監獄來鴻
腓立比書一章1至11節
1基督耶穌的僕人保羅和提摩太寫信給凡住腓立比、在基督耶穌裡的眾聖徒，和諸位監督，諸位執事。
2願恩惠、平安從神我們的父並主耶穌基督歸與你們！
3我每逢想念你們，就感謝我的神；
4每逢為你們眾人祈求的時候，常是歡歡喜喜的祈求。
5因為從頭一天直到如今，你們是同心合意的興旺福音。
6我深信那在你們心裡動了善工的，必成全這工，直到耶穌基督的日子。
7我為你們眾人有這樣的意念，原是應當的；因你們常在我心裡，無論我是在捆鎖之中，是辯明證實福音的時候，你們都與我一同得恩。
8我體會基督耶穌的心腸，切切的想念你們眾人；這是神可以給我作見證的。
9我所禱告的，就是要你們的愛心在知識和各樣見識上多而又多，
10使你們能分別是非（或作：喜愛那美好的事），作誠實無過的人，直到基督的日子；
11並靠著耶穌基督結滿了仁義的果子，叫榮耀稱讚歸與神。
信息分享
然而，你讀過這封書信之後，有沒有發現保羅在抱怨呢？連一次抱怨也沒有。反之，你卻看見他與耶穌基督是那麼的親近和親密，以及他怎樣利用在獄中的機會向人傳講基督。試想，設若你因基督的緣故被下在獄中，你會在獄中做些甚麼呢？
保羅在第1節表明此信是寫給「凡住腓立比、在基督耶穌裡的眾聖徒」。你看見這些聖徒乃同時住在兩個地方嗎？首先，他們是「在基督耶穌裡」，其次是住在腓立比。
當基督進入他們生命中的那一刻，他們並沒有立即搬離腓立比；可是，他們的生命卻發生了巨變--基督如今已在他們裡面，而他們亦在基督裡面。但他們仍然是住在腓立比--這個仍未給予基督應有尊崇的地方。
有些時候，我們會渴望搬到一個只有基督徒居住，周遭再沒有罪惡包圍我們的地方；我們若在這樣的地方居住，就一定較容易為基督而活了。但首先請記著，除了天堂之外，世上根本沒有這樣的地方。其次，神把我們留在原來居住的地方，為的是要我們向周遭鄰舍見證基督帶給我們的改變。
另一些時候，我們又寧願自己獨處，認為這樣就更能輕鬆自在了。可是，我們若在基督裡，就不可能獨處。首先，我們有祂的同在；其次，我們與全世界的基督徒乃結連起來。請再讀第4和5節，然後，請為到各地在基督裡的弟兄姊妹代禱。
讚美：
在這個包含普世信徒的神的大家庭中，我真高興自己是當中的一份子！
A Letter from a Roman Jail
Philippians 1:1-11
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,
4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,
5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;
7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.
8 For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
Message
Yet when you read this letter can you find Paul complaining? Not once. On the other hand you will read about how near and dear Jesus Christ is and what an opportunity Paul has to tell about Christ. Stop and think what you might have done had you been there in jail for Christ's sake.
In verse 1 Paul writes to the 'saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi'. Can you see the two places where they were living? First they were 'in Christ' and secondly they lived at Philippi.
When Christ came into their lives these people didn't immediately move away from Philippi. But a big change had happened - Christ was now in them and they were in Christ. But they were still living at Philippi - a place where Christ was not honoured as he should have been.
We often think it would be so much easier if we could move away to a place where everyone was a Christian and we could live for Christ without the sin of the world around us. But remember, there is no place like that outside of heaven. Secondly, God has left us where we are so that we can live there and show to others in that place just what Christ means to us.
It is easy for us at times to think we are all alone - but we are never alone if we are in Christ. First we have him and then we have the fellowship of other Christians all over the world. Read verses 4 and 5 again and pray today for all your brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere.
PRAISE NOTE:
I'm so glad I'm a part of the family of God everywhere.