Guest Blog written by: Brad Kempson

Our first week of school is done! The reading today starts out telling us something we all need to hear. It all says that we are all the same if we are in Jesus Christ. There aren’t any races or anything that could be used to be judged. If we are all Christians, we are all the same in Him. The next passage tells us that we were all saved by Jesus, so there is no difference between any one who has been saved. 

A big thing we read is Ephesians 2 verses 8-10. These verses say, “For it is by grace you have need saved through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” This says that Jesus saved us with His grace. We didn’t do this by ourselves, and it isn’t so that people can brag about it. God made us so that we could do good things he already had planned out. He has amazing things for us.  

In Philippians, Paul says that he rejoiced in his chains because Christ is preached. Some preach out of love for Christ and some preach to make Paul feel bad and to make fun of him, but Paul says that no matter the intention, Christ is being preached. Another thing he says is that he was an amazing Jew, he followed all of the laws. But he says that anything he received for that is nothing to what Jesus gave him.

Paul says that we should all follow what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, or anything is worthy of praise. Paul tells us that we need to follow everything he has told us. If we do this, God’s peace will be with us. 

In Colossians, Paul says that he prays for the knowledge of God to fill the people so they can live a life worthy to the Lord. We need to do this too. If we had the knowledge that God gives, we would be able to follow him better. 

In most letters Paul sends, he says that he rejoices in the suffering he faces for the people. He doesn’t care that bad things are happening to him. He just cares for the people. It doesn’t matter that he suffers if other people are staying strong in Christ.

Paul tells the people to pray for him so that he could spread Christ to more people. He also asks for them to pray that he would teach it clearly. We need to pray for this in our lives and the lives of others trying to spread the Good News of Jesus. We should all ask for opportunities to spread the word and to do it clearly.