Matthew 1

Matthew is the first gospel and book of the New Testament. Matthew was on of the twelve disciples, like John. He writes extensively about the sermon on the mountain. He also presents some of the Christmas story. Heres Chapter One: http://www.esvbible.org/Matthew+1/

Matthew begins his book with the genealogy of Jesus. He starts with Abraham because Abraham is considered the first Jew. God also promised Abraham that the one who would save the world would come from Abraham's line. From there, we see stories from Genesis that most people would recognize. Abraham fathered Isaac, who fathered Jacob, who fathered Judah and his brothers. Maybe you don't recognize Judah, but his brother was Joseph, who had the coat of many colors. He seems like an unusual choice to carry the Christ line, and if you continue, you see why. He and Tamar had a child together named Perez. These two were not married, Tamar was Judah's daughter-in-law. Then, a few more generations go by and we reach Rahab, another woman mentioned. She had a nickname, Rahab the Prostitute. To add to that, she was not even Jewish. Another unusual place for the Christ to come from. She later changed her name to Naomi. Her daughter-in-law is also mentioned, Ruth. Ruth has a book about her in the Old Testament. She was not Jewish either. She was part of a race condemned because of their unwillingness to turn to God. She mothered Obed and Obed fathered Jesse. Jesse, as some of you may know, is the father of King David. King David is a huge important person, who God promised to put Christ in his line since he was such a good servant. and Matthew could have just gone on to mention his son, Solomon, another important person, because genealogies usually only include males, but he again puts some focus on the strangeness of Christ's line. He mentions Bathsheba and Bathsheba's husband, who is not David. David had an affair with Bathsheba, and she became pregnant with his child. When David found out, he had Bathsheba's husband killed. That doesn't sound like a good place for the Christ to come from because David had other sons. After Solomon, a few more generations pass by, and eventually you reach Jechoniah and his brothers. From David until Jechoniah, the men mentioned have all been kings. It ends with Jechoniah when he gets dethroned by the king of babylon and exiled. After that, more generations pass and finally you reach Joseph. From Abraham to David there are 14 generations, and from David to the exile there are 14 generations, and from the exile to Jesus, there are 14 generations. I've said it before, God is very deliberate when He does things, and He planned this family tree meticulously. After all this effort, why did He include some shady characters? The answer lies in reaction. If any of these people who seem like odd choices had tried to declare they belong in Heaven by what they have done, would not pass the test. At the time, that was the way. But after Judah sold his brother into slavery, Joseph grew to be powerful and could have had him executed, but Judah bowed and begged forgiveness, which Joseph gave. Just as Jesus forgives us despite how we condemn Him. David was a man after God's own heart, but he went off and had an adulterous relationship and murdered. Not the story you bring up at a family reunion. God chose that because David actively sought forgiveness. The exile dethroned the royal line, so when Jesus came, the Jews wanted a king.

Now we have a shorter Christmas story than what we find in Luke. Joseph was pledged to be married to Mary, but she realized he was pregnant before the wedding. Joseph was an honorable man, as right to raise the Messiah, so he decided to divorce Mary quietly. While considering this, an angel came to him in a dream and told him not to. He explained that the son was a Messiah, and they should name Him Jesus because He wil save humanity. All this must happen so what God said through the prophets will come true, and as we know, God always keeps His promises. Joseph listened and everything happened the way that the angel said. Mary gave birth to a son and they named Him Jesus.

Luke 2

Merry Christmas everybody! http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+2 The chapter that even non-Christians have probably read before in the Bible.

While Mary was pregnant, Caesar Augustus declared that a census should be taken of all the Roman world. Every man had to go with his wife to the land of his ancestors. Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, went to Bethlehem because Joseph was from the line of David, who had been born in Bethlehem. At the time, Mary was pledged to be married to him, so she went with him. Once they arrived, Mary felt the baby coming, and she gave birth to a son, named Him Jesus, wrapped Him in cloth, and laid Him in a manger since there was no room for Him in the inn. God set all of this in motion so that it would happen exactly the way He said it would many years earlier. The baby had to be from the line of David, so He made sure that Mary would marry Joseph so that Jesus would technically be considered part of the royal blood line from David. He also had to come from the city of David, so God laid it on Caesar's mind to take a census at that time so that pregnant Mary would head over to Bethlehem because she had to follow the law. God doe not forget, and He does not lie. When He told the prophets that He would do things in a specific way, He already had in mind exactly how He would do them.

Nearby, Shepherds grazed their flocks in the field. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and they were terrified. The angel told them not to be afraid because he brought a message of great joy. He told them that a savior, Christ the Lord, had just been born in David's city. The sign of how to recognize Him was that He would be lying in cloth in the manger. Then, a whole army of angels appeared singing "Glory to God in the Highest, and peace on Earth to those on whom His favor rests!" And just like that, the disappeared. Immediately, the shepherds ran to Bethlehem and found the baby just like the angel had told them. When they saw Him, they repeated what the angel had told them. Everyone who heard the story was amazed. Mary listened to these things and hid them in her heart to ponder always. As the shepherds returned to their flocks, they glorified the Lord for what had happened. It is amazing the God decided to share the news first with shepherds because they were considered the bottom of society. God knows what He does, however. He knew that the "king" would try to kill Jesus, the Pharisees and High Priests would reject the truth, and the wealthy wouldn't care because they thought they could buy their way to Heaven. The shepherds believed when they heard. When the angels left the shepherds didn't scoff and continue their work, the went to see the Savior. They had faith, and God rewarded them by telling them first. Have faith.

Most people stop reading there, but there are still thirty-two verses left in Luke 2. Jesus' parents obeyed all of Moses's Teachings. They took Him to the temple to have Him circumcised and officially named. Then, they waited for the time to pass for the mother to be considered clean and the went to Jerusalem. There, they presented Jesus in front of the Lord and followed the tradition where He was considered set apart and holy in front of God by sacrificing a pair of mourning doves or two young pigeons. It only makes since that all of the rules were followed where Jesus is concerned. It wouldn't make since if they didn't circumcise Him since He was Jewish or to not present Him to the Lord since God was His real Father. This begins a pattern of Jesus keeping the rules perfectly throughout His life. That way, when He died, He was innocent and a pure sacrifice.

Nearby, a prophet named Simeon who was filled with the Holy Spirit lived. God told Simeon that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. One day, Mary and Joseph took the child Jesus to the temple courtyard to follow more of Moses's Teachings. When Simeon saw Jesus, he knew Jesus was the one, so he ran up and held Jesus in his arms, praising God. He prophesied once more and told God that He was allowing His servant to leave in peace because he had seen the Salvation which all people will see. He will be the one to save all of nations. The Holy Spirit moved in Simeon, so he knew without asking or an angel telling him that Jesus is Lord. The Holy Spirit can begin to move in anyone, even if He does not yet dwell with them. They can begin to feel that Jesus is the Savior. Even deep into faith, we don't even have to see, but we know that Jesus is the one who brought us God's salvation. Then, Simeon turned to Mary and told her that many Israelites would be condemned because of Jesus but many others would be saved. He will be sign to expose those who reject Him. We have already seen in John and will see in the other three gospels that Jesus did indeed expose those who rejected Him and staked His claim as Son of God many times.

Anna, another prophet, was also in the courtyard. She hailed from the tribe of Asher. She was a widow for 84 years! Her husband had died after only seven years of marriage. She never left the temple courtyard but stayed there to fast and pray. When she saw the new family, she went up to Mary and Joseph and began praising God for what He has done. Then, she began to tell all of the people about Jesus who waited for Israel's freedom. Anna and Simeon accepted this boy on faith even more so that we do now. Jesus was still a child. He had not performed miracles or spoken of who He was, yet faith was enough for them. We have a book that tells us of all that Jesus did, so it should be easier for us to accept the truth. After completing the Lord's teachings, Mary and Joseph went back to Nazareth in Galilee where they lived. Jesus grew and became strong. He was wise and had God's favor.

The last story in chapter two is the only one between birth and adulthood in the current Bible. Jesus went with Mary and Joseph every year to Jerusalem for the Passover festivals, and when He was twelve, nothing changed. On their way back, however, Jesus stayed behind, and his parents did not realize it. There were a lot of people travelling with them, so they assumed He was around. After a day, they realized they could not find Him. When they went back to Jerusalem, they looked for Him for three days and finally found Him in the temple courtyard. He was talking to the teachers and His knowledge and answers amazed everyone who heard Him. His mother scolded Him and told Him she and Joseph had been worried sick. He asked why they had looked for Him when they should have known He'd be in His Father's house. At the time, Mary and Joseph didn't get what He meant. Even with the foresight that they had into Jesus' birth, they could not fully understand Him. God is a mystery now and forever, but that's one of the reason's He is so worthy of our praises. Later, the family went home and Jesus was obedient. Mary treasured everything about Jesus in her heart. He grew in maturity and wisdom and already began gaining favor with God and people.

Luke 1

Because it's Christmas Eve, I'm breaking my pattern of full books at a time. Luke and Matthew both cover the Christmas story, so here is Luke 1: http://www.esvbible.org/Luke+1/

Luke writes out his qualifications for telling the story of the life of Jesus, and he assures Theophilus that he is telling the true story from a collection of eyewitness accounts. He says that he followed the story closely from the beginning. No one knows for sure who Theophilus is.

There was a mand named Zachariah, who was a priest. His wife, Elizabeth, descended from Aaron, Moses's brother. One day, while Zachariah did his job in the temple, burning incense for the Lord, an angel appeared to him and told him that his barren wife would have a son, and they were to name him John. Their son would be a great man for the Lord. He will never drink wine and like his parents will perfectly keep to God's standards. Of many things that he will do, among them is restore people of Israel to God and change the way some parents treat their children. John the Baptist is the baby mentioned here. Zachariah asked the angel how this could happen because he and Elizabeth were both old and beyond childbearing years. The angel said that he was Gabriel and stood in the presence of God. Because Zachariah did not believe, God made him mute until all the things the angel spoke would come to pass. When he left the temple, the people saw that he was mute and knew he had a vision while in the temple. After a while, Elizabeth found that she was pregnant and was overjoyed in the Lord. If God speaks to you, listen because He always does what He says He will; in fact, there may be consequences for those who do not listen.

After six months of Elizabeth's pregnancy, Gabriel visits Mary. He tells her that she too will soon be with child. At the time, Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, so she questioned how she could have a child while still a virgin, so Gabriel pointed out that Elizabeth, barren and old, was pregnant; therefore, nothing is impossible for God. Gabriel tells Mary that God chose her because she found favor with God.  Then, he gives her specific instructions. He tells her she will have a son and has to name Him Jesus. He will take the throne of David and rule over the people of Israel forever. His kingdom will never end. Mary hears that He will be the Son of the God Most High. That would be pretty intimidating. Imagine giving birth to God. Imagine parenting God and punishing Him(? Ok maybe not) and teaching Him about worldly things. That would be scary and awesome at the same time. This girl, around 14 was chosen to give birth to God with skin on. God can truly do anything.

After hearing this, Mary goes to visit her relative Elizabeth. Upon greeting Elizabeth, the baby kicks, and Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the first account of someone receiving the Holy Spirit. John begins the work the angel promised before he is even born. Elizabeth tells Mary that she is honored to be in Mary's presence, for Mary is the most blessed woman. When standing in her presence, Elizabeth could sense that she was standing in the presence of the mother of God because the baby kicked. Elizabeth tells Mary that Mary is blessed because she believed what the Lord promised her.

Mary praises the Lord. She says her spirit finds joy in Him because He looked on her favorable for being a humble servant. She offers all of the praise back to Him. She says that she will be called blessed because of what He did for her. She brings it back to Him. His name is holy, and He brings joy to the generations. She knows His power and how He uses it. God takes down cocky people who try to overshadow Him and places humble people in their places and chooses such people to do great things, like Mary. Most importantly, she speak about how He kept His promises to Israel, His chosen people. Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months before returning home.

When the time came for John to be born, she had a son. It didn't take long for her neighbors to hear about what God had done for her. They were all amazed. As with the Jewish custom, they circumcised him on the eighth day, and all those with Elizabeth wanted to name him Zachariah after his father. Elizabeth would not allow it and insisted they name him John. Because the people thought she was too stubborn, they went to Zachariah and he wrote that the boy should be named John, and at that moment, he coud speak again. Immediately, he praised God for what had happened and what would happen. He was filled with the Holy Spirit. He talked of how John was a sign that God was making good on His promis to the people of Israel. He said that a king was coming from the line of David. He reminds everyone of the Lord's promise to deliver the Israelites from their enemies and all who hate them and have power over them. He does all of this through Jesus. He tells his son that he is a prophet of the Lord. John will go before Jesus and prepare the way. He will let people know that there is an easy way to be saved. They can receive new life through repentance. Jesus will be proof of God's mercy and a light in the darkness. He will guide us all on the way of peace. John lived in the desert until his time came to do what the Lord instructed him to.

Now everything is set up for the Christmas story. God has spoken of everything He will do and shown how it will fulfill promises He made to the Old Testament prophets. Now, He can put His plan into action.

Titus 3

http://www.esvbible.org/Titus+3/

Paul tells believers to willingly place themselves under the authority of the government (unless that authority contradicts what is written in the Bible). We should obey the laws and help the government officials with the good things they do. Christians should not curse anyone or be quarrelsome but be courteous and gentle towards people.

Remember, before Jesus came into our lives, we were disobedient, stupid, and misled. We were slaves to lust and pleasures of the world. Paul uses the word slave here because God through His Son Jesus is the only one who could break the chains and free us from our former lives. Before, we were mean and jealous. We hated others and were hated. When Jesus came in all of God's kindness and love for humanity, he saved us not because of what we did to gain the approval but because His mercy saved us through the cleansing that gave us the Holy Spirit. If this is not already enough, God gave us a generous amount of the Spirit. He gave us enough that the Spirit can lead us in our lives. We have become heirs of God through Jesus Christ, and Paul says that statement can be trusted, We should insist on these things when we speak with others so that those who believe can set a good example for others by doing good things. This is good and helps others.

The next section is Paul's advice to Titus. he tells Titus to avoid things like contraversies about genealogies, quarrels, and Moses's teachings. These things are useless and worthless. Additionally, if someone begins teaching what is false, warn them once or twice and then if they continue, have nothing to do with them. At that point, it should be obvious that they are corrupt and condemned by their own actions.

Paul then says that he is sending Titus someone to take his place temporarily so that Titus can go on what seems like a sabbatical. Paul wants Titus to come with him and stay in his presence fo a while. He also tells Titus to send Apollos and a believer lawyer his best for their journey. Then, he adds that the people of Crete should learn how to set an example by doing good things when there are urgent needs so that they can live productive lives.

Titus 2

http://www.esvbible.org/Titus+2/

Paul gives Titus some guidelines about how different groups of Christians should live; although, it seems to me that we can all live in the ways he mentions to everyone. He starts with older men and says they should be sober. They should have good character, use good judgement, and be well rounded in faith, love, and endurance. If these older men live with good character, then the people, especially in the culture at the time, will begin to take on the good character talked about in the Bible. People tend to follow the examples of older men. If they use good judgement, they will do what God tells them, they will have no regrets, and they will set good examples for what the community should do. In being well rounded, everything comes from faith and love. God loves us more than we can imagine, and if we have faith in Him, we have our reward. God calls us to love one another at all times no matter what. We need the endurance to keep the faith and love going for all time, through the good and the bad. We can never stop if we truly believe. Older women should live lives dedicated to God. They should not gossip or be addicted to alcohol. Gossip is hurtful and unChristlike. You should fill your conversations with more Godly talk. They should set examples to teach young women to love their husbands and children, use good judgement, and be morally pure. I think those speak for themselves pretty well. The young men should also use good judgement. They should set a good example by doing what is good. When teaching, speak a message that is pure and dignified. Speak accurately about what is written in the Bible and no one can condemn you. Then, they will be embarrassed because they can't find anything bad about us. Paul had experience about people embarrassing themselves because they could not find anything wrong with what he said. Slaves should not argue with their masters or steal form them. Instead, they should serve in a way that shows how good the message of God is. Again, slavery is still unacceptably bad, and Paul encourages slaves to gain their freedom when they can. God came for all people to be saved. He teaches us through the Holy Spirit how to lie God filles lives. We should live in a way that our appearance reflects the life of Christ Jesus. Tell these things to all believers and correct the ones who have been misled.

Titus 1

Paul wrote this letter to Titus, who use to travel with Paul. When they went to Crete, the people they spoke to there were a bunch who were known for lies and bad deeds. After a while, Paul realized he needed someone to take charge of the church there that he trusted. In this letter, Paul discusses how to successfully lead a church, how to serve and how to live a Godly life. He lists many examples of things that the Cretans are doing wrong and offers ways to fix the problem. Here's Chapter 1: http://www.esvbible.org/Titus+1/

Paul's greeting to Titus is a little longer than those in the other letters we have read. In this greeting, Paul talks about what he and God are doing. He says that he has been entrusted with spreading the Good News to all of God's people (who we learned in Acts are all people, not just the Jewish people). Additionally, he is to lead the Christians in faith and knowledge of the truth that leads to a Godly life. All of Paul's teachings are rooted in eternal life, promised to people from the beginning of time. We know that this is the truth because God promised eternal life and told us in the prophets of the Old Testament how He was going to do it. Because ALL of the prophesies were fulfilled by the life of Jesus Christ, it is safe to know, not only assume, that Jesus is the Savior who came so that we may have eternal life. With the extra hope Paul gives us that God never lies as seen throughout not only the gospels but also the Old Testament, where God fulfills many promises, we can safely know that God has given us the ability to attain eternal life, not by what we have done, but by what He has done. God has proven His honesty throughout the generations by spreading His word. At this point, the Good News had been entrusted to Him by the Holy Spirit of the Lord God. He then addresses the letter to Titus and calls him a genuine child of faith. In some of the letter we have read that Paul sends to churches, we have seen him talk about Christians as children of God, and he calls Titus genuine. I personally would love to have this label. We should all strive to be someone so genuine in faith that others see it and speak about it. There should be no doubt in any one's mind that if tomorrow it was against the law to worship God, we would still do it openly. That's the kind of man of faith that Titus is. At the end of the greeting, Paul includes that peace and good will of God are Titus's. We discussed in 2 Thessalonians how big of a deal this is.

Paul reveals that he left Titus in crete to do what was still needed to be done there. Mainly, Paul talks about choosing people to lead the local churches in each of the cities. Spiritual leaders should live the kind of lives that they preach about. There are a few honorable mentions here. The person should have only one wife; therefore, we can see that Mormons are misled and lost in the ways of the Lord. Also, the leader's children should be believers and not be known for a wild or rebellious lifestyle. If a preacher cannot control his own children, then how is he supposed to control a church. In addition, the Christian teachings should be taught to children in households with Christian parents from a very young age. If the message does not come across to these children when the preacher has taught them from childhood, how can he teach a group of people including many h does not know. Finally, if the child lives this kind of lifestyle, it can mean that there is something wrong with the parent or the way it's being taught or maybe not applied at home. It creates double standards that it's okay when the preacher's kid does it but not for the rest of us. He must not drink to much or be violent, stubborn, or irritable. He must not use shameful ways to make money. He should be a hospitable person, love what is good, use good judgement, be fair and moral, and have self control. Most importantly, he must be devoted to the message he teaches because it is only when he does this that he can truly teach it to others and correct them when they're wrong.

At the time, and still today, there are any people who claim to be believers but speak nonsense and deceive people. They are ruining whole families, as you can imagine, and ripping holes in the family of God. One of their own prophets called them liars, animals, and gluttons, and Paul agrees that is a pretty accurate description of the Cretans at the time. Because it is true and people know it, Paul charges Titus to sharpen the faith of the believers and let them know what is correct. They shouldn't listen to Jewish myths or anything that comes from people who reject something written in the truth. Because of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made, everything is clean to a clean person. In Moses's teachings, there were certain things that were clean and others that were unclean, and anyone who did or ate or associated with anything that was unclean had to go through a ritual to clean themselves. Jesus came and overturned all of that. Now, the people who believe in the Good News and what it says are clean and those who don't are unclean and everything they do is unclean. According to Paul, their minds and consciouses are corrupted because they claim to know God and reject what He says. This is worse than not being a believer at all. Thee people are detestable, disobedient, and unfit to do anything good.

2 Thessalonians 3

http://www.esvbible.org/2+Thessalonians+3/

Paul then asks the Thessalonians to pray for him. He wants the to pray that he continues to spread the Good News and that the people he teaches receive it as favorably as the Thessalonians did. Also, he asks them to pray for God to deliver them from evil worthless people because if he gets stuck talking to people controlled by the enemy and who refuse to be saved, he is losing time talking to those who need to hear from him. Paul says that the Lord gives them confidence that the Thessalonians are doing and will continue to live God-centered lives. He just reminds them of a quick note. Paul and his followers always worked for their keep. They helped out in the community they lived in supplementary to their teachings. When they had done work, they allowed themselves to eat. They also never ate without praying first. SUPER IMPORTANT! Pray before you partake in food. It can be tough to remember at first, but it will eventually become second nature. Paul urges the Thessalonians to live as a community with a rule that anyone who did not work does not eat. In fact, some of the Thessalonians were not working, but instead they interfered in the work of others. Paul is baffled at how someone who does not do their own work can stand around and criticize the work of others. Paul tells them to do their own work and leave others to their own work. If anyone has trouble, they should be left out, but not as an enemy, but in a lesson as you would give a sibling.

Paul ends his letter in his own handwriting. He says he does this so that the people will know that he truly authored the letter. At the time, as we have seen from his other letters, people were giving false teachings about Christianity, and since Paul truly was the Lord's servant, everyone knew they could trust what he had to say.

2 Thessalonians 2

http://www.esvbible.org/2+Thessalonians+2/

This letter is definitely a little darker than most of Paul's others because he wants to clear up the misconceptions about the second coming. Many of the Thessalonians feared that it had already occurred and they missed it, so Paul describes how it all will really happen so that they will not think this. First, it is important to note that the things described here still have not happened, so the second coming is still in the future. There will be a man, commonly referred to as the anti-Christ, who will come to Earth and reject every kind of god, not just the One, True God. He will place himself above all of them and take on the worship that had been directed at all of the gods. The time of Christ's return cannot happen until this man, who Paul calls the son of lies, has been revealed. At this time, Christ will reappear, and His very presence will destroy the anti-Christ. The son of lies will come with all of the power of Satan. He will even be capable of performing miracles and supernatural works, but all of his works will be rooted in lies. He will only be able to deceive those who are dying because they do not believe. Because the son of lies will do everything that God disapproves of, his followers will follow suit. Then, when Christ returns to judge humanity, those who followed the lies and did what God disapproves of will be condemned.

Paul does more praying at the end of this story. He tells the Thessalonians that they shouldn't worry about the anti-Christ because God called them before the beginning to follow Him through their great faith. The same is true of all believers. If we truly believe, we should not worry about this son of lies because He will not deceive us. We have planted our faith firmly in the Son of God.

2 Thessalonians 1

http://www.esvbible.org/2+Thessalonians+1/

Paul, Silas, and Timothy identify themselves as the authors of this letter to the Church at Thessalonica. They also talk about how they are united with the church in Jesus. This is true of all Christians. As long as we hold true to our belief that Christ died to save us from our sins and rose again on the third day, we are united. We are with all of the people who are out there right now ministering to, helping, or loving others. And likewise, we are backed by the entire Christian population of the world when we do these things and just all of the time. Essentially, nothing for Christ can get done without Him, and since we are in Him when we do it, and all of the other believers are in Him, we all do the works together. This is one of the reasons that Paul says in many of his letters to churches that we should encourage on another because we are all the body of Christ. After that, Paul continues with his normal, cheerful introduction with God's grace. This is not something to make light of. It is huge that God extends His grace to us because with the way things going as we deserve, God should condemn us all to Hell for eternity. Instead, He sent His Son, Jesus, to die in one of the most excruciatingly painful ways so that He would take on the sins of the world and allow us to live in Heaven for eternity if we just accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior and work to end our sinful behavior.

As usual, Paul starts with a prayer. We can bring this example into our own lives as well. Begin with a prayer. When you wake up in the morning, pray to God, and it will begin to make a difference in your life and the way you spend your day. Pray before all moments whether they're tests, speeches, presentations, seeing friends, eating, or ministering to someone. We should start with prayer. Paul, Silas, and Timothy pray for the Thessalonians in thanksgiving because they're faith grows stronger, and their love for on another increases. They even say they brag in other churches about how much the Thessalonians suffer. According to these three, suffering means that God's judgement is right and the church is doing God's will. If we start doing so, we will suffer because it is human nature to sin. As soon as we start doing something out of the ordinary by following God's will and doing good, we will face persecution from those who refuse to change. On the other side, God will give suffering to those that cause us suffering. Additionally, He will relieve us of our suffering. The main example given here is when Christ comes again. At this point, the letter takes a somewhat dark, but amazing and fantastical turn. The authors describe it as Jesus coming down from Heaven in fire with an army of angels. He will punish all of those that refuse to glorify the one true God and vanquish them, sending them to Hell where they will experience eternal separation from God. On this same day, He will be honored by all of those who glorify Him and His name. Paul says that with all that in minds, he prays that God will show the Thessalonians His will for them and to fill them with good desires and help them with their acts. Then, by honoring the good will of Christ, He will honor them.

1 Thessalonians 5

http://www.esvbible.org/1+Thessalonians+5/

The day of the Lord approaches. It sounds like the Catholic Church didn't listen to Paul when he said not to worry about times or dates. The day of the Lord's returning will be completely unexpected. One thing that makes God who He is is the fact that He is completely unpredictable. You should know as a fact that He will work on His own time. So you must stay alert. Don't fall asleep as Paul says like the others in the world, but stay awake and sober. Since we don't know when the Lord will return, we must always expect it. Stay on your most Christlike behavior always. Don't fall victim to the ways of the world but live in the light. Jesus died so that we may all live for eternity with Him, so take up your Spiritual Armor and prepare for the fight. Encourage and strengthen others until that day.

Paul tells the Thessalonians that they should think very highly of their leaders because the leaders of the Church at Thessalonica do a great job with their people, and they deserve some thanks. He also encourages them to help those around them who are not living right. Don't return wrong with another wrong. Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek. Be joyful because the Holy Spirit in you knows the truest kind of joy. Never stop praying. You should always talk to God and see what He says about what you do. Pray throughout your day, over your quiet time, and over those in your life. In the good and the bad, give thanks because regardless, what God wanted to happen is happening and that means we are that much closer to His final goal. Don't quench the flames of the Holy Spirit within you. Instead, test everything and find what is good. Stay away from what is evil.

Paul says a quick farewell. He tells the Thessalonians that he prays God will keep them holy and blameless. Then he tells them to greet everyone for him and read his letter for all to hear.

1 Thessalonians 4

http://www.esvbible.org/1+Thessalonians+4/

Paul likes to talk about sexual sin a lot. Because of Jesus, you should live a God-pleasing life. Staying away from sexual sin is a way of showing that you belong to God. You should find your husband or wife in a pure way, not through lust and sexual desire. God punishes people for these things, so if you do choose to live this way, you will find yourself unhappy in your situation. You have probably noticed that ministers don't often get divorced, and that is because they choose their spouse based on Godly matters. This way is how everyone should choose their spouse. God called you to be holy, not sexually immoral. When you sin sexually, you do not reject humans, but God. Paul goes on to talk about love. He says Christians should not need to be taught how to love because God teaches us how to love. God loves us more than we can comprehend; after all, He sent His Son to die for us in one of the most gruesome ways ever used. Even if you already exceed in loving others, you should work to love even more! I really like what Paul says next. He tells Christians to live quietly, work hard, and make a living. What living quietly means is don't make a big scene over being a Christian because that will just turn people off. If you live quietly and wait for the Holy Spirit to lead you to talk about Jesus with someone, you will have much more success. When you work hard, you show people that Christians don't have to be second rate at what we do just because we're Christians.We should be the best at everything we do because we're Christians. This, too, will turn people onto Christianity. Paul defines the part about working to make your own living. He says that if you do, you don't have to depend on others for what you need. If you only keep your dependence on God first and yourself second, no one can hold anything over you.

Paul tells the people to stop grieving for their dead. We will see those who dies while in a relationship with Christ again! The basis of our faith is that Jesus died and God brought Him up from the grave. In this same way, the whole reason it makes since to follow Him is because we believe that when a Christian dies, their spirit rises to Heaven. In that way, since we all die, we go up to Heaven with God and see those that were lost to us on Earth. Don't mourn for long over the death of a Christian. Instead, comfort each other with words.

1 Thessalonians 3

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Paul does not like people to worry about him when he suffers. He knew what he was getting himself into when he started. Those who truly want to follow Jesus must be willing to face afflictions. Don't let others worry about you when you suffer for Christ because that means that you are doing good work for Him and the enemy is trying to stop you at all costs. We can see in Acts and in Paul's letters that Paul endures a lot of suffering. from what he says in the letter, it sounds like he predicted this suffering because of what Jesus said in John about His followers suffering the same treatment that Christ suffers. He sends Timothy to the Thessalonians to ensure that they do not worry about him while he is imprisoned. At the same time, Paul also sends Timothy to report back the Thessalonians' work and growth to Paul. Because Paul was locked away and unable to visit Thessalonica and the Thessalonians worried about him, he feared that Satan may have gotten the best of them and turned them to their evil ways from the ways of the Lord. He just wants to make sure that all of his work there was not in vain. Similarly, check up on those who you plant the seed of faith in. Make sure that they stick to God's path and that Satan has not come between that person and God.

When Paul wrote this letter, Timothy had returned from Thessalonica and given and excellent report. Paul is so happy to hear that the Thessalonians are doing so well that he says that he cannot offer enough thanksgiving for what has happened. Paul finds great joy in hearing that his churches are firm in their beliefs, and we should feel the same way when people we help find the Lord have firm faith later on or even in just hearing about churches with strong faith. Paul also prays again for the Thessalonians. He prays that their love may abound even more and reach more people. He also wishes that they keep their ways pure and blameless before God. We should pray this prayer not only for ourselves but also for others.

1 Thessalonians 2

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Paul informs the Thessalonians that he and his followers had a rough time in Philippi before going to Thessalonica, but when they arrived, they still actively sought to share the Good News with the people there in spite of strong opposition. When they taught, they did not use shady methods or selfish schemes, they simply taught what God had to say. They do this everywhere they go because God they passed God's test of intentions. They don't say what they do to please people or leader but only to please God. That is how we should live our lives. Most people are not Christians or are only in the way that they are American, Italian, British, etc.; therefore, their way of living probably leads to sin. The whole point of becoming a Christian is to not sin, to be different. If we live to please only people, we will live lives of sin in their ways, but if we truly want to live lives for God, we must only focus on pleasing Him. They didn't teach to earn praise from the people who heard them. Instead, they were gentle, and formed relationships and when they taught about God, they talked about their own lives because they cared that much. We can learn from this example they set. Sometimes it's hard to get a response from people when we just speak about the Bible for a while. Take another approach in some cases. Just get to know someone. Maybe you don't even talk about Jesus for the first few meetings. Let them see that there is something different about the way you live first. Then, when you open up about Christ, they are more likely to listen because they have seen His work in action. When you share with them about what is written in the Good News, share examples of what you teach from your life. As Paul did in Thessalonica, encourage and comfort, but also urge those you speak to to change their ways to live for Christ. This is the same relationship Paul compare as from a father to a child, and since God is our father, this is what He does for us. Mirror God and what He does and who He is if you are ever in doubt.

Another reason that Paul thanks God for the Thessalonians is because they took the Word of God for exactly what it is, not for a word from humans. The Church at Thessalonica suffered many of the same persecutions that the Church in Judea did. They were hunted after and threatened. If we listen to Christ in our decisions, then we too will have soe sort of persecution similar to the early church. Stat doing the right thing, and people will turn on you like sharks destroying your reputation, turning others against you, and maybe even physical hurt. Now, this isn't everyone (especially the physical harm part), but the devil is always at work, and unbelievers are the easiest targets. Paul also says that some of the Jews in Judea want the apostles to keep quiet about how to be saved in front of non-Jews because they want to limit who can come into God's kingdom. Paul also says that they just want to feel something from God, but since they refuse to truly believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins to save us, they want to at least feel God's anger. Paul also talks about how he, Silas, and Timothy have all wanted to visit the church, but in one way or anther, the devil has blocked this action.

1 Thessalonians 1

Another chapter down! Now, we move to 1+2 Thessalonians, which talk about being faithful to God in tough times, sexual sin, and the second coming of Christ. http://www.esvbible.org/1+Thessalonians+1/

Paul, Silas, and Timothy all greet the Church at Thessalonica. All three of them appear to have equal shares in writing this letter.

Paul says that he always remembers the Thessalonians in his prayers and thanks God for them because they have active faith, hard working love, and confidence in Jesus. Paul says that he never forgets them because God has chosen them to do great things. This is true of all people who accept Christ Jesus as their Lord and Savior. God has chosen you to do great things with a specific plan that you must choose to fulfill. The way Paul knows that the Church at Thessalonica is chosen for great things can be used as a test for if we all are on the right track for beginning to reveal our plans from God (if we have not already begun). First off, when you believed for the first time, the Holy Spirit filled you, so if you truly believe, the Holy Spirit will guide you in showing off God's fingerprints on you. Paul commends the Thessalonians for welcoming God's word in spite of suffering. The Thessalonians who converted became outcasts, and despite that, they still went strong in their faith to Jesus. Not only that, but they welcomed the Word with joy from the Holy Spirit. By the Holy Spirit, the Thessalonians became models for Macedonia and Greece. Additionally, God used this church to spread the Good News not only around Macedonia and Greece, but also around the world. Paul still hears stories where he is about how the Church at Thessalonica accepted him and Jesus so eagerly. The church also turned away from their idols and worship only the one true God. We should live our lives in the same way. We should model the Christian life for others. In that way, God can use us to spread the church even when we are unaware of it, just because of our active faith and Christlike attitudes.

Colossians 4

http://www.esvbible.org/Colossians+4/


Paul starts out a lot of sentences with the word "pray." Praying is so important because it is direct communication to God. Prayer is talking to God, but mostly, it is listening. The first type of prayer that Paul mentions is a prayer of thanksgiving. He warns us to pay attention when we offer prayers of thanksgiving; however, I believer this means more to pay attention to what God does for you and to offer pryers of thanksgiving. The rest of the things he lists are prayer requests. It is so much more profound to feel the prayers of multiple people behind you than just yourself. Also, whenever you pray, you have the undivided attention of the Creator and Miracle Worker. Now, imagine that multiple people take that undivided attention and all pray over your prayer request. That is a lot of attention on that request. Paul's prayer requests are about helping the mission that God set before him. He asks prayer that he has the opportunity to speak the mystery of God to many people and that he can make that mystery as clear as possible. This is a prayer that many of us should probably pray. We should all ask God to give us opportunities to talk to those who have not heard the truth about Jesus or anything about Him at all. We should also pray that when we speak this truth, that the Holy Spirit takes over and makes what we say as clear as possible. Next, Paul warns that we should be careful when we interact with people outside of the faith. We should make the most of the opportunity. Earlier in this letter, Paul said that we are ambassadors of Christ and that we should always act in ways that are pleasing to Jesus since we take on His name. Now, He reminds us that this is especially important in interactions with non-believers because their one interaction with you could be the only interaction they have with a Christian ever, so you better be on your most Christlike behavior always.

Paul finishes his letter with greetings from all of the followers he has with him, as he does in many of his letters to the churches. One of these people is from Colossae. Paul tells them that this man prays the church at will continue to mature in their faith in Christ. A stable, firm relationship with God is an art form that can never truly be perfected. We can always improve things. If our relationship with Him was perfect, we would be Jesus. We can always find more opportunities to pray over decisions, to remember and invite Him to join us throughout our day, or just listen to what He wants to tell us.

Colossians 3

http://www.esvbible.org/Colossians+3/

Paul starts this chapter by telling Christians to give up their old ways of life because they died with Christ and rose again as new creations in Him. We should rid ourselves of what is worldly and look to what is from Heaven. The worldly things will lead to sin. Just look at what culture says today: sex will make you happy, but the Bible says that sex outside of marriage is sinful; you need to make lots of money because money buys happiness, but the Bible says we should put God first and find our happiness in Him; and we should look at all of the hot girls/guys and talk about how passionately we would make love to them, but the Bible calls this lust and sinful. All of the things that God tells us to avoid from the world are for our benefit. Sex outside of marriage can lead to unwanted pregnancies or diseases, greed can lead to consumption in making more money and losing sight of family, God, and what is truly important, and lust can lead to unhealthy relationships and sexual sin. Before being saved, this is the kind of lives we lived, but we have found something infinitely better now, and because of that, we do not desire to live in the former ways but as new creations. Do not sin in your angry or grow angry in an unhealthy way. Do not lie to each other. You are a new person who wants to be like the creator, and He does not do these sorts of things. In the world of the saved, there are no Jews or Gentiles because we are all one in Christ and all children of God. No matter what the background, how we look, or who we were before. Paul moves on to give some examples of how the new Christians should live. The bottom line for the Christian life, as Jesus Himself said, is love. Love ties together all of the other aspects of Christian life. It leads to kindness, humility, patience, etc. Additionally, it leads to forgiveness. We are called to forgive others as God forgave us. As I have said before, God does not ask you to do anything that He did not do Himself. He forgave you of everything you have eer done and ever will do to hurt Him. How can you not forgive people for what they do to you? Sing to the Lord with all of your heart. Everything you do and say should reflect Jesus because you have taken on His name.

Paul gives a little advice to all sorts of people. Wives should place themselves in their husbands' authority because that's how Godly people live, but husbands should not treat their wives harshly but lovingly and with respect. Children should always obey their parents because that way of living pleases the Lord. Parents should not make their children resentful because that will only discourage them. Slaves should serve their worldly masters like they are serving their real master, Jesus. They should not have false motives but keep in mind that their inheritance is waiting in Heaven. All people should remember that the Lord doesn't play favorites based on worldly position. Just because someone is high and mighty on Earth does not mean they will have a better place or even necessarily a place in Heaven. Masters should be kind to their slaves because the masters also have a master in Heaven.

Colossians 2

http://www.esvbible.org/Colossians+2/

Paul says that he wants the Colossians to know how hard he works for them and all of the people he hasn't even met. He works so that all people united in love may rejoice because they have the riches that come from understanding Christ. Jesus was the big mystery of God that God had planned for since the beginning. Because God hid all of His knowledge and treasures in Christ, the only way to unlock all of these secrets is by listening to Jesus. By having this information, no one can mislead you by saying things that just sound good. God and Jesus talk to you through the Holy Spirit who lives in you. After the Spirit fills you, there is really no need to have to listen to someone else because as long as you remain in prayer and study the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit will guide you on your journey through life. Continue to live like you belong to Christ. Build your life on Him, the firm foundation. Overflow with thanksgiving to Him.

Be careful that people who bear false teachings do not trick you out of your faith. People who will attempt follow the ways of the world, not Christ. All of God dwelled in the body of Jesus while He lived on Earth, and God used Jesus to complete you where sin had ripped you apart. Because God had the power to do this as Jesus on Earth, Jesus is above all rulers and authority, and eventually, all rulers will have to answer to Him. The former statement here means that if the law of your land prohibits yo from worshipping Jesus, then you can disobey those laws because Jesus vetos those laws and says to worship Him. In Christ, we have all (even females) been circumcised but not (obviously especially for females) by human hands. Jesus circumcised and took away the corrupt things in our lives and nailed them to the cross. This happened during the baptism when we were buried with Christ and rose again by God to a new life. At the raising, we no longer had the corrupt nature. Once, we all were dead because we fell short of the glory of God and were still whole with our sinful nature. He erased our sins by placing them on the cross. God doesn't accept us with all of our past sins because He removes them from us; therefore, do not let people judge you for the way you act as long as you act in a fashion Jesus would approve of. All of the laws and regulations of the past no longer matter. Don't let people who think you have to earn your favor with God make you think that you don't deserve your inheritance because of something you've done. Such a person is arrogant in their sinful ways and does not belong to Christ. If you have died with Christ to the ways of the world, do not let people of the world tell you how to live.

Colossians 1

Now on to the last of these four short letters to churches from Paul. Colossians is about how Jesus is God and the only one we need. It teches how to behave like a Christian and live as an example of this. It also discusses proper sexual guidelines and family life. Chapter One: http://www.esvbible.org/Colossians+1/

Paul starts with his usual greeting to the Church at Colossae and informs them that Timothy helped him write this letter.

Paul tells the Colossians that he always prays for them in his prayers. The Colossians have done a great job in having strong faith in Jesus Christ and sharing love for all believers. He credits their success in these areas to the hope that they have in Heavenly matters. When Paul reminds them that the Good News is the truth and the reason for their faith, he takes the opportunity to discuss how well it's spreading around the world rapidly. Nothing can stop God's work because He is the all powerful. Because of the Good News, the Colossians truly learned what God's grace is all about. Unlike most of the churches that Paul writes to, he did not originally introduce the Word to the Colossians. A man Paul knows named Epaphras taught them. Paul informs the church that he has since become a very trustworthy deacon and told the other church members about what the Spirit is doing in the lives of the Colossians. Next, Paul explicitly states what he prays for them about. This prayer could be applied to us still today. We should strive to live like we belong to the Lord. By doing so, we will please Him in every way as we grow in the Fruits of the Spirit. Paul prays that we face all things with joy no matter how hard they may seem to endure. Finally, thank God that we can share the light, which is the inheritance to all of the people of God.

Again, we should rejoice that we know the Lord because He cares so much about each and every one of us that He plucked us out of sin and darkness and brought us into His kingdom through His Son. He sent His only Son to die so that our sins could be forgiven. That was the only way things could happen. God can't live with sin, and since our Jesus paid the price for our sins, we no longer live with them. Jesus is the image of the God that we cannot see and the first creation. Then, He created all things in Heaven and on Earth. Everything has been created through Him and for Him. Because He existed before everything, He is the glue that holds it all together. Additionally, He is the head of the church and the beginning since He is the first to come back to life. The time of Christ is a major turning point. BC became AD in the years (after the fact but still signifying that this is important), and the Old Testament is every important spiritual happening before Christ, and now we have the New Testament which is everything stating with the preparation of Christ's birth. All of that boils down to Christ is the beginning of the new era. Once, you were lost to sin because the Bible explicitly states that we all were. But God knew there was a way to reconcile we the people to God the Father. He had to send His beloved Son to act as a blood sacrifice. Jesus was happy to take on this task so that we can stand before God sinless and blameless as long as we have faith in Jesus. You've heard the Good News, and it is so much the truth that people have devoted their lives to serving the one who wrote it and spreading it around.

Paul says that he does not mind suffering now because our time here on Earth is short. He says he will complete the sufferings of Christ. Because Christ does not ask us to do anything that He did not do Himself, when we suffer, we should just remember how much more He suffered. God tasked Paul with revealing to the people the mystery that was God. Now, he continues to give every human being a task to complete. In the past, He was very elusive, but now He lives in all of those who have faith. Paul and his followers teach the Good News because they hope to present all people as mature Christians before the Lord.

Philippians 4

http://www.esvbible.org/Philippians+4/

Paul says that his fellow believers bring him true joy, and he reminds them to stay firm in their faith in the Lord. This concept is so important because at times it may feel like the Lord abandoned you and at others things may be going so well that you feel like you don't need Him, but you do. In all times, stay firm in your faith with the Lord. then, Paul goes on to talk specifically to some of the people in the church.

Always be joyful in the Lord! How often we forget with everything life throws at us, but this concept is also hugely important. Also, don't stress out. Instead, lay it all on the Lord. Let Him know what troubles you and give Him thanks for the wonderful things He's done for you. Then, He will give you the ultimate peace. Don't forget to thank the Lord when He answers a prayer. Always keep your minds on things that the Lord approves of.

Just because we ask the Lord for contentment doesn't mean all of our situations go away. The Lord will just give us peace about them. There will be times when we have lots and times when we have little, but just remember we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. Paul ends his letter by thanking the Philippians for everything that they have given him, and that is why Paul believes that their fortunes will increase.

Philippians 3

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Paul warns the Philippians against false teachers and those who teach circumcision. Circumcision was just a representation that the Jewish men were God's chosen people. Now, all Christians are the true circumcised whether or not they have the physical markings of it. We should not place faith in physical things like that because that is not what will take us to Heaven. Paul says there is no greater source to speak this that himself. He was circumcised on his eighth day. He is a descendent of Israel through Benjamin. He was enthusiastic for his people by persecuting the church. He kept the laws very well and lived up to standards so high that he was a Pharisee. After he realized that the only thing that could truly get him to Heaven was faith in Jesus Christ, nothing else mattered. All of his past and how hard he worked to keep the laws perfectly meant nothing. Everything new in his life means nothing because of Jesus. It's better to know Jesus than to know everything else in the world. We cannot gain God's approval from following laws; we can only receive His approval through faith. And after we affirm our faith n Jesus, we should have faith that we will become like Him after death: raised from the dead. Paul says that despite how much he has learned of Jesus, he cannot claim to have reached the goal, but he keeps running and doesn't look back. Whoever has mature faith should think this way, and if you don't, God will change the way you think.

Paul asks the Philippians to imitate him and send all of the glory back to God. There are false teachers out there who only what to gain for themselves. Their emotions are their gods, and they need to be followed to feel fulfilled, but these people will be destroyed. We, as followers of Christ, look forward to the great prize: eternal life with God.

Philippians 2

http://www.esvbible.org/Philippians+2/

Paul says that joy would overflow from him if the Philippians would live like Christ, with that same love, harmonious living, and single-minded purpose. Think of others first. don't be conceited. Think of others as better than yourself. Don't only be concerned with your interests but with the interests of others as well. Jesus took on this attitude. Jesus was God and equal to God and in the form of God. But when He came to Earth, He did not take advantage of this. Instead, He took on human form and lived as a servant for others. He was obedient to the point of death. Because of all of that, God gave Him a place of highest honor, and all creatures in Heaven and on Earth know that Jesus is the Lord of all. God's not asking us to do anything He hasn't done Himself. Paul tells the Philippians that they have obeyed very well, even when Paul is away. They should continue to do so and do it without complaining. Sometimes, it is hard not to complain when we serve others' needs first, but that's what Jesus asks us to do because if we do so, we are blameless. You will be like stars on Earth while you live. Paul lives his life as a servant to the Good News, but he says that he is joyous to get to spread that news with the people around him, and all others should find joy in that as well.

Paul tells the Philippians that he will send Timothy, one of his best disciples, to them. Paul says that Timothy lives the selfless life that Paul talks about. We should all, but especially Spiritual leaders, work to live the kind of life that we teach to others. Additionally, Paul will send Epaphroditus to them. He tells them that Epaphroditus almost died when he was in service to Paul, but the Lord had mercy on not only him, but also Paul because that would have been one more sorrow for Paul. The Philippians sent Epaphroditus to Paul and wished to return to see them. Paul tells the Philippians to be joyful about his return. The main message so far is to find joy in all things that the Lord does and spread that joy to others both who have joy and don't.

Philippians 1

Philippians is considered the most joyful book in the Bible. Paul repeats again and again how joyful we should be in the Lord. While he writes all of this, he is imprisoned and chained to a guard. If Paul can be joyful in a situation where death is a likely outcome, can't we be joyful in the Lord in all of our situations? http://www.esvbible.org/Philippians+1/

Paul starts out with his usual greeting to the Church, this time in Philippi, and he informs them that Timothy helped right this particular letter.

From the get go, Paul starts talking about how thankful he is in the Lord. All the while, he is in jail, and most of us would probably feel completely alone and abandoned. Paul thinks of his friends in the Church of Philippi and writes a letter to them telling how he thanks God that he knows them. We should be happy because we are part of God's bigger plan, and when we teach others the Good News, He starts revealing His plan to them. Hopefully, they will begin to follow that plan and go with it until the day Christ chooses. We are all partners in Christ. We have to work together and be a united front to keep the enemy out and show people that we can all confirm each other and know that it is the truth. Paul says that e thinks of the Philippians whether he is in jail or actively defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. Our love should grow as we come to learn more about Christ. We should hopefully come to a place where we can discern through the Spirit what is pure and impure. Then, Jesus can fill us with all that is in God's approval so our lives will bring glory and praise to God.

Paul says the being in jail even brings him joy because it is part of God's plan. Because Paul is in prison, he has had the chance to minister to guards and fellow prisoners about the Good News. Of he hadn't gone to prison, these people may never have learned about Jesus Christ. Even if a situation seems bad, it can always bring glory to God, and it is most likel God that put you there in the first place. In that case, it's not actually a bad situation at all but an opportunity. Some people tell the message out of selfishness or other malicious reasons, but Paul says that doesn't matter. The people who give the Good News for pure reasons will gain more from what they teach, but even for those who teach the gospel to cause trouble, at least they get the Word out there. Motives don't matter if the end is that more people come to Christ.

Again, Paul finds another reason to be happy. He knows that the Philippians pray for him, and since God listens to prayers, Paul is confident that God will set him free. Whether he lives or dies, Paul will rejoice in the Lord and give Him praise. For if he dies, he gets to go be with Jesus. That is, after all, the eventual goal and reward. On the other hand, if he lives, Paul's work will produce even more results to bring glory to God. Paul says that he doesn't think he can choose one fate over the other because they are both good. He would like to move on to eternity with the Father, but he thinks that all of the churches he's planted would benefit from his teachings.

Live as people who believe the Good News of Christ. Then, word of what you do will spread throughout the churches, and you can serve as an example of what God wants in His people. Don't let your opponents intimidate you because you have the prize already. When they try to intimidate you, it's God showing them that you will have eternal life and they will have damnation. God has given you the opportunity not only to serve but also to suffer for Him. Think how much more the reward will mean after we suffer for our faith in Him.

Ephesians 6

http://www.esvbible.org/Ephesians+6/

Paul gives some advice to children and parents here. First, he tells children to obey their parents because they are Christians. The Bible says to honor your mother and father that everything may go well for you and you will live long on Earth. This is not only a commandment but also a promise. He tells parents not to make children bitter about life but to bring them up according to Christian discipline and instruction.

Next, Paul gives advice to slaves and masters. He tells slaves to obey their Earthly masters like they would their Heavenly master. Paul does not approve of slavery; in fact, as we saw in Corinthians, he tells slaves to escape if they can so that they serve only God and not a human. Additionally, because we can treat everything we do as worship, Paul tells slaves not to do their work bitterly. If they obey and work hard as a way of worship, God's reward will await them in Heaven. Furthermore, masters should treat slaves with respect and never threaten them. Masters of slaves aren't true masters because we all belong to the master in Heaven. (Side note: as the Bible tells us to follow the laws of the land unless they contradict the Bible, don't take slaves because it is against the law. Besides, Paul is against slavery, so owning slaves is not in the Bible.)

Receive your power from the Lord. He will give you the armor and supplies that you will need in this world. Only by using what He gives you will you be able to defeat the Enemy. This is not a match against a human opponent; in fact, this is much more dangerous, so you better prepare your equipment. Once you do so, you will be able to take a stand against the evil in the world. When we overcome the obstacles, we are able to stand our ground. Paul talks about Spiritual Armor: the belt of truth, breastplate of God's approval, shoes of peace through the Good News, shield of Christian faith that block the flaming arrows of Satan, and the helmet of salvation. Pray in every situation. Prayer is talking with God, so it is obviously hugely important. Use prayer for any request. Nothing is too small for God to care about if you are truly passionate about it and it is in His character. Make requests for the believers as a whole. Pray for the spiritual leaders to have the words to say so that they may speak boldly about the Lord.

Paul says he will send Tychicus to Ephesus. This is Pauls's dear friend and brother in Christ. He will report to them how Paul is doing because Paul is in prison and therefore cannot travel. Even in his bad situation, he wishes them luck and the favor of God.

Ephesians 5

http://www.esvbible.org/Ephesians+5/

Imitate God because you are His child. When we were young, we used to imitate our parents because that is how we learned to live. Don't mention greed, sexual sin, or perversion of any kind. Don't tell dirty stories, foolish talk, or obscen jokes. This is not appropriate for God's children, and you could instead use that time to worship God. You know that no one involved in sexual sin, perversion, or greed will enter the Kingdom of God because they put those things above their relationship with Jesus. Don't let them deceive you with meaningless words like it'll be fine if you only do it once or this is not a bad sin, etc. Those who refuse to believe live in darkness, but believers live in the light of God. That light should not become overcome by darkness when temptations come. Instead, expose what is in the darkness. People who are unsaved often feel that they have to apologize to believers for their actions because even without saying or doing anything, they can see the light exposing them in their darkness. Be careful how you live, for these are evil times. Don't miss the opportunities that the Lord gives you. don't get drunk on wine but fill yourself with psalms, hymns, and scriptures. Sing and make music to the Lord thanking Him with all your heart.

Husbands and wives must place themselves under the other's authority. Wives should place themselves under the authority of their husbands as the church does under Jesus. Jesus is the head of the church but leads it in good opportunities. Husbands should love their wives as Christ loves the church, even laying down their lives. Husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. Care for her and cleanse her spirit and bild her up again.

Ephesians 4

http://www.esvbible.org/Ephesians+4/

Paul encourages us to live the kind of life that God calls us to live. He uses some of the Fruits of the Spirit as example. He talks about all believers acting as a unified front for God because there is only one body and one Spirit of the church. All Christians share one hope that Jesus is who He said He was. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one Father who is everything. God is alone in His matchless glory. There are not multiple gods as some religions believe. There is only one faith that will truly give us ur eternal reward. We all need to be baptized not by water so that we may change our ways but by the Spirit so that He may enter our hearts and give us God's gift of eternal life. All Christians are children of God. Since He created everything, there is nothing that can escape Him. Jesus gave us God's favor, measuring it out Himself. He went from the depths of the Earth to the heights of Heaven so that there was nothing immeasurable for Him. He gave apostles, missionaries, teachers, pastors, etc. as gifts to the church so that they could prepare us for our time with Christ until we become mature in our faith and measure up to Christ, the spiritual model. We will all have moments of ebb and flow with this, but hopefully we will make it far enough not to believe what we hear from false teachers and cunning people who try to mislead us. Christ is the head of the body of believers. He also controls every joint because He is the one who makes the body grow and fits it all together.

Christians should live differently from non-believers. We should live in the way Christ set up for us. People should be able to see that their is something different about us. That way, we can explain that it come from a relationship with Christ. The truth boils down to Jesus. When we learn this truth, we must change our ways. Stop living in sin and become a new person, a person of God. Get rid of lies. Only speak the truth because we are all creations of God. Only grow angry in a healthy way. Don't go to bed angry because it gives the devil an opportunity to work. There is Spiritually heathy anger. Anger at injustice or hurt or corruption or sin. But don't let that turn into unhealthy anger. thieves must stop stealing and be productive with their hands to do good things. Don't speak what would hurt another because the Holy Spirit is in us and places a stamp of approval on us. Speak what is good, so that the Holy Spirit isn't upset with you. Be kind and forgiving; after all, God forgave us, and that is FAR more than we deserve.

Ephesians 3

http://www.esvbible.org/Ephesians+3/

Paul tells the Ephesians why He serves Jesus Christ by spreading the Good News. He tells them that they know his story (as we do after reading Acts). But he moves it to a deeper level rather than an account of events. He says that the Lord gave him a revelation in which he learned that the Good News is for non-Jewish people just as much as it is for those who are Jewish. Anyone can receive their inheritance from God. Before all of the apostles and prophets had this revelation about the Good News, whether or not the Good News was for all people was left a mystery. Nobody knew for sure because Jesus did say that He came to save all people, but the Jewish people were God's chosen people. They didn't know if God had changed this or not. Paul says that he sees himself as the least of God's people because of his past, but God uses him to spread the Good News. Paul calls this opportunity a blessing. We should praise God when we help spread the Word. If you've never done it before, it's an amazing experience. Paul says he can reveal the mystery. God created all things but kept them a mystery until Christ. Then, He was able to show people just how infinitely wise He is. Think about it. If He showed everything from the beginning, none of it would be amazing later on. We can be bold and confident in our faith in Christ because that will ultimately save us. Paul wraps up this story by telling the Ephesians not to worry about him when he suffers because he enjoys spreading the Good News, and his suffering brings glory to the Church of Ephesus.

Paul prays for Christians. He prays that He will give us a gift from His ultimate knowledge. He prays that we have strength and power in the Holy Spirit, so Christ can live in us through faith. Again, Paul talks about how Christ lives in us, and it's not by what we've done but because of what He's done for us. He also prays that we set our foundation on love so that all believers can see how vastly huge Christ's love for us is. It goes beyond all knowledge. If love is the main component that we show people, then think how huge that would be if all the believers did that. Now imagine that Jesus' love is even huger than that. We can't even comprehend how huge His love is. It is infinite, like so much else of God, and our minds need boundaries. Paul prays that we, as Christians, be completely filled with God. Let Him be there with you all day everyday. Let Him walk you to class/work, hang out with you and your friends, or simply watch TV with you. Have God with you always and remember He is there. Glory belongs to God, just as Paul says. Give praise that He uses that glory to work in us. The one who created the universe beyond what we can build the most advance telescopes to see. What He can do is infinitely more than what we can do. The church serves only to glorify God and Jesus and should until the end of time. Don't worship Paul, a pastor, a worship leader, or anyone else, and don't let your church move in that direction. That's not what the church is for.

Ephesians 2

Well...I fell behind again. But here goes the next chapter: http://www.esvbible.org/Ephesians+2/

At one point or another (and many, many times over), we all have sinned. We have put something or ourselves or someone over God. According to Jewish law, that means that we deserve death. There is no way around it. God is perfect, and being so, He cannot live with what is imperfect. Because we sin, we make ourselves imperfect and impure, but God created a way for us to live with Him for eternity.God sent Christ to be the ultimate sacrifice. All of the anger that God would have to cast onto us because of our sin were focused onto Jesus as He died on the cross. We should have no way to attain eternal life. We deserve to face death just like the rest of humanity, but Jesus stopped that. God loves people so much that He sent His Son to die so that we could spend eternity with Him. We didn't do anything to earn this love because that notion is impossible. We receive God's love because He gives it unconditionally. When we mess up, God loves us just as much as when we succeed. When we sin, He is disappointed in us, but His feelings never shift. God loves you no matter what you do.

When Jesus came, he overturned the Jewish laws and teachings. According to Jesus, all people are His if they have faith. The Holy Spirit is no longer contained in the Jewish temple, but instead, it can be found in the followers of Jesus. All people can accept the gift of what Jesus did for us. In the old times, you had to follow all of the rules or God's hostility came upon you. Because of our corrupt nature, we cannot hope to follow all of the rules successfully. Then, Jesus came and took away all of the hostility. He is the cornerstone that we can build our lives on that will prove stable and safe. We could not hop for anything better than what God gave us through His Son Jesus Christ.