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As Paul closes his letter, he urges Timothy to preach and teach faithfully. There will be a time, says Paul, when people will no longer listen to anything they do not want to hear. Until that time comes, make the most of every opportunity. What gifts do you have? Use them at every opportunity. Who has God called you to share your faith and love? Do it every chance you get, not just when it's ideal or convenient. Run the race to the finish and Jesus will be waiting there to welcome you home!

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Paul reminds Timothy that life is going to become difficult and that he will face persecution, just like Paul. Describing how bad the situation will become, Paul paints a picture that reminds us of the worst parts of our world today. But rather than allow bad news to lead us toward despair, Paul hopes that the bad news will drive us to cling even closer to the good news that is confirmed to us in God's inspired writings. Let the bad news drive us toward God, who can transform us into agents of God's good news!

As he continues to speak to Timothy as a spiritual parent to a spiritual son, Paul gives him two clear dangers to avoid — youthful lusts and pointless arguments. Both temptations can ruin our reputations, our character, and our relationships. People who are young in years or young in faith tend to underestimate these temptations and overestimate their own strength of character. Instead, Paul gives Timothy advice on what to do instead, including the importance of being with people who love God and remembering the example of Jesus and how he was gentle and loving instead of being argumentative.

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What would you do if you had only a little time left? Who would you speak to? What would you say? In what many believe was Paul's final letter, Paul writes to Timothy like a spiritual father to a spiritual son, passing on his legacy of wisdom and faith. He speaks with great affection for Timothy, with encouragement for his lagging confidence, and with urgency for the precious tasks that Paul leaves in his hands. Much of what Paul passes on to Timothy belongs to us as well as we seek to live with power and purpose in serving...

A great sum of money is not great wealth if you cannot enjoy it. Sadly, the love of money usually leads to an ever-increasing appetite that is never satisfied. Instead, Paul instructs Timothy that "true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth" (v6). So what is the secret that leads to this blessing? Money is an unstable foundation for happiness and well-being, so where can we find this contentment? Where can we find the joy that money over-promises and under-delivers?

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Have you ever pulled up the drawbridge on someone who hurt you?

A call you stopped returning; a holiday you stopped attending; a conversation you stopped trying to have.

What if retaliating and retreating aren’t our only two options?

And what would it look like to follow Jesus into the very relationship you’ve been avoiding?

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What makes a good leader? What qualities and skills should we expect? And with regard to those qualities, to what degree should we all desire to grow in those ways? After all, isn't a spiritual leader simply someone who has traveled further than others along the way with Jesus? One thing should be clear, and that is that spiritual leadership is different from leadership in the world, especially when it comes to the necessity of loving, Christ-like character.

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Paul encourages Timothy to pray for all people, interceding with God on their behalf. This call to prayer also applies to all who are in authority, which might not seem like a special request until you realize that Paul was likely writing at the time when the emperor was Nero, the infamous persecutor of the Church and killer of Christians. But Paul is clear that Jesus came to give his life for everyone.

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Paul writes to Timothy, the young pastor that Paul has left to shepherd the church in the great city of Ephesus. In this opening, he emphasizes that the importance of knowing the Bible is not just to know facts about Jesus but to know Jesus intimately and to love others deeply. Furthermore, perhaps to shore up Timothy's apparent lack of confidence, Paul emphasizes that he himself started as a persecutor of the church and one who blasphemed the name of Jesus. We are loved and we serve not because of our goodness, but because of God's grace. Do you...

In closing his letter, Paul addresses the issue of believers who were selfishly choosing to live off the charity of others. He said about such people that those who are unwilling to work should not eat and that the community should even remove such people. This discipline might sound cruel but he insisted that these measures were to be done as a kindness, always hoping that these sisters and brothers would repent and change. Paul and his companions set an example for us to follow — to work hard so we can have the means to bless and love one an...

In his previous letter, Paul praised the Thessalonians for their faith in the return of Jesus. By the time of this second letter, something had gone wrong. So Paul sets out to clear up some questions and issues that were leading them into confusion. This passage reminds us not to be swept away by fear, speculation, or deception. Instead, we are encouraged to stand firm in the truth of the gospel, trusting that evil will not have the final word and that Jesus will ultimately triumph.

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Most of us would say we’re the kind of people who would stop to help . . . until we’re late, overbooked, and one more thing away from burnout.W

hat if our calendars say more about what we believe than we’d like to admit?

And what would it take to leave enough room in your life to notice what God is doing around you?

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If you were to read a story but then skip the final chapter, you might not understand the story at all. Death is not the end of our story. The Jesus saga ends with us all joining together to cross over into glory. Paul praised the Thessalonians for believing in the Lord's return and he returns to that idea here. When we live in light of the conclusion, we can control our passions rather than hurt one another, we can live quiet and faithful lives rather than striving to rise above everyone else, and we can face disappointments in...

Have you ever seen a parent worry about their children when they go away for the first time? Perhaps it's to a sleepover, or a summer camp, or maybe when they go to college or move out. Paul expresses how worried he was when the young Thessalonian church was on their own and facing a difficult trial. Were they ok? Did they draw closer to God in their trials or did they perhaps walk away from the faith in despair? Paul therefore sent Timothy to check up on the Thessalonians and discovered that they were not only doing well...

Paul moves from praising the faith of the Thessalonians to an apparent defense of their character and ministry. Paul and his companions had poured out their lives while they were with them, insisting on paying their own way through hard work rather than accepting any financial support. Rather than seeking personal gain, they worked only for the good and the growth of the Thessalonians. We sometimes talk of "tough love" — a love that asks hard things of others. Instead, they exhibited a tough love that asked hard things of themselves, showing the believers how to live a life worthy of...

This letter is the first and oldest we have from Paul, and it is written to a congregation filled with new believers, a church that may have been only months old! What do you say to such spiritual infants? Paul begins by sharing with them his praise and his prayers. He praises them for the faith, love, and hope that he sees in them, and he thanks God for the way their faith had become an inspiration to other believers in other churches, far and wide. While Paul will address and correct much of what they had gotten wrong...

The church in Colossae was filled with new believers and Paul's final words invite them into deeper engagement. Though they are just starting on the walk of faith, Paul invites them to partner with him in prayer, and a very challenging prayer at that. He also invites them to partner with him in sharing the good news with their neighbors, but in a way that is winsome and inviting rather than dismissive or judgmental. Finally, he offers them a number of models of faithful living, people who were already partners with Paul in bringing the good news about Jesus...

Have you ever felt like the work you do at home, at work, and even at church, goes completely unnoticed leaving you angry or frustrated?

What if attention, applause, and a few likes were never going to be enough anyway? And where might the affirmation you’ve been looking for actually be hiding?

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To a city filled with the power of Rome and the mystery cult of Cybele, Paul starts with the supremacy of Christ. Christ is the ultimate power in both heaven and earth, and the fullness of God is present in him. In light of these challenges, Paul prays first that they would be filled with the knowledge of God's will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. While knowledge may show us the way, it doesn't give us the power to actually walk the path, so Paul prays also that we would be filled with God's power to live godly lives...

Paul brings this letter to a close with an appeal for peace. First, he asks for peace between two church leaders, women named Euodia and Syntyche. Paul then invites us all to pursue peace — whether through kindness to all, rejoicing, surrendering our anxieties to God in prayer, remembering God's faithfulness, or through choosing to focus on what is good and right rather than just on what is wrong. This pursuit of peace, Paul says, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. The peace we seek is not found through controlling our circumstances, but in trusting Christ in th...

Suffering can rob us of many good things. In Paul's case, it robbed him of freedom and forced him to write from prison. Even so, suffering could not rob Paul of joy and he encourages us to rejoice as well. What is Paul's secret? How can he live out such joy even in prison? He shares with us his firm foundation for joy and also a secret opportunity for joy that is hidden in our suffering — that whatever is taken from us will serve only to bring us closer to Jesus, the very source of our joy!

When you're a child in Sunday school, you know that "Jesus" is going to be the answer. It's less obvious that "Jesus" will still somehow be the answer even long after. For Paul, Jesus is the answer to "What is God like?" and "what are we to be like?" and all the questions and issues that flow from those far-reaching inquiries. We see a God worthy of our trust in Jesus and we also see a clear example of how we are to humbly love and serve one another and God. Jesus laid aside his power and privilege to...

Paul writes to the believers in Philippi from prison, yet his letter is filled with joy and gratitude. He thanks God for their partnership and expresses confidence that God will continue the good work he began in them until it is complete. Paul knows that they will soon face persecution and hardship, so he encourages them through his own example, sharing all that God has accomplished through Paul's imprisonment — including his opportunity to share the good news even with the palace guard itself!

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Have you ever had to choose between being liked and doing what's best for someone you love?

A teenager storms off. A friend stops returning your calls. A truth you can't change.

What if love has never been about making people happy in the moment?And what does it look like to love well when you can't be sure how?

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Paul urges believers to live lives worthy of the calling they have received in Christ. This new life involves speaking truth, dealing with anger appropriately, working honestly, using words to build others up, showing kindness and compassion, and forgiving others just as God has forgiven them in Christ. This calling is the way we are invited to participate with God's plan to bring all things into unity under Christ (Ephesians 1:10).

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Have you ever been ready to throw a stone before you even realized you were holding one?

An email that made you furious. A person you've already written off. A mistake you can't let go of.

What if compassion isn't a feeling you have but a stone you're willing to drop? What's the stone in your hand right now?

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Paul wants to let us in on a secret. It's a secret that God has kept since the beginning of the world, a secret revealed only with the life of Jesus. And what is that secret? That God wants to unite all people as one, into one family of grace. Whatever else might divide us, Jesus seeks to bridge that gap to bring us together. And that united family is supposed to be the Church, but does the Church even embrace that vision? And what are we to do about it?

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What do we need to do in order to earn God's approval? How should we look at others who do little or nothing to please God? Human beings are great at dividing over our differences, especially if we feel we look better in the comparison. But we all start from the same place, utterly powerless and in absolute need of God's undeserved love and favor. In this aspect, we are all the same — united by our absolute need for God's grace!

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Writing from prison, Paul sends a letter to describe God's ultimate purposes for all of Creation and for our lives — to bring all things into unity in Christ (Eph 1:10). Paul emphasizes that this plan is rooted in God's generous heart for us. He then prays that believers would grow in their knowledge of God, understand the hope of their calling, appreciate the riches of their inheritance, and experience the immeasurable power available to them through Christ, who now reigns above every authority.

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In closing his letter, Paul encourages us to help carry one another's burdens but then encourages us to carry our own burdens. Which is it? Do we carry one another's burden or just our own? In-between independence and codependence, Paul maps out a space for interdependence, or community. The goal is to help one another become full, participating members of a community who walks through life together, without comparison, without pride, and without any sense of superiority to others. In short, it is the way of the cross.

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Paul here challenges the Galatians for abandoning the gospel of grace and turning back to a system of earning God's favor through obedience to the law. He reminds them that their own experience points to the truth — they received the Holy Spirit by believing the good news about Jesus, not by obeying a set of rules. In addition to their own experience, the very writings of Moses point to Abraham's relationship with God being based on faith, long before the Law was even given. We are all children of God by faith and by faith, all the spiritual descendants of...

Paul recounts a significant confrontation with the apostle Peter in the city of Antioch. Although Peter initially enjoyed fellowship with the Gentile believers there, he backed away when Jewish believers from Jerusalem arrived. These believers from Jerusalem argued that the Gentiles needed to follow the Jewish religious laws in order to be acceptable to God. Rather than stick to his convictions, Peter backed down from fear of criticism, and Paul therefore challenged him. How often do we also back away from our convictions due to fear of criticism?

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Paul opens this letter with a strong warning. The Galatians were being misled by people teaching that additional religious requirements were necessary in order to be accepted by God. In response, Paul declares that there is only one gospel and anyone who brings a different message should be rejected, even if they were an angel from heaven. The gospel is God's message, not a human invention; it starts not with what we must do but with what God has already done for us in Jesus.

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Paul concludes his letter with a final warning, a call to self-examination, and a blessing so poetic that we still use it today in our gatherings. Paul urges the Corinthians to take seriously the issues he has addressed throughout the letter. Rather than focusing on judging Paul, they should examine themselves to see whether they are truly living in the faith. He exhorts them to embrace the joy that God has for them and to mend their broken relationships, like a fisherman might mend a broken net. May we examine ourselves in hopes of such joy and healing!

Paul continues his boasting from the previous chapter, but only to illustrate how pointless it is. Instead, Paul declares that he will boast only in his weaknesses, such as his unnamed "thorn in the flesh". Why? Because his weakness makes God's power at work in him all the more visible. Our talents and strengths can be used by God but they also can redirect credit from God to us. Instead, God's power is most perfectly displayed in our shortcomings. We may not be enough, but God is more than enough!

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Have you ever felt like your relationship with God has gone quiet or just . . . a bit boring?

What if the mystery of God was never meant to run out? What might change if you got curious about God again or in a different way?

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Paul now attends to the matter of his own authority. There were some who challenged his authority, likely to set up their own authority instead. They accused Paul of being a paper tiger — bold on the page but timid in person. Paul responded by assuring them he could be bold in person (he had, after all, been a former persecutor of the church). However, he preferred to handle conflict quickly so he could be gentle and kind in person, more like Jesus. This shift in Paul was a manifestation of a changed life, one in which he viewed his au...

What's the best way to spend money if we want to maximize our happiness and joy? Paul's encouragement to the Corinthians essentially answers that question for us. By using the image of a farmer sowing seed, Paul emphasizes that we harvest in proportion to what we invest. Those who give generously will receive generously from God, but it doesn't stop there. Paul emphasizes that receiving more is really just a step toward giving more. We enter into a cycle of generosity, joining God in blessing the world. By giving more, we get more — especially more of God.

Everyone wants to learn how to grow. Everyone wants to learn how to have healthy community. The topic that few want to hear about is financial giving. There are so many reasons to give, including the opportunity to create the personal growth and community we desire — but the deepest reason is that Jesus is a giver. He became poor in order to make us rich and the invitation is to actually follow Jesus by joining God in blessing the world.

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How can the same emotion (grief) produce such different results? Paul contrasts godly sorrow with worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow focuses on loss, embarrassment, or consequences and ultimately leads to spiritual death. Godly sorrow, however, leads to repentance, restoration, and life. Feeling bad about sin or about ourselves can actually be destructive. True repentance is more than feeling bad about sin; it is a change of heart that leads to a change of direction.

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