(Week of January 22-28)
Let Nothing Deprive You of the Prize
Theme Scripture
(Colossians 2:18) Let no man deprive you of the prize who takes delight in a false humility and a form of worship of the angels, “taking his stand on” the things he has seen. He is actually puffed up without proper cause by his fleshly frame of mind,
Paragraph 1
(Philippians 3:14) I am pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.
(Revelation 20:6) Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.
(2 Peter 3:13) But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.
Paragraph 2
(Colossians 3:2) Keep your minds fixed on the things above, not on the things on the earth.
(Colossians 1:4, 5) since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all the holy ones 5because of the hope that is being reserved for you in the heavens. You previously heard about this hope through the message of truth of the good news
(1 Corinthians 9:24) Do you not know that the runners in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.
Paragraph 3
(Colossians 2:16-18) Therefore, do not let anyone judge you about what you eat and drink or about the observance of a festival or of the new moon or of a sabbath. 17Those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ. 18Let no man deprive you of the prize who takes delight in a false humility and a form of worship of the angels, “taking his stand on” the things he has seen. He is actually puffed up without proper cause by his fleshly frame of mind,
Paragraph 4
(Colossians 3:5) Deaden, therefore, your body members that are on the earth as respects sexual immorality, uncleanness, uncontrolled sexual passion, hurtful desire, and greediness, which is idolatry.
Paragraph 5
(Proverbs 22:3) The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself, But the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences.
(Proverbs 2:10-12) When wisdom enters your heart And knowledge becomes pleasant to your soul, 11Thinking ability will keep watch over you, And discernment will safeguard you, 12To save you from the bad course, From the man speaking perverse things,
(Proverbs 2:16) It will save you from the wayward woman, From the smooth words of the immoral woman,
READ (Psalm 34:18) Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; He saves those who are crushed in spirit.
READ (Proverbs 13:20)The one walking with the wise will become wise, But the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly.
Paragraph 6
(Jude 7) In the same manner, Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah and the cities around them also gave themselves over to gross sexual immorality and pursued unnatural fleshly desires; they are placed before us as a warning example by undergoing the judicial punishment of everlasting fire.
(Proverbs 4:23) Above all the things that you guard, safeguard your heart, For out of it are the sources of life.
Paragraph 7
READ (1 Peter 3:8, 9)Finally, all of you have unity of mind, fellow feeling, brotherly affection, tender compassion, and humility. 9Do not pay back injury for injury or insult for insult. Instead, repay with a blessing, for you were called to this course, so that you might inherit a blessing.
Paragraph 8
(Colossians 3:12-14) Accordingly, as God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, humility, mildness, and patience. 13Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another. Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same. 14But besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union.
Paragraph 9
READ (Ecclesiastes 7:21, 22) Also, do not take to heart every word that people say; otherwise, you may hear your servant calling down evil on you; 22for you well know in your heart that many times you yourself have called down evil on others.
(Colossians 3:15) Also, let the peace of the Christ rule in your hearts, for you were called to that peace in one body. And show yourselves thankful.
Paragraph 10
(James 3:16) For wherever there are jealousy and contentiousness, there will also be disorder and every vile thing.
Paragraph 11
(1 Corinthians 13:4) Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up,
(1 Corinthians 12:16-18) And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am no part of the body,” that does not make it no part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If it were all hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18But now God has arranged each of the body members just as he pleased.
(1 Corinthians 12:26) If one member suffers, all the other members suffer with it; or if a member is glorified, all the other members rejoice with it.
(1 Samuel 23:16-18)Jonʹa·than the son of Saul now went out to David at Hoʹresh, and he helped him find strength in Jehovah. 17He said to him: “Do not be afraid, for my father Saul will not find you; you will be king over Israel, and I will become second to you; and my father Saul also knows that.” 18Then the two of them made a covenant before Jehovah, and David stayed in Hoʹresh, and Jonʹa·than went to his home.
Paragraph 12
(Colossians 3:18-21) You wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as it is becoming in the Lord. 19You husbands, keep on loving your wives and do not be bitterly angry with them. 20You children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21You fathers, do not be exasperating your children, so that they do not become downhearted.
Paragraph 13
READ (1 Peter 3:1, 2) In the same way, you wives, be in subjection to your husbands, so that if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, 2because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect.
Paragraph 14
(Ephesians 5:23) because a husband is head of his wife just as the Christ is head of the congregation, he being a savior of this body.
(Luke 9:46-48) Then a dispute arose among them about which one of them was the greatest. 47Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a young child, stood him beside him, 48and said to them: “Whoever receives this young child on the basis of my name receives me also; and whoever receives me also receives the One who sent me. For the one who conducts himself as a lesser one among all of you is the one who is great.”
Paragraph 15
(Colossians 3:19) You husbands, keep on loving your wives and do not be bitterly angry with them.
(1 Peter 3:7) You husbands, in the same way, continue dwelling with them according to knowledge. Assign them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one, since they are also heirs with you of the undeserved favor of life, in order for your prayers not to be hindered.
(Proverbs 15:22) Plans fail when there is no consultation, But there is accomplishment through many advisers.
Paragraph 17
(Hebrews 12:8) But if you have not all shared in receiving this discipline, you are really illegitimate children, and not sons.
(Proverbs 17:27) A man of knowledge restrains his words, And a discerning man will remain calm.
(Proverbs 1:8) Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, And do not forsake the instruction of your mother.
Paragraph 18
(Isaiah 11:9) They will not cause any harm Or any ruin in all my holy mountain, Because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah As the waters cover the sea.