On Break for August

SixSixteen takes a break for August. We’re back on September 9th. Stay tuned for details.

Coming this Fall: 1 Peter

Beginning September 9th, we’ll start our verse-by-verse study of 1 Peter. Watch this website and the Bethlehem Star for more details as we approach that date.

Christ in You, The Hope of Glory: A Summary of Colossians

Twenty-three weeks ago we began a verse-by-verse study of Colossians. In our final week (July 29) we’ll take a brief look at Paul’s closing to the letter and then summarize the book.

Relating to Unbelievers

At home, at work, with friends. . . you need to know how to relate to unbelievers.

That’s this week (Col 4:2-6 on July 22) at SixSixteen.

Slaves = Employees?

This week we will study Colossians 3:17 - 4:1, a passage dealing with various relationships. One critical question we must decide: is it legitimate to see a parallel between masters-slaves and employers-employees?

We’ll discuss that this week.

Anxiety and the Fight for Faith

To cap off our three week discussion on how to put off the dirty garments of sin and put on the pure garments of grace, I offered the following strategy, by way of example, that I use to fight against anxiety and for faith in my life.

Here are a list of truths I bring to mind with some select verse references:

Meditate on the bigness of God, who is capable of solving any problem.
-Psalm 66:5
-Jeremiah. 32:27
-Psalm 116:7

Think about how God brought about this problem on your behalf in order to do good to you, to challenge you to trust him, and to conform you into the image of his Son.
-Romans 8:28, 32
-Psalm 118:4-9

Meditate on how God loves to give you grace when you need it and how he loves to offer himself to you as refuge and help because it displays his worth and sufficiency.
-Lamentations 3:22-23
-Psalm 62:8

Lean on him, trusting not in your own understanding, and in prayer, cast your anxieties on him, acknowledging your sinfulness, insufficiency, and pride for trying to take on anxieties in your own strength. Ask to be nearer to him, strengthened, steadfast. Ask that he would show himself to be mighty and that he would take your anxieties away.
-Proverbs 3:5-6
-1 Peter 5:6-7
-Isaiah 41:10; 43:1-2

Know that your anxiety may be a long-term struggle. It is part of the corruption brought about by the fall of Adam. Let it cause you to hate sin in your life all the more. Long for the day the new Adam, Jesus Christ, will come to take you to an eternal dwelling where there is no sin and no anxiety. Realize that God might not take away your anxiety and that it may remain with you. It is your ally, if it humbles you, causes you to be more prayerful, and brings about Christ-likeness in you. So, thank God for this thorn and turn this enemy into your help-mate in glorifying God.
-Psalm 28:7

If you struggle and continually fall short, it proves that you are a good candidate for more grace.
-1 Corinthians 15:10
-Psalm 42:5

The Meaning of Spirit-Filled

Why is “being filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18) the same as “letting the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16)?

We will see why this coming week (July 8) as we complete “Put on the New Self” (Colossians 3:9-17)