People of Peace

for verses 2 to 9, I think.

Yeah, so that's on page 1180 of the Red Bible.

So, I plead with you, Odea, and I plead with Sintica

to agree with each other in the Lord.

Yes, and I asked you, loyal Yoke Fellow,

help these women who have contended at my side

in the cause of the gospel,

along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers,

whose names are in the Book of Life.

Rejoice in the Lord always.

I will say it again, rejoice.

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your request to God.

And the peace of God which transcends all understanding

will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true,

whatever is noble, whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable,

if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,

think about such things.

Whatever you have learned or received

or heard from me or seen in me,

put it into practice,

and the God of peace will be with you.

Thanks, Kate.

If you'd like to just keep your Bibles open,

we're going to be referring back and forth

within the Book of Philippians for the next while.

So, yeah, just before I start,

I'd just like to thank you for your prayers during the week.

Yeah, they do mean a lot,

and they have helped me.

I've, as always, when I'm preparing,

I do enjoy the preparation.

Christine might in degree

with all the stress that's in the house,

but I do enjoy the time that I get to spend

really delving into God's Word

and thinking through it

and thinking how to apply it into my own life.

But as we start,

just to refer back to last week with Ralph,

we left it with Ralph encouraging us

to stand firm in the Lord,

and that's where today's passage starts from.

A quick glance back to chapter 1.

Verse 1 will remind us

who Paul is writing to.

So let's pop back there for a second

and have a look at that.

And it starts by saying,

to all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi,

together with the overseers,

or elders,

and deacons.

So, this is a letter to Christians,

followers of Jesus,

who are committed to the local church

and to the spread of the Gospel.

They are partners with Paul in the Gospel.

Verse 1,

or verse 5,

because of your partnership in the Gospel

from the first day until now.

So they're partners with Paul,

and he loves them in verse 7 and 8.

This love is also expressed in the deepest sense

in the beginning of this chapter,

chapter 4,

that we're going to spend today looking at.

Therefore,

my dear brothers and sisters,

you whom I love

and long for,

my joy

and my crown.

So it's important to keep all of that

in the back of our minds

as we look at the next few verses.

Because if we don't understand

the context or the background

of this chapter,

and the relationship with Paul,

we could easily think that Paul is

on their back,

and that he's nitpicking.

Because there's some hard things

that he has to say to them this morning.

So preparing this talk this morning,

I considered entitling it

Three Easy Steps to Be a Miserable Christian.

Those three easy steps are

keep bickering,

dwell on everything bad in your life,

worry about it,

and be anxious all the time.

Three,

think and ponder

on everything that pops into your mind,

especially the really bad stuff.

And don't try and be like Paul,

because he was an apostle,

and I'm only weak little me.

Now I know that's four,

and I said that there would only be three,

but sure,

if we're going to be miserable Christians,

we may as well have four things

to grumble about instead of three.

But Paul is actually building on

from what we looked at last week.

He explains to us

how to stand firm.

And not only that,

but how to enjoy the power of God

at work in us.

He gives us some very useful advice

as to how we can guard our hearts and minds

in Christ Jesus from verse 7,

and how to enjoy the peace of God.

Basically the opposites of the list I just mentioned.

So as a brief outline,

so we know where we're going this morning,

and when I'm finally going to sit down again,

I've divided the passage into six sections.

Unity in the church family,

peace in our relationships,

peace in our circumstances,

peace in our thoughts,

peace in our behavior,

and finally the blessings of peace.

So firstly, unity.

Unity in the church family.

You can't stand together if you're divided.

Paul loves them dearly.

That isn't just a feeling for Paul.

It's also a model for us

to have towards each other.

If Paul's love for the church in Philippi

is a model for how we should love each other,

then any division among us is scandalous.

We can't be at odds with each other

and be in God's family.

When I was in school,

there was twin boys in my class.

They seemed to absolutely hate each other.

They must have come out of the womb with bruises

because they were always fighting.

When we went to rugby training,

they had to be separated more than once

per training session.

They tore lumps out of each other each week.

The awkward thing about that was

that they played scrum half and out half.

If you don't understand rugby,

well then,

it's enough to say that these two positions

are probably the two key positions on the field.

The relationship between these two positions

is vital to gelling the team together.

It was important that they got on well on the pitch.

These two guys were brilliant rugby players.

I think one of them went on to play for Munster B.

Really good rugby players.

But if you put them together on a pitch,

together with the ball in their hand,

the school jersey,

and the crest on their chest,

they would boss the game.

Their telepathy or their understanding of each other

was amazing.

They both knew where the other one was all the time.

You see,

when they had to come together

and unite around the common goal of winning the match,

they put whatever differences they had aside

and use their understanding of each other

to do great things

on the rugby pitch for the team.

Now please don't misunderstand me

or mishear me

because that is just a funny story

which happens to be true,

but I don't think it's okay

to fall out with each other

and box the head off each other

from Monday to Saturday

as long as we can unite once a week

for our weekly gathering

or distribute calendars together at Christmas time.

If there is disunity in the church,

how can we stand together

against the enemy outside?

Paul addresses two women here specifically,

Euodia and Syntyche,

who seem to have fallen out over something.

Verse 2,

I plead with Euodia

and I plead with Syntyche

to be of the same mind in the Lord.

Yes, and I ask you,

my true companion,

to help these women

since they have contended at my side

in the cause of the gospel,

along with Clement

and the rest of my co-workers

whose names are in the Book of Life.

These women weren't the quiet ones

who came to church regularly

and didn't do much out of the way.

These women were active members of the church.

They were regular at meetings.

They were on the set-up rota.

They helped at creche.

They visited the sick.

They delivered magazines and calendars.

They welcomed people at the door.

They were intentional

in their day-to-day relationships

to talk to people about Jesus.

They were contenders with Paul

in the cause of the gospel.

The very fact that Paul mentions them

suggests that he had heard of their bickering

through the grapevine.

Now, he doesn't mention the issue that's between them

or does he take it aside

to say who he thinks is at fault?

He pleads equally.

Look where it says it there.

He pleads equally with Euodia

and he pleads with Syntyche

to be of the same mind.

Alec Mottier,

who incidentally went home to heaven

just this past Friday,

he wrote a commentary on Philippians.

And it says,

To agree on the gospel

is the most fundamental form of unity.

It involves a unity of mind and heart

as to the doctrine

and personal experience of salvation.

To agree on what the gospel demands

in its proclamation to the world

is to cement unity by common action.

The singleness of the task

ought to be reflected

in the singleness of the workers.

The singleness of the task

ought to be reflected

in the singleness of the workers.

So it's important that we get along.

In fact, it's important too

that we help each other get along.

Look again at what Paul says.

Yes, and I ask you, my true companion,

to help these women.

He doesn't say to wait

until they sort it out themselves.

He encourages his companion

to help them.

Now this true companion

is referred to differently

in different translations.

Some translations call him

Synzegos.

You can understand why that didn't make it

into most named books.

Synzegos.

But he's also referred to here

more helpfully as Yokefellow.

It's a far more helpful title

as it describes a person

who pulls well

in a harness made for two.

A Yokefellow.

He is motivated

by the gospel like Paul is.

They both share the desire

to have Christ proclaimed

by word and action

and will kick against anything

that hampers that work.

So this companion

is charged with helping

these two women to get along.

Now I can understand

how we can fall out.

We can say something

which is misunderstood.

We can break trust

with a brother or a sister.

We can fail to see

how we might have offended someone.

Relationships can become tangled.

We can lash out at someone

and find it hard

to make things right again.

There's nothing

that Satan loves more

than to see disunity

among God's people.

Paul is very careful here

by not mentioning

the specific dispute

between these two women

because it leaves room

for us to fill in

our own details.

He also leaves

anonymous the Yokefellow.

We can fill in

our own names in there too.

If we see relationships

strained within the church

we have a duty to help.

Not sticking our noses

just to get the lowdown

on who said what

and who did what

but to get alongside

the hurt parties

and try and work

a way forward.

United in the gospel

for the purpose

of building God's people

we want to be people

who see our sin

who deal with it.

Putting it to death

and rejoicing together

in the forgiveness

offered to us by Jesus.

Bathing in the grace

that comes from our identity

in Christ

as forgiven people.

We want to be people

who are quick

to go to each other

and ask for forgiveness

when we have hurt someone

and pray together

thanking God

that because he has made us

new in Christ

we can extend

that same forgiveness

to each other.

Asking God

to heal the hurt

and the broken trust

and restore the relationship.

If there is disunity

in the church

how can we stand together

against the enemy

outside?

And how can we show

people Christ

if we are bickering

inside

just like the world?

Paul gives us

four helpful prompts.

Peace in our relationships.

Rejoice in the Lord always.

I will say it again.

Rejoice.

From verse 4.

Let your gentleness

be evident to all.

The Lord is near.

Do not be anxious

about anything

but in every situation

by prayer

and petition

with thanksgiving

present your request

to God

and the peace of God

which transcends

all understanding

will guard your hearts

and your minds

in Christ Jesus.

Finally,

brothers and sisters

whatever is true

whatever is noble

whatever is right

whatever is pure

whatever is lovely

whatever is admirable

if anything is excellent

or praiseworthy

think about such things.

Whatever you have learned

or received

or heard from me

or seen in me

put it into practice

and the God of peace

will be with you.

At first glance

this seems like

a ridiculous statement.

Rejoice in the Lord always.

Remember Paul is in chains

he's in prison

and he's encouraging them

to rejoice.

You could be forgiven

for thinking that

it's just a typo

and what Paul really meant

to say was

grumble to the Lord

when things don't go your way

but at all other times

then it's okay to rejoice.

But expecting that

we might think that

Paul repeats it

so that we don't miss it.

He says rejoice.

He says it again.

Surely not Paul.

Not when we're bickering

with fellow believers.

You don't know

how much they've hurt me.

We can't be expected

to rejoice.

Surely not when we're stuck

when you're stuck

in chains in prison.

Surely not

when we are just exhausted

because we've been up

half the night

with a screaming child.

Surely Paul

you can't expect

either the Philippians

or us

to rejoice

when you really

don't understand

what we have to put up with

on a daily basis.

We have a boss

that we don't like.

A job

that we can't stand.

Or no job

when we can't seem

to find one.

A spouse

who we don't get on

with anymore.

Pain that is unbearable

and daily.

Habits which we can't break.

Financial worries

which seem

like they have

no solution.

And that's just

our situations.

How can we rejoice

when the world

is in turmoil?

When terrorism abounds?

When earthquakes

wipe out

entire cities?

When religious

intolerance

and fear

prevent us

from wearing

what we like

at the beach?

The list goes on.

With such persecution

for people of faith

in Jesus

people facing death

because they

preach Jesus

as Lord.

Surely Paul

you don't mean

this message

for us.

Rejoice in the Lord

always.

I find it hard

enough to do it

once a week

on a Sunday

with music

to help.

But of course

as we have

already seen

in the earlier

chapters

Paul is all too

aware

of what's going

on around him.

He knows

his own past

sins.

We see that

in chapter 3

verse 6.

So he knows

how bad

he really is.

His friends

are really

suffering.

We saw that

in chapter 1

verses 29

and 30

where it says

for it has

been granted

to you

on behalf

of Christ

not only

to believe

on him

but also

to suffer

for him

since you

are going

through the

same struggle

you saw

I had

and now

hear that

I still

have.

Paul himself

is a prisoner

and facing

the possibility

of death

and yet

he rejoices

and tells us

to do

and others

to do

likewise.

We see

here that

circumstances

don't determine

the condition

of the heart

and mind.

As Christians

we can be

joyful inside

when all around

us is dark

or in turmoil.

That joy

comes from

the security

of life

with Christ.

We looked

at that a few

weeks ago

in chapter 3

verse 9

where Paul

says

not having

a righteousness

of my own

that comes

from the law

but that which

is through

faith in Christ.

Christ.

We are made

right with

God

because

and only

through Jesus.

Not on our

own merits.

That's good

news.

That's why

we rejoice.

Verse 5

carries on.

Let your

gentleness

be evident

to all.

The Lord

is near.

The word

gentleness

here could

have been

translated.

This is a

big long

list so

listen up.

The word

gentleness

could have

been translated

in many

different ways.

It could

have been

translated

as big

hearted,

forbearance,

yieldedness,

geniality,

kindliness,

sweet reasonableness,

considerateness,

charitableness,

mildness,

magnanimity,

generosity.

The point

is that

the Christian

cannot keep

the secrets

of this

happiness

to himself.

He needs

to be

other centred.

In fact

we mentioned

that also

a few weeks

ago in

chapter 2

verse 3

when talking

about being

one in

spirit and

of one

mind.

It says

do nothing

out of

selfish

ambition

or vain

conceit,

rather in

humility

value others

above yourself.

Not looking

to your own

interests but

each of you

to the

interests of

others.

We need

to be

striving to

be a

blessing to

others,

all others,

not just

fellow believers,

because all

of this is

said in the

context of

the Lord

being near,

meaning

he will

come again

soon.

We know

that the

promises of

God to

his people

will become

reality.

Believers,

in spite of

persecution and

suffering,

can afford to

be mild and

charitable in

their relation to

others,

because we know

that this

world and

our time in

it is

fleeting.

So how we

conduct ourselves

is important.

How we

respond to

life's ups and

downs is

witnessed and

noticed.

How we work

out our

differences,

how we

challenge each

other in

love is

seen.

So let's

be gentle.

Jesus is

coming.

How he

will rejoice

in us if

he finds us

rejoicing in

him, being

content to be

like him.

Peace in

our

circumstances.

If the

rules for our

relationships were

to rejoice in

the Lord,

then the

rules for our

circumstances are

much easier.

Paul clearly

says to us

what the

cure for

worry or

anxiety is.

Did you

spot it?

What's the

remedy for

worry?

Anybody?

Verse 6,

do not be

anxious about

anything.

The cure for

worry?

Don't worry.

Easy.

Right, so let's

move on.

That's peace in

our circumstances

towards it.

But of course,

it's not that

easy, is it?

The eagle-eyed

of you will

have seen or

remember Paul

himself already

saying in

chapter 2,

verse 28,

speaking of

Epaphroditus,

who had been

very unwell,

and who Paul

was now eager

to send back

to the

Philippians.

It says

there,

verse 28 of

chapter 2,

so that when

you, speaking

of the

Philippians,

see him

again, you

may be glad,

and I may

have less

anxiety.

Is Paul

breaking his

own rules?

He says

do not

worry, and

here he is

anxious himself.

Double

standards,

perhaps?

Well, of

course not.

This is

Paul.

There is

such a

thing as

kindly

concern,

or a

genuine

interest in

the welfare

of others,

like Timothy

had for

Philippians

in chapter

2,

verse 20.

He says,

I have

no one

else like

him who

will show

genuine

concern for

your welfare.

But there

is also the

type of worry

or anxiety

which is

to be

unduly

concerned

about

something.

For

example,

food,

drink,

clothes,

or how

long we'll

live,

or the

future,

or, I

don't know,

you fill in

the blank,

what do you

worry about?

Paul does

give us a

remedy,

though.

But in

every situation,

by prayer

and petition,

with

thanksgiving,

present your

requests

to God.

The cure

for worry

is prayer.

The beginning

of the

enjoyment of

peace is

thanksgiving.

These two

go together,

prayer and

thanksgiving.

In prayer,

we are simply

a child

coming to

our father,

asking him

for help.

Nothing more,

nothing less.

As we

thank God

for all

he has

done,

we begin

to accept

the worrying

circumstances

as something

which God

has actually

appointed.

After all,

he is

all-wise,

he is

all-loving,

and he is

all-sovereign.

In prayer,

anxiety is

resolved by

trust in

God.

The thing

which causes

us to

worry in

the first

place is

brought to

God,

the one

who is

totally

competent,

and in

whose

hands

the issue

can be

left.

When we

worry,

what we

are asking

is how.

How will

I cope?

How will

I survive?

How will

I persevere?

Prayer takes

those questions

and points

away from

us to

God.

Let me

say that

again with

an illustration.

Prayer

takes those

questions

and points

away from

us and

up to

God,

to God's

resources

and to

God's

promises.

We'll be

mentioning

those promises

a little bit

later on.

When we

worry,

we also

ask the

question,

why?

Why has

this happened

to me?

Why does

God allow

these things

happen?

Thanksgiving

takes the

question of

why and

points us

again to

God,

the one

who is

sovereign and

works all

things for

good for

those who

love him?

God never

acts without

purpose.

His purposes

never fail.

Thanksgiving

requires humility,

submitting to

his will and

acknowledging that

his ways are

best, even

when, and

especially when,

we can't see

the end to

the problems.

Peace in our

thoughts.

verse 8.

Finally,

brothers and

sisters,

whatever is

true,

whatever is

noble,

whatever is

right,

whatever is

pure,

whatever is

lovely,

whatever is

admirable,

if anything

is excellent

or praiseworthy,

think about

such things.

Think about

such things.

What does

that mean?

Paul is

describing a

deeper kind

of thinking

here.

He wants

us to think

deeply about

the things

mentioned.

If someone

asked you to

think deeply

about something,

how would you

go about

doing it?

How do you

think deeply

about something?

Well, can I

make some

suggestions?

Because I

didn't know

how to answer

that question

either.

Can I suggest

that it means

to meditate

on, to

really ponder,

to give

proper weight

and consideration

and time to

let it sink

in, and

then to allow

the results

to really

influence the

way we live

our life?

Let these

things in

this list,

let these

types of

things be

what we

think about

in the

quieter times

of the day.

When the

kids have

gone to

bed and

we're

tempted to

go channel

hopping,

or when

we peruse

through the

magazines,

when we

fill our

eyes and

our minds

with unhelpful

images or

unattainable

items or

fashions,

the books we

read, the

websites we

revert to

to kill a

few minutes,

an earthly

mind is a

quick path to

the downward

path of

destruction.

However, a

mind disciplined

in the

things of

God and

of which

he approves

is the

steadiest

way to

practical

holiness.

By giving

attention to

things of

which God

approves,

like what's

listed above,

we will

shape our

minds to

be like

him.

This

requires

discipline.

These kind

of thoughts

don't come

easy.

The

Philippians,

if we

remember from

chapter 3,

verses 18

to 19,

we're a

morally

dubious

bunch.

Let's

read that

together.

3, 18.

For as I

have often

told you

before and

now tell

you again,

even with

tears,

many live

as enemies

of the

cross of

Christ.

Their

destiny is

destruction,

their God

is their

stomach,

and their

glory is in

their shame.

Their mind

is set on

earthly things.

We too,

like them,

can have

our heads

turned to

things of

the world.

So again,

Paul gives

us a

remedy.

Whatever

is true,

whatever

is noble,

whatever

is right,

whatever

is pure,

whatever

is lovely,

whatever

is admirable,

if anything

is excellent

or praiseworthy,

think about

these things.

If we're

not sure

what those

things are

exactly,

let's look

at the

kind of

things that

Paul has

already

mentioned.

Chapter

3,

verse 10.

I want

to know

Christ,

yes,

to know

the power

of his

resurrection

and participation

in his

sufferings,

becoming like

him in

his death,

and so

somehow

attaining to

the resurrection

from the

dead.

Not that I

have already

obtained all

this,

or have

already

arrived at

my goal,

but I

press on

to take

hold of

that for

which

Christ

Jesus

took hold

of me.

Brothers

and sisters,

I do not

consider myself

yet

to have

taken hold

of it,

but one

thing I

do,

forgetting

what is

behind and

straining

towards what

is ahead,

I press

on towards

the goal

to win

the prize

for which

God has

called me

heavenward

in Christ

Jesus.

Jesus is

Paul's sole

focus in

life.

His letters

to all the

churches are

encouraging them

to keep

on with

Jesus.

Back in

the beginning

of Philippians,

he says in

his opening

address from

verse 9,

and this

is my

prayer,

that your

love may

abound

more and

more in

knowledge and

depth of

insight so

that you

may be able

to discern

what is

best and

may be

pure and

blameless for

the day of

Christ,

filled with

the fruit of

righteousness

that comes

through Jesus

Christ to

the glory and

praise of

God.

What is

true?

What is

noble?

What is

right or

pure or

lovely or

admirable?

What is

excellent or

praiseworthy?

Think about

these things.

Let our

thoughts and

our

conversations,

our

motivations and

our deepest

longings be

about Jesus.

Peace in

our behaviour.

We have

heard twice in

this series from

the latter part of

chapter 2 and

last week in

the latter part of

chapter 3 the

importance of

role models.

Chapter 2

mentioned Timothy

and Epaphroditus.

Here Paul says

in verse 9,

whatever you

have learned or

received or

heard from me

or seen in

me, put it

into practice.

Now of

course we

didn't know

Paul like

the Philippians

did.

So how does

this apply to

us?

Well we have

learned and

received God's

word from

Paul.

We have

seen how

he reacted in

different

situations.

He writes

with the very

authority of

the word of

God.

Paul's words

are God's

words.

to us.

He practiced

what he

preached.

So when he

tells us to

put into

practice what

we have

learned or

received or

heard from

him, he

isn't on some

kind of ego

trip where he

wants lots of

clones of

himself.

He is

speaking with

apostolic

authority.

Paul's words

are God's

words and

that is why

we should

listen to

him and

obey what

he says.

In the

previous

section on

our thoughts,

the thinking

and meditation

he was talking

about isn't

just theoretical

and abstract.

This verse

shows us that

we are to

think with

purpose and

the purpose

leads to

action.

William

Hendrickson in

his commentary

on Philippians

put it this

way,

true believers

hear,

they meditate

until they

understand,

then they act

upon it,

putting it into

constant practice,

thereby showing

that their house

was built upon

the rock of

Jesus.

How do we

wrestle with

scripture?

How do we

meditate on it?

Do we let it

sink deep into

our hearts and

our minds?

Do we consider

what we have

just read or

heard and how

we can become

more like Jesus

by carrying out

what we have

just read or

heard?

Is the Bible

just a book

that we read

on a Sunday

morning?

As we come

towards the

conclusion,

let me share

a funny story

I heard

recently

remembering

the game

Simon Says.

You all

remember the

game?

The game

went something

like this.

Simon Says

pat your

head and

you all

pat your

head.

Simon Says

jump on

one leg

and you

all jumped

on one

leg.

Well,

it's a

simple game

but the

Bible is

like that

too but

we've

tended to

make it

more

complicated

than that.

The

Bible

says,

therefore

God

says,

be of

the same

mind.

Verse

2.

God

says,

rejoice

in the

Lord

always.

Verse

4.

God

says,

let your

gentleness

be evident

to all.

Verse

5.

God

says,

do not

be anxious.

Verse

6.

God

says,

put into

practice.

Verse

9.

God

says,

present

your

requests.

Pray.

Verse

6 again.

Think

about

these

things.

Verse

8.

God

says,

put into

practice.

Verse

9.

All of

these

are

God

says

statements.

There's

no

tricky

little

Simon

says

bluffs

where

Simon

doesn't

say

it.

God

does

say

these

things.

This

is

God's

word

and

he

does

say

it.

Can

you

imagine

if

you

said

to

your

child,

go

and

clean

your

room.

And

they

went

off,

came

back

an

hour

later

and

said,

mom,

dad,

I

heard

what

you

said

and

I

even

memorised

it.

Go

and

clean

your

room,

they

said.

What

you

said

was

so

good,

I

even

used

it

as

a

caption

for

my

latest

Facebook

status.

Well,

you'd

be

disgusted,

wouldn't

you?

We

expect

our

child

to

go

and

clean

their

room

when

we

tell

them

to

go

and

clean

their

room.

If

we

are

followers

of

Jesus,

we

can't

just

memorise

scripture

or learn

it in

Greek.

We

need

to be

doers

of

Jesus'

words.

Now,

this

all

sounds

pretty

strict

and

pretty

hard.

How

am

I

meant

to

do

all

of

these

things

that

we

looked

at

this

morning?

Or

the

things

that

we

learnt

last

week?

Or

all

the

rules

in

the

other

parts

of

the

Bible?

Leviticus

itself

would

make

my

head

melt.

We

already

know

how

impossible

the

Ten

Commandments

are

to

keep.

Thankfully,

we have

good news.

We have

missed out

two

major

promises.

Am I

up to

date?

Yes.

We have

missed out

two

major

promises

in this

passage.

The

key to

the

whole

talk

this

morning.

Look

with me

again

at

verse

seven

for

the

first

promise.

Do

not

be

anxious

about

anything,

but

in

every

situation

by

prayer

and

petition

with

thanksgiving

present

your

request

to

God

and

the

peace

of

God

which

transcends

all

understanding

will

guard

your

hearts

and

your

minds

in

Christ

Jesus.

With

all

of

these

rules

there's

a

promise,

a

promise

of

blessing.

When

we look

for

peace

in our

relationships,

the rule

is to

rejoice

in the

Lord

and

bear

with

each

other.

When

we

seek

the

Lord

first

and

foremost

and