Colossians 1:29 "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily."
The way sentences are structured in the Bible, it can be difficult at times to sort out exactly what the writer is talking about sometimes. In this verse you could paraphrase what Paul is saying thus,
"Christ, Who is our hope, is Who we preach to the world. This is the end toward which I am laboring. I am to endeavoring with strenuous zeal along with the help of His superhuman power to do this. And His superhuman power is actively at work, putting forth power, aiding me, working for me."
Do you feel that there is superhuman power working inside you? Are you laboring toward the end which Christ has called you to?
Then ask yourself this - are you satisfied with how you answered the previous questions? If not, what would have to change in your life so that you could answer them in a satisfactory way?
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding
Colossians 1:9-10 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;"
It's interesting that Paul mentions that he is praying that the church 1) might be filled with the knowledge of God's will and also 2) that they would increase in the knowledge of God. There's a lot of words being thrown around such as knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Let's take a look at these and try to find out what Paul really has in mind.
Knowledge of His Will: precise and correct knowledge (of things ethical and divine) of what God wishes and determines to be done.
Wisdom: the varied knowledge of things human and divine, acquired by acuteness and experience, and summed up in maxims and proverbs.
Spiritual Understanding: a running together, a flowing together with, as in when things "come together" in your mind. Knowledge of this kind relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ.
Knowledge of His Will: precise and correct knowledge (of things ethical and divine) of God Himself, His person.
Lesson for the day - there is much to be learned. When was the last time you felt like you were still learning things about God? As Christians, we often get comfortable with our understanding of Who God is. Challenge that today, search deeper.
It's interesting that Paul mentions that he is praying that the church 1) might be filled with the knowledge of God's will and also 2) that they would increase in the knowledge of God. There's a lot of words being thrown around such as knowledge, wisdom, understanding. Let's take a look at these and try to find out what Paul really has in mind.
Knowledge of His Will: precise and correct knowledge (of things ethical and divine) of what God wishes and determines to be done.
Wisdom: the varied knowledge of things human and divine, acquired by acuteness and experience, and summed up in maxims and proverbs.
Spiritual Understanding: a running together, a flowing together with, as in when things "come together" in your mind. Knowledge of this kind relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ.
Knowledge of His Will: precise and correct knowledge (of things ethical and divine) of God Himself, His person.
Lesson for the day - there is much to be learned. When was the last time you felt like you were still learning things about God? As Christians, we often get comfortable with our understanding of Who God is. Challenge that today, search deeper.
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Vast Riches
Philippians 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."
This is a promise that every believer can hold on to. It's almost something we take for granted in that this amazing verse hardly even phases us when we hear it. Of course God will take care of our needs, right?
But take a minute and think about the true implications of that. He will supply all your need, 'your' meaning you and your church, and the church in the next city over, and the believers scattered throughout this world, and every believer past, present, and future...Now do you start to see the wonder in this short little verse?
It's not just that God can take care of YOU, though He can and He will. It's that His power and riches in glory by Christ Jesus are so vast, so limitless, so unimaginably infinite, that He has been taking care of His children throughout history, He is taking care of His children today, and He will for all the rest of eternity.
Praise God.
This is a promise that every believer can hold on to. It's almost something we take for granted in that this amazing verse hardly even phases us when we hear it. Of course God will take care of our needs, right?
But take a minute and think about the true implications of that. He will supply all your need, 'your' meaning you and your church, and the church in the next city over, and the believers scattered throughout this world, and every believer past, present, and future...Now do you start to see the wonder in this short little verse?
It's not just that God can take care of YOU, though He can and He will. It's that His power and riches in glory by Christ Jesus are so vast, so limitless, so unimaginably infinite, that He has been taking care of His children throughout history, He is taking care of His children today, and He will for all the rest of eternity.
Praise God.
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Careful
Philippians 4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
The word 'careful' here doesn't imply that we should never watch where we are going or drive safely. It would be easier to understand if we broke the word apart - 'care' and 'full', or 'full of care'. 'Careful' in this instance means: "to be anxious, to be troubled with cares..."
The definition continues: "to care for, look out for (a thing), to seek to promote one's interests, caring or providing for." While I believe the first part of the definition is probably the most accurate for this particular verse, I think it is interesting how interconnected be anxious and troubled is with promoting one's interests. It makes sense, however, when all we can think about is ourselves and our interests, anything that is going on around us, anything with an unknown ending, will cause worry and anxiousness.
This kind of anxiousness and worry should not be present in a Christian's life. Instead our focus should be on promoting the Kingdom of God, serving Him and others. Worry fades away when we know that our prayers are heard by the Creator God!
The word 'careful' here doesn't imply that we should never watch where we are going or drive safely. It would be easier to understand if we broke the word apart - 'care' and 'full', or 'full of care'. 'Careful' in this instance means: "to be anxious, to be troubled with cares..."
The definition continues: "to care for, look out for (a thing), to seek to promote one's interests, caring or providing for." While I believe the first part of the definition is probably the most accurate for this particular verse, I think it is interesting how interconnected be anxious and troubled is with promoting one's interests. It makes sense, however, when all we can think about is ourselves and our interests, anything that is going on around us, anything with an unknown ending, will cause worry and anxiousness.
This kind of anxiousness and worry should not be present in a Christian's life. Instead our focus should be on promoting the Kingdom of God, serving Him and others. Worry fades away when we know that our prayers are heard by the Creator God!
Monday, July 23, 2018
Conversation = Citizenship, Community
Philippians 3:20 "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:"
Sometimes, the translation of words can totally throw you off as to the meaning of a verse. When you look it up, you find that the word 'conversation' does not mean the words that you say to other people, but rather: "a community, i.e. (abstractly) citizenship (figuratively)."
Therefore, we can read "For our community, our citizenship is in heaven..." This is exciting stuff! Not only is heaven where we hold citizenship (and therefore the rights of citizens), but it's also our community, heaven is where we can find that like-minded group of people, our tribe, our fellows. Imagine complete and total unity and it is all centered around our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here on earth, we are supposed to have a small taste of this community through the church, Christ's body on this earth. Am I experiencing that kind of unity and purpose in church? Or is it just some songs, a sermon, and some handshakes every Sunday?
Sometimes, the translation of words can totally throw you off as to the meaning of a verse. When you look it up, you find that the word 'conversation' does not mean the words that you say to other people, but rather: "a community, i.e. (abstractly) citizenship (figuratively)."
Therefore, we can read "For our community, our citizenship is in heaven..." This is exciting stuff! Not only is heaven where we hold citizenship (and therefore the rights of citizens), but it's also our community, heaven is where we can find that like-minded group of people, our tribe, our fellows. Imagine complete and total unity and it is all centered around our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Here on earth, we are supposed to have a small taste of this community through the church, Christ's body on this earth. Am I experiencing that kind of unity and purpose in church? Or is it just some songs, a sermon, and some handshakes every Sunday?
Friday, July 20, 2018
Excellency of the Knowledge
Philippians 3:8 "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,"
I think a lot of times the emphasis of this verse is placed on the fact that Paul is dumping everything that the world values (and even some Christians value), and proclaiming it all to be a loss, complete and utter garbage, dung. And while this is a big statement, and something all of us should strive to be able to echo, if you shift focus a bit, I think you'll see the focus of the verse is in a different place.
The excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. This is Paul's focus in this verse, in his life. All that other stuff was gone and forgotten. The one and only thing that mattered was the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord.
What does that mean? Many people know of Jesus, many people claim to know Him, but only a true Christ follower knows the excellency of that knowledge. In the Greek, excellency is actually a verb meaning "to excel, to be superior, better than, to surpass." In other words, the knowledge of Jesus Christ as your individual Lord is actively better than anything else. It surpasses all those meaningless things Paul counted as loss and forgot about.
If you merely have knowledge of Jesus Christ, you are missing out. However, if you have knowledge of Him as your Lord, meaning you are surrendered to Him as King of your life, then you know exactly how superior that knowledge is to anything else.
I think a lot of times the emphasis of this verse is placed on the fact that Paul is dumping everything that the world values (and even some Christians value), and proclaiming it all to be a loss, complete and utter garbage, dung. And while this is a big statement, and something all of us should strive to be able to echo, if you shift focus a bit, I think you'll see the focus of the verse is in a different place.
The excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. This is Paul's focus in this verse, in his life. All that other stuff was gone and forgotten. The one and only thing that mattered was the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord.
What does that mean? Many people know of Jesus, many people claim to know Him, but only a true Christ follower knows the excellency of that knowledge. In the Greek, excellency is actually a verb meaning "to excel, to be superior, better than, to surpass." In other words, the knowledge of Jesus Christ as your individual Lord is actively better than anything else. It surpasses all those meaningless things Paul counted as loss and forgot about.
If you merely have knowledge of Jesus Christ, you are missing out. However, if you have knowledge of Him as your Lord, meaning you are surrendered to Him as King of your life, then you know exactly how superior that knowledge is to anything else.
Thursday, July 19, 2018
Active Worship
Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
The word 'worship' has an etymology that goes back to its root 'worthy'. It means the "condition of being worthy, dignity, glory, distinction, honor, renown." Therefore, worship is usually thought of as acknowledging God's worthiness, glorifying Him.
However, the word translated 'worship' here has the base meaning of "to serve, or minister to". Now, acknowledging God's worthiness is definitely a part of our service to Him. But this definition helps us look at worship in a different way. Worship is not only some mental practice or words we say, although those certainly can be part of it. More than that, worship quite literally the actions we take in service to God.
I don't know about you, but I've rarely been as satisfied and happy, rejoicing in my Savior, than when I've been actively serving God by serving and loving others. Those moments when you're out on a limb and you have no choice but to trust God, where you are unable to have any confidence in the flesh, that is a form of worship that you will never forget!
When was the last time you worshiped God in this way?
The word 'worship' has an etymology that goes back to its root 'worthy'. It means the "condition of being worthy, dignity, glory, distinction, honor, renown." Therefore, worship is usually thought of as acknowledging God's worthiness, glorifying Him.
However, the word translated 'worship' here has the base meaning of "to serve, or minister to". Now, acknowledging God's worthiness is definitely a part of our service to Him. But this definition helps us look at worship in a different way. Worship is not only some mental practice or words we say, although those certainly can be part of it. More than that, worship quite literally the actions we take in service to God.
I don't know about you, but I've rarely been as satisfied and happy, rejoicing in my Savior, than when I've been actively serving God by serving and loving others. Those moments when you're out on a limb and you have no choice but to trust God, where you are unable to have any confidence in the flesh, that is a form of worship that you will never forget!
When was the last time you worshiped God in this way?
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