October 20, 2026

“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;” phil 1:3-6 nkjv [emphasis mine]   Do you know that the Apostle Paul’s greetings above are also for us today [yes, you and I]… Have you ever thought out what Paul is saying to us? My, how we have such a great inheritance in the promises of Yahweh God, through the work and ministry of Yeshua [Jesus Christ]… and how Paul is conveying this wonderful truth to all who are “the saints in Christ Jesus.”

Do you realize there are many “forerunners” in the faith of whom we have been beneficiaries? Think… Noah, Abraham, Moses, King David, the Prophets, King Yeshua, the Apostles, your Pastor, Godly family persons, a faithful friend… all making spiritual impacts on your life. Do you believe Yahweh specifically planned it that way? Are you a “forerunner” of others that Yahweh specifically planned for you to be a “deposit” of hope and blessing into their lives? I think that is true of “all the saints in Christ Jesus.” Now, if that’s true, we surely need to sharpen up our thinking and spiritual acuity in these turbulent and uncertain times, that so many people are “blown around” in, with and in every kind of confusion and distorted influence our modern culture and societal pressures are imposing upon us.

Paul tells the Philippian saints, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” phil 1:27-30 nkjv

Paul understood the believers at Philippi were among a pagan society and that fellowship and togetherness in the faith was essential for their unwavering faith and enduring until the coming of Messiah Yeshua or till their passing into glory individually. Too many fair weather Christians are waiting for the rapture bus, to deliver them out of the chaos and tribulation times soon coming, which is not arriving until the gathering of the saints as noted in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians:

“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 thess 4:14-18 nkjv  (for more context, see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12)

Now, with things heating up in our dysfunctional world, as not unlike their difficult lives when Paul wrote them [during first century times of Roman rule and persecution of believers], look at what Paul told them:

“Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. 18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” phil 3:17-21 nkjv

As Dr. Gavin Finley so wisely noted, we are in an information war [first battle was at the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil] where Satan confused the first couple with deception, his specialty… the battlefield is in the mind and heart. Paul understood this well, and he wisely advised the Philippian saints to understand this:

“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
“8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” phil 4:4-9 nkjv

Note carefully… as Dr. Gavin Finley said, “all spiritual warfare is an information war.” What does that mean? It means if your head is trapped in a corrupted artificial digital vice, and all you see and think about is your next Fakebook post, or your next rebuttal to a twitter jab at your body fat, you are captivated in a world of spiritual darkness. The eternal war of the good and evil options are abounding around us more now than ever. What will you focus your mind and heart on, who will dominate your affection energy… Yeshua’s fellowship and holiness, or the deceiver of all times and his cornucopia of deceptive and fleshly attractions? Paul gave the Philippians a very sure and enduring safe-way to overcome the entrapping snares of their culture… only difference, for the most part, theirs were absent the handheld devices that mess with our minds and steal our time and fellowship with our Creator/Savior. As the last days “beast system” rises and subdues unwary people, do you think you are exempted from its influence if your focus is trying out the next exciting attraction? Its your move… choose carefully.

Shalom, John