Philippians4:6-7 (HCSB)6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.Susan Jones It would be nice if verse 7 said, “and God will do exactly what you ask just the way you think He should do it.” Well...that’...  Read More

1Thessalonians 5:16-18 (HCSB)16 Rejoice always! 17 Pray constantly. 18 Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.Susan Jones These verses work together well because in order to be able to rejoice always, I must pray constantly and be thankful for everything that comes my way. Do I always have an easy time doing these three things? Well, no. I have had, do have, and ...  Read More

Colossians 4:2-6  (HCSB)Speaking to God and Others 2 Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah, for which I am in prison, 4 so that I may reveal it as I am required to speak. 5 Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. 6 Your speech should ...  Read More

Colossians 3:18-4:1  (HCSB)Christ in Your Home18 Wives, be submissive to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and don’t be bitter toward them. 20 Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so they won’t become discouraged. 22 Slaves, obey your human masters in everything. Don’t work only while...  Read More

Paul's teachings on how we should use God's gift of sexuality complement such teaching all through the Scriptures.God designed sex. From the beginning, He made male and female and instructed Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply. His plan for sexuality is right and good.Study the Word: Key Truth: Do not be deceived by the world's view of sexuality (1 Corinthians 6:9-20). Our culture dismisses G...  Read More

Big picture view – part of 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 describes a local church body that was acting poorly to each other and it hurt their witness with unbelievers. What are some of the common complaints you hear against the church? How much of that has to do with how believers act toward other believers? How do we, as the Universal Church, change that? How can we, at Temple, work to change that, at leas...  Read More

1 Thessalonians 4:9-18 (HCSB)Loving and Working9 About brotherly love: You don’t need me to write you because you yourselves are taught by God to love one another. 10 In fact, you are doing this toward all the brothers in the entire region of Macedonia. But we encourage you, brothers, to do so even more, 11 to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, a...  Read More

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 (HCSB)The Call to Sanctification4 Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing —do so even more. 2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is God’s will, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality, 4 so that each of you...  Read More

Colossians 3:5-6 (HCSB)5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient,Jalen Kramm Please read all of chapter 3 along with this. It isn’t very long and will make so much more sense than just reading these two verses. Now, if I were to ask you what yo...  Read More

1 Corinthians 6:9-20 (HCSB)9 Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, 10 no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom. 11 And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you we...  Read More

1 Corinthians 6:1-8 (HCSB)Lawsuits among Believers6 If any of you has a legal dispute against another, do you dare go to court before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? 2 Or don’t you know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest cases? 3 Don’t you know that we will judge angels—not to mention ordinary matters? 4 So if...  Read More

Paul likely wrote his letter to the believers at Colossae around AD 61-62 while under house arrest in Rome. In this section he encouraged the Colossian believers to focus on the things of God, putting off sinful thoughts and actions and putting on godly ones.Study the Word:  The apostle Paul used the imagery of putting off and putting on - strip off the ungodly actions and dress instead in the rig...  Read More