The Right Combination Phli 4 :9 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

One of the most important words in Phil 4:9 is the word “do.”  Paul encouraged the Philippians to “do” what they had learned, received, heard and seen in him.  In order for you to effectively do what Paul taught and demonstrated in his life requires the right combination of qualities in your life.  The right combination includes:

Diligence – Prov 22:29 – working for the Lord is hard work if you do it properly – Paul said, “I laboured more abundantly than they all,” [1 Cor 15:10], when comparing himself to the apostles.

Consistency – Ecc 10:18 – Azarenka is one of the top women’s tennis players in the world – she has had to take off time to recover from an injury – she lost to an unseeded player in the second round of Wimbeldon – the trouble is that, even though she is undoubtedly a better player than the opponent to whom she lost, her inability to play consistently recently weakened her game – likewise inconsistency in your work for the Lord will weaken you – you will not be as effective.

Compassion – Mk 6:34 – Jesus was “moved” with compassion – you’ll do much better work when you do it out of compassion for others instead of out of a sense of duty to them.

Wisdom – Ecc 10:10 – working better for the Lord is not always a matter of working harder but working smarter – Paul couldn’t preach to the churches when he was in prison so he wrote to them – in spite of his circumstances he kept on ministering to them.

Resolve – 1 Cor 15:58 – our French guide to Normandy complimented Americans on our ingenuity – he said that no matter how impossible a task may seem to complete, Americans always find a solution – Pastor Keck said that a call or a burden may get you to the mission field but it is commitment that will keep you there.

Patience – Prov 19:2, 21:5 good work takes time to bear lasting fruit – a hard working man recognizes that he cannot be in a hurry when he is working for the Lord.

Accountability – Rom 14:12– you must do your work as unto the Lord – we are accountable to the Lord for the work we do here and he must be pleased with what we do and how we do it regardless how others may judge it.

Conclusion: The combination of these seven qualities is essential to doing well what Paul instructed us to do in Phil 4:9.