Thursday the 11th

Colossians 2: 2

 

²My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ

 

Do you want to be rich in understanding? Do you want the full measure of riches that come from understanding? Then be united in love. Allow yourself to become not just aware in your heart, but become encouraged. Read the word and hear the good news, Christ has died and has risen for your salvation. Your sins of the past are gone, your past is just that…… your past. The world today wants you to believe that you are the most important thing in the world. Society today does not preach united, it preaches separation. We cannot not be united in love if we are struggling to step on our brothers fingers to climb the ladder! Just like Paul we should each make encouraging others our purpose. From love sprouts selflessness. When we take the time to build up each other in the teachings of Christ we will find that we do not stand at the top of the hill alone. We stand as a group, conquerors over this world, we stand as a group united in love, and there we will have the full riches. There we will fully come to realize Christ and the precious gift that has been given to us.

 

May the peace of the Lord be with you always,

Brian

Wed the 10th

Colossians1:29

 

²⁹To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

 

When Paul wrote this he was specifically talking about his struggles for the growth of the church, and the advancement of God’s word. This very same sentence can be placed at the end of any statement that we make concerning any effort we undertake. Everything we do should be struggled for with all of the energy that powerfully works within us. Our goal from the moment that we wake up to the moment that we go to sleep is first and foremost to be a soul winner. We strive, and struggle to advance the cross of Christ further up this worldly battlefield. It does not matter if you stand in front of people on Sunday, or if you fill the seats…..maybe you do not even make it in sometimes… All of our effort, all of our actions, all of our focus, should be an example of the Glory of Christ crucified. It is there at the foot of the cross of Christ we will draw our strength, we will find our direction, and we will become charged with his energy that works within each of us. So no matter what the labor, no matter what the goal, go forth with the banner of the Lord waving. Let everyone know that no matter the endeavor first and foremost we struggle for Christ.

 

 

 

May the peace of the Lord be with you always,

Brian

Tuesday the 9th

Colossians 1:21-22

 

²¹Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. ²²But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation

 

The greatness of God’s freedom! The joy of his grace, and the comfort of his peace. To imagine that there was a time when we were cut off from that is unimaginable. The thought of ever losing it is terrifying. We are indeed free. It is through the death of Christ that we each have life. A life that is free of blemish and free form accusation. I am reminded of my math teacher in Jr. High who would tell us at the beginning of each semester, “everyone has an A right now, it is up to you to keep it”. It is the same in our new lives. They are ours to polish to a radiate shine or ours to destroy. Through the death of one, many have been saved. Let each of us make sure that his death was not in vain. Let our lives be an example to the world, let them see by our example there is one who has defeated death, and as a result Each of us has the opportunity to be reconciled!

 

May the peace of the Lord be with you always,

Brian

 

 

Monday the 8th

Colossians 1:16-17

 

¹⁶For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

 

We often get caught up in the human Jesus. We cleave to all the work he did while he was here, and the sacrifice that He made, yet we often forget that Christ is found in the first and last chapters of the bible, and in all of the pages in between. From the “let us make him in our image” in Genesis, to the building of the new world in Revelations, Christ is there. Christ is supreme, he is above all, and in all. I make this point because many tend to live their life with Christ as they view Christ……it is just a portion. There is a little room, some space is given up, a Sunday is set aside, or maybe an evening here or there. Yet as Christ is in the bible is how he should be in our lives! Christ is too big to be contained to a small area of our life, he is the wellspring of eternal hope. He is the foundation, and the building. Christ desires to live not as a part of your life, but as a fully ingrained, fully functional, all encompassing  force in your life! Yes Christ lived, and died, as a result we now have the gift of everlasting life, but let us not forget that he is the firstborn of life, and the firstborn from death. Invite the Lord in, let him fill the rooms of your heart, and you will find that  everything will shine as new. When we recognize not just the sacrifice but the true supremacy of Christ, we can then see just how much more precious that sacrifice was.  Jesus is not just contained to the pages of the Gospels, nor should he be contained in a small area of your life, choose to live a life led by Christ, let him reign supreme.

 

Peace of the Lord be with you always,

Brian

 

 

Thursday the 4th

Colossians 1:13-14

 

¹³For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

 

At the end of both world wars it took a while for the word to spread. As a result there were several instances where there was still fighting going on, even after the war was officially over. I often read passages such as this one and think about how we have the same problem. The war is over, the devil has lost. Christ died on the cross and redeemed our sins. Yet there are so many out in the trenches still, so many out fighting a foe that is already defeated. We have been given the declaration of victory, so why are we trying so hard to tear it up? The fight is no longer carried out in front of us, as much as it is now within us. We choose each and every day if we will continue on to eternity, or join up with those that are trying to undermined the peace that has been bought at a very high price. I urge each of us to get out of the trenches, and find the narrow path home. The war is over, and we are left with nothing but skirmishes with ourselves over living for the world or living for God. Listen for the voice of truth. He will lead you home. The Lord has bought our freedom, but like many prisoners we see the cell door is open, yet so many will not walk through. Take the first step out, experience the freedom that comes with trusting the Lord. We have won, let us be victorious!  

 

May the peace of God be with you,

Brian

 

 

Wed the 3rd

Colossians 1:5-6

 

⁵the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel ⁶that has come to you. All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth.

 

There is a garden that is growing all over the world. A garden full of Love, hope, compassion, truth, and grace. This is a global garden that affects all of us, but it is a very individual garden at it’s root. Each one of us decides how well our garden will grow. We have to be vigilant to keep the weeds out, and the bitter root from growing and taking root. There is little doubt that the day will come when the Spirit of God will blanket this world. It will be a tapestry of the best that each of us have to offer, lifted up and displayed for the glory of God. The garden grows or recedes daily, someday we make huge leaps, yet others find us just trying to keep the weeds of life from taking over. Don’t let your part wither and die, water it with prayer, fertilize it with the search for truth in the bible. Plant seeds of faith and hope. As we work together we will see the gardens of our life intertwine together, the boundary lines will vanish, and we will be amazed at the beauty that is the Love of God covering the Earth. We will see it spring forth, and grown into the world that the Lord has intended for us. We will see ourselves become the undefeatable, lasting love that is Christ.   

 

Peace,

Brian

 

Tuesday the 2nd

Philippians: 4:14

 

¹⁴Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles.

 

“Share in my troubles” does not do justice in today’s world to the point Paul was making. The phrase is translated form  the Greek word sugkoinōneō

soong-koy-no-neh'-o  to share in company with, that is, co-participate in: - communicate (have fellowship) with, be partaker of.

 

I make this point because today we often thank people for “wishing us well” or “thinking of us” yet there is no action behind their emotion. You can worry all day about someone, but if you pass up the opportunity to help that person, then you have done little to truly fellowship with them, or be a partaker of their lives.  James 2:15-16 sums this thought up well : “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,

and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? “ The Philippians got involved in Paul’s ministry. As a result, not only did they help Paul, but they helped themselves as a church by banding together in a common good cause. This is how we help people. Not by good wishes, not by just hoping the best for them, but by getting actively involved. Let each of us take some time and prayerfully consider how we are supporting those in our lives. Worry, and wonder will do little to help them. We have to roll up our sleeves dive in and get dirty. That might mean that we have to part with some cash that we did not think we had, we might have to set some time aside that we think we cannot spare, and heaven forbid, we might need to cut something we like doing for ourselves so that we might have the ability to show up, and actively support those we love. Let each of us work to share in the troubles of those around us. Be active, engage, and have a fellowship with the ones you love and support.

 

 

Peace,

Brian