1. Philippians For Times Like These
#4 – Things In Which To Abound

2. Room For improvement
“There is always space for improvement, no matter how long you’ve been in the business.” --Oscar De La Hoya
In what areas can we continue to grow as Christians?
Paul’s prayer for Philippi

3. Abounding in love
Philippians 1:9 – “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment….”
A prayer from Paul for the church at Philippi.

4. We should always be growing in our Christian character.
2 Peter 1: Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

5. Growing Into super lovers
1 Thessalonians 4: Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more….

6. Quality Christian Love
1 Corinthians 13: Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

7. A Love That Serves Others
Galatians 5:13 --For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

8. In Knowledge And Discernment
Philippians 1:9 – “…that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment…”
EPIGNOSIS – Real knowledge
EISTHESIS – perception, judgment

9. As a gift from christ
2 Peter 1:3 -- seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence….
James 1:5 -- But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and [a]without reproach, and it will be given to him.

10. In Demonstration of excellence
Philippians 1:10 – “so that you may approve the things that are excellent….”
Approve – to demonstrate by action

11. What Things are excellent?
Romans 12:2 --And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

12. Philippians 4:8
Philippians 4:8 -- Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

13. 1 peter 2:12
Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
To be sincere and blameless!

14. Be Filled With Righteousness
Philippians 1:11 – “…having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

15. Fruits from righteous living
John 1:17 --For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
Realized through Christ

16. 1 Peter 4:11
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

17. Resulting in praise for god
God is the source of all goodness.
Therefore, as we excel in goodness we draw the eyes of the world toward God.
As others learn the joy of relationship with God they praise His name.
Even if they do not ever come to God, on the last day they will praise Him. Too late.