Going Deeper • Philippians 1:9-11 • JoyFull

Download PDF Read through Philippians 1:9-11 before each Going Deeper Study, then look at the specific verses being emphasized for “Going Deeper”. Going Deeper #1 –   To start our Going Deeper study this week read through the prayer that Paul shared in Philippians 1:9-11. It’s just 3 short verses but there is a lot in there for us. Read through it in a few other translations as well (NLT, CSB, ESV, ASV, CEV NIV). What do you see as you read these other translations? Does something new stand out to you? Write out your own summary/version to make this your own prayer and take time to pray that to God as we start this week.  Going Deeper #2 – Love Read Philippians 1:9-11, let’s focus on verse 9.  Let’s look at love this week. Go to www.blueletterbible.org and look up Philippians 1:9. Look up the word love: What type of love is this? What does it mean for this to be something that God wants us to grow more and more in? Look at 1 Cor 13:4-7. What does it mean to grow in love in these specific ways? If you picked out 3 from the list of things love is from 1 Corinthians 13, which three do you think you need God to help you grow in more? Take some time to pray, asking God to help you grow and abound in those three more this week and show how you can do that walking with him. Going Deeper #3 – Love God and Each Other Read Philippians 1:9-11. Take time to pray this verse for yourself before we start to Go Deeper.  Read 1 John 4:7-21. This is a big section of scriptures. Read it through a few times, maybe in a few different translations. As we are praying Paul’s verse what do you see God setting for us as a standard of love? Why do you think this is important to know and understand? Read Matthew 22:34-40 as well.  Is there a fellow believer that you are struggling to love in the way God is calling us to in these verses. Take time to confess that struggle to love like God commands us to and ask him to help you love them the way he calls us to.  Going Deeper #4 – Love Your Enemy Read Philippians 1:9-11. Take time to pray this verse for yourself before we start to Go Deeper.  Read Matthew 5:43-48. It’s one thing to think about loving those that are in our family or church family, it’s another when God commands us to love our enemy. What do you think it looks like to love your enemy? Often in our struggle to love others, we find the root problem is driven by how we think about them. What does verse 45 say about what God does to those who don’t love him and how he thinks about them? How does that impact how you see them, knowing how God sees them and gives to them? Going Deeper #5 – Blameless and Pure Read Philippians 1:9-11. Focus on verse 10-11 Read Matthew 5:43-48 again today. This time focus on the last verse, verse 48. How does this compare to what Paul says at the end of his prayer in verse 10 and 11? What do these standards communicate to us about how God sees his standard and call to us to make love our first focus as we grow in other areas? Maybe you feel like you can’t meet this standard. Read  2 Corinthians 12:9 and Philippians 1:6. How do these verses speak to what you feel you can not do? Confess your own weaknesses to God first, then ask him to help you in your weakness to work in on your heart and show you how to surrender to the power of the Holy Spirit to bring transformation to your heart and life.
The post Going Deeper • Philippians 1:9-11 • JoyFull appeared first on Bethany Church - La Crosse, WI.