365 Days of Praise
WE WILL BE REVEALED WITH CHRIST IN GLORY
“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
In our study of who we are in Christ, we learn of our identity both here on earth and in heaven. We’re reminded in Colossians 3:1-4 of two contrasts: things above and things below; things hidden and things revealed. In other words, we live in two spheres. How mindful we are of the spiritual affects our attitude and decisions. For instance, if we’re going through a dismal time, we find comfort thinking on how we will one day see Christ revealed in glory. We find additional comfort thinking of how we, too, will be revealed in glory. All the stresses of life will drop from us. Our “life” with Christ that is now hidden will be revealed in all its fullness. According to The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, reveal means “to make manifest or make actual and visible, realized. Today, we look up at the heavens and know Christ is there, but we can’t see Him. One day, we will, and we will be revealed with Him. That is who you are, believer! Destined for heaven’s glory where Christ will be revealed and YOU WILL BE REVEALED with HIM IN GLORY!
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your great plan in which You have destined us to be revealed with Christ is glory!
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
CHRIST IS OUR LIFE
“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
What do you think Paul means when he writes, “Christ, who is our life”? As we might say about a child, “Volleyball is her life!: Or, about a doctor, “Medicine is his life.” About a sports fanatic, “Sports is his life!” Or, a musician, “Music is her life.” Paul writes, “Christ is our life.” Some of us might be thinking, Well, I’m not as crazy about Jesus as Paul was. I love the Lord and am thankful He’s saved me, but I can’t honestly say He’s my life. I’m not consumed with Him. The interesting thing is, Paul doesn’t say, “When Christ, who is my life.” He says, “our” life. Why? Because whether we acknowledge it or not, Christ truly is our life! No Christ, no life. Read Genesis 2:7, John 11:25, John 20:22. Jesus not only gave us physical life, He gave us eternal life when He breathed His Holy Spirit into us. Your body can’t live without breath. Your spirit can’t live in heaven without the Holy Spirit in you. Christ is your life! Paul realized it and flourished in it. So can we.
Heavenly Father, forgive me for putting anything in the place of Christ. As my every breath depends on Him now and for eternity, let me live with deep conviction, “Christ, who is my life.”
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
I AM WITH CHRIST
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Are you worried about the future and being alone? There are few words that bring more comfort that those found in Colossians 3:3 – that we are with Christ. In other words, if you’re a Christian, you are not alone, nor will you ever be alone. Jesus picked you to be with Him forever. John 17:21-24 records Jesus’s prayer in which He prayed, “…that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. v23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” You were on Jesus’s mind before and during His arrest, crucifixion, and ascension. He has picked you to be with Him forever.
Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for the comfort and blessing of knowing that I am with You forever!
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
MY LIFE IS HIDDEN WITH CHRIST
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Paul explains in Colossians 3:3 that we have “died” – are separated from sin’s power. How is it, then, he now speaks of our lives? Life in this passage is defined as, “the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate.” It’s a reference to absolute fullness of life. It is life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by a more perfect body, to last forever. In other words, our ultimate life – that which spiritually enlivens and animates us – isn’t found in a person, job, child, home, or anything else. It’s found/hidden in Christ. It is spiritual. Those who aren’t Christians and those who aren’t walking closely with Christ, don’t understand the exuberance of life that is possible in Christ. But those who do, rejoice!
Heavenly Father, thank You for the exuberance You give me in Christ; and that my life is hidden/concealed with Him; safe and alive forever.
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
I HAVE DIED to SIN’S RULING POWER
“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
Can you imagine getting a letter from a spiritual mentor who writes, “you have died.” What in the world would they mean? Obviously we’re not physically dead. Neither are we spiritually dead. Christians are more spiritually alive than ever. We’re not emotionally or intellectually dead. What Paul means is that believers are to consider themselves dead to the ruling power of sin. In Colossians 3:5 we read, “consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. Put aside anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another. (Colossians 3:8-9) These verses tell us that because Christ lives in us, we are no longer slaves to our old nature. And, most importantly, we should consider ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ!
Heavenly Father, thank You for Christ’s death that freed me from the ruling power of sin and released me to live by His power and grace!
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
I AM HEAVENLY MINDED
“Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”
What are you thinking? Has anyone ever asked you that? It’s a good question. Are our thoughts anxious? Are they negative? Or, are they rejoicing on the things above and God’s goodness? This is the second time in two verses that we’re directed to “things above.” Above here means “on high.” Paul explains that, since we’ve been crucified with Christ, we should continuously think on Christ and our higher calling in Him. This doesn’t mean that we ignore our earthly responsibilities. However, it does mean that we take proactive measures to think on and absorb Christ’s perspective, love, and power over earth’s values, emptiness, and weakness. How do we do this? It’s a choice. To set means “to direct one’s mind to a thing.” Every day when we wake, we set our minds on the things above by directing our thoughts to God in prayer. We set our minds on the things above by reading the Bible. We set our minds on that which is outlined in Philippians 4:8. Gravity may pull our feet to earth, but God calls us to set our minds on the things above.
Heavenly Father, help me set my mind on the things above. May I be increasingly heavenly minded rather than earthly minded.
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
I AM A SEEKER of THINGS ABOVE
“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”
Is your spiritual life dry? If so, perhaps it’s because you haven’t been aware of this verse or known that as a Christian you’re to be a seeker of the things above. In this passage, seek means “to find out by thinking, meditating, reasoning; to strive after or crave.” The verb tense is a command to continuously seek, to keep on seeking as our general habit or lifestyle. Children seek to find eggs at Easter. They eagerly get their baskets and look for hidden eggs. Colossians 3:1 reminds us that we should be just as intentional about opening our Bibles and seeking to better know our Lord, His ways, about heaven, and so much more. When we do, our spirits are whetted, stimulated with desire to know Christ more.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that my role in life is not to seek earthly things, but rather to seek “the things above where Christ is.”
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
I AM GROWING with a GROWTH from GOD
“the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments,
grows with a growth which is from God.”
Just as it is important for the physical body to grow in health, it is important to grow spiritually; in our knowledge of Christ and who we are in Him. Are you? If you’re getting this blog post, you most certainly ARE if you’re thinking on and personalizing the verses. Why is it important to grow? In our day and age, just like in Paul’s, false teaching, legalism, mysticism, asceticism, and everything in between vies for our attention. If we don’t have a clear understanding of our salvation, we can be unwittingly be led astray. I commend you for your dedication to keep growing with a growth that comes from God.
Heavenly Father, thank You that there is no limit to the amount I can learn and grow in You. Help me continue to grow so that I love and serve You more fully each day.
LEARN & GROW. Listen to free audio lessons. Click the picture.
I AM DEBT FREE!
“having forgiven us all our transgressions, 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.”
What would you give to be free of your financial debt? Can you imagine the weight lifted if the one to whom you owed a huge debt said, “Oh, forget it. Don’t worry about paying it.” And then, before your eyes, they took the bill and tore it up. You would walk out of their office with the weight of the world lifted from your shoulders. You would be a new person, with new resolve to do life better. You would be more than appreciative. That is exactly what God did in regard to our sin debt. He nailed it to the cross on Jesus.
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Jesus to take care of my sin debt. Lord Jesus, I praise You for making my payment in full by Your death.
LEARN & GROW. Listen to free audio lessons. Click the picture.
I AM ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST
“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,”
Before salvation, we are dead in our sins and the “uncircumcision of our flesh.” Dead is a metaphor for “spiritually dead, destitute of a life that recognizes and is devoted to God, given up to trespasses and sins, destitute of force or power, inactive, inoperative.” Dead is our spiritual condition prior to salvation. The divine Spirit of God isn’t operative in unsaved people who sin without remorse. Spiritually dead doesn’t mean spiritually annihilated. It means spiritually separated from God. Paul explains that prior to salvation we’re dead in our transgressions. Transgressions carries overtones of “falling beside or near something, a lapse or deviation from truth and uprightness, a sin, misdeed.” Were we to die in this fallen state, we’d be separated from God; fallen eternally in the kingdom of darkness. However, through Christ, God forgives us all our transgressions and makes us alive together with Christ. If you’ve not said, “Hallelujah,” and responded to His offer of salvation, why not now?
Heavenly Father, what a joy to contemplate that I am alive together with Christ for eternity!
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
