Fix Your Thanks

Take a moment and be thankful. Fix your thoughts on what God has done for you and with you this last week. Be real. Be thankful...

Be Ready

I don't know if it's going to be tomorrow or the next day, but God does want to use you to do the most amazing work of all and that is encourage someone to become a Christian. Maybe you will sow a seed, you might water it or you might bring in the harvest. Just be ready. Be willing. Be aware. God will do amazing things among us!

Do You Remember?

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

Do you remember when you gave your life to Christ? Do you remember when it first really hit you that Jesus died for you, for your sins? 

I remember because it was during a communion service and the Holy Spirit just open my understanding to the truth that Jesus' body was broken for me and his blood was shed to wash away my sins.

I remember that I got up and ran outside because I didn't want anyone to see me cry. Every excuse to not follow Christ paled next to the realization that Jesus died for me, to make me a child of God.

Do you remember?

In the Battle Today, God is Your Shield

Today, you will be in a battle. Remember, God, who is your strong deliverer will shield you. The battle may be fierce or it may be subtle, because we live in a world that at it's very center seeks to undermine and destroy every true perception and any hint of authentic worship of the One true God. But our God is the Sovereign LORD, our strong deliverer and he shields us in the day of battle. 

He Goes Before You

I don't know where you are at in your life. I don't profess to be some sort of prophet and call out people who are suffering from some disease or are in financial trouble or something. Wherever you are going and whatever you are going through, God knows. By faith, know he is going before you and will make a way. Trust him, not your feelings. He is faithful. 

When the Door Opens, Be Ready

And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 

Colossians 4:3-4

There's a couple of things we can see in this prayer request from Paul to the Colossians that we can put into practice even though we aren't apostle in the literal sense. We should all pray that God will provide opportunities to proclaim the mystery of Christ. We should pray that we are ready and can share the good news clearly.  

I'm a big sports fan and I've enjoyed sports my whole life. In high school I wrestled and our coach taught us to think several moves ahead anticipating when to make your move to either take your opponent down or put them on their back. As Christians we should pray for and be ready when we "see" an open door. 

In wrestling we would spend a lot of time practicing take downs. You see, if your attempt was poorly done you might end up getting taken down or even put on your back. But, if you executed your move well you'd get the points. My point is that being clear about what you believe and being able to express it clearly in love will let you in the door and in the house, so to speak. 

Lord, open doors for us to proclaim the mystery of Christ, the hope of glory to the dying world around us. Give us wisdom to proclaim the gospel clearly. Praise be to you in us today!

Be Watchful and Thankful

Our prayers should have a least two perspectives, one of watchfulness and the other of thankfulness. Jesus told his disciples, "I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16).  We pray for God's guidance and protection for what might happen and are thankful for his Sovereignty over what did happen. 

Who do you please?

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as  working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.  - Colossians 3:23-24

Just a simple thought: Work hard, work for the Lord, look forward to the reward and remind yourself you're serving Jesus, not man. 

I know most of us have jobs with managers and  supervisors who are not following Christ. Some are good people, some are not. More often than not I hear people complaining about how self serving and incompetent their bosses are. Yet, God still calls us to serve him in our jobs, right where we are at, regardless of the morality of those we work with.  We work to please the Lord, not men.

It's nice to be appreciated, but that doesn't always happen. What is good to know is that if you work hard and try to live as Christ would have you live you can end the day knowing he is pleased. And in the end that is what really matters. 

What are you thankful for today?

Vindication

     Thank you, Father, that in Jesus you have compassion on us and vindicate us in Your righteousness. Open our eyes to see you working in us today. 

What's Your Message?

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 

Colossians 3:16

Whether we want to or not each of us is sending out a message with our lives. Jesus taught, "A good man brings up good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man things evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of" (Luke 6:45). That is why Paul encourages us to let the message of Christ dwell among us richly. 

One thing I want to point out is that Paul does not specifically direct the leaders to teach and admonish one another. He is empowering everyone. We all teach and admonish each other. It does not matter who you are, you have something to "teach" the rest of us. You may not be a "teacher" but your life can be very instructive to those who are walking right along side of you and God may be using you to "teach and admonish" by your simple acts of faith and faithfulness. 

If you are reading this I am guessing that you are probably trying to store up good things within yourself. Keep seeking, keep praying, reading the Word, singing praises and what is inside you will come out one way or another, to the glory and praise of God. 

Tell of His Goodness

What Rules You?

Simple question: What is ruling in your heart? Is it desire? Anxiety? Fear? The fear of being incomplete? A lot of things can be motivating us and influencing us to decide what to do. Just take a moment and think about what it is that is guiding you to do what you will do today?

Over All, Put on Love

And over all  these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 

Colossians 3:14

Love makes things truly work. What is compassion without love?What is kindness, humility, gentleness and patience without love? Is it possible to truly forgive someone from the heart without love? 

A godless, loveless attempt at compassion does not see someone who is bound by sin in a sinful godless world and therefore in need of the mercy and grace that can only be found in Christ. In Christ we are all sinners saved Christ. 

My grandmother, whenever we saw or encountered someone less fortunate than us would remind us that, "There, go I, save by the grace of God." We forgive because Christ first forgave us. We serve others because Christ first served us. Paul said, "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners - of whom I am the worst" (I Timothy 1:15).  We are compassionate, kind, gentle, and patience because Christ is compassionate, kind, gentle, and patient with us. We love because Christ first loved us. Love binds it all together. 

The Forgiven Forgive

As Chosen People

Where Are You?

For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:3-4

My wife and I geocache. Geocaching is a global outdoor game that uses GPS enabled devices to hide, seek and find objects. It's a nice way to get out of the house and discover things you might normally never see. When we finally find a cache we always remark how it was right there, we didn't see it until we found it. Once we looked for one that was in a tree and it took at least three attempts. When we finally spotted it, it was a camouflaged pen attached to limb. It was hidden in the tree until it "appeared". 

As Christians our lives appeared to be hidden to the world. Because we look to Christ, in whom the reality of life is found (Colossians 2:17), to find our life. Our life, our completeness and wholeness is in Christ. Part of that hope is in the future when Christ returns. The finality and completeness of our salvation and redemption will begin. A new body, a new home, in eternity with our Father and the family of God. 

To the world our faith expressing itself through love is like camouflage. It doesn't make sense to the world to lay down your life and serve others. Putting your hope in someone who died on a cross is foolishness to those who don't believe. But to those us who know Christ as Lord and Savior, we understand that our life is "hidden with Christ in God." 

So, live in faith. Love as Christ loved you. Pray that the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of those who are lost to see Christ in you, the hope of glory. 

Given What You Need

Redemption, Your Hope

Thank you, Lord, for the hope of your unfailing love. Thank you that you don't partially redeem us, you fully redeem us. You didn't send an angel, you didn't send a letter, you came yourself and redeemed us, forgiving all our sins in Christ on the cross. Praise be to you in us today!

Mercy, Reverence and Service

In Christ God has heard our cry for mercy. In fact, he saw our need for mercy before we even came into existence. In Christ God has forgiven us of all our sins. Past, present and future. He nailed that record to the cross (Colossians 2:14) and triumphed over death and sin. 

Forgiveness does not give us license to sin, rather it opens our hearts to reverence. We stand in awe at the foot of the cross, knowing that the nails in his hands in feet, and all that he endured restores us to the Father and sets us in his kingdom as light in the darkness of this world. 

In that reverence we serve him where we are today. From home to work, school to sports, whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord, serving wholeheartedly.