Paul writes in Colossians 4:5,6, “Make the most of your chances to tell others the Good News. Be wise in all your contacts with them. Let your conversation be gracious as well as sensible, for then you will have the right answer for everyone.” TLB

At first we might think that this text is referring only to our conversations with those who have not yet heard the “Good News,” but I think it is also applicable when speaking with others who have heard and have accepted Jesus. None of us have all the answers, and many of our Christian brothers and sisters may need to hear something that we have learned in the course of our Christian walk. So let us be wise, gracious and sensible in discussing the good news with everyone. We may have just the right answer to someone’s question.

Dear Lord, help us make the most of the opportunities you place in our paths to share the Good News of your love and salvation with others. Help us also remember to choose our words wisely, and be gracious and sensible to all; those who are missing your salvation, and those who are already in their walk with you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Many people we encounter daily are rather negative. It is so easy to think the negative things are the things to discuss; bad weather, traffic, our physical ailments, car trouble, etc. Not to minimize people’s problems, but even with our problems, we all have much to be happy and grateful for. We should try to be the person that turns the conversation to the positive things.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Paul writes to the believers there, “Always be joyful, Always keep praying, No matter what happens, be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” TLB I am sure the folks Paul was writing to had problems like we do. Arguably, their problems were more dire than we can imagine in the developed world of 2024.

Dear Lord, Help us remember Paul’s words, and be Joyful and Thankful. Joyful because we are saved and we know you will support us through our problems, and Thankful for this amazing gift. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The bible often writes about how as humans we are “slaves to sin.” Without the salvation we have from Jesus, we cannot overcome the influence of temptation in our lives.

Peter writes something interesting in 1 Peter 4:1,2 about how we can overcome sin in our lives. In the Living Bible translation he writes, “Since Christ suffered and underwent pain, you must have the same attitude he did; you must be ready to suffer, too. For remember, when your body suffers, sin loses its power, and you won’t be spending the rest of your life chasing after evil desires but will be anxious to do the will of God.”

I think what he means when he says to have the “same attitude as Christ,” is that no matter how difficult it will be to overcome the desire to do the wrong thing, which is what he means by “be ready to suffer”; Once we overcome, then that desire no longer has power over us. It is like a starving person being manipulated by someone who offers him food, but someone with a full stomach cannot be manipulated this way.

Dear Lord, Thank you for saving us from our slavery to sinful desires. Help us have the will power to “suffer” denying our sinful wants so that we can remove that temptation’s power over us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Do you ever wonder why some days, everything seems to go wrong. Flat tire, leaky fawcet, late for school or work, forgot your purse or phone, mean comment by a coworker or boss. These challenges may be coincidence, but Paul writes in Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

These bad experiences may be caused by forces that are not obvious, and that are trying to break your spirit and separate you from God.

How do we overcome these forces. Paul continues in Ephesians 6:14 with the description of the armor of God. “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

When the bad days come, remember to defend yourself with the shield of Faith in Jesus our Saviour and protector, and fight back with the wisdom and knowledge of the Bible, the “sword of the Spirit” which is the word of God.

Dear Lord help us remember that you have power over all things, and that your power is there for us, to protect us from the evil that tries to separate us from your Love and Salvation. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We know that we are saved by the grace of God, nothing we do or have done saves us. It is purely a gift.

In addition however, God is always watching us and everything we do is recorded. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.”

And Malachi the prophet wrote that God keeps a “Scroll of Remembrance,” tracking when we honor him. He will treat those that honor him differently. Malachi 3:16-18 says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

Dear Lord, you provide us all we have, most importantly our salvation. We should honor and put you first in our hearts and minds always, but we do not. Give us strength to avoid the temptation to neglect our focus on you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.