peace to live by

Holding in Mind the Close By Church (TMF:2920)

Friday, July 17, 2026
Peace to Live By: Holding in Mind the Close By Church (TMF:2920) - Daniel Litton
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       The reason Paul could tell the Colossians to give his greetings to the church members in Laodicea was because the city of Laodicea was close by, a neighboring city around nine miles from the city of Colossae. As Paul will say in the next verse, there is a reason for this. Nonetheless, it appears also that in addition to the church in Laodicea that there was another church close by—likely not a competitor, or another denomination as might think today. Perhaps a church more in the countryside? That seems reasonable, and it could also explain the obviously lower numbers of attendees considering the believers met in the house of a woman named Nympha. Unfortunately, we don’t know anything about Nympha other than that they were an off-shoot of the Colossae church which met in her house. Probably good times being so close-knit. It doesn’t seem reasonable, in our context of this Letter from Paul to the Colossians, to suggest that Nympha was the leader, or head pastor of the church.

We Are Too Familiar with Traitors (TMF:2919)

Thursday, July 16, 2026
Peace to Live By: We Are Too Familiar with Traitors (TMF:2919) - Daniel Litton
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       Many of you can probably relate to someone who has been known to be a faithful brother or sister at one time but who then later in time turned out to not be that way. The speaker can bring to mind a woman who was known in the past that seemed to be very faithful, active in her own ministry, who later would go on to betray the church, and those she had worked alongside, in love with the present world, and would totally abandon everything, including her own family. And it broke the speaker’s heart, not to mention the hearts of countless others. Verse 15: “Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house” (ESV). The reason Paul could tell the Colossians to give his greetings to the church members in Laodicea was because the city of Laodicea was close by, a neighboring city around nine miles from the city of Colossae. As Paul will say in the next verse, there is a reason for this.

Demas- Kingdom Worker to Traitor (TMF:2918)

Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Peace to Live By: Demas- Kingdom Worker to Traitor (TMF:2918) - Daniel Litton
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       Anyhow, in moving along to Demas, he is noted as working in Paul’s group for the kingdom of God. He is also mentioned in Paul’s letter to Philemon as being a fellow worker (see Philemon 24, ESV). What probably comes to our minds, though, is what Paul would say in regards to him at the end of his life. If we look at 2 Timothy 4, starting in verse 9, Paul said to Timothy, “Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica” (ESV). So, Paul mentions Demas as a traitor. This goes to show the importance of what was being discussed a little bit ago in talking about Epaphras’ prayers for the church, and this obviously would have included church leaders and missionaries. Not to discourage—that’s not the point of this—but rather to show the importance of prayer. Most of Paul’s companions were likely actually faithful.

The Beloved Physician Luke, Part 2 (TMF:2917)

Tuesday, July 14, 2026
Peace to Live By: The Beloved Physician Luke, Part 2 (TMF:2917) - Daniel Litton
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       It is suspected that Paul had some kind of alignment that affected his eyes, remember, the one that the Lord didn’t heal him from, but he rather let it remain in him as it worked to remind Paul that he wasn’t invincible or some kind of Christian superhero. Perhaps Luke helped him with that alignment. Could be. Nonetheless, we can also note from this that Luke was likely a Gentile, because Paul said in verse 11, which we covered last week, he said in mentioning the three men before that that they were the only Jewish brothers with him. This would seem to denote that Luke was not Jewish, though, some argue that he truly was. Anyhow, in moving along to Demas, he is noted as working in Paul’s group for the kingdom of God. He is also mentioned in Paul’s letter to Philemon as being a fellow worker (see Philemon 24, ESV). What probably comes to our minds, though, is what Paul would say in regards to him at the end of his life.

The Beloved Physician Luke, Part 1 (TMF:2916)

Monday, July 13, 2026
Peace to Live By: The Beloved Physician Luke, Part 1 (TMF:2916) - Daniel Litton
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       Moving along. Verse 14: “Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas” (ESV). We spent last week discussing a good deal as pertains to Mark—who, we know—is the the Gospel writer of the book that bares his name, and Paul mentioned him in this letter to the Colossians in verse 10. Now we are presented with another famous Gospel writer, that of Luke. We are told that Luke is a “physician,” and this is the verse where this understanding pertaining to Luke comes from. It has even been suggested by some that Luke was actually Paul’s own physician who traveled with him for that very purpose, which may be the case. Hard to say for sure. It is suspected that Paul had some kind of alignment that affected his eyes, remember, the one that the Lord didn’t heal him from, but he rather let it remain in him as it worked to remind Paul that he wasn’t invincible or some kind of Christian superhero. Perhaps Luke helped him with that alignment. Could be.

Not Just for Ourselves, But Others Part 2 (TMF:2915)

Friday, July 10, 2026
Peace to Live By: Not Just for Ourselves, But Others Part 2 (TMF:2915) - Daniel Litton
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       But it must be doing something if Epaphras spends so much time at it. That’s what Paul has witnessed anyway, and has partaken in himself. And we note that Epaphras wasn’t only spending time in prayer for his own church, but also for the churches in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. We haven’t even likely heard of this second church. But it’s interesting to note that, even though he wasn’t the pastor of these churches, that he nonetheless prayed for the believers at the churches in those cities. It rings in the verse that Paul spoke to the Philippians believers, when he stated, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4, ESV). That’s interesting; that’s interesting. To show interest not only for what we want but also for the wants of others. That truly is self-less. Thus, it’s time well spent, paying tremendous dividends, and still yet if we don’t directly see them.

Not Just for Ourselves, But Others Part 1 (TMF:2914)

Thursday, July 09, 2026
Peace to Live By: Not Just for Ourselves, But Others Part 1 (TMF:2914) - Daniel Litton
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       Paul continues. Verse 13: “For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis” (ESV). The same language that Paul had used of himself in the beginning of Colossians 2, he now expounds upon in referring to Epaphras. Again, the insinuation is that of prayer—that it is concretely prayer which is the “hard work” being undertaken. Probably pretty foreign to us, in twenty-first century America. It doesn’t appear that many of us spend so much time in prayer that we would call it “hard work.” Perhaps there are a few noble souls out there who really do effort in prayer a great deal. But it must be doing something if Epaphras spends so much time at it. That’s what Paul has witnessed anyway, and has partaken in himself. And we note that Epaphras wasn’t only spending time in prayer for his own church, but also for the churches in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. We haven’t even likely heard of this second church.

Needing that Assurance, Part 2 (TMF:2913)

Wednesday, July 08, 2026
Peace to Live By: Needing that Assurance, Part 2 (TMF:2913) - Daniel Litton
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       All of us have a sin-nature, and all of us could live following that sin-nature. A lot of us used to live that way. And not to mention that the people of the world have even justified that way of living, the way of following the sin-nature, by taking God out of things. The Creation account is rejected and replaced with the theory of Evolution. If everyone has evolved, it is believed, then there really isn’t any right or wrong. We’re all simply animals living on a planet spinning through space, going nowhere really. If that’s the mindset, then what we do doesn’t matter. Epaphras wants his church members on the right track. Paul continues. Verse 13: “For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis” (ESV). The same language that Paul had used of himself in the beginning of Colossians 2, he now expounds upon in referring to Epaphras.

Needing that Assurance, Part 1 (TMF:2912)

Tuesday, July 07, 2026
Peace to Live By: Needing that Assurance, Part 1 (TMF:2912) - Daniel Litton
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       Everyone needs that from time to time, that of assurance. Assurance that we are going in the right direction. Assurance that what we particularly believe is the actual truth. There is a lot of competition these days, unfortunately, to the truth. Other avenues are presented before us as alternatives, as different ways we could go instead of following what God has told us. That’s, again, why Paul spent so much time in chapter 3 going over maturity of character. The world has its ways, ways of usually just following impulses within the flesh without regard to any aspect of holiness. All of us have a sin-nature, and all of us could live following that sin-nature. A lot of us used to live that way. And not to mention that the people of the world have even justified that way of living, the way of following the sin-nature, by taking God out of things.

The Impact of Prayer on People, Part 2 (TMF:2911)

Monday, July 06, 2026
Peace to Live By: The Impact of Prayer on People, Part 2 (TMF:2911) - Daniel Litton
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       If people really believed that prayer made a difference, wouldn’t they pray regarding more things? Epaphras obviously believed that prayer indeed made a difference, that God was persuaded by his prayers, and that’s why he spent so much time actually praying. We only know what the answers are that we see with our eyes, but what many answers are there that we don’t see with our eyes? What if it is that God saves us from bad circumstances we never even know of from our prayers? What if a lot of prayer we don’t believe is being answered, but in reality, it truly is. We merely don’t see the answers. Anyway, taking all this roundabout back to what Paul said, he finished the verse here after talking about the Colossians maturity and went on to talking about the assurance in the will of God. Everyone needs that from time to time, that of assurance. Assurance that we are going in the right direction. Assurance that what we particularly believe is the actual truth.