I Thessalonians 2   Paul reassures and encourages his readers as he speaks of the great fondness he has for them.   When he first came to them with the truth of the gospel, he was bold, yet gentle and tender.  He was devout.. upright.. and blameless in behavior.  He was faithful to share the gospel, but careful to not be a burden.  He was so thankful that they received the gospel, recognizing it as the true word of God.  And, in this letter he is rejoicing that they are living out their kingdom lives in a worthy manner.

We, who are parents, can relate to Paul's tender and devoted love for his spiritual children.  We try to be bold in our teaching of the Word.  We want to live devoutly, uprightly, and blameless.. so that we are the best example we can be to our children.. and grandchildren.  We try to encourage and exhort.. and implore them .. so that they will walk "in a manner worthy of the God who calls [them] into His own kingdom and glory." ( v12)   We pray that they will be spared from false teachers, from suffering, from temptations... but, that when those things come, they will be strengthened by His Spirit in them.

And, when we see them growing in the grace of our Lord, standing firm in the faith.. we say, along with Paul,  " ... you are our glory and joy. " 

Father,  help our children and grandchildren.. and all our loved ones.. to  live according to Your Word.  May they bind "kindness and truth" around them, and write these virtues on the tablets of their hearts.  ( Prov. 3:3)
May they find favor in the sight of God and of man. (3:4)  May they trust in You with all of their hearts and not lean on their own understanding.  May they acknowledge You in all their ways, so that You can make their paths straight.  ( 3:5-6)  Thank You Father that Your grace is sufficient for each one of our loved ones. Our hope is in You, Lord, as we lift them before You once again.  As always, we ask these things in the Name of Jesus, the One who lives in us.. Amen.

I Thessalonians

These people received the Gospel "in power and in the Holy Spirit".  
They turned from idols "to serve a living and true God. "  
They were known for their works of faith, for their labors of love, and for their steadfastness in hope.  Their reputation as faithful followers of Jesus had spread across Macedonia.
Their perseverance despite tribulations resulted in great joy among believers.
They awaited the return of Jesus Christ "from heaven".. the same Jesus who rose from the dead, "who delivers us from the wrath to come." 

Can we see ourselves in these words of testimony from Paul?

Can we also, proclaim that we have received the gospel, not just in words, but in power.. in the Holy Spirit.. and with "full conviction"? 
Do our lives reveal the "joy of the Spirit" in the midst of troubles?
Does the testimony of our personal faith move beyond our own four walls?
Have we truly turned from every and all false idol.. to the One and Only living God?
Do we wait eagerly for the Son?
Do we keep our eyes on "the things above", setting our minds firmly on those things that really matter.. in heaven?

Peter wrote this, "Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." ( I Peter 1:13)

If we are waiting for Jesus to return, we will live in blessed expectation... doing all that we do out of love and devotion to the Lord Jesus, who is our Master.  We will have a living hope, knowing that when He comes, He will bring grace... "When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory." 

We can only imagine...

Father in heaven, all glorious above, we bow down before You and worship You!  How amazing that You choose us... O, how we thank You!  Fill us with Your Spirit, that we might live in Christ and  for Christ, according to Your perfect will.  Let our hearts be filled with Your love.  Let our minds be girded and ready for action. Let our hope be sure and fixed on Jesus, our Lord.  It is in this matchless name we pray. Amen.

Colossians 4 Paul concludes his letter with a reminder to his readers.. to pray.

v2 "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving."
 In verse 3 .. Paul asks for prayer for himself and his preaching.
v12 Paul tells how Epaphras is "always laboring earnestly" for them in prayer.. "that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God". 

Then in verse 17 Paul instructs the readers to encourage Archippus to "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it. " 

It is in the devotion to prayer, in the earnest labor of prayer, and in the attention to the God-given ministry of prayer.. that we may know the will of God and "fulfill it".

If we do not pray.. we will not speak forth the Word as we should.
If we do not pray.. we will not conduct ourselves with wisdom.. or season our speech with grace.
If we do not pray.. we will not be renewed in our spirits, filled with His power, or live out His life of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

We all need an Epaphras.. one who is a "bondslave of Christ" who will labor earnestly in prayer for us.

Father, help me to be like Epaphras,  devoted to prayer, full of grace, earnest, alert, thankful, and diligent to fulfill the ministry that You have for me.  Thank You that Christ lives in me and because of His Presence I live as Your servant and Your child.  Have Your way in me today, I pray.  I pray for any that will read this blog today, that they may also stand "perfect and fully assured in all the will of God."  In the name of my Savior, Jesus Christ, I come... amen.

Colossians 3   This "new self" -made complete in Him - "raised up with Christ" - given "all the wealth" and treasures that are His -  is "hidden with Christ in God." 

He is our life.  The old flesh.. the old self.. the old life.. is dead.   It no longer enslaves us to sin.  It no longer has authority to cause us to be immoral, impure, evil, greedy, or idolatrous.  The new life.. the Life of Christ.. has been "renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him..." 

So, as we "keep seeking the things above..." and set our "minds on the things above" we become more and more like Him.

Our new spiritual, supernatural life - takes control of the body and considers it dead to "immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed" .  It puts aside "anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech."  It does not lie.

Instead, our lives reflect the holiness of our Lord - His Life comes out -

a "heart of compassion"
"kindness, 
humility,
gentleness, 
patience, 
bearing with one another, 
.. forgiving one another... "

We "put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity". 
His peace rules our hearts.
We are filled with thankfulness.

Our words are His - teaching with wisdom, admonishing with scripture and hymns and psalms.
We are thankful.
We do and say everything in His Name and for His glory.

Our relationships reflect His truth.
Our work reflects His character.
We are sincere and faithful servants of our Lord.

We are looking to the day when He will be revealed and we are revealed in Him.
We are looking for the "reward of the inheritance" that He has prepared for us.


Keep seeking, we are told.
Keep our eyes and our minds on the finish line.. where Christ our Lord "is seated at the right hand of God. "

Father, keep my mind and life right here - focused on these truths - for the Day of Your salvation is coming nearer and nearer.  Your Kingdom come and Your will be done! O, how we long to see the glory of our Lord.. face to face.  Hold us in Your loving arms we pray. Amen .

Colossians  2  Jesus Christ is the "hope of glory"... Let us be encouraged, Paul writes, because we have attained "all the wealth that comes from full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is Christ Himself." 

Jesus holds all the "treasures of wisdom and knowledge" .  As we walk in Him we are "made complete".. He is the "head over all rule and authority: ".  And we who believe  have been "circumcised" .... in that the "body of the flesh" is removed and buried!  We were dead... and now "He made [us] alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions." 

Why then, Paul writes,  do we worry about days and foods, and moons?  NONE of that matters.
What matters is holding on to Jesus.. the Head, "from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God." 

Jesus.. canceled our debts, forgave our transgressions, gave us new life, and holds us fast.  No other can compare. No other can save.  No other can sanctify. No other can have authority over us.  Our Lord is King and we belong to Him.

Praise the Lord!

Lord, may I know You more and love You more today as You share ( with me!!!) all the wealth of understanding that is in You.  Oh what treasures of wisdom and knowledge that You have written for us!  Thank You for the Spirit of God who leads us in these truths and fills us with this great hope!  We choose to cling to You and to forsake any other teachings that are destined to perish.  You alone are the eternal Word!
Fill us! Amen.

Colossians 1

Father, we give thanks to You for this Word.. the Truth.. the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We add our voices to Paul's prayer...

We ask that You would fill us with the knowledge of Your will, 

in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 

so that 

we may walk in a manner worthy of our Lord, 

pleasing You in all respects, 

bearing fruit in every good work, 

increasing in our knowledge of You. 

Strengthen us with Your power, 

according to Your glorious might!

So that, 

we might attain all steadfastness

and patience.. 

And that we might joyfully give thanks to our Father, 

who has qualified us to share in the the 

inheritance of the saints in light. 

We have an "incomparable" Savior and a Gracious God!  

He delivered us "from the domain of darkness" and "transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son!"

 He redeemed us.. forgiving our sins. 

This Jesus, the Christ, the One we seek to know and love more is:

",.. the image of the invisible God"

".. the first born of all creation."

The Creator of "all things.. both in the heavens and on earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things have been created by Him and for Him." 

He is "before all things and in Him all things hold together." 

He is the Head of the church. 

He is the "beginning, the first -born from the dead.. " 

He has "first place in everything". 

All the fulness dwells in Him. 

He reconciles all things to Himself. 

He has "made peace through the blood of His cross".

 He has "reconciled [me] in His fleshly body through death in order to present [me] before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach." 

May we stand firm in faith.. " established and steadfast" 

May we not be moved "away from the hope of the gospel". 

May we know the "riches of His glory .. Christ in [me] the hope of glory"

May we proclaim Him "admonishing every man with wisdom, that we may present every man complete in Christ." 

May we labor.. striving with His power which works in us. 

Even if we just meditate on one of these things.. we can advance in our goal to know and love Him more each day....  Jesus.. holds all things together.  All of creation.. all of mankind.. all of you and all of me.. He holds our marriages together.  He holds our families together.  He holds our bodies together.. He holds the Church together.   And, He does it with love and patience.. with kindness and gentleness.. He does it humbly and faithfully.  

Oh may we know the riches of His glory.. the hope we have because He is in us!

Amen. 

Happy New Year!  A fresh beginning.. a year of new opportunities .. a time to start something new, perhaps?

Reading in a new devotional this morning , I am encouraged to set a goal for this new year.. to know and love the Lord more each day...  This is one of those things that at first glance you might say.. "of course"..  But, it is not something that will happen without effort, diligence, attention, and deliberate practice.  So, I am lifting up this goal as a prayer, for myself and for my loved ones.. and for anyone else that happens upon this blog ...

Lord God, You love us with amazing, unending, limitless love.  You have provided all that we need for salvation, redeeming us through the sacrifice of our Beloved Lord Jesus Christ.  This new year, Lord, we ask that You would strengthen us by Your Spirit in our inner beings, to grow in knowing You.. Father, Spirit, and Son.. and to love You more and more each day.  We ask this in the Name of the One who has all authority in heaven and earth,  Jesus, our King.  Amen.

Philippians 4  Paul gives some important final instructions to this church.. instructions that will help us also.. in our worthy walk.. in our quest to know Him and to love Him more:

"... so stand firm in the Lord.. " (v1) Daily... hourly.. minute by minute.. connection to our Savior!

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say rejoice."  ( v4)  Even if we don't feel like it?  YES!

" Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,  shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ( v6-7)  What a precious truth!

"Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence, and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things. "  ( v8)

Paul testifies that he has learned to be "content in whatever circumstances " he encounters.   He has learned that he can "do all things through Him who strengthens"  him.  And, he can say with confidence that "God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

We also can find contentment, peace, joy, perseverance , and strength in Christ Jesus as we set our minds to know Him and to love Him more.   Let's set our minds on Jesus.. who is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, of good repute, excellent, and worthy of praise..  Let us endeavor to stand firm in Him, to rejoice in Him, to bring every need to Him and rest in His bountiful provisions, confident that He will supply all our needs also!  He owns the cattle on a thousand hills.. I know that He can care for me... and for you!

Praise to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.