James 1: 26-27
(26) If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.
The word for religion is threskeia, which means a "ceremonial observance," an outward display with scripted actions. This word comes from the word threo, which is "to wail, clamor, as to frighten--trouble." Religion is the demonstration of doing some ceremony to attract God's attention and favor.
James says that someone who doesn't try to control what he says, yet thinks he's religious, then he's only lying to himself.
We don't have to do anything to get God's attention--He already sees us and sent His Son to save us, and has already done everything for us that we need.
Now our response is to love Him back and to love others with His love.
(27) Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
So, James says that to demonstrate our love, then we should take care of those who don't have anyone to take care of them, and to do our best to not walk through too much filth as we live in this world of dirt.
That's why we need to "wash in the water of the word" regularly to clean our feet. When Jesus washed Peter's feet at the Last Supper, He told him, He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean.
Jesus "bathed" us completely and permanently clean in the blood of Calvary that splashed on the sides of the Cross. Now we only need to "wash our feet" in the water of the word regularly, to remove whatever dirt we may have picked up from living in this fallen world. That's how we keep [ourselves] unstained by the world.
James will teach us some more about the tongue in Chapter 3.
O my Father, thank You that we don't need to do anything to get Your attention! Thank You that You see me, You know me, You love me, and You have me on Your mind all the time. You loved me before I was even born; before I ever did anything good or bad, You already planned out my life for me.
Now strengthen me, Father, to be able to do the things that will demonstrate Your sterling character, as we see in Your Son Jesus. Continue to mold me into the moral image of my Lord, that the world will see how much You love them through me.
O Father, send out all Your children to bring Your message of Love to every creature, every person alive. Let Your Word cover the Earth, and let every human in every nation, tribe, language, and family hear Your good news of how You have already met all their needs, so that all Your children will be drawn into Your family, and no one else will have any excuse for not turning to You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Friday, February 28, 2020
Don't Have A Spiritual Bad Hair Day
James 1: 19-25
(19) Know this, my beloved brethren: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
(20) for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
The art of listening needs to be learned by us all. We must be able to listen to one another, and especially to hear what God is saying to us in His word. This is essential to put all the parts together into a godly lifestyle.
And if we're too quick to speak, then we may not have thought through the concepts being discussed, or we may miss what someone else may contribute to our understanding.
Especially if we disagree with what someone said. Then we need to listen more closely to their thoughts to find some common ground. When we react too quickly, we may act rudely to the person, and disrespect their standing in the group. This is not loving one another.
Our human anger often springs from our own self-importance, and is seldom a "righteous anger." Even if it arises in response to some disrespect or disregard of God's ways, it is still dangerous for us. To speak out against injustice and deceit requires great discernment and grace on our part.
Anger may spur us on to righting a wrong, but we must be careful with it, because human anger tends not to promote God's love. We are responsible for loving one another, not judging each other. God's wrath will fall upon all the unrighteousness, we can trust that to Him.
Too often our anger will lead us into doing something that is not charitable or encouraging, but harmful and destructive. And even prideful or spiteful.
(21) Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness,
We are to cleanse our minds of all dirty or unloving thoughts by washing them out. Replace them with godly, loving, righteous thoughts. Get rid of every residue of the attitudes we used to have before we were saved.
in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Let God's word be implanted in your thinking processes and attitudes. Plant them deep in your mind, to grow into new, charitable and loving attitudes toward one another. Let Scripture so fill your thoughts that they crowd out all the old, sinful, evil thoughts.
The word for soul here is psuche, which refers to a concept between our immortal soul and the basic life force, so it is our "sentient principle only." This means that our rational thinking processes can be washed out, cleansed from all the harmful and destructive thoughts by replacing them with Scripture, to save your soul.
(22) But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
(23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
But just to know Scripture and memorize verses and think godly thoughts all day is not yet living a godly life. Don't lie to yourself by thinking that this is enough. We must also do something, put into practice all these Scriptures we're studying. We don't want to "sit, soak, and sour." The Dead Sea is dead because it constantly takes in but never lets anything flow out.
We must put into practice the concepts we are learning. We must get up off our duffs and do something. We need to open our eyes to see one anothers needs so we can benefit each other, using our resources to meet their deficiencies.
he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
(24) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
This is like looking at yourself in your bathroom mirror, noticing that your hair is a mess, but instead of picking up your comb, you're called away by a phone call, and you forget about combing your hair. Then you go all day without another thought for your hair, but everyone else sees it. You've just suffered a "bad hair day." We don't want to do that spiritually.
(25) But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer,
So, when we don't let ourselves be distracted, but continually keep godly principles on our mind; then when life happens, we will have godly ways ready to live out, instead of worldly ways.
this man will be blessed in what he does.
The one who can do this will be successful in what he does in life, cooperating with the way God designed it all to work out.
O my Father, Your wisdom guided you in creating everything you made (Proverbs 8: 22-30). To know You, Father God, is to begin to have wisdom, and this wisdom is our guide to success in whatever we endeavor.
Father, teach us Your wisdom, show us how to apply Your wisdom to everything we do in life, and in all our relationships and dealings with one another.
O Father, grant us to know how to apply Your ways to our practical, day-by-day life, in all the ordinary things that fill our days. Keep our thoughts on Your ways continually, to have them ready in the crunch, to not react in our flesh, but to habitually reach into our spirit for Your strength, wisdom and righteousness.
And grant us success in what we do, Father. Help us to successfully apply Your ways and live according to Your plan for each of us, to successfully accomplish everything You set before us to do, and promote Your Kingdom here on this Earth, until Your Son comes to set up His throne here.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(19) Know this, my beloved brethren: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger;
(20) for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.
The art of listening needs to be learned by us all. We must be able to listen to one another, and especially to hear what God is saying to us in His word. This is essential to put all the parts together into a godly lifestyle.
And if we're too quick to speak, then we may not have thought through the concepts being discussed, or we may miss what someone else may contribute to our understanding.
Especially if we disagree with what someone said. Then we need to listen more closely to their thoughts to find some common ground. When we react too quickly, we may act rudely to the person, and disrespect their standing in the group. This is not loving one another.
Our human anger often springs from our own self-importance, and is seldom a "righteous anger." Even if it arises in response to some disrespect or disregard of God's ways, it is still dangerous for us. To speak out against injustice and deceit requires great discernment and grace on our part.
Anger may spur us on to righting a wrong, but we must be careful with it, because human anger tends not to promote God's love. We are responsible for loving one another, not judging each other. God's wrath will fall upon all the unrighteousness, we can trust that to Him.
Too often our anger will lead us into doing something that is not charitable or encouraging, but harmful and destructive. And even prideful or spiteful.
(21) Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness,
We are to cleanse our minds of all dirty or unloving thoughts by washing them out. Replace them with godly, loving, righteous thoughts. Get rid of every residue of the attitudes we used to have before we were saved.
in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Let God's word be implanted in your thinking processes and attitudes. Plant them deep in your mind, to grow into new, charitable and loving attitudes toward one another. Let Scripture so fill your thoughts that they crowd out all the old, sinful, evil thoughts.
The word for soul here is psuche, which refers to a concept between our immortal soul and the basic life force, so it is our "sentient principle only." This means that our rational thinking processes can be washed out, cleansed from all the harmful and destructive thoughts by replacing them with Scripture, to save your soul.
(22) But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
(23) For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,
But just to know Scripture and memorize verses and think godly thoughts all day is not yet living a godly life. Don't lie to yourself by thinking that this is enough. We must also do something, put into practice all these Scriptures we're studying. We don't want to "sit, soak, and sour." The Dead Sea is dead because it constantly takes in but never lets anything flow out.
We must put into practice the concepts we are learning. We must get up off our duffs and do something. We need to open our eyes to see one anothers needs so we can benefit each other, using our resources to meet their deficiencies.
he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
(24) for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.
This is like looking at yourself in your bathroom mirror, noticing that your hair is a mess, but instead of picking up your comb, you're called away by a phone call, and you forget about combing your hair. Then you go all day without another thought for your hair, but everyone else sees it. You've just suffered a "bad hair day." We don't want to do that spiritually.
(25) But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer,
So, when we don't let ourselves be distracted, but continually keep godly principles on our mind; then when life happens, we will have godly ways ready to live out, instead of worldly ways.
this man will be blessed in what he does.
The one who can do this will be successful in what he does in life, cooperating with the way God designed it all to work out.
O my Father, Your wisdom guided you in creating everything you made (Proverbs 8: 22-30). To know You, Father God, is to begin to have wisdom, and this wisdom is our guide to success in whatever we endeavor.
Father, teach us Your wisdom, show us how to apply Your wisdom to everything we do in life, and in all our relationships and dealings with one another.
O Father, grant us to know how to apply Your ways to our practical, day-by-day life, in all the ordinary things that fill our days. Keep our thoughts on Your ways continually, to have them ready in the crunch, to not react in our flesh, but to habitually reach into our spirit for Your strength, wisdom and righteousness.
And grant us success in what we do, Father. Help us to successfully apply Your ways and live according to Your plan for each of us, to successfully accomplish everything You set before us to do, and promote Your Kingdom here on this Earth, until Your Son comes to set up His throne here.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, February 27, 2020
Pure Light
James 1: 13-18
(13) Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
When Jesus was in His flesh walking the Earth with us, He was subject to temptation. But since His death and Resurrection, He no longer can be tempted, nor can God the Father. For that reason, He will never tempt anyone to sin, as that would be wrong, and God is righteous all the time.
(14) But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
We are tempted by our own flesh that we live in. This human nature is flawed, we bear the damaged DNA from our original father, Adam. This is why we want what we want. The word for lust is epithumia, which means "a longing after (especially what is forbidden)," or wanting it now, not willing to wait for it. Instant gratification.
(15) Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
We want what we want, right now, we must have it, even though it isn't right. Then we go after it, and the temptation becomes sin. The end of sin is death, the death of the relationship, or the reputation, or the finances, or whatever was involved in the iniquity; and even physical death, eventually, and eternal death, as the paycheck for sin.
(16) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
(17) Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
We don't have to go after every desire. When what we want is what God wants for us, then it will be good, it will be right, and it will work out for our benefit and God's glory.
Here we learn that God is Light, pure Light, without any darkness to produce any kind of shadow, no matter which way He turns. Our eyes can't see pure light, it would just be a glare, and we can't even look at the sun without destroying our eyes, and it holds just a little bit of God's glory. That's why flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, we need to be changed to live with Him. That's why we will be resurrected with spiritual bodies (I Corinthians 15: 44).
(18) In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
In doing His own will, God has chosen us, brought us forth, to be His children, and by His written word we can know His truth that the Word, Jesus, died for us to save us. Now that He has washed us clean with His blood, God places His Holy Spirit into our human spirit, birthing us into His family. We become the body of Christ, with Christ as our Head, who is the firstfruits of the resurrection (I Corinthians 15: 20). So, as His body, we are also to be resurrected as the first in creation.
No one else has ever been resurrected from the dead, before Jesus, and He will also raise us. So, as his body, we also are part of the firstfruits of resurrection from the dead.
O my Father, You have planned out everything before You did anything to make us. You knew we would rebel against You, so Your Son agreed to take responsibility for us, to be our Lord God, and give us all the laws and prophesies of what He would accomplish for us. Then He came and did it all.
I cannot imagine how it must have broken Your heart to see Your own Son on that cross, bearing our sin. To have to turn away from Him had to have been excruciating for You. And we know how Jesus suffered the night before, knowing what was ahead. That is how much You love us!
O Father, please teach us how to love You back, they way You want to be loved. Teach us how to love one another as You have loved us, unconditionally. We cannot do that in our own human love, it must be Yours in us.
Thank You for choosing us, Father, to be Your children. Thank You for loving us and planning our Redemption from dust into spirit-beings. Thank You for taking care of all of the details so that they work out so well.
Father, strengthen us, to run from temptation, to see Your way out of it. And when we're confronted with the devil, grant us to stand up against him clad in the armor of God, and after doing all to let You defeat him, to stand.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Redeemer, Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(13) Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.
When Jesus was in His flesh walking the Earth with us, He was subject to temptation. But since His death and Resurrection, He no longer can be tempted, nor can God the Father. For that reason, He will never tempt anyone to sin, as that would be wrong, and God is righteous all the time.
(14) But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
We are tempted by our own flesh that we live in. This human nature is flawed, we bear the damaged DNA from our original father, Adam. This is why we want what we want. The word for lust is epithumia, which means "a longing after (especially what is forbidden)," or wanting it now, not willing to wait for it. Instant gratification.
(15) Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
We want what we want, right now, we must have it, even though it isn't right. Then we go after it, and the temptation becomes sin. The end of sin is death, the death of the relationship, or the reputation, or the finances, or whatever was involved in the iniquity; and even physical death, eventually, and eternal death, as the paycheck for sin.
(16) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
(17) Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.
We don't have to go after every desire. When what we want is what God wants for us, then it will be good, it will be right, and it will work out for our benefit and God's glory.
Here we learn that God is Light, pure Light, without any darkness to produce any kind of shadow, no matter which way He turns. Our eyes can't see pure light, it would just be a glare, and we can't even look at the sun without destroying our eyes, and it holds just a little bit of God's glory. That's why flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, we need to be changed to live with Him. That's why we will be resurrected with spiritual bodies (I Corinthians 15: 44).
(18) In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
In doing His own will, God has chosen us, brought us forth, to be His children, and by His written word we can know His truth that the Word, Jesus, died for us to save us. Now that He has washed us clean with His blood, God places His Holy Spirit into our human spirit, birthing us into His family. We become the body of Christ, with Christ as our Head, who is the firstfruits of the resurrection (I Corinthians 15: 20). So, as His body, we are also to be resurrected as the first in creation.
No one else has ever been resurrected from the dead, before Jesus, and He will also raise us. So, as his body, we also are part of the firstfruits of resurrection from the dead.
O my Father, You have planned out everything before You did anything to make us. You knew we would rebel against You, so Your Son agreed to take responsibility for us, to be our Lord God, and give us all the laws and prophesies of what He would accomplish for us. Then He came and did it all.
I cannot imagine how it must have broken Your heart to see Your own Son on that cross, bearing our sin. To have to turn away from Him had to have been excruciating for You. And we know how Jesus suffered the night before, knowing what was ahead. That is how much You love us!
O Father, please teach us how to love You back, they way You want to be loved. Teach us how to love one another as You have loved us, unconditionally. We cannot do that in our own human love, it must be Yours in us.
Thank You for choosing us, Father, to be Your children. Thank You for loving us and planning our Redemption from dust into spirit-beings. Thank You for taking care of all of the details so that they work out so well.
Father, strengthen us, to run from temptation, to see Your way out of it. And when we're confronted with the devil, grant us to stand up against him clad in the armor of God, and after doing all to let You defeat him, to stand.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Redeemer, Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
The Crown Of Life
James 1: 9-12
(9) But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;
(10) and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.
(11) For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass, and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
We are never to glory in where we are outwardly. We are to see ourselves as God sees us, with high position with Him, and not trusting in any material prosperity to last.
What we have in this world is only temporary, so if we don't have much, then we can look forward to heavenly riches; and if we're prosperous here, then don't depend on riches or bank on keeping them for very long, because they don't last, and we won't be here very long.
(12) Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James has already told us to consider it all joy when we encounter various trials (in v. 2). Now he says that when we persevere, that we will win a crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
So, when we persevere through the trials because we love Him, this approves us to receive this prize.
O my Father, You love us so much, teach us how to love you back, and how to love one another as You would have us do so. Help us to be mindful of others' needs, to be aware of them before we notice our own needs.
Help us to love our loved ones in the love languages they can understand, and to live together in harmony and peace. And when our rough edges rub, to grow in patience and longsuffering toward one another.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(9) But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position;
(10) and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away.
(11) For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass, and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.
We are never to glory in where we are outwardly. We are to see ourselves as God sees us, with high position with Him, and not trusting in any material prosperity to last.
What we have in this world is only temporary, so if we don't have much, then we can look forward to heavenly riches; and if we're prosperous here, then don't depend on riches or bank on keeping them for very long, because they don't last, and we won't be here very long.
(12) Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James has already told us to consider it all joy when we encounter various trials (in v. 2). Now he says that when we persevere, that we will win a crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
So, when we persevere through the trials because we love Him, this approves us to receive this prize.
O my Father, You love us so much, teach us how to love you back, and how to love one another as You would have us do so. Help us to be mindful of others' needs, to be aware of them before we notice our own needs.
Help us to love our loved ones in the love languages they can understand, and to live together in harmony and peace. And when our rough edges rub, to grow in patience and longsuffering toward one another.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Joy In Trials?
James 1: 1-8
(1) James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
This James was a brother of Jesus, but didn't believe in his big Brother until after Christ's resurrection.
When Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, the angel told her to tell His disciples to keep the appointment Jesus had made with them to meet in Galilee (Matthew 28: 7). Then when Jesus appeared to Mary, He told her to tell His brothers to make it to that meeting, too (Matthew 28: 10). That may be when His brothers realized that He really was who He always claimed to be, the Son of God, not just the aggravatingly goody-two-shoes big brother who never did anything wrong.
Now he considers himself a servant, the property of God the Father and God the Son.
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
James became the leader of the church in Jerusalem, where all the Christians were Jewish. So his concern was for other Jews who lived in other parts of the world.
(2) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
This sounds like the opposite of our natural response: to rejoice in trials? Crazy.
(3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
So, we are to look down the road at the result, not the immediate circumstance. To see trials as testings, to strengthen our faith muscle.
(4) And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
This perfect doesn't refer to flawlessness, but to be completely mature, not coming up short in anything.
(5) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him.
God wants us to realize we need His wisdom to deal with all the living we are to do to succeed, so we are to humbly ask Him, and He will generously grant it.
(6) But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
But we have to trust Him to believe He will give us what we need, and not let doubts cloud our faith.
(7) For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
(8) being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The Lord always does according to our faith, as He said repeatedly while He was healing many before His death. When we say one thing but believe another thing, then we have no stability, and we are not reliable, we can't be depended on in anything.
This sounds serious. Someone who is unstable in all his ways will not be a success with anything he wants to do. We must make up our minds that our Lord is faithful and worthy of our trust. Then our emotions will catch up later.
O my Father, You are good, and You are good to us. You shower Your blessings upon all of us every day. Help us to recognize Your good gifts continually, so that our faith and trust in You will grow, seeing Your compassion and generosity.
Father, increase our faith, grow our trust, mold our characters into the virtues of our Lord. May we grow up into the maturity of the full stature of the Son of God, as His body and He the Head.
Send out Your children as messengers and preachers and missionaries into all the world to broadcast Your Word of the Gospel to every living being, so that Your house will be filled and no none will have any excuse.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, Son of the Father, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(1) James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
This James was a brother of Jesus, but didn't believe in his big Brother until after Christ's resurrection.
When Mary Magdalene went to the tomb, the angel told her to tell His disciples to keep the appointment Jesus had made with them to meet in Galilee (Matthew 28: 7). Then when Jesus appeared to Mary, He told her to tell His brothers to make it to that meeting, too (Matthew 28: 10). That may be when His brothers realized that He really was who He always claimed to be, the Son of God, not just the aggravatingly goody-two-shoes big brother who never did anything wrong.
Now he considers himself a servant, the property of God the Father and God the Son.
To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings.
James became the leader of the church in Jerusalem, where all the Christians were Jewish. So his concern was for other Jews who lived in other parts of the world.
(2) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
This sounds like the opposite of our natural response: to rejoice in trials? Crazy.
(3) knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
So, we are to look down the road at the result, not the immediate circumstance. To see trials as testings, to strengthen our faith muscle.
(4) And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
This perfect doesn't refer to flawlessness, but to be completely mature, not coming up short in anything.
(5) But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach and it will be given to him.
God wants us to realize we need His wisdom to deal with all the living we are to do to succeed, so we are to humbly ask Him, and He will generously grant it.
(6) But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.
But we have to trust Him to believe He will give us what we need, and not let doubts cloud our faith.
(7) For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord,
(8) being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
The Lord always does according to our faith, as He said repeatedly while He was healing many before His death. When we say one thing but believe another thing, then we have no stability, and we are not reliable, we can't be depended on in anything.
This sounds serious. Someone who is unstable in all his ways will not be a success with anything he wants to do. We must make up our minds that our Lord is faithful and worthy of our trust. Then our emotions will catch up later.
O my Father, You are good, and You are good to us. You shower Your blessings upon all of us every day. Help us to recognize Your good gifts continually, so that our faith and trust in You will grow, seeing Your compassion and generosity.
Father, increase our faith, grow our trust, mold our characters into the virtues of our Lord. May we grow up into the maturity of the full stature of the Son of God, as His body and He the Head.
Send out Your children as messengers and preachers and missionaries into all the world to broadcast Your Word of the Gospel to every living being, so that Your house will be filled and no none will have any excuse.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, Son of the Father, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Monday, February 24, 2020
All The Personal Names
Colossians 4: 7-18
Now Paul writes of his personal affairs, and mentions all the people involved by name.
(7) As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.
(8) For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;
(9) and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
Tychicus was delivering this letter to the Colossians, and he is the one who also brought the Ephesians their epistle. And with sending Onesimus with him, he may have delivered the personal letter to Philemon, too.
He trusts these two men to tell the people in Colosse everything that is going on with him in Rome.
(10) Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings;
Aristarchus was a resident of Thessalonica who had been arrested at the time of the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19: 29). He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20: 4), and was still with him in Rome.
and also Barnabas's cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);
This Mark is the writer of the gospel that bears his name, and we know more about him than about anyone else in this passage (see Acts 12:12, 25; 13: 13; 15: 37-39; I Peter 5: 13).
(11) and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the Kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.
We know nothing about this Jesus Justus; this is the only mention we find of him. But Paul mentions that these three are the only Jewish believers he has with him there in Rome.
Interesting that he would make this distinction when he is the one to reveal that there is no more difference spiritually between Jew or Gentile (3:11; also Galatians 3: 28).
But he may be keenly aware of his alienation from his countrymen, and so appreciating these brothers who may have helped him through some particular crisis, as his use of the aorist tense of the verb egenethesan (proved), and the word paregoria, (encouragement) referring to a relief of pain, would indicate.
(12) Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
Epaphras is the founder of the church in Collosse, so he is keenly aware of their situation; Paul says that he labors in prayer to the point of pain for them, that they would grow up to maturity in Christ.
(13) For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Heirapolis.
He, like Paul, wants all their beloved brothers and sisters to remain true to the gospel, and not fall for the deceptions of the heretical teachings that were spreading in in that whole area.
(14) Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.
Here is where we learn that Luke is a physician, and also a Gentile. He was with Paul ever since he had been traveling through that area and reached Troas, where he had the Macedonian vision (Acts 16: 8-10).
Demas is only mentioned in two other places, in Paul's letters to Philemon and Timothy.
(15) Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.
Many of the churches were still meeting in personal residences, only later were separate church buildings erected.
(16) When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.
He intended this to be a circular letter, passed along to the other churches, for all the Christians in the area to be warned and learn to resist the heresy spreading already.
The Lord's message to Laodicea in Revelation 3: 14-22 is the harshest denunciation of all seven churches in Asia.
(17) Say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord that you may fulfill it,"
Archippus was apparently of the household of Philemon (Philemon 2), and may have been his son; and he may also have been serving as pastor in the Colossian church in the absence of Epaphras. Paul gives no definite information about this ministry he was encouraging him to fulfil.
(18) I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.
It was customary for Paul to use a stenographer in his writings, but he here signs the letter in his own hand.
And he ends with the same simple prayer he began it with: Grace be with you.
O my Father, You are deeply concerned for Your children. You knew that these false teachers would come in as ravenous wolves, and destroy the pure Truth of the Gospel. There are so many today, that have never even yet heard the simple truth of Your Word, yet they think they are Christians.
Father, I pray that all of Your lost sheep would be found, that all of Your embryonic children would be brought to the birth, and that all of Your believers, as the body, would come to the maturity of the full stature of Your Son.
O Father, send out Your children as messengers throughout the whole world, to saturate every nation with the message of Your love. May every living person hear and understand to make a thoughtful and informed decision whether to follow You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Now Paul writes of his personal affairs, and mentions all the people involved by name.
(7) As to all my affairs, Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful servant and fellow bond-servant in the Lord, will bring you information.
(8) For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;
(9) and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of your number. They will inform you about the whole situation here.
Tychicus was delivering this letter to the Colossians, and he is the one who also brought the Ephesians their epistle. And with sending Onesimus with him, he may have delivered the personal letter to Philemon, too.
He trusts these two men to tell the people in Colosse everything that is going on with him in Rome.
(10) Aristarchus, my fellow prisoner, sends you his greetings;
Aristarchus was a resident of Thessalonica who had been arrested at the time of the riot in Ephesus (Acts 19: 29). He accompanied Paul to Jerusalem (Acts 20: 4), and was still with him in Rome.
and also Barnabas's cousin Mark (about whom you received instructions; if he comes to you, welcome him);
This Mark is the writer of the gospel that bears his name, and we know more about him than about anyone else in this passage (see Acts 12:12, 25; 13: 13; 15: 37-39; I Peter 5: 13).
(11) and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the Kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.
We know nothing about this Jesus Justus; this is the only mention we find of him. But Paul mentions that these three are the only Jewish believers he has with him there in Rome.
Interesting that he would make this distinction when he is the one to reveal that there is no more difference spiritually between Jew or Gentile (3:11; also Galatians 3: 28).
But he may be keenly aware of his alienation from his countrymen, and so appreciating these brothers who may have helped him through some particular crisis, as his use of the aorist tense of the verb egenethesan (proved), and the word paregoria, (encouragement) referring to a relief of pain, would indicate.
(12) Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
Epaphras is the founder of the church in Collosse, so he is keenly aware of their situation; Paul says that he labors in prayer to the point of pain for them, that they would grow up to maturity in Christ.
(13) For I testify for him that he has a deep concern for you and for those who are in Laodicea and Heirapolis.
He, like Paul, wants all their beloved brothers and sisters to remain true to the gospel, and not fall for the deceptions of the heretical teachings that were spreading in in that whole area.
(14) Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.
Here is where we learn that Luke is a physician, and also a Gentile. He was with Paul ever since he had been traveling through that area and reached Troas, where he had the Macedonian vision (Acts 16: 8-10).
Demas is only mentioned in two other places, in Paul's letters to Philemon and Timothy.
(15) Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea and also Nympha and the church that is in her house.
Many of the churches were still meeting in personal residences, only later were separate church buildings erected.
(16) When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.
He intended this to be a circular letter, passed along to the other churches, for all the Christians in the area to be warned and learn to resist the heresy spreading already.
The Lord's message to Laodicea in Revelation 3: 14-22 is the harshest denunciation of all seven churches in Asia.
(17) Say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord that you may fulfill it,"
Archippus was apparently of the household of Philemon (Philemon 2), and may have been his son; and he may also have been serving as pastor in the Colossian church in the absence of Epaphras. Paul gives no definite information about this ministry he was encouraging him to fulfil.
(18) I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my imprisonment. Grace be with you.
It was customary for Paul to use a stenographer in his writings, but he here signs the letter in his own hand.
And he ends with the same simple prayer he began it with: Grace be with you.
O my Father, You are deeply concerned for Your children. You knew that these false teachers would come in as ravenous wolves, and destroy the pure Truth of the Gospel. There are so many today, that have never even yet heard the simple truth of Your Word, yet they think they are Christians.
Father, I pray that all of Your lost sheep would be found, that all of Your embryonic children would be brought to the birth, and that all of Your believers, as the body, would come to the maturity of the full stature of Your Son.
O Father, send out Your children as messengers throughout the whole world, to saturate every nation with the message of Your love. May every living person hear and understand to make a thoughtful and informed decision whether to follow You.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, February 23, 2020
Pray For Me Too
Colossians 4: 2-6
Paul is wrapping up this letter with what he wants us to remember. We've taken off that old dead body and put on Christ, now we are to be in constant communication with God as His children.
(2) Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
We need to pray continually, aware of God hearing us, being thankful for all He has done, is doing, and will do in and through us.
(3) praying at the same time for us as well, that God would open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
(4) that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
Paul asks them to pray for him, too, as he realizes his dependence on Christ to preach clearly so that his hearers can understand. He is in prison because of his preaching, and he doesn't want circumstances to diminish the power of the words he speaks.
If even Paul feels the need to ask for prayer, how much more do I need it. Pray for me, too, so that I will write this blog with clear dissemination of God's Truth that will help my brothers and sisters to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(5) Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
We need to pay attention to how we interact with those who may not yet know the Lord. We only have a limited amount of time, so we need to use what we have to the best advantage.
(6) Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Our mouth gets us into the most trouble, so we really need to watch our words. Take a moment to think how your hearer may understand the words you use, and don't "think out loud" before considering it. Make sure your attitude toward the person is one of seeing them as Christ sees them, as a precious little child who needs to be guided, who may be a spiritual embryo who needs to be brought to the birth.
God chose the human race to be His children, and he is not willing that any would perish, but that they all would come to repentance (I Peter 3: 9). We need to be those who will gently inform them of how much God loves them, to give them the opportunity to turn to Him.
If the blood of the Lamb of God has cleansed you, then you have a testimony to share with others. John writes about Christians who overcame all opposition, because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death (Revelation 12: 11). This is what our Lord asks of us.
O my Father, please show Your children how compassionate You are to this whole sorry human race. There are so many who are fighting against You, being deceived by the devil, who only wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Father, teach us the words to say to our neighbors and coworkers, and even the members of our own families who don't yet know You.
O Father, send us out, send out Your children to confront all those who are still spiritual embryos, seeking to approach the birth into Your family. Enable us to broadcast Your love to the whole world, Father. Everyone must have the opportunity to turn to you. Every person needs to be able to make an informed decision whether to accept or reject Your offer.
Then every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Paul is wrapping up this letter with what he wants us to remember. We've taken off that old dead body and put on Christ, now we are to be in constant communication with God as His children.
(2) Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving;
We need to pray continually, aware of God hearing us, being thankful for all He has done, is doing, and will do in and through us.
(3) praying at the same time for us as well, that God would open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
(4) that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.
Paul asks them to pray for him, too, as he realizes his dependence on Christ to preach clearly so that his hearers can understand. He is in prison because of his preaching, and he doesn't want circumstances to diminish the power of the words he speaks.
If even Paul feels the need to ask for prayer, how much more do I need it. Pray for me, too, so that I will write this blog with clear dissemination of God's Truth that will help my brothers and sisters to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(5) Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.
We need to pay attention to how we interact with those who may not yet know the Lord. We only have a limited amount of time, so we need to use what we have to the best advantage.
(6) Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Our mouth gets us into the most trouble, so we really need to watch our words. Take a moment to think how your hearer may understand the words you use, and don't "think out loud" before considering it. Make sure your attitude toward the person is one of seeing them as Christ sees them, as a precious little child who needs to be guided, who may be a spiritual embryo who needs to be brought to the birth.
God chose the human race to be His children, and he is not willing that any would perish, but that they all would come to repentance (I Peter 3: 9). We need to be those who will gently inform them of how much God loves them, to give them the opportunity to turn to Him.
How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? (Romans 10: 14).We as His children are the preachers who Jesus has sent to tell of our witness of what He has done for us (Matthew 28: 18-20, the Great Commission). We don't have to be pastors, we just need to know how to share what we know, how Jesus saved us and can save them, too.
If the blood of the Lamb of God has cleansed you, then you have a testimony to share with others. John writes about Christians who overcame all opposition, because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death (Revelation 12: 11). This is what our Lord asks of us.
O my Father, please show Your children how compassionate You are to this whole sorry human race. There are so many who are fighting against You, being deceived by the devil, who only wants to steal, kill, and destroy. Father, teach us the words to say to our neighbors and coworkers, and even the members of our own families who don't yet know You.
O Father, send us out, send out Your children to confront all those who are still spiritual embryos, seeking to approach the birth into Your family. Enable us to broadcast Your love to the whole world, Father. Everyone must have the opportunity to turn to you. Every person needs to be able to make an informed decision whether to accept or reject Your offer.
Then every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, February 22, 2020
God's Order In Relationships
Colossians 3: 18- 4: 1
We have been learning through the previous chapters in this epistle how we are intimately knit together into one body, with Christ as our head; we are close-knit members of the family of God as our Father.
God's order prevails in everything He made. Now we are to apply this important principle to our relationships we have here in this world: our families and work relationships.
(3: 18) Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
We are the bride of Christ, subject to our Husband, so Christian wives are under the responsibility of their husbands, so must be subject to their authority as head of the family.
(19) Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
Husbands represent Christ in the family, so they are to see their wives as sisters in the Lord, worthy of honor and care. I Peter 3: 7 says,
This changed his view of me, and instead of seeing me as inferior, he began to see me as a sister to be honored and cherished.
(20) Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.
The only command God gives to children is to learn to obey their parents. Parents are the first authorities children have in life, and if they learn to obey this authority, then they will also be able to obey their teachers, and their bosses and the policeman. They will learn the order of authority, and it will serve them well for their whole lives, because this is how God designed creation to work, everything in order.
(21) Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
The aim of discipline is not to break the child's spirit, but only his will. Too harsh treatment can damage a child's whole self-image, and can take away his knowledge of his value to God.
Fathers have a great responsibility as the head of their family. They will give account of how they loved their wives, and trained their children. The mother of the children derives her authority to discipline them from her husband, and he has this authority from Christ, his head.
(22) Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on Earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
This order of authority also extends into the workplace. At that time, there were many slaves who became Christians, and they needed to realize that God's love sovereignly placed them under their masters for a reason. They were to consider that their work was for the Lord, not just their master.
(23) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
(24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Whether we feel like we're in slavery, or working for a slave-driver boss, we are to do our work as Christ would perform the task, with skill and strength, the very best of our ability. We are Christ's hands and feet, to do His work here on Earth. And even if it looks like only your boss will get the profit from your work, just remember that Christ will bring your reward with him when He comes (see Revelation 22: 12).
(25) For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
We are all accountable to the Lord, no matter if we are fathers or mothers, employees or employers, clients or mentors, we will give account for how we performed our duties.
We are not to disrespect those who God has placed in authority over us. In today's societies we are free to quit our jobs and get another, or even start our own businesses, so there is no excuse for having uncharitable attitudes toward one another.
We are all to see one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, and to see those who are still lost as precious embryos who are not yet born into God's family. We don't know their hearts. Many times someone may seem mean and cruel, hard-hearted; but we see Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul the Evangelist. God works a miracle every time He saves a person, changing him or her into a new creation (see II Corinthians 5: 17 and Galatians 6: 15).
(4: 1) Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
Slave-masters considered their slaves to be their property, so they could treat them any way they wanted. But when they became Christians, they were to have a different view of their slaves, as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Today, we don't condone slavery in the way they did then, so this principle applies to employers with employees. Business owners who are Christians are to treat their workers with justice and fairness, with kindness and compassion, seeing them as sisters and brothers in the Lord.
We all will give account to our Master, our Owner, who has purchased us with His blood on the cross. He will treat us the way He wants, whether to give us rewards or withhold them, with perfect justice and fairness.
No matter what relationship we are looking at in this world, we must recognize God's order of authority, and direct our lives in accordance with it, in every interaction with other people, in every circumstance, whether they are Christians or not yet. We are the Christians, God's family, the body of Christ, and we must conduct our lives with attitudes of being who we are in Christ, as royal sons and daughters in the King's household.
O my Father, You have all authority and You do everything You want. You have made us to be Your children, and You have done everything possible, and even impossible, to rescue us from the entanglements we have gotten ourselves into. Your knowing everything enables You to use Your wisdom in the cleverness of how You do what You do, no matter what humans decide.
There is nothing we can mess up that You cannot untangle and redeem. Father, Your Love for us is above and beyond what we can comprehend. And Your authority over us is absolute. You accomplish Your will. And Your great Plan of the Ages is unfolding before our eyes, to arrange and accomplish everything to set everything up for the return of Your Son.
O Father, we see Your workings in all that You are doing to prepare us and to prepare the world, all the parts are fitting into place to fulfill all that You told us to expect. And You are growing Your church, Christ's body, in numbers and in maturity. We will be complete and ready for our Lord's return.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
We have been learning through the previous chapters in this epistle how we are intimately knit together into one body, with Christ as our head; we are close-knit members of the family of God as our Father.
God's order prevails in everything He made. Now we are to apply this important principle to our relationships we have here in this world: our families and work relationships.
(3: 18) Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
We are the bride of Christ, subject to our Husband, so Christian wives are under the responsibility of their husbands, so must be subject to their authority as head of the family.
(19) Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them.
Husbands represent Christ in the family, so they are to see their wives as sisters in the Lord, worthy of honor and care. I Peter 3: 7 says,
You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (KJV says: weaker vessels.)Women are not built to have the physical strength that God put into men's bodies, so they could do the work to support their family. My husband was studying this passage one morning, and came to a picture of the woman being a delicate China tea cup, in comparison to the man's tin cup.
This changed his view of me, and instead of seeing me as inferior, he began to see me as a sister to be honored and cherished.
(20) Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord.
The only command God gives to children is to learn to obey their parents. Parents are the first authorities children have in life, and if they learn to obey this authority, then they will also be able to obey their teachers, and their bosses and the policeman. They will learn the order of authority, and it will serve them well for their whole lives, because this is how God designed creation to work, everything in order.
(21) Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
The aim of discipline is not to break the child's spirit, but only his will. Too harsh treatment can damage a child's whole self-image, and can take away his knowledge of his value to God.
Fathers have a great responsibility as the head of their family. They will give account of how they loved their wives, and trained their children. The mother of the children derives her authority to discipline them from her husband, and he has this authority from Christ, his head.
(22) Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on Earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord.
This order of authority also extends into the workplace. At that time, there were many slaves who became Christians, and they needed to realize that God's love sovereignly placed them under their masters for a reason. They were to consider that their work was for the Lord, not just their master.
(23) Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
(24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Whether we feel like we're in slavery, or working for a slave-driver boss, we are to do our work as Christ would perform the task, with skill and strength, the very best of our ability. We are Christ's hands and feet, to do His work here on Earth. And even if it looks like only your boss will get the profit from your work, just remember that Christ will bring your reward with him when He comes (see Revelation 22: 12).
(25) For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.
We are all accountable to the Lord, no matter if we are fathers or mothers, employees or employers, clients or mentors, we will give account for how we performed our duties.
We are not to disrespect those who God has placed in authority over us. In today's societies we are free to quit our jobs and get another, or even start our own businesses, so there is no excuse for having uncharitable attitudes toward one another.
We are all to see one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, and to see those who are still lost as precious embryos who are not yet born into God's family. We don't know their hearts. Many times someone may seem mean and cruel, hard-hearted; but we see Saul of Tarsus, who became Paul the Evangelist. God works a miracle every time He saves a person, changing him or her into a new creation (see II Corinthians 5: 17 and Galatians 6: 15).
(4: 1) Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
Slave-masters considered their slaves to be their property, so they could treat them any way they wanted. But when they became Christians, they were to have a different view of their slaves, as brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Today, we don't condone slavery in the way they did then, so this principle applies to employers with employees. Business owners who are Christians are to treat their workers with justice and fairness, with kindness and compassion, seeing them as sisters and brothers in the Lord.
We all will give account to our Master, our Owner, who has purchased us with His blood on the cross. He will treat us the way He wants, whether to give us rewards or withhold them, with perfect justice and fairness.
No matter what relationship we are looking at in this world, we must recognize God's order of authority, and direct our lives in accordance with it, in every interaction with other people, in every circumstance, whether they are Christians or not yet. We are the Christians, God's family, the body of Christ, and we must conduct our lives with attitudes of being who we are in Christ, as royal sons and daughters in the King's household.
O my Father, You have all authority and You do everything You want. You have made us to be Your children, and You have done everything possible, and even impossible, to rescue us from the entanglements we have gotten ourselves into. Your knowing everything enables You to use Your wisdom in the cleverness of how You do what You do, no matter what humans decide.
There is nothing we can mess up that You cannot untangle and redeem. Father, Your Love for us is above and beyond what we can comprehend. And Your authority over us is absolute. You accomplish Your will. And Your great Plan of the Ages is unfolding before our eyes, to arrange and accomplish everything to set everything up for the return of Your Son.
O Father, we see Your workings in all that You are doing to prepare us and to prepare the world, all the parts are fitting into place to fulfill all that You told us to expect. And You are growing Your church, Christ's body, in numbers and in maturity. We will be complete and ready for our Lord's return.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Friday, February 21, 2020
How To Put On Christ
Colossians 3: 12-17
We have just gone over all that we were to leave behind with the "dead body" of flesh; now we will see what we are putting on with the new life in the Spirit.
(12) So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved,
Because God chose us as His holy and beloved children, this is what we are to do:
put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;
These are the qualities of our Lord Jesus Christ that the Father is building in us. So we are responsible to cooperate with Him and have compassion on one another; we are to make sure that we are acting in a kind way with each other; to realize our true standing and state, in spite of our original condition; calm our harsh reactions into gentleness; and to cultivate patience when we feel aggravated and frustrated.
(13) bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Jesus Christ our Lord was tortured and executed for us, so we could be forgiven. Since He went through all that, is it too much to ask that we just put up with a little aggravation and frustration? To consider the source, and let it go? To forgive that person, and not hold it against them any more?
(14) Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Above and beyond and permeating all of these character qualities is the love that undergirds them all, and acts as an overcoat over all of them. This love for one another because God has Loved us is the basis for everything God does, so it should also be the reason that we do everything concerning our relationships and dealings with one another.
The Spirit of Love is the bond that unites us into one body, with Christ as our Head. As one organic organism each body part is to have care for each other body part. It doesn't matter if we even like each other, when we decide to make the effort to see them in the light of love, then our feelings of liking will catch up with our will, and we will be able to get along with one another.
(15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
When we all get along, then we are at peace with one another, and we can function as Christ's body, doing His work as His hands and feet and other organs. Then we will feel so much better than when we were quarreling, and be thankful that God planned it that way for us.
(16) Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,
Let God's written Word, our Scriptures, be abundantly at home in each of us, continually gaining a fuller and richer and deeper understanding of God's ways in this Earth and in each of us, and His great Plan of the Ages, in which He has given each of us a part to play.
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another
We are to share our insights into God's word with one another in encouraging them and helping them through whatever troubles they're facing, and leading them into acting and responding in godly ways.
with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
We are to sing together and also in our hearts to the Lord. God loves music, He put a whole hymnal in His written Word, the Book of Psalms.
(17) Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
No matter what it is we're doing, since we're Christ's body parts, we should be doing it in the Name of the Lord Jesus, whether we're having a simple meal, or relaxing or having fun with friends and family.
O my Father, please help Your children to realize that You are inside them in the Person of Your Holy Spirit, and that You go with them everywhere they go, and hear everything they say and think.
O Father, You are Love, and You are aware of each of us every moment of every day. Help us to be as aware of You as we can, every moment, too.
Please send out Your children to all of Your lost sheep, all of Your unborn children who are still in the embryonic stage of life, to let them know how You have loved them, and to bring them to the birth into Your own family.
And grow up all of Your children into the adult stature of the Son of God.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation; to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
We have just gone over all that we were to leave behind with the "dead body" of flesh; now we will see what we are putting on with the new life in the Spirit.
(12) So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved,
Because God chose us as His holy and beloved children, this is what we are to do:
put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience;
These are the qualities of our Lord Jesus Christ that the Father is building in us. So we are responsible to cooperate with Him and have compassion on one another; we are to make sure that we are acting in a kind way with each other; to realize our true standing and state, in spite of our original condition; calm our harsh reactions into gentleness; and to cultivate patience when we feel aggravated and frustrated.
(13) bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
Jesus Christ our Lord was tortured and executed for us, so we could be forgiven. Since He went through all that, is it too much to ask that we just put up with a little aggravation and frustration? To consider the source, and let it go? To forgive that person, and not hold it against them any more?
(14) Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Above and beyond and permeating all of these character qualities is the love that undergirds them all, and acts as an overcoat over all of them. This love for one another because God has Loved us is the basis for everything God does, so it should also be the reason that we do everything concerning our relationships and dealings with one another.
The Spirit of Love is the bond that unites us into one body, with Christ as our Head. As one organic organism each body part is to have care for each other body part. It doesn't matter if we even like each other, when we decide to make the effort to see them in the light of love, then our feelings of liking will catch up with our will, and we will be able to get along with one another.
(15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
When we all get along, then we are at peace with one another, and we can function as Christ's body, doing His work as His hands and feet and other organs. Then we will feel so much better than when we were quarreling, and be thankful that God planned it that way for us.
(16) Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you,
Let God's written Word, our Scriptures, be abundantly at home in each of us, continually gaining a fuller and richer and deeper understanding of God's ways in this Earth and in each of us, and His great Plan of the Ages, in which He has given each of us a part to play.
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another
We are to share our insights into God's word with one another in encouraging them and helping them through whatever troubles they're facing, and leading them into acting and responding in godly ways.
with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
We are to sing together and also in our hearts to the Lord. God loves music, He put a whole hymnal in His written Word, the Book of Psalms.
(17) Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
No matter what it is we're doing, since we're Christ's body parts, we should be doing it in the Name of the Lord Jesus, whether we're having a simple meal, or relaxing or having fun with friends and family.
O my Father, please help Your children to realize that You are inside them in the Person of Your Holy Spirit, and that You go with them everywhere they go, and hear everything they say and think.
O Father, You are Love, and You are aware of each of us every moment of every day. Help us to be as aware of You as we can, every moment, too.
Please send out Your children to all of Your lost sheep, all of Your unborn children who are still in the embryonic stage of life, to let them know how You have loved them, and to bring them to the birth into Your own family.
And grow up all of Your children into the adult stature of the Son of God.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation; to the glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, February 20, 2020
Taking Off The Dead Body
Colossians 3: 5-11
(5) Therefore
We just saw yesterday how we have been given a new life that is in Christ and God sees us as already raised and resurrected with Christ according to His plan.
consider the members of your earthly body as dead to
Since our flesh has been cut off from the life of the Spirit, it is spiritually dead. That means we no longer have to live lifestyles that include:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Using our bodies for unrighteous purposes. And putting our first priorities on earthly gain, before God.
(6) For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
This is why God's wrath will destroy all those who practice these things.
(7) and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
Paul says these Colossian Christians used to live like this, before they became Christians.
(8) But now you also put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Paul tells them now to stop thinking in destructive ways toward one another, to change these negative attitudes, that pour out of their mouths as cussing.
(9) Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
If we took off the old self like a coat, then we also would have put down all the fleshly stuff that goes with it. Including even "white lies" that you justify as "not wanting to hurt" the other, but are not truthful. No lie is of the truth (I John 2: 21).
(10) and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him--
When we take off the old coat, then we put on the new one, the spiritual life, that is growing and renewing us into a whole new creation, as Christ's body parts. So we're getting more and more like Him as we learn more about how to have His upright character of love and goodness.
(11) a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
In this spiritual life that we are learning how to live, all the fleshly differences that caused divisions will be eliminated. There will be no more nationality or culture or physical differences, because the physical body will be transformed and swallowed up by the spiritual body (I Corinthians 15: 53-54).
So we are to start learning that all the physical differences don't make any difference any more, and all the physical desires to gratify physical appetites don't have any power over us any more. We are to take care of our bodies while we still need to live in them, but we don't have to run to any excesses in gratifying sinful physical desires, the connection that caused the pull has been severed, the addiction has been broken.
We are to turn our focus off of the physical, and onto the spiritual realities that we are growing in. God is growing us up to maturity, so that Christ's body will gain the mature stature of the Son of God (Ephesians 4: 13; How the Body Grows Up).
O my Father, You have thought of everything. Every detail of how You have planned out this whole panoply of creation is working out toward the grand conclusion of all. You are calling us into Your family, You are re-molding us into the image of Your Son, and You will finish everything You started in each of us.
O Father, teach us how to hear Your voice, how to re-direct our lives into the righteous and pure ways of Your Son. Continue to hold our hand, Father, as we walk in Your footsteps along the narrow path that leads to eternal Light.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
(5) Therefore
We just saw yesterday how we have been given a new life that is in Christ and God sees us as already raised and resurrected with Christ according to His plan.
consider the members of your earthly body as dead to
Since our flesh has been cut off from the life of the Spirit, it is spiritually dead. That means we no longer have to live lifestyles that include:
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Using our bodies for unrighteous purposes. And putting our first priorities on earthly gain, before God.
(6) For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience,
This is why God's wrath will destroy all those who practice these things.
(7) and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.
Paul says these Colossian Christians used to live like this, before they became Christians.
(8) But now you also put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth.
Paul tells them now to stop thinking in destructive ways toward one another, to change these negative attitudes, that pour out of their mouths as cussing.
(9) Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices,
If we took off the old self like a coat, then we also would have put down all the fleshly stuff that goes with it. Including even "white lies" that you justify as "not wanting to hurt" the other, but are not truthful. No lie is of the truth (I John 2: 21).
(10) and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him--
When we take off the old coat, then we put on the new one, the spiritual life, that is growing and renewing us into a whole new creation, as Christ's body parts. So we're getting more and more like Him as we learn more about how to have His upright character of love and goodness.
(11) a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.
In this spiritual life that we are learning how to live, all the fleshly differences that caused divisions will be eliminated. There will be no more nationality or culture or physical differences, because the physical body will be transformed and swallowed up by the spiritual body (I Corinthians 15: 53-54).
So we are to start learning that all the physical differences don't make any difference any more, and all the physical desires to gratify physical appetites don't have any power over us any more. We are to take care of our bodies while we still need to live in them, but we don't have to run to any excesses in gratifying sinful physical desires, the connection that caused the pull has been severed, the addiction has been broken.
We are to turn our focus off of the physical, and onto the spiritual realities that we are growing in. God is growing us up to maturity, so that Christ's body will gain the mature stature of the Son of God (Ephesians 4: 13; How the Body Grows Up).
O my Father, You have thought of everything. Every detail of how You have planned out this whole panoply of creation is working out toward the grand conclusion of all. You are calling us into Your family, You are re-molding us into the image of Your Son, and You will finish everything You started in each of us.
O Father, teach us how to hear Your voice, how to re-direct our lives into the righteous and pure ways of Your Son. Continue to hold our hand, Father, as we walk in Your footsteps along the narrow path that leads to eternal Light.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Focus On Above, Not On Earth
Colossians 3: 1-4
(1) Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ,
Here's another therefore and an if. If you have been raised up with Christ, this means that you have died with Christ in His having died your death in your place.
keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Being raised up, stay above in your thinking processes, with Christ as He is already sitting on His throne. Where we are also already sitting with Him.
(2) Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on Earth.
Think about what is waiting for you above, take your focus off of what will cease to exist before long, that will be destroyed with the Earth.
(3) For you have died and your life is hidden in Christ in God.
When Jesus' blood has washed us clean, then God sends His Spirit into our human spirits, making them alive. This cuts the connection our flesh had with our spirits, freeing us from the bondage sin had on us. So our flesh, being cut off from our spirit, has spiritually died. We no longer are compelled to fall back into that besetting sin, we have another choice now, to do what is right.
And our life in the Holy Spirit is immersed into the body of Christ, who is the Head. We are destined to be with Him where He is, after this human body is transformed.
(4) When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Christ is the Head, we are the body; we are all one living organism together. When He returns to this Earth to reign, then He will come in His glory, shining as the sun, and we will be with Him, also shining as His body.
All creation will see us, everything everywhere, good and evil, will see that we are in Christ as His body, and will be sitting on His throne with Him as He sits on His Father's throne with Him.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your wonderful plans for us, that Your intention from the beginning was to create us to be your own children, one with Christ as He is one with You.
O Father, help us to realize how significant You made us to be. Help us to focus on what You are preparing for us, that will last forever, rather than on the temporary stuff here in this world. Help us to live the rest of our mortal lives here in view of our importance to Your plan.
Father, help us to realize how insignificant everything is in the world, and how to use these little things for the promotion of Your Kingdom.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Head, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
(1) Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ,
Here's another therefore and an if. If you have been raised up with Christ, this means that you have died with Christ in His having died your death in your place.
keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Being raised up, stay above in your thinking processes, with Christ as He is already sitting on His throne. Where we are also already sitting with Him.
(2) Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on Earth.
Think about what is waiting for you above, take your focus off of what will cease to exist before long, that will be destroyed with the Earth.
(3) For you have died and your life is hidden in Christ in God.
When Jesus' blood has washed us clean, then God sends His Spirit into our human spirits, making them alive. This cuts the connection our flesh had with our spirits, freeing us from the bondage sin had on us. So our flesh, being cut off from our spirit, has spiritually died. We no longer are compelled to fall back into that besetting sin, we have another choice now, to do what is right.
And our life in the Holy Spirit is immersed into the body of Christ, who is the Head. We are destined to be with Him where He is, after this human body is transformed.
(4) When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
Christ is the Head, we are the body; we are all one living organism together. When He returns to this Earth to reign, then He will come in His glory, shining as the sun, and we will be with Him, also shining as His body.
All creation will see us, everything everywhere, good and evil, will see that we are in Christ as His body, and will be sitting on His throne with Him as He sits on His Father's throne with Him.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your wonderful plans for us, that Your intention from the beginning was to create us to be your own children, one with Christ as He is one with You.
O Father, help us to realize how significant You made us to be. Help us to focus on what You are preparing for us, that will last forever, rather than on the temporary stuff here in this world. Help us to live the rest of our mortal lives here in view of our importance to Your plan.
Father, help us to realize how insignificant everything is in the world, and how to use these little things for the promotion of Your Kingdom.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Head, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come soon, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
Are You Sure You're Not Deceived?
Colossians 2: 16-23
(16) Therefore
We always need to see what a "therefore" is there for. We are to look back at what has just been said in this chapter.
We've just seen yesterday that Jesus has triumphed over all the spiritual rulers and authorities, so we have the victory already in Christ. So now,
no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
We are not to let other people assert authority over us to say that we are condemned if we don't follow their rules, rules that can concern what to eat when or how to celebrate a church holiday.
(17) things which are a mere shadow if what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
All these things, food and days and ceremonies are only a reminder, a picture of what is real in Heaven. But the real substance of it all, its spiritual reality, belongs to Christ as Lord, and therefore to us as His body.
(18) Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize
Paul uses the word katabrabeuo, "to award the prize against," which means that you are not to let someone cheat you out of your reward.
by delighting in self-abasement
This is tapeinophrosune, meaning "humiliation of mind," a putting-down of your self-esteem, your self-worth, or even a harsh self-denial, which will rob you of your sense of standing in Christ.
and the worship of angels,
This is praying to anyone other than God. Some teachers say that praying to the saints or angels will get you an "in" with God, because He already has approved of them. But this places them before God in your thinking, which disobeys the First Commandment of the Decalogue: idolotry. You pray to your god, or you pray to God.
taking his stand on visions he has seen,
These visions could be dreams, or appearances of celestial beings who are suposedly saints. There are places in the world where people congregate by the thousands to receive healings, because some "saint" has "appeared" there. This is totally extra-bibilical, so these dreams and appearances are part of the "traditions" that are given equal weight with Scripture.
We must remember that the devil and his demons are "rulers and authorities in celestial places," and can work apparent "miracles" to deceive and delude and mis-guide. These false teachers in the churches do not have God's Spirit of Truth living in them, so they are believing and teaching the lies.
inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
These teachers think that they are better or above the people, because of these visions and "special revelations" that they have received from "god." Their minds can only be worldly, because this world is the only world they know.
(19) and not holding fast to the head,
They are not connected to Christ, the Head, so they cannot receive spiritual nourishment or direction from Him. They may think that they are, but the direction they are following draws them away from God. And they want to draw us away, too, to follow them.
from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
Christ, the Head of the body, nourishes and supports the whole body through the joints and ligaments (which are body parts--us) so the whole body grows with a spiritually healthy growth that is from God.
(20) If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world,
If you really are part of Christ's body, and God has separated you from the power of sin that resides in our fleshly bodies, then:
why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
(21) "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
(22) (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
Why do you pay attention to these teachers who are telling you that you need to do something or avoid something in order to work your way into favor with God, when God has already favored you with His Son and His Spirit?
(23) These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
All these ecclesiastical rules seem to look so good, and helpful to make someone godly; but they are all humanly devised and promote unhealthy mistreatment of the body which is the temple of God if His Spirit lives there. But even if you try to live by all these regulations, it still cannot remove your fleshly desires.
Only the Holy Spirit that God places into our spirit can separate that connection to the power inherent in the flesh to commit sins.
We see in history, that when these false teachers came into the church, and worked their way into leadership of the church, they officially brought in all these "doctrines of demons" as dogmas that were commanded to be believed.
We call this historical period, "the Dark Ages," dark in the intellectual sense that most people were not educated, so they believed whatever their teachers told them. But Christians who could read saw in Scripture how the official church had departed from the truth, and the Reformation took place, and then the next historical era was The Enlightenment.
But the devil and his demons are still working to spoil all of God's good gifts to us, and has drawn away many of the portions of the church even today. Church denominations that taught the truth in the past, through time since then have also gone astray, being deceived and deceving their followers.
As the result of this, there are many people who consider themselves to be Christians, but they don't have that relationship that God wants with them, they only have a religion. Many of these people are in churches that do not preach God's pure Truth, but some mixture of worldly tradition, or misrepresentations of Scripture that lead away from God.
That is why we must do our own research in studying our Father's love-letter to us, to be sure that we really are on that right path that leads to eternal Light. This is our responsibility as children of God, to get to know our Father, so we can live our lives as His royal children. We need to know His ways to do that, we need to think His thoughts for us, we need to adopt His attitudes as our own.
How we think determines our attitudes, and our attitudes affect our choices, and our choices build our habits, and our habits become our life. It all starts in the mind.
This is why we are instructed to;
O my Father, I pray for all those who want to be Christians, but have yet to receive Your pure Truth of what Your Son as accomplished for us. Open their minds, Father, to be able to accept the truth of Your written Word, to realize that Your Lamb of God is their personal sacrifice, soften their hearts to understand how much You Love them, and wash them in the blood of Christ. Draw them into Your family, Father, so that they will have that relationship with You that You desire.
Father, send out Your children, as messengers to cast broadly the good seed of the harvest. Let that seed fall upon all the fertile fields You have prepared, to grow into the abundant harvest You have planned.
Draw all Your unborn children to the birth into Your family, Father, and fill Your great house with all of Your uncountable children. Fill every place at Your great banquet table, that we will all eternally enjoy sweet fellowship with You and one another.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
(16) Therefore
We always need to see what a "therefore" is there for. We are to look back at what has just been said in this chapter.
We've just seen yesterday that Jesus has triumphed over all the spiritual rulers and authorities, so we have the victory already in Christ. So now,
no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--
We are not to let other people assert authority over us to say that we are condemned if we don't follow their rules, rules that can concern what to eat when or how to celebrate a church holiday.
(17) things which are a mere shadow if what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
All these things, food and days and ceremonies are only a reminder, a picture of what is real in Heaven. But the real substance of it all, its spiritual reality, belongs to Christ as Lord, and therefore to us as His body.
(18) Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize
Paul uses the word katabrabeuo, "to award the prize against," which means that you are not to let someone cheat you out of your reward.
by delighting in self-abasement
This is tapeinophrosune, meaning "humiliation of mind," a putting-down of your self-esteem, your self-worth, or even a harsh self-denial, which will rob you of your sense of standing in Christ.
and the worship of angels,
This is praying to anyone other than God. Some teachers say that praying to the saints or angels will get you an "in" with God, because He already has approved of them. But this places them before God in your thinking, which disobeys the First Commandment of the Decalogue: idolotry. You pray to your god, or you pray to God.
taking his stand on visions he has seen,
These visions could be dreams, or appearances of celestial beings who are suposedly saints. There are places in the world where people congregate by the thousands to receive healings, because some "saint" has "appeared" there. This is totally extra-bibilical, so these dreams and appearances are part of the "traditions" that are given equal weight with Scripture.
We must remember that the devil and his demons are "rulers and authorities in celestial places," and can work apparent "miracles" to deceive and delude and mis-guide. These false teachers in the churches do not have God's Spirit of Truth living in them, so they are believing and teaching the lies.
inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,
These teachers think that they are better or above the people, because of these visions and "special revelations" that they have received from "god." Their minds can only be worldly, because this world is the only world they know.
(19) and not holding fast to the head,
They are not connected to Christ, the Head, so they cannot receive spiritual nourishment or direction from Him. They may think that they are, but the direction they are following draws them away from God. And they want to draw us away, too, to follow them.
from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.
Christ, the Head of the body, nourishes and supports the whole body through the joints and ligaments (which are body parts--us) so the whole body grows with a spiritually healthy growth that is from God.
(20) If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world,
If you really are part of Christ's body, and God has separated you from the power of sin that resides in our fleshly bodies, then:
why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
(21) "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!"
(22) (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
Why do you pay attention to these teachers who are telling you that you need to do something or avoid something in order to work your way into favor with God, when God has already favored you with His Son and His Spirit?
(23) These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
All these ecclesiastical rules seem to look so good, and helpful to make someone godly; but they are all humanly devised and promote unhealthy mistreatment of the body which is the temple of God if His Spirit lives there. But even if you try to live by all these regulations, it still cannot remove your fleshly desires.
Only the Holy Spirit that God places into our spirit can separate that connection to the power inherent in the flesh to commit sins.
We see in history, that when these false teachers came into the church, and worked their way into leadership of the church, they officially brought in all these "doctrines of demons" as dogmas that were commanded to be believed.
We call this historical period, "the Dark Ages," dark in the intellectual sense that most people were not educated, so they believed whatever their teachers told them. But Christians who could read saw in Scripture how the official church had departed from the truth, and the Reformation took place, and then the next historical era was The Enlightenment.
But the devil and his demons are still working to spoil all of God's good gifts to us, and has drawn away many of the portions of the church even today. Church denominations that taught the truth in the past, through time since then have also gone astray, being deceived and deceving their followers.
As the result of this, there are many people who consider themselves to be Christians, but they don't have that relationship that God wants with them, they only have a religion. Many of these people are in churches that do not preach God's pure Truth, but some mixture of worldly tradition, or misrepresentations of Scripture that lead away from God.
That is why we must do our own research in studying our Father's love-letter to us, to be sure that we really are on that right path that leads to eternal Light. This is our responsibility as children of God, to get to know our Father, so we can live our lives as His royal children. We need to know His ways to do that, we need to think His thoughts for us, we need to adopt His attitudes as our own.
How we think determines our attitudes, and our attitudes affect our choices, and our choices build our habits, and our habits become our life. It all starts in the mind.
This is why we are instructed to;
Be transformed by the renewing of your mind,because this will equip us to being able to:
prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12: 2).If you find that you are attending a church that adds to or twists God's pure Truth, then I would advise you to leave that deceptive environment and seek out a different church, one that teaches the Bible clearly.
O my Father, I pray for all those who want to be Christians, but have yet to receive Your pure Truth of what Your Son as accomplished for us. Open their minds, Father, to be able to accept the truth of Your written Word, to realize that Your Lamb of God is their personal sacrifice, soften their hearts to understand how much You Love them, and wash them in the blood of Christ. Draw them into Your family, Father, so that they will have that relationship with You that You desire.
Father, send out Your children, as messengers to cast broadly the good seed of the harvest. Let that seed fall upon all the fertile fields You have prepared, to grow into the abundant harvest You have planned.
Draw all Your unborn children to the birth into Your family, Father, and fill Your great house with all of Your uncountable children. Fill every place at Your great banquet table, that we will all eternally enjoy sweet fellowship with You and one another.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, February 17, 2020
Disarmed The Rulers And Authorities
Colossians 2: 15
When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
When Jesus "cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us ... having nailed it to the cross" (2: 14), that disarmed all the "rulers and authorities." There was nothing left to for them to accuse us of, as we'd been washed clean by His blood.
Now that these spiritual rulers and authorities had nothing left to attack us with, Jesus publicly displayed them as defeated, as He "led captivity captive."
Ephesians 4: 8-9
Therefore it says,
This says that He first descended into the lower parts of the Earth, which was commonly understood as being the realm of Sheol, the land of the dead. And that He led a host of captives with Him as He ascended on high, to Heaven.
Luke 23: 43
And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
While Jesus was hanging on the Cross, He said this to the thief who was also being crucified beside him, when the thief asked Him to "remember me when You come into Your Kingdom," calling Him, "Lord." This shows that Jesus knew that He would be going down into Sheol, to the Paradise side, that very day, as He was dying. And that this thief, putting his faith in Jesus, would be one of the "captives" that He would lead to Heaven.
I have dealt with what Jesus was doing while His body was in the tomb in my blog entry, "What Was Jesus Doing?" and I described the geography of Sheol, the land of the dead, in my entry, "Paradise & Hades and Heaven & Hell."
So I am mentioning this material again, as Paul tells the Colossians how Jesus gained the victory for us by His fulfilling that personal sacrifice (in Leviticus 1) on behalf of each of us.
This is a monumental event, in history and in each of our lives, the day that we realize what He accomplished for us.
This is why Paul wrote this letter, so that they, and we, would realize how much God loves us, and to not be sucked into any other system of belief.
O my Father, Your plan for Your creation is so intricate and beautiful and perfect. Everything You do is perfect, it's all just right. Everything fits into place so cleverly, according to Your overarching wisdom.
Please strengthen us, Father, against being fooled by any other, contrary or extraenous belief systems that try to deceive us. Your Son is sufficient, He has already done it all, everything is finished, and nothing else is needed. Our destination is secure.
We only need to regularly wash off the dirt of the world as we walk in it with the water of the Word, while we promote His Kingdom until He returns to claim it.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
When Jesus "cancelled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us ... having nailed it to the cross" (2: 14), that disarmed all the "rulers and authorities." There was nothing left to for them to accuse us of, as we'd been washed clean by His blood.
Ephesians 4: 8-9
Therefore it says,
When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men (Psalm 68: 8).(Now this expression, "He ascended," what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the Earth?)
This says that He first descended into the lower parts of the Earth, which was commonly understood as being the realm of Sheol, the land of the dead. And that He led a host of captives with Him as He ascended on high, to Heaven.
Luke 23: 43
And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
While Jesus was hanging on the Cross, He said this to the thief who was also being crucified beside him, when the thief asked Him to "remember me when You come into Your Kingdom," calling Him, "Lord." This shows that Jesus knew that He would be going down into Sheol, to the Paradise side, that very day, as He was dying. And that this thief, putting his faith in Jesus, would be one of the "captives" that He would lead to Heaven.
I have dealt with what Jesus was doing while His body was in the tomb in my blog entry, "What Was Jesus Doing?" and I described the geography of Sheol, the land of the dead, in my entry, "Paradise & Hades and Heaven & Hell."
So I am mentioning this material again, as Paul tells the Colossians how Jesus gained the victory for us by His fulfilling that personal sacrifice (in Leviticus 1) on behalf of each of us.
This is a monumental event, in history and in each of our lives, the day that we realize what He accomplished for us.
This is why Paul wrote this letter, so that they, and we, would realize how much God loves us, and to not be sucked into any other system of belief.
O my Father, Your plan for Your creation is so intricate and beautiful and perfect. Everything You do is perfect, it's all just right. Everything fits into place so cleverly, according to Your overarching wisdom.
Please strengthen us, Father, against being fooled by any other, contrary or extraenous belief systems that try to deceive us. Your Son is sufficient, He has already done it all, everything is finished, and nothing else is needed. Our destination is secure.
We only need to regularly wash off the dirt of the world as we walk in it with the water of the Word, while we promote His Kingdom until He returns to claim it.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, February 16, 2020
See To It, Our Responsibility
Colossians 2: 8-14
(8) See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
We are responsible to see to it that we don't listen to these other teachers. They want to convince us to follow worldly ideas, and deceptive theories, and to complicate the simple gospel.
(9) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
It is in Christ that we find the Source of everything we need, not the world.
(10) and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
Because He is the Head of the body, He is the brain that directs us, through the nervous system of His Holy Spirit that dwells in each of us. He is our connection. And each of us is finished, we are made complete in Him.
(11) and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
Circumcision is a cutting away. This cutting away that is not by physical hands is God's having cut our flesh away from our spiritual life, separating us from the power that sin had over us. Now we don't have to automatically give in to temptation, we have a way out of it.
(12) having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Now Paul brings in baptism. Water baptism that we act out is a physical picture of the spiritual reality of God's baptizing, or immersing us into the body of Christ. And just as Jesus rose from the dead with a new life, so we demonstrate that we will live our lives differently from before, not giving in to those persistent temptations. And we will also be resurrected as He was.
(13) When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
We were spiritually dead, connected only to our physical flesh, which was under bondage to sin. Now that God has forgiven us, He has cut the flesh away from our spirit, severing that connection, and He has placed His Holy Spirit into our spirit, so that we are now alive with real life, spiritual life.
(14) having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
All the laws, rules, and precepts that we disobeyed incurred on our account a great debt, which Jesus paid off with His death and shedding His blood, as He was nailed to the cross.
Jesus fulfilled the Law, as He said He came to do in Matthew 5: 17. The first law that God wanted His Levites to teach His people was the personal sacrifice, which we find in the very first chapter of Leviticus, the technical book showing the teachers how to do these things.
We find there that the individual was to bring his own animal to the priest, lay his hand on the head of the animal, identifying with it, then the priest would sacrifice the animal, dying in place of the person, substitutionally. Then the blood of the animal was splashed on the sides of the altar, to cover the sins of the person, and he would then be forgiven by God.
Jesus is the Lamb of God, who is our personal sacrifice, whose blood splashed the sides of His altar, the cross. He died for us individually, as our substitute. The blood of animals could only cover sins, Jesus shed God's own blood, that has the unlimited value to wash away our sins completely.
Now God can not only forgive us, but also put His own Spirit into our spirit, making us alive. With all of our sinfulness completely washed away, we are pure so that the presence of God Himself in us will not destroy us. This is incredible!
That God would see me as perfect, clean through and through, even though I am still in my flesh, and living in this world, is totally unreal! I just can't seem to be able to get my head around this. This is a miracle, that God would put His Spirit in me and cause me to be born spiritually is totally impossible except by God Himself!
God chose for me to be born physically to my parents, and God chose for me to be born spiritually into His own family. I did not choose either of these, He is God, I am not.
And if God is calling you into this relationship with Him, then please do not refuse Him. He wants you in His family, also, but He has given you a will to choose. Don't let your flesh or the world or the devil convince you that you don't want or need God. He is our Source, and without Him there is nothing but darkness and pain and agony.
He has chosen to create a human race to be His children. But He will not force Himself on anyone. We must decide with our will that we want Him and will submit to Him, and our feelings will catch up with our will. You must decide.
You must see to it that you choose to listen to God, not any worldly philosophies, and to follow His ways. We will submit, whether to God or to a lie, it's our choice and our personal responsibility.
O my Father, please strengthen Your children to listen only to Your Truth. Show us what is not in accordance with Your ways, and lead us straight in the path You have placed our feet.
We place our hand in Yours, Father. You will never let us go, but will keep us on that narrow path, not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering off or falling into a ditch, not running ahead of You or lagging behind, but taking each step in Your footsteps. And Your Word is the footlight showing us each next step.
Send us out to share Your good news with the world. Lead us to each of Your unborn children to let them know Your ways, how Your Son has died for them, and will give them real life. Call all of Your family together, Father. Grow us all up as the body of Christ, to the full stature of the Son of God.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come rapidly, Lord Jesus!
(8) See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.
We are responsible to see to it that we don't listen to these other teachers. They want to convince us to follow worldly ideas, and deceptive theories, and to complicate the simple gospel.
(9) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
It is in Christ that we find the Source of everything we need, not the world.
(10) and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;
Because He is the Head of the body, He is the brain that directs us, through the nervous system of His Holy Spirit that dwells in each of us. He is our connection. And each of us is finished, we are made complete in Him.
(11) and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;
Circumcision is a cutting away. This cutting away that is not by physical hands is God's having cut our flesh away from our spiritual life, separating us from the power that sin had over us. Now we don't have to automatically give in to temptation, we have a way out of it.
(12) having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
Now Paul brings in baptism. Water baptism that we act out is a physical picture of the spiritual reality of God's baptizing, or immersing us into the body of Christ. And just as Jesus rose from the dead with a new life, so we demonstrate that we will live our lives differently from before, not giving in to those persistent temptations. And we will also be resurrected as He was.
(13) When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
We were spiritually dead, connected only to our physical flesh, which was under bondage to sin. Now that God has forgiven us, He has cut the flesh away from our spirit, severing that connection, and He has placed His Holy Spirit into our spirit, so that we are now alive with real life, spiritual life.
(14) having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
All the laws, rules, and precepts that we disobeyed incurred on our account a great debt, which Jesus paid off with His death and shedding His blood, as He was nailed to the cross.
Jesus fulfilled the Law, as He said He came to do in Matthew 5: 17. The first law that God wanted His Levites to teach His people was the personal sacrifice, which we find in the very first chapter of Leviticus, the technical book showing the teachers how to do these things.
We find there that the individual was to bring his own animal to the priest, lay his hand on the head of the animal, identifying with it, then the priest would sacrifice the animal, dying in place of the person, substitutionally. Then the blood of the animal was splashed on the sides of the altar, to cover the sins of the person, and he would then be forgiven by God.
Jesus is the Lamb of God, who is our personal sacrifice, whose blood splashed the sides of His altar, the cross. He died for us individually, as our substitute. The blood of animals could only cover sins, Jesus shed God's own blood, that has the unlimited value to wash away our sins completely.
Now God can not only forgive us, but also put His own Spirit into our spirit, making us alive. With all of our sinfulness completely washed away, we are pure so that the presence of God Himself in us will not destroy us. This is incredible!
That God would see me as perfect, clean through and through, even though I am still in my flesh, and living in this world, is totally unreal! I just can't seem to be able to get my head around this. This is a miracle, that God would put His Spirit in me and cause me to be born spiritually is totally impossible except by God Himself!
God chose for me to be born physically to my parents, and God chose for me to be born spiritually into His own family. I did not choose either of these, He is God, I am not.
And if God is calling you into this relationship with Him, then please do not refuse Him. He wants you in His family, also, but He has given you a will to choose. Don't let your flesh or the world or the devil convince you that you don't want or need God. He is our Source, and without Him there is nothing but darkness and pain and agony.
He has chosen to create a human race to be His children. But He will not force Himself on anyone. We must decide with our will that we want Him and will submit to Him, and our feelings will catch up with our will. You must decide.
You must see to it that you choose to listen to God, not any worldly philosophies, and to follow His ways. We will submit, whether to God or to a lie, it's our choice and our personal responsibility.
O my Father, please strengthen Your children to listen only to Your Truth. Show us what is not in accordance with Your ways, and lead us straight in the path You have placed our feet.
We place our hand in Yours, Father. You will never let us go, but will keep us on that narrow path, not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering off or falling into a ditch, not running ahead of You or lagging behind, but taking each step in Your footsteps. And Your Word is the footlight showing us each next step.
Send us out to share Your good news with the world. Lead us to each of Your unborn children to let them know Your ways, how Your Son has died for them, and will give them real life. Call all of Your family together, Father. Grow us all up as the body of Christ, to the full stature of the Son of God.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come rapidly, Lord Jesus!
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