Luke 1:19-20 The angel said to Zechariah, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the ...
Luke 1:8-10 'One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his section was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. While the incense was being burne...
Luke 1:6-7 'Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.' Luke begins his Gos...
Colossians 4:7-9 'Tychicus will give you a full report about how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper who serves with me in the Lord’s work. I am also sending Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, one of your ow...
Colossians 4:5-6 'Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.' Whether we have a short or a lon...
Colossians 4:2-3 'Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains.' There is...
Colossians 3:22 'Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything you do. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. Serve them sincerely because of your reverent fear of the Lord. Work willingly at whatever you do, ...
Colossians 3:15 'Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.' The world is full of conflict. Whether you look at international relations, na...
Colossians 3:14 'Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.' The famous Victorian poet, Robert Browning, wrote: “Take away love and our earth is a tomb.” It is impossible to exaggerate the importan...
Colossians 3:13 'Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.' Any happy and harmonious community relies upon forgiveness. It isn’t an optional extra b...
Colossians 3:11 'In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.' Every society is full of divisio...
Colossians 3:10 'Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.' I wonder what your aims are for your life. Perhaps they focus on your family, your job or your sport. You may want to become bette...
Colossians 3:2-3 'Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.' The apostle Paul’s message was quite simply a matter of life and death. In the previous ...
Colossians 2:16-17 'Don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that r...
Colossians 2:14-15 'Christ cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cros...
