The Thinking Principle

Let us muse today from Philippians 4:1  as Paul begins to deal in this chapter with the thinking principle. Our thinking will have alot to do with being free from, while shut up in an unwelcome situations. We find in verse one Paul’s decision. In 3:20-21 Paul has been in the heavens and now returns to the jail in his thoughts. He moves from there to here. He began to think of the church at Philippi as his joy and crown.He began to think of maybe the bear hug greeting from the jailer or the gracious hand shake from Lydia the seller of purple. It is here he fines freedom. In verse one his decision moves his to thoughts of here. He calls them the dearly beloved. The phrase means beloved loves ones. He gives an admonition to them of steadfastness. The idea is to be unmovable, to press on when everything says to retreat. We sure don’t mind staying here if we can think we are over there.