word

Colossians 1 

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
    He existed before anything was created 

and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
    in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
    and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, 

kingdoms, 

rulers, 

and authorities in the unseen world.
    Everything was created through him 

and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
    and he holds all creation together.
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
    which is his body.
He is the beginning,
    supreme over all who rise from the dead.
    So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
    was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
    everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
    by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

21 This includes you who were once far away from God. 

You were his enemies, 

separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 

22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself 

through the death of Christ in his physical body. 

As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, 

and you are holy 

and blameless 

as you stand before him 

without a single fault.

don't worry

Philippians 4 

6 Don’t worry about anything; 

instead, pray about everything. 

Tell God what you need, 

and thank him for all he has done. 

7 Then you will experience God’s peace, 

which exceeds anything we can understand. 

His peace will guard your hearts and minds 

as you live in Christ Jesus.

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. 

Fix your thoughts on what is true, 

and honorable, 

and right, 

and pure, 

and lovely, 

and admirable. 

Think about things that are excellent 

and worthy of praise. 

9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me;

everything you heard from me and saw me doing. 

Then the God of peace will be with you.

living by faith

 Paul compares here his former life as a Pharisee to his life as a follower of Jesus...

Philippians 3

4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. 

I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel 

and a member of the tribe of Benjamin;

a real Hebrew if there ever was one! 

I was a member of the Pharisees, 

who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 

6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. 

And as for righteousness, 

I obeyed the law without fault.

7 I once thought these things were valuable, 

but now I consider them worthless 

because of what Christ has done. 

8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 

For his sake I have discarded everything else, 

counting it all as garbage, 

so that I could gain Christ 

9 and become one with him. 

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; 

rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. 

For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 

10 I want to know Christ 

and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. 

2 short passages

Philippians 2 

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though he was God,
    he did not think of equality with God
    as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
    he took the humble position of a slave
    and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8     he humbled himself in obedience to God
    and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
    and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

********

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 

15 so that no one can criticize you. 

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, 

shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

Psalm 139

 Psalm 139

1 O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
12     but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me!

19 O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!
    Get out of my life, you murderers!
20 They blaspheme you;
    your enemies misuse your name.
21 O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?
    Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?
22 Yes, I hate them with total hatred,
    for your enemies are my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

armor

 Why do Paul's words here feel so appropriate in these chaotic & dangerous days...?

Ephesians 6 

10 A final word: 

Be strong in the Lord 

and in his mighty power. 

11 Put on all of God’s armor 

so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 

12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, 

but against evil rulers 

and authorities of the unseen world, 

against mighty powers in this dark world, 

and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor 

so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. 

Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 

14 Stand your ground, 

putting on the belt of truth 

and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 

15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News 

so that you will be fully prepared. 

16 In addition to all of these, 

hold up the shield of faith 

to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 

17 Put on salvation as your helmet, 

and take the sword of the Spirit, 

which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. 

Stay alert 

and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

living in the light

Ephesians 5 

1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, 

because you are his dear children. 

2 Live a life filled with love, 

following the example of Christ. 

He loved us 

and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, 

a pleasing aroma to God.

3 Let there be no sexual immorality, 

impurity, 

or greed among you. 

Such sins have no place among God’s people. 

4 Obscene stories, 

foolish talk, 

and coarse jokes;

these are not for you. 

Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 

5 You can be sure that no immoral, 

impure, 

or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. 

For a greedy person is an idolater, 

worshiping the things of this world.

6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, 

for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 

7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 

8 For once you were full of darkness, 

but now you have light from the Lord. 

So live as people of light! 

9 For this light within you produces only what is good 

and right 

and true.

10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 

11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; 

instead, expose them. 

12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 

13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 

14 for the light makes everything visible. 

This is why it is said,

“Awake, O sleeper,
    rise up from the dead,
    and Christ will give you light.”

15 So be careful how you live. 

Don’t live like fools, 

but like those who are wise. 

16 Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. 

17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, 

but understand what the Lord wants you to do. 

18 Don’t be drunk with wine, 

because that will ruin your life. 

Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 

19 singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, 

and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 

20 And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.