Philippians 1:1 says, Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:  Timothy was with Paul at this time and Paul was writing to the church at Philippi, addressing the church leaders in particular.  I don't believe that he was only writing to them, but that he expected the church leaders to share his letter with the rest of the members.  Church leaders have always had a responsibility to share the news of God with their congregations.  Verse two states, Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.  As always, Paul ask that the grace of God be with the church, which would bring them His peace.  As followers of  Christ, we are living under the grace of God, and since we are we should be at peace in the world.  Verse three adds, I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,  Paul said that he thanked God every time he remembered the believers at Philippi.  Verse four continues, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,  Paul said that he was always praying for them in joy.  We should likewise remember our fellow Christians in prayer and pray that they will continue in the joy of Christ.  Verse five declares, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;  Paul said that he was thankful for their fellowship in Christ from the very first, which indicates they were some of the first to accept Christ as Savior and Lord.  We should always be thankful for those fellow believers who have been a part of our Christian life from the beginning.  God always calls His people to fellowship with one another and to be thankful for each other.  Verse six adds, Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:  Paul said not only had they been followers of Christ since the very beginning, but he had confidence that they would remain true to Christ until He returned, or until they went to be with Him, though he didn't say the last specifically.  We should likewise have confidence in our fellow believers today.  As followers of Christ, we must remain true to His teachings until He returns or until we leave this world to be with Him.  Verse seven says, 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.  Paul said that it was proper for him to think of and pray for the Christians at Philippi, because they had defended the gospel and had remained faithful to him as well, even after he had been arrested.  It would have been easy for them to distance themselves from Paul after his arrest, but they didn't.  If Christian leaders are imprisoned today for their faith, then we must continue to pray for them and support them any way we can.  Verse eight states, For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.  Paul called on God to be his witness as to how much he desired to come visit the church at Philippi again.  When we look at the life of Paul, I believe that we can pretty much disclaim the name it and claim it religion.  Paul, one of the greatest men of faith, often had a desire to do something, and God denied his request.  What we need to do today is not attempt to get God to endorse our plans, but to make sure that we are following His plan.  Verse nine adds, And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;  I believe that Paul was praying that they would grow in their knowledge and judgment through their faith in Christ.  He was not praying that they would become more educated in the things of the world, but that they would become more educated in the things of God.  We may become very educated in the things of this world, and we may even think we are a good judge of what is right or wrong, but unless this is based on our faith in and obedience to God, it is of no real value.  Verse ten continues, That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;  The things that are excellent that Paul was writing about were the things of God.  Paul asked that they be sincere and without offence until Christ returned, and this is what we today as Christians should do as well.  Our faith in Christ should never waver.  Verse eleven continues, Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.  Paul prayed that they would be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which was only possible by faith in Christ, and resulted in glory ot God.  Likewise today, as followers of Christ, we should be full of fruit for Him and for God's glory.