5/8/15- Christ the Treasure of Knowledge

1I want you to know how hard I am contending for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. 2My goal 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, 3in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. 5For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is. (Colossians 2:1-5)

Thoughts: Paul is working hard for people he has never met.  Christian love is not limited to only those whom we can see and can return our favors. Paul delights in their faithfulness and growth.  He is one with them in spirit even if he is not there physically. In some ways Laodicea and Colossae were his spiritual grandchildren that he had never met.  He was still proud of them though he hadn't met them, and he was trying to encourage them.
      Paul wanted them to be encouraged and united so that they might know Christ.  In Christ is found true wisdom and true knowledge.  There were some that were trying to say (a pre-Gnosticism) that there is a secret and true knowledge found of God outside of Christ.  Paul was concerned that the people of Colossae not be "deceived by fine-sounding arguments."  Since the beginning, smooth talking people have tried to draw people away from Christ as if Christ and His message were too simple.  The God who made all things also made all true knowledge.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to find my true knowledge and treasure in you.  
       

5/7/15 National Day of Prayer

Today is National Day of Prayer.
I encourage you to pray for the United States (or for those reading this not in this country- your own nation).  For more information go to Nationaldayofprayer.org

1I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:1-5)

Thoughts; I just read an article from the Huffington Post that says, "Jesus Doesn't need a national Day of Prayer and Neither Do We."  Their point was that this seems to be a breaking of the separation of church and state.  But they entirely miss the point.  The point is not to force prayer.  No one is forced to pray today.  There are no swords or guns pointing to the necks of people saying, "Pray or else."  Their point was also that any kind of joint prayer is watered down.  But I totally disagree.  It doesn't have to be watered down.  Prayer, true prayer, should always be from the heart- and no one can take that away.
    Truth is, we do not need to be told to shut up and not pray.  It is an illusion to think that God doesn't care if we do not pray or not.  Jesus has said that "where two or three are gathered together in my name- there am I in the midst of them" (Mt. 4:16).
     The need of our nation, and our love for our people here should compel us to join our hearts and voices together.  We are still at war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and still have troops in Afghanistan.  We are divided morally, and in moral and spiritual decline.  For someone to tell us that we should be quiet in order to not offend someone else or cross an artificial imaginary line of some kind is ludicrous.  We must please God rather than men.  God calls us to implore Him- to ask again and again.  God asks us to not let the anxieties of our world dominate us but to turn over everything to Him.  Jesus desires us to talk to Him- in harmony and love.  We need to talk to Jesus- crossing denominational and ecumenical lines (but not the heart).  

Prayer: Lord, teach me to pray.  Help me to pray.  Help us to pray to you as a nation.  Our leaders, our citizens, our police and firefighters need your help.

5/6/15- Zeal to Proclaim Christ

28He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1)

Thoughts: "He is the one we proclaim."  No one else is worth proclaiming with the same strength and zeal.  Paul does not simply hold to His teachings, Paul believes everyone will be presented before Christ.  He also believes Christ works in Him- not simply through His teachings but through His Spirit.  Christ is alive not just in His teachings or through the application of His teachings- but through His powerful Spirit.  If Christ can use someone who persecuted Him, He can use anyone.  Paul proclaims Him with all the wisdom and energy that he has.  It is not that Paul made a tremendous living off his proclamation.  He was probably writing this from prison- he was imprisoned many times.  He also had to work making tents to make a living as he went along.  This means that lay people as well as missionaries and ministers or officers should all proclaim Christ with all the zeal and wisdom we have.  The world needs to know Him- and He is worth proclaiming.  

Prayer: Help me to understand that the world needs you, O Lord.  Help me to see this and follow you.  

5/5/15- Cinqo de Mayo - Freedom in Serving

23if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

24Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:23-27)

Thoughts: The truest freedom is not found in getting the whole world and God to serve our own selfish soul.  As Augustine said, "Our hearts are restless til they find their rest in thee."  When we learn who is really Lord- who made us, who gives us direction, help, strength in life- then we have a purpose.  The word of God in fullness- the gospel- is worthy of spreading and our lives.  For a long time the clarity and full message of the good news was not known.  Now it is.  That the message is clear- that God loves us and has come to free us from sin- calls us to give ourselves to The Message and the Lord of The Message. It is in giving ourselves to the One who can set us free that we are made free indeed.
    Cinqo de Mayo is a day not about alcohol but of freedom.  But the greatest freedom is found in serving the Lord.  

Prayer: Lord, I seek to give myself to you because you have given yourself to me already.  I serve you, because you are worthy.  I serve you because in your service I find hope and freedom.  

5/4/15- The Neutralizing Power of Christ's Blood

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— (Colossians 1:21,22)

Thoughts: Some of the worst enemies of Christ can turn into some of the best friends of Him.  So the woman who had 70 devils cast out form her loved Jesus much.  So the tax collector beat his chest in repentance asked for mercy, while the Pharisee asked for what he deserved.  So C.S. Lewis was the enemy atheist turned Christian writer and apologist.  So Paul persecuted Christians then turned into one who received persecution.  Evil behavior affects our minds and keeps us from getting close to God.  God is holy and acting in unholy ways is like mixing oil and water.  God's purity does not allow our poisonous sin to simply join it.  But Christ comes along with the agent to turn our poison into a mild liquid.  His blood is the purifying agent.  Much like sodium can turn poisonous chlorine into salt water.  The blood of Jesus neutralizes our sins and makes us presentable to the Father.  Christ's blood erases our enmity with God and makes us at peace with Him.  

Prayer: Lord, may your love conquer my sin.  Thank you for your sacrifice that enables me to have friendship with the Father.  

5-3-15 The reconciling cross

 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.

21Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of^g 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— (Colossians 1:20-22)

Thoughts: The Cross reconciles humans to God.  Jesus is the priest who stands in the middle- speaking to God (interceeding) about humans and speaking to humans (preaching/teaching) about God. His sacrifice brings peace.  We deserve wrath for our sin- but His death on the cross pays for our sin.  It is an unlimited payment- God in the flesh paying for the sins of humans.  God-life, perfectly innocent and undeserving of death- the author of life Himself, pays for our lowly life.  That is almost- crassly- like asking how many ants is one human life worth?   God is unlimited life- the life giver- and His life is worth more than any of ours.  His innocence is stronger than any of our sins.  His forgiveness can wipe out the effect of our greatest mistakes and bring us peace with God.  He is able to erase our sins and make us holy and without blemish.  

Prayer: Thank you, Lord for your sacrificial and reconciling work.  Help me to understand how costly and important it is.  

5-2-15 All of God for all of humanity

 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Col. 1)


Thoughts: Jesus has all the fullness of God.  Not half the fullness.  Jesus is not kind of God in the flesh, but fully he God in the flesh.  All of God was given to Jesus so that all of creation would be brought to God through Him.  His blood is all sufficient- for it is not just man's blood- but God's.  

Prayer: Help me to appreciate your fullness and work through you to reconcile others to yourself.