1Tm5

What is "obvious" in our walk with Christ? Let it be good works. Do the things today that are motivated by Christ.

I am amazed how many of us have reduced our christianity to a set of beliefs! We say the most important thing is "truth" and what one "believes". I am not saying that belief is not the most important thing. I believe scripture would confirm this. What I am saying is that belief shapes our behavior!

Paul argues continuously that "good works" result from one's accurate belief. If what we believe about Jesus is not causing us to live in obedience to Him, then our belief is flawed! Paul writes, "good works are obvious, and those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden." In other words, people live what they believe. Their belief becomes obvious through the activity of their lives.

Demonstrate what you believe today through your works.

1Tm4

Are you more disciplined physically or spiritually? Are you more concerned about the health of your body or the health of your soul? Both disciplines are valuable, only one has eternal value.

Paul says that physical discipline has "some" value, but godliness has value for all things. Be careful to not be "most" disciplined in the things that matter least! Our culture is obsessed with the external appearance. Care about your soul.

That said, I believe Paul would also encourage physical discipline! Don't be lazy in any area of life. Get the value out of both physical and spiritual disciplines.

1Tm3

In a world where "right & wrong" are constantly challenged, God's truth rings clear! The church has lost her place in culture because the church no longer holds to God's standards of leadership.

We say "character counts", yet we actually don't hold leaders accountable to standards established by God. Take for example, hospitable. The word actually means, "lover of strangers". It implies someone who cares not only about people they know, but also about people they don't know. Maybe even especially people they don't know.

Our culture teaches "stranger danger"! In other words, someone who you don't know is likely a predator of some sort. Avoid any interaction with strangers. We have let the abuse of a few rule the pattern of relating to everyone. Even basic eye contact and simple greetings are being lost in our culture! Not to mention opening our homes. When was the last time you invited someone to dinner?

The church should have a prominent place in culture. It should be shaping culture! Church leaders are to be setting the example for others to follow. Don't let culture shape your values. Be shaped by God's word.

1Tm2

Is what you want what God wants? When our desires are in conflict with God's, we are desiring the wrong things.

In this chapter, we see that salvation is what God wants for everyone. Sadly, many people never even discover they are lost. Paul's passion was to spread the message of salvation to as many people as possible. We should share that desire.

It begins with prayer. Who will the focus of our prayers today. Paul would encourage us to pray for those who don't know salvation yet. Pray that believers will live in culture in such a way that others are attracted to Christ. 

Examine your heart today. Align your desires with God's.

1Tm1

Belief and behavior are inextricably connected! What one believes is reflected in their behavior. Anyone who claims to "believe" yet continues to act contrary to what they believe, calls their so-called "belief" into question.

Believing the gospel transforms lives. It is not a set of helpful saying and practical life tips. No, it is the "glorious gospel of the blessed God"! Paul wrote about salvation because he experienced it. He was a transformed person. He went from being the "worst of sinners" to someone who literally lived for the expansion of the gospel.

What would our actions say about our true beliefs? Let's work hard today to remove contradictions in our life.

2Th3

Be an example that others can follow. Someone is always watching our lives. The best thing we can do for them is to demonstrate with our lives what it means to follow Christ.

Are we living emulatable lives? If others lived as we live, would our family, community and world be a far better place? If others gave what we give, served as we serve, loved as we love, etc. would this world be a much better place? Are we following Christ with our words and actions?

What category would the apostle Paul place us in? Would we be among those to emulate or among those to avoid? Lots of question for today.

This is the gospel: To live and love like Jesus.

2Th2

I don't often think about the 2nd coming of Christ. Do you? 

Jesus told His disciples to always be ready for His coming. In fact, it was to be a major focus of their lives. They were to live with the expectation of His imminent return. He is coming back. If disciples 2000 years ago were to be preparing for His coming, how much more should those of us who believe today be prepared? Maybe He will return today!

I used to be petrified at the thought of Jesus' return. Now I am eager to see Him come back. I was afraid when I knew I was not ready. I was afraid when I had doubts as to "if" I would be gathered with Him or eternally punished. Now those fears are gone. I know who I have put my faith in and I am living my days for Him. I hope to be living when He returns.

Are you confident in your faith? Are you ready for Christ return? It is the right way to live.

2Th1

You can learn a lot about a person by listening to what they pray for. That is, if you actually pray with people.

Paul was constantly praying for other believers. In this book his prayer was, "that God would consider you worthy of His calling and will, by His power, fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified by you, and you by Him."

Look closer at what Paul wanted for others. Specifically, that God would fulfill every desire they had for goodness and faith! Not that God would bless whatever they desired, but rather, that they would want what God wants and that God would do His work through them! Paul was not into selfish prayers. He prayed that we would be into living to please God.

What is your desire today? Is it to please God? Examine your personal prayers. Are they directed on asking God to increase your faith and help you to be pleasing to Him? Are they about what you want or what God wants? Selfish prayers will likely go unanswered. Prayers for goodness and faith will almost definitely be honored.

1Th5

Warn, comfort, and help! These are all specific commands that we are to apply to each other. All three are to be done with patience.
Warn the irresponsible. Comfort the discouraged. Help the weak.

Everyone needs something. Everyone needs something different. Some need a warning. Others need a listening ear. Still others need assistance. Paul's encouragement to the recipients of this letter would be to focus on others and take action to build their faith.

Are you in need of a warning? Do you need to be encouraged? Are you the one who needs help? I pray you will find whatever you need in the community of faith. That is what the church is to provide in our lives. On the other hand, are you warning others? Are you helping those in need? Are you an encouragement to those around you? This is what it means to be the church.

Live strong today. Live to please God.

1Th4

It is unacceptable for anyone who claims Christ to not pursue absolute purity in their lives! Our culture is being destroyed by our inability to control our sexual passions!

It is God's will for us to live free from all sexual impurity, from lustful desires to immoral relationships. We are to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Any "so-called believer" who is not working hard to control his own body sexually (from thoughts to actions) is NOT living to please God.

Paul said many times and in many places, "Anyone who rejects purity in their life is rejecting God." There is no greater passion in one's life than sexual passion. There is no greater destroyer of one's soul than sexual impurity. And there is no greater joy in one's walk with Jesus than sexual purity! Live to please God. Live in absolute purity.

What a challenge! 

1Th3

Does the spiritual well being of the ones we love grip our hearts and minds? If not, I believe Paul would question the sincerity of our faith.

Twice in this chapter Paul talk about not being able to "stand it any longer". But what could he "not stand"? He couldn't stand not knowing how these new believers were doing in their faith. He couldn't stand the thought that possibly they had been sidelined by persecution or hardship. He couldn't stand the thought that they might not be growing and being fruitful in keeping with the gospel!

What a relief it was to Paul to discover that his fears were unfounded. These believers were doing great. They were not only enduring hardships, but they were actually advancing the gospel as a result of those hardships. The message was "ringing out" through them to the entire region. Paul's fears were turned to rejoicing.

There is nothing better than to hear that those we love are doing well in their faith. Pray for the ones we love today. That is what Paul did.

1Th2

Paul shared the gospel with others even "in spite of great opposition".  We struggle to share even when there is NO opposition. Why is it so easy to talk about meaningless things and so difficult to talk about the most important thing?

It is true that most people don't want to talk about Christ. It is also true that we are rarely persecuted for wanting to talk about Him. I think the problem is not with the hearers, it is with us. We should make it our goal to talk about what we believe today.

There is so much going on in our world! ISIS is seeking to destroy christianity in the middle east. Everyone is seeing the brutality on their TV's. Ebola is ravaging Africa. Every American who has been infected has been infected because of their love for Christ and others. These are layup topics to talk about Jesus.

Talk with someone about Christ today. Tell them what you believe.

1Th1

What kind of message is "ringing out" from our lives? If we were to ask people to share what matters most to us, what would they say?

Paul was encouraged by what people were saying about the Thessalonians. They clearly embraced the message and share the good news with others. Paul was encouraged by three things: 1.)Their work of faith, 2.)Their labor of love, and 3.)Their enduring hope! Clearly it wasn't easy to spread the gospel even back then.

My prayer for us today is that we will work, labor and endure in the same way these early believers did. The message needs to "ring out" from our lives as well.

It's never easy! It's always worth it.

Col4

Four words: Devote yourself to prayer.

We accomplish the things that we are devoted to doing. How high does prayer rank on our list of things we are devoted to? This is a constant challenge in my life and I desire to see God bring about a fresh work in me.

This is my desire for all of us…will we truly be people who pray?

Col3

Challenge: Let every word you speak and action you take today be done to please God. Work hard to make it one day! This was the entire life of Jesus. Never a moment that He was not "pleasing God".

Paul encourage the believers to focus their minds, not on earthly things, but on things above. What does that mean? Does it mean that I will be uninterested in daily life? Does it mean that I will spend my days looking to the sky and longing for Christ return? Absolutely not! (Ok, maybe the longing.)

Look clearly at what Paul says it means. Verse 23 says, "whatever you do…do it for the Lord." Specifically, "love your wives, don't discourage your kids, obey human authority, work hard, etc." We often get confused about the things God truly wants of us. His goal is not to make us odd, but rather, to make us like Jesus.

For those of us who believe he says, "for you have (past tense) died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." This is a lot to think about.

Col2

Delighting in God is the only cure for self-indulgence! Self denial can be another form of pride, which leads to even greater godlessness.

We are free from sin because of Jesus. That freedom is not permission to do whatever we want! Nor is it the condemnation of everything we desire! It is the blessing of knowing Jesus and living in relationship with Him. 

Jesus is the only way to God. Obedience to Jesus is the only way to enjoy our relationship with God. Self denial and self indulgence are both expression of pride! Obedience is about true humility.

Say "no" to self when you are confident you are saying "yes" to Jesus. God has given much of life to be enjoyed. Enjoy freedom from sin and freedom to enjoy all that God has given.

Col1

Is anyone praying for you? If so, it is making a difference! Paul said, "I have not stopped praying for you!"

But what should we pray for others. I think it should look very similar to Paul's prayer. He prayed that the believers would be filled with knowledge of God's will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that they may walk in a worthy manner, fully pleasing the Lord and bearing fruit in every good work. He prayed that every believer would be strengthened with all power, according to God's might, to endure hardships with patience and joyfully give thanks to God.

Paul's prayer for the saints in Colossi is my prayer for us today. Let God complete His work in us.

Ph4

It is a great discipline to "dwell" on the good and not the bad! It is your choice. It is the best choice.

Negativity comes from dwelling on things that are bad rather than things that are good. For some reason our minds naturally focus on the negative and not the positive. One of the greatest disciplines I know it the discipline of the mind. Paul said, "whatever is true, honorable, lovely, commendable, morally excellent and praiseworthy, dwell on these things."

Are you the kind of person who sees the good in things, encourages others for what they do right, and are quick to share positive news? OR, Are you the kind of person who is generally negative, always has a discouraging word and is quick to share something bad? This is your choice. This is a discipline.

Set your mind on what is good. Think about these things.

Ph3

What is our focus today? Is it something of eternal significance? If not, Paul would encourage us to change our focus.

Paul writes, "My goal is to KNOW Jesus." And he is writing this after he had known Jesus for many years. The more he got to know Him, the more he wanted to know Him.

This should be true for all of us. Pursue the goal of "knowing Jesus".

Ph2

Other than yourself, who are you looking out for today? The old adage, "just look out for yourself", is contrary to scripture!

We are absolutely responsible for our own words, attitudes and actions, but it is not enough to just care about ourselves. This book is all about working together for the good of the gospel. It is about looking out for the best interest of others. It is about giving yourself so that others will succeed.

We see maturity as taking care of ourselves. We value independence and autonomy. The more I can do for myself and the less I need others, the more mature I am. The problem is…this is not biblical! Scripture calls us to live life together. To "look out" for each other. To consider others as more important than ourselves. Maturity is putting others above ourselves.

If you actually lived your life today for the good of those around you, what would be different? Maturity would say that you would make that change. Don't just think about doing what is best for you. Consider doing what is best for everyone! 

Ph1

"Just one thing. Live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel." - Paul

We know that in ourselves we are not "worthy" of the gospel. There is nothing we can ever do or say that will make us "deserving" of God's mercy and grace. Yet, Paul urges all Christ followers to live a life that is "worthy". What does he mean?

Simply put, he desires every believer to give their life for the advancement of the gospel of Jesus. He wants all of us to think about using all of our resources for God's good. He rejoiced in the "partnership" that he had with the Philippians. In this book he calls them to a life lived totally for the gospel.

The gospel demands everything we have! It is the one thing worth living for. Live for the gospel today.

Eph6

Be intentional in prayer today. "Pray at all times." God hears our prayers and He cares for us.

Prayer is a difficult spiritual discipline for me. I know its value and I believe in its effectiveness, yet I often neglect to pray. Prayer is not absent in my life, but it is definitely not the most prevalent discipline either. I am always convicted that I should spend more time in prayer. Maybe this year I will move from conviction to action.

Say less, pray more! That would be a good motto for me to follow.