Philippians 1:3-11

v3-5: "The best way we can remember our friends is to remember them in prayer at the throne of grace." We must thank God for their faith, but we must also thank God when we benefit from their "gifts and usefulness."

v6: If a good work (salvation) has begun in us, it is God who started it, because "we are by nature dead in trespasses and sins, and what can dead people do towards raising themselves to life?"  If God has begun this good work, we can be sure He will finish it.  Though it begins in this life, "it is not finished here.  As long as we are in this imperfect state, there is something more to be done."  It won't be fully and finally completed until the day Jesus returns.

v7-8: Let us learn from the example of the Philippians who remained "faithful to the message [Paul] preached,"  who "readily suffered for it along with him," and who "according to their abilities" were ready to defend the gospel.

v9-11: "Paul often let his friends know what he begged of God for them"  By doing this, "they would know what to ask for themselves," and would "be guided in their own prayers." We learn from Paul to pray that we would be "a loving people," "a knowing and wisely judging people," "a discerning people," "a pure, honest, and upright people," "a blameless people," and "a fruitful, useful people."