Through the Bible for Skeptics, Seekers, and Disciples

Paul, Silas, and Timothy suffered a great deal in order to carry the message of Jesus to the Thessalonians, and now the Thessalonians were facing persecution. The church planters has pure motives in their efforts and expressed their care for this church family was like that of a nursing mother or a loving father. They hoped to visit but were being kept by doing so by dark spiritual forces. These persecuted believers could trust in God who will one day make all things right. God’s wrath describes the consequences of evil actions. At some point, God brings justice which often means giving evil over to itself. #NewTestament, #Thessalonians, #BibleStudy, #Christianity, #BibleCommentary, #ScriptureAnalysis, #Faith, #ReligiousEducation, #Devotional, #ChristianLifestyle, #SpiritualGrowth, #ChristianTeachings, #Church, #EarlyChurch

Paul, Silas, and Timothy commend the Thessalonian believers for their faith, love, and endurance. They turned away from their previous beliefs and idols to embrace the message of Jesus only to then experience intense persecution. Word traveled among the other churches inspiring them in their own faith. The church planters writing the Thessalonians thanked them for their faith, hope, and love in spite of their suffering and promised to pray for them. #NewTestament #Thessalonians #BibleCommentary #ScriptureAnalysis #Devotional #ChristianLifestyle #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianTeachings #BibleSummary #Christianity #BibleStudy #ScriptureSummary #ApostlePaul #ChristianLife #Faith #Church #EarlyChurch

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece. Acts 17 records the remarkable visit Paul and his companions had in this notable city. Jealous Jews opposed Paul because his message of the crucified and risen Messiah was so effective, but he was able to escape. The angry mob took Jason to the Roman Forum since he had hosted Paul. Luke, the author of Acts used the word “politarches” to describe these Roman authorities. For hundreds of years, there was no proof that was an actual word used in the ancient world fueling attacks from skeptics until that exact word was found etched into the wall of this ancient forum. Up until 1962, this location was a bus stop. This recent discovery confirmed that the Scriptures were a reliable source all along. #NewTestament #Thessalonians #BibleCommentary #ScriptureAnalysis #Devotional #ChristianLifestyle #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianTeachings #BibleSummary #Christianity #BibleStudy #ScriptureSummary #ApostlePaul #ChristianLife #Faith #Church #EarlyChurch

Paul concludes his letter promising to pray for them, acknowledging that Epaphras is praying for them and the other churches he helped start, and asking them for prayer. Prayer is a powerful form of serving others. He reminds us the best way to share our faith is to “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” - (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV) In other words, we should not force our message onto anyone but to live in such a way and to say things in such a way, that those without faith will ask questions. By the way, the Greek version of the New Testament does not actually use the word “outsiders.” It’s an unfortunate translation. The actual Greek word should be translated “those without” meaning “those without faith.” We shouldn’t treat people without faith as outsiders but with kindness and love and compassion and when the time is right share about our faith. I find that comes easiest after I have asked to hear about their spiritual journey. #NewTestament, #Colossians, #BibleStudy, #Christianity, #BibleCommentary, #ScriptureAnalysis, #Faith, #ReligiousEducation, #Devotional, #ChristianLifestyle, #SpiritualGrowth, #ChristianTeachings, #Church, #EarlyChurch

After Jesus rose from the dead He taught His disciples and appeared before hundreds of people. Many of them were still alive when Paul was writing His letters and could verify they saw Jesus alive after He had been crucified. Jesus then ascended to Heaven to rule over His invisible Kingdom just as was prophesied the Son of Man would do in the book of Daniel. So then, we are to have our hearts and minds set on things above rather than on earthly things. Our ambitions should be more about advancing God’s kingdom than our own. By the way, all are invited into this new Kingdom - men, women, Jews, Gentiles (all non Jews), slave, free, and even barbarians and Scythians, the most uncivilized of all people. And all can experience a new way of living. When we surrender our life to Jesus and choose to follow Him then we have died to self. We now live for Him! That means old bad habits that we’ve had need to come to an end - like sex outside of marriage, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language.” - (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬, ‭8‬ ‭NIV) Instead we become people known by our compassion, our humility, our kindness, our willingness to forgive, our unity, and most of all our love. We take off the old and replace them with the new. Instead of being known for anxiety, we become known by our non-anxious presence, our peace. In all of our relationships including with our spouse, with our kids, with our parents, and even with our boss: “whatever you do, whether in word or deed, we do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” - (‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ NIV) We will reap what we sow. If we sow and flirt with evil, we will experience evil. If we instead go the way of Jesus, we will receive a reward in heaven. #NewTestament, #Colossians, #BibleStudy, #Christianity, #BibleCommentary, #ScriptureAnalysis, #Faith, #ReligiousEducation, #Devotional, #ChristianLifestyle, #SpiritualGrowth, #ChristianTeachings, #Church, #EarlyChurch

Since the Colossians were Gentiles, the Judaizers targeted them. The Judaizers taught that to become a Christian you must first become Jewish. This meant the men would need to be circumcised and all would need to observe special kosher eating laws and honor certain holidays. Paul sees this as a false gospel because the Judaizers were saying what Jesus did on the cross was not enough! Paul says faith in Jesus saves us. Getting baptized shows the world we are saved (not circumcision). Instead, Paul says “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” - ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ How were they saved? By grace through faith so then that’s how they are to live. And that’s how we are to live. Avoiding adding religious or superstitious practices and instead living by grace through our faith fully in Jesus. By grace means acknowledging we need God’s help to grow and to change. God’s grace is the unconditional love He has for us that we do not deserve. Faith is our response to His unconditional love. Faith means we trust Him, we pursue Him through prayer, the Scriptures, community, and other spiritual disciplines; and we obey Him. Obedience has negative connotations in our society but think of obeying God as being invited by someone to your surprise party. You don’t know why they are asking you to do what they are asking, but you know you can trust them. The result of obeying them (even though you don’t want to) is a fantastic party. The more we spend time with God and obey His ways as shown in the Scriptures, the more we become like Jesus. Now the more you spend time with God, the more you will have promptings from God. These are thoughts we have that are from Him which will always be consistent with His character as found in the Scriptures. Having a spiritual running partner will be very important to help you discern if the prompting was from God or not from God. #NewTestament, #Colossians, #BibleStudy, #Christianity, #BibleCommentary, #ScriptureAnalysis, #Faith, #ReligiousEducation, #Devotional, #ChristianLifestyle, #SpiritualGrowth, #ChristianTeachings, #Church, #EarlyChurch

Paul and Timothy start their letter encouraging the Colossians who they don’t know personally but know through their friend Epaphras. They encourage them that the message of Jesus is transforming lives all across the Roman world just as it is in their town. They also encourage the Colossians to live a life worthy of the Lord and to please Him in every way. To do so includes doing good works, being strengthened with the power of the Spirit, giving joyful thanks, and growing in the knowledge of God. This word means so much more than head knowledge. This is not knowing facts about someone or something. This means “knowledge gained through first-hand relationships or experience.” We can come to know God through a growing and personal relationship with Jesus because He is the fullness of God in a person. If you want to know God, look to Jesus. Paul prays for God “to fill them with the knowledge” so they can grow in their knowledge of God.” God wants us to grow to maturity even more than we do. You see, our relationship with God is like any relationship with a person, we need to spend time with Him. Without being intentional, all our relationships drift apart unless we make those phone call, send those emails, texts, or letters, and visit. With God, we spend time with Him through prayer, reading the Scriptures, participating in a local church service, small group, and serving others with others. Don’t let the word “firstborn” throw you. That does not mean Jesus was created. When you come across something that doesn’t make sense, look at the context and use the Scriptures to interpret the Scriptures. Jesus was before all things and all things were created by Him. To the Jewish mind, firstborn has more to do with rank than birth order. Jesus has ultimate supremacy and authority over the world because He walked among us, willingly sacrificed His life and rose from the dead. Doing that did something in the spiritual realm so that we can escape the evil and broken kingdom of this world and become part of God’s New Kingdom though Jesus! #NewTestament #Colossians #BibleCommentary #ScriptureAnalysis #Devotional #ChristianLifestyle #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianTeachings #BibleSummary #Christianity #BibleStudy #ScriptureSummary #Peace #Contentment #Prayer #Praise #TrustInGod #ApostlePaul #ChristianLife #NewTestament #Faith #InnerPeace #Church #EarlyChurch

Paul concludes his letter to his friends in Philippi urging two people who were feuding to choose unity. He then guides believers towards a life of peace by taking our anxious thoughts to God in prayer allowing Him to transform our perspective. The battle is in the mind as we are to think on those things which are pure, praiseworthy, lovely, admirable, noble, true, excellent, and right. In doing so, we will discover contentment and a faith greater than our circumstances. #NewTestament, #Philippians, #BibleStudy, #Christianity, #BibleCommentary, #ScriptureAnalysis, #Faith, #ReligiousEducation, #Devotional, #ChristianLifestyle, #SpiritualGrowth, #ChristianTeachings, #Church, #EarlyChurch

Paul warns about those who want Gentiles to become Jews before the can become Christians. Paul himself, once a zealous Pharisee, considers his former accomplishments as worthless compared to knowing Christ. This shift in perspective underscores the Christian belief that salvation is a gift of grace, not something earned through human effort. The chapter also emphasizes the importance of pressing on toward the goal of knowing Christ intimately. It encourages believers to forget what lies behind and to reach forward to what is ahead, focusing on our citizenship in a new Kingdom. Paul’s message is an invitation to explore a faith centered on a personal relationship with Christ, rather than mere religious rituals. It speaks to the idea that in Christianity, one finds purpose and fulfillment in knowing and following Jesus, regardless of their past or skepticism about religion. #NewTestament, #Philippians, #BibleStudy, #Christianity, #BibleCommentary, #ScriptureAnalysis, #Faith, #ReligiousEducation, #Devotional, #ChristianLifestyle, #SpiritualGrowth, #ChristianTeachings, #Church, #EarlyChurch

The apostle Paul encourages the Philippians to choose humble people themselves, following the example of Jesus who willingly emptied himself even to the point of dying on the cross for the sake of humanity. As a result, God exalted Him above all else “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ NIV) True humility comes from considering others' needs and interests above one's own. This selfless attitude is presented as a model for healthy relationships and demonstrated by the church leaders Epaphroditus and Timothy. Humility protects us from selfish ambition, vain conceit, grumbling and arguing and instead helps us experience unity. #NewTestament, #Philippians, #BibleStudy, #Christianity, #BibleCommentary, #ScriptureAnalysis, #Faith, #ReligiousEducation, #Devotional, #ChristianLifestyle, #SpiritualGrowth, #ChristianTeachings, #Church, #EarlyChurch