Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 11
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:17-4:12
How often do you think of the will of God? We tend to limit God’s will to the big decisions of life — where we go to college, whom we marry, what job we choose. Sometimes we spend so much time searching for His will that we miss the obvious. God made His will clear in (4:3) — He wants us all to be sanctified. He wants us to continue to grow up in our faith so we resemble Him more and more.
Part of growing up in Christ is learning to live in purity, especially sexual purity. We live in a society that uses sex to sell almost everything. We have to be careful not to be controlled by the world of advertising and let sex appeal draw our gazes and guide our steps. It has been a temptation for Christians from the first century to the present day to seek personal gratification apart from Christ. But God has called us to a new standard of living. Ask Him to help you grow up in your faith and live a life of purity.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 10
Read 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:16
If you were to associate one word with the apostle Paul, it might be the word gospel. Paul was so consumed with the power of the gospel that he was willing to endure enormous hardships in order to proclaim the good news to people who were far from God. The gospel is the story of how much God loves us. Consider how the gospel has changed your life. If you have been compelled by the love of God and if your sins have been forgiven, what would you be willing to do to get that good news to other people? God loves you, and now you get to share that love with other people!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 9
Read Colossians 3:18:4:18

Today’s passage teaches us how to walk wisely in all of our relationships. Instructions are given to wives, husbands, children, fathers, servants, and masters. There are even words of instruction about how to treat those who are outside the faith.
We live in a world that values the youth culture and increasingly seems to be devaluing older members of society. Scripture teaches us to obey our parents and honor them because it is pleasing to the Lord (3:20). Sometimes we apply a scripture like this to  the days when we were living in the household of our parents and think once we leave their care we no longer have any responsibility. However, honoring our parents is a lifelong responsibility. It is beautiful when Christians live out their faith by serving parents who are growing older, experiencing poor health, and approaching death. In a world with diminishing moral fiber, we need more men & women demonstrating their faith by caring for the ones who cared for them, even during difficult seasons of life.
How have you honored your parents lately? How will you serve and show respect for other people in your life today?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 8
Read Colossians 2:16-3:17

Putting our belongings away is an important lesson we learn early in life. When we fail to do so, we end up living in chaotic and confusing environments. The same kind of principle applies to our spiritual lives. Once we come to faith in Jesus Christ and call Him Lord of our lives, there are certain attitudes and behaviors we must put away, and if we do not, we will most assuredly live in total chaos and confusion.
Paul gave 2 lists of 5 sins. The first list deals with sexual purity (3:5), and the second deals with attitudes and speech (3:8). All of these sins are connected to our former way of life. Many of us are familiar with the traps of sexual sins and the devastation they bring, whether we’ve experienced it personally or seen it in the lives of others. Paul said sexual impurity in any form — from adultery to pornography — must be put away. The second list is about the misuse of anger and letting strong emotions lead us to use filthy language that is inconsistent with our life in Christ. We are told to put to death, put off, and put away the old way of life and to put on the “new man” —our new nature in Christ (3:10).
Look at the contrast of the things we to put on in (3:12-14). The old life leads to chaos, while the new life leads to personal peace. The peace of God will rule in our hearts, helping us to live in a way that is pleasing to God. Whatever we do, we are to do it with a view of bringing honor to God. Before you start the day, put away old things and put on new things you know are pleasing to God.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
Read Colossians 1:24-2:15                                January 7
We all admire strong faith. We find it inspiring. We really do desire it, but the question is, how do we acquire it? Most of us have been influenced by someone whose faith seemed to be head & shoulders above our own. Perhaps it has even caused us to question the validity of our own faith, or has motivated us in a positive way to pursue our personal journey of faith.
How can we live out the admonition of Paul to walk in Christ, being rooted, built up, and established in the faith (2:6-7). It all goes back to our understanding of those important words in 1:27, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” This is one of the great truths in all of Scripture. Christ’s presence in His people is the bedrock of living a life of faith. His presence in us means we are strengthened by certain attributes of God now living in us. The Bible teaches us that God is love, light, and life. Think about that for a moment. Christ is in us, and so the love, light, and life of God is also in us. Your faith can be strong when you start living out that truth.
St. Irenaeus once declared, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” You can only be fully alive when you believe, understand, and begin to live out the fact of Christ being in you. Your faith is only as strong as the One who is the object of your faith. Paul said that in Christ “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead” and that we are “complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (2:9-10).
Be strong in your faith by understanding who Christ is, who you are in Him, and what you have in Him.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
Read Colossians 1:1-23                                    January 6
It is always a special honor when someone prays for us. In today’s text, Paul prayed for the Colossians to have spiritual stamina, asking that they would walk worthy of the Lord, fully please Him, and bear fruit in every good work. He prayed they would grow in the knowledge of God, endure everything with long-suffering and joy, and give thanks to the Father.
How is this kind of life even possible for mere mortals? Paul indicated they would need to remember that Christ is preeminent in all things. That word can be defined as “a high status importance owing to marked superiority,” or “having paramount rank.” Christ is superior to all things in history. Everything both visible and invisible was created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and He is the glue that holds this universe together. The great temptation for the Colossians was the same as it is for us today. We live in a multi-cultural world where we are constantly feeling the pressure not only to respect the religion of others but to consider it equal with the Christian faith. But the gospel does not allow for that, because the gospel declares Christ alone is to be preeminent in our lives.
It is possible for you to possess the spiritual stamina Paul prayed the Colossians would have, but only when you trust in Christ for all things. Take your stand in Him and cling to Him as your hope. No other is His equal, so crown Him as the Superior One in your heart and be faithful to Him alone.

Daily Walk Through the New Testament

January 5

Answer the following questions regarding your readings from this past week:

1.) How are you loving your family as Christ loved the church?
How are you failing & succeeding in nourishing and cherishing them?

2.) If your daily thoughts were projected onto a giant screen, would they be                 characterized by praise and praying, or complaining and criticizing?
Prayer or worry?

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 4
Read Philippians 4:1-23

The word worry comes from an old word meaning “to choke or strangle.” The more you fret, the more you feel cut off from the peace and presence of God. But God can help us not to be consumed by our anxiety, and He tells us what we can do to receive His help in Philippians 4:6-7.
Verse 6 says, in direct contrast to being anxious, that you are to be in prayer, which can be defined as “adoration of God.” Instead of pouting, praise Him. Instead of worrying, confess that your feelings are unconscious blasphemy against God’s caring character. Prayer speaks of being in the sphere of God’s presence. He is with you wherever you go and in whatever you encounter, no matter how you feel. Talk to Him now.
Next, make supplication to Him by asking for help in specific areas of your life. After each daily devotion or quiet time, you should leave having asked a certain thing of God and expecting His answer. It may be go (yes), no, or slow (wait awhile). Be sure to tack on a “PS” to every petition with your thanksgiving, as verse 6 says. We are often quick to ask but slow to appreciate how God has answered prayers in the past.
Only when you have done all these things will His peace guard your heart and flood your life with joy, contentment, strength, and provision (Philippians 4:7, 10-11, 13, 17). God is calling you to direct your mind toward Him and to dwell on what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and praiseworthy (4:8). Replace your worries with worship!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 3
Read Philippians 3:1-21

In our culture, “loser” is one of the worst slurs. There is even a hand signal to say that. Pro athletes say they fear having people say that they have potential. However, all Christians are people of truly great potential. We have been drafted onto God’s team and our team is destined to win (3:7-11). We aren’t losers — losers are the ones playing for the wrong team. Now that we’re on God’s team, He doesn’t want us sitting on the sidelines. He wants us to get in the game and we are to be constantly pressing on & moving forward toward the goal.
Our objective is to know Christ, become like Him, and fulfill His will for us on earth. Like Paul, we “lay hold of” the resources of Christ (3:12). That phrase in the original language means to “seize or take possession” and has the idea of tackling or forcing someone down. Jesus caught Paul and stopped him dead in his tracks. He was  saved by grace & tackled by truth. When that happens in us, God bestows on us great potential and sets us on a path of sanctification & fruitfulness, with the ultimate prize awaiting us in heaven (vs. 14, 20-21).
Let Paul’s words in (3:8-11) motivate you as you press on — everything he experienced in life seemed worthless compared to the great worth of knowing Christ. You are pursuing the most valuable goal in the world in this game. So, carry the ball. March down the field. You could go all the way!

Daily Walk Through the New Testament
January 2
Read Philippians 2:5-30

The word resurrection comes from the Greek word meaning “to cause to stand up.” After Jesus had taken Satan’s best shots, He was “highly exalted” and, you could say, given the title of the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World (2:9-11). He made death a revolving door. The word exalt means “to lift above and beyond.” Jesus is in a different league from anyone or anything. He is our Lord and our God, and one day every contender & dictator will bow before Him and recognize that.
Our Lord Jesus has given us so much in this life and beyond. We have His salvation and the knowledge that He is at work in us (2:12-13). We can face life’s challenges with the help of the Holy Spirit. We have the hope of heaven and abundant joy today because we have a relationship with God the Father through Christ the Son.
Today, let the exalted Lord reign in you. As you do, He will help you turn complaining into praising (2:14). You will be able to shine and not whine (vs. 15). You will be able to have victory, even in the midst of persecution and sickness (vs. 17, 27). Nothing will be able to traumatize or paralyze you when you stand in His victory. So, “holding fast the word of life” (vs. 16), lift up the name of Jesus in obedience.