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The Longing In A Heart Philippians 1:7-8 “Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.”Can you sense Paul’s love and Godly desire for these believers at Philippi? Their birth as a church was costly to the Apostle and his coworkers. The beginning of this church came through the conversion of Lydia (Acts 16:14, 15). From there Paul and his companions were met with a damsel possessed of Satan (Acts 16:16-18). Their disturbance in the city of Philippi got Paul and Silas beaten with many stripes and thrown in prison (Acts 16:19-24). In prison they prayed, the place was shaken, their bonds fell off, and the prison doors fell open. The jailer and his house got saved and were baptized (Acts 16:25-34). Thus the beginning of the church at Philippi! Not an easy church plant! But now we know why Paul had these believers in his heart and longed after them. When you invest so much spiritually (and physically and mentally) into someone you want the best for them. You want God’s will to be done in their life; much like Christian parents with their children.