Daily Devotions
February 10th, 2010 by Pastor SolleyPhil 4:10-13
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.To know how to do all things in Christ demands some learning on our part. Paul states that he “learned” in verse 11. He learned how to be abased. (Verse 12) That is he learned how to suffer, how to be brought low, how to be in trial physically, spiritually, mentally and financially as well. Paul learned how to be abased and to trust in Jesus.
But he also had to learn how to abound. (Verse 12) That is he had to learn to continue to depend upon the Lord when things were going good in his life. That is a problem that many Christians have, they never learn how to abound. It is true that many stumble and fail the Lord when things are going good in their lives rather than when things are going bad. In the midst of the victories and blessings of God in this life we need to learn to continue to depend upon Him.