Phil. 3:17-21
There are enemies of the cross of Christ who are obsessed with earthly things, always seeking to satiate their base appetites, gloating over what should shame them and celebrating what should cause them to mourn. But we are not of this world, we are citizens of heaven, and from heaven will come our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We anticipate His soon arrival when He will transform our earthly bodies into the likeness of His own glorious body.
Phil. 4
Fellow workers let me press upon you the importance of guarding the spirit of unity in the fellowship. Because your names are in the Book of Life you should rejoice continually together. There should be a gentleness in your spirit that tempers your treatment of others, no matter who they are, for the Lord is always close by.
Do not worry, pray, thank God in the asking, not in the receiving. Do these things and the peace of God will settle upon your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Focus your minds daily on uplifting things. I offer my life to you as a witness of the peace of God which is the fruit of faithful living.
My peace is not disturbed when I am humbled by circumstances nor am I less humble and dependent on God in prosperity and abundance. Christ is my strength in whatever state I find myself. I am content in Christ—always.
Col. 1:1-14
We are the holy ones who walk in the light, qualified by the Father to inherit His Kingdom. Therefore, my constant prayer is that you grow in wisdom and understanding to know the will of God, pleasing Him and bearing fruit of the Spirit. I ask also for you to be strengthened with the glorious power of God which will energize your spirits with joy while you bear the burdens of life in this dark world.
Though we feel the pain of this fallen world, we are not subject to its power. We walk in the light of God who redeemed us through the blood of His Son. We are forgiven and set free.
Col. 1:15-18
Let me speak to you of the majesty of the Son of God. He is the visible form of the invisible God; creation began with Him, for by Him all things in heaven and earth were created. All of the great ones in heaven who have authority over dominions were created through the Son and for the Son. He was before them, they were created through Him, in fact, their very lives issue from Him.
Now when the Church, which is Christ’s body, rises out of death in the first resurrection Jesus Christ will be declared preeminent over the whole creation.
Col. 1:19-23
Since in Jesus Christ dwells all the fullness of God His blood provides reconciliation for all that belongs to God. There is no one in heaven or earth left out of God’s plan of reconciliation. He has provided for universal peace through His blood. Your faith proves you have already been reconciled by the cross so you might be presented holy, blameless and above accusation in the sight of God.
Col. 1:24-29
Now I rejoice when I suffer for by my afflictions Christ’s ministry to His body is being completed. God has revealed a previously hidden mystery to the saints, that is, Christ dwelling in you is the hope of glory. This is why I labor so fervently to bring you to perfection in Christ Jesus.
Col. 2:1-10
My desire is for your hearts to be knit together in love and be encouraged by this wonderful knowledge of the mystery of God and Christ. In the Father’s ministry through Christ all the treasures of wisdom and understanding are hidden. Do not be deceived when men try to explain away this truth with intellectual arguments which are void of substance. They are bold with their absurd reasoning simply because it is sanctioned by their godless institutions. Their formulations are far too primitive to define the nature and purpose of God. But we know Christ is the sum of the Godhead, presiding over all rule and authority with power, and we are complete in Him.
Col. 2:11-15
Spiritually speaking you have been circumcised by Christ and also buried with Him when you were immersed in the Holy Spirit. By the same Spirit you were raised with Him through faith in what God has done in raising Christ from the dead. All of your sins are forgiven since the legal requirements of the law which were impossible to keep were nailed to the cross of Christ. And by the cross He disarmed the hostile military forces of rulers who have abused their authority before God. They will be objects of derision before the watching world.
Col. 2:16-23
So do not be brought into bondage by those who confuse shadow for substance. All of those things which were previously so important in the religion of the Jews have been fulfilled by Jesus Christ. We are not to be concerned with matters of food and drink or holy convocations or questions of Sabbath-keeping. Your one and only reward is Christ Himself, so let no one distract you from the simple and solitary worship of the Savior. They will tempt you to take on religious appearances, even deceiving you into the worship of angels and a false sense of superior spirituality.
If you died with Christ you are dead to the world, so why like the world do you bind yourselves to regulations and doctrines, denying the power of the cross? Rigorous religious living with morbid self-effacement may seem godly and wise, but in reality feeds pride and is of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Col. 3:1-15
Focus your mind on thing’s above, not below. Your life is hidden with Christ in God, therefore, seek to understand yourself and the world by searching out Christ. Just as the law was nailed to the cross with Christ, so is the evil nature which once energized your body and mind by the knowledge of the law. Having died, you now are renewed in life to be what Christ created you to be. Malicious behavior and out of control passion have no place in your lives. The following are characteristics of the holy and beloved ones whom God has chosen to be the body of Christ:
Tender mercy
Kindness
Humility
Meekness
Long Suffering
Forgiveness
Love
Peace
Thankfulness
Col. 3:16-25
These characteristics will enrich you as you receive the word of God through teaching and admonition in the fellowship, singing psalms and hymns with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to the Father through Him.
Wives, support your husband’s decisions. Husband’s, love your wives and respect their opinions. Children, obey your parents.
Live passionately as to the Lord, not to men. Our reward is the inheritance of the Lord Christ. The disobedient will receive the consequences of their behavior for there is a just balance with God.
Col. 4
Be vigilant in prayer, always with a thankful heart. Be wise in your relationships with unbelievers. Time is precious, it is the only scarce resource, so use it wisely. Speak with grace as you answer questions posed to you by enquirers. See that this epistle is read in the churches. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen.
Thess. 1
Knowing you are loved by God and chosen, we thank God for you as we speak to God of you in our prayers. We cannot forget your labors as you faithfully work with patience, hoping in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The good news came to you in the power of the Holy Spirit assuring you in your afflictions with joy. Your joyful witness of Christ has become an inspiration to many as you patiently wait for His return when you will be delivered from the ensuing wrath which will come upon the world.
Thess. 2:1-13
We came to you for no other reason than to pour our very lives into you as we shared the good news of God. We were gentle among you, cherishing you as a mother does her children. We did not seek glory from men nor did we flatter you with smooth sermons. We asked for no support but toiled night and day to meet our own needs that we might not be a burden as we preached the good news. We walked blameless among you so our exhortation could be clear and strong that you walk worthy of God who has called you to share His kingdom and glory.
Thess. 2:14-19
Consider the churches in Judea who have suffered many hardships just as you have. Who could be worse than the Judeans who killed the Lord Jesus and their own prophets? It is no surprise that they continue to persecute us. Their misery follows them as the wrath of God comes upon them with severity.
Even though Satan has hindered me from seeing you face to face my heart is with you. But our real hope and reason for joy is knowing we will be together in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at His coming, for then you will be my glory and joy.
Therefore strengthen one another, giving respect to those who lead you and minister the word to you; love them for their work’s sake. Let peace rule the fellowship. Receive the following exhortations for your sanctification and preservation:
Warn the unruly.
Refresh the tired.
Strengthen the weak.
Be patient with all.
Never retaliate.
Always seek to be a blessing to others.
Always be joyful.
Never stop praying.
Always be thankful.
Quench not the Spirit.
Receive prophetic utterances.
Be discerning.
Make habits of good behavior.
Shun evil.
Now I pray to God who champions peace to cleanse your spirit, soul, and body, preserving your innocence until the day when the Lord Jesus Christ comes for you. God is faithful to perform His promise. Grace be with you, Amen.
2 Thess. 1
We thank God for you because your faith is growing and your love for one another abounds even in persecution and hardship. It is evident you are being counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which you suffer. God will punish your persecutors and give you rest when the Lord Jesus returns from heaven with His mighty angels. Those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ will, for the ages, he banished from the presence of the Lord’s glory when He comes. He will be glorified and admired by all who believed our testimony. May God cause the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be glorified in you.
2 Thess. 2
I want to enlighten you concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ so you do not become confused or troubled by false reports of His return. Let no one draw you away from the truth I am sharing with you about the timing of the day of the Lord. The falling away will come first and the man of sin and destruction will be made known. He does not honor God and is so full of pride he poses as God in His temple. He will be restrained until it is time for his coming out. When he is no longer restrained he will take his place on the world stage, empowered by Satan with signs and lying wonders. The world will be easily deceived because they rejected the truth of salvation. Since they reject God He will send them what they desire and they will believe an outrageous lie.
2 Thess. 3
The Lord is faithful to establish you on an immovable foundation and protect you from the evil one. My prayer is for your hearts to be directed into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.
Withdraw from lazy busybodies who have no legitimate excuse for not working to support themselves. Do not support their vagrancy but exhort them in Christ to work and eat their own bread. Do not get tired and think of giving up service to others. Keep company with the faithful but avoid those who do not obey the word. Always be at peace for our Lord is the Lord of peace.
God provided salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior and Hope.
1 Tim. 1:
Some are straying from the doctrine with fancy interpretations which invariably throw back to some form of legalism. Grace, mercy and peace from God, producing love from a pure heart, a good conscience and sincere faith is our doctrinal foundation. The law is for the unrighteous, grace and peace is for the faithful. I, Paul, am an example of how far the Lord will reach with His mercy to save the worst kind of sinner.
Now to the Kind of the ages, Immortal Spirit, who has singular wisdom be glory and honor from age to age. Do not resist the Holy Spirit working in you through faith keeping your conscience clean through Godly living. It is easier to live with a clean conscience in victory than to bring your life to ruin by offending God and landing in the hard school with its merciless headmaster, Satan.
1 Tim. 2:
Pray and give thanks for all men, for kings and government leaders that the blessing of God’s peace may be upon us. God is our Savior but desires all people to be saved and to come to know Him in truth. God is over all people and He has a mediator between Him and them, the man Christ Jesus.
Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all people and at the appointed time they will testify of His goodness toward them. I was appointed an apostle of this truth to the Gentiles. Therefore it is my desire for all people wherever they are to pray with holy hands lifted to the Lord, no longer angry, no longer doubting.
Let women adorn themselves modestly, not ostentaciously, but with moderation which is proper for women professing godliness. The wife should defer to her husband as they learn together, for this too is proper for them as they profess faith in Christ as husband and wife.
1 Tim. 3
If a man desires to be a leader in the Church he desires a good work. He must be dedicated to his wife and live temperately. He should be competent to teach the word and always ready to refresh a visitor in his home. He should not be addicted to alcohol or any substance nor should he be covetous of money. He should have control of his spirit, not be emotionally fitful. He should not let any desire rule him but the desire to please God in all things. There should be harmony in his household. He should not be new in the faith but seasoned in the work of God. Unbelievers should have no legitimate reason to impugn his character. The workers in the church who help the leaders in ministry are to faithfully follow the example of the leaders.
Let there be no argument regarding the great mystery of God and what He has done:
He was manifest in the flesh,
The Holy Spirit confirmed His ministry,
Angels witnessed His life,
He was preached to the whole world,
Believed on wherever the good news was heralded,
He finished His work by ascending to glory.
Tim. 4:1-8
It is a revelation of the Spirit that in the years leading up to the end there will be an apostacy from the faith, a spiritual deception based on demon inspired teachings. Lies will be told by charlatans who have no ability to feel conviction for their sins. They will scoff at the sanctity of marriage and make dietary disciplines more important than worshipping God.
But we know the food we eat is cleansed by the word of God and prayer. Bodily exercise is not as important as being spiritually fit which is a blessing in this life as well as the life to come.
Tim. 4:9-16
Trust in the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of those believing.
Be an example in Word and Spirit, faith and purity, thus you will be respected even as a youth. Be diligent in reading the word, exhortation to faithful living, and sound doctrinal teaching. Be faithful and you will be a blessing to yourself as well as others.
Tim. 5:1-16
Be respectful when confronting older men, treat them as you would a father, in fact, do the same with any brother or sister in the Lord for they are truly family to you. With younger women be sure to maintain your purity.
Honor the husbandless woman who remains dedicated to her household, paying due respect to her parents. Some women, to their loss, neglect their responsibility to family in pursuit of personal pleasure. If anyone does not provide for their own family they are denying the faith; unbelievers are more principled than that.
Support the widows who have lived godly lives exhorting younger women to live righteously, trusting God for a husband who will share her faith. Let families support their own family members who are in need so the church is not burdened.
Support church leaders who rule well, laboring in the word for they are worthy of their wages. Accusations against ministers should be brought only by two or three witnesses. Rebuke those who continue in sin that others may fear. Be careful not to judge rashly, but be wise and always impartial. Do not offer gifts of ministry to unrepentant sinners or you will be touched by their sin.
Some men will suffer the consequences of their sinful behavior in this life and some will be held accountable later. Likewise, some good works will be rewarded in this life and some in the next.
Employees and workers, count those who pay you worthy of honor, not to please men but to please God, giving no occasion for His name to be tarnished because of your faithless behavior.
Mark the proud and ignorant who love to argue and dispute having no idea what the real truth is but are deceived into thinking serving God is the way to financial success. The truth is godliness with contentment is great gain since we brought nothing into this world and will certainly leave with nothing. Therefore we are content having food and clothing.
Those who desire to be rich are tempted beyond their ability to resist, falling into the destructive trap of wanting to possess what they cannot handle. The love of money is the root of every form of evil. Some have been deceived into a false faith which seeks money as evidence of faithfulness. The basis of this deception is greed, its end is sorrow.
2 Tim. 11-15
I know Jesus has abolished death therefore the things I have suffered are no cause for shame, on the contrary, the victory I have in my chains is proof to me that He is able to see me through to the Day of His return.
May the Lord grant mercy to Onesiphorus who ministered to me when others were ashamed of my arrest and imprisonment.
2 Tim. 2:1-7
Be strong in grace my son for you must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. There are other faithful ones who will teach these things; inspire them to wage war with the singular purpose of pleasing our great Commander who enlisted and trained them to be soldiers.
If I may use another analogy, as it is with an athlete in competition, he cannot win unless he knows the rules of the game, so it is with us.
Work hard and you will receive the first-fruit blessings of your labor as a farmer is first partaker of his harvest.