Colossians 3 is WONDERFUL! I love how he starts out with a call to set my sights on the realities of heaven. The realitites -- it's REAL!. and the fact that we'll share in Christ's glory -- why me? That's the last thing I deserve, how kind and very very generous of Christ to let me share in His glory!
A greedy person is an idolater. According to the Big 10, you shall have no other gods before me. I struggle with greed all the time in many different forms. Only God can save me from myself.
Quite a comparison: anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, dirty language, liers vs. tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, making allowance for each others' faults, forgiveness, love. Which attributes do you look for in a friend? What kind of a friend are you? am I?
Let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. Let it rule -- that means you need to cast out, rebuke worries and fears; make room for His peace.
Good comments, made me want to read Colossians today. Reminds me of most churches today actually.
ReplyDelete3:10 says to put on our new nature & mature in Jesus, as we learn to be more like our Creator. Reinforces in my mind that this life is a training field & it's all a process. There are no saints & especially no instant ones!
v11 says it doesn't matter your background, your skin color, nationality, etc. What matters is Christ. I have never seen so much prejudice & bigotry on display as I have since our current president was elected. People are down right hate filled because he is African American. Just makes me sad. No matter if He agreed with people or not, Jesus always respected them. Really shows how backwards our "free" country still is.
v12 Make allowance for each other's faults. Major fail for me. I so need the love of Jesus & especially His eyes to see people with His heart & not my selfish one.
I have so much growing to do, thankfully, I know God isn't thru with me yet. I wonder why I expect Him to be through with others? :0
Matt 24 again reminds me that we WILL be hated, persecuted & killed. So I'm not to think God has abandoned me when it happens. He didn't gloss over it, He was very up front with the cost of discipleship. But again, this world is not all there is. It's just the courtyard to living forever!
ReplyDeleteJesus also describes in 1 short sentence the effect this can have on our 1st love experience. It can grow cold (v12). It is hard with sin rampant & growing still all around to keep a soft & loving heart towards people. This is what satan wants to accomplish. So we stop looking for souls & just react out of fear.
Complete trust in God, living how Jesus lived while here on earth, that's the ticket to keeping our love real & active. To have a relationship with God built on trust is to live an open hand, open heart life.
Amazing! I found Leviticus interesting:) Even in the Moses/Aaron era, where God was so much more visible, people had a hard time taking holiness seriously. Nadab and Abihu used common fire for their incense; and I think it's interesting that God takes over the step by step instructions again for Aaron, assuring him that if he follows these instructions, he won't die. And Moses reminded Aaron once again that he couldn't enter that Most Holy Place willy nilly -- because God HIMSELF was present there! Awesome thought -- God contained in an actual place! Infinite, Almighty, Omni-present God.
ReplyDeleteAaron had to present his "own" bull for his sins and his families sins. It HAD to cost him something, I think -- as our offerings have to cost us something, so we take it seriously; realize that sacrifice is all part of the healing for our sins.
The 2 goats seem so clear to me; one representing Jesus, the other Satan. I am so excited for the day when the "goat" illustration is played out. "all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people . . . will transfer . . . to the head of the goat... As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people's sins upon itself into a desolate land" Hallelujah - - "God has won, Christ prevailed"
I didn't realize Jonah was mentioned in the Bible apart from his book. But 14:25 has him in there. Just a side note I know, but I hadn't remembered that from before.
ReplyDeleteI guess the daughter who hid Joash from the queen mother must not have been the daughter of this woman. Who knows if Joash was either with so many concubines/wives around the palace. But she was a brave woman to hide Joash from this wicked women. There's always action, deceit & death around power. I don't know we humans seek it so much.
I found it interesting that though certain kings did what was pleasing to the Lord, He still afflicted them. Uzziah has leprosy, Joash was murdered, Jotham had other kings attack him (sent by the Lord 15:37). I wonder if this was because most of them did not remove every single sin from their kingdoms. It reminds me of how God purifies our characters today.
But even then, Jesus, who was perfect was abused & crucified. So either way I look at it, I can't expect a cushy life.
Talk about a wicked woman -- Athaliah takes the cake. But it sounded like nobody liked her, everyone was all in for putting a 7 year old on the throne! Can you imagine being hidden away for 6 years? That's a long time.
ReplyDeleteJudah did good for a long time, though. Apart for not tearing down those pagan shrines, it sounds like they, or at least the king, stayed pretty connected with God -- doing their best to follow His laws. Interestingly tho, that does not always end in a pretty life for the obedient. Sometimes (as in all ages) it seems those trying to do right - - have a pretty tough existence.
Good king Amaziah goes to war with the Evil king Jehoash. 14:13 "King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah's king Amaziah" Jehoash also destroyed Jerusalem's wall.
Another time Uzziah in chapter 15 "did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight" but - - "The Lord struck the king with leprosy, which lasted until the day he died."
Makes me think about the thoughts we've had on discipline - - learning to learn from what happens to us is part of being in His hands. Not whining, but following; hard stuff.
It is amazing how many assasinations went on back then -- not a good era to be a king.
btw -- wouldn't it be interesting to talk to the guy who came to life after getting thrown into Elisha's tomb? Bet HE had a story to tell! Would be fun to get all of those people who came back to life from God miracles together someday in heaven and listen to them tell their stories of a second chance. Hmmmmm -- I guess we all have a story to tell, don't we?
ReplyDeleteTeach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to Your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor You. Ps 86:11
ReplyDelete84:11 "The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right" But HIS view of good thing and my view of good thing might differ:):) Sooooo -- need to trust!
ReplyDelete85:8 "listen CAREFULLY to what God the Lord is saying" it's not just skimming over words -- it's not just a quick listen, but focused attention -- stop, quiet down
vs 10 "unfailing love and truth have met. It's only someone that loves you deeply that is brave enough to tell you the truth -- even when it hurts!
Prov 11:1-3 talk about 3 very important traits: integrity, humility, and honesty. When I'm around people that have these 3 traits -- I feel safe.
ReplyDeleteRemember that old saying "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" Solomon said it differently in 11:12 "it is foolish to belittle one's neighbor, a sensible person keeps quiet"
A gracious woman gains respect. What do you think of when you think of a gracious woman? What attributes? I think of the first 3 mentioned in this chapter: integrity, humility, honesty -- but also kindness and (as stated in vs 12) an unwillingness to belittle, but always looking for the good in others.
And I'll end with 12:1 To learn, you must love discipline! YIKES! I can often endure discipline and correction -- but I'm a long ways yet from "loving" it! Hmmmm, reminds me of intentional exercise! LOL
Prov 11:1-3 talk about 3 very important traits: integrity, humility, and honesty. When I'm around people that have these 3 traits -- I feel safe.
ReplyDeleteRemember that old saying "if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all" Solomon said it differently in 11:12 "it is foolish to belittle one's neighbor, a sensible person keeps quiet"
A gracious woman gains respect. What do you think of when you think of a gracious woman? What attributes? I think of the first 3 mentioned in this chapter: integrity, humility, honesty -- but also kindness and (as stated in vs 12) an unwillingness to belittle, but always looking for the good in others.
And I'll end with 12:1 To learn, you must love discipline! YIKES! I can often endure discipline and correction -- but I'm a long ways yet from "loving" it! Hmmmm, reminds me of intentional exercise! LOL
I'd echo your thoughts, but you already did! Hee hee
ReplyDeleteI see some similarities in Ez 31:9,10 between the tree of Egypt and the description of Satan in Revelation (I think Rev)
ReplyDeleteEz 33:12,13 has some interesting insight in the the theory Once saved, always saved. "The righteous behavior of righteous people will not save them if they turn to sin, nor will the wicked behavior of wicked people destroy them if they repent and turn from their sins. When I tell righteous people that they will live, but then they sin, expecting their past righteousness to save them,then none of their righteous acts will be remembered."
in 33:20 "you are saying, "The Lord isn't doing what's right. But I judge each of you according to your deeds" I was thinking this morning that the Lord's view of righteous is on a different plane than ours. We judge from the outward (salvation by works), what we can see; but he combines the outward with the kernel of "why" we're doing what we're doing, because He can see not only the outward - but the inward. Is our serving, our "works" from a heart of love or is it a self-serving works. It really boils down to relationship.
Sure do love the picture of the Good Shepherd in 34:11-16. How good to put our lives into His care -- He'll go beyond our wildest dreams of contentment! (Doesn't mean lack of trials or tough times, tho)
Love God's "sprinkle" in 36:25 -- except I need a "shower" to cleanse me! But thank you Lord that you have the ability to wash my filth away. I accept with gratitude the gift of the shower and the heart; don't let me take that for granted. I need Your Spirit to help me understand fully the magnitude of this gift.
Nice thoughts out of Ezekiel. Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed the reminders. Especially the hope of cleansing we have each & every moment when we turn to Him from our selfish ways.
ReplyDeleteI've been meditating the last few days on John 4 again. I always get something new out of that when I need it.
Today, again we are reminded by the tragedy in CO that this world is not our home. As followers of Jesus, we can't expect the lack of trials & sufferings at the hand of the enemy & the people who follow him. Very sad, Lord please reach out to those hurting families & the family of the man responsible. That's got to be so isolating for them right now. Please let them know You are near them too as they turn to You.
yes -- the widow showed the trust Jesus was after; she didn't trust in earthly stuff; or surplus anything - she didn't have surplus anything. I thought it was interesting that in verse 6 Jesus shows the disciples and us that we can't trust in anything here in the world -- not strong fancy buildings, not government (vs 10) not our natural elements (vs 11) not our families -- only God, that's all we'll have that is consistent.
ReplyDeleteBut he tells us "don't panic" vs 9, "don't worry" vs 14, "stand firm" vs 19 That kind of thinking can only come with trusting Him in the little things now.
When you see all these things taking place, you can KNOW that the Kingdom of God is near.
Really well put in vs 34: Don't let your hearts be dulled . . yes -- sometimes I feel like that, dulled by all the "stuff" the world offers.
Really somber words in 22:3 Satan entered into Judas Iscariot. I have to think that some of the openings Satan found into Judas's soul were in the spirit of discontent vs gratitude, the spirit of self-sufficiency vs. God-trust, the spirit of pride and criticism. That's a warning for me, big time.
Jesus said that "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you - - His last shot at filling them with trust, advice, hope. But -- they had selective listening (as do I) they heard: "the kingdom of heaven" and "you will sit on thrones" somehow they just dulled out the words about sacrifice and suffering.
I was thinking about the bread and the wine poured out. The sacrificial lamb was slaughtered quickly - - but our Savior went through so much more than that -- mocking and beating vs 63. The sacrificial lamb wasn't abused before being slaughtered - - people were more humane with a dumb animal than with their Creator-God. Lord, forgive us.
Really good comment about the open doors that satan got to Judas through. Very good warning for me as well. Also your last paragraph. Satan really was instigating the leaders & soldiers to do all they could to get Jesus to capitulate.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking as I perused reading how hard it was for Jesus. It never got easier, ever. You'd think, since He was the Beloved Son of God that the Father would have given Him a break somewhere, at some point. But there wasn't any. There were little glimpses, the widow's offering, the leper worshiping Him, the thief on the cross. But it was all so hard, all the time. Incredible intensity.
I have no room to be ungrateful or unappreciative. I have a great need to surrender every moment of my life, just like Jesus, my Example. And Jesus picked up on the little things & was edified by them. I need to be strengthen by those as well & not cast them aside, ungratefully.
Jesus was strengthened because He realized the big picture & realized this was not the final end. There was a 2nd chapter for Him. And there will be a 3rd for Him when we join Him. Just have to get my focus off of this world & surrender every bit of my "agenda", my wants & desires to Him.
As you said Linda, forgive us Lord, forgive us for forgetting so easily, what You went through for us.