Christ in you- Paul warned the church at Colossae not to get swept away by the philosophies of man that were trying to add to the power and simplicity of the gospel. We are saved through Christ, and we live and walk according to the power of Christ working in us.

Christ is preeminent- Jesus Christ is not only the head of the church, but He is "in all things" preeminent. What does that mean? It means that only in Christ, because of His perfect righteousness and resurrection from the dead, can we find peace with God.

A model prayer- The heart of this prayer by Paul for the Colossians is one we should adopt for our own friends and loved ones. Paul prayed that the Colossian believers would grow spiritually, seeking to please the Lord, and be fruitful in all their works.

To the Colossians- Paul did not have a chance to meet the believers at Colossae yet, but he wrote to them encouraging continued growth and warned them about false doctrines. Studying this letter will prove very helpful to us as we try to talk about Jesus to a postmodern world.

Two big questions- Paul concluded his letter to the Philippian church by answering two very important questions: 1) Are suffering and sickness the result of a lack of faith? 2) What should giving in the church look like?

Think on these things- God knows our thoughts and He cares about what we think. The question is, how much do we care about our thought life? We should care because our thoughts influence our feelings and actions. Paul gave the Philippians a list of things to meditate on that will positively influence our behavior.

Stand fast in the Lord- Paul told the Philippians that they should not live like the enemies of the cross who seek to satisfy their flesh because our citizenship is in heaven and Christ is coming.

The upward call of God- What does God's calling look like in our lives? We are called to press forward, seeking to grow in spiritual maturity. We are also called to surround ourselves with Christians who agree with this mindset, and not those who live to satisfy their flesh.

Press toward the goal- Paul the apostle was not so prideful to say that he was on some spiritual level higher than the rest. His goal was to always be pressing on toward the prize of knowing Jesus. Circumstances will change but knowing Jesus more should be a constant desire.

Commending and warning- Timothy and Epaphroditus were commended by Paul as faithful and like-minded servants of Christ. In contrast, Paul warned the Philippians to beware of those who are evil workers and "seek their own."