God is the of joy Joy: deep abiding sense that your future is even when your today is Philippians 1:7 – It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. The has a Ephesians 6:19-20 – and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Philippians 1:8-9a – For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more… drives Philippians 1:9b-11 – with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so 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. Your active love for God is to your spiritual True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best. CCV guide John 2:24-25 – “Jesus would not entrust himself to them…for he knew what was in a man.” (NIV) Philippians 1:12 – I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, The gospel was ground, even though it seemed like Paul was ground Philippians 1:13-14 – so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Boldness is Philippians 1:15-18a – Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. God uses expressions of the Gospel to His perfect plans