Joe Barnett

Make the most of every opportunity.                 —Colossians 4:5 Today is the day to which all of your yesterdays have pointed since the day of your birth, and the day from which all of your tomorrows will proceed until the day of your death. Today is the only […]

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.         —Colossians 4:2 You will learn to be content when you learn to be thankful, and not a minute sooner. There is no contentment where gratitude is absent and no absence of contentment where gratitude is present. The process is simple: be “watchful and

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts … And be thankful.           —Colossians 3:15 The author of Hebrews reminds us of some who missed the boat because they heard the message but didn’t believe it (Heb. 4:2). He urges his readers to never let their faith lapse, to hold

Rid yourselves of … anger, rage, malice, slander.         —Colossians 3:8 Hatred reduces us to slavery, for what we hate takes control of our mind. We are a hostage of those we loathe, for they hold our thoughts captive. Antagonism pollutes the mind, filling it with the poison of anger, outrage, bitterness,

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.      —Philippians 4:13 Do you know the secret? Paul said, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Can you jot “Me too” next to that sentence? If not, it’s probably because you don’t know the secret—“I have learned the secret of being

I have learned the secret of being content … whether living in plenty or in want.             —Philippians 4:12 Have your closets reached—or already blown past—capacity? Are you parking in the driveway because your garage has been hijacked for storage? If you have tackled the task of cleaning your closet,

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.     —Philippians 4:11 Viktor Frankl was incarcerated in four concentration camps, including the death camp of Auschwitz. His father, mother, brother, wife—every member of his family except his sister—died in the camps. Frankl said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things.    —Philippians 4:8 Paul lobbed this tall order, “Do not be anxious about anything” (Phil. 4:6). Then this, “… whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable … think about such things” (Phil. 4:8). That’s

Do not be anxious about anything.             —Philippians 4:6 Has anyone ever looked you in the eye and said, “I don’t believe you!”? How did it make you feel? Angry? Insulted? Hurt? When God makes a promise, our response is belief or unbelief. Anxiety is a dead giveaway of unbelief.