Give God the praise and be thankful for this GREAT GRACE!

 

Colossians 1:3-8
Paul continued to pray and praise the church at Colosse for their faith and obedience.
Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6 Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: 7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; 8 Who also declared unto us your love in the Spirit.
This a good thing for all of us to do for our "church" members. Now by members I don't mean those who go through some traditional ceremonial type thing to join "the church" but rather those who go to our local fellowships, along with our family and friends who have trusted in Christ and truly saved.  
Paul calls them "saints" which means "holy" and are made pure in spirit. That's what we are today if saved in Christ, we are saints. It does not mean sinless but that we are spiritually alive in Christ. We are sealed, secure and forever sanctified in Christ!
The gospel brings life and that life brings fruit and love! So spread the love and encourage your church fellowship while praying for them just as we are praying for you!
May you experience Christ love and peace today!

Colossians 1:9-14
"That we might..."
Paul encourages the church by praying "that ye might" be filled and walk worthy!
Col 1:9 "For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;"
They (we) are already filled with the Holy Spirit, but he knows they need to renew their minds and activate that thinking. They need and we need to be sensitive to the Spirit and continually remember the word of God which is within us! This is why we need to read constantly and study daily to get that wisdom and knowledge into our everyday understanding. To make it more important and reliable than our worldly upbringing and thinking.  We also want to walk worthy of the Lord which means to be faithful and obedient in heart and works. We need to do all this joyfully and patiently. We need to be patient with others as well as ourselves.
12 "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:"
....and while we are doing all that we can give THANKS to God our Father! He has delivered us and moved us from the power of darkness, death and destruction to being IN His Son! Jesus is LIFE and LIGHT! We are free Spiritually and no longer need to fear death or hell or anyone else for that matter. We are completely forgiven and reconciled to God through Christ.
Let us be thankful, joyful and wise as we walk worthy of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!
 

Colossians 1:13-20
Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
No need to worry YOU are in GREAT hands dear saint in Christ!!! GOD has moved you into His Son's Kingdom! YOU have been translated, transferred or moved into the kingdom of Christ! And YOU have complete forgiveness for all sins, past, present and future!
AND by the way, that Son of God named Jesus has the same and exact image, character and heart as His Father! Now Jesus is called the WORD, and the WORD became flesh!
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. ... ...14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Now the WORD spoke and all things were created and made for Him and by Him! Jesus is the church and the church is His Body! He is the Head of the Body, and we are a part of that Body! JESUS is the Preeminence, the First, the Head and Supreme Being! JESUS is the ALL Powerful, Leader and King!
JESUS IS LORD!!!
Lets give Him the all the Glory and Honor and Praise today!!!

 

Colossians 1:19-22
FOR IT PLEASED GOD TO.....
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
I think we often think that God is mad or really doesn't want to be around us, but really, He is pleased with us! WHY? Because all the completeness, fullness and Power of God is in Christ and Christ is in us! He is pleased with us because He is pleased with His Son Jesus! Jesus lives in us and therefore God is pleased and desires to spend time with us. Jesus paid the price on the cross and has done all the work that is necessary to reconcile and make peace for us.  
And so, we who were once enemies, now belong to Him and are reconciled to God through Christ! Spiritually we are made holy and innocent to God through Christ! We are spiritually whole and complete in Christ!
We no longer need to fear God's wrath or that He might punish us rather instead we can enjoy spending time with Him and receiving His Love and approval! We can also run to Him and pour out our thoughts and sins and worries! We can share our fears and anxiety! We now can walk with confidence and boldly share life with our Father and He will comfort us with His Spirit and Love!
Oh dear saint in Christ be thankful, grateful and spend time with your heavenly "Daddy"!!!

 

 

The mystery was not known to the old prophets, everything revolved around Israel. But after Israel rejected the risen Messiah God sent the salvation message through the cross of Christ called the gospel of grace to the gentiles. Part of this mystery is that Christ is in You! Can you get that!!! UNBELIEVABLE! The Lord Jesus LIVES IN YOU!!! And WE LIVE IN HIM! 

 

Paul says in Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 

It's not me that lives but Christ! JESUS LIVES IN YOU! The eternal one! The creator of everything lives in You! You are no longer a worm, loser or sinner but a "winner", and a saint and free in Him! No longer under sin, and no longer in bondage to fear but free to live in VICTORY! SO DO IT, LIVE THE VICTORIOUS LIFE THROUGH CHRIST TODAY!!! 

SHOUT THANK YOU LORD!!! 

 

Col 2:6 "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving"
Have you ever noticed how babies have a hard time walking at first! They tip over and look so cute, but they don't walk very good. Then as we get into our later years, we have problems walking too, Ha! We are weak in our early years and our elderly years but in the middle, we are strong and walk and walk and walk!
Our daily faith walk is similar. When we first come to Christ, we are like babes, struggling but as we mature, we get stronger, but when we get nearer to death, we CAN get weaker. This is why Paul encourages us to be rooted and built up in Him. If we stay immature, we will be in deep trouble and fear death as we are older but if we stay grounded and grow deeper, we will walk faithfully looking forward to physical death because we know we will be with Christ!
We can be content and give thanks with growing older because we know it is one step closer to being eternally with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!
Be thankful today and every day and give Jesus the glory! Amen!
Col 2:1 "For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ."

 

WE ARE COMPLETE IN CHRIST ALONE!!!
This chapter and especially starting at verse 8 of Colossians 2 we find one of the greatest chapters in the bible! This chapter is why I wanted to repeat the book of Colossians in our devotions. It is SO powerful that it changes everything that was once and still practiced in 99.9999% of most churches. It should bring the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches to their knees but also all the protestant denominations that follow many of the same things!

 

So, let's begin in verse 8  
Col 2:8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
First of all, Paul says to beware of the philosophy and vain deceit of the world! The worlds thinking has nothing that will help you in your spiritual life. They have no answers that can bring eternal life nor freedom to your soul. BUT this does not just include the world only but also the "Christian" churches that have ADOPTED man's thinking which includes most churches. Both Catholic/Orthodox AND protestant churches have taken in man's traditions and philosophies! Some even brag about being above the Word of God and that THEY (man) know more than the Word of God! Many pastors and churches send their people to psychologist instead of helping them with scripture. In fact, I once knew a Baptist pastor who asked me if I counseled from a biblical viewpoint or a psychological one and I said a biblical view and he said he didn't, and that he counseled from a psychological one! NOW If that isn't worldly, I don't know what is!!! Another example of this would be when the state psychologist came to us for help with her child. She had no answers for herself or her child!

As we go through this chapter I will tie more to this thinking but let's move on for now.  
10 "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:"
WE ARE COMPLETE IN CHRIST!!!! DO YOU HEAR THAT! COMPLETE!!!! YOU are made WHOLE and HOLY! You no longer need to "DO" anything or need anyone to give you LIFE! WE have ETERNAL LIFE and it is through Christ alone! Your spirit was once dead but now it is FULL and PERFECT because the God of the Universe lives within it! Complete means filled, full, and perfect! It is like a cup running over with water and continues to refill over and over and over! It never ever runs out because it is full, Full, FULL! It is a finished work not an ongoing type of thing that needs to be adding to it. YOU ARE COMPLETE IN CHRIST!!!!
OH MY, tell yourself this truth over and over and over!!! "I am complete in Christ, and I don't need to "do" anything to be accepted or approved by anyone else even myself"! AMEN!!

 

THE OPERATION OF GOD!
Col 2:11 "In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;"
CIRCUMCISION!
By the operation meaning by the work of God, we are circumcised with the circumcision of God! This is not a work of man nor in the flesh, but it is God's doing by the Holy Spirit. Circumcision means to cut and bleed, and while the Jews did the fleshly circumcision as it was the old covenant between God and Israel, we gentiles were not part of the old covenant and therefore not circumcised and this is why we were called the Uncircumcision. Now Christ was cut, bled and died for us and by faith we believe and by that our old man or that which was in Adam is considered crucified and dead!  
Rom 6:6 "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin."
By faith we believe and trust in Christ death, burial and resurrection and made alive in Him. We are then saved, and a New creature in Christ! Our spirit is Alive in Christ!
BAPTISM!
By the operation of God, we were buried with Him in baptism.
Rom 6:4 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."
Now baptism means to be immersed in and identified with! We have been immersed by the Spirit into His death and identified in His resurrection Spiritually! There is no water here, it is a spiritual baptism by God otherwise it would be by man!!!! There is only One baptism today and it is Spiritual!
FORGIVEN!
Finally, by God's operation He has completely forgiven ALL our sins! ALL means ALL and can only be forgiven by God the one and only judge! So, we are completely forgiven and therefore be confident we will be with Him eternally. This is not a do whatever you want card nor is it an arrogant way of thinking it simply the secure and reconciling details of Christ work. When we realize who we were as sinners and realize the price that was paid, we are eternally grateful and thankful and humbled by Christ work on the cross and the complete operation of God in our lives!!!
Give God the Glory!