Colossians 1: 3-12
Paul is still encouraging these Christians at Colossae, before he gets into the real purpose of this letter.
(3) We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
(4) since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;
(5) because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel
(6) which has come to you,
He is thankful that God saved these brothers and sisters, and although he has not yet met them, he is praying for them, having heard that they believed, and displayed their faith in love for one another. Because of these, he is confident that they now have waiting for them in heaven what they learned about when the gospel was preached to them.
just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth;
This is the same gospel that is being preached throughout the whole known world of that time, and, having understood it, they are now growing in the Lord and producing fruit.
(7) just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,
(8) and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.
Epaphras is the one who had gone to Colossae with the gospel, and told Paul about them.
Now we will learn how Paul is praying for these new Christians.
(9) For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
(10) so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
(11) strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously
(12) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Paul prays from the time he first heard of them, that their knowledge and understanding would increase, because they will need this wisdom to be strengthened in the Lord, to be able to live their lives as royal children in God's household, patiently standing fast.
And to give joyous thanks to the Father, because they will share in the saints' inheritance in the realm of Light.
Paul will continue to encourage these Colossians with more knowledge of our Lord, before he begins to mention the errors and seductions they are facing in the next chapter.
O my Father, You are so good to save people when they turn to You. Paul never met some of the people he wrote letters to, yet he could discern what they needed to hear and know, and in extension, that we also need to know.
Father, help us to have a clear understanding of what Paul is writing here to the Colossians. Let us see who You are, and who Your Son is, and how You see us, and what Jesus has accomplished for us. Deepen our comprehension of Your plans for us and Your grand Plan of the Ages, so that we will confidently comply with Your plans for us, and we will promote Your Kingdom to the best of the ability that You have given us.
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!
Monday, February 10, 2020
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Encouragement To Those Under Fire
Colossians 1:1-2
(1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
Paul calls himself an apostle. This is a word that is built on a root word that means "to send." This word is used in the New Testament at least seventy-nine times, denoting an authorized spokesman, who has the power of the one sending him and serving as his personal representative.
So Paul is the personal representative of Jesus Christ, because God the Father wanted to appoint him thus. Not because Paul chose it.
The apostles were appointed to lay the substructure and framework of the church on the foundation of Christ Jesus. Now that the framework has been laid, there are no more "apostles" in the church, because we are building on that foundation according to the substructure that was laid. We are not to change that, as it would destabilize the whole structure.
and Timothy our brother,
Timothy is the young pastor who had a believing Jewish mother and grandmother, and an unbelieving Greek father (Acts 16:1; II Timothy 1: 5). He was with Paul at this writing, as Paul was in prison in Rome.
(2) to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae:
The word for saints, hagios, meaning "holy," connotes both the excellence of character, and the dedication, or position of being "set apart" for the work and worship of God. And it denotes the Colossian Christians as part of the people of God, with the other congregations.
The word faithful, pistois, is usually interpreted in the sense of "believing;" but here it can also hold the idea of "loyalty" to Christ, a quality especially appropriate for a church under fire, as this one is.
He calls them "brothers," a term of affection, indicating an intimate connection; calling attention to the intimacy of the Christian fellowship, in spite of the differences of culture, social status, and racial background of all who comprised the Christian community. They were bound together with a common bond of love, and so constituted one spiritual family begotten by one Father.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
This greeting takes the form of a prayer, it is not just a polite cliche. Grace, charis, is built on a root that is used of things that generally produce well-being. In Paul's writings it expresses the essence of God's saving activity in Christ, in the 155 times he says it. This is a specific and serious concept.
And the peace, eirene, denotes an idea much richer and broader than just the absence of conflict, with wholeness and soundness, and includes prosperity, contentedness, good relations with others, and even spiritual prosperity.
All this is from God our Father.
O my Father, You are so good to us. You have made sure that we have everything we need, and so much more! Your plans for each of us are all good, for our benefit and Your glory. Teach us how to follow in Your footsteps, Father, our hand in yours. Keep us straight on that narrow path that leads to eternal Light; not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering away or falling into a ditch, not running ahead or lagging behind.
Strengthen us, Father, to be faithful to You and Your ways, even when confronted with the seductive ways of the world and our enemy. Even in the face of every little thing that would draw us away from You and Your ways for us.
And send us out, Father, into the world, with Your good news, remembering that You are not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to the repentance of recognizing our plight and turning to Christ our Redeemer.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ and Messiah, 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!
(1) Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God,
Paul calls himself an apostle. This is a word that is built on a root word that means "to send." This word is used in the New Testament at least seventy-nine times, denoting an authorized spokesman, who has the power of the one sending him and serving as his personal representative.
So Paul is the personal representative of Jesus Christ, because God the Father wanted to appoint him thus. Not because Paul chose it.
The apostles were appointed to lay the substructure and framework of the church on the foundation of Christ Jesus. Now that the framework has been laid, there are no more "apostles" in the church, because we are building on that foundation according to the substructure that was laid. We are not to change that, as it would destabilize the whole structure.
and Timothy our brother,
Timothy is the young pastor who had a believing Jewish mother and grandmother, and an unbelieving Greek father (Acts 16:1; II Timothy 1: 5). He was with Paul at this writing, as Paul was in prison in Rome.
(2) to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae:
The word for saints, hagios, meaning "holy," connotes both the excellence of character, and the dedication, or position of being "set apart" for the work and worship of God. And it denotes the Colossian Christians as part of the people of God, with the other congregations.
The word faithful, pistois, is usually interpreted in the sense of "believing;" but here it can also hold the idea of "loyalty" to Christ, a quality especially appropriate for a church under fire, as this one is.
He calls them "brothers," a term of affection, indicating an intimate connection; calling attention to the intimacy of the Christian fellowship, in spite of the differences of culture, social status, and racial background of all who comprised the Christian community. They were bound together with a common bond of love, and so constituted one spiritual family begotten by one Father.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
This greeting takes the form of a prayer, it is not just a polite cliche. Grace, charis, is built on a root that is used of things that generally produce well-being. In Paul's writings it expresses the essence of God's saving activity in Christ, in the 155 times he says it. This is a specific and serious concept.
And the peace, eirene, denotes an idea much richer and broader than just the absence of conflict, with wholeness and soundness, and includes prosperity, contentedness, good relations with others, and even spiritual prosperity.
All this is from God our Father.
O my Father, You are so good to us. You have made sure that we have everything we need, and so much more! Your plans for each of us are all good, for our benefit and Your glory. Teach us how to follow in Your footsteps, Father, our hand in yours. Keep us straight on that narrow path that leads to eternal Light; not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering away or falling into a ditch, not running ahead or lagging behind.
Strengthen us, Father, to be faithful to You and Your ways, even when confronted with the seductive ways of the world and our enemy. Even in the face of every little thing that would draw us away from You and Your ways for us.
And send us out, Father, into the world, with Your good news, remembering that You are not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to the repentance of recognizing our plight and turning to Christ our Redeemer.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ and Messiah, 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 8, 2020
The Body Of Christ
One of the most interesting pictures God gave us is the idea that we are the body of Christ. We are an organic organism, that lives and grows.
This is the great mystery that God had not revealed until He gave to Paul the understanding of it to teach the church.
Ephesians 3: 4-6 says:
Then Paul wrote to the Corinthians about this.
I Corinthians 12: 12-13 says,
Colossians 2: 19 tells us we are to:
As each of us matures as a Christian, the body grows up, too. To the full adult stature of the Son of God.
O my Father, please help us in our growing up in Christ. Show us Your ways, Your Truth, and Your family traits. Teach us how to be faithful children in Your family, so that we will be able to sit in Jesus' throne with Him, as He sits in Your throne with You. Fit us and prepare us and make us suitable and qualified to rule justly with gentleness and compassion in Your Kingdom.
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 soon, Lord Jesus!
This is the great mystery that God had not revealed until He gave to Paul the understanding of it to teach the church.
Ephesians 3: 4-6 says:
(4) When you read this, you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, (5) which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; (6) to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.The notion that God would put different people all into the same body is an idea that could only come from God. He put His Holy Spirit into all who have admitted that they deserve Jesus' death on the cross.
Then Paul wrote to the Corinthians about this.
I Corinthians 12: 12-13 says,
(12) For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. (13) For by one Spirit we were all baptized (submersed) into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.This is the Spirit of eternal Life, that every true Christian has living in him or her. That makes us one body.
Colossians 2: 19 tells us we are to:
Hold fast to the Head (Christ), from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.And Ephesians 4: 12-13 says that God gave spiritual gifts to apostles and prophets and pastors and teachers:
For the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.Our pastors and teachers are to be preparing and equipping us as members of the congregation to do the work of serving. They are not to do it all, they are to train us to do what we can do. We as the members are to serve one another under the authority of our leaders. And Christ is the Head over us all.
As each of us matures as a Christian, the body grows up, too. To the full adult stature of the Son of God.
O my Father, please help us in our growing up in Christ. Show us Your ways, Your Truth, and Your family traits. Teach us how to be faithful children in Your family, so that we will be able to sit in Jesus' throne with Him, as He sits in Your throne with You. Fit us and prepare us and make us suitable and qualified to rule justly with gentleness and compassion in Your Kingdom.
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 soon, Lord Jesus!
Friday, February 7, 2020
Stones That Are Alive
God has given us several pictures of spiritual realities so we would be able to understand more of who He is and His Plan of the Ages.
One important picture is that of His temple in Heaven. The Tabernacle is constructed according to it, as God showed Moses (see 1/3, 4 & 5/20 blog posts); and Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem according to the same pattern.
But what is God's heavenly temple? What is it built out of? What kind of stones does God use to build His temple? The city is made of gold, but the temple must be made of something even more precious than gold.
It is, God builds His temple using living stones to form the edifice of His heavenly temple.
Jesus is the Cornerstone of this building.
Psalm 118: 22-23 says,
Matthew, Mark and Luke all record Jesus' words, quoting Isaiah, and saying that those who trip over this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whom it falls it will scatter him like dust!
And Peter says that we are the living stones:
As our bodies are God's temple here and now, because He lives in us (I Corinthians 3: 16-17; 6: 19), Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, that we are,
And, according to the Revelation of Jesus Christ as given to John, the martyrs that have been beheaded for Christ could be the living stones of the altar in the temple of God in heaven.
When the Lamb opens the fifth Seal,
Because when the third angel poured out the third bowl of judgment into the rivers and springs of water, and all the fresh water of the Earth became poison,
We are the light of the world. And our prayers are the incense on the altar of incense. But these are other pictures to study.
O my Father, You are Spirit, You are Life, You are our Source of everything we need. You have given us pictures of material things so that we will be able to see the reality of the actual things that are spiritual.
Father, the more I study Your written Word, the more I can understand of Your reality. I am amazed and astounded at all You have revealed to me so far, and it's all connected together into Your great Plan of the Ages, and more. Our ages are only of this creation.
You are just, and will attend to making sure that every creature will receive what is just. But You have also redeemed us by putting the wrath due us on Your own Son instead, so that You could put His righteousness on our account. This is even more amazing than all I have seen! How You could be just, and still justify the unrighteous! Incredible!
O Father, You have loved me more than I could ever imagine! And I want to love you back, with all that I am. Everything I am, I have from You. And I can only give You back what is Yours! Father, help me to do much with what You have given to me, to be able to honor You before the world.
Let me help Your children to grow to maturity, and let me increase the number of Your uncountable children, to help You fill Your house with Your family, enjoying sweet fellowship with You and the rest of Your family forever!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
One important picture is that of His temple in Heaven. The Tabernacle is constructed according to it, as God showed Moses (see 1/3, 4 & 5/20 blog posts); and Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem according to the same pattern.
But what is God's heavenly temple? What is it built out of? What kind of stones does God use to build His temple? The city is made of gold, but the temple must be made of something even more precious than gold.
It is, God builds His temple using living stones to form the edifice of His heavenly temple.
Jesus is the Cornerstone of this building.
Psalm 118: 22-23 says,
The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.Isaiah 8: 13-15 tells us that,
It is the Lord of Hosts whom you should regard as holy, and He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread. Then He shall become a sanctuary; but to both the houses of Israel, a stone to strike and a rock to stumble over, and a snare and a trap for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. Many shall stumble over them, then they will fall and be broken; they will even be snared and caught.Jesus, as the Head over His body that we are, is also the Cornerstone of the building we comprise.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all record Jesus' words, quoting Isaiah, and saying that those who trip over this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whom it falls it will scatter him like dust!
And Peter says that we are the living stones:
Coming to Him as to a living Stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (I Peter: 2 4-5).Then he also quotes Isaiah.
As our bodies are God's temple here and now, because He lives in us (I Corinthians 3: 16-17; 6: 19), Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, that we are,
fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2: 19-22).So we are the living stones of God's temple in heaven, we are His priests to offer the spiritual sacrifices forever in His holy presence.
And, according to the Revelation of Jesus Christ as given to John, the martyrs that have been beheaded for Christ could be the living stones of the altar in the temple of God in heaven.
When the Lamb opens the fifth Seal,
the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained seemed to be underneath the altar, crying out for God to judge their murderers. (Revelation 6: 9-10).They may have been the stones at the lower part of the altar.
Because when the third angel poured out the third bowl of judgment into the rivers and springs of water, and all the fresh water of the Earth became poison,
then the altar itself cried out praises to O Lord God the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments, when You have judged these things; for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it (Revelation 16: 4-7).So, since we are the living stones that comprise the temple of God in Heaven, and those who have shed their blood in the Name of the Lord are the altar in the temple, I wonder if He will also have us in the other different pieces of the furniture He had Moses put in the Tabernacle.
We are the light of the world. And our prayers are the incense on the altar of incense. But these are other pictures to study.
O my Father, You are Spirit, You are Life, You are our Source of everything we need. You have given us pictures of material things so that we will be able to see the reality of the actual things that are spiritual.
Father, the more I study Your written Word, the more I can understand of Your reality. I am amazed and astounded at all You have revealed to me so far, and it's all connected together into Your great Plan of the Ages, and more. Our ages are only of this creation.
You are just, and will attend to making sure that every creature will receive what is just. But You have also redeemed us by putting the wrath due us on Your own Son instead, so that You could put His righteousness on our account. This is even more amazing than all I have seen! How You could be just, and still justify the unrighteous! Incredible!
O Father, You have loved me more than I could ever imagine! And I want to love you back, with all that I am. Everything I am, I have from You. And I can only give You back what is Yours! Father, help me to do much with what You have given to me, to be able to honor You before the world.
Let me help Your children to grow to maturity, and let me increase the number of Your uncountable children, to help You fill Your house with Your family, enjoying sweet fellowship with You and the rest of Your family forever!
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King of all Creation, to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, February 6, 2020
He Will Keep Us From Stumbling
Jude 24-25
Now that Jude has described all the evil ones, angelic and human, who are trying to destroy God's church, he signs off with a wonderful promise.
(24) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
Our Lord God is able to keep us from stumbling over all these seductions. He has washed us pristine clean, white as snow, completely blameless. And His presence in us by His Spirit will strengthen us and keep our feet from tripping over all the enemy's traps. And after it all, we will still be standing in joyous victory with Him.
(25) to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
The Father, the Son, and the Spirit all work together in perfect unity and harmony as our one God. We see this in both creation and redemption. God the Father gave the Lordship over creation to the Son, and He works in the power of the Spirit.
So all the credit, the glory goes to Him, all the royal majesty belongs to Him. His dominion is the territory of the whole universe, all of creation, over which His rulership holds sway. And His authority is His right and power to rule it all sovereignly. He is God, there is no other.
O my Father, You truly are great! You do everything You want to do, and You accomplish everything You plan. You have made all of this creation for Your pleasure, and You are working out all of Your purposes in it and in us.
Father, You made this Earth to be a paradise for us to build our world upon it, and You granted us the choice to love You back. O Father, we've really made a mess of it, haven't we! But it's not beyond Your ability to redeem, and You sent Your Son to take care of that. And He sent the Spirit to strengthen and encourage us to do our part, the job You gave us to do until He returns.
O Father, help us to recognize the evil people who are doing the enemy's bidding in trying to destroy Your church, the body of Christ, His bride. Keep us in Your hand, protect us in the attacks of the minions of the devil, allow us to show them Your love in our gentle and compassionate responses to their vitriol.
Father, show us how to keep Your congregations true to Your Truth, and give us the strength and boldness to leave when we find that they refuse to honor You.
Grow Your family, Father; help us to mature spiritually, and to increase numerically, until Your house is full, and every place at Your great banquet table is occupied. I am eager for the return of Your Son, and to enjoy sweet fellowship with one another and with You forevermore.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Now that Jude has described all the evil ones, angelic and human, who are trying to destroy God's church, he signs off with a wonderful promise.
(24) Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
Our Lord God is able to keep us from stumbling over all these seductions. He has washed us pristine clean, white as snow, completely blameless. And His presence in us by His Spirit will strengthen us and keep our feet from tripping over all the enemy's traps. And after it all, we will still be standing in joyous victory with Him.
(25) to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
The Father, the Son, and the Spirit all work together in perfect unity and harmony as our one God. We see this in both creation and redemption. God the Father gave the Lordship over creation to the Son, and He works in the power of the Spirit.
So all the credit, the glory goes to Him, all the royal majesty belongs to Him. His dominion is the territory of the whole universe, all of creation, over which His rulership holds sway. And His authority is His right and power to rule it all sovereignly. He is God, there is no other.
O my Father, You truly are great! You do everything You want to do, and You accomplish everything You plan. You have made all of this creation for Your pleasure, and You are working out all of Your purposes in it and in us.
Father, You made this Earth to be a paradise for us to build our world upon it, and You granted us the choice to love You back. O Father, we've really made a mess of it, haven't we! But it's not beyond Your ability to redeem, and You sent Your Son to take care of that. And He sent the Spirit to strengthen and encourage us to do our part, the job You gave us to do until He returns.
O Father, help us to recognize the evil people who are doing the enemy's bidding in trying to destroy Your church, the body of Christ, His bride. Keep us in Your hand, protect us in the attacks of the minions of the devil, allow us to show them Your love in our gentle and compassionate responses to their vitriol.
Father, show us how to keep Your congregations true to Your Truth, and give us the strength and boldness to leave when we find that they refuse to honor You.
Grow Your family, Father; help us to mature spiritually, and to increase numerically, until Your house is full, and every place at Your great banquet table is occupied. I am eager for the return of Your Son, and to enjoy sweet fellowship with one another and with You forevermore.
Even so, come swiftly, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Hating The Dirty Clothes
Jude 22-23
This is how we are to proceed, in keeping ourselves in the love of God that we saw yesterday.
(22) And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
Those who are doubting are the "easy" ones to convince, because it is God who will convince them when they hear His good news for them. But we must be telling them because we love them, not for any other reason.
(23) save others, snatching them out of the fire;
These are those who are being licked by the very flames of Hades. We are to storm the very gates of Hell to rescue these. So we must be strong in the Lord, wearing the armor of God, wielding the sword of the Spirit in the battle.
and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
This is an example of hating the sin while loving the sinner. These people are the victims; they have been trapped by seductive lies that have imprisoned them in chains of addictive lifestyles.
The fear involved here shows the serious danger of these endeavors. We must be protected in these battles. We must keep ourselves regularly washed in the water of the Word to remove the dirt and grime of walking in the wasteland of this world, and strengthened in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He it is who calls us to go into all nations, starting with our own neighbors (Matthew 28: 19-20). It's up to us, brothers and sisters; Jesus left us here after He saved us in order to grow His family. We are to individually grow up, and we are to go out to witness to others to grow His Kingdom numerically.
It is our job to make sure we are growing and loving and working His works, making a difference in our own little worlds where we live, and extending our boundaries to increase God's glory to the best of the ability God grants each of us.
O my Father God, please help each of us, Your children, to be strong in the Lord, to daily nourish our spiritual life with the milk and meat of the Word. May we have our confidence in You, Father, to trust Your leading as You take our hand and will never let go.
Keep us in Your narrow path that leads to Everlasting Light, not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering away or falling into a ditch, not lagging behind or running ahead, but taking every step in Your footsteps.
Lead us to those in the greatest danger of hell-fire, Father; strengthened and protected and mighty in the power of Your almighty power, rescuing and snatching them out of the devil's hand and into Your glorious Kingdom!
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!
This is how we are to proceed, in keeping ourselves in the love of God that we saw yesterday.
(22) And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
Those who are doubting are the "easy" ones to convince, because it is God who will convince them when they hear His good news for them. But we must be telling them because we love them, not for any other reason.
(23) save others, snatching them out of the fire;
These are those who are being licked by the very flames of Hades. We are to storm the very gates of Hell to rescue these. So we must be strong in the Lord, wearing the armor of God, wielding the sword of the Spirit in the battle.
and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
This is an example of hating the sin while loving the sinner. These people are the victims; they have been trapped by seductive lies that have imprisoned them in chains of addictive lifestyles.
The fear involved here shows the serious danger of these endeavors. We must be protected in these battles. We must keep ourselves regularly washed in the water of the Word to remove the dirt and grime of walking in the wasteland of this world, and strengthened in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He it is who calls us to go into all nations, starting with our own neighbors (Matthew 28: 19-20). It's up to us, brothers and sisters; Jesus left us here after He saved us in order to grow His family. We are to individually grow up, and we are to go out to witness to others to grow His Kingdom numerically.
It is our job to make sure we are growing and loving and working His works, making a difference in our own little worlds where we live, and extending our boundaries to increase God's glory to the best of the ability God grants each of us.
O my Father God, please help each of us, Your children, to be strong in the Lord, to daily nourish our spiritual life with the milk and meat of the Word. May we have our confidence in You, Father, to trust Your leading as You take our hand and will never let go.
Keep us in Your narrow path that leads to Everlasting Light, not turning to the right or to the left, not wandering away or falling into a ditch, not lagging behind or running ahead, but taking every step in Your footsteps.
Lead us to those in the greatest danger of hell-fire, Father; strengthened and protected and mighty in the power of Your almighty power, rescuing and snatching them out of the devil's hand and into Your glorious Kingdom!
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!
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
Beware Mockers Who Cause Divisions
Jude 17-21
Now Jude is turning more toward the brothers and sisters to whom he is writing this letter of warning.
(17) But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
(18) that they were saying to you that in the last time there will be mockers, following their own ungodly lusts.
Jude felt the urgency to tell these people he loves, brothers and sisters in the Lord, to warn them about the false teachers that disguise themselves as "ministers of righteousness," when they are only concerned for their own physical pleasures and financial benefits and having the power of authority over others.
The apostles who laid the foundation for the church had a wide ministry of which we have very little written down. But they warned ahead of time, from the very beginning of the church, that there would be evil men who would mock and scoff at the Gospel.
(19) These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
Right now there is a great split in one of the Christian denominations over a misunderstanding of the picture of marriage God gave us to demonstrate the relationship He wants with us. People who don't have God's Holy Spirit of Truth living in them have no understanding of God's Word, so have introduced "other gospels" of "damnable heresies" into the institution of the church.
This is just one example today of how the devil has disrupted God's church. Many of our Christian congregations have only a religion, not that intimate relationship with God that He wants with us. So they have been deceived by their worldly-minded leaders. They may have never yet heard the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who know God are to share His good news with our neighbors and coworkers, so they can make an informed decision to receive the Truth that will set them free.
(20) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
(21) keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
We who are God's children are to be consistent and persistent to keep ourselves separate from the views of the world, focused on our Father God and His inspired Word of Truth. We need to "practice the presence of God" (Brother Lawrence) in continuous conversation with Him, always remembering that He will guide us and strengthen us.
As we are living in the love of God, we will see ourselves and others as He sees us, as treasured valuables, worth the highest positions in His family business, His Kingdom. Realizing His great mercy to us in placing the wrath due us on His Son, the Lamb of God; eager for the return of our King, bringing with Him the rewards He will grace us with for doing His works, and the eternal spirit-body that will swallow up our mortal body.
O my Father, please help us, show us how You would have us approach these deceived people, how to love them so much that we will be able to share Your Gospel with them in a compassionate and gentle way.
Father, it's so easy for us to react in anger at the harm that our enemy has wrought, bringing slander upon Your reputation!
But the people who have been duped by him are the victims, Father; help us to see this. Show us Your ways, Your words to speak to them in gentle, compassionate tones of voice that they will be able to hear and accept.
Lead us to all of Your lost sheep, the children who have yet to be born into Your family, Father. Grant us to have good success in sharing Your message, Your wonderful good news that You have met their needs to be freed from the bondage they suffer.
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 Jude is turning more toward the brothers and sisters to whom he is writing this letter of warning.
(17) But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
(18) that they were saying to you that in the last time there will be mockers, following their own ungodly lusts.
Jude felt the urgency to tell these people he loves, brothers and sisters in the Lord, to warn them about the false teachers that disguise themselves as "ministers of righteousness," when they are only concerned for their own physical pleasures and financial benefits and having the power of authority over others.
The apostles who laid the foundation for the church had a wide ministry of which we have very little written down. But they warned ahead of time, from the very beginning of the church, that there would be evil men who would mock and scoff at the Gospel.
(19) These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
Right now there is a great split in one of the Christian denominations over a misunderstanding of the picture of marriage God gave us to demonstrate the relationship He wants with us. People who don't have God's Holy Spirit of Truth living in them have no understanding of God's Word, so have introduced "other gospels" of "damnable heresies" into the institution of the church.
This is just one example today of how the devil has disrupted God's church. Many of our Christian congregations have only a religion, not that intimate relationship with God that He wants with us. So they have been deceived by their worldly-minded leaders. They may have never yet heard the Gospel of Christ. Those of us who know God are to share His good news with our neighbors and coworkers, so they can make an informed decision to receive the Truth that will set them free.
(20) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
(21) keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
We who are God's children are to be consistent and persistent to keep ourselves separate from the views of the world, focused on our Father God and His inspired Word of Truth. We need to "practice the presence of God" (Brother Lawrence) in continuous conversation with Him, always remembering that He will guide us and strengthen us.
As we are living in the love of God, we will see ourselves and others as He sees us, as treasured valuables, worth the highest positions in His family business, His Kingdom. Realizing His great mercy to us in placing the wrath due us on His Son, the Lamb of God; eager for the return of our King, bringing with Him the rewards He will grace us with for doing His works, and the eternal spirit-body that will swallow up our mortal body.
O my Father, please help us, show us how You would have us approach these deceived people, how to love them so much that we will be able to share Your Gospel with them in a compassionate and gentle way.
Father, it's so easy for us to react in anger at the harm that our enemy has wrought, bringing slander upon Your reputation!
But the people who have been duped by him are the victims, Father; help us to see this. Show us Your ways, Your words to speak to them in gentle, compassionate tones of voice that they will be able to hear and accept.
Lead us to all of Your lost sheep, the children who have yet to be born into Your family, Father. Grant us to have good success in sharing Your message, Your wonderful good news that You have met their needs to be freed from the bondage they suffer.
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!
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