Monday Colossians 2:16-23 Truth in Traction It may be a simplistic way to view the letter of Paul to the church of Colossae as a hinge between truth and traction. First, Paul gives his readers a boatload of truth (Colossians 1-2:15) followed by the application (traction) of those truths to daily living (Colossians 3-4). In...
Monday Colossians 2:6-15; John 15:4-6; Acts 16:29-33 Ever heard the taunt, “Christianity is a crutch”? Karl Marx amplified such cynicism, declaring, “Religion is the opiate of the masses.” “(Ancient Christian theologian) Augustine … compared the church to a hospital, because it is full of wounded and ill people in the process of being healed.” (Zacharius...
Monday Colossians 1:29 – 2:1 “To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally.” (Colossians 1:29-2:1) Paul contends for the church in...
Monday Colossians 1:24 The apostle Paul is not known for drawing attention to himself. Throughout all his writings, he seeks to focus on the Lord Jesus Christ, glorying in all Christ accomplished through His death and resurrection. He strikes a similar theme in Colossians 1:13-23; but it would appear that he had his critics, as...
Monday Colossians 1:15-24; Galatians 1:6-10; Ephesians 4:13-16 1:12 Paul’s letter to the Colossians addressed heresy that was creeping into this young church. “[The Colossian heresy] denied that the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Christ … [also rejecting] that the Christian was complete in Christ … [This heresy] tried to supplement the freedom in...
Monday Colossians 1:12 A kingdom person is thankful. “And giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.” —Paul (Colossians 1:12) As a boy scout, I learned that a scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty,...
Monday Colossians 1:1-8; Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 21:5-7 The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians—along with Ephesians, Philippians and Philemon—comprise his “prison epistles.” Most date these concurrent with Paul’s first Roman imprisonment, 60-62 AD. As we will be spending much of the next 13 weeks in Colossians, let’s consider the context of this book whose central...
Monday Psalm 139:1-12; Hebrews 13:5-6 It is one of those days you just wish would hurry up and end. Nothing is going according to plan. You are stressed, overwhelmed, emotional, and no one apparently wants to know or care about who you are, how fragile you are, or what you need. Your cry is for...
Monday Ephesians 2:19-22; 1 Chronicles 29:15; John 17:14-16 Perhaps you’ve heard that Christians are to “be in the world, but not of the world,” partly paraphrasing what Jesus said in John 15:19 and 17:14-16. Paul develops this theme in Romans 12:2 and Ephesians 4:22-24. Ephesians 2:19-22 starts here: “So then you are no longer strangers...
Monday Hebrews 1:1-3; Philippians 2:5-11; 2 Corinthians 3:14-16 “Why does God make it so hard? Why can’t He just come down, clearly show us who He is, and then we can believe?” asked my unbelieving nephew, Greg. Isn’t it interesting how skeptics often express frustration and criticism regarding a God in whom they profess disbelief?...
