Key Verse:This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives Galations 1: 6a NLT
The Apostle Paul in writing to encourage the Colossians begins by talking about the fact that the Good News of the Gospel is changing lives everywhere including the lives of the Colossian Christians.
The Good News Changes Lives!
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
The evidence of their changed lives is the love that they have for others:
Evidence of Changed Lives: Love for Others
7 You learned about the Good News from Epaphras, our beloved co-worker. He is Christ’s faithful servant, and he is helping us on your behalf.[b] 8 He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.
Paul lets the Colossian saints know that he is praying for them.
Praying for Exemplary, Fruitful Lives
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. (Galations 1:6-9) NLT
Prayer: Lord let me never forget the power of the Gospel to change the lives of the people around me. Lord I submit to you will and way in my life that you would continue the work that you have begun in me. Help me to see any ways in which I have not cooperated with the work you want me to do in my life. Lord I pray my life and the lives of the saints in my life would be a Godly example and the we would bear much fruit to your glory!
In Jesus Name! Amen!
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Volume 6:10 " Lay Aside Every Weight and Run the Race"
In this new year, I want to challenge myself and others to lay aside the weights and the sins that keep us a way from God's purposes for our lives. The scripture in Hebrews puts it plainly:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
Lord, What are the weights and sins which keep me from running a focused race for you? By your Holy Spirit, help me to identify those weights and sins and lay them aside so that I will be able to run the race, keeping my eyes focused on Jesus who both established my faith and is perfecting it. Lord, you ran the race, endured the pain and the shame and finished it. With your help, I can run the race and finish well. May it be so. To your Glory Lord! Amen!
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2
Lord, What are the weights and sins which keep me from running a focused race for you? By your Holy Spirit, help me to identify those weights and sins and lay them aside so that I will be able to run the race, keeping my eyes focused on Jesus who both established my faith and is perfecting it. Lord, you ran the race, endured the pain and the shame and finished it. With your help, I can run the race and finish well. May it be so. To your Glory Lord! Amen!
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
5:10 Is Your Faith and Your Love is a Witness?
Key Verse: 3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints—Colossians 1:3, NIV
As the Apostle Paul wrote to his spiritual children at Colossae, he was excited about two things, their faith in Christ and their love for each other! Those are the two things that shows evidence of our Christianity, our belief in God and our how we treat our brothers and sisters!
Where does that faith and love come from? Verse 5 makes it plain: that this faith and love comes from our hope in the Gospel!
5 (your faith and love) come(s) from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.
This Good news is changing lives, including ours!
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. Colossians 1:5-6, NLT
Lord, I thank you that I can have Faith and Love because of the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! Help me to walk as a faithful witness to the truth of the Gospel! In Jesus Name! Amen
As the Apostle Paul wrote to his spiritual children at Colossae, he was excited about two things, their faith in Christ and their love for each other! Those are the two things that shows evidence of our Christianity, our belief in God and our how we treat our brothers and sisters!
Where does that faith and love come from? Verse 5 makes it plain: that this faith and love comes from our hope in the Gospel!
5 (your faith and love) come(s) from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.
This Good news is changing lives, including ours!
6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace. Colossians 1:5-6, NLT
Lord, I thank you that I can have Faith and Love because of the hope of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah! Help me to walk as a faithful witness to the truth of the Gospel! In Jesus Name! Amen
Friday, January 8, 2010
4:10 "How to Grow Your Faith"
Key Verse: "Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:7 NLT
You love Jesus and you have rejected the ways of the sinful flesh. You don't want to regress to your past life of sin but how do you go deeper in Christ? Colossians 2:6-7 makes it plain:
You must be active, not passive. You must continue to follow him:
6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.
You must put down spiritual roots in Christ:
7a Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him.
This will help your faith to grow!
7bThen your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
What does this look like on a practical level? How do you get your roots to grow down deep into Christ? First the soil of your heart must be prepared to receive God's word.(see the parable of the sower in Luke 8:8: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%208:8&version=NIV
Get up everyday and spend time in prayer before God, meditating on his word. When he speaks to you from his word, decide to walk in obedience to his word. Pray for wisdom on matters you don't understand. Secondly, it is important to spend time with other believers in fellowship, bible study and worship. The body of Christ can help you grow in ways that you cannot grow alone.
Prayer: Lord, although I have walked with you for a number of years, help my roots to grow down even deeper in you! Help me to have a heart that is open to receiving your word and a help me to live a life of obedience to your word. Thank you for the precious body of Christ. Help me to stay connected so that I will be sharpened like iron by my brothers and sisters. I know that if I do this faithfully, my faith will grow strong in the truth that I was taught, and I will overflow with thankfulness according to Colossians 2:7
In Jesus Name! Amen!
Colossians 2:7 NLT
You love Jesus and you have rejected the ways of the sinful flesh. You don't want to regress to your past life of sin but how do you go deeper in Christ? Colossians 2:6-7 makes it plain:
You must be active, not passive. You must continue to follow him:
6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him.
You must put down spiritual roots in Christ:
7a Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him.
This will help your faith to grow!
7bThen your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
What does this look like on a practical level? How do you get your roots to grow down deep into Christ? First the soil of your heart must be prepared to receive God's word.(see the parable of the sower in Luke 8:8: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%208:8&version=NIV
Get up everyday and spend time in prayer before God, meditating on his word. When he speaks to you from his word, decide to walk in obedience to his word. Pray for wisdom on matters you don't understand. Secondly, it is important to spend time with other believers in fellowship, bible study and worship. The body of Christ can help you grow in ways that you cannot grow alone.
Prayer: Lord, although I have walked with you for a number of years, help my roots to grow down even deeper in you! Help me to have a heart that is open to receiving your word and a help me to live a life of obedience to your word. Thank you for the precious body of Christ. Help me to stay connected so that I will be sharpened like iron by my brothers and sisters. I know that if I do this faithfully, my faith will grow strong in the truth that I was taught, and I will overflow with thankfulness according to Colossians 2:7
In Jesus Name! Amen!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
3:10 "Walk in the Spirit in 2010
Key Verse: "16So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Galations 5:16
In our January 2nd devotional, New Year! New Opportunity to Walk in Freedom in Christ!, we looked at this passage. I wanted to review a portion of it again in more detail.
It is clear from the passage that the Christian is involved in a spiritual battle:
17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. When you are being led by the flesh, it leads you to do things that you do not really want to do as a believer. However, when you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law and don't have to worry about being judged or punished for your actions!
Then Paul details the works of the flesh-things that are contrary to the Spirit of God and the purposes of God. Things that the Christian does not really want to indulge in:
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
God's people do not habitually indulge in these kinds of acts as a lifestyle. These are the acts of people who do not know God! I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Christians goal instead is to have the fruit of the Spirit:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.
There is no law against these things:
Against such things there is no law.
God's children have brought their sinful nature under subjection of the Holy Spirit 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Our charge is to live and walk by the Spirit: 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
The question for us is this:
Have I crucified my sinful nature with it's passions and desires? Am I walking in the spirit or in the flesh? Where am I walking in the flesh? What are the areas in my life that I need to bring under the subjection of the Holy Spirit?
Lord help me to honestly bring these issues before you and help me to me to have ears to hear and a willing heart to do what you say. In Jesus Name! Amen!
In our January 2nd devotional, New Year! New Opportunity to Walk in Freedom in Christ!, we looked at this passage. I wanted to review a portion of it again in more detail.
It is clear from the passage that the Christian is involved in a spiritual battle:
17For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. When you are being led by the flesh, it leads you to do things that you do not really want to do as a believer. However, when you are led by the spirit, you are not under the law and don't have to worry about being judged or punished for your actions!
Then Paul details the works of the flesh-things that are contrary to the Spirit of God and the purposes of God. Things that the Christian does not really want to indulge in:
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.
God's people do not habitually indulge in these kinds of acts as a lifestyle. These are the acts of people who do not know God! I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
The Christians goal instead is to have the fruit of the Spirit:
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control.
There is no law against these things:
Against such things there is no law.
God's children have brought their sinful nature under subjection of the Holy Spirit 24Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.
Our charge is to live and walk by the Spirit: 25Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
The question for us is this:
Have I crucified my sinful nature with it's passions and desires? Am I walking in the spirit or in the flesh? Where am I walking in the flesh? What are the areas in my life that I need to bring under the subjection of the Holy Spirit?
Lord help me to honestly bring these issues before you and help me to me to have ears to hear and a willing heart to do what you say. In Jesus Name! Amen!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
# 2.10 What to do About Your Sin!
Key Verse: "wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong" (Isaiah 1:6)
You messed up, you got caught up in the moment, you blew it, you strayed from God. You sinned and by sinning, you dishonored God disappointed yourself and maybe even hurt others. You did something that you are ashamed of and you feel really bad about it. After all, you are a Christian.
What do you do about it? Do you continue to feel bad and wallow in your sin? Do you turn away from the faith, saying it's too hard? Do you continue to walk in guilt and self condemnation? No to all of the above! Today's scripture gives us a solution: "
16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong,
17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17)
In other words agree with God about your sins. Confess your sins to him and ask him to forgive you! I John 1:9 says that if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness.
Once you confess, take concrete steps to turn away from your sins so that you will not continue to repeat them. Repentance means to "turn away". That's why verse 16 says "stop doing wrong" Then start doing what is right! Do what you know pleases God. Verse 17 says "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless...So now you have moved from doing wrong to repenting to stopping your wrong doing and actively doing what is right. Now that is true repentance!
You ask, what do I do with my guilt? Once you genuinely confess your sins and receive God's forgiveness, you are clean before God! God no longer counts you as guilty of this matter. Receive God's cleansing of your sins. You may have to say verbally to God something like: " Lord I confess to you that I have committed this sin . Lord Forgive me for (name the sin). I receive your forgiveness according to I John 1:9. which says "if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness. Now Lord, I receive your forgiveness for my sin. I also receive your cleansing of all unrighteousness. Thank you Lord for your forgiveness and cleansing. In Jesus Name Amen!"
Verses 18-19 expresses God's heart of love for his children.
18 "Come now, let us reason together,"
says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the best from the land;
Closing Prayer: " Lord thank you that your love for me is unconditional. Even when I sin, you are actively seeking ways to draw me back into fellowship with you! Help me to keep short accounts with you and to quickly ask forgiveness. Help me to always walk in humility,realizing that pride and self righteousness as well as anger will keep be from seeing myself and repenting of my sins. Lord, my heart's desire is to be willing and obedient and to reap the good things that come from righteousness. In Jesus Name, Amen!
You messed up, you got caught up in the moment, you blew it, you strayed from God. You sinned and by sinning, you dishonored God disappointed yourself and maybe even hurt others. You did something that you are ashamed of and you feel really bad about it. After all, you are a Christian.
What do you do about it? Do you continue to feel bad and wallow in your sin? Do you turn away from the faith, saying it's too hard? Do you continue to walk in guilt and self condemnation? No to all of the above! Today's scripture gives us a solution: "
16 Wash and make yourselves clean.
Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!
Stop doing wrong,
17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow. (Isaiah 1:16-17)
In other words agree with God about your sins. Confess your sins to him and ask him to forgive you! I John 1:9 says that if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness.
Once you confess, take concrete steps to turn away from your sins so that you will not continue to repeat them. Repentance means to "turn away". That's why verse 16 says "stop doing wrong" Then start doing what is right! Do what you know pleases God. Verse 17 says "Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless...So now you have moved from doing wrong to repenting to stopping your wrong doing and actively doing what is right. Now that is true repentance!
You ask, what do I do with my guilt? Once you genuinely confess your sins and receive God's forgiveness, you are clean before God! God no longer counts you as guilty of this matter. Receive God's cleansing of your sins. You may have to say verbally to God something like: " Lord I confess to you that I have committed this sin . Lord Forgive me for (name the sin). I receive your forgiveness according to I John 1:9. which says "if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive your sins and to cleanse you of all unrighteousness. Now Lord, I receive your forgiveness for my sin. I also receive your cleansing of all unrighteousness. Thank you Lord for your forgiveness and cleansing. In Jesus Name Amen!"
Verses 18-19 expresses God's heart of love for his children.
18 "Come now, let us reason together,"
says the LORD.
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.
19 If you are willing and obedient,
you will eat the best from the land;
Closing Prayer: " Lord thank you that your love for me is unconditional. Even when I sin, you are actively seeking ways to draw me back into fellowship with you! Help me to keep short accounts with you and to quickly ask forgiveness. Help me to always walk in humility,realizing that pride and self righteousness as well as anger will keep be from seeing myself and repenting of my sins. Lord, my heart's desire is to be willing and obedient and to reap the good things that come from righteousness. In Jesus Name, Amen!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Fred's Devo # 1.10 "New Year! New Opportunity to Walk in Freedom in Christ!"
Key Verses: 1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Galations 5:1 KJV
16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galations 5:16
The Apostle Paul's says to the Galations, don't go backwards into legalism. Don't receive the message that you have to circumcised in order to be justified in Christ. That is bondage! We are justifed by faith in Christ alone.
Instead Paul challenges the believers, instead of walking in bondage to the law, walk in the Spirit!
6But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
17For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.
18But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.
The He details the Works of the Flesh
19Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,
20Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),
21Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
He then details the Fruit of the Spirit!
22But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[f]that can bring a charge].
24And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.
25If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit [g]we have our life in God, let us go forward [h]walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
26Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another. Galations 5:16-26) Amplified
Prayer: Lord, in 2010, let me not be bound by legalism or weights or sins or anything that's going to keep me from the freedom to serve Christ and Him alone. Instead, help me to walk in the Spirit so that I will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. I pray the same for my brothers and sisters! In Jesus Name! Amen!
16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galations 5:16
The Apostle Paul's says to the Galations, don't go backwards into legalism. Don't receive the message that you have to circumcised in order to be justified in Christ. That is bondage! We are justifed by faith in Christ alone.
Instead Paul challenges the believers, instead of walking in bondage to the law, walk in the Spirit!
6But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
17For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.
18But if you are guided (led) by the [Holy] Spirit, you are not subject to the Law.
The He details the Works of the Flesh
19Now the doings (practices) of the flesh are clear (obvious): they are immorality, impurity, indecency,
20Idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger (ill temper), selfishness, divisions (dissensions), party spirit (factions, sects with peculiar opinions, heresies),
21Envy, drunkenness, carousing, and the like. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
He then details the Fruit of the Spirit!
22But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness,
23Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [[f]that can bring a charge].
24And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires.
25If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit [g]we have our life in God, let us go forward [h]walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
26Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another. Galations 5:16-26) Amplified
Prayer: Lord, in 2010, let me not be bound by legalism or weights or sins or anything that's going to keep me from the freedom to serve Christ and Him alone. Instead, help me to walk in the Spirit so that I will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. I pray the same for my brothers and sisters! In Jesus Name! Amen!
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