Study Desk

And to the glory of God the Father everyone will openly agree, "Jesus Christ is Lord!"

God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey him.

Then you will be the pure and innocent children of God. You live among people who are crooked and evil, but you must not do anything that they can say is wrong. Try to shine as lights among the people of this world,

In fact, he was very sick and almost died. But God was kind to him, and also to me, and he kept me from being burdened down with sorrow.

And I was so eager that I even made trouble for the church. I did everything the Law demands in order to please God.

and to know that I belong to him. I could not make myself acceptable to God by obeying the Law of Moses. God accepted me simply because of my faith in Christ.

I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.

All of us who are mature should think in this same way. And if any of you think differently, God will make it clear to you.

Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God.

Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.

I have been paid back everything, and with interest. I am completely satisfied with the gifts that you had Epaphroditus bring me. They are like a sweet-smelling offering or like the right kind of sacrifice that pleases God.

I pray that God will take care of all your needs with the wonderful blessings that come from Christ Jesus!

May God our Father be praised forever and ever. Amen.

From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, who is also a follower.

To God's people who live in Colossae and are faithful followers of Christ. I pray that God our Father will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!

Each time we pray for you, we thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We have not stopped praying for you since the first day we heard about you. In fact, we always pray that God will show you everything he wants you to do and that you may have all the wisdom and understanding that his Spirit gives.

Then you will live a life that honors the Lord, and you will always please him by doing good deeds. You will come to know God even better.

I pray that you will be grateful to God for letting you have part in what he has promised his people in the kingdom of light.