Intro Mind blowing prayers (name of the sermon series)

• Ephesians 3:20-21 20Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
• Praying for the Philippians and by way of the scripture, it is a prayer we can pray also for ourselves that God will answer it in a mind blowing way!

Philippians 1:9-11 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 

10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 

11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 

1. 1. Love may abound more and more (9)

      1. What is the expectation for Christian or biblical love?
         1. Love the Lord, neighbor, one another

• Mt 22:37–39

• 1 Jn 4:7–12

1. 1. 1. 1. The prayer is that this love may abound
            1. Verb, overflow, abound, keep on growing
            2. Then is exaggerates the command, more and more
         2. This prayer speaks to our continued growth in the christian character of love: for god, for one another, for our neighbors
            1. Is this true of me?
            2. Am I abounding
            3. Am i growing in my love for God
            4. Am I overflowing in my love for my brothers and sisters at church
            5. Am i growing in love for people?
         3. These ideas are measurable, in my love for God
            1. Do I find myself growing in my prayer life, in praise life, in my sanctification, in my desire to please Him
            2. Do I find myself growing in my love for the saints, in my prayer for them, in my time spent on them, in my concern for them, in my relationships
         4. What would it look like for this prayer to be answered in a far more abundantly than all we ask or think type of way?  In a mind blowing way? Lets pray this for ourselves!
      2. With knowledge and discernment
         1. This prayer for abounding love came with two anchors
            1. Let your love be anchored in knowledge
               1. Knowing God
                  1. We can know Him and knowing Him will fan the flames of our love for Him
               2. Knowledge about God
                  1. We are charged with learning more about Him

• Jeremiah 9:23-24

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. Let your love be anchored in discernment
               1. This is a love that has its eyes open and seeks understanding and insight
                  1. Not the in love without knowledge type of love
                  2. God wants us to pursue him with our mind as well heart, soul and strength
                  3. This also is important in our stewardship of love with people
                     1. There is a reason Jesus said don’t cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)
                        1. Some people’s intentions are not good, we are to keep our eyes open in our love relationship, especially with our neighbors and sometimes with those in the church (we have instruction on dealing with this)

• That you may approve what is excellent (10)

1. 1. 1. Paul is praying that we not only grow and about in our love, but that we may approve what is excellent
         1. Approve-idea of testing,  comparing, examining
         2. We get a clue about what he is referring to by the statement, so be pure and blameless
         3. The things that we approve as excellent aid our sanctification
         4. I believe he is praying that we would make good Godly choices, that we would have good Godly habits, that our lifestyle would be fitting as a child of God
            1. Ask yourself, am I approving in my life only those things that are excellent 
               1. The way I steward my money
               2. My generosity in time and resources
               3. My work ethic
               4. The way I steward my body
               5. The way I steward my sexuality
               6. The way I consume entertainment

• Philippians 4:8-9

• Ephesians 5:8-10

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. 1. The prayer is that we would examine our everyday life choices and discern God’s will, in short that we do things the way God wants us to do them
               2. Imagine that being 100% percent true or at least the pursuit of that being 100% true in our lives!  That would be mindblowing and we can have it in Christ Jesus!

1. Filled with the fruit of righteousness (11)

   1. If we do these two things: let our love abound more and more & approved those things that are excellent.  
      1. Our lives will be filled with the fruit of His righteousness
      2. Our lives will be filled with the grace of God! His joy!  His presence!  His love!  His encouragement! His works!  His impact on the world! Because we will be living according to His will and blueprint for our lives.  
         1. We are reminded here in verse 11 that we can only do this and are to do this with two things in mind:
   2. Through Jesus Christ
   3. To the glory and praise of God

2. End with day of Jesus Christ (10)