If God is In Control
CHOSEN of GOD, HOLY & BELOVED
“So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of …“
“Chosen of God, holy and beloved” should be laminated and worn daily as a reminder of who we Christians are. Would it make a difference if it were dangling as a necklace from our necks as we discipline our children? Would it cause us to think twice before we honked our horn at someone who edged into our parking place? How would the reminder affect us when we’re grappling with feelings of low self-worth? What effect woud the reminder have on Satan as he prowls, seeking someone to devour? Might he turn and look for someone weak in their faith, rather than us? How might “chosen, holy, and beloved” affect the tone of our voice when meeting with a coach, teacher, or business associate with whom we’re upset? How would it affect our converstation with someone with whom we’re chatting? How would it affect our attitude toward our spouse, sibling, or parent? God chose (elected) us to be holy and blameless. He loves us. Since we weren’t holy and blameless, He made us holy and blameless in Christ. Now, God wants us to act like who we are and whose we are.
Heavenly Father, forgive me. Too often I forget who I am and whose I am. Replace my rebellious spirit with Your Spirit so they I act and speak in ways that honor and glorify Your name.
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
CHRIST IN ME
“Christ is all, and in all“
Recently I spoke at Oak Hills Church “Mentoring Moms” in San Antonio. The topic given to me was “A Fruitful Harvest.” I had such joy sharing with the moms. One point the Lord “drove home” for me to share was that the most important seeds moms can plant in their children is the Word of God. Why? Because the most important “harvest” is their children knowing Christ as Savior. We plant the seeds of truth and we pray. The miraculous outcome of faith is the gift of Christ living in the human soul. It is never too late to pray – for both ourselves and others. Do we hear, really hear what Colossians 3:11 says; which Paul so eloquently stated also in Colossians 1:27? We can quit striving to “do good” in our flesh. Instead, focus today on WHO is living in you. Offer your body and mind to Christ to live through. The result? We will be peaceful. Christ will be powerful – more than enough to meet the demands of the day.
Heavenly Father, To say “thank You” for CHRIST IN ME sounds so simplistic. Rather, I should be shouting THANK YOU from the rooftop. More importantly, my life should be an outlandish demonstration of Christ’s Spirit, power, and glory in and through me. I pray for that today. And, I pray it for my friends.
RENEWED to a TRUE KNOWLEDGE
“the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him“
Our new self is being renewed. Renew means “to cause to grow up, to be given new strength and vigor.” Isn’t this wonderful news? How does this process of renewal and gaining new strength and vigor occur? The apostle Peter answers that question. “…like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2) Paul then explains that after drinking in the elementary principles of our faith, we’re to chew on the solid food (doctrines/teachings) of God’s Word. (1 Corinthians 3:1-2) When we do, we’ll be spiritually invigorated and renewed. We’ll grow. Isn’t it about time we open our Bibles and drink and chew on God’s Word?
Heavenly Father, You are a great and awesome God who has not only planned for my birth in Your kingdom, but also my growth. Thank You for the Holy Scriptures by which I am renewed, strengthened, and invigorated to carry on this day and to walk into tomorrow.
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
NEW SELF
“have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—“
According to Colossians 3:10, our Creator has REcreated us in Christ Jesus. We have put on a NEW SELF in Christ. We put on a “new, recently born” self. Our new self isn’t our old self patched up or remodeled. This is important to understand. At salvation you were born anew (John 3:3-6) That’s why Jesus explained to Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” You must be born of God’s Spirit or you’re not going to heaven. Old-natured people who don’t have God’s Spirit are not in heaven. New Holy Spirit-natured people are in heaven. Have you been born anew by God’s Spirit? If so, you are NEW SELF.
Heavenly Father, thank You that I am a NEW person because of Christ’s Holy Spirit in me!
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
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?
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 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 CIRCUMCISED IN MY HEART
“and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;”
“Circumcised? What are you talking about? I’m not a man nor a Jew,” we may say. Of all the ways that Christians are identified in Christ, this may sound the strangest. What does it mean that believers are circumcised? Romans 2:28 explains, “but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.” In other words, when God convicts us that we’re sinners and we repent and confess Jesus as Lord; believing in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, we’re saved. (Romans 10:9) The identifying “mark” of being saved is not wearing a cross or being physically circumcised. Rather, it is that we behave differently because the Spirit has circumcised our hearts and done away with the reigning power and penalty of sin. Have you been circumcised in your heart? If not, repent. Confess to God that you can’t change your heart, but You know He can. Confess Jesus as Lord. Let the Spirit do the inward surgery that only He can do to give you a new heart that beats for Christ.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross so that the power and penalty of sin would no longer be the reigning power in my heart. Help me live by the heartbeat of my new heart.
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I AM STABLE IN CHRIST
“For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ.”
Talk to anyone who has experienced an earthquake and they will tell you how frightening it is. No one likes to feel shaken. One of God’s gifts to us is a firm foundation in Christ. Jesus spoke of the importance of building our lives on Him in Luke 6:47-49. “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, …is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been built well.” What a blessing Christians have in the gift of a firm foundation in Christ and God’s Word.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for Christ, the firm foundation on Whom I can build my life and not be shaken.
From If God in In Control, Why Am I a Basket Case?
