As we continue to study in Colossians, we come to Colossians 3:1-4, this part of Colossians Paul has moved into the practical application of the doctirne that he has been talking about in the first half of the book of Colossians.
Titus 1:16 "they profess that they know God but in works they deny Him"
Faith in Christ means being united with Christ, if we share His life we must follow His example. He cannot live in us by His spirit and permit us to live in sin.
Colossians 3:1 "if then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God"
-raised with Christ.. saved.. transformed.. have you accepted Christ? Can you pinpoint that specific moment in your life where you accepted His way and denied your own. If your answer is yes then this applies to you. If not, there is no better time than now to accept Him, repent and then follow His will.
-seated at the right .. the usage of this term 'right hand' has always got me wondering why always the right hand? I have always noticed biblically that references are commonly made to the 'right hand' but why?
right hand ranges from a direction, to the opposite of wrong, what is just or what conforms to an established standard, and to a place of honor or authority; a person of high rank who put someone on his right hand gave him equal honor with himself and recognized him as possessing equal dignity and authority.
{read Colossians 3:2-4}
There is a simple message in these verses and the message is to get of the system. Divorce yourself from the world in terms of your spiritual attitude. This section is a call to true spirituality. True spirituality is setting our affections on things above and not things on earth. Its stepping away from the world, from the vantage point of divine power, making an impact.
The day you were saved, you died with Christ. YOu were crucified with Christ. You died to the world. Christ not only died for sin taking the penalty of sin away, but died onto sin, breaking its power. This means we have victory over the old sin nature that wants to control us. We died with Christ, We live in Christ, and we are raised with Christ.
Romans 7 says you died to "eternal is not a quanity of life, its the quality of life, heavenly life" your mind literally was open to understand that God and what God does and what God wills for your life.
Romans 6:2 ' how shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein"
Phillipians 3:2 "your manner of life is in heaven" we are live human beings, and if your mind is stuck on the things of this world then you are not living up to your position in Christ.
What things of this world do you think Paul is talking about?
How hard is it for us to make that our focus? can you pinpoint certain things in your life that holds you back from making your focus on 'things above' being Christ like?
Wouldnt it be great to see things and people the way Jesus see them, We have entered into the heavenlies, as our inheritance the moment we were saved but we struggle to shove our hearts up there, dont we? We get preoccupied with all the piddle stuff, whether we are keeping up with society around us and when we are we cant really offer the world anything about a heavenly dimension because we are not too sure what it is.. yet... Then someone comes along and intimidates us about some experiance theat you can reach out and get, a kind of spirituality and we are the first ones to grab onto it because we dont really understand anything out there anyway. We have to constantly be seeking Jesus.. seeking the kingdom.
Alot of times we find our self intimidated becuase we dont spend enough time talking to Him, getting to know Him, to find out that He is all we really need. Dont be intimidated by these so called 'experiences' that you feel like you are missing out on, Colossians tells us that we are complete in Christ.. what more do we want. and that should be our answer.
Paul is telling us to give us hope so that we dont feel defeated, he is saying dont sweat the small stuff affix your eyes on the savior! if you can just get yourself up there where you belong, you wouldnt be bugged bu the rest of your 'stuff'
Making Christ our central focus and all of these other things, well they dont matter so much. Our preoccupation should be on Christ. Dont let anyone tell you you need anything else. Christ is all.
The end of verse 3, says that our life is hidden in Christ. The greek word for hidden, indicates that God has already accomplished hiding us, its already done, its already happened, at the moment of salvation. We no longer belong to the world, but to Christ. This means security and sanctification. We are in Christ, who is God , so no on can seperate us from His love. (Romans 8:31-39)
Does this mean that we are to ignore our responsibilites?? NO.
It means our motives and strength come from heaven, not earth.
How can we seek the things above? Colossians 3:2 'habitually set your mind, your attention on the things above" YOur feet are on earth but your mind should be in heaven. We are not to become so heavenly minded that we are not good for Christ on earth. Practical everyday affairs of life get their direction for Christ in heaven. Its means further, we look at earth from heavens point of view..as in WWJD what would JEsus do thinking..
The emphasis is clear, having Christ is everything. He is the center of our resurrected life, therefore we should make Him center of out earthly responsibility. We should have a concious preoccupation of Christ.
Back in the Old Testament Numbers 13-14, as the nation of Isreal came to the border of the promise land, they refused to enter because of their stubborn unbelief, they had to wonder for 40 years in the wilderness. An entire generation died. Joshua and Caleb, were survivors two that were sent to spy and check on the promise land, how were these able to get the victory? Their minds and hearts were in that promise land, Canaan. They new that had an inheritance coming and lived in light of that promise. It was where their attention and affection were, they never gave up. We have to constantly keep our focus on our promiseland, our Canaan.. not loose focus. They werent perfect people, they feel short, we all do, but they continued to seek the things above not dwelling on situations in the world in their life.
Where is your mind today? Are you struggling wondering where your life is going? Will you ever get to peace, will you ever recieve your promise? What is it? what in your life is holding you captive, leaving you walking in your own personal wilderness? Jesus already fought this battle, and still today remains victorious. Dont despair, you have to know that today you are standing on the border of your promise land, your Canaan, if you lose hope you simply continue in the wilderness until you believe and have faith for Christ to take your hand and lead you on over that border.
Hebrews 4:16 " Let us therefore, come boldly (confidently) unto the throne of GRACE, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need"
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Spiritual Intimidation
Have you ever been intimidated?
In todays society, as Christians, we are being intimidated all the time usually we dont realize when we are being intimidated by people and things of the world, but we need to realize how we are being intimidated by false doctrine.
Colossians 2:18 Let noone keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in selfabasement taking his stand on visions he has seen inflated without cause by his fleshly mind.
There are many books, tv shows, radio shows that are 'suppose' to tell the 'truth', things that are 'suppose' to help us along with our growth as a Christian. We are in a mass media age, overexposure of everything, there isnt much of anything in our society that overexposed except 'THE TRUTH'. It may be that the things we hear, and read are wrong or misrepresented wrong. All the time there is a certain feeling that we are being left out, and these things intimidate us all of these 'things' occuring around us that we cant relate to as a Christian and they are supposeably Christian things.
The letter written to the Colossians by Paul, is an open rebuttal to false teaching. Its restates the basic truth of Christianity, which is Christ. Christ is suffiencent. Christ is God. Christ is Savior. Christ is everything, all you need.
Throughout Colossians, people came along and would tell the Colossians well its fine to have Christ but there is more than that, there was more to it. The philosophy, false teaching that Christ wasnt all they needed. It was FALSE. WRONG.
Do you ever find yourself in a position where someone can come along and say 'what your doing is good and all... but your missing something.. there is more to being a Christian..being saved that cant be all of it..there is more for you to reach more to experience it just keeps mounting and mounting till you find yourself questioning.. Hey, I am missing something. I am not experiencing all that she or he is. Pauls saying in this letter NO!!! CHRIST IS ALL YOU NEED.
We have to stand on Christ. Stand on our Completeness, Stand on what we are.. We are in Christ. We cannot buy into others on ideas and perspectives we cannot define our spiritiuality by our ability to keep man made rules. We cannot define our spirituality by our ability to keep man made rules. Obeying Gods rules is obiediance not legalism. we cannot buy into submitting to man because it sounds good or think they might be right. Upon salvation, Christ has given you complete forgiveness, complete victory dont let anyone take that from you.
Christ died to set us free and stay free. Dont allow anyone, anything define you! You are who you are, IN CHRIST. You need nothing else.
In todays society, as Christians, we are being intimidated all the time usually we dont realize when we are being intimidated by people and things of the world, but we need to realize how we are being intimidated by false doctrine.
Colossians 2:18 Let noone keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in selfabasement taking his stand on visions he has seen inflated without cause by his fleshly mind.
There are many books, tv shows, radio shows that are 'suppose' to tell the 'truth', things that are 'suppose' to help us along with our growth as a Christian. We are in a mass media age, overexposure of everything, there isnt much of anything in our society that overexposed except 'THE TRUTH'. It may be that the things we hear, and read are wrong or misrepresented wrong. All the time there is a certain feeling that we are being left out, and these things intimidate us all of these 'things' occuring around us that we cant relate to as a Christian and they are supposeably Christian things.
The letter written to the Colossians by Paul, is an open rebuttal to false teaching. Its restates the basic truth of Christianity, which is Christ. Christ is suffiencent. Christ is God. Christ is Savior. Christ is everything, all you need.
Throughout Colossians, people came along and would tell the Colossians well its fine to have Christ but there is more than that, there was more to it. The philosophy, false teaching that Christ wasnt all they needed. It was FALSE. WRONG.
Do you ever find yourself in a position where someone can come along and say 'what your doing is good and all... but your missing something.. there is more to being a Christian..being saved that cant be all of it..there is more for you to reach more to experience it just keeps mounting and mounting till you find yourself questioning.. Hey, I am missing something. I am not experiencing all that she or he is. Pauls saying in this letter NO!!! CHRIST IS ALL YOU NEED.
We have to stand on Christ. Stand on our Completeness, Stand on what we are.. We are in Christ. We cannot buy into others on ideas and perspectives we cannot define our spiritiuality by our ability to keep man made rules. We cannot define our spirituality by our ability to keep man made rules. Obeying Gods rules is obiediance not legalism. we cannot buy into submitting to man because it sounds good or think they might be right. Upon salvation, Christ has given you complete forgiveness, complete victory dont let anyone take that from you.
Christ died to set us free and stay free. Dont allow anyone, anything define you! You are who you are, IN CHRIST. You need nothing else.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Forgotten and Forgiven.. Part I Colossians 2:8-15
How often in life are we so caught up in our 'rituals' and 'traditions' that we miss great opprotunity? Are you easily distracted from the work of The Lord, becuase things of the 'world' insist on your attention?
As we have studied Colossians, God has really opened my heart to see just how often, especially in this holiday season, to get caught up in tradition, and foresake the true meaning. As a Christian, we are to be patterned after Christ, to walk as He did.
We studied Colossians 2:8-15 this week, The Letter Paul wrote as a warning to those in Colossae as well as to us. To beware of false teachings, to continually grow in our faith to be protected from the Enemy, Satan. In Old Testament time, they were so caught up in tradition, and rituals they missed what God was saying. They believed that if they were physically circumcised observed the holiday and ate certain foods.. this was what they thought was their salvation. God continued in scripture to say 'Hey, you are missing it you are doing the outward act but there is no spiritual change' therefore, Christ came to obsolve our sin, nail them to the cross with the Old Rituals therefore we fall under Grace. We are so priviledged to get the 'grace card' But all to often in life we are missing it. We are missing the fact that when Christ came and died, our old 'flesh' died with Him, He was buried as our old self was buried with Him, He resurrected and so did we. Upon the Resurrection of Christ, OUR SALVATION, we lost the old person that we were. It was buried. Forgotten. Forgiven. How often are you going back out and digging up that old part of you from the sinner side, that old memory you keep rehashing, or maybe that old sin that you cant seem to get over? It was hung on the Cross, it was buried. Dont dig it back up! Then we find ourselved digging it back up, praying for Christ to re-burry it, He does then yet again down the road we are out digging in the dirt bringing up that old thing that no longer exists.
If you have reminders in your life, of past sin, before you acquired you new self in Christ.. Its not of God. Satan is reminding you of that old thing and you choose to dig it back up. When Christ died then resurrected on the 3rd day, He certainly didnt 'dig up' all of your old sin. They are forgotten and forgiven covered in the Blood. At salvation, Christ is in us therefore we have the power to overcome guilt, saddness, darkness its already in us. We are complete in Him. We have to put forth effort to bind the enemy, using the power of GOd. He gifted each of us with it, Dont allow Satan to have you dig up old forgiven sin. Live your day walking in the Spirit, at one with God. There is no Spiritual ritual, or tradition required for you to have sanctification.. NONE. If you have recieved Christ as your Saviour, you have made a concious decision for Him to lead your life -- you are complete.
As we have studied Colossians, God has really opened my heart to see just how often, especially in this holiday season, to get caught up in tradition, and foresake the true meaning. As a Christian, we are to be patterned after Christ, to walk as He did.
We studied Colossians 2:8-15 this week, The Letter Paul wrote as a warning to those in Colossae as well as to us. To beware of false teachings, to continually grow in our faith to be protected from the Enemy, Satan. In Old Testament time, they were so caught up in tradition, and rituals they missed what God was saying. They believed that if they were physically circumcised observed the holiday and ate certain foods.. this was what they thought was their salvation. God continued in scripture to say 'Hey, you are missing it you are doing the outward act but there is no spiritual change' therefore, Christ came to obsolve our sin, nail them to the cross with the Old Rituals therefore we fall under Grace. We are so priviledged to get the 'grace card' But all to often in life we are missing it. We are missing the fact that when Christ came and died, our old 'flesh' died with Him, He was buried as our old self was buried with Him, He resurrected and so did we. Upon the Resurrection of Christ, OUR SALVATION, we lost the old person that we were. It was buried. Forgotten. Forgiven. How often are you going back out and digging up that old part of you from the sinner side, that old memory you keep rehashing, or maybe that old sin that you cant seem to get over? It was hung on the Cross, it was buried. Dont dig it back up! Then we find ourselved digging it back up, praying for Christ to re-burry it, He does then yet again down the road we are out digging in the dirt bringing up that old thing that no longer exists.
If you have reminders in your life, of past sin, before you acquired you new self in Christ.. Its not of God. Satan is reminding you of that old thing and you choose to dig it back up. When Christ died then resurrected on the 3rd day, He certainly didnt 'dig up' all of your old sin. They are forgotten and forgiven covered in the Blood. At salvation, Christ is in us therefore we have the power to overcome guilt, saddness, darkness its already in us. We are complete in Him. We have to put forth effort to bind the enemy, using the power of GOd. He gifted each of us with it, Dont allow Satan to have you dig up old forgiven sin. Live your day walking in the Spirit, at one with God. There is no Spiritual ritual, or tradition required for you to have sanctification.. NONE. If you have recieved Christ as your Saviour, you have made a concious decision for Him to lead your life -- you are complete.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
I am saved, now what - Colossians 2:4-7
Colossians 2:4-7
"Now this I say lest anyone should decieve you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have recieved Christ Jesus The Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught abounding in it with thanksgiving"
Vs 4-6 –
Paul says that he is rejoicing with us in spirit about our good discipline and faith in Christ. Looking at your life today are you at that place in your life where Paul is up in heaven with Christ, with the Saints rejoicing over you discipline and stability?
What Paul is talking about here is your spiritual progress. You either go forward or gradually slip backward. As a Christian if your not making spiritual progress we are an open target for the enemy.
Why do we need progress>
1. Satan is deceptive – he wants to lead believers astray he does so by using deceptive words.
John 8:44 tells us that ‘satan is a liar’
What are a few examples of the words Satan is using in your life, or in your families lives to keep you from spiritual progress?
(example: I am tired this morning I don’t want to go to church, I don’t feel like going to Sunday School, I don’t like youth group, I feel bad, This is my only day off, I have laundry piles I don’t have time to study or read the word, I cant commit to that bible study right now I just have too much going on)
By Satans lies, he leads believers into the wrong path, we have to exercise spiritual discernment and continually push ourselves into the word, so that we are able to grow in our knowledge of spiritual truth.
In verse 6, Paul uses the word ‘THEREFORE” this word is reiterating that they, the Colossians, are already saved. If you are not a born again believer, this is not applicable to you.
“SO WALK IN HIM” the word “, walk” is a continuous moving action, He is referring to your daily conduct, he is saying continue to believe the truth about Christ. If you don’t know The Truth, how can you apply it in your daily lives? That’s why studying, being taught or receiving the truth is essential. Scripture doesnt say, Now you have recieved in Him sit in Him, standstill in Him...
To walk in him, is to live in union with Him, to maintain a lifestyle patterned after His.
Apostle John writes in 1 John 2:6 “ the one who says abides in Him, oughtt himself to walk in the Same manner as He walked”
---do you find yourself doing this today? In your
Relationships are you patterning yourself as Christ would?
WWJD- ‘ What would Jesus do” became a common phrase used
A lot of people had the bracelets, and then it was almost like a
Trend, it died off.. the trend itself, of the bracelet migh have faded - but that is exactly what Paul and John are
Saying, in every situation we encounter we should think to
Ourselves, what would Jesus do?
Verse 7- ‘HAVING BEEN FIRMLY ROOTED’ having been, this is a completed action, built up established in continued growth. Our rooting came at salvation our roots are planted in Christ, we draw our nourishment from Him. Your roots have to continue to grow so that our plant bearing fruit.
Think of it as a plant, upon salvation, our seed is planted in God, through and on Jesus Christ. This plant has to have all the essential elements, food water sunlight in order to grow. In the growth cycle its not just the plant above the ground that grows, the roots continue to grow and become more stable. As this seeding grows it sprouts before it grown bigger and bigger and able to produce and bear fruit, it requires constant care constant work in order for this to happen. That is where Paul is saying being built up..working toward this growth for stability.
So here you are planted a seed and the into a sprout, how are you going to hold up in the big storm they are predicting? Your roots are shallow, its going to be a bad one…..
‘BEING BUILT UP’ or established in,
Read 2 Peter 1:5-9
Lets look at the characteristics of our growing or stability:
1. Moral excellence
2. Knowledge
3. Self control
4. Perserverance
5. Godliness
6. Brotherly love
7. Kindness
All of these qualities should be ever increasing,growing as we ‘ the plant’ grown. Our lives are in the building process so we can be fruitful for the kingdom and strong for the Body of Christ.
So Paul is saying, you have been saved, you are estabilished in our faith and growing in Christ, in obiediance to how we have been told.. we are to be greatful more than greatful we are to be overflowing.
--- your pouring a glass full of water once it is ‘full’ it begins to pour over, spill out, overflow – we are suppose to be this way grateful for what The Lord has done for us. So often we find ourselves living in the negative aspects of our lives, what is all going wrong, what all we need to do and that becomes our focus. There is not one single born again person that doesn’t have something to be greatful for. If nothing else, that this situation in our life is temporary and is not going to last forever, that even though you don’t deserve your forgiven.
From verses 6-7, Lets look at it not only from the standpoint of ourselves, but our those around us as well.
Think about a new born baby, everybody is so excited and celebrating, they have showers and are just so happy for this beautiful miracle, this birth, and its life changing and its so wonderful to have that baby and watch it grow, everybody comes and visit offers all elements of advice.
What if that baby isn’t growing like it should, maybe not eating well, sickness.. again it brings that family together and you all try to do anything in your power to help that baby grow.
Being born again in Christ, it’s a new birth we see others coming to Christ and are just overjoyed and celebrating for them…but them what? What if that new Christian isn’t growing? What do we do?
Usually, nothing. Sit by and allow them to be where they are.
Jesus made the illustration about the farmer throwing out seeds,
1st – the seeds were thrown on the road
2nd the seeds were thrown in stones
3rd they were thrown in the thorns
4th they were thrown into good soil
Those first seeds thrown out in the road, just blew around, the second in the stones had really shallow roots, the 3rd thrown in the thorns they were choked out because they had no nourishment
And the fourth in the soil, they were able to flourish. In those first three, we had a root problem, these seeds weren’t able to get enough nourishment.
We have to have deep roots to withhold storms in our lives.
If we as Christians have a ‘root problem’ we need to work on some rebuilding.
Upon salvation our old foundation is ripped away, and Jesus becomes our new foundation, a clean slate, what we are going to build on.
1) We have to rebuild our minds:
Romans 12:2 tells us not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good acceptable and perfect”
IF we are building on things of the world, its not going to work! We have to place our focus on what God has in store to avoid collapse in our life.
2) We need to rebuild our attitude
Phillipians 2:5 “ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Jesus Christ”
-Jesus was humble. He could have done anything and it would be yet, he came as one of us was crucified, stoned, and buried yet he humbled himself. HE reached out to people.
We have got to be humble put aside our pride and arrogance.
3) Rebuild our actions:
1 Peter 2:12 “Keep your behavior excellent amoung the gentiles so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation”
"Now this I say lest anyone should decieve you with persuasive words. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As you therefore have recieved Christ Jesus The Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught abounding in it with thanksgiving"
Vs 4-6 –
Paul says that he is rejoicing with us in spirit about our good discipline and faith in Christ. Looking at your life today are you at that place in your life where Paul is up in heaven with Christ, with the Saints rejoicing over you discipline and stability?
What Paul is talking about here is your spiritual progress. You either go forward or gradually slip backward. As a Christian if your not making spiritual progress we are an open target for the enemy.
Why do we need progress>
1. Satan is deceptive – he wants to lead believers astray he does so by using deceptive words.
John 8:44 tells us that ‘satan is a liar’
What are a few examples of the words Satan is using in your life, or in your families lives to keep you from spiritual progress?
(example: I am tired this morning I don’t want to go to church, I don’t feel like going to Sunday School, I don’t like youth group, I feel bad, This is my only day off, I have laundry piles I don’t have time to study or read the word, I cant commit to that bible study right now I just have too much going on)
By Satans lies, he leads believers into the wrong path, we have to exercise spiritual discernment and continually push ourselves into the word, so that we are able to grow in our knowledge of spiritual truth.
In verse 6, Paul uses the word ‘THEREFORE” this word is reiterating that they, the Colossians, are already saved. If you are not a born again believer, this is not applicable to you.
“SO WALK IN HIM” the word “, walk” is a continuous moving action, He is referring to your daily conduct, he is saying continue to believe the truth about Christ. If you don’t know The Truth, how can you apply it in your daily lives? That’s why studying, being taught or receiving the truth is essential. Scripture doesnt say, Now you have recieved in Him sit in Him, standstill in Him...
To walk in him, is to live in union with Him, to maintain a lifestyle patterned after His.
Apostle John writes in 1 John 2:6 “ the one who says abides in Him, oughtt himself to walk in the Same manner as He walked”
---do you find yourself doing this today? In your
Relationships are you patterning yourself as Christ would?
WWJD- ‘ What would Jesus do” became a common phrase used
A lot of people had the bracelets, and then it was almost like a
Trend, it died off.. the trend itself, of the bracelet migh have faded - but that is exactly what Paul and John are
Saying, in every situation we encounter we should think to
Ourselves, what would Jesus do?
Verse 7- ‘HAVING BEEN FIRMLY ROOTED’ having been, this is a completed action, built up established in continued growth. Our rooting came at salvation our roots are planted in Christ, we draw our nourishment from Him. Your roots have to continue to grow so that our plant bearing fruit.
Think of it as a plant, upon salvation, our seed is planted in God, through and on Jesus Christ. This plant has to have all the essential elements, food water sunlight in order to grow. In the growth cycle its not just the plant above the ground that grows, the roots continue to grow and become more stable. As this seeding grows it sprouts before it grown bigger and bigger and able to produce and bear fruit, it requires constant care constant work in order for this to happen. That is where Paul is saying being built up..working toward this growth for stability.
So here you are planted a seed and the into a sprout, how are you going to hold up in the big storm they are predicting? Your roots are shallow, its going to be a bad one…..
‘BEING BUILT UP’ or established in,
Read 2 Peter 1:5-9
Lets look at the characteristics of our growing or stability:
1. Moral excellence
2. Knowledge
3. Self control
4. Perserverance
5. Godliness
6. Brotherly love
7. Kindness
All of these qualities should be ever increasing,growing as we ‘ the plant’ grown. Our lives are in the building process so we can be fruitful for the kingdom and strong for the Body of Christ.
So Paul is saying, you have been saved, you are estabilished in our faith and growing in Christ, in obiediance to how we have been told.. we are to be greatful more than greatful we are to be overflowing.
--- your pouring a glass full of water once it is ‘full’ it begins to pour over, spill out, overflow – we are suppose to be this way grateful for what The Lord has done for us. So often we find ourselves living in the negative aspects of our lives, what is all going wrong, what all we need to do and that becomes our focus. There is not one single born again person that doesn’t have something to be greatful for. If nothing else, that this situation in our life is temporary and is not going to last forever, that even though you don’t deserve your forgiven.
From verses 6-7, Lets look at it not only from the standpoint of ourselves, but our those around us as well.
Think about a new born baby, everybody is so excited and celebrating, they have showers and are just so happy for this beautiful miracle, this birth, and its life changing and its so wonderful to have that baby and watch it grow, everybody comes and visit offers all elements of advice.
What if that baby isn’t growing like it should, maybe not eating well, sickness.. again it brings that family together and you all try to do anything in your power to help that baby grow.
Being born again in Christ, it’s a new birth we see others coming to Christ and are just overjoyed and celebrating for them…but them what? What if that new Christian isn’t growing? What do we do?
Usually, nothing. Sit by and allow them to be where they are.
Jesus made the illustration about the farmer throwing out seeds,
1st – the seeds were thrown on the road
2nd the seeds were thrown in stones
3rd they were thrown in the thorns
4th they were thrown into good soil
Those first seeds thrown out in the road, just blew around, the second in the stones had really shallow roots, the 3rd thrown in the thorns they were choked out because they had no nourishment
And the fourth in the soil, they were able to flourish. In those first three, we had a root problem, these seeds weren’t able to get enough nourishment.
We have to have deep roots to withhold storms in our lives.
If we as Christians have a ‘root problem’ we need to work on some rebuilding.
Upon salvation our old foundation is ripped away, and Jesus becomes our new foundation, a clean slate, what we are going to build on.
1) We have to rebuild our minds:
Romans 12:2 tells us not to be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good acceptable and perfect”
IF we are building on things of the world, its not going to work! We have to place our focus on what God has in store to avoid collapse in our life.
2) We need to rebuild our attitude
Phillipians 2:5 “ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Jesus Christ”
-Jesus was humble. He could have done anything and it would be yet, he came as one of us was crucified, stoned, and buried yet he humbled himself. HE reached out to people.
We have got to be humble put aside our pride and arrogance.
3) Rebuild our actions:
1 Peter 2:12 “Keep your behavior excellent amoung the gentiles so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)