Paul said of his readers that because of their faith in Jesus, the gospel was being proclaimed throughout the world. I know this is true of my readers, too.

The apostle Paul gives us a profound picture of a life transformed. Even a brief look provides a challenging example for every believer.

We all probably want the ones we love and, frankly, ourselves to be among the mature, because maturity brings the best chance at a healthy and purposeful life.

Timothy would soon be without his mentor Paul. He would also be facing new and more difficult challenges in his ministry, and his older and wiser mentor was trying to prepare him for the journey yet to come.

I have tried to live in such a way that I heard the nudge from God telling me what to do next. I’m noticing today that Paul’s words to Timothy can help me figure that out in the future.

The apostle Paul used many images to describe the purpose and function of the church. Each one of them can help believers understand how to be the church today.

He didn’t have a second of all or third of all, which I think establishes the point that Paul was really saying above everything else or above all things, this is the priority.

For some reason all of the remote work in today’s business environment made me look differently at the letter to the Colossians.

The first truth, the magnitude of God’s invitation and the toil required to extend it, might overwhelm us. But not when we grasp the blessing and the potential of the second truth in this passage.

If you have been following Jesus for very long you know how important it is to have people praying for you. We learn from Paul how and why to pray for each other.

It may be the most overlooked—and most valuable—directive our culture could heed today.

We might all wish someone would refer to us the way Paul described Timothy. We might all like to be a friend and partner like the ones that made Paul’s ministry possible.

What if we looked at our trials and troubles in a new way? What if we saw how God could use them to help us spread his good news?

Everybody knows walking is good for you, but Paul goes way beyond the medical experts to explain how to have a healthy spiritual walk.

“Forgive us for the idols we create when fighting for our causes instead of embracing the unity possible through Christ. Thank you for making it possible for us to know peace, to live peace, and to offer your peace to others through Jesus.”

All of us were dead. All who believe in Jesus are alive in him and called to be united in reaching the other dead people with the good news of Jesus. And all means all.

We can’t turn to any media outlet without hearing the back-and-forth attacks, confrontations, or accusations. Scripture shows a better way.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

What if we considered Paul’s prayer for restoration central to what we seek in our relationships? What would happen in our neighborhoods, churches, businesses, and in our general approach to people if Paul’s closing reminder was a platform we would live by?

Paul pushed all his suffering to the background as he focused on his first and primary calling. The challenge for us is to do the same.