Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10.

 

“⁶ But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, ⁷ for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;  ⁸ for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.  ⁹ For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, ¹⁰ as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?”

 

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“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”  3 John 1:4.

 

“I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.”  2 John 1:4.

 

Psalm 16:3
“As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.”

 

“We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;”  Colossians 1:3-4.

 

“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;  and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.  For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”  Philemon 1:4-7.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.

 

“Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,

 

² and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,

 

³ so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions;  for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

 

⁴ For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction;  and so it came to pass, as you know.

 

⁵ For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.”  1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.  

 

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We can preach and teach others. 

 

We can invite them to church, Sunday School, or Bible study. 

 

We can visit others as we see in today’s Scripture where Paul sent Timothy.

 

We can call them on the phone.

 

We can write to them.

 

We can tell them their specific good qualities.  To this day, I still remember that my best friend’s father called me “tenacious” while in high school and that comment still encourages me to continue to be so.  

 

We can introduce them to other Godly people whom we know will likely strengthen and encourage them.

 

We can provide donuts and coffee at fellowship hour after the worship service, working behind the scenes, to promote the type of fellowship that we know will likely strengthen and encourage them. 

 

We can write articles and books and blogs.

 

We can give them books and forward inspiring emails to them. 

 

We can send them flowers or a beautiful encouraging “Hallmark” card.

 

We can give them a hug.

 

We can formally lay our hands on them for installment to ministry as a new minister, elder, deacon, or Sunday School teacher.

 

We can simply share a favorite verse or more Scripture. 

 

We can give specific detailed praise reports.

 

We can more generally consider our own life testimony of what God has done for us and share it with others.   

 

We can credit God for our good works and our patient endurance through sufferings. 

 

We can praise God and give thanks, shouting and singing for joy in the Lord. 

 

We can patiently tolerate their infirmities and provide a helping hand to bear their burden.  

 

We can pray for others.

 

In addition, there are others ways to strengthen and encourage them as to their faith, and hopefully, this devotion will spark your own “custom-tailored” ideas by the specific needs of your own circle of family and friends and your own specific gifts and inclinations.

 

 

Deuteronomy 3:28
“But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’”

 

1 Samuel 23:16
“And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”

 

2 Chronicles 35:2
“He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.”

 

Isaiah 35:3
“Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.”

 

Isaiah 41:7
“So the craftsman encourages the smelter, And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil, Saying of the soldering, “It is good”;  And he fastens it with nails, So that it will not totter.”

 

Daniel 11:1
“In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.”

 

Acts 4:36
“Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),”

 

Acts 11:23
“Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;”

 

Acts 15:31
“When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.”

 

Acts 15:32
“Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.”

 

Acts 16:40
“They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”

 

Acts 27:34
“Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.”

 

Romans 1:12
“that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

 

Romans 15:4
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

 

Romans 15:5
“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,”

 

1 Corinthians 16:12
“But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.”

 

Philippians 2:1
“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,”

 

Colossians 2:2
“that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,”

 

Colossians 4:8
“For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:14
“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

 

Titus 2:4
“so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,”

 

Hebrews 3:13
“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

 

Luke 22:32
“but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail;  and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

 

Acts 14:22
“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

 

“But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while— in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.   For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.  For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation?  Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?   ^“For you are our glory and joy.”  1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

 

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Today’s verses were not only written for the benefit of the Thessalonians.  Our preachers and teachers rejoice over us too.  But, most importantly, God rejoices over us too.  We are the glory and joy of our preachers and teachers.  We are the glory and joy of God.

 

3 John 1:4
“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”

 

Zephaniah 3:17
“The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior.  He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”

 

Isaiah 62:5
“For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you;  And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.”

 

Isaiah 44:23
“Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done it!  Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;  Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it;  For the LORD has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He shows forth His glory.”

 

Jeremiah 33:9
“It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’”

 

 

“… and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:5.

 

1 Peter 1:8
“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”

 

Psalm 149:5
“Let the godly ones exult in glory;  Let them sing for joy on their beds.”

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16.

 

“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out.  They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved;  with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins.  But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”  1 Thessalonians 2:14-16.

 

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“Thus says the Lord, “ Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24. 

 

Psalm 3:7
“Arise, O LORD;  save me, O my God!  For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek;  You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.”

 

“68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
71 Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”  Luke 1:68-75.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

 

“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”  1 Thessalonians 2:13. 

 

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Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

 

“⁹ For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

 

¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;

 

¹¹ just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,

 

¹² so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”  1 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

 

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Paul set a good example for us of having a hard hat and lunch pail ministry.  Paul went to work each day and worked hard (“our labor and hardship, …working night and day”) and did so in a manner that he was suppose to do it (“devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly”).  Paul did not complain or hesitate or shrink back from his work.  Every day, he put on his hard hat and took his lunch pail with him and went to work.

 

In teaching us to follow his example, Paul elaborated:  “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”  Acts 20:35  “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”  1 Timothy 5:17  “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  2 Timothy 4:5

 

 

 

We have a Faithful Father! 

 

“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?  The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.”  Psalm 52:1.  

 

“I, the Lord, am its keeper;
I water it every moment.
So that no one will damage it,
I guard it night and day.”  Isaiah 27:3. 

 

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23.

 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8.

 

“For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain,

 

² but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.

 

³ For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

 

⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

 

⁵ For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—

 

⁶ nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.

 

⁷ But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

 

⁸ Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”  1 Thessalonians 2:1-8.

 

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Paul set a good example for us of having a gentle ministry.  He compares his ministry to “a nursing mother (who) tenderly cares for her own children”.  He was so fond of the Thessalonians that he was willing to “impart” or sacrifice his own life for them.

 

In teaching us to follow his example, Paul elaborated:  “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”  2 Timothy 2:24-26.

 

For a gentle ministry, we can also follow the example of our Lord.

 

Isaiah 40:11
“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom;  He will gently lead the nursing ewes.”

 

Isaiah 49:15
“Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.”

 

Matthew 11:29
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.”

 

 

However, despite his love, care, and gentleness, Paul felt the need to defend his ministry to the Thessalonians in today’s Scripture and also to the Corinthians:  “I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls.  If I love you more, am I to be loved less?”  2 Corinthians 12:15.

 

The lesson for us is that in our ministry we too may not be appreciated for our love, care, and gentleness, but we still must be patient, kind, and gentle.

 

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23.

 

Moreover, through God’s grace, we can persevere and be patient, kind, and gentle even when we are opposed and persecuted! 

 

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand;  and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;  and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;  and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:1-5.

 

In conclusion, we can even be joyful when it seems that despite the length of our ministry and our best efforts in our ministry, we don’t receive the appreciation and affection that we may deserve.  “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”  Philippians 2:17

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10.

 

“You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.  For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.  For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.”  1 Thessalonians 1:6-10. 

 

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The word of the Lord went forth from the Lord to Paul to the Thessalonians to those in Macedonia and Achaia to others.  In a sense, the word of the Lord echoed through them all like a sound may bounce off one canyon wall to another and then to another.  

 

But, the word of the Lord did not just randomly bounce around.  God sent forth His word to exactly accomplish all that He desired.

 

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”  Isaiah 55:10-11.

 

Psalm 147:15
“He sends forth His command to the earth;  His word runs very swiftly.”

 

Isaiah 2:3
“And many peoples will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; That He may teach us concerning His ways And that we may walk in His paths.”  For the law will go forth from Zion And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”  (Micah 4:2 is very similar.)

 

Isaiah 45:23
“I have sworn by Myself, The word has gone forth from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.”

 

James 1:18
“In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.”

 

Thus, when we preach, teach, or even just share a verse, God’s Word does not only affect those who directly hear it from us, but God’s Word bounces around to others in the exercise of His will to accomplish exactly all that God desires.  “Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart;  For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.”  Jeremiah 15:16

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5.

 

“Paul and Silvanus and Timothy,

 

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:  Grace to you and peace.

 

We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers;  constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you;  for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction;  just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”  1 Thessalonians 1:1-5.

                                     

Isaiah 41:8
“But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, Descendant of Abraham My friend,”

 

Isaiah 41:9
“You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its remotest parts And said to you, ‘You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you.”

 

Isaiah 43:10
“You are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And My servant whom I have chosen,  So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He.  Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.”

 

“But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, And Israel, whom I have chosen:”

 

Isaiah 44:2
“Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you, ‘Do not fear, O Jacob My servant;  And you Jeshurun whom I have chosen.”

 

Isaiah 65:9
“I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, And an heir of My mountains from Judah;  Even My chosen ones shall inherit it, And My servants will dwell there.”

 

Ezekiel 20:5
“and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “On the day when I chose Israel and swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God,”

 

Amos 3:2
“You only have I chosen among all the families of the earth;  Therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.”

 

Haggai 2:23
“‘On that day,’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘I will take you, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, My servant,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will make you like a signet ring, for I have chosen you,’” declares the LORD of hosts.”

 

Matthew 22:14
“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 

Matthew 24:22
“Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved;  but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”

 

Matthew 24:31
“And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.”

 

Mark 13:27
“And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.”

 

Luke 12:32
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.”

 

Luke 18:7
“now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?”

 

John 15:16
“You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

 

John 15:19
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own;  but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”

 

Acts 13:17
“The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it.”

 

Romans 8:29
“For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;”

 

Romans 8:30
“and these whom He predestined, He also called;  and these whom He called, He also justified;  and these whom He justified, He also glorified.”

 

Romans 8:33
“Who will bring a charge against God’s elect?  God is the one who justifies;”

 

Romans 11:7
“What then?  What Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were hardened;”

 

1 Corinthians 1:27
“but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,”

 

Colossians 3:12
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;”

 

2 Thessalonians 2:13
“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”

 

2 Timothy 2:10
“For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.”

 

“Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,”

 

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen”

 

1 Peter 2:9
“But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;”

 

“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

 

 

 

In conclusion, Psalm 33:1-12 puts it all together.  It speaks of our joy and praise, God’s love of righteousness and justice and lovingkindness, God’s eternal and irrevocable counsel and plans, and the blessedness of His chosen people.

                                       

Today’s devotion comes from Colossians 4:7-18.

                                            

^“7  As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.  ⁸  For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;  ⁹ and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number.  They will inform you about the whole situation here.

¹⁰  Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings;  and also Barnabas’s cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions;  if he comes to you, welcome him);  ¹¹ and also Jesus who is called Justus;  these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.  ¹²  Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.  ¹³ For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Hierapolis.  ¹⁴  Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.  ¹⁵ Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.  ¹⁶  When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans;  and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.  ¹⁷ Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”

¹⁸ I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.  Remember my imprisonment.  Grace be with you.”  Colossians 4:7-18.

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Paul sure had a lot of friends.  I counted ten friends mentioned here:  Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Barnabas, Mark, Justus, Epaphras, Luke, Demas, and Archippus.  And, Paul was in jail.  Moreover, unlike today where visitors have rights, the friends risked their own imprisonment by visiting Paul and by being a friend of Paul.

Paul’s friends knew about Paul’s condition even though Paul was locked away. 

Paul’s friends encouraged Paul and were encouraged by Paul.

Paul’s friends disclosed their concerns and ministry goals to Paul.

They were true friends, even considered brothers to Paul.

Here are ten verses about friends, one for each friend of Paul.    

Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.”

Proverbs 27:6
“Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.”

Proverbs 27:10
“Do not forsake your own friend or your father’s friend, And do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity;  Better is a neighbor who is near than a brother far away.”

Matthew 11:19
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”

John 3:29
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom;  but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.  So this joy of mine has been made full.”

John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

John 15:14
“You are My friends if you do what I command you.”

John 15:15
“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing;  but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

James 2:23
“and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS,” and he was called the friend of God.”

3 John 1:15
“Peace be to you.  The friends greet you.  Greet the friends by name.”

This devotion is dedicated to my friend Harry who has been a good friend to me my entire life and who does visit those in prison and who otherwise also demonstrates well the qualities of being a friend to me and others friends shown in today’s Scripture.  Thank you Harry!