I wanted to let you know that I will not be posting a daily devotional this week. I will, however, resume next Monday.
I will post the Wednesday Check-In and Sunday’s Comin’ updates, though, so look for those on their regularly scheduled days of Wednesday and Friday.
Visit our website www.gracecommunitychurch.org to hear the sermon preached by Davy Parsons our Youth Pastor. He preached on Running the Race, Hebrew 12:1-3.
Will Dungee
This Sunday, Davy Parsons, who heads up our youth ministry, will be presenting the word. Here's a little glimpse into what Davy will be sharing with us:
Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Have you ever found yourself in a rut with God, feeling like your tank is empty and you have lost the energy to keep going? Has the passion faded and your feet stopped moving in the direction God has called you? Have doubts crept in where the promises of God previously resided? Well, Sunday is coming!!
Join us this Sunday for a time of refreshing and a call to finish the race to which God has called you. There is more for you - God is not finished with you yet, so stand up and run the great race in Christ.
Hope to see you Sunday,
Davy
Colossians 3:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
Romans 12:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not 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 and acceptable and perfect.
I am aware that we live in a society that resists anything connected to a process. We believe that we can fix our lives and that it will be quick. We also believe that we have the answers and that they are easy.
But the truth is, we don’t have the answers…we don’t even know the question. And our quick fixes are like placing a band aid on cancer.
As I’ve stated in other posts, we are to surrender to God. I’ve had some people tell me this isn’t a simple thing. They are right. It is a struggle to let go of our ways and surrender to God’s, but it is possible.
The key to this transformation is to set our gaze on God, “keep seeking those things that are above”. This is a process. No microwave transformations here. Think of the process as a home-cooked dinner. It takes time to select the ingredients, preheat the oven, and blend all the ingredients into a savory dish. The process is slow, but how good it is.
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Romans 12:1-2 (NASB95)
1Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not 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 and acceptable and perfect.
In 1974, Burger King came out with the slogan, Have It Your Way. As many of you know, it was a very successful campaign, not because it spoke to our need for a burger done just the way we want it. This was much deeper. It spoke to our belief that life should be about me. After all, I deserve it.
So, should life be about us, our desires, our agenda, etc? Scripture tells us that as believers, our lives are committed to God. So, instead of having our way, we surrender to God's way, which means we are to renew our minds by taking God's thoughts and plans - His ways. So be encouraged. When you study the Word of God to live, you are seeking those things that are above.
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Image by G a r r y via Flickr
Luke 5:1-11 (NASB95)
1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;
2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets.
3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.”
5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.”
6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break;
7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.
8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!”
9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken;
10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.”
11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.
Simon Peter, James, and John were fishermen. They knew the ends and outs of their trade. They knew when and where to cast their nets for a harvest of fish. But we see in verse 5 that Peter said to Jesus “we worked hard all night and caught nothing”.
Simon Peter’s statement was a response to Jesus’ request, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch”. Simon could have taken that time to tell Jesus why his suggestion wouldn’t work, but instead, this accomplished commercial fisherman simply said, “But I will do as You say…”
That is a great picture of surrendering what we think we know for what He does know. Being Christ-centered is to simple say to Him, “I will do as you say.”
Image by ViaMoi via Flickr
Colossians 3:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
Paul, in this passage, challenges the Colossians, “If you have been raised”, seek to live differently. He goes on to say, “Set your mind on the things above”. We are to set our desires and thoughts on Christ. As I said on Sunday, we are to be Christ-centered. We are not to continue to seek our own agenda, but we are to submit to God’s plans.
So, let’s remember today to set our mind on things above.
Colossians 3:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
I’m sure you have heard the term, “so heavenly mind; no earthly good.” Is that possible? Is it possible to be so engrossed in the things of God that it renders you useless in ordinary daily activities?
Paul instructed the Colossians to set their minds on things above and not on things on the earth. What did he mean? How can we do that?
Join us this Sunday as we take a deep look at the answers to these questions.
Will
Colossians 2:20-23 (NASB95)
20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as,
21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!”
22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men?
23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.
Colossians 2:20-23 states that in Christ we are free from legalistic practices. I describe legalism as commands that are not God-ordained, but man-generated in an attempt to achieve a spiritual goal. In other words, they are practices that are outside of scripture, but lifted up as “a must” in one’s spiritual walk.
An example would be a group of people who believe that if you are to worship God, you must do so in a suit or dress. On the other side are those who believe that, in order to be real and authentic with God, you must dress down. The truth of the matter is that neither are things outlined in scripture as a means for spiritual growth.
Paul reminded the Colossian believers that if they were in Christ, they were free from legalism.
The Word of God is clear on how we as believers are to live, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17, NASB95) We live our lives following scriptures. We are held accountable and hold our brothers and sisters accountable to the Word of God. We are never to require people to live by man-made decrees as a path to holiness.
Enjoy a life of freedom based on the Word of God.
Colossians 2:15 (NASB95)
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
Below is an excerpt from John Piper’s 1997 sermon, “Buried and Raised in Baptism Through Faith”
The second enemy defeated was the host of evil spiritual beings : the devil and his forces. Verse 15: "When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him." It's true that we must still "wrestle with principalities and powers" (Ephesians 6:12), but if we wrestle in the power of Christ and his shed blood, they are as good as defeated, because the blow he struck was lethal. Revelation 12:11 says that believers "overcame [the devil] because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death." We must fight. But the battle belongs to the Lord and the decisive blow has been struck at Calvary. Satan cannot destroy us.
By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB95)
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
Dead In Sin
We were once dead. I think this is a hard concept for the modern day world to grasp. They look at their fleshly accomplishments and pursuits and ask, "How can I be dead? This is nonsense. I feel, I desire, I get." they might say. But in actuality, because of sin, they are dead to God. "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest." (Ephesians 2:1-3, NASB95)
Made Alive
Christ destroyed sin’s claim on us through his death and resurrection. To be alive in Christ is to be set free from the debt and the power of sin. Christ has made us alive in Him; we have died to sin and have become alive to God. "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin." (Romans 6:5-7, NASB95)
Live in Freedom
Satan has lost his authority over us…"When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him." (Colossians 2:15, NASB95) Christ has defeated him. So live, knowing that we were dead in our sins, but have been made alive to God in Christ.
Colossians 2:13 (NASB95):
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
“I feel so alive.” I am sure you’ve heard someone say that phase. Maybe you’ve said it before. We usually use it when we are experiencing something we enjoy… a relationship, vacation, career, etc. The phase has more to do with feelings than anything else. We don’t mean that we were actually dead and a relationship or vacation made us alive. It is just a figure of speech.
I think that’s why it’s so easy to be blasé when the Bible says that we are made alive in Christ; we look at it as just a figure of speech, but it is so much more.
Tomorrow we will look at what scripture says about being alive in Christ. I challenge you to take time to meditate on Colossians 2:13 and journal about what it means to be alive in Christ.
This Sunday, we will be covering Colossians 2:8-23. As you study these passages for Sunday, pay close attention to verses 13-15 and think about the incredible freedom Christ has given us. We are alive with Him; all our transgressions (sins) are forgiven. And in verse 14, The Message reads, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross. (Colossians 2:14, The Message)
Spend time meditating on this great freedom that we have:
Colossians 2:13-15 (NASB95)
13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
Your response to my first week of doing a daily devotional was very encouraging. I plan to continue doing these Monday through Friday of each week. If you are interested in receiving this email, please contact my assistant, Lisa Kody (lkody@gracecommunitychurch.org)
Thanks,
Will Dungee
We'll also continue Wednesday Check-In and Sunday's Comin' to the whole body via email.
Colossians 2:2 (NASB95)
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,[1]
Today I decided to insert an excerpt from John Piper’s Sermon, Guard Your Heart With Gratitude, November 24, 1985. In this section he speaks about our hearts being knitted together - how, why, and the results. My prayer is that this will encourage us to continue to be about the messy, but rewarding work of having our hearts knitted together in love.
Knitting Hearts Together
How does this work? He says that it works through a "knitting together"—"that their hearts may be encouraged as they are knit together in love." I think he means, "as their hearts are knit together with his heart and with each other's." In other words, by telling them of his suffering and struggles for them, he hopes that they will feel themselves drawn to him (and to each other) with cords of love. So Paul is trying to create a beautiful quilt by sewing the hearts of individuals together with the threads of love, especially his own love as he suffers there in prison.
Stronger Affection and Stronger Understanding
But there is something very unusual about this quilt. When love knits hearts together into a beautiful quilt of unity, the result is not merely stronger affection, but also stronger understanding. This is one of the great and strange facts of Christianity: a deep and confident understanding of Christ comes not merely from thinking, but also from loving. Notice how verse 2 proceeds: Paul hopes that their hearts will be knit together in love, why?—"to have all the riches of assured understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, of Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
In other words the way to get assured understanding about the mystery of God, namely, Jesus Christ the treasure chest of wisdom, is to have your heart knit together in love with other believers. The deepest and most certain insights into the character of God and the wisdom of God come into heads that are attached to loving hearts.
There is a good illustration of this in one of the courses that Tom Steller teaches periodically called Leadership Training Through Theological Reflection. These courses always deal with the heaviest doctrinal issues there are. But Tom told us on the staff several months ago that he is convinced that the best way to teach these things is in the context of a small group of 10–12 people who not only discuss ideas but share their lives as well. He is absolutely right because (as Paul says here in verse 2) the riches of assured understanding and knowledge of God's mystery, and the treasures of Christ's wisdom come into the heads of those whose hearts are knit together in love. By John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: desiringGod.org
If you would like to read the sermon in its entirety (It is well worth your time) click on the link.
Guard Yourself With Gratitude :: Desiring God Christian Resource Library
The website gave permission.
[1] New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995. LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
Behind our church, we have a beautiful large oak tree. I often wonder its age as many believe it to be at least 80 years old. It is obvious that it has been around for a long time. How can it stand for so many years, not moved by drought, rain, ice or snow? It is able to remain strong and endure because of its roots. We can't see them, but they run deep. 
