6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
continue to follow Him... I think that is a bigger problem than we really like to talk about... we need to spend time alone with anyone we are in relationship with... just like a human relationship suffers if you never spend time talking alone.. so does our spiritual one... we don't spend enough time reading our bible... and that is generally how God speaks... so how is He speaking if we aren't giving Him opportuntity.. our behavior doesn't have to get worse for us to slip out of relationship... although eventually that will probably happen too... sometimes I think this happens more than we realize... we slip away from the closeness we once had... and start to lose our peace.. start to lose our joy... start to focus on circumstance rather than God...
8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. 12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
13 You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. 14 He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
charles stanley taught on this last week... before we are saved... our sinful nature is in control... but after salvation.. the spirit of God is living within us.. so we have power over sin... BUT we still have to choose to allow Christ to reign... and overcome the temptation to sin....
16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality. 18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud, 19 and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it. 20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.
many people in past times were literal slaves to someone else.. as we don't have that as a reality in our lives.. we don't really think about being slaves to anything... yet we are either slaves to Christ or to self/enemy.... we hold the spiritual powers of this world yet we are always thinking that we have no power at all... again pride goes before a fall... Lord let me never become prideful....
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Colossians 2: 1-4
1 I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
in Christ lies all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge... how many people go to school for years and years and still have no useful knowledge in them... how many people can spout all sorts of useless knowledge but nothing that will change your life... all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge lie hidden in Christ...
4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.
people are often deceived... there are times that we just hear what we want to hear rather than what lines up with the word of God... if it is against His words.. then it cannot be from Him.... it is hard to determine some days who's voice we hear... is it self? is it the enemy? is it God... well I heard a very wise woman tell me one time... the voice of the deceiver always builds up self... the voice of God always builds up someone else at a price to self... no matter what the well crafted words are... God is not a self promoter... He will always build up someone else and take the focus off of self...
in Christ lies all the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge... how many people go to school for years and years and still have no useful knowledge in them... how many people can spout all sorts of useless knowledge but nothing that will change your life... all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge lie hidden in Christ...
4 I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. 5 For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.
people are often deceived... there are times that we just hear what we want to hear rather than what lines up with the word of God... if it is against His words.. then it cannot be from Him.... it is hard to determine some days who's voice we hear... is it self? is it the enemy? is it God... well I heard a very wise woman tell me one time... the voice of the deceiver always builds up self... the voice of God always builds up someone else at a price to self... no matter what the well crafted words are... God is not a self promoter... He will always build up someone else and take the focus off of self...
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Colossians 1:24-29
24 I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. 25 God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. 26 This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed to God’s people. 27 For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.
I have to admit... I am NOT glad when I suffer in my body... not for Jesus or for anyone else.... he gives us a new way to look at it... but still... I am not the one to rejoice in suffering... I do realize we all suffer for the furthering of the kingdom... our particular struggles in life are the very thing that God will use to help someone else later on... and we go through it first to be help to someone else... (I still do not appreciate the suffering... that's just me...)
28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
I learn daily more and more that all that I can ever be is only through Christ working in me... daily changing me.. growing me.. helping me... I am completely dependent on Him and I am thankful for that...
I have to admit... I am NOT glad when I suffer in my body... not for Jesus or for anyone else.... he gives us a new way to look at it... but still... I am not the one to rejoice in suffering... I do realize we all suffer for the furthering of the kingdom... our particular struggles in life are the very thing that God will use to help someone else later on... and we go through it first to be help to someone else... (I still do not appreciate the suffering... that's just me...)
28 So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. 29 That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
I learn daily more and more that all that I can ever be is only through Christ working in me... daily changing me.. growing me.. helping me... I am completely dependent on Him and I am thankful for that...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Colossians 1: 15-23
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Christ is the visible image of God... sometimes to see a visible image would be so great... to be able to sit in a chair and talk with Jesus beside me.. to physically hear His responses... that would be so awesome!!
sometimes I have a hard time equating Him with the level of awesomeness as God.. yet I know that He is... they are one... they are the same...
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
hard to imagine myself as an enemy of God.. yet it is truth... separated by evil actions and thoughts... thank God He kept after me and allowed me to be reconciled to Him!!! I am so thankful to be in His presence... although I surely don't see myself as holy and blameless...
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
continue to stand.. on the hard days.. on the happy days.. all days... continue to stand in and for Christ...
and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. 19 For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Christ is the visible image of God... sometimes to see a visible image would be so great... to be able to sit in a chair and talk with Jesus beside me.. to physically hear His responses... that would be so awesome!!
sometimes I have a hard time equating Him with the level of awesomeness as God.. yet I know that He is... they are one... they are the same...
21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
hard to imagine myself as an enemy of God.. yet it is truth... separated by evil actions and thoughts... thank God He kept after me and allowed me to be reconciled to Him!!! I am so thankful to be in His presence... although I surely don't see myself as holy and blameless...
23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the assurance you received when you heard the Good News. The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul, have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.
continue to stand.. on the hard days.. on the happy days.. all days... continue to stand in and for Christ...
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
yesterday as I went to the tag office, I was approached by a young woman and given a family tract which just had scripture in it speaking of the importance of family.. so I ask her what church she attends.. she tells me kingdom hall.. which is jehovah witnesses... I tell her I go to tabernacle on laney walker.. she said she has heard of the church.. so she floors me and asks me what do we believe as baptists.... now we all know that I KNOW my bible.. yet every thought flew out my head... I say we believe in the bible.. the 66 books.. the written word of God... if it is in there.. we believe it... then the spirit talks and tells me I can do better than that.. so I say we believe Jesus is the Son of God.. born and lived.. died on the cross.. rose again 3 days later and is in heaven until he comes back for us at the 2nd coming... she said ok.. what do you believe will happen on the earth after the second coming?...
now... after thinking about it... I am thinking she meant after the second coming.. during the tribulation what will happen... but at the time I was thinking about after the enemy is destroyed... I tell her that what happens after the second coming is interpreted different ways by different people... there are people who believe the new jeruselum is going to be on the earth... I don't know what is going to happen.. just that I am going to be with Jesus no matter what it is.... then they call my number.. and I walk to the counter... after I am done at the counter I go back to her.. I hug her and I tell her God bless you... and I say you are welcome at my church any time you want to come... and she is a little surprised I think and tells me thank you and she was glad to run into me...
I think afterwards of all I would have done differently but I am reminded that God's love will cover a multitude of wrong.. so I think that by showing her love in the end that I did okay...
the point of telling this is... do we really know.. I mean really know... how to respond to situations like that... others.. like the jehovah's witnesses are taught exactly what they would answer to questions and we are not... I think it is very important for us to consider what we would tell someone... it is possible that she is lost and I could have led her the right way if I had handled it right... at this point all I can think is that God will cover it and lead her to someone who can answer her more correctly than I did... but I know for me personally.. I am going to have to study some of these questions and study their beliefs to know how to answer someone in this situation in the future... it was presented to me to save her and I allowed her to continue to be lost by my lack of knowing how to answer... I don't want to leave anyone lost ever again...
now... after thinking about it... I am thinking she meant after the second coming.. during the tribulation what will happen... but at the time I was thinking about after the enemy is destroyed... I tell her that what happens after the second coming is interpreted different ways by different people... there are people who believe the new jeruselum is going to be on the earth... I don't know what is going to happen.. just that I am going to be with Jesus no matter what it is.... then they call my number.. and I walk to the counter... after I am done at the counter I go back to her.. I hug her and I tell her God bless you... and I say you are welcome at my church any time you want to come... and she is a little surprised I think and tells me thank you and she was glad to run into me...
I think afterwards of all I would have done differently but I am reminded that God's love will cover a multitude of wrong.. so I think that by showing her love in the end that I did okay...
the point of telling this is... do we really know.. I mean really know... how to respond to situations like that... others.. like the jehovah's witnesses are taught exactly what they would answer to questions and we are not... I think it is very important for us to consider what we would tell someone... it is possible that she is lost and I could have led her the right way if I had handled it right... at this point all I can think is that God will cover it and lead her to someone who can answer her more correctly than I did... but I know for me personally.. I am going to have to study some of these questions and study their beliefs to know how to answer someone in this situation in the future... it was presented to me to save her and I allowed her to continue to be lost by my lack of knowing how to answer... I don't want to leave anyone lost ever again...
Monday, August 22, 2011
Colossians 1:3-14
3 We always pray for you, and we give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, 5 which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
it's amazing to me that I knew the good news of Christ all my life... but it took till now for me to allow it to change me..
7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
I was listening to John MacArthur yesterday about my love walk... and he says that anytime we harbor angry or malicious feelings toward someone... this is not walking in love... I am thinking to myself... that is a little unrealistic.. to think that I will not be mad or ever want to smack the mess out of someone... at least I'm not doing it... he said... when Christ died on the cross... He covered the sin that person has done to us... the wrong way they treated us.. so who are we to imply that the blood of Christ is not enough for us to forgive someone... (BOW *$# SMACK *&% BIFF @#%)
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
COMPLETE knowledge of his will and spiritual wisdom and understanding... how awesome would that be?? instead we get some understanding and wisdom and then allow so many things to sidetrack us and get in the way.... I really want to produce EVERY kind of good fruit... but somehow I will have to get past myself to do it...
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
I really pray for the patience and endurance that I need to finish this race... I usually am filled with joy despite circumstance... and I am so thankful for that... I am so thankful that God sent His son to die to pay for our sins... really... what more could we ask for... yet somehow we do...
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
it's amazing to me that I knew the good news of Christ all my life... but it took till now for me to allow it to change me..
7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf. 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
I was listening to John MacArthur yesterday about my love walk... and he says that anytime we harbor angry or malicious feelings toward someone... this is not walking in love... I am thinking to myself... that is a little unrealistic.. to think that I will not be mad or ever want to smack the mess out of someone... at least I'm not doing it... he said... when Christ died on the cross... He covered the sin that person has done to us... the wrong way they treated us.. so who are we to imply that the blood of Christ is not enough for us to forgive someone... (BOW *$# SMACK *&% BIFF @#%)
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
COMPLETE knowledge of his will and spiritual wisdom and understanding... how awesome would that be?? instead we get some understanding and wisdom and then allow so many things to sidetrack us and get in the way.... I really want to produce EVERY kind of good fruit... but somehow I will have to get past myself to do it...
11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.
I really pray for the patience and endurance that I need to finish this race... I usually am filled with joy despite circumstance... and I am so thankful for that... I am so thankful that God sent His son to die to pay for our sins... really... what more could we ask for... yet somehow we do...
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Philippians 4:10-20
10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.
I feel that I can honestly say that in the past I was content in whatever situation i was in... I think I have a harder time with it now... I read a scripture yesterday where he asked God don't give me too much lest I get full of myself.. don't give me too little lest I become a thief... I think that is a good request to have for God.. that we be somewhere in the middle.. with enough struggle to know He is our provider and our protecter.. yet not so deep in struggle that we would rather live like we lived in the past...
15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.
18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
I have been in situations where I had to know that truly... God is my provider and He surely will provide all I need.. not all I want.. but all I need...
20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
I feel that I can honestly say that in the past I was content in whatever situation i was in... I think I have a harder time with it now... I read a scripture yesterday where he asked God don't give me too much lest I get full of myself.. don't give me too little lest I become a thief... I think that is a good request to have for God.. that we be somewhere in the middle.. with enough struggle to know He is our provider and our protecter.. yet not so deep in struggle that we would rather live like we lived in the past...
15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.
18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
I have been in situations where I had to know that truly... God is my provider and He surely will provide all I need.. not all I want.. but all I need...
20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.
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