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We continued our series on the Book of Colossians this past Sunday AM: Paul, here, begins to establish his argument that salvation does not need to be supplemented by any false human philosophy or psychology, any ritualism, mysticism, self-denial or any other kind pf human effort or work. He affirms us that in Christ “we have been made complete” (Col. 2:10) and then proceeds to move on an develop that fundamental truth! Click below:
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  During the Thanksgiving season, it’s easy to lose our perspective and forget that we have so much to be thankful for. Maybe you’re having a hard time right now. Maybe you’re having health, financial, or family problems. I don’t want to suggest, in any way, that these things aren’t difficult, because they are. Yet we still should give thanks. That’s the reason that we were created. God put us on this earth to glorify Him and give thanks to His name. The Scriptures urge us again and again to do this. In Psalm 106:1, we read, “Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (NKJV). Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (NKJV). Hebrews 13:15 tells us, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (NKJV). Yes, praise and worship can be a sacrifice because we don’t necessarily want to do it. When we are discouraged or depressed, when things aren’t going that well or tragedy befalls us, we don’t feel like praising God. But the Bible doesn’t say that we should praise the Lord only when we feel good. Rather, it says that we should always praise the Lord because He is good. After Jesus healed ten men with leprosy, one of them, a Samaritan, returned to give thanks. Jesus asked, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17–18 NKJV) Just like the Samaritan, we should be as definite about giving thanks as we are about asking for help. Have you given thanks to God for all He has done for you?
by: James Smith, in his "Important Questions!" 1858 --------------------------------------------------------- "You fools, when will you be wise?" -------------------------------------------------------- The Scripture stigmatizes the lost sinner as a fool.
Wisdom consists in fixing upon a worthy end, and pursuing it in the most prudent and judicious way. A wise man . . .
If we were to judge them by their conduct, we would be ready to conclude…
Surely the Scriptures are right in designating such men fools--for fools, the greatest fools, they must be! Should the eye of a worldly man or woman light upon this page, God asks you the question, "When will you be wise?"
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"If only they were wise and would understand this, and discern what their end will be!" Deuteronomy 32:29 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
According to James 1:2–4, 12, there are two reasons why Christians should rejoice when they face trials of various kinds. Other reasons are articulated elsewhere, but these two are remarkably comprehensive.
First, we should rejoice because we know that when our faith is tested, the result is perseverance (1:2–3). As an athlete endures in order to build up endurance, so a Christian perseveres under trial in order to build up perseverance. Perseverance contributes something important to our character. It “must finish its work so that [we] may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (1:4). The alternative is a personality that may love the Lord when things are going well, a character that is bold and happy on bright days in the Spring, but knows little of steadfastness under duress, of contentment when physical comforts are withdrawn, of quiet confidence in the living God when faced with persecution, of stability in the midst of a frenetic pace or a massive disappointment. In other words, in a fallen world perseverance contributes maturity and stability to our character—and trials build perseverance. So James is very bold: we should, he says, “consider it pure joy” whenever we face trials of various kinds. This is not a perverse form of Christian masochism, but an entirely appropriate response if we remember the Christian’s goals. If our highest goals are creature comforts, this passage is incomprehensible; if our highest goals include growth in Christian character, James’s evaluation makes eminent sense. Second, the Christian who perseveres under trial is blessed “because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (1:12). In other words, perseverance is a necessary ingredient to genuine Christianity. A real Christian, on the long haul, sticks: he or she perseveres. There may be ups and downs, there may be special victories or temporary defeats, but precisely because the One who has begun a good work in us completes it (Phil. 1:6), real Christians stick (cf. Heb. 3:14). They continue to be “those who love him.” Thus Christians facing a trial must perceive not only the threat or the unpleasantness or the disappointment, but also the challenge for which God’s grace equips us: to press on—always to press on—knowing full well that the ultimate reward, meted out by grace, is “the crown of life”—the crown that is life, life in its consummated splendor, the life of the new heaven and the new earth, the heritage of all Christians. Thus, once again James is entirely realistic to perceive that the person who perseveres under trial is “blessed.” It is an easy calculation, provided we remember the Christian’s goals. by: CH Spurgeon -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!" "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Most people are not seeking to escape from the wrath to come; they are busy in worldly things, while Hell is near them. They are like idiots catching flies on board a ship which is in the very act of sinking! We see many people busy about their bodies, decorating themselves, when their soul is in ruin. They are like a man painting the front door, when the house is in flames! Men are in a restless pursuit after satisfaction in earthly things.
And finding them all to be vanity and emptiness, they will become very perplexed and disappointed. But they will still continue their fruitless search! Though wearied, they still stagger forward under the influence of spiritual madness, and though there is no result to be reached except that of everlasting disappointment, yet they press forward with much ardor. Living for today is enough for them. That they are still alive, that they possess present comforts and present enjoyments--this contents the many. As for the future, they say, "Let it take care of itself." As for eternity, they leave others to care for its realities; the present life is enough for them. Their motto is, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!" They have no forethought for their eternal state; the present hour absorbs them. Carnal minds pursue with all their might, earth's vanities; and when they are wearied in their pursuit, they but change their direction and continue the idle chase. They turn to another and another of earth's broken cisterns hoping to find water, where not a drop was ever discovered yet! -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil!" Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.” If we were walking the dusty roads of Israel with Jesus and came upon the man known as Judas Iscariot for the first time, he might not be what we had expected him to be. At first blush, we might even think that he was a stand-up guy. We might believe that he was devout, deeply religious, and very concerned about others. And we would have been shocked upon discovering that he was the one who betrayed the Lord. That’s because Judas was an incredible actor. He was a performer. He knew how to talk the talk, but he certainly didn’t know how to walk the walk. Yet Judas had no excuse. He had the privilege of spending a number of years with God incarnate. He would have been fully aware that Jesus was never hypocritical or inconsistent in any way, shape, or form. He saw Jesus live a flawless life. Yet Judas did not believe. And not only that, he turned against Jesus and sold Him for 30 pieces of silver, the price commonly paid to purchase a slave. Judas was able to do the wicked things that he did because he never really knew Jesus. Sure, he knew about Him. In fact, he knew about Him more than most people did. But he never personally knew Jesus. Judas’s life could be summed up by this statement about him: “So he went his way” (Luke 22:4 NKJV). He lived the way that he wanted to live. If you can habitually commit sin without any remorse, that’s a clear indicator that you don’t know God. There are a lot of people running around today saying, “I’m a believer. I’m a follower of Jesus.” Yet, if they can persist in sin, something isn’t right. The Bible doesn’t say that a Christian won’t sin,
only that a Christian won’t habitually sin. More about just how the false teachers in Colosse sought to steal away the blessing and joy that was (and is) a part of being a follower of Christ. We thought about the various approaches they used to convince these Colossians of the “rightness” of their false doctrine. But the main thing that they sought to accomplish was to attack the Deity of the Lord Jesus in various fashions. We looked at quite a list!
Link: Melchizedek shows up abruptly and briefly in the Old Testament, but his special role in Abraham’s life makes him a significant figure. He is mentioned again in Psalm 110:4, the passage under consideration in Hebrews 4:14–7:28. As the king of Salem and priest of the Most High God in the time of Abraham, Melchizedek offered a historical precedent for the role of king-priest (Gen. 14:18–20), filled perfectly by Jesus Christ. By using the two Old Testament references to Melchizedek, the writer (7:1–28) explains the superiority of Christ’s priesthood by reviewing Melchizedek’s unique role as a type of Christ and his superiority to the Levitical high priesthood. The Levitical priesthood was hereditary, but Melchizedek’s was not. Through Abraham’s honor, Melchizedek’s rightful role was established. The major ways in which the Melchizedekian priesthood was superior to the Levitical priesthood are these:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” What gives you confidence? For some people, it’s the right hairstyle or clothing. Other people feel confident because of the premium credit card in their pocket. A few people are blessed with a self-confident attitude, but it sometimes appears as arrogance. Others constantly battle feelings of insecurity. Recommended Reading:
The Savior who was with us in the beginning is the same God who will be with us until the end. He is our Alpha and Omega. Everything that happens to us from birth to death is in His hands. Don’t let the confusion of the world distress you. We can live in joyful confidence because of Christ. Stand a bit taller today and go into your agenda confident of His care and keeping. ___________________________________________________________________ Lord, Thou knowest what is best, confident in this I’ll rest, till I dwell with all the blest, and with Thee in heaven. William Ebel
7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, The context of Hebrews 5:7 makes it clear that “who, in the days of His flesh” refers back to Christ, the main subject in v. 5. In Gethsemane, Jesus agonized and wept, but committed Himself to do the Father’s will in accepting the cup of suffering which would bring His death (Matt. 26:38–46; Luke 22:44, 45). Anticipating bearing the burden of judgment for sin, Jesus felt its fullest pain and grief (Is. 52:14; 53:3–5, 10). Though He bore the penalty in silence and did not seek to deliver Himself from it (Is. 53:7), He did cry out from the agony of the fury of God’s wrath poured on His perfectly holy and obedient Person (Matt. 27:46; 2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus asked to be saved from remaining in death, i.e., to be resurrected (Ps. 16:9, 10).
“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (v. 8). Christ did not need to suffer in order to conquer or correct any disobedience. In His deity (as the Son of God), He understood obedience completely. As the incarnate Lord, He humbled Himself to learn (Luke 2:52). He learned obedience for the same reasons He bore temptation: to confirm His humanity and experience its sufferings to the fullest (2:10; Luke 2:52; Phil. 2:8). Christ’s obedience was also necessary so that He could fulfill all righteousness (Matt. 5:13) and thus prove to be the perfect sacrifice to take the place of sinners (1 Pet. 3:18). He was the perfectly righteous One, whose righteousness would be imputed to sinners (Rom. 3:24–26). “And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation” (v. 9). Because of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ and His perfect sacrifice for sin, He became the cause of salvation. True salvation evidences itself in obedience to Christ, from the initial obedience to the gospel command to repent and believe (Acts 5:32; Rom. 1:5; 2 Thess. 1:8; 1 Pet. 1:2, 22; 4:17) to a life pattern of obedience to the Word (Rom. 6:16). |
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