The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-10

Christian Contentment-Phil. Nv, 4-13.
GOLDEN TExr-The God of peace shall be with
| you.-Phil iv, 8.
HOME READINGS.
Christian contentment Phil. ~, 4- ~
Trusting faithfully Phil. D. II 30
Rejoice always Phil. ill., LIZ
Content to press Phil ill., 13 Fl
| Faith brings peace. Rom. " Ill
Contentment with goodness .......1 Tim. vi LIP
| David's contentment .Psa. xvi. Ill
The letter to the Philippians, as we should
have noted in the last lesson, is one of the i'm
portant group written during Paul's imprison-
ment at Rome. The church addressed was
founded by the apostle on his second missionary
journey (ch. XVII 12l, twelve years before the date
of this letter. The members were largely from
among the poorer and weaker classes of the city,
and specially open to persecution. There were
internal discords in the church and many were
disconnected and anxious Paul had lived be-
fore them grand life, and while himself beaten
with stripes and imprisoned had yet never
given way to doubt fear He had in their
prison rejoiced in tribulaton, had been filled
with sweet content and had been strong for
every duty Such could exhort such
people.
We have here wonderful statement of the
characteristics and privileges of true Christian
are ours, not through own merits, but ours
in Christ. We may teach this lesson IN such
way as to make sinners feel the poverty of their
condition out of Christ in that genuine joy and
content. Or we may teach it so as to encourage
believers to increasing faith and peace. and so
to enter more fully into their riches of grace in
| Christ Jesus.
| Rejoicing is one of the characteristics Of
| true Christian life, and if follow the apes
! ties injunction we shall have JOY unceasing
| We are to have clear conceptions Of the Lord
Jesus, o. His character and work, and then we
| are to rejoice in His love for u.s. in His great
plans, in His divine nature in His providence, in
| His word, in the opportunities He gives us of
| being fellow workers with Himself, in His
| blessed heaven that we are to share with Him.
| These are permanent realities, and our joys that
| spring from, them pure and constant Paul
knew how rapidly our circumstances often
changed, and how important to us that the sources
| of our joy be beyond the reach of change. Re-
| ioice in the Lord always. And then, to make it
| emphatic and for all, he reiterates the exhorta-
| ton, and puts it, Again say rejoice And il
Paul, the prisoner, could say it, surely all of us
may do the same And let us remember that
we impress others with the beauty of our Master
| IL we serve Him with genuine joy.
| Anxiety.-No fault is more common than that
| of undue anxiety about the things of this life
| And the change in the ling of the word
careful shows how we seek to make virtue
| out of this habit. To be careful once meant to
be full of care while now it means prudence and
| thoughtfuness. Paul will have none of this
sort of virtue He who is in Christ is not dull
and Indifferent and persistently blind
of constantly looking at his burden and
peril he looks to God for help to meet it.
| With him everything is proper subject of
prayer and suppcation. By prayer he brings
J his burden to the Lord by supplication he seeks
| strength. courage. hope patience, as he needs,
to bear 1T. This Is not going to God when one
| can do nothing further, but it is seeking him at
once and making known our requests.
de who carries everything to God in prayer"
has the assurance that he shall be delivered from
| anxiety and undue care by being kept or guard
| ed round about by the peace of God Since God
| is round about US like garrison, we may have
his own restfulness, and this is peace that
| passeth understanding, that surpasses the in
| tellect of man to fathom and appreciate
Thoughtfulness-One cannot be thought
| full and constant reader of the Bible and be a
/ the literature of the world nobler or better
| motto for our highest schools of learning than
that given in this eighth verse. He sums up his
! plea, and says, Finally, brethren, take this list
and make it your study. And what list it is!
There seem to be three couplets. and in each one
he calls attention to the outward objective
qualities, and then to the inward and
| subjective Things true and things honorable;
things that are true in principle, truthfulness;
| things that are honest, mean the things worthy
| of honor because true and good Things just,
means internal rightness; things pure, refers to
the outward chastity of word and life Things
lovely in themselves, things of good report, are
| held in high esteem among men. Whatever has
| virtue and is praiseworthy is to be a subject Of
| thought And the word think means to investi-
gate, to consider in many lights, to mediate
upon. And, further, he urges them to do, to
practice what they have learned and seen In him,
and to such habits of thought and action is
assured the presence Of the God Of peace
| Contentment, strenSth-Paul had been in
every condition and state of body and mind, high
| and low and found the possibility of a sweet and
mir md oil eir $40 Ho
| had in his thoughts constant feast He always
| sought the bright side of an unexpected event,
and soon found it, But mark the word learned,
| for it was not natural to Paul. and he had
gained this blessed spirit by his own efforts, and
beause he was always in Christ. He declares, can
co all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me. and the source OF our strength is the same
as Pauls, in Christ It is not simply do all
things, but, better, equal to all things" both
to act and, if need be, to suffer for Christ He
had in Christ an abiding presence and source Of
power, and so wide and varied the relations of
grace to our daily life that he was sure that his
strength would be equal to every emergency.
TRUTHS TO BE IMPRESSED.
The way to pray-Where can we better 20
than to this lesson to learn how to pray. Every
thing OF interest to us is proper to bring before
God. We may pray-that is, converse with God
about it. OF we may supplicate or plead our petit
tons We are to make our requests known to
God. But we are to unite thanksgiving with
our suppcation. and because we do not we often
fail to receive answers.
Making character We determine our charac-
ter by common trains of thought. The man
who thinks much about his body will become
sensuous, or sensual, or selfish. The man who
thinks much about money and its power. and
who covets it, will be affected in his moral ideas
their own way, thoy will gradually run in evil
ways, and we will think of evil things The
apostle would have us use this same law of think
ing, aud to form such habits of good thoughts
| that our minds when free, will run in the chan
nels of things true, and just, and lovely, and Of
good report.
blessed secret-Paul declares that he 10
instructed in all things, and everywhere how to
be happy and contented. The revised version
translates the word II have learned the secret"
Il taken from the initiation into the Eleuain-