Knowing Scripture
Paul’s letter to the Colossians is rich with insight into who Jesus is, what He has done, and how we should respond.
He wrote to encourage them to keep their eyes on Jesus, to live a life worthy of their calling, to be full of love for one another, and to…
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
Colossians 3:16 ESV
Since the Church was new at this point, it didn’t have a complete, written Bible. So, when Paul told Christians to let the “word of Christ dwell” in them richly—he would have been referring to the teachings of Jesus they’d learned from Paul and others.
Because access to written Scripture was limited, this new Church needed to be encouraged and reminded to stay faithful in teaching one another. And one of the ways they did this was through praising God together and being thankful for all He had done.
We now have an incredible gift in the Bible. We have the full counsel of God from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Through God’s Word, we can know God’s plan and purposes, the story and truth of Jesus, and how we are to live as followers of Christ together. And, we can encourage one another as we study and learn Scripture together.
So, take time in your day to read God’s Word. Study its content and context. Discover God's character, plans, purposes, and love as you allow His Word to dwell in you richly. Then, try to spend time with other believers and discuss what you’ve read.
Godly and Wise
If you’re a parent or a parent-figure, you know that raising children can be one of the greatest joys you ever experience, and one of the biggest challenges you face. And if you’re a follower of Christ, you likely feel an added burden to make sure your kids grow up to know and love God.
In Proverbs 23:24, the author points out that joy in parenting comes when our children are two things: godly and wise. So, how do we help our kids become more like Jesus and develop the wisdom they need to navigate the challenges of life?
While there are different ways, here are two to start with...
Find a Christ-centered community:
As a parent, you’ll need to surround yourself with a community that loves Jesus so you’re not alone when raising kids gets challenging. If you don’t have that today, commit to taking the next step in that direction—join a small group, get connected at church, or invite like-minded friends over for dinner.
Teach kids to ask for help:
Whether your ...