Posts from 2021 (Page 12)

1 Timothy, Day 2 Conduct for the Church (1 Timothy 2 – 3) “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14 – 15). This passage concludes with an explanation as to why Paul wrote these 2 chapters.…

1 Timothy, Day 1 THE GOSPEL LEADS TO PRACTICAL, VISIBLE CHANGE IN BELIEVERS’ LIVES “Introduction and Warning About False Teaching” 1 Timothy Chapter 1 1 Timothy is one of the four epistles that Paul wrote to individuals (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon). The first three are typically called the “pastoral epistles.” All were written near the end of Paul’s life. Timothy was a young man who had a great passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Timothy had a Jewish mother…

Colossians, Day 6 (Colossians 4:7 – 18) When I read Colossians 4:7 – 18, the thing that strikes me most is how we tend to overlook Paul’s support staff. Paul is viewed as a pillar in the Christian faith and rightly so, but he wasn’t alone in the work he was doing for Christ. Paul gets most of the credit, but he was not and could not have done it alone. He had friends who stayed with him when he…

Colossians, Day 5 Colossians 3:1 – 4:6 Avoiding the Religious Wardrobe Malfunction If you’ve been on many websites, you’ve probably seen those annoying ads at the bottom of some pages that advertise the equivalent of Barnum and Bailey freak shows. “The scene that took My Mother the Car off the air!” “What does Gary Coleman look like now?” “Wardrobe malfunctions that make Happy Days look like Woodstock!” There is always one that has to do with some weird, supposedly provocative…

Colossians Day 4 Exhortations to the Colossian Church What Are You Filled With Today? Colossians 2:6 – 23 “[A]nd you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority” (Colossians 2:10) Although a French physician (Anthelme Brillat-Savarin) stated in 1826 that “You are what you eat,” the idea that our health is defined by our diet has been around for thousands of years. This idea also applies to our spiritual health and strength, and our…

Colossians, Day 3 Rejoicing (Colossians 1:24 – 2:5) “Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me” (Colossians 1:28 – 29). In this passage, Paul lets his readers know why he suffers so much for the cause of Christ. He is not doing it to gain recognition or to show others how “spiritual” he is.…

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…