The Psalms

I’ve been reading a Psalm a day lately. So it will take me awhile to read all of them (150 days to be exact!)

But I came across this list about some of the Psalms that speak to different things going on in our lives:

To find comfort Psalm 23
To feel closer to God Psalm 103
To learn a new prayer Psalm 136
To learn a new song Psalm 92
To learn more about God Psalm 24
To understand yourself more clearly Psalm 8
To know how to come to God each day Psalm 5
To be forgiven Psalm 51
To feel worthwhile Psalm 139
To understand why you should read the Bible Psalm 119
To give praise to God Psalm 145
To know that God is in control Psalm 146
To give thanks to God Psalm 136
To please God Psalm 15
To know why you should worship God Psalm 104

Benedictions from The Bible

I am always trying to think up fitting benedictions for my talks, lessons and services. I just found this great list of benedictions straight from the Bible!

Numbers 6:24-26
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

Psalm 4:6
Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

Psalm 29:11
The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.

Psalm 89:52
Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen and Amen.

Psalm 121:7, 8
The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Psalm 125: 1-2
Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore. Peace be to his people! Amen.

Romans 12:2
Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Amen.

Romans 15:5, 6
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 9:8
God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

2 Corinthians 13:11
Finally, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:14
As you go out into the world,
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
And the love of God
And the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
Be with you all. Amen.

Ephesians 1:17-20
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him; may the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power in us who believe, according to the working of his great might which he accomplished in Christ when he raised him from the dead. Amen.

Ephesians 6:24
Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

Philippians 1:9-11
May your love abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. Amen.

Philippians 3:19, 20
God shall supply all you need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:7-9
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received, do; and the God of peace be with you. Amen.

Philippians 4:23
The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Colossians 3: 12-17
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Thessalonians 5:23
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13
Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you; to the end he may establish your heart unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good word and work. Amen.

1Timothy 1:17
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

2 Peter 1:2, 3
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.

1 John 5:20-21
We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Jude 1:20-25
But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time, and now, and for ever. Amen.

Benediction from the Book of Common Prayer
Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with the spiritual food of his Body and Blood. Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

100 Things the Bible Says About Me

Ever wonder what God thinks about you? Or what your role as His child is? Here are 100 things straight from the Bible to answers your questions.
1. God has expressed His kindness to me (Eph 2:7)
2. God's power works through me (Eph 3:7)
3. I am a citizen of heaven (Php 3:20)
4. I am a dwelling for the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:22)
5. I am a holy temple (Eph 2:21; 1Co 6:19)
6. I am a light in the world (Mt 5:14)
7. I am a light to others, and can exhibit goodness, righteousness and truth (Eph 5:8-9)
8. I am a member of Christ's Body (1Co 12:27)
9. I am a member of God's household (Eph 2:19)
10. I am a minister of reconciliation (2Co 5:17-20)
11. I am a new creation (2Co 5:17)
12. I am a personal witness of Jesus Christ (Ac 1:8)
13. I am a saint (Eph 1:18)
14. I am adopted as his child (Eph 1:5)
15. I am alive with Christ (Eph 2:5)
16. I am assured all things work together for good (Ro 8:28)
17. I am blameless (ICo 1:8)
18. I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:3)
19. I am born again (IPe 1:23)
20. I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me (1Jn 5:18)
21. I am chosen and dearly loved (Col3:12)
22. I am chosen before the creation of the world (Eph 1:4, 11)
23. I am Christ's friend (Jn 15:15)
24. I am completed by God (Eph 3:19)
25. I am confident that God will perfect the work He has begun in me (Php 1:6)
26. I am crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20)
27. I am dead to sin (Ro 1:12)
28. I am delivered (Col1:13)
29. I am faithful (Eph 1:1)
30. I am forgiven (Eph 1:8; Col1:14)
31. I am given God's glorious grace lavishly and without restriction (Eph 1:5,8)
32. I am God's child (Jn 1:12)
33. I am God's coworker (2Co 6:1)
34. I am God's workmanship (Eph 2:10)
35. I am growing (Col 2:7)
36. I am healed from sin (IPe 2:24)
37. I am hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3)
38. I am His disciple (Jn 13:15)
39. I am holy and blameless (Eph 1:4)
40. I am in Him (Eph 1:7; 1Co 1:30)
41. I am included (Eph 1:13)
42. I am more than a conqueror (Ro 8:37)
43. I am no longer condemned (Ro 8:1, 2)
44. I am not alone (Heb 13:5)
45. I am not helpless (Php 4:13)
46. I am not in want (Php 4:19)
47. I am overcoming (IJn 4:4)
48. I am part of God's kingdom (Rev 1:6)
49. I am persevering (Php 3:14)
50. I am prayed for by Jesus Christ (Jn 17:20-23)
51. I am promised a full life (Jn 10:10)
52. I am promised eternal life (Jn 6:47)
53. I am protected (Jn 10:28)
54. I am qualified to share in His inheritance (Col1:12)
55. I am raised up with Christ (Eph 2:6; Col2:12)
56. I am redeemed from the curse of the Law (Gal 3:13)
57. I am safe (IJn 5:18)
58. I am salt and light of the earth (Mt 5:13-14)
59. I am sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13)
60. I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph 2:6)
61. I am secure (Eph 2:20)
62. I am set free (Ro 8:2; Jn 8:32)
63. I am the righteousness of God (2Co 5:21)
64. I am united with other believers (Jn 17:20-23)
65. I am victorious (1Co 15:57)
66. I am victorious (IJn 5:4)
67. I belong to God (1Co 6:20)
68. I can approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph 3:12)
69. I can be certain of God's truths and the lifestyle which He has called me to (Eph 4:17)
70. I can be humble, gentle, patient and lovingly tolerant of others (Eph 4:2)
71. I can be kind and compassionate to others (Eph 4:32)
72. I can be strong (Eph 6:10)
73. I can bring glory to God (Eph 3:21)
74. I can forgive others (Eph 4:32)
75. I can give thanks for everything (Eph 5:20)
76. I can grasp how wide, long, high and deep Christ's love is (Eph 3:18)
77. I can have a new attitude and a new lifestyle (Eph 4:21-32)
78. I can honor God through marriage (Eph 5:22-33)
79. I can mature spiritually (Eph 4:15)
80. I can parent my children with composure (Eph 6:4)
81. I can stand firm in the day of evil (Eph 6:13)
82. I can understand what God's will is (Eph 5:17)
83. I don't have to always have my own agenda (Eph 5:21)
84. I have access to the Father (Eph 2:18)
85. I have been brought near to God through Christ's blood (Eph 2:13)
86. I have been called (Eph 4:1; 2Ti 1:9)
87. I have been chosen and God desires me to bear fruit (Jn 15:1,5)
88. I have been established, anointed and sealed by God (2Co 1:21-22)
89. I have been justified (Ro 5:1)
90. I have been shown the incomparable riches of God's grace (Eph 2:7)
91. I have God's power (Eph 6:10)
92. I have hope (Eph 1:12)
93. I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline (2Ti 1:7)
94. I have peace (Eph 2:14)
95. I have purpose (Eph 1:9 & 3:11)
96. I have redemption (Eph 1:8)
97. I know there is a purpose for my sufferings (Eph 3:13)
98. I possess the mind of Christ (ICo 2:16)
99. I share in the promise of Christ Jesus (Eph 3:6)
100. My heart and mind is protected with God's peace (Php 4:7)

2 Timothy 3

2 Timothy 3: 1-9 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

Paul warns Timothy of the opposition that he and other believers would face in the last days from self-centered people who use the church for their own gain and who teach false doctrine.

2 Timothy 3: 10 -13 You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Paul tells Timothy to be prepared for these unfaithful people by remembering his example and understanding the real source of the opposition.

2 Timothy 3: 14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Find strength and power in the Word of God.

2 Timothy 1: 6 – 2: 26

2 Timothy 1:6-12 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

These are some of the qualities necessary for a faithful minister of Jesus Christ. He should remember his call and use his gifts with boldness. He should be diligent and unwavering in the service of the Lord. Paul refers to himself as a prisoner of God in this passage, not a prisoner of Nero because he considered it the will of God to be where he was and he left everything in Jesus’ hands.

He tells us to take our share of suffering. We can expect to suffer, but we are equipped by the Holy Spirit to handle suffering because God has given us the spirit and power of courage and resolution, not fear.

2 Timothy 1:13-18 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

Follow Paul’s pattern. Guard the truth and prepare others to follow in ministry.

See what he says in 2 Timothy 2:1-2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.

Be disciplined and ready to endure hardship.

2 Timothy 2:3-7 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Keep your eyes and mind on Christ.

2 Timothy 2:8-13 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

Hold sound doctrine, reject error and avoid godless chatter. Correctly handle the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:20-26 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

Keep your life pure.

2 Timothy 1: 1-5

2 Timothy 1: 1-5 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Paul’s introduction is full of love for Timothy. He also states that the purpose of his apostleship was to make known the promise of eternal life through Christ Jesus. He names the blessings he’s asking for his beloved friend: grace, mercy and peace from God. When he talks about his forefathers he’s saying that Christianity is no new, upstart faith, but the culmination of Judaism. In worshipping God through Christ, Paul was in a sense, doing what had been done by generations of his devout ancestors. Paul always considered Christianity to be a sequel to Judaism.

See what he says in Acts 26: 6-7 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. O king, it is because of this hope that the Jews are accusing me.

And look at Hebrews 6: 13-14 When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, "I will surely bless you and give you many descendants."

The promise to all Abraham’s descendents included Christians because it came through Jesus Christ.

He talks about Timothy’s mother and grandmother. This recognizes the influence of godly ancestors upon the lives of men. As parents we have a huge responsibility to pass on the baton of faith.

2nd Timothy

Before studying the book of 2nd Timothy, it’s helpful to know who he was. Timothy was sort of an assistant to Paul and almost like a son to him. He was probably recruited during Paul’s first missionary visit to Lystra.

Acts 16: 1-5 1He came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 2The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Timothy already had solid Jewish training in the scriptures from his mother and grandmother.

2 Timothy 1:5 I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

In the passage in Acts where it mentions his circumcism, this is important because of his mixed Greek/Jewish background. Since he was becoming a missionary to Jews who took that very seriously, he was showing his total commitment. At the time of this letter he was the Pastor of the church at Ephesus. We also know he was a little sensitive about his youth and also a little timid.

When you read the 2 letters you might keep in mind the phrase, “Famous last words.” 2nd Timothy was Paul’s last letter before he died. 1st and 2nd Timothy were the most personal letters in the New Testament. They revealed Paul’s heart and his priorities, which were: sound doctrine, steadfast faith, confident endurance and enduring love. And they were written to someone who had traveled with him, suffered, cried and laughed with him.

Paul and Timothy had shared the joy of seeing people respond to the Gospel and also the agony of seeing the Gospel rejected. This was Paul’s last chance to say the really important stuff and it’s meant to encourage. These are good letters to read when you have challenges that seem beyond your capabilities.

This book is only 4 chapters and I’ll start it in tomorrow’s post.

More Thoughts on Parables

Jesus called the parables “secrets of the kingdom of heaven”. He also said these secrets had been hidden through former ages even from God’s choicest prophets who prophesized, but often didn’t understand the meaning of their words.

In the Bible, a mystery is not secret hidden knowledge, but instead a truth that one can only come to know by God’s revelation. We can’t discover it on our own. So Jesus is saying, “I am revealing to you the mysteries, these vital truths.”

God’s intention was always to reveal these truths when the time was right. In Colossians 1:26 Paul refers to “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but its now disclosed to the saints.”

So while Jesus was disclosing mysteries, which had been hidden for ages, there would be people who heard the parables and wouldn’t understand them.

There are many people who don’t understand the Bible and therefore deny its power. It’s hidden from them because they depend on only human reasoning and experiences. They oppose God’s truth and as with the parables they are either too lazy or too indifferent to spend time studying it.

God's Rescue Plan

Here’s another wonderful article I’d like to share. Mostly because I want to save it someplace to read again! It’s from Christianity Today and written by Sam O’Neal and it explains in very simple words how the Bible is one big story of God moving again and again to save us from ourselves.

You can read it here: http://www.christianitytoday.com/cl/2008/001/1.34.html

Colossians 2:16-23

Colossians 2:16-23 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: "Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"? These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.

Our worship practice and traditions can bring us closer to God, but we should never criticize fellow Christians whose traditions or ceremonies differ from ours. More important then how we worship, is that we worship and whom we worship: Christ. Man-made religions focus on man’s efforts. Christianity focuses on Christ’s work.

Jesus Himself said it made no difference what a man ate or drank. (Matthew 15:10-20) Paul said in different words what Jesus did, “things that will perish as they are used.” Food and drink are so unimportant that they are destined for decomposition and decay as soon as they are eaten.

Often rituals will lead to a false humility, which is really just pride. A man who does all this runs the risk of puffing himself up and looking down on people. We should never look down on anyone. Paul says elsewhere in the Bible that we are saved by grace lest we have reason to boast.

Background to the book of Colossians

This letter was written by Paul to combat a heresy being taught at Colossae. According to a new teaching, Christianity was imperfect. The heretics proposed to “improve it” by introducing a new philosophy, angel worship and mysterious rites – many of which were borrowed from paganism. All of this wasn’t epidemic yet, but Paul wanted to nip it in the bud.

His main purpose here is to show believers they have everything they need in Christ and that because Christ is the exact likeness of God, when we learn what He is like, we see what we need to become.

It is generally believed that Paul was in Rome in prison awaiting trial when he wrote this. And remember, Roman imprisonment was house arrest, not a jail cell. He was free to write and he had visitors. The prison letters written during this time were: Colossians, Philippians, Philemon and Ephesians. And the time was probably around A.D. 60.

This was not one of the churches Paul founded or even visited. The church was probably founded by Epaphras who, though a Colossian, was converted by Paul in Ephesus. Paul was in Ephesus for three years and we see in Acts 19:10 that the whole region heard the word of the Lord during that time.

According to Philemon 23 Epaphras was in prison with Paul at the time of this letter.

Colossae was about 100 miles east of Ephesus in the Lycus River Valley of Central Asia Minor. It was a somewhat prosperous city at one time and a wool working and cloth dyeing center. Today, there is not a stone to show where Colossae stood. Its site is guessed at by 2 other cities Laodicaea and Hierapolis that were in the same valley.

A lot of Jews had settled in this area. Many years before, Antiochus the Great had transported 2000 Jewish families from Babylon and Mesopotamia to this region. They had settled here and prospered and more of their families from Palestine joined them, They think the Jewish population at this time was about 50,000 because in A.D. 62 the Roman governor at the time wanted to stop all the money leaving the region for the Jerusalem temple tax and the amount of gold he seized would represent temple tax for no fewer than 11,000 men. Remember women and children didn’t have to pay the tax.

We’ll see in this letter that no greater claims about Christ’s supremacy and total adequacy were made in the Bible and Paul goes out of his way to stress the part Jesus played in creation. But, at the same time, Paul stresses the real humanity of Jesus Christ. For all His deity He really was human flesh and blood.

General Background on the Book of Romans

Paul wrote this letter from Corinth about AD 56-57. Unlike the other letters he wrote, he didn’t start this church. He didn’t know the people there and hadn’t even been to Rome yet. It was probably started by Jews who had come to faith during Pentecost. So he introduces himself in the beginning.

His aim was to convince his readers that whether they came from Jewish or pagan backgrounds, they face the same issue – how to enter a right relationship with God.
The gulf between human sin and guilt and a divine holiness and perfection cannot be bridged by any mortal effort, only by Christ.

Based on scripture, Paul argued that by God’s action in Christ, the church has become the new Israel, receiving both the promises and the mission of the old Israel: the gift of salvation and the call to proclaim it and lead others (both Jew and Gentile) into a common community of faith.

Because God shows no partiality and values us equally, we likewise should treat one another as equals. Though human sin has a variety of expression, all are rooted in a common rebellion against God.

The basic breakdown of Romans is:

- Paul introduces himself
- He presents the facts of the Gospel
- He declares his allegiance to it
- He tells of the lostness of all mankind and the necessity of God’s intervention
- He presents the good news, “Salvation is available to all.” “We are saved by grace through faith in Christ and His finished work. Only through Him can we stand before God justified.”

A Christian’s Life Journey

Read Hebrews 11:1-40

One of my favorite Christian songwriter/singers is Steven Green. His songs are like mini sermons. Look at the words to this one:

“We’re pilgrims on the journey of a narrow road. And those who’ve gone before us line the way. Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary, their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace. Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us run the race not only for the prize, but as those who’ve gone before us let us leave to those behind us the heritage of faithfulness passed on through Godly lives.

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful. May the fire of our devotion light their way. May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe and the lives we live inspire them to obey.

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone and our children sift through all we’ve left behind, may the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover become the light that leads them to the road we each must climb.”

Part of the purpose of a Christian’s life journey is to set an example for those coming after them.

My application Bible says that Faith is the conviction based on past experience that God’s new and fresh surprises will surely become. So we look at God’s history. We look at the journeys of the great and not so great Christian characters in the Bible. We look at Godly people in our church body.

Our journey, our walk, is a walk of faith. All we really know is where we’ll end up as a believer – in Heaven with God. But, we don’t know what twists, turns or trials we will encounter along the way.

We set out in faith, trusting God to see us through. Everything that happens to us along the way can be for our growth and God’s glory if we have the right attitude and remember we are examples to someone else.

The faithful people listed in the book of Hebrews died before they ever saw the promise of Christ’s coming: “they were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.” (vs.39)

This says to me that the journey itself is what’s important. Going in the right direction, trusting God and then inspiring others through our lives so they too can “run the race.”

All the people in this chapter kept their eyes on God’s promises and stayed the course. And God listed them by name in His book.

Who wrote the Gospel of Mark

The author of the Gospel is John Mark, nephew of Barnabas. He accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey in Acts 13:13, but he left to go home at the second stop.

Paul wasn’t happy about this. In fact two years later when preparing for their second journey, Barnabas again suggested Mark as a traveling companion and Paul refused. So Barnabas and Paul split up: Barnabas taking Mark and Paul taking Silas.

This ended up working for the good because two groups could cover twice as much area. And also, remember, Barnabas is known as the encourager and during his time with Mark, Mark grew.

Eventually he and Paul re-united and became close. Mark and his mother’s house was one of the meeting places for the new Christians in Jerusalem and Mark got a lot of his eyewitness accounts from Peter.

The Gospel of Mark

The book of Mark is the oldest of the 4 Gospels. It is also the shortest, so the fastest read. It also moves fast. Mark uses the words “at once” a lot.

Jesus is already choosing His disciples in the first chapter and by the end of the second chapter, the cross is foreshadowed and the book begins to move toward Jesus’ death. One third of this Gospel records the events of Jesus’ final week.

The book of Mark is believed to have been used by Matthew and Luke in their Gospels and to have also influenced John. The purpose of this Gospel was to strengthen and guide Greek-speaking Christians, possibly those in Rome. Non-Jews who probably didn’t know the Old Testament. So unlike Matthew who quoted the Old Testament a lot, Mark didn’t.

The chief questions he tried to answer were, “What was Jesus like?” And “Why did He die?”

Mark records more miracles than any other Gospel. Jesus’ miracles were meant to reveal the extraordinary nature of Christ and were signs of His power until the written word was completed. Nowadays we can read about what Christ did, but back then people had to see it or hear about it. The miracles were clear proofs or credentials of the supernatural authority of God.

We are called to tell others by words that the Lord and Savior is near to them, calling them to respond to Him and that His return to earth is also near and the time for Salvation may be shorter then they think. And we are called to prove, by works, by transformed lives, by deeds of kindness, by the power of answered prayer. We not only speak the words of Jesus, but as He promised, we also do His works by faith in Him.