Melissa Rightmire Melissa Rightmire

Week Twenty-four

A friend of mine and I were talking about how hard it is to learn to take every thought captive to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). All of humanity is up against arguments and pretensions from this world that set themselves up against us knowing God. People who don’t yet know God don’t understand that this is the case. But once we know then we have to learn to live in the light of His Presence and His upside down kingdom way of living.

We are told in the scripture that our weapons are not of this world. Our weapons are “truthful speech . . . the power of God . . .and righteousness in the right hand and in the left” (2 Corinthians 6:7). It takes a lot to learn this way of fighting for our thoughts. How are we to know what truth is? How do we live in the power of God? How do we hold onto righteousness with both our hands and all of our strength?

The answer is simple but not necessarily easy. Yet, if you are reading this and have been following along as we read the New Testament in six months, you are well into your course of training in spiritual warfare and learning what it means to take your thoughts captive. You are in the Word of God regularly — most likely daily.

It’s not that reading the Bible in and of itself is the answer. But reading the Bible is how we learn what real truth is. It’s how we know what the power of God looks and feels like. It is how we learn what righteousness is in the sight of God. It is how we know what God thinks, what He loves, what He hates, and the length that He was willing to go to redeem everyone.

When we read the Bible with a heart ready to abide in the Word and it in us, then it will shape us. Over time we begin to be molded and fashioned to look and live like Jesus. We understand truth, and because of that we recognize lies earlier and earlier and can stand against them. We know the power of God when He is upon us or someone else and we know how to respond. We know what is right in the eyes of God and our relationships are built on the foundation of the love of Christ.

Yet, it takes more than reading the Bible and abiding in His Word. It’s also important to recognize that there are now millions who have gone before us and who have shown us the way. And if we do our part as disciples and disciple makers in this massive Jesus movement there will be others who look to us to show them the way.

This week’s reading has a keen understanding of the importance of the prophets and apostles of old, their place and ours in history. Every letter references those who by faith pioneered the path forward and yet never saw the Messiah they eagerly awaited. Imagine the battle of the mind when the promises you personally received from God are not seen by you, yet somehow you realize that generations from now that promise will be manifested in the flesh. They knew, and we must know, every step forward taken in faith lays the path for people not yet born.

According to scripture, our faith journey is important because it is part of a much larger story. Each one of us plays an essential part. That’s why, as hard as it is, we must learn to take captive every thought to Christ. Because every thought becomes an action, and every action has the opportunity to reveal who Jesus is to someone who is fighting a battle not only in their mind but for their life. Eternal life. Whether that is recognized or not.

As you read this week, consider that you are joining . . .

. . . a great cloud of witnesses . . .thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly . . . those whose names are written in heaven. . . the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. . . the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come. Those to whom it was revealed — that they were not serving themselves but you.

Theirs is the prophetic message that is “completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.”

This week, may you “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

You can write a comment below, or reach me, Melissa, at mrightmire@crnaz.com . Thank you for traveling with me on this journey through the New Testament.

Below are the readings for week 24:

Read More
Melissa Rightmire Melissa Rightmire

Week Twenty-three

Why?

It’s been almost six months that our small group has been meeting. We had never been together in this way before and so it has taken time to get to know one another, build relationships, and to trust each other with our questions and the reality that faith is not always easy. We have come a long way in six months!

Last night questions about who Paul was arose. Why do people put so much emphasis on him and what he wrote? Shouldn’t we just care about what Jesus said and did? Basically, the question was ‘why do all these letters after the gospels and Acts matter?’

If Paul were alive today, I think he would be appalled at the attention he gets. He always pointed to Jesus. He lived and died to make sure that everyone he ever came into contact with knew about Jesus. Although he suffered more than we can imagine, his biggest concern was not his suffering. It was whether or not God would be glorified and Jesus known somehow, even if he suffered. The fate worse than death was living a life that would not profess Jesus in everything. Re-read Philippians 3:7-14 to get a sense for how he felt about his own life.

What he, and the other apostles wrote is critical to how we follow God as believers in Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, ascension, and giving of the Holy Spirit. It was necessary for these apostles to instruct Jesus believing Jews as well as the Gentiles in what Jesus’ life and death means to us as people. If we did not have the instructions from Romans through Revelation, we would either be living as Jews who don’t believe Jesus died, was resurrected, and ascended to heaven or we would be living like those who believe in other gods. Either way, we would be captive to endless sacrificial systems that demand distortions to our bodies, our minds, and our relationships. We would bow down to created things instead of to the Creator of all things. We would constantly be attempting to be good enough for today’s portion and provision instead of relying on the God who has endless abundance and resources for us. Who knows how we would behave when life does not go our way?

Perhaps we get more than a glimpse of that answer when we see those around us who do not yet know Jesus. We understand all to well when our lives collide with theirs and sin invades between the two - when evil rises up and steals dignity leaving injustice behind to rot lives, families, communities, and even nations. But is that really only those who do not yet believe that make such marks on humanity? Are not-yet-believers the only ones who live that way? Perhaps we too quickly and easily separate into categories of us and them without thinking of our own frailties and propensity to sin.

We need these letters in the New Testament (Testament means covenant) to guide us in how to live as people in a new covenant; to guide us in a completely different way of living than anyone else. A covenant that relies on the most generous gift of love that anyone could ever imagine. We need these letters so we have a model of what it means to be in communities of people who live in Christ together, not to harm one another, but to do good for each other’s sake. We need these letters to see what life in the one and only resurrected God truly means. It changes everything! And everything is a lot to change! We need these letters. They are “God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

You can write a comment below, or reach me, Melissa, at mrightmire@crnaz.com . Thank you for traveling with me on this journey through the New Testament.

Below are the readings for week 23:

June 5, 2025 Philem NIV, Ps 119:145–160 NIV

June 6, 2025 Heb 1–3 NIV, Ps 119:161–176 NIV

June 7, 2025 Heb 4:1–7:10 NIV, Ps 120–121 NIV

June 8, 2025 Heb 7:11–8:13 NIV, Ps 122 NIV

June 9, 2025 Heb 9:1–10:18 NIV, Ps 123–124 NIV

June 10, 2025 Heb 10:19–39 NIV, Ps 125–126 NIV

June 11, 2025 Heb 11:1–12:3 NIV, Ps 127–128 NIV

Read More
Melissa Rightmire Melissa Rightmire

Week Twenty-two

This week, as we journey through Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians, Timothy, and Titus, we are reminded of the steadfastness required of God’s people in uncertain and often hostile times. In 2 Thessalonians, we see that God’s judgment is always right and just. Paul encourages the church to pray earnestly for those enduring persecution, and to remain grounded in the truth of God, not swayed by fear or deception regarding the end times. Even when Satan uses signs and wonders to mislead, we are called to stand firm in the power of God and pray for the spread of the gospel and the deliverance of those who carry it.

In 1 Timothy, Paul offers guidance to a young pastor learning to shepherd God’s people. He urges Timothy to be a man of prayer and teach his congregation to be the same. He urges him to pray for all people, including leaders and authorities—so they may live peaceful, holy lives that testify to God’s character. Church leaders, especially elders and deacons, must be marked by integrity and holiness. Paul charges Timothy to train in godliness, teach truth boldly, and faithfully steward the gifts God has given. As believers two centuries later, we too are all called to be examples of holiness and peace.

In 2 Timothy, Paul, facing the end of his earthly ministry, writes with urgency and deep love. His words to Timothy are a call to endure suffering, guard the gospel, and remain faithful to the truth in a world filled with compromise. Though Paul anticipates his death, his heart is anchored in the mission of spreading the good news. His passion for the gospel and his trust in Timothy to carry the torch forward are moving reminders of spiritual legacy and discipleship.

In his letter to Titus, Paul reminds him and us that the grace of God not only saves but transforms. He says in Titus 2:11-13, “For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.” While the Holy Spirit gives us the power to say no to the world and YES to Jesus, we will always need a body of believers to walk with us and encourage us through out the journey!

I pray you are encouraged by these letters to live prayerful, faithful, lives filled with the truth of the love of Jesus with all your heart.

You can write a comment below, or reach me, Melissa, at mrightmire@crnaz.com . Thank you for traveling with me on this journey through the New Testament.

Below are the readings for week 22:

Read More
Melissa Rightmire Melissa Rightmire

Week Twenty-one

Paul was a spiritual father to countless believers. He planted more churches than we have letters from him, and yet through his writings, we glimpse the depth of his care and commitment to each community. This week, as you finish Ephesians and begin reading Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians, you’ll encounter four letters that reflect Paul’s unique relationship with each church.

Though there are common themes woven throughout all his letters, each one is personal—tailored to the specific needs and challenges of its recipients. Despite relying on slow and informal methods of communication, Paul remained deeply connected to the churches he founded. His words carried encouragement, correction, instruction, and prayer—anchoring these young communities in Christ.

As you read this week, pay attention to the consistent themes Paul emphasizes: the centrality of Christ, unity in the Church, love for one another, and perseverance in the face of opposition. Notice how Paul prays specifically for each church. These prayers, though written centuries ago, still resonate powerfully today. They are rich resources for both personal and corporate prayer. As you pray them, imagine joining a great cloud of witnesses throughout history who have lifted the same words to God.

One of Paul’s most persistent messages is the call to unity in Christ—especially between Jews and Gentiles, a radical idea at the time. He consistently underscores the value of brotherly love within the Body of Christ. He also urges believers to stand firm against the inevitable resistance to the gospel. His letters remind us to cling to the Truth that sets people free, to live lives marked by righteousness, and to always be ready to share the message of peace in a world marked by chaos.

Paul encouraged a bold, unwavering faith in God’s ability to do more than we could ask or imagine. He wrote often of the sacrifice of Jesus—our salvation—and the confidence we can have in His power to cleanse and transform us.

And above all, Paul called the Church to prayer. Pray together often. Pray for open doors to share the gospel. Pray for the message to be received. Pray for your fellow disciples across the globe—that their witness would bear fruit.

These letters were written to specific people in a particular time and culture, yet they remain profoundly relevant today. What a gift. What a legacy. What a heritage we share in Christ!

And now, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24).

You can write a comment below, or reach me, Melissa, at mrightmire@crnaz.com . Thank you for traveling with me on this journey through the New Testament.

Below are the readings for week 21:

Read More
Melissa Rightmire Melissa Rightmire

Week Twenty

It seems obvious that Paul struggled immensely with the churches in Corinth and Galatia. They both had outside influences that were taking the church down the wrong path. While Paul wrote some incredible theology in both letters, his outright boldness can be difficult to read! Some of the things he says to the Galatians would be way too risky to have documented anywhere today! Imagine if your pastor told someone in an email that another person should be emasculated (Galatians 5:12)? That email would not survive the slaughter of instagram or any other social media outlet.

As much as we admire the apostle Paul, if he lived today cancel culture would have called him out and we would not hear from him again. Wouldn’t it be sad to miss out on 2/3rds of the New Testament! Thankfully, the culture and people of the time were not as sensitive as we are today and it was easy to see both letters as incredibly instructive and even inspired by the power of the Holy Spirit.

That’s really the key. All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Since we believe that, as you finish 2 Corinthians this week and read through Galatians and into Ephesians, take a moment each day to ask the Holy Spirit, ‘what do you want to teach me?’ Where do I need to be rebuked and corrected? Am I open to being trained in God’s definition of righteousness? These are questions we should continually ask ourselves. When the real answer is ‘no, I’m not feeling open to any of this today,’ take a moment. Take a breath. Close your eyes and listen to what your body and your spirit are saying. Spend time in silence and listen for God’s voice. He knows your current struggle! He will encourage you. He will provide the space in your heart to read on. This is not a race, it is a journey and we are on it together! Take heart! Jesus has overcome the world!

You can write a comment below, or reach me, Melissa, at mrightmire@crnaz.com . Thank you for traveling with me on this journey through the New Testament.

Below are the readings for week 20:

Read More