1 Thessalonians 3: Are You Always Abounding In Love?
Verse of the Day: (V12) “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:”
1. Alone (V1-3)
V1 “Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;”
Though Apostle Paul desired to stay with the Thessalonians Christians to continue to love, encourage, minister and ground them in God’s Word and work, yet he had to depart to Athens alone, because Satan persistently hindered him. However, God’s Word and work never cease as Paul sent another preacher, his spiritual son, Timotheus, to continue the preaching and teaching ministry to strengthen the faith of the Thessalonians Christians.
V2 “And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellow-labourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:”
2. Affliction (V4-8)
V6 “But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:”
Paul and his fellow preachers were greatly comforted and encouraged when they heard from Timotheus that though the Thessalonians Christians were afflicted and persecuted because of their faith in Christ, yet they still rejoiced greatly in suffering for Christ’s sake. Indeed, our faith is tested to the fullest when we can still rejoice and trust God even though we are in the midst of great suffering and even impending death for Christ’s sake.
V7 “Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:”
3. Abound (V9-13)
V12 “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:”
The main reason why Paul and his fellow Christians could endure intense suffering, persecution and even death was because God had richly blessed them with abounding and abundant love for others even their persecutors and enemies. Indeed, we shall be blameless and holy when God richly bless us with His abounding and abundant love!
V13 “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to always be abounding in love for You and others.
1 Thessalonians 2: Are You Preaching The Gospel?
Verse of the Day: (V8) “So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.”
1. The Gospel Of God (V1-11)
V8 “So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.”
Apostle Paul and his fellow preachers preached and lived by the gospel of God, and were willing not only to suffer but to lay down their lives for the gospel. This was how much they truly loved the people, and how much impact the gospel of God had upon the people.
V9 “For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.”
2. The Word Of God (V12-13)
V12 “That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.”
If there was one church that Paul and his fellow preachers were thankful for it must be the Thessalonian church. The Thessalonian Christians were not only greatly receptive to the word of God, but they truly walked worthy of God who saved and sanctified them.
V13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.”
3. The Churches of God (V14-20)
V14 “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:”
Paul encouraged all the churches of God to continue in their faith in Christ in spite of Satan’s hindrance. Satan is God’s enemy, and he knows his time is short before he is condemned to hell. Whatever time left, Satan will do his utmost to hinder God’s work. However, let us be assured that ultimately God shall have the final victory over Satan.
V18 “Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to preach Your gospel by walking worthy of You.
1 Thessalonians 1: Are You Praying For Others?
Verse of the Day: (V2) “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;”
1. Prayers (V1-2)
V1 “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Apostle Paul together with his fellow preachers, Silvanus and Timotheus, wrote to the Thessalonians Christians that they were always praying for them, and thankful to God for their love and service to Him. The life of Paul and his preachers were men of prayers as they kept praying for others, either for their salvation, or for God’s protection upon them. Indeed, let us pray for others as it is a demonstration of our love for God and His people.
V2 “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;”
2. Patience (V3-4)
V3 “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”
The Thessalonian Christians were model Christians as they not only had the work of faith, and the labour of love, but they also had the patience of hope in God. During those days, and even today, there are many Christians who believe in God, but when trials and testing come their way, they lack the patience of hope in God, and stray away from Him. Though we know God has elected and saved us, let us continue to love and serve Him to the end.
V4 “Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.”
3. Power (V5-10)
V5 “For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.”
Paul encouraged the Thessalonians Christians to continue in their faith and preach the gospel of Christ as it was God’s power to save souls from condemnation and be reconciled to Him. Paul always mentioned to others the testimony of the Thessalonians Christians of how they turned from idol worship to believe and serve the true God.
V9 “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to pray for others that they know You are the true God.
Colossians 4: Will You Continue In Prayer?
Verse of the Day: (V2) “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
1. Continue (V1-6)
V2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
Apostle Paul encouraged the Colossians Christians to continue in prayer and watch with thanksgiving, though they might not get immediate results and things seemed impossible. Though Paul requested prayers from them that he might be delivered out of his prison because of his faith in Christ, yet he knew that it was God’s will for him to be imprisoned. While in prison, Paul had many opportunities sharing the gospel of Christ to his fellow unbelieving prisoners, and even to the prison guards. Indeed, many times our prayers seem unanswered, not because God does not hear us, but He is testing our patience and faith in Him, and at the same time, He desires to draw us closer to Him and His Word.
V3 “Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:”
2. Comfort (V7-11)
V7 “All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:”
The ministry of Paul was not only to share the gospel to all around him, but to love and comfort those who were hurting and suffering. Let us not only share the gospel of Christ, but to love and comfort everyone around us, so that they can truly experience the love of God in and through us, and believe and receive the Lord Jesus as their personal Saviour.
V8 “Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;”
3. Complete (V12-18)
V12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”
Paul commended Epaphras that he had great zeal and love for the Colossians Christians, and had been fervently and unceasingly praying for them that they would be perfect and complete in their testimony for Christ. Let us therefore continue in prayers and watch with thanksgiving for one another that we be perfect and complete in doing God’s will.
V13 “For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to continue in prayer and watch with thanksgiving.
Colossians 3: Are You Heartily Serving God?
Verse of the Day: (V23) “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
1. Hid (V1-11)
V2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Apostle Paul’s life was hidden in Christ so that everyone who saw him actually saw Christ, and not Paul. This was only possible when Paul set his life goal and purpose on Christ alone, and never on himself or his accomplishments. No one should ever look to man, not even if he is the best preacher or Christian, as we are all sinners saved by grace. Only Christ has the solution for all our problems. To hide in Christ means we are dead to self. Our hearts, eyes, hands, etc., are Christ’s, and we live only for Christ. Our hearts are set only on the treasures in heaven, and never on earth. Let us therefore hide in Christ so that everyone around us will see Christ in us, and receive Him as their personal Saviour.
V3 “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”
2. Humbleness (V12-17)
V12 “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;”
To truly hide in Christ means we must humble ourselves before the holy God, and acknowledge that we are nothing without Him. Many Christians fail to hide in Christ, because they are proud and refuse to forgive those who hurt or harm them. Let us therefore humble ourselves, and forgive others, even as Christ, the Son of God, humbled Himself when He died on the cross, and forgave all including those who crucified Him.
V13 “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
3. Heartily (V18-25)
V23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
Paul encouraged them that when they shared the gospel of Christ or do good works, they were not doing for man’s sake or applause, but for God’s sake and approval. He reminded them that the omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient God sees and knows all their labour of love, and one day He shall reward them. Let us therefore not be tired and weary in our service and labour for our God, but serve and do them heartily and merrily knowing that one day He shall reward us in glorious heaven because of Christ in us!
V24 “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to hide in You and heartily do Your work and will.
Colossians 2: Are You Rooted In Christ?
Verse of the Day: (V7) “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
1. Received (V1-6)
V5 “For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.”
Though Apostle Paul was imprisoned for his faith in Christ and was not with the Colossians Christians, yet he could feel and sense their steadfast love and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ after they had believed and received Jesus as their personal Saviour. Paul then commanded and encouraged them to continue to walk in Christ and build up their faith in Him despite of their suffering and persecution because of their belief in Him.
V6 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”
2. Rooted (V7-9)
V7 “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”
Paul commanded them to be rooted and built up in Christ and God’s Word so that when false teaching and crises come their way they would not fear or panic, but would be strong and firm in their faith in Him. Indeed, let us be rooted and built up in Christ by praying, studying and applying God’s Word in our life, and be thankful for His salvation.
V8 “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.”
3. Risen (V10-23)
V10 “Ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”
In the days of Apostle Paul, just like today, many walked by sight and their own wisdom, and refused to acknowledge that they were sinners who needed the holy God to forgive their sins and unbelief. Indeed, only when we believe and receive Christ as our personal Saviour will we find completeness and contentment in life. Jesus died for our sins and the third day He rose again to conquer death. Once we believe in Jesus, we must then be baptised as an act of obedience to Him, as well as to identify ourselves as buried like Him in the water, and raised in the newness of life, so that henceforth we live for Christ alone.
V12 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be rooted and built up in You and You alone.
Colossians 1: Are You Walking Worthy Of God?
Verse of the Day: (V10) “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
1. Word (V1-8)
V4 “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,”
Apostle Paul was encouraged by the Colossians Christians’ love for one another after they had received the word of the truth. Indeed, once we believe and receive Christ as our personal saviour, our lives are transformed in His likeness to truly love God and others.
V5 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;”
2. Walk (V9-20)
V9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;”
Paul kept praying for the Colossians Christians that they would continue to walk worthy of God by being fruitful in their service to Him. As fruitful Christians, we ought to walk worthy of God by preaching the gospel, loving one another, filling ourselves with God’s Word and wisdom, and striving to be holy and perfect like our Saviour Jesus Christ.
V10 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
3. Wisdom (V21-29)
V27 “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”
Again Paul explained to the Colossians Christians that the mystery of God was that he was commanded not only to preach the gospel of Christ to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles. God creates man in His image to glorify Him, however the first man, Adam, sinned and rebelled against God. Since then man continues in their sins against God. This was why God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for the sins of the whole world, so that whosoever believes in Him, shall never perish in fiery hell, but have everlasting life with Him in glorious heaven. This is the greatest hope of glory for all man!
V28 “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to walk worthy of You now and forever.
Philippians 4: Can You Do All Things?
Verse of the Day: (V13) “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
1. I Rejoiced (V1-12)
V4 “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”
No matter what happened to Apostle Paul, he rejoiced always because he knew that God was in control of everything and He never make a single mistake. Even when Paul was imprisoned, he heard that his fellow disciples were even more determined to preach the gospel to as many people as possible at faraway places. In fact, he was thankful and grateful to God as he finally experienced great love and care from the Philippian Christians when he was imprisoned after they had lost contact with him. Indeed, let us rejoice always, in good as well as bad time as we know that God is in control all the time!
V10 “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”
2. I Can (V13-16)
V13 “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
Paul thanked the Philippian Christians as they were the only ones or church who encouraged and supported him in prayers and finance since he left Macedonia. Nevertheless, he declared that even if no one or no church encouraged or supported him, he could do all things through Christ, his personal Saviour and Lord, who strengthened him. In fact, he learned to be contented in every situation, and trusted God for everything.
V15 “Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.”
3. I Desire (V17-23)
V17 “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”
Paul explained to the Philippian Christians that though he desired their love and gifts, yet it was for their own good because God shall richly bless and reward them for their love and support of God’s faithful servants who preached the gospel of Christ. Indeed, when we supply all the needs of God’s faithful servants, not only shall God supply all our needs, but at the same time we are also building up our eternal treasures in pearly heaven.
V19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I can do all things through You who strengthens me.
Philippians 3: Will You Rejoice In Christ Jesus?
Verse of the Day: (V3) “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
1. Rejoice In Christ Jesus (V1-7)
V1 “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.”
Though Apostle Paul was imprisoned for preaching the gospel of Christ, yet he rejoiced in Christ Jesus as he counted it a privilege and honour to suffer for Christ. It is not easy to rejoice in bad time, when we lose our job or loved ones or health, but with God we can truly rejoice because through it all we learn to trust in Him. It is not so much the circumcision of the flesh as the Jews would desire to follow their tradition, but it is the circumcision of our hearts where the Holy Spirit lives in us as we rejoice forever more!
V3 “For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
2. Knowledge Of Christ Jesus (V8-12)
V8 “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,”
When Paul received Christ as his Saviour, he counted his achievement as nothing compared to his knowledge of Christ Jesus. He counted it a great privilege to suffer and even die for the gospel, as Christ also had suffered and died for him and the whole world!
V10 “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
3. High Calling Of God In Christ Jesus (V13-21)
V13 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”
There were many pressing things that Paul needed to do, but the one thing he must do was to forget all the past sins, failures or glories, and look to Christ Jesus, and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. The calling of God is the highest calling than even that of the President or the King of the whole world!
V14 “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to rejoice in Christ Jesus in good as well as bad time.
Philippians 2: Who Are You?
Verse of the Day: (V15) “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”
1. The Form Of God (V1-8)
V6 “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:”
God through Apostle Paul commanded the Philippian Christians to worship and exalt Jesus Christ, who was willing to humble Himself by leaving the form of God in glorious heaven to become the form of a servant to live on this lowly earth. Though Jesus loved the people and ministered to them, yet He was eventually betrayed, arrested and crucified, not for His own sins, but for the sins of the whole world. However, Jesus’ birth, death, resurrection and return were already prophesied in the Old Testament. Indeed, on the third day, Jesus miraculously rose from the dead conquering death, and whosoever believes in Him shall never perish in hell but have everlasting life with Him in heaven.
V7 “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:”
2. The Glory Of God (V9-11)
V9 “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:”
Indeed one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Christ is the Lord for the glory of God. Let us therefore glorify Christ and share His gospel to all that He loves, forgives and saves all who believe and receive Him as their personal Saviour.
V11 “And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
3. The Sons Of God (V12-30)
V13 “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”
What a privilege and honour to know that we are the sons of God when we believe and receive Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord! Let us therefore submit to God, and be blameless and harmless, so that our lives shall shine as lights in this dark and evil world!
V15 “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that I am Your beloved son because I truly believe in You.
