INTRODUCTION

Many were moved to preach the gospel of Christ at the imprisonment of the apostle Paul. Some did so from a pure heart and pure motives, but others did so "of envy and strife" (Philippians 1:15They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
See All...). Some preached Christ "of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to" Paul’s bonds (Philippians 1:16Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
See All...). Paul did not want to spend his time worrying about other men’s motives. Instead, he rejoiced that Christ was being preached. The lost could be saved and that was Paul’s chief concern. Was he happy to see men preach out of spite? No. But he was not going to allow other men’s motives to rob him of the joy he knew from hearing that Jesus Christ was being preached.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Paul loved to preach. That was his calling (Acts 20:22-24 [22] And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: [23] Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. [24] But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
  See All...). He preached Christ (Acts 9:20And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
  See All...; 2 Corinthians 4:5-6 [5] For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. [6] For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
  See All...). Even in jail he was encouraged (2 Timothy 2:2And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
  See All..., 8-9). He knew God could use the message of his enemies (Psalm 76:10Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.
  See All...; Romans 8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
  See All...).
• Were those who preached "of envy and strife" right in doing so? Why would Paul not be overly concerned with other men’s motives? If those men were "brethren in the Lord" (Philippians 1:14And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
  See All...), to whom would they have to give an account?
• Are there some brethren of which you do not approve? Are they preaching Christ? Do you rejoice in that truth?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Thank God for those who are preaching Christ.
• Ask the Lord to give you the wisdom held by the apostle Paul.

HYMN

Tell It To Jesus

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