This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. —Colossians 1:6 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed (μεταμορφοῦσθε = metamorphousthe) by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2VLkMoC274 The gospel changes lives. How can a person claim to know the Lord Jesus Christ and live life without any change noticeable in their lives? To truly know Jesus, to truly have relationship with Him means that He is in the…

Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life. —Philippians 4:2-3 Disagreements, if allowed, can escalate into major conflicts that can affect many others and become very destructive. This is illustrated in the disagreement as to how to resolve the conflict in Syria. http://www.businessinsider.com/expert-the-us-strategy-in-syria-is-a-complete-mess-2015-1 Whether on a national level or between two individuals, it usually takes mediators to…

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. —Philippians 3:14 Runners put their all into their races right to the very end as they press toward the finish. http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Bleichert-leans-into-win-6310671.php#photo-8106508 As followers of Jesus “let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). Just as runners lean toward the finish line, pressing toward…

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. —Philippians 2:3-4 Doctors without Borders go into areas that are very dangerous and risky, life threatening. Hospitals are not to be targeted in war, unfortunately this one was and is being investigated. http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/05/asia/afghanistan-doctors-without-borders-hospital/ These doctors go in to difficult areas for the best interest of others who are in medical need. Who will I take an interest in today or will I just be focused on what interests me? I am not to be selfish or seeking to…

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. —Philippians 1:6 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. —Philippians 1:11 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would…

Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise: If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord. —Ephesians 6:1-4 “Today, one-third of American children – a total of 15 million – are being raised without a father. Nearly five million more children live without a…

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. —Ephesians 5:10-11 So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. —Ephesians 5:15-17 Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; not one of them does good! (Psalm 14:1). It does not take very long to understand this as you read their works… http://www.arvindguptatoys.com/arvindgupta/atheistsuniverse.pdf Fellow follower of Jesus, we are called…

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. —Ephesians 4:1-2 Is this child more excited about his call than you are of your being called by God? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mngIkDG3IsA Are you excited about being called by God? The above verses in context encourage us to lead a life worthy of our calling. Are you running “the race marked out for” you, the race you were called to? For us to run this race marked…

And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. —Ephesians 3:18-19 Having an understanding of God’s love for us is the springboard to truly live and experience His power and completeness. He so love’s we people He created. His desire is for His us to understand His love and power— to truly know Him and not just information about Him. He…

BUT GOD! And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been…