWAYS, SO NOW ALSO CHRIST SHALL BE MAGNIFIED IN MY BODY, WHETHER IT BE BY LIFE, OR BY DEATH. FOR TO ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST, AND TO DIE IS GAIN.

C. God has a plan for each of us.

1. First and foremost is His plan for us to know Him personally through His Son, Jesus.

(1 TIMOTHY 2:1-4) I EXHORT THEREFORE, THAT, FIRST OF ALL, SUPPLICATIONS, PRAYERS, INTERCESSIONS, AND GIVING OF THANKS, BE MADE FOR ALL MEN; FOR KINGS, AND FOR ALL THAT ARE IN AUTHORITY; THAT WE MAY LEAD A QUIET AND PEACEABLE LIFE IN ALL GODLINESS AND HONESTY. FOR THIS IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE IN THE SIGHT OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR; WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN TO BE SAVED, AND TO COME UNTO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH.

2. Second, His plan is for us to serve Him and honor Him with our lives.

(ROMANS 12:1-2) I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YE PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE. AND BE NOT CONFORMED TO THIS WORLD: BUT BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, THAT YE MAY PROVE WHAT IS THAT GOOD, AND ACCEPTABLE, AND PERFECT, WILL OF GOD.

3. Third, He has a plan for our ultimate future

(JOHN 14:3) AND IF I GO AND PREPARE A PLACE FOR YOU, I WILL COME AGAIN, AND RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF; THAT WHERE I AM, THERE YE MAY BE ALSO.

No matter how difficult the circumstances, we need to understand that God is in control. We can look to Him in confidence.

We can look up in confidence:

Confident in God's Place Confident in God's Power Confident in God's Plan

Are we in His place? Are we trusting in His power? Are we living in accordance with His plan? If not, I invite you to come this morning. Let God have His way in our hearts and lives.