Morning Devotional

Philippians 1:9-11 9 This is my prayer: that your love might become even more and more rich with knowledge and all kinds of insight. 10 I pray this so that you will be able to decide what really matters and so you will be sincere and blameless on the day of Christ. 11 I pray that you will then be filled with the fruit of righteousness, which comes from Jesus Christ, in order to give glory and praise to God.

Earlier in the Book of Philippians Paul tells us he prayed for the people. In the passage above Paul tells us what he prayed. As you read this prayer how did this prayer compare to the prayers you say for others in your family and in the family of Christ? Do you pray that their love might keep deepening, enriched by growing knowledge and insight into God’s purposes. Like Paul do you believe because of this prayer, God would empower them to discern “what really matters.” And living with that kind of insight-fueled discernment would fill their lives with “the fruit of righteousness” in ways that honored God.

As I read and reread this prayer by Paul I see where Paul is connecting love with knowledge and insight. He does not connect love with emotion and affection like we do but with wisdom and knowledge. For me he is saying that our hearts and minds must be connected in our love for God and each other. They were supposed to be connected, not separated. Love connects the two.
​
Paul desires that when his readers stand before Christ, their lives will have been filled with… the spiritual fruit that comes from Jesus Christ, produced in them by the Holy Spirit.” Have you seen Spirit-produced love grow other spiritual fruit in your life and the lives of others you know? Maybe we need to start praying as Paul taught. Hope to see you later this morning.