Colossians 1:3-5 "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints because of the hope reserved for you in Heaven."
Question #1: Are we in the church lifting up the other parts of the Body when we hear of their faith and of their love for the Body?
Question #2: Is my faith growing and outreaching to the point that others can hear about it and thereby continually lift me before the Throne?
Have you thought about that? Paul wrote this letter during a time when it would have taken months and years for his letter to reach and circulate through the Body/ house churches in Colossae. And yet, before Paul ever wrote the letter, he had been hearing such reports of the faith and passion of those in Colossae that he prayed for, and gave thanks for, ALWAYS.
The faith of the people of this local body was so great that Paul made it a consistent part of his prayer time to lift them up in prayer and thanksgiving.
How amazing that my faith could reach that point that others (maybe whom I have never met or around the globe) might consistently lift me up in prayer and give thanks for me! I want that kind of relationship with the Body of Christ.
And what a responsibility: to be mindful of the faith of our brothers around the globe and to consistently take the time to lift them up in prayer and thanksgiving!
Monday, December 3, 2018
Monday, November 12, 2018
Refusing to Be Hidden - In-Depth Lesson 11-11-2018
In our "In-Depth" Sunday School sessions recently I've been working with the youth through the Sermon on the Mount. Over the past several weeks, we've gone through the Beatitudes and we spent last week dissecting verse 13: the "Salt of the Earth" passage.
Yesterday we moved into verses 14-16: the "Light of the World" passage and what God had me focus on in the teaching was this: "You cannot be hidden." The teaching was less "You are incapable of being hidden because you are so bright" and much more "You cannot allow yourself to be hidden, because you have a responsibility to share the light you have been given."
It was one of those moments where God hits you, the teacher of the lesson, just as hard upside the head as He does those whom you are teaching. An "AHA!" moment in the midst of trying to hold the attention of my junior high and high school students. The "AHA!" moment was this: once you have the light, once you know the truths of God and of His salvation, you have a responsibility and mission to be a light and spread the truth. This light that we have been given is tasked with flooding through the darkness of the world around us. The light drives away the darkness; the two cannot coexist.
The church has allowed itself to be lulled into a devilish falsehood: be light without being hateful and disturbing the darkness of the world around you. It's the old lie: "The light might be good for you, but you can't force it on others. They should get to make their own choices."
We cannot allow ourselves to be pushed under a basket where our light can be hidden; instead, we must fight to get ourselves up on the hilltop, the pedestal, where we can effectively share Christ's light to the world around us.
The second part of the passage comes with another mission for each individual Christian: "Do good works, so that those around you can see those good works and give praise to the Father in Heaven." How will those around us see our good works and then glorify God if we never do any good works? How can they see and be impacted if we are hiding because we don't want to offend anyone or disturb those in darkness around us?
We have a responsibility to be as bright a light as possible and to chase away the darkness from the world as far as we possibly can. We do that by taking good works into the community and the world and then sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are glorifying God because of the work that we have just done for them.
The Christian life must be an active one! We cannot allow ourselves to be hidden. We must fight for that place up in the middle of the battleground where can most effectively bring Christ's light to the world!
Yesterday we moved into verses 14-16: the "Light of the World" passage and what God had me focus on in the teaching was this: "You cannot be hidden." The teaching was less "You are incapable of being hidden because you are so bright" and much more "You cannot allow yourself to be hidden, because you have a responsibility to share the light you have been given."
It was one of those moments where God hits you, the teacher of the lesson, just as hard upside the head as He does those whom you are teaching. An "AHA!" moment in the midst of trying to hold the attention of my junior high and high school students. The "AHA!" moment was this: once you have the light, once you know the truths of God and of His salvation, you have a responsibility and mission to be a light and spread the truth. This light that we have been given is tasked with flooding through the darkness of the world around us. The light drives away the darkness; the two cannot coexist.
The church has allowed itself to be lulled into a devilish falsehood: be light without being hateful and disturbing the darkness of the world around you. It's the old lie: "The light might be good for you, but you can't force it on others. They should get to make their own choices."
We cannot allow ourselves to be pushed under a basket where our light can be hidden; instead, we must fight to get ourselves up on the hilltop, the pedestal, where we can effectively share Christ's light to the world around us.
The second part of the passage comes with another mission for each individual Christian: "Do good works, so that those around you can see those good works and give praise to the Father in Heaven." How will those around us see our good works and then glorify God if we never do any good works? How can they see and be impacted if we are hiding because we don't want to offend anyone or disturb those in darkness around us?
We have a responsibility to be as bright a light as possible and to chase away the darkness from the world as far as we possibly can. We do that by taking good works into the community and the world and then sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are glorifying God because of the work that we have just done for them.
The Christian life must be an active one! We cannot allow ourselves to be hidden. We must fight for that place up in the middle of the battleground where can most effectively bring Christ's light to the world!
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Poem: A Knight in Tarnished Armor
My strength is failing and my eyes grow dim
As I stumble along in this cold, hard land.
Even as I fall back, pulled away from by this hateful world around me,
I can see your light, beckoning me to stand.
You are ever faithful to gently pull me back onto your path,
So on I preserve, your knight in tarnished armor.
Down I fell, weakened by constant battle.
Wounded and bloodied, I cried out to you, my Captain, my King.
Can you hear the fear that strikes to my heart?
I need you to save me from perishing.
Ever-faithful, you reach out to ease the anxiety,
The turmoil within your knight in tarnished armor.
Through your strength I stand, your light stilling my troubled spirit.
How long can I continue this fight?
My wounds run deep, but you stand here beside me;
I fight on for you have filled me with your might.
For your glory I will stand here and persevere,
Your knight in tarnished armor.
Sunday, February 4, 2018
A Call to Fathers
Fathers,
You are called to be our discipline. Where would we be without your steady hand guiding us through our own folly?
You are called to be our teachers. Where would we be without your wisdom and direction?
You are called to be a steady aim, firing us into the world with careful precision. Where would we be without you to help us find our place in this world?
You are called to be repairers of broken streets. Where would we be without you to pick up the pieces when we are broken?
You are called to captain my ship, guiding me through adversity and leading me to adventure. How can I become a captain one day without you there to show me the way?
-Too many times we complain about the sad state of the youth in our culture, but we should be examining the state of relationship with Godly fatherhood and manhood that these youth have been exposed to/ nurtured by.
One of Satan's greatest victories in this world has been the removal of the Godly father from prominence in a child's life.
You are called to be our discipline. Where would we be without your steady hand guiding us through our own folly?
You are called to be our teachers. Where would we be without your wisdom and direction?
You are called to be a steady aim, firing us into the world with careful precision. Where would we be without you to help us find our place in this world?
You are called to be repairers of broken streets. Where would we be without you to pick up the pieces when we are broken?
You are called to captain my ship, guiding me through adversity and leading me to adventure. How can I become a captain one day without you there to show me the way?
-Too many times we complain about the sad state of the youth in our culture, but we should be examining the state of relationship with Godly fatherhood and manhood that these youth have been exposed to/ nurtured by.
One of Satan's greatest victories in this world has been the removal of the Godly father from prominence in a child's life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)