Study Desk

I want to belong to him. In Christ I am right with God, but my being right does not come from following the law. It comes from God through faith. God uses my faith in Christ to make me right with him.

I don't mean that I am exactly what God wants me to be. I have not yet reached that goal. But I continue trying to reach it and make it mine. That's what Christ Jesus wants me to do. It is the reason he made me his.

I keep running hard toward the finish line to get the prize that is mine because God has called me through Christ Jesus to life up there in heaven.

All of us who have grown to be spiritually mature should think this way too. And if there is any of this that you don't agree with, God will make it clear to you.

The way they live is leading them to destruction. They have replaced God with their own desires. They do shameful things, and they are proud of what they do. They think only about earthly things.

Don't worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have.

And do what you learned and received from me—what I told you and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.

I have everything I need. I have even more than I need. I have all I need because Epaphroditus brought your gift to me. Your gift is like a sweet-smelling sacrifice offered to God. God accepts that sacrifice and it pleases him.

My God will use his glorious riches to give you everything you need. He will do this through Christ Jesus.

Glory to our God and Father forever and ever. Amen.

Greetings from Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus. I am an apostle because that is what God wanted. Greetings also from Timothy, our brother in Christ.

To the holy and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ who live in Colossae. Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

In our prayers we always thank God for you. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Since the day we heard these things about you, we have continued praying for you. This is what we pray: that God will make you completely sure of what he wants by giving you all the wisdom and spiritual understanding you need;

that this will help you live in a way that brings honor to the Lord and pleases him in every way; that your life will produce good works of every kind and that you will grow in your knowledge of God;

that God will strengthen you with his own great power, so that you will be patient and not give up when troubles come. Then you will be happy

God made us free from the power of darkness. And he brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

No one can see God, but the Son is exactly like God. He rules over everything that has been made.

God was pleased for all of himself to live in the Son.

And through him, God was happy to bring all things back to himself again— things on earth and things in heaven. God made peace by using the blood sacrifice of his Son on the cross.