Study Desk

At one time all these things were important to me. But because of Christ, I decided that they are worth nothing.

Not only these things, but now I think that all things are worth nothing compared with the greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Christ, I lost all these things, and now I know that they are all worthless trash. All I want now is Christ.

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.

And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God's peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.

I am telling you this, but not because I need something. I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with whatever happens.

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.

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.

We thank him because we have heard about the faith you have in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all of God's people.

Your faith and love continue because you know what is waiting for you in heaven—the hope you have had since you first heard the true message, the Good News

The Son was there before anything was made. And all things continue because of him.

At one time you were separated from God. You were his enemies in your minds, because the evil you did was against him.

I became a servant of the church because God gave me a special work to do. This work helps you. My work is to tell the complete message of God.

I say this because all of God lives in Christ fully, even in his life on earth.

And because you belong to Christ you are complete, having everything you need. Christ is ruler over every other power and authority.

When you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and you were raised up with him because of your faith in God's power. God's power was shown when he raised Christ from death.

You were spiritually dead because of your sins and because you were not free from the power of your sinful self. But God gave you new life together with Christ. He forgave all our sins.

Because we broke God's laws, we owed a debt—a debt that listed all the rules we failed to follow. But God forgave us of that debt. He took it away and nailed it to the cross.

Some people enjoy acting as if they are humble and love to worship angels. They always talk about the visions they have seen. Don't listen to them when they say you are wrong because you don't do these things. It is so foolish for them to feel such pride, because it is all based on their own human ideas.

They don't keep themselves under the control of the head. Christ is the head, and the whole body depends on him. Because of Christ all the parts of the body care for each other and help each other. So the body is made stronger and held together as God causes it to grow.

God will show his anger against those who don't obey him, because they do these evil things.