Psalm 119:17-24 Gimel

Scripture:  Psalm 119:17-24  
17 Be good to your servant,
that I may live and obey your word.
18 Open my eyes to see
the wonderful truths in your instructions.
19 I am only a foreigner in the land.
Don’t hide your commands from me!
20 I am always overwhelmed
with a desire for your regulations.
21 You rebuke the arrogant;
those who wander from your commands are cursed.
22 Don’t let them scorn and insult me,
for I have obeyed your laws.
23 Even princes sit and speak against me,
but I will meditate on your decrees.
24 Your laws please me;
they give me wise advice. (NLT)*

 Observation:

The obedient servant experiences God’s laws, instructions, regulations, commands, and decrees as wonderful, wisdom-filled, life-imparting truth. The obedient servant feels a foreigner in a world in which the goal is self-pleasure rather than pleasing God. When worldly denizens and powers mock and insult the obedient, the servant remembers that such arrogance has already been judged and condemned. The only good, pleasing life is pursuing God’s way.

 Application:

God desires my life’s occupation to be obeying his word. What a good gift he gives all believers in giving both his written word to mediate upon and his Word made flesh to be with and in us. Through his Word I have already received everything I need to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3).

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the good gift of your Word. Open my eyes to your wonderful truths. Make me willing to obey you. Rebuke me when I go astray. Forgive me and lead me back to you. Keep me safe as I encounter those who do not know you. Give me gentle words to share with them the hope you have given me in Christ Jesus. In whose name I pray, Amen.

*(NLT) New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation, Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Psalm 119:9-16 Beth

Scripture: Psalm 119:9-16     Commentary

9 How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word.
10 I have tried hard to find you—
don’t let me wander from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 I praise you, O Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13 I have recited aloud
all the regulations you have given us.
14 I have rejoiced in your laws
as much as in riches.
15 I will study your commandments
and reflect on your ways.
16 I will delight in your decrees
and not forget your word. (NLT)*

Observation:

“Your” and “I” appear in nearly every verse of this stanza. God’s Word calls for collaboration in transforming us. The psalmist obeys it (v.9), hides it (v.11), recites it aloud (v.13), rejoices in it (v.14), studies it, reflects on it (v.15), delights in it, and remembers it (v.16). The word itself is active. God’s Word purifies us (v.9), keeps us from wandering (v.10), prevents us sinning (v.11), teaches us (v.12), and enriches us (v.14).  No wonder the psalmist praises the Lord.

Application:

Although studying and remembering are solitary activities, God wants the wealth of his words on display in me. Praising, rejoicing, and reciting aloud are activities heard and seen by other believers. When I obey God’s Word, my transformed life testifies to believer and unbeliever alike that his word is true.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for engaging and transforming me through your word. Teach me your decrees. Empower me to obey them. Keep me from wandering away from your path. Forgive me when I fail, and lead me to a deeper knowledge of your Word made flesh, Jesus. In whose name, I pray. Amen.

*(NLT) New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation, Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Psalm 119:1-8 Aleph

Scripture:  Psalm 119:1-8     Commentary

Joyful are people of integrity,
who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Joyful are those who obey his laws
and search for him with all their hearts.
They do not compromise with evil,
and they walk only in his paths.
You have charged us
to keep your commandments carefully.
Oh, that my actions would consistently
reflect your decrees!
Then I will not be ashamed
when I compare my life with your commands.
As I learn your righteous regulations,
I will thank you by living as I should!
I will obey your decrees.
Please don’t give up on me! (NLT)*

Observation:

In this long psalm, the poet expresses that God has communicated much to his people that brings them joy. God gives instructions (v.1), statements about how to things. He gave laws (v.2), the Torah, a system of righteous government. He reveals his paths (v.3), tracks that lead us to him. His commandments (v.4) tell us how to behave righteously. He has handed down decrees (v.5), righteous judgments about sin. He directs us through commands (v.6), authoritative orders which rein us in. Finally his righteous regulations (v.7) point out the right way to live our lives.

Application:

How often I and other believers pray, “Lord, show me what to do.” Yet Scripture is very clear about the will of God. The apostle John writes, “And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another” (1 John 3:23, NLT).  So why do I experience the recurring need to pray for direction. When I compare my life with God’s commands (v.6), I see where I fall short. Following his commands requires me to seek his loving path. Sometimes, I’m ashamed to admit, I resist loving as he loves. I can identify with the psalmist’s plea, “Please don’t give up on me.”

Prayer:

Father, thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for revealing the way you would have me live. Empower me by your grace to reflect your decrees consistently. Forgive me when I resist and when I fail. Renew my passion to seek you with all my heart. Fill me with your joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

*(NLT) New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation, Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Colossians 4:2-18

Scripture: Colossians 4:2-18   Commentary

Epaphras, a member of your own fellowship and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends you his greetings. He always prays earnestly for you, asking God to make you strong and perfect, fully confident that you are following the whole will of God. I can assure you that he prays hard for you and also for the believers in Laodicea and Hierapolis (Colossians 4:12, 13, NLT).

Observation:

Paul is not alone in teaching, exhorting, and encouraging the Colossians. Epaphras, their own minister who shared the Good News with them (Colossians 1:7), now prays earnestly (Greek agónizomai “to contend for a prize”) for their maturity. Epaphras wants great things for the Colossians—strength, perfection, and confidence in following the whole will of God. Not only does he pray for the Colossians but for other believers in nearby cities.

Application:

nicubunu-Broken-ChainPaul concludes Colossians with this directive. “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart” (Colossians 4:2, NLT). His own evangelistic work depended on the believers’ praying for him (v.3), especially their remembering his chains in prayers (v.3, 18). I need to follow Epaphras’s example and devote myself to praying for other believers’ spiritual well-being. I need to be “alert” to their needs and thankful for the privilege of contending for them in prayer.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for the believers who surround me in a community of faith. Make me alert to their needs. Remind me of their chains. Give them strength to endure their circumstances and to resist temptation. Perfect their faith. Lead them by your Spirit to follow your will, confident in their faith in your Son. In whose name I pray, Amen.

Colossians 3:12-4:1

Scripture:   Colossians 3:12-4:1   Commentary

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12, NLT).

Observation:

Art from PhillipMartin.infoMuch like a team uniform, love is the clothing by which the holy people of God are recognized (v.12, 17). The love itself comes from Christ when we allow his message of complete forgiveness of all our own sins to fill us (v. 16). Only then can we “make allowance for each other’s faults” (v.13). Christ’s love for us infuses each of our relationships: believer and believer, husband and wife, parents and children, owner and employee, and believer and unbeliever. No situation, relationship, or circumstance is immune from our “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (v.12).

Application:

How I think of others, what I say to and about others, and what I choose to do or not do for others are of great concern to the Father. These behaviors, both internal and external, are the proving grounds of my faith (John 13:35). In essence, loving others in thought, word, and deed is the work to which Christ has called me.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for loving me and forgiving me of my sins. May the love of your Son permeate every thought I have and every word I say. Guide me through your Spirit to loving actions, and warn me away from those which would do harm. Keep me from the temptation of steering my own selfish way. Mold me to be a holy, thankful, loving representative your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. In whose name I pray, Amen.

Colossians 3:1-11

Scripture: Colossians 3:1-11   Commentary

“Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth” (Colossians 3:1,2, NLT).

Observation:

Having a new life entails having a new perspective. All of our being must belong to Christ, not just our spirit. Therefore, we keep our intellect focused on Christ, the true Reality. We slay the mind-corrupting sins of lying, anger, rage, malice, slander, and dirty language (v.8, 9). We rein in our physical bodies and put to death body-corrupting sins of sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed (v.5, 6). Our own efforts are inadequate to the task (Colossians 2:23). We must be renewed by Christ as we grow in knowledge of our Creator. Knowledge of him transform us body, mind, and spirit.

Application:

An old saying describes someone as being “so heavenly minded he’s no earthly good.” Yet these verses stand in direct challenge. If I am not heavenly minded, I have no good at all. There is only one Reality and that is Christ. No human ideas, approaches, or life goals—as sensible and reasonable as they may seem to me—can measure up to the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). If I lose sight of the heavenly Reality, then I have no share in Christ’s glory when at last his truth is revealed.

Prayer:

Father, keep my sights firmly fixed on your Son. Grant me your grace to walk in his way. Open my eyes to the leading of your Spirit. Cleanse me from my sin. Grow me in knowledge of you. Renew me so that I may be whole body, mind, and spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Colossians 2:16-23

Scripture:   Colossians 2:16-23     Commentary

For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. (Colossians 2:17, NLT).

Observation:

In pursuit of living a life worthy of their calling in Christ, the Gentile believers at Colossae were experiencing information overload. The Jewish believers had ideas to share from their long history and traditions. The Gentiles themselves were acquainted with philosophies that seemed useful. So when fellow worshippers suggest approaches which seem “wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline” (v.23), how is a believer to discern what is truly of God?

Application:

I need to remember that I am not, but Christ, the only reality (v.17), is in charge of my transformation. In his great love, he has already resurrected me to a new life. The gift came about because of his work, not mine. Pursuing Christ himself is what pleases him and brings me more in communion with him and his body—not a method or methodology. When I love him and love others, I remain in him and he calls me “friend” (John 15:9-17).

Prayer:

Father, thank you for transforming me. Guide me through this life by your Spirit to love your Son and share his love with others. Keep me from being distracted from true Reality by human ideas. Give me grace to see and to walk in the Way of your Son. In whose name I pray, Amen.

Colossians 2:6-15

Scripture:  Colossians 2:6-15        Commentary

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness (Colossians 2:7, NLT).

Observation:

The believers at Colosse are new to the faith. Yet they are by no means lacking. Christ had already revealed the great mystery to them of God’s plan to make all believers one in Christ. He had already cancelled the record of the charges against them (v. 14), forgave their sin (v.13), disarmed the evil powers and authorities (v.15), and given them his new life (v.12). They have no need of religious ideas based on worldly philosophies of what would please God. God is already pleased to have the fullness of Christ dwell in them when they received this gift through faith in the Giver.

Application:

My challenge is not to lose sight of what I already have. I must not trade the invisible, incomparable treasures of Christ for the visible, false promises of the religious around me. Jesus remains the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no other path. This path is not about doing, but rather about pursuing. All I need to do is set my sights on the reality of my life with Christ, and let heaven fill my thoughts.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for reminding of the great riches you have given me. Continually draw me back to thoughts of heaven and life with Christ. Change how I see myself—not as a trier and striver, but as a possessor of the great riches you have lovingly given me. Take away any fears of intimacy with him that would tempt me to pursue religion rather than Jesus himself. In whose name I pray, Amen.

Colossians 1:24-2:5

Scripture: Colossians 1:24-2:5     Commentary

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. (Colossians 2:2, NLT).

Observation:

Suffering takes on purpose in what it accomplishes in, for, and through us. Christ suffered to bring about God’s plan of salvation for all who believe, both Jew and Gentile. Paul suffered to proclaim that message. In his continued suffering through imprisonment, he penned 13 books of the New Testament, proclaimed the Good News to Caesar’s household, trained evangelists, and prayed for the maturity of a blended, unified church. Perfection in Christ (v.28) comes when we allow the painful pruning away of our prejudices toward others.

Application:

What most encourages me about the Good News, I also find the most challenging: Christ loves me; therefore, I love others. If I fail to love, I fail to comprehend God’s mysterious plan. I rob myself of his treasures of wisdom and knowledge (v.3). I am not capable of loving this way; I must depend on Christ’s mighty power (v.29). I must allow this hard work and struggle toward perfection in Christ to remake and transform me.

Prayer:

Father, I confess that I hold myself apart from others. Forgive me for not loving others as your Son has loved me. I ask that you bring about the painful work of transformation in me. Create in me the strong ties of love to other believers. Fill me with compassion for those who do not yet know your Son. In whose name I pray, Amen.

Colossians 1:15-23

Scripture:  Colossians 1:15-23     Commentary

Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it (Colossians 1:22-23a).

Observation:

Christ who holds all creation together has given us a new identity. We are no longer enemies with evil thoughts and actions. We are now at peace, reconciled to God, and holy and blameless without a single fault. We did not achieve this identity; Christ gave it to us. It is the reassuring truth of the Good News.

Application:

How would my life be different if I lived fully alive to the truth that I am holy, blameless, and without a single fault? Would prayer time be more joyous? Would I worry less and laugh more? Would I stop comparing myself to others and be less critical of both them and me? Would I see myself as more capable? Would I easily pray huge, outrageous prayers—knowing that healings and blessings are “icing on the cake” because Christ has already made all believers faultless?

Prayer:

Father, thank you for Jesus. Thank you that you were pleased to live in him so that he could reconcile me to you and bring me into your presence. Grant me your grace to stand firmly in the truth of who I am in Christ. Transform my thoughts and anchor my heart to yours, so that I may live confident of your love and your joy in making me your child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Colossians 1:1-14

Scripture: Colossians 1:1-14     Commentary

We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better (Colossians 1:9b-10, NLT).

Observation:

Paul has not met the believers of Colossae. He knows of them through Epaphras’s report (v.7,8). Yet Paul is praying for them and has been praying for them since he learned of their faith (v.9). He thanks God for them (v.3) and prays for them to be filled with joy and thankfulness (v.11,12). The knowledgeable apostle could have made any number of requests, but he focuses on three: complete knowledge of God’s will and spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Application:

I frequently find myself tempted to comment on other believers’ lives, especially those with whom I am not personally acquainted. I rationalize it by telling myself that they will never know. Yet Paul who was “chosen by the will of God to be an apostle” (v.1) does not criticize; he prays. He prays for the believers’ complete knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and understanding. That prayer brings about lives pleasing to the Lord, something my criticism could never produce. The next time I am tempted to pass judgment, I want to pray Paul’s simple prayer for others and for me.

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for wasting opportunities to pray for others. Fill me with thankfulness for their presence in the body and for the gifts that they bring. Fill us all with wisdom and understanding that we may grow together to know you better and better and be fruitful servants of your Son. In whose name we pray, Amen.

Ephesians 6:10-24

Scripture:  Ephesians 6:10-24    Commentary 6:10-20     Commentary 6:21-22     Commentary 6:23-24

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies (Ephesians 6:11-12a, NLT).

Observation:

romansoldierThe challenge to love other believers and to accept them as full members of Christ’s body requires the Lord’s strength and mighty power (v.10). The evil one plots our ruin by magnifying differences between ourselves and other believers (v.13). If we buy into this evil plan, we sabotage our own standing in the body as well as the spread of the Good News (v.19). Our call is to stand firm and to resist the evil scheme of division.  The Lord equips us with his own armor as we pray in the Spirit for ourselves and other believers.

Application:

I need to ask God each day to outfit me with his armor. Only then will I be strong enough to resist the temptation to pull back from a brother or sister in Christ. Standing firm in his armor and praying for the success of my fellow soldiers, the Good News of Christ’s love and grace for us all will advance.

Prayer:

Father, bind your armor on me. Belt the truth of your love around me. Protect my heart with love for all. Cover my feet with your Good News, so I walk in peace with others.  Shield me with an unshakable faith in your mercy and grace for all. Strap salvation to my mind, so my thoughts march in line with yours. Equip me with an understanding of your word, and make me alert to your Spirit’s promptings. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ephesians 5:21-6:9

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:21-6:9     Commentary

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21, NLT).

Observation:

Paul describes four relationships: believer to believer, husband to wife, child to parent, and slave to master. He offers a guiding principle for all four: submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (v.21). One dictionary defines submit as “to stop trying to fight or resist something.”1 Christ gave up his life out of love for my fellow believers, my spouse, my children, my parents, and my superiors at work (v.25). By not fighting or resisting them, Christ is honored.

Application:

With the exception of the “masters” (v.5-8), the described relationships are among believers. Paul advises slaves to obtain their freedom if possible (1 Corinthians 7:21). If freedom cannot be obtained, slaves can regard themselves as “slaves of Christ” who do the will of God (v.6-7).

Yet among believers how does submission work? Because Christ died for and loves each believer, arguments have no place. Each interaction is an opportunity to serve Christ. Yet do I have to go along with every believer’s idea? Two principles guide me: I must be aware of my own great value to Christ, and I must remain in a loving relationship with other believers.

threepeopleBecause Christ alone is important, I can submit to another’s idea. The other believer is loved, and Christ is honored. Yet if submitting drives a wedge between us, I can “speak the truth in love” (v.4:15). This is different from insisting on my way. It means gently explaining how the other’s request is difficult for me. In this way, both believers honor each other as members of Christ body. Together we can find a way to work for and honor Christ who died for both of us.

Prayer:

Father, grant me the grace to submit to other believers, so Christ who died for all is honored. Forgive my selfish need to insist that others submit to me. Give me a discerning heart. Show me my need to submit as well as my need to speak the truth in love. May your Son be revered in my relationships with others. In His name, Amen.

1“submit.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2011. http://www.merriam-webster.com (1 March 2015).

Ephesians 5:3-20

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:3-20     Commentary

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do (Ephesians 5:15-17, NLT).

Observation:

Sin takes no thought or planning. It’s easy to be greedy, impure, or immoral and to go along with and excuse those who are. Living a life pleasing to the Lord, however, takes deliberation. We must first “carefully determine” what pleases God (v.10) then carefully live it (v.15).  We must exercise wisdom (v.15) and understanding (v.17). Only then can we make the most of every opportunity to be people of the light, producing what is “good and right and true” (v.9).

Application:

Rejecting sin is not enough. Unless I purposefully choose to do good instead, I miss an opportunity to serve Jesus. Sin can effortlessly and thoughtlessly fill the vacuum left by those missed opportunities. My “careful” life of pleasing the Lord recognizes each situation as an occasion to express my love and thankfulness to Jesus.

 Prayer:

Father, fill my heart with songs of thankfulness. Transform my thinking. Give me grace to welcome every encounter and challenge as an opportunity to serve your Son. Forgive my greed and thoughtless, sinful speech and actions. Replace what is impure in me with your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ephesians 4:25—5:2

Scripture: Ephesians 4:25—5:2     Commentary

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30, NLT).

Observation:

The sins which bring sorrow to the Holy Spirit are hurtful words: lying; foul, abusive, and angry speech; bitterness and rage; and harsh words and slander. The warning against stealing (v.28) may be the theft we commit when we steal another’s good image or reputation by what we say. These are not just bad habits; Paul labels them “evil behavior.” Only by living a life of love following Christ’s example do we rid ourselves of these sins which damage us and other believers.

Application:

My desire to “vent” my feelings is a destructive, evil habit. Every person with whom I interact is someone Christ loves and for whom he died. When I complain, I am forgetting that I, too, have been forgiven at great cost (v.32). I need to replace my harsh words with kind, helpful words of encouragement (v.29). Then I will be living up to being a dear child of God (v.5:1).

Prayer:

Father, forgive me for bringing sorrow to your Holy Spirit through angry, thoughtless speech. Bring healing to those I have wounded by my words. Fill me with love so that I may speak kind, encouraging words which honor you and those you love. Thank you, Father, for making me your forgiven child by the death of your Son, in whose name we pray, Amen.