Tag: God

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Philippians 1:27b – Standing With Paul

Picture of an old rotary phone (Pixabay)

Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit…

Summary: Paul’s words put us in mind of the power of God to connect us in his Spirit.

Our modern world is an amalgam of strange and conflicting realities. 

On the one hand, technology has made it possible for us to be more connected with other people than ever. Do you want to talk with someone? Reach for your cell phone and call. If you don’t want to talk, you can text, or at the other end of the spectrum, you can use the video feature and call, talk, and see the person(s) you are talking with. 

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Philippians 1:20d – Choosing Life

The father of the Prodigal Son embraces him (Luke 15:11-24) -- Grok

… whether by life or by death.

Summary: This passage brings us to an interesting crossroads between one kind of “life and death” and another. 

It is, perhaps, time to review Paul’s entire thought here: 

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

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Colossians 3:8d – The Opposite of Good

Picture of a man with a devil on his shoulder whispering in his ear.

[… rid yourselves of] … malice …

Summary: Words have meanings, and meanings are important. “Malice” may not be a word we use very often anymore, but it is a good word that describes a very common condition. 

One of the things Paul encourages us to get rid of is “malice.” Malice is a great word, but one we don’t often use. The simplest definition I found for it is “the intention or desire to do evil.”* More explicitly, it is a desire to do harm or cause suffering. 

Okay … “evil” is a small word, but it carries a big stick. What does “evil” mean? 

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Colossians 2:23a – The Wisdom Test

Picture of a small boy taking a test in an old-style school room.

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom …

Summary: Paul’s letter points us to a test for determining if a religious rule or regulation truly honors God. 

If we are going to be able to recognize the kind of “rules” that Paul is talking about, we need to pay close attention to the clues Paul gives us. His first clue is that “Such regulations [aka ‘rules’] … have an appearance of wisdom …” 

What does that mean? 

Interestingly, the Bible has a lot to say about “wisdom.” The first thing to know about wisdom is this: 

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