Posts from January 2021 (Page 2)

Colossians, Day 2 THANKSGIVING and PRAYER COLOSSIANS 1:3 – 14 The apostle Paul opens this amazing epistle with very encouraging words. He is very consistent in including a thanksgiving message in his letters. Thanksgiving must be a consistent attitude for all Christians. Notice how he acknowledges the relationship between God and Jesus (Verse 3). Our praying must start with recognizing it is God that supplies our strength for each new day. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:9 to begin our…

Colossians, Day 1 Clear and Present Vision “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father” (Colossians 1:1 – 2). In the shadow of Mount Cadmus, in what we now call Turkey, the city of Colossae was a thriving trade center and exporter of textiles to regions all over the known world in the 5th…

Ephesians, Day 7 | Ephesians 6:10 – 24 A few weeks ago, we had a decent snowstorm, somewhere between 8 and 10 inches of snow accompanied by a few days of freezing temperatures. My children, of course, were beyond excited to play in the snow. Not wanting to cut short their fun, I began assembling my gear, preparing to spend hours in the cold. I started with an insulated shirt, then added a pair of Carhartt-esque overalls that were hand-me-downs…

Ephesians, Day 6 | Ephesians 5 – 6:9 Becoming a Genuine Imitation I snicker at phrases that, after some thought, seem either contradictory or painfully obvious. For example, “jumbo shrimp.” Or “civil war.” “Free gift.” “For sale by owner” — no kidding. How about “Seating is limited.” Otherwise it would be an infinite theater. One of my favorites is the warning found in the heating directions on frozen meals: “Caution! Product will be hot!” Duh. The same could be said…

Ephesians THE WALK, PART 2 | Ephesians 4:7 – 32 Walking the Christian walk and living the Christian life are both difficult and challenging. It is not a fuzzy feeling that you will have all over. You will instead experience many tribulations of prejudice for your conviction, as Christ warned: “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). In Acts 14: 22, Paul is exhorting the disciples to continue in the faith, and that we must…

Ephesians, Day 4 The Walk — Part 1 (Ephesians 4:1 – 16) “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:1 – 3). The term “Christian” means “little Christ,” and it was originally used to make fun…

Ephesians, Day 3 Our Position – Part 2 |THE CHRISTIAN’S WEALTH and WALK Ephesians Chapters 2 – 3 Definition of ‘”GRACE” God gave us something that we did not deserve. Definition of “MERCY” God held back something from us that we did deserve. As Paul concludes Ephesians Chapter 1, he talks about the power God the Father exerted into Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms. God placed…

Ephesians, Day 2 Our Position in Christ, Part 1 | Ephesians 1:3 – 23 Knowing where you stand with a person is so reassuring. When I think about some of the encouraging relationships throughout my life, I see a pattern of affirmation, brutal honesty at moments, a listening ear, grace in tough situations, and mutual love and respect. In our life together, I also see the prevalence of God’s hand that guides us to a deeper understanding of Who He…

Ephesians, Day 1 The First Mass Mailing Over the years of being on staff at a church, I’ve been on the receiving end of quite a number of mass mailings. The contents ranged anywhere from “Check out our great product” to “Please consider donating to our cause.” The oddest one I ever received was when, in 2019, a number of churches received a fax with a promotion for a Valentine’s Day fundraiser. There was a flyer with a stuffed bear…

Galatians Day 5 Galatians 6:11 – 18 | Paul Sums Up His Case January 8, 2021 Paul is serious about the Gospel. In this epistle, Paul has been warning the Galatian gentiles to not mix works with faith — even God-ordained rituals — to obtain God’s favor and salvation. This reminds me of what the writer to the Hebrews wrote: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that…