A (0:00)

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive, you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try it@progressive.com Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states.

B (0:22)

Hey, want a cookie? Oh, I know you just ate so you're craving something a little sweet. Besides, one cookie isn't going to kill you. How about half enough? Just a bite. Bite it. Bite it. Bite it.

C (0:37)

Food noise isn't fair, but Mochi Health is your affordable glp. One source that puts you on a path to successful weight loss by quieting food noise.

B (0:45)

Bite it.

C (0:46)

Learn more@joinmochi.com Mochi members have access to licensed physicians and nutritionists. Results may vary.

B (0:52)

Hello everybody. Welcome to another episode of Christ with Coffee on Ice. I am your host, Ali Yost. It is a joy and honor to be here with you guys today. Happy Friday everybody. Happy Friday. What did I miss? How was everybody's Easter? What have you guys been up to? These really are the moments where I wish that I could physically hear you guys responding. I have to wait a while to read the comment section by the time this episode goes live. So anyway, but comment below what you have been up to since the last time that we touched base. How is everybody doing? I hope that we are all in really great spirits today and if you're not, that's okay. I'm glad that you came here and I hope that this episode can do that for you. And so as I always say, I just pray joy of the Lord on you today. Regardless of our circumstances, regardless of just the trials that we are going through and just like unfortunate things, it could even just be simple inconveniences in our days. I pray joy of the Lord over you, that regardless of those things, you can still find joy in your day today. And joy in Jesus. Like thank you Jesus for another day, God. Thank you that there is breath in our lungs, Lord. I. I thank you for today. And also I pray that our hearts are just overwhelmed with gratitude today. I believe that is our portion. Like we should be filled with gratitude. I think I've seen it on. Sorry. I am also a little nasally because I'm getting over a head cold. I feel like this happens at least every quarter for me on the podcast at this point. Like every couple months. I just sound like this and I. And I end up getting a silly little head cold. But what was I going to say oh, I've. I'm sure I've seen this on the Internet, but there's like a. Like a legitimate quote of some sort, and it actually also might literally be biblical. I think there is a verse in the Bible that says something like this where, like, bitterness and sorrow can't be present and in our hearts at the same time as gratitude. Like, if we have a heart filled with gratitude, there's nothing else that can actually fill that space. Okay, so one piece of scripture that comes very close to this statement is Philippians 4, 6, 7, which encourages us to present everything to God with thanksgiving. And then the peace of God will guard our hearts and our minds, which emphasizes that with gratitude, we're filled with the peace that surpasses understanding. So that means that nothing else is actually needed in that space. So when we are filled with gratitude and we come to the Lord in all things, we. With thanksgiving, that means that nothing else is needed, because in that gratitude, the Holy Spirit gives us a peace that surpasses all understanding. And so when we've received that peace that surpasses all understanding, meaning when we receive that peace, that honestly doesn't make sense. Like, I don't know how I have this kind of peace right now. Nothing else is needed in our hearts. So it's a gift. Actually, it's genuinely a gift from the Holy Spirit. But gratitude and Thanksgiving is the one way to kick out anything else that could be squatting in your heart. You know what I mean? Like, I even think about, like, bitterness and resentment sometimes when my heart is overwhelmed with those things. I have to force myself to actually have gratitude and thanksgiving about that particular situation, person, place, thing, whatever it is, right? Like, and the minute that I genuinely am, like, no, actually, Lord, I'm. I'm grateful for this. I'm grateful for this experience, and I bless whoever that person is. If there is, like, a stirring in your heart of bitterness towards an individual, just as an example, and genuinely, like, blessing that person and. And praying for them and thanking God for them. I know it's wild, but it's a little bit of an uno reverse on the devil, and it really, like, purifies your heart. Coming to the Lord with thanksgiving in all circumstances, like, it's a renewal of our minds. And I. It really, like, refreshes my soul when I do it. So you don't have to. But I think you should. I think you should. I think we should all come to the Lord with Thanksgiving today. So with that being said, we do have our coffee today, guys. We have Our coffee on ice. We have our Christ, and we do have our coffee on ice. I have my Bible back today, as we always do, though I don't know why I said that, like it's a. Hello. Of course we do. Guys, this is actually really cool. So I've been sharing Hosanna Revival with you guys, which, if you're not familiar or if you've just tuned in for the first time ever. Hi, welcome. I'm so glad that you're here. But Hosanna Revival is the company of which I read all my Bibles from. Every Bible I own, except for the very first one that I bought, which was from Barnes and Noble. She's the og. My first Bible that I bought all by myself three years ago. She's the og. But any other Bible I've owned has been Hosanna Revival. And they are incredible. Their Bibles are beautiful. Like, so stunning, thoughtful, gorgeous from the inside and out. The designs are just so cute and feminine. And pretty much every Bible I have, there's a verse on the back, too, which is so beautiful. On the back of this one, it has Psalm 40:16, which is, May all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. Joy and gladness. Thank you, Jesus. They're the best. But okay, what I was going to say, is it so cool. I had no idea, Honestly, I had no idea how much you guys were actually responding to just me being like, you guys should really shop Hosanna, like, they're the best and use my code. But they reached out the other day and they told me how many Bibles have been bought with my code. And, you know, I did some math and I'm, like, doing things, and it's about, like, anywhere from four to 6,000 Bibles. What? So anyway, that's just really cool that that many people had to either maybe bought themselves a new Bible, or I'd like to think it's their first Bible ever. That would be, like, the coolest thing. But I'm sure there's a lot of people where it's like, actually their first Bible. So thank you, God, for the word of God. Like, that just makes me so happy. So, anyway, and it's so great that Hosanna is also being blessed by this because they put out really beautiful work and what they do is very important. And so anyway, if you are curious, they also have other really cool, like, studying tools like journals and things, and they have planners and all sorts of cute stuff. So you can use my code for that. It's just my first and last name Aliost and it'll save. You'll be able to save some money at checkout with that. But yeah, so that's the Bible I have. I read the NLT translation which is the new living translation. Do you get stressed if you don't? I'd be honestly concerned if you've spent even five minutes on social media lately, you've heard more bad news than your brain ever asked for. And that's where Cortisol Calming from Veracity comes in. Running a podcast, deadlines, personal relationships, side hustles. It's easy for my brain to turn into mush, but I take Cortisol Calming so I can stay sharp and keep my stress under control even when everything else feels crazy. With Veracity's drug free, clinically proven and doctor formulated solutions, you can support your body's needs to live your healthiest life. Within 30 minutes you'll start to feel a reduction in stress and feel more relaxed. Within three weeks get your sleep back in sync and start to feel less fatigue. That's a big deal and I love when something is scientifically legit but doesn't come with a warning label that makes me panic like side effects are hospitalization. I'm all about clean products and Veracity is made in the USA in an FDA reviewed facility where all ingredients are validated for purity, stress and composition through third party testing. So calm your stress the natural way. Head to VeracityHealth Co and use code COFFEE for up to 65 off your order. Once again, that's V E R A C I T Y Health Co for up to 65 off and make sure you use my promo code coffee so they know that I sent you. So I will say that my skin journey has been pretty interesting lately and I have shared a little bit of that with you guys. I've had to be a lot more particular and picky about the skin care that I put on my skin because she's just gotten very sensitive. What initially caught my attention with one skin is that it is founded by a female PhD scientist and is rooted in rigorous science and research. And what was interesting to me is that at the core is their patented OS1 peptide, the first ingredient proven to target senescent cells which is a key driver of wrinkles, fine lines and loss of elasticity. And most importantly to me is they are certified safe for sensitive skin. Their products are also free from over 1500 harsh or irritating ingredients. It's dermatologist tested and have been awarded the National Eczema association seal of acceptance by the nea, delivering powerful results without the harsh side effects. And what's really special about One Skin's products is they are designed to layer seamlessly or replace multiple steps in your routine, making skin health easier and smarter at every age. I think after knowing all of those things about One Skin, it's hard, hard to not want to try their products. For a limited time. Try one skin with 15 off using code COFFEE at OneSkin Co Coffee. That's 15 off OneSkin Co with code COFFEE. After your purchase, they'll ask where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them that we sent you. I would really like to read some scripture today, but before we get into scripture, can I actually give you guys just like a little story time, like life update? Because this was just the coolest thing ever. So yesterday that I sometimes I get invites, okay, in my inbox from brands and whatever for like events and things, right? And a lot of times if I say yes, I'm like, this just sounds like it's fun. And I really am not the kind of person like this is. I think that this makes me more type B than type A. I've never even come anywhere near type A in my life. And you just tell me like where to be, what time and like, like minor details and I'm there. Like I don't need to really even know the ins and outs. Just let me know when to be there, what day, obviously time maybe what, what should I wear? And that's it. Like I don't know anything else, right? So American Idol invites me. I get an inbox from American Idol. I get an invite in my inbox and they were like live recording and it was like a faith themed night. Like faith songs. And in my mind, like first off, that's like pretty much all I knew is they were like, you're invited to a live recording and it's all like the songs are going to be like. It's like faith songs. I'm like, cool. I don't know. I. I did not think. I mean it crossed my mind for a second but I was like, surely this isn't like a live recording of the actual show. Cuz I've also never heard in my life of American Idol doing anything like this before or like any TV show for that matter. Like, like mainstream, like major. I mean American Idol is like American Idol. We've grown up watching this show, okay? So I was like, surely this has got to be like some kind of like. And they thought to invite me because Obviously, like, I love Jesus. It's no secret that, like, faith is very much my life. And so I was like, it's probably just like a really cool thing. Like it's American Idol though, so I'm so going. And so yesterday I drove to LA and I get there and they give me like a cool little lanyard and it says that I'm a part of the crew. I was like, period, I'm crew. And it's a group of like me and four other people, like four other influencers. And I'm like, that's crazy. Like very small. And so they're like, they're like, okay, come on, come on. We gotta go this way. It was kind of like, it wasn't chaotic actually. I was very impressed with how much organization like American Idol, they like, they got some extra points for me. In my mind, I'm gonna be honest, I haven't watched the show in a while and fun fact, I actually auditioned for American Idol when I was 16 years old. But they have you go through all these like pre auditions before you actually get to the real judges. And I didn't even make it past my first round of pre auditions because. Well, who, I mean, who knows? I think the Lord's whatever. The Lord didn't allow it for a reason and I really trust that. But I had woken up the morning of my audition. We drove to. Did we drive or did we fly? I think we flew to Texas. My family and I, we flew to Texas. Anyway, I woke up that morning with a head cold and my voice was all scratchy and cracky and I didn't sing very well. So I was devastated. Sweet little 16 year old Allie was devastated. But I think that, I mean, I was really impressed by the way that they ran everything. Super organized, very professional. Makes sense. They've been doing it for so long. But anyway, they like pull us, they like take us in and I'm like, I realize this is actually a live recording of the literal show. Oh, oh, I'm here. Live recording of American Idol. The stage that I have watched since I was a little, little bean. Oh my gosh. I used to have. We like, we used to have watch parties as kids, like middle school. Middle school. And I'm like, this is nuts. And it's not as big as you guys would think. I think on tv, like everything just looks bigger. Like the space and the stage and the audience, it really wasn't that big of a space. But it was a literally so fun. It was so cool. And my point to this okay. Really cool experience. Everyone was lovely. I felt like it was actually a very healthy environment, if I'm going to be so honest. Like a genuine, like, everyone was being treated with care. Was gorgeous. I loved it. All the contestants on live television, this is American Idol. Were singing songs about faith. And, like, I felt like more than half of them were, like, genuinely, like hardcore believers, like, singing about the blood of Jesus, how it covers us of our sins and washes us clean. Like we're not talking, like, believe in something. It was like, believe in the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you. Those were the kinds of songs people were singing. I was beyond. I was like, I'm at church. I'm literally at church. Never in a million years would I have thought that one day I would be at a live recording of American Idol, period. That's the end of the sentence. But then apparently it keeps going. And it's a faith themed night where everyone is singing about Jesus. Almost everybody's singing about Jesus. I nearly lost. I was up out of my seat praising Jesus. It was so cool, you guys. I genuinely was like, lord, I'm obsessed with whatever you're doing in the world right now. He's doing it, guys. I need you to know. I'm sure you do, because the body, I mean, he's talking to all of us, right? He's doing it now. Do I know exactly what it means? No, I think I have an idea, but I'm pretty sure I don't. I don't know what he's doing, but he's doing it. Okay. I do know what it is. It is his way. He's doing it. He's having his way right now. The Lord is literally moving everywhere. You know, it's God when it doesn't make sense. Like, American Idol is owned by Disney. I'm. I'm just like. And this has never been a thing. What do you mean? Carrie Underwood is like, I felt the Holy Spirit in here. And I'm like, yes, sister. Like, what do you mean? We're on American Idol right now talking about the Holy Ghost. Yeah, it was crazy. And here's the thing, okay, because then my discernment or, like, my skepticism, I guess I don't know if it's discernment. There is a part of me that goes, are we just doing this, though? Because faith is becoming a little bit trendier. Because that's kind of the truth, right? I think that our generation specifically has gotten fed up with all the fake stuff, and we want the real thing. And we're finding it. This generation is finding the real thing. And it's Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. That's who he's always been. That's who he is today, and that's who he is forever the alpha and omega. Okay, he's always been the truth. This isn't new news, but it is becoming a little trendy. And so maybe there's like, a business perspective from American Idol where they're like, I don't know. I mean, this Jesus stuff is really taking off. People really love faith right now. Let's do it. I could be so wrong. I could be so wrong. But even that, guys, let's say that is why. Oh, but they're just doing it because. Okay, fine, but we'll take it. Right? But we'll take it because it's still the name of Jesus being proclaimed on a stage like American Idol for millions of people to see nationwide. There's that verse. We. We've talked about it. I think I've brought it up plenty of times on the podcast. Guys, this verse is also in Philippians. I think that's what we need to read from today, because what are the odds that both of these verses that came to my mind are from Philippians? This is Paul talking to the church. It says, paul's joy that Christ is preached. This is Philippians 1:12. We're going to start in 1:12. And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the good news for everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ and because of my imprisonment. Most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear. It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry, but others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the good News. Those others do not have pure motives as they preach about Christ. They preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn't matter whether their motives are false or genuine. The message about Christ is being preached either way. So I rejoice, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that as you pray for me and the spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance. So what Paul is saying in the scripture. Well, first off, he's acknowledging that some people preach Christ out of envy or selfish motives. Okay, so Paul is saying, yeah, guys, I know that not every person who's out here preaching the gospel or being like, yeah, I love Jesus. Oh, no, Jesus is. Yes, Jesus is my everything. And they don't actually have pure hearts. That's not a mystery. It was a thing then. It's a thing now. It's unfortunate, and it's actually kind of scary for that person. You know, like, whenever I feel or witness, that fear of the Lord really falls on me, like, for that person. And it honestly is an opportunity for us to intercede and pray for that person to realize, like, what they're saying or what they're doing. But Paul's conclusion is that regardless of the motives, if Christ is proclaimed, he rejoices. In other words, he's saying, even if their hearts aren't perfect, what matters is that Jesus is preached. Amen. So that's. That's where I'm at, is I'm like, you know what? I don't know what their motives are with it. It could be totally pure. Honestly, the hearts of American Idol, who's leading American Idol, could be like, you know what? Yeah, we do need more of this in the world. It could be genuine, but it also could not be. It could be a money grab. It could be an opportunity where it's like, oh, yeah, well, you know, faith and Christianity and, like, hope and Jesus is trending, so let's do it. Doesn't matter. The gospel's being proclaimed all over the world, and the Lord will use it. That's the thing is, like, the Lord will use the pure of hearts, but also, if he has to use people who have impure hearts, he's going to use that, too. He's in charge, okay? He's the one that's sovereign. So I. It was beautiful. I thought it was amazing, and it was a really good experience. And it also kind of made me go, I don't know, do I. Do I audition for American Idol again? I literally. I was sitting there and I was just, like, daydreaming. I was like, what if I just tried again, like, 16 years later? Is it 16? No, it's 15 years later. Fifteen years later. It's kind of nuts. Okay. That was my little life update. And I will say that my faith was boosted. My faith was, like, genuinely boosted after that. I'm like, I kind of felt like I was at church also. Another wild part. I'll just say this is. And I didn't know again, guys, I didn't even know that this was actually, like, a live recording. So I just showed up, like, any old day. I looked like it was just any old day. And I showed up and they're like, by the way, like, we're gonna, you guys are gonna go up there and meet the judges and take a quick picture with them. There it is. There I am with freaking Carrie Underwood, Luke, Bryan, and Lionel Richie. What's going on? I couldn't really look at Lionel and say hi to him. He was like all the way over there. I said hi to Carrie and Luke and I was like, hey, guys, I'm Allie. I've seen you both live. It's crazy. Anyway, guys, thanks for letting me yap. Our favorite necessities, guys. Gas, groceries, eating out. Maybe not totally a necessity, but it's fun. And even on the tightest budget, there's no escaping them. But here's what you can control getting cash back every single time you fill up, hit the grocery store or go out to eat with the Upside app. And this is how it works. So you just open the app, you claim an offer, pay with your card like normal, and get paid. And yes, it is actually cash back and not points that you'll never use. Independent studies confirm Upside users earn significantly more than traditional reward programs. There's over 100,000 in participating locations, which means once you start checking the app, you realize how often there's an offer right where you're already going. And I will say that these kinds of things I've always been super skeptical about on whether they actually, like, save you money or not. But now with checking the Upside app, before filling up, eating out, or going grocery shopping, it kind of just becomes an automatic habit. Especially when you do see the results of how much money you're actually saving. It adds up. Upside has given back $1 billion to its users. To find out how much you could earn, download the free Upside app and use promo code on ice to get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas. That's an extra 25 cents back for every Gallon on your first tank of gas. Using promo code on ice Here at Christ with Coffee on Ice. We obviously talk a lot about purpose here, about finding the path God has set for us. And when it comes to education, that path should lead to a future that matters. That's why when I heard about Grand Canyon University, I was so impressed. Because they are a private, non profit Christian university in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona that believes education shouldn't be a privilege, but an affordable path forward for everyone. GC GCU is grounded in Christian truth. They are working to empower the next generation to lead with integrity and serve with purpose, and they make it accessible. Did you know? GCU has kept tuition at the same rate on its traditional campus for 17 years plus, in 2025 alone, they awarded over $404 million in institutional scholarships. Whether you're looking for a degree on campus or online, find your purpose at GCuprivate Christian Affordable Nonprofit. Visit GCU Edu to learn more. Let's talk more about Jesus. Okay, but the other thing that I want to say, the other thing that I want to encourage you guys in is the Lord is doing something. He's moving. He's having his way in more ways than one. He's doing it all over the world. Like, he's encountering people all over the world. The Bible sales have never been higher. People are. Are desperate for the truth. And so I think as the body of Christ, like, genuinely, all this is the Lord inviting us into it to help him. I believe that there is something happening in this generation, in this decade, and the Lord is inviting us into it. And he's saying, do you. Do you want to come with me? Do you want to help me? And so I say. We all say yes. I don't know what it is, but I'm in. And so I also think it'd be really cool if you guys were like, yeah, I'm into God, whatever that looks like, whatever that means. But I'm so excited to continue to watch whatever he does. But also, he has to have our. Yes. Like, he has to have willing vessels. And so that's us, right? Okay, let's read in Philippians. Why not? Let's do it. If you guys are near your Bibles. I know you guys never really know what to predict from me, considering sometimes we read straight from the Bible, sometimes we just be yapping. But today I think we should read a little bit. I mean, Philippians isn't even that long, actually. Like I said, I'm reading nlt. But if you guys. Yeah. If you're near your Bibles, open them. Let's read it together. I think that that would be really good. Obviously, if you're not in a place to read your Bible, that's totally okay. I'm happy to read it to you. But if you can, I would suggest it. I don't know, at least for me, like, having the physical word of God in front of me, tangible, like, my hands are on it, and I'm reading it and I'm highlighting and I'm scanning. It's just a lot more powerful that way. So Philippians 1, we'll start right from the top. I just realized, too, that we. We just read the book of Philippians, like, well, like, four months ago, maybe almost five. So it's been a long time. For a second, I was like, do we read the book of Philippians again? Like, we've technically already done that on the podcast already. But I also recognize that maybe there's a lot of new listeners who haven't been listening that long. But also, like, the word of God is always relevant. So even if we did four months ago, y', all, we need to read it again and again and again. So we're gonna start from the top. Like I mentioned, I am reading the new living translation, and we're gonna start right at the beginning of Philippians, so. Chapter one, verse one. This letter is from Paul and Timothy. Slaves of Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of God's holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. May God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. This is Paul's thanksgiving and prayer. So this is Paul speaking right now. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the good news about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you. With the tender compassion of Christ Jesus, I pray that your love will overflow more and more and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ's return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation, the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ. For this will bring much glory and praise to God. And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the good news. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ and because of my imprisonment. Most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God's message without fear. It's true that some are preaching out of jealousy and rivalry, but others preach about Christ with pure motives. They preach because they love me, for they know I have been appointed to defend the Good News. Those others do not have pure motive. As they preach about Christ, they preach with selfish ambition, not sincerely intending to make my chains more painful to me. But that doesn't matter whether their motives are false or genuine. This message about Christ is being preached either way. So I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice. For I know that as you pray for me and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead me to my deliverance. For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don't know which is better. I'm torn between two desires. I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live. Knowing this, I am convicted, that I will remain alive so I can continue to help all of you grow and experience the joy of your faith. And when I come to you again, you will have even more reason to take pride in Christ Jesus because of what he is doing through me. Now we are on. Verse 27. Live as citizens of heaven. Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together in one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith which is the Good News. Don't be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved even by God himself. For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for Him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Don't be selfish don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges. He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest power and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Now we are in chapter two, verse 12. Just so you guys are caught up. Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation. Obeying God with deep reverence and fear, for God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life. Then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy if the Lord Jesus is willing. I hope to send Timothy to you soon for a visit. Then he can cheer me up by telling me how you are getting along. I have no one else like Timothy who genuinely cares about your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. But you know how Timothy has proved himself like a son with his father. He has served with me in preaching the good News. I hope to send him to you just as soon as I find out what is going to happen to me here. And I have confidence from the Lord that I myself will come to see you soon. Meanwhile, I thought I should send Epaphroditus back to you. He is a true brother, co worker and fellow soldier. And he was your messenger to help me in my need. I am sending him because he has been longing to see you and he was very distressed that you heard he was ill. And he certainly was ill. In fact, he almost died. But God had mercy on him and also on me, so that I would not have one sorrow after another. So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him and that I will not be so worried about you. Welcome him in with the Lord's love and with great joy. And give him the honor that people like him deserve. For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn't do from far away. Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Jesus Christ has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more. I was circumcised when I was 8 days old. I am a pure blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin, a real Hebrew if there ever was one. I was a member of the Pharisees who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the Church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law. Rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with Himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another, I will experience the resurrection from the dead. So cool. Thing about today's sponsorship is I have already been using this product. Unfortunately, though it was introduced into my life when the fires broke out in LA and the air was heavily polluted at that time and so air purifiers were heavily encouraged. And so the Air Doctor is the only air purifier that I trust. It has made such a difference not only in the experience of me living in my home, but literally the quality of my life. I'm sleeping better and breathing through my nose again. There's no lingering smells of dog in my house. Like the Air Doctor actually has powerful three stage filtration that captures extremely small particles about 100 times smaller than what typical air purifiers can remove. It captures airborne contaminants that you don't want to be breathing in. Things like dust, pollen, mold, spores, pet dander, wildfire, smoke, bacteria, viruses, odors, smoke, ozone and VOCs. And what's nice about the air doctor is it's not really loud and obnoxious like others on the market. It also has an auto mode feature which is personally the one that I always have mine on because it ensures optimal air 247 and it has a change filter reminder so no more guesswork. Air Doctor also won Newskeeper's Readers Choice Award for Best Air Purifier. Head to Air Doctor Pro.com and use promo code COFFEE to get up to 300 off today. Air Doctor comes with a 30 day money back guarantee plus a 3 year warranty which is an $84 value for free. Get this exclusive podcast only offer now@airdoctorpro.com that's a I R-O C T-O-R P R O.com using promo code Coffee this