LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Colossians

MAN MADE RELIGION

Read Colossians 2          

            Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.  Colossians 2:4-5 NKJV

* * *

            This newly formed church worshiped in a city with a mixed culture of pagan religion and strict Judaism. The Jews insisted on keeping the traditions of the law while pagan philosophers called for extreme neglect of the body through self imposed religion and worship of angels. 

            Paul warns the Colossian church, “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. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.” (2:8-10)

* * *

            Lord, I praise You that we are complete in You. I pray that as I have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so (I will) walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as (I) have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. (2:6-7) Thank You Lord, for the free gift of Your salvation.

* * *

            And you, being dead in your trespasses…He has made alive together with Him…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.  Colossians 2:13-14 NKJV

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Ephesians

BE STRONG IN THE LORD

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 Read Ephesians 6

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.   Ephesians 6:10-11 NIV

 * * *

 Paul concludes his letter by reminding them that it is no small adversary that they face. Satan then as now, wages war against Christ and His Church. He tells them and us to be prepared “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (6:12)

Our preparation will be in knowing God’s Word and putting it into practice in our lives. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. (6:14-15)

* * *

 Lord, I know that we are no match for our enemy, the Devil. But I also know that You are greater than anything He can throw at us in this life. Help me to be diligent in preparing my soul through the reading of Your Word. Give me the gift of faith, as You have promised, to always trust and obey.

 * * *

 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Ephesians 6:16-17 NIV

WALK IN LOVE

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LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Ephesians

Read Ephesians 5

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV

* * *

 Paul encourages the members of the Ephesian church to “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (4:32) He goes on to warn of the false teachers who were saying that it doesn’t matter how we live now that we are Christians. He urges them,

“for you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” (5:8-11)

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs,” he writes, “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (5:19-20)

 * * *

 Lord, I am so thankful for Your kindness and compassion towards us. Help me to forgive others just as I have been forgiven. Help me to be faithful to carry the light of your gospel to those who do not know you and encouragement to those who do.

* * *

 Be very careful, then, how you live-not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Ephesians 5:15-16 NIV

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Ephesians

GROW UP INTO HIM

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Read Ephesians 4

 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching… Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ Ephesians 4:14-15 NIV

 * * *

 In this passage, Paul is reminding the Ephesian Christians of the primary purpose of the local church. Each member of the body of Christ has been given spiritual gifts or talents to be used for a specific reason – the edifying and building up of believers. This was and is an ongoing process where we grow in our faith and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (4:13b) It is not something we do by ourselves, but in fellowship with other believers. Each person has something unique to contribute as  the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (4:1)

 * * *

 Lord, I pray that you will show each one of us what part we are to play in your plan for our church. Help me to use the talents you have given me for the purpose of building other believers up in their faith. I pray also for the unity of our local church so that we can work together to give forth the gospel and disciple new believers onto maturity.

* * *

 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:2-3 NIV

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Ephesians

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CHOSEN IN HIM

Read Ephesians 1–3

 …He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love… to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:4, 6 NKJV

* * *

      Paul in writing to the believers in Ephesus reminds them of the wonderful gift of the gospel. “But now in Christ Jesus,” he says, “you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (2:13) In the fullness of time, God carried out His plan that the Gentiles would be included in His church. For both Jews and Gentiles salvation came by the grace of God as a free gift.
     For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (2:8-10)

* * *

Lord, I will be eternally thankful that You offered salvation to all who would believe. I am grateful that I did not have to earn it by good works. I am also thankful that you had good works planned for me before I even knew You. Help me as I share the good news of Christ’s love with all who will be willing to receive it.

* * *

“that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.    Eph 3:17b-19 NKJV

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FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT

Read Galatians 5─6

            For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  Galatians 5:13 NKJV

* * *

            There were those in the Galatian church who insisted that Gentile believers must become Jews and keep the ceremonial laws. Paul writes, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” (Galatians 1:6-7)    

He then goes on to explain the role of the law in the lives of New Testament believers: “…the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”  (Galatians 3:24-25)

            They were to defend the true gospel in a spirit of love; For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:14

* * *

            Lord, when I run into Christians who are influenced by false teaching, help me to be patient and kind, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in my life and attitude. Give me the wisdom to stand fast and defend the gospel in a way that will glorify You.

* * *

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  

Galatians 5:22-23a NKJV

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Corinthians

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 JARS OF CLAY

 Read 2 Corinthians 4-5

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!  2 Corinthians 5:17  NIV

 * * *

In this letter Paul encourages the Corinthian church to endure in their trials. He said of himself and his companions, “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.” (2 Corinthians 1:8b-9a)  Though they themselves were “jars of clay”, he said, they endured because of the all surpassing power of God. “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day…” (2 Corinthians 4:16)

In view of eternity and what Christ accomplished for us on the cross, Paul reminds them, “…he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” ( 2 Corinthians 5:15)

 * * *

Lord, I will probably never face the kind of opposition that Paul and the early church had to face, but I know that there are Christians throughout the world who are being persecuted. Lord, show your all-surpassing power to them, and help me to remember that I too have access to this power in my life through your Holy Spirit.

* * *

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.  2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV

NO MORE DEATH

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Corinthians

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Read 1 Corinthians 15

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:22, 26 NIV

* * *

One thing we all have to face is the reality of death. No matter how healthy we are, eventually it will catch up with us. By receiving the free gift Christ has purchased, we have the promise of eternal life, but we will see physical death in this body – unless of course, He returns in our lifetime.

Paul writes, Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. (15:51-52)

 

He assures us as believers, that when we die, we will immediately enter His presence clothed with immortality, never to see death again. For when the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.“(15:54)

* * *

Lord, thank you for the promise that death is not the end. I will see my loved ones who are already in Heaven and will spend eternity praising You for all You have done for us in this life and the one to come.

* * *

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV

THE GREATEST IS LOVE

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Corinthians

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Read 1 Corinthians 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1 NIV

* * *

After a discussion in chapter 12 about the various spiritual gifts, and a call for unity in exercising those gifts in the church, Paul says, “…But eagerly desire the greater gifts. (those that edify and build up the body) And now I will show you the most excellent way…” (12:31)

 

No matter what the gift or talent God has bestowed upon you, it is worth nothing if not exercised in love ─ and this, writes Paul, is what love looks like: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (13:4-7)

* * *

Lord, this is a tall order for anyone, but absolutely necessary in our relationships with other believers. Obviously, those early churches had to struggle with their issues just as we do today. Love certainly requires forgiveness and humility. Help me to keep no record of wrongs.

* * *

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

FOLLOW THE LEADER

LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES – Corinthians

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Read 1 Corinthians Chapters 1 – 3

Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” Is Christ divided? 1 Corinthians 1:12-13a NKJV

* * *

The church at Corinth had several gifted teachers, each with his own style of ministry. The new converts were lining up contentiously behind their favorite leaders, causing division in the church. Paul writes, “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” (3:5-6) He urges them to come together in unity and benefit from all God has given saying, “Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. (3:8)

It is human nature to get our eyes on men instead of God. Many a ministry has been hindered because of this wrong focus. Paul reminds them and us, Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours… And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s. (3:21, 23)

* * *

Lord, keep us from being critical of leaders who are doing Your work, but not in the way we would choose. Help us to be gracious and thankful that we have so many resources available to us. Above all, help us to build faithfully on the foundation of Your Word.

* * *

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11 NKJV