“At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it” (2 Timothy 4:16–17 ESV). These words come
Chapter: 4
BEING A GOOD SERVANT OF CHRIST JESUS
“If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed” (1 Timothy 4:6 ESV). Paul wrote to his young protégé Timothy, reminding him that his faithfulness as a pastor would be
WHAT MINISTRY HAVE YOU RECEIVED?
“And say to Archippus, ‘See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord’” (Colossians 4:17 ESV). Paul concluded his letter to the Colossians with a personal exhortation to a man named Archippus. Although his name means “master of horses,” suggesting strength and leadership, Archippus still needed encouragement to remain faithful. He
THE UNSTOPPABLE ADVANCE OF THE GOSPEL
“All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22 ESV). Paul closes his letter to the Philippians with a warm benediction, passing along greetings from the believers in Rome. Remarkably, he singles out “those of Caesar’s household.” Paul is writing these words while under house arrest in Rome, chained to imperial guards,
The Habit of Witness
Jesus empowers us to be a witness to his work in our lives so others can experience his love. But it’s also a key part of our own spiritual formation. Find out why this Sunday.
In the book of Acts, Luke recorded that the first century believers were committed to witnessing to others about Jesus and the church exploded upon the scene, experiencing exponential growth in spite of persecution. We can cultivate a habit of witnessing to others about Jesus.
IS CHRIST BEING FORMED IN YOU?
“My little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” (Galatians 4:19 ESV). Paul had already brought the Galatians to faith in Christ, but now he saw them drifting into religious legalism. With parental tenderness, he described himself as a mother in labor, groaning until Christ
THE BRANCH OF THE LORD IS CHRIST!
“In that day the Branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.” ( Isaiah 4:2 ESV). Isaiah, often called the “evangelical prophet,” recorded more Messianic prophecies than any other Old Testament writer. In this verse, Isaiah speaks
TREASURE IN CLAY JARS
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV). Paul described the gospel as a priceless treasure placed within ordinary and fragile “jars of clay.” In the first century, clay jars were cheap and breakable, yet used to
OVERCOMING OPPOSITION
“Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” (Nehemiah 4:14 ESV). Nehemiah spoke these words while leading the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. Their enemies—Sanballat, Tobiah, and others—were ridiculing, threatening, and plotting against them. In the
The Restoration of Communication: Forgiveness
We all know the pain of broken communication—harsh words, unresolved conflict, silence that grows like a wall. Whether in our homes, marriages, friendships, or church family, we’ve all experienced the damage that unforgiveness causes. But God has given us the way to restoration: Christlike forgiveness. Without forgiveness, communication breaks down and relationships fall apart. So how do we move from brokenness to restoration in our communication? In a word: forgiveness!
In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he exhorted believers to put away relational sins and practice Christlike forgiveness as a Spirit-led expression of their new life and oneness in Christ.