Red Hill Church of Christ

04/30/2026

Epaphras is not one of the big names. He is not front and center. But listen to how Paul describes him… “always struggling on your behalf in his prayers.”

That word “struggling” is strong.

It is not casual. It is not quick. It is not just mentioning someone’s name and moving on. It carries the idea of effort. Intensity. Fighting for someone.

That changes the way we think about prayer.

A lot of times, we treat prayer like a routine. Something we check off. But Epaphras shows us something different. He was invested in people. He cared enough to bring them before God over and over again.

He was fighting for them in a way they probably never even saw.

And notice what he was praying for. Not just comfort. Not just easier circumstances. He was praying that they would “stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.”

That is deeper.

He wanted them to grow. To be steady. To know who they were in Christ.

That is a challenge for us.

Who are we really praying for like that?

Not just occasionally, but consistently. Not just on the surface, but with real concern for their spiritual life.

James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” That means what you are doing when you pray actually matters.

04/29/2026

Paul says “always be gracious.” Not sometimes. Not when it is easy. Always.

That means even when you are frustrated. Even when someone says something you do not like. Even when you feel like you have every right to respond a certain way.

Grace should still show up.

That does not mean you avoid truth. It means the way you deliver truth matters just as much as the truth itself.

Then he says “seasoned with salt.”

Salt does two things. It adds flavor and it preserves. In the same way, our words should add something good to the conversation. They should build up, not tear down. They should leave people better, not worse.

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up.” That lines up perfectly with this.

Because the reality is, words carry weight.

Once they are out, you cannot take them back. You can apologize, but you cannot undo the impact. That is why Paul is pushing us to be intentional before we speak, not after.

And then he says, “so that you may know how to answer each person.”

That tells us something important. Not every situation calls for the same response. Wisdom matters. Awareness matters. Paying attention to people matters.

04/28/2026

That word “walk” shows up again. It is not about one moment. It is about your everyday life. How you carry yourself. How you respond. How you live when people are watching and even when they are not.

Paul brings up “outsiders,” and that matters. He is talking about people who do not share your faith. People who are watching you, whether you realize it or not.

The truth is, most people will form an opinion about Christ based on what they see in His people.

That is why Paul says to walk in wisdom.

Not careless. Not reactive. Not driven by emotion in the moment. But thoughtful. Intentional. Aware that your life is speaking even when your words are not.

Then he says, “making the best use of the time.”

That carries the idea of not wasting opportunities. Life is full of small moments. Conversations. Interactions. Chances to show kindness, patience, grace. Chances to reflect Christ in a real way.

The problem is, it is easy to miss those moments. We get busy. Distracted. Focused on ourselves. And before we know it, opportunities come and go.

Ephesians 5:16 says something similar, “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” In other words, time matters. Moments matter.

04/27/2026

That word “continue” is what stands out.

Prayer is not meant to be something we do occasionally. It is meant to be something we stay with. Something steady. Something consistent. Not just when things are falling apart, but all the time.

The truth is, most of us are good at praying in moments. When something happens. When we need help. When life gets heavy. But Paul is talking about something deeper than that.

He is talking about a lifestyle.

“Continue steadfastly.” That means you do not quit. You do not drift away from it. You keep coming back, even when you do not feel like it, even when nothing seems to be changing.

And then he says to be “watchful.”

That means pay attention. Be aware of what is going on around you. Be aware of what God is doing. Prayer is not just talking. It is also looking, listening, and staying engaged.

Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” There is a connection between staying alert and staying strong.

And then Paul adds one more piece. “With thanksgiving.”

That is easy to overlook, but it matters.

Gratitude changes the tone of your prayer life. It keeps you from only going to God with problems. It reminds you of what He has already done. It keeps your heart in the right place.

04/26/2026

https://youtu.be/TFhxxLlr-ss?feature=shared

4/26/26 Forgiveness Without Forbearance?

04/24/2026

Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts… and be thankful.”

That word “rule” is the key.

It means to act like an umpire. To make the call. To decide what stays and what goes. Paul is saying that peace is not just something you feel when everything is going right. It is something that is supposed to lead you.

Most of us do the opposite.

We let stress rule. We let frustration rule. We let anxiety make the calls. And when those things are in charge, it does not take long before everything feels off.

Paul says let the peace of Christ take that place.

That does not mean life will always be calm. It means even when life is not calm, something deeper is steady. There is a confidence that Christ is in control.

John 14:27 says, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you.” That kind of peace is different. It is not based on circumstances. It is based on who Christ is.

And then Paul adds something that seems simple, but it matters more than we think. “Be thankful.”

Gratitude has a way of protecting your peace. When you focus on what God has done, it shifts your perspective. It keeps your heart from drifting toward negativity and frustration.

04/23/2026

That word “whatever” covers a lot of ground.

It is easy to have the right attitude when you are doing something you enjoy. Something that gets noticed. Something that feels important. But Paul does not limit this to certain kinds of work.

He says whatever you do.

That includes the things nobody sees. The routine. The small stuff. The responsibilities that do not get recognition. The parts of your day that feel ordinary.

Paul is reminding us that there is no such thing as meaningless work when it is done for the Lord.

The problem is, a lot of times we base our effort on who is watching. If someone important is paying attention, we give our best. If not, we tend to coast a little.

Paul flips that thinking.

He says your work is not ultimately for people. It is for the Lord.

That changes everything.

Because when you realize who you are really working for, it affects how you approach even the smallest things. Your attitude changes. Your effort changes. Your consistency changes.

First Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” That lines up perfectly with this. Every part of life becomes an opportunity to honor Him.

So whether it is your job, your responsibilities at home, how you treat people, or how you handle the small things no one else notices… it all matters.

04/22/2026

04/22/2026

“Bear with each other.”

That means people are going to test your patience. People are going to get on your nerves. People are going to do things you do not like. That is just part of life. Paul is not saying if that happens. He is saying when it happens, this is how you respond.

You bear with them.

And then he takes it even further. Not just tolerate them. Forgive them.

That is where it gets hard.

Because forgiveness is not natural. Holding onto things is. Replaying what someone said or did is. Wanting them to feel what you felt is. That comes easy.

Forgiveness takes a decision.

And Paul gives us the reason why. “As the Lord has forgiven you.”

That changes everything.

Because when you stop and think about how much you have been forgiven, it becomes a lot harder to hold something over someone else. Not because what they did was okay, but because you realize you have been given something you did not deserve.

Ephesians 4:32 says to forgive one another as God in Christ forgave you. That is the standard.

Not based on how they treat you. Based on how Christ has treated you.

So maybe the question today is simple.

Who am I struggling to bear with? Who am I holding onto something against?

Because if we are going to reflect Christ, it is going to show up in how we handle people when it is not easy.

Bear with them. Forgive them.

Not because they earned it.

But because you did not either.

04/21/2026

Every day, we choose what we are going to wear. Nobody accidentally gets dressed. It is a decision. You look at what is in front of you and you put it on.

Paul is saying the same thing about how we live.

These qualities do not just show up on their own. Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience… those are choices. You put them on.

And just like clothing, they are visible. People may not know what you are thinking, but they can see how you treat them. They can feel your attitude. They can tell pretty quickly what you are wearing on the inside.

The challenge is that it is easy to put on the wrong things.

It is easy to put on frustration instead of patience. Pride instead of humility. Harshness instead of gentleness. And once you put those on, they tend to show up in everything you do.

Paul is reminding us to be intentional.

Ephesians 4:24 says to “put on the new self, created after the likeness of God.” That means we are not just trying to be better people. We are choosing to reflect Christ in the way we live.

And here is the thing. You do not wait until you feel like it.

You choose it anyway.

You choose kindness when it is not returned. You choose patience when it is tested. You choose humility when you would rather be right.

So maybe the question today is simple.

What am I putting on?

Because what you wear on the inside will always show up on the outside.

04/20/2026

Paul is reminding them to lift their eyes.

Not because life down here does not matter, but because if all we ever focus on is what is in front of us, we will lose sight of what really matters.

“Set your hearts” is not a one time decision. It is something you have to do over and over again. Every day. Sometimes multiple times a day.

Because if you do not intentionally set your focus, something else will set it for you.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” That means your heart is always moving toward something. The question is what.

It is easy to get caught up chasing things that do not last. Things that feel important in the moment but do not carry any real weight long term.

Paul is saying aim higher.

Put your focus on Christ. On what is eternal. On what actually matters beyond today.

And here is the thing. When your focus changes, everything else starts to change with it. Your attitude. Your priorities. The way you handle situations.

So maybe the question today is simple.

What has my attention right now?

Because whatever has your attention is shaping your heart.

04/17/2026

On the surface, some things look spiritual. They look disciplined. They look like devotion. And if we are not careful, we can start to think that just doing the right things on the outside is enough.

Paul is saying it is not.

You can follow rules. You can go through routines. You can even be strict on yourself and still not deal with what is really going on inside.

That is the issue.

The problem is not just behavior. It is the heart.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:27 that some people look clean on the outside but inside are full of corruption. That is strong, but it is real. It is possible to look right and still not be right.

That is why rules alone will never fix the problem. They can manage behavior for a while, but they cannot change the heart.

Only Christ can do that.

Ezekiel 36:26 says that God gives a new heart and a new spirit. That is what real change looks like. Not just external effort, but internal transformation.

That ties everything together from this chapter.

We talked about being rooted. We talked about guarding against being taken captive. We talked about being filled in Him. And now we see why all of that matters.

Because real victory over sin does not come from trying harder. It comes from being changed by Christ.