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Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (NIV) I don’t think I should be dogmatic about this, but what I see in the key verse certainly gives room […]

Key Verse: Colossians 4 “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” Paul had a very strong view on prayer. The Greek verb he uses here was also used by an historian (Polybius) in describing the stubborn persistence of a siege. This powerful imagery is not an overstatement — it is merely consistent […]

Key Verse: Colossians 3:16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” These are two ways of interpreting “the word of Christ”. The first is fairly straightforward: the word(s) which […]

Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18 The Quid pro Quo of Forgiveness vv. 14 & 15 I’ve already referenced these verses commenting on v. 12. But to emphasize the point, take a look at Jesus’ hyperbolic parable of the unmerciful servant in ch. 18:23-35. Here’s a guy who owes the king ten thousand (!!) bags of […]

Key Verse: Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” In chapter two, Paul confronts the heresy spoken of in the introduction. Its most fundamental flaw is its dependence upon “human tradition” […]

Key Verse: Colossians 1:19, 20 “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness, should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.” Take a good long look at verses 15-23. It […]

Key Verse: Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.” This key verse occurs in the context […]

Key Verse: Philippians 3:13 & 14 “…forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goals for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul had powerful motivation. It was rooted in his belief in Jesus, and its energy was derived […]

Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18 Temptation and The Evil One v. 13 Let’s be clear right off the top. God never entices us to do evil. Biblically and historically (until about the 17th century) “tempt” meant “test”. In the Old Testament scriptures we see God testing men and (a non-starter) men testing God. A test […]

Key Verse: Philippians 2:5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus…” At first reading in the context, it looks a bit like over-kill. Paul was concerned about petty personal quarrels which were disrupting the Philippian church (2:1-4). He certainly needed to give a fatherly word of correction. Instead, he breaks […]

Key Verse: Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment…” There is a remarkable observation made by Paul in Romans 10:2. He is talking about his fellow Israelites when he says, “For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, […]

Key Verse: Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Jesus didn’t come to make people nice: He came to make them new. Mind you, people who are new in Christ also tend to be nice, but niceness is no antidote […]