“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” (Eph.1:3 NIV)

The Doxology (glory and praise to God)

When Susan and I were first married we were regularly invited for Sunday dinners at her parent’s home. Before eating the meal, her father would sing the doxology and the entire family joined in…

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen.”

I really enjoyed his beginning Sunday meals like that! It was very uplifting. My father-in-law has been gone for many years now, but whenever I think of him, I remember the sound of his voice enthusiastically proclaiming praise to God.

Sing to the Lord all the earth!

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him, Strength and joy are in His place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him; Worship the Lord in holy array. Tremble before Him, all the earth; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” (1 Chron. 16:23-31 NASB)

“The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” (Psalm 121:8 ESV)

Your steps are established by the Lord

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.” (Psalms 37:23 ESV)

Even in uttermost parts

“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” (Psalms 139:9-10 ESV)

Wisdom and understanding will help you go on your way in safety

“My son, do not let wisdom and understanding out of your sight, preserve sound judgment and discretion; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck. Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.” (Prov. 3:21-23 NIV)

God’s Word will light your path

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105 ESV)

Angels guard you by His command

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” (Psalm 91:11 ESV)

You may have good success whoever you go

“Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:7 ESV)

“A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” (Prov. 16:28 ESV)

Gossiping is very serious!

When most people think of “serous sins”, gossiping is usually not too high on the list. But, gossiping is very serious and is condemned in both the old and New Testaments.

Gossips are listed in the Bible with those who commit murder!

“They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips…” (Rom. 1:29 ESV)

Saying what they should not

“Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.” (1 Tim. 5:13 ESV)

Slandering your neighbor

“You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.” Levit. 19:16 ESV)

“Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. Whoever has a haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not endure.” (Psalm 101:5 ESV)

Spreading false reports

“You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness.” (Ex. 23:1 ESV)

Revealing secrets

“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a simple babbler.” (Prov. 29:19 ESV)

Careless words spoken

“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” (Matt. 22:36 ESV)

“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” (Psalm 34:13 ESV)

Don’t listen to gossip!

“An evildoer listens to wicked lips, and a liar gives ear to a mischievous tongue.” (Prov. 17:4 ESV)

“But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness.” (2 Tim. 2:16 ESV)

Love covers a matter

“Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.” (Prov. 17:9 ESV)

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might  that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, (Eph. 1:16-20 ESV)

How you should pray

If you ever wonder how you should pray for those you’d like to become followers of Christ, the above passage has some guidelines for you to follow.

• Begin by thanking God for them in prayer  (verse 16)

“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.”

• Pray that God will give them revelation in the knowledge of Him (verse 17)

“that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,”

• Pray that God will open the eyes of their heart so that they will become enlightened concerning the hope He has called them to (verse 18)

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”

• End by thanking God for His immeasurable power towards us who believe (verses 19-20)

“and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places…”

“Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another— and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Heb. 10:25 NIV)

Lift up your head, straighten up, because your redemption is drawing near

“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28 NASB)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but not God’s words

“Then He told them a parable: “Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. “So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.” (Luke 21:29-33 NASB)

Be on guard and don’t be caught in a trap!

“Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth. “But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36 NASB)

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. (2 Tim. 3:1 NIV)

The end times are described

Reading the description of what it’s going in to be like in “the last days” as described in 2 Timothy chapter  3, leaves no doubt that we are living in those kind of days right now.

This passage says people in the last days will be…

• Lovers of themselves and money, boastful, proud, abusive…

“People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive…” (2 Tim. 3:2a NIV)

• Disobedient, ungrateful and unholy…

“…disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy…” (2 Tim. 3:2b NIV)

• Without love, unforgiving, without self control, not lovers of the good...

“without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good …” (2 Tim. 3:3-4 NIV)

• Treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than God…

“...treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Tim. 3:4b NIV)

• Having a form of godlessness but denying it’s power

“…having a form of godliness but denying its power.” (2 Tim. 3:5a NIV)

We are commanded to have nothing to do with them

“Have nothing to do with such people.” (2 Tim. 2:5b NIV)

We, of course, can’t avoid evil people completely, because we do live in the world. But, we can choose who we spend personal time with. We are commanded in the Bible not to choose ungodly friends to hang out with because we will become affected by them.

Choose friends with care!

• Bad company ruins good morals

“Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” (1 Cor. 15:33 ESV)

• The companion of fools will suffer harm

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” (Prov. 13:20 ESV)

• Friendship with someone who is angry or wrathful will entangle you in a snare

“Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.” (Prov. 22:22-25 ESV)

“For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:8-10 NASB)

You have the light of life

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

Let your light shine

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:16 ESV)

You now shine as lights in the world

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.” (Phil. 2:12-16 ESV)

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14 ESV)

To please God you must believe these two things by faith

• Believe that He exists
• Believe that He rewards those who seek Him

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 ESV)

We receive what we ask when we do what pleases Him

“And whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.” (1 John 3:22 ESV)

Bearing fruit in every good work

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:9-10 ESV)

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.” (Phil. 2:1-2 NLT)

Our ability to get along with one another is a mark of spiritual maturity.

Be perfectly united in mind and thought

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.” 1. Cor. 1:10 NIV)

They will be called the children of God

“God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9 NLT).