"so that in everything He might have the supremacy" Colossians 1:18b
Jesus Christ is supreme in all things. Jesus is supreme in His revelation of God to us. Jesus Christ is God Himself. Colossians 1:15 says,"He is the image of the invisible God." God is invisible; but Christ, the eternal Son of God, also became man. Jesus Christ, as God and man reveals God to us.
Jesus Christ, who is God Himself, is also supreme in all creation. Colossians 1:16-17 says, " For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him, and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Everything was created by Jesus Christ and was made for His glory. The Lord Jesus Christ also continues to sustain all of His creation by His mighty power and control!
Jesus Christ is also supreme in the church. He is the head of the church. He is also the beginning and foundation of the church. By His death and resurrection Colossians 1:18b says He is "the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy." It was Jesus Christ who saved us from eternal death in hell by His atoning sacrifice on the cross. He made us to be at peace with God and no longer separated from God by our sins. Colossians 1:20b says that Jesus Christ did this "through His blood, shed on the cross." Once we were enemies of God. But now, according to Colossians 1:22b, because of Christ's death we are "holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation." We now have a righteous and holy standing before God because of Christ's sacrifice on the cross! When God looks at us He sees Christ's righteousness and not our sins!
Our righteousness standing in Christ, however, must also be increasingly shown in practical holiness in our lives. We need to increasingly grow in our faith and in our love and obedience to the Lord. We must increasingly grow in our desire to reflect Jesus in our lives. We must increasingly grow in our desire to rid our lives of sinful attitudes and actions. Colossians 1:23 reminds us that we must also persevere in our faith and continue in our faith "firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel."
Christ must become supreme in every area of our lives. Our lives must be built on the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing in our lives should come before the Lord. In order for this to happen we must spend time each day in prayer and Bible reading. We also must be submissive to the Lord's working in our lives even in difficult times.
There is no greater joy than having Christ in the center of our lives and living our lives totally devoted to Him. Nothing on this earth can compare to the joy of belonging to the Lord! Colossians 1:27 tells us that to us, His children, He has chosen to reveal His "glorious riches" which is Christ living in us, "the hope of glory." Our salvation in Christ, His presence and protections in our lives, and an eternal future with the Lord are all ours in Christ! In thankfulness let us truly make Him Lord over over area of our lives! Jesus Christ already has supremacy and glory in all things. May our lives reflect His glory!
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Colossians 1:9-14
Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. We are filthy in our sins and can do nothing to bridge the gap between God and ourselves. We can do nothing to even contribute to our salvation. We stand in holiness before God only because of Jesus' atoning blood on the cross. As a redeemed child of God, however, we now need to also grow in practical holiness in our lives. In our Scripture passage today, Paul prayed for the Colossian Christians. Paul prayed for practical holiness in their lives. Paul's prayer in Colossians 1:9-14 is a beautiful example of the type of prayer we should pray for ourselves and for others.
Paul prayed that the Colossian believers would be filled with the knowledge of God's will and purpose. Paul's prayer was that their understanding of God's will and purpose for them according to Colossians 1:9b would come through God's "spiritual wisdom and understanding." Godly knowledge must not just be a possession of facts. Rather, Godly knowledge involves a practical change in our lives. Godly knowledge results in a change in our attitudes. Godly knowledge, understanding, and wisdom in our lives involves our giving up our selfish "me" centered attitudes and being clothed with Christ-like attitudes.
Godly knowledge also involves Christ-like actions in our lives. Paul continued to pray for the Colossian believers in Colossians 1:10-11. Paul prayed that they would "live a life worthy of the Lord" and that would "please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might."
This must be our prayer and passion also! Our lives must be lived not for ourselves, but for the glory of God. This is the purpose for which we were created. Our lives must show spiritual fruit and evidence that we belong to the Lord. The only way this can happen is if we are "growing in the knowledge of God." We can only live for the Lord if we are immersing ourselves in His Holy Word, and we are seeking the Lord and His will with all our hearts. Our lives can only be lived for the Lord through His power residing in us. As believers we have in our possession the Lord's resurrection power in us! This resurrection power gives us the potential and power to live for the Lord! As believers, however, we must make the conscious and willing choice to walk in Christ-like attitudes and actions.
Paul also prayed that the Colossian believers would be strengthened with God's power and might, so that they according to Colossians 1:11b would "have great endurance and patience." God's power in us is sufficient for us to prevail in patience even during those very difficult times in our lives. We have God's power in us to not only endure these difficult times with gritted teeth, but we can even go through these times with a joyful and thankful heart. We can in all things have hearts filled with praise, because we belong to the Lord for time and eternity!
Colossians 1:12b-14 reminds us that as children of God we "share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Jesus Christ has rescued us from the "dominion of darkness" and sin. Christ has delivered us from Satan's kingdom to His kingdom of righteousness. He has done this for a purpose, however, and that purpose is so we can live as trophies of His grace and for His glory. God has given us His resurrection power to live for Him. It must be our choice and responsibility, however, to resist sin and the devil and to pursue His holiness and His will in our lives. May it be our consuming passion to live for the Lord! May it be our consuming passion to grow in practical holiness in our lives!
Paul prayed that the Colossian believers would be filled with the knowledge of God's will and purpose. Paul's prayer was that their understanding of God's will and purpose for them according to Colossians 1:9b would come through God's "spiritual wisdom and understanding." Godly knowledge must not just be a possession of facts. Rather, Godly knowledge involves a practical change in our lives. Godly knowledge results in a change in our attitudes. Godly knowledge, understanding, and wisdom in our lives involves our giving up our selfish "me" centered attitudes and being clothed with Christ-like attitudes.
Godly knowledge also involves Christ-like actions in our lives. Paul continued to pray for the Colossian believers in Colossians 1:10-11. Paul prayed that they would "live a life worthy of the Lord" and that would "please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might."
This must be our prayer and passion also! Our lives must be lived not for ourselves, but for the glory of God. This is the purpose for which we were created. Our lives must show spiritual fruit and evidence that we belong to the Lord. The only way this can happen is if we are "growing in the knowledge of God." We can only live for the Lord if we are immersing ourselves in His Holy Word, and we are seeking the Lord and His will with all our hearts. Our lives can only be lived for the Lord through His power residing in us. As believers we have in our possession the Lord's resurrection power in us! This resurrection power gives us the potential and power to live for the Lord! As believers, however, we must make the conscious and willing choice to walk in Christ-like attitudes and actions.
Paul also prayed that the Colossian believers would be strengthened with God's power and might, so that they according to Colossians 1:11b would "have great endurance and patience." God's power in us is sufficient for us to prevail in patience even during those very difficult times in our lives. We have God's power in us to not only endure these difficult times with gritted teeth, but we can even go through these times with a joyful and thankful heart. We can in all things have hearts filled with praise, because we belong to the Lord for time and eternity!
Colossians 1:12b-14 reminds us that as children of God we "share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Jesus Christ has rescued us from the "dominion of darkness" and sin. Christ has delivered us from Satan's kingdom to His kingdom of righteousness. He has done this for a purpose, however, and that purpose is so we can live as trophies of His grace and for His glory. God has given us His resurrection power to live for Him. It must be our choice and responsibility, however, to resist sin and the devil and to pursue His holiness and His will in our lives. May it be our consuming passion to live for the Lord! May it be our consuming passion to grow in practical holiness in our lives!
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Colossians 1:1-7
"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints-the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven." Colossians 1:3-5
In Paul's letter to the Colossians Paul refers to the Colossian believers in Colossians 1:2 as "holy and faithful." Because of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross they were holy in their standing in Christ. These believers were now wearing the righteous robes of Christ's righteousness. They were not holy and righteous in themselves, because every human being is filthy in their own sins. They, however, were now clothed in Christ's righteousness. When God, the Father, looked down on them; He no longer saw their sins. Instead He saw Christ's righteousness and holiness. This is true of believers today also. We are righteous and holy in Christ's atoning blood alone. A new life in Christ, however, brings about growth in practical righteousness and holiness. A new life in Christ brings about a growth in Christ-likeness in our day to day lives.
In Colossians chapter one Paul lists several characteristics in the lives of the people in the church in Colosse for which he was thankful to God. Paul was thankful to God for these characteristics, because all evidence of spiritual growth and spiritual fruit in a believer's life comes from God. These were characteristics in the believers' lives which showed a growth in practical holiness and a growth in Christ-likeness in their lives. These are characteristics of growth in holiness that should be increasingly evident in our lives as believers today also.
Faith and love are the first two characteristics Paul mentions. Faith is trusting and leaning our entire personalities on the Lord in absolute and complete trust. It is trusting the Lord for everything we need for time and eternity. Faith is trusting in God's wisdom, power, goodness, and faithfulness. Love encompasses love for God and for others, especially our fellow believers. This kind of love extends even to those people who are sometimes not loving to us. It extends to those who are unlovely or difficult. It is easy to love those who are pleasant and loving to us. It is much more difficult to love those who are sometimes insensitive and unloving to us. The Lord loved us, however, in our sinful and unlovable state. We need to show that same love to others.
Hope is another characteristic of a spiritually growing Christian. The word "hope" in the Bible does not refer to something for which one might wish but is uncertain. The word "hope" in the Bible refers to the absolute certainty of the promises of God which have not yet fully been attained. It is an anticipation of the glories of our rewards in heaven. It is also a willingness to cling in faith to the Lord in times of trial. It is a willingness to cling in joyful anticipation to His precious promises of victory in our lives as children of God. It is a willingness to wait for the Lord's perfect timing for all the events of our lives.
Fruitfulness and faithfulness are two other characteristics of a true child of God. Children of God will show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They will show that they are children of God by their lives and words. They will be spiritually fruitful in their attitudes and actions in their lives. They will also be faithful in their service to the Lord to the very end.
We need to examine our lives to see if we are growing in holiness and Christ-likeness in our lives. We need to be growing in faith, hope, fruitfulness, and faithfulness. We need to be growing to become more like Jesus every day!
In Paul's letter to the Colossians Paul refers to the Colossian believers in Colossians 1:2 as "holy and faithful." Because of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross they were holy in their standing in Christ. These believers were now wearing the righteous robes of Christ's righteousness. They were not holy and righteous in themselves, because every human being is filthy in their own sins. They, however, were now clothed in Christ's righteousness. When God, the Father, looked down on them; He no longer saw their sins. Instead He saw Christ's righteousness and holiness. This is true of believers today also. We are righteous and holy in Christ's atoning blood alone. A new life in Christ, however, brings about growth in practical righteousness and holiness. A new life in Christ brings about a growth in Christ-likeness in our day to day lives.
In Colossians chapter one Paul lists several characteristics in the lives of the people in the church in Colosse for which he was thankful to God. Paul was thankful to God for these characteristics, because all evidence of spiritual growth and spiritual fruit in a believer's life comes from God. These were characteristics in the believers' lives which showed a growth in practical holiness and a growth in Christ-likeness in their lives. These are characteristics of growth in holiness that should be increasingly evident in our lives as believers today also.
Faith and love are the first two characteristics Paul mentions. Faith is trusting and leaning our entire personalities on the Lord in absolute and complete trust. It is trusting the Lord for everything we need for time and eternity. Faith is trusting in God's wisdom, power, goodness, and faithfulness. Love encompasses love for God and for others, especially our fellow believers. This kind of love extends even to those people who are sometimes not loving to us. It extends to those who are unlovely or difficult. It is easy to love those who are pleasant and loving to us. It is much more difficult to love those who are sometimes insensitive and unloving to us. The Lord loved us, however, in our sinful and unlovable state. We need to show that same love to others.
Hope is another characteristic of a spiritually growing Christian. The word "hope" in the Bible does not refer to something for which one might wish but is uncertain. The word "hope" in the Bible refers to the absolute certainty of the promises of God which have not yet fully been attained. It is an anticipation of the glories of our rewards in heaven. It is also a willingness to cling in faith to the Lord in times of trial. It is a willingness to cling in joyful anticipation to His precious promises of victory in our lives as children of God. It is a willingness to wait for the Lord's perfect timing for all the events of our lives.
Fruitfulness and faithfulness are two other characteristics of a true child of God. Children of God will show the fruit of the Holy Spirit in their lives. They will show that they are children of God by their lives and words. They will be spiritually fruitful in their attitudes and actions in their lives. They will also be faithful in their service to the Lord to the very end.
We need to examine our lives to see if we are growing in holiness and Christ-likeness in our lives. We need to be growing in faith, hope, fruitfulness, and faithfulness. We need to be growing to become more like Jesus every day!
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Psalm 84
"My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Psalm 84:2b
Psalm 84 is an expression of deep longing for the house and presence of the Lord. The psalmist said , in Psalm 84:2, "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Do you and I long for time alone with the Lord in our daily devotions? Do you and I long for the presence of the Lord in our daily activities?
Even the restless sparrow found rest and a home for themselves at the Old Testament alter of God. So we also can find rest and peace for our souls in the presence of the Lord. He alone can fill the longing and emptiness of our hearts with His joy. The Lord alone provides for our salvation; and He alone meets our every emotional, physical, and spiritual need. The psalmist said to God in prayer in Psalm 84:4, "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You." Yes, blessed and joyful are we who are secure in the presence of the Lord! Blessed and joyful are we who are drinking in the blessings of His grace!
The psalmist went on in His prayer. He said in Psalm 84:5-7, "Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion." Blessed and joyful are we who find our strength in the Lord. When we pass through the valley of weeping, trial, and difficulties in our lives, the Lord gives us His strength. The Lord is our sustainer. Not only does the Lord sustain us during difficult times, but He makes even the difficult times "a place of springs" in our journey through life.
Even the trials of life are transformed into blessings under the Lord's direction, as we submit to Him! Hence, even the valleys of life can be turned into valleys of praise to the Lord! A child of God goes from "strength to strength" and from victory to victory until he or she "appears before God in Zion." Paul tells us in Romans 8:37, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
We must be busy serving the Lord in our small corners of the world. It is not important that we are significant or popular in the eyes of the world. What is important is that we are experiencing fellowship with the Lord and are serving Him. Psalm 84:11 says, "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless." The Lord is our sun directing us on the paths of life. He shatters the darkness all around us. The Lord is also our shield. No one or nothing else can provide us better protection than the Lord. He gives us all we need, and He gives us only what is for our ultimate good. Blessed and joyful are they whose trust is in the Lord!
Psalm 84 is an expression of deep longing for the house and presence of the Lord. The psalmist said , in Psalm 84:2, "My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God." Do you and I long for time alone with the Lord in our daily devotions? Do you and I long for the presence of the Lord in our daily activities?
Even the restless sparrow found rest and a home for themselves at the Old Testament alter of God. So we also can find rest and peace for our souls in the presence of the Lord. He alone can fill the longing and emptiness of our hearts with His joy. The Lord alone provides for our salvation; and He alone meets our every emotional, physical, and spiritual need. The psalmist said to God in prayer in Psalm 84:4, "Blessed are those who dwell in Your house; they are ever praising You." Yes, blessed and joyful are we who are secure in the presence of the Lord! Blessed and joyful are we who are drinking in the blessings of His grace!
The psalmist went on in His prayer. He said in Psalm 84:5-7, "Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion." Blessed and joyful are we who find our strength in the Lord. When we pass through the valley of weeping, trial, and difficulties in our lives, the Lord gives us His strength. The Lord is our sustainer. Not only does the Lord sustain us during difficult times, but He makes even the difficult times "a place of springs" in our journey through life.
Even the trials of life are transformed into blessings under the Lord's direction, as we submit to Him! Hence, even the valleys of life can be turned into valleys of praise to the Lord! A child of God goes from "strength to strength" and from victory to victory until he or she "appears before God in Zion." Paul tells us in Romans 8:37, "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
We must be busy serving the Lord in our small corners of the world. It is not important that we are significant or popular in the eyes of the world. What is important is that we are experiencing fellowship with the Lord and are serving Him. Psalm 84:11 says, "For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless." The Lord is our sun directing us on the paths of life. He shatters the darkness all around us. The Lord is also our shield. No one or nothing else can provide us better protection than the Lord. He gives us all we need, and He gives us only what is for our ultimate good. Blessed and joyful are they whose trust is in the Lord!
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Psalm 71
"For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth." Psalm 71:5
"But for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more." Psalm 71:14
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with a new and major crisis in your life today? Do you feel overwhelmed with just the accumulation of small daily problems and responsibilities you face today? The Lord wants us to come to Him in prayer with all our needs. The Lord is our only true resource for all our needs.
In Psalm 71 David, the psalmist, prayed for help in his old age. His enemies were threatening him, and his strength was declining. David prayed in Psalm 71:3, "Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress." In spite of David's appeal for help from God in this Psalm, David was also expressing his trust and confidence in the Lord. God had been David's refuge and help in the past, and David knew God would be his refuge in the present crisis. In Psalm 71:5-6 David continued to express his confidence and trust in prayer. David said, "For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on You; You brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise You."
The longer we serve the Lord the more clearly we see the Lord's continual faithfulness to us in past problems. Then we also begin to grow in our trust in Him to sustain us in the midst of our present problems and needs! We need to contemplate the Lord's faithfulness in the past; so that we can proceed in faith, trust, and peace in facing today's challenges and problems. Our constant prayer must be that no matter what circumstances the Lord allows in our lives we will continue to say to Him, "I will ever praise You." May our lives be filled with praise for the Lord every moment both in pleasant times and in difficult times. This is possible, if we are truly trusting that the Lord is leading and guiding our lives in faithfulness.
In Psalm 71:9 David went on to pray to the Lord. David prayed, "Do not cast me away when I am old; do nor forsake me when my strength is gone." David was facing a new major crisis in his life. In this new crisis in his life David needed a sense of the Lord's presence even as he was growing older. David then went on to say in prayer in Psalm 71:14, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more." David knew with an absolute certainty that God had been with him in the past. David also knew that the Lord would be with him in the present crisis in his life! Notice that David was also praising God in the middle of his crisis! We must do the same.
We can praise the Lord in all circumstances, however, only if we are trusting in God's complete faithfulness and guidance. David said in Psalm 71:19-20, "Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You have done great things. Who, O God, is like You? Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter. You will restore my life again." Then in Psalm 71:23 David prayed, "My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You-I, whom You have redeemed."
Because of the Lord's past faithfulness to us, we can trust Him for today's challenges and problems. We can also trust Him for the future challenges and problems we will face. We can do this with a joyful heart and with a heart full of praise, because our God is a faithful God!
"But for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more." Psalm 71:14
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with a new and major crisis in your life today? Do you feel overwhelmed with just the accumulation of small daily problems and responsibilities you face today? The Lord wants us to come to Him in prayer with all our needs. The Lord is our only true resource for all our needs.
In Psalm 71 David, the psalmist, prayed for help in his old age. His enemies were threatening him, and his strength was declining. David prayed in Psalm 71:3, "Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress." In spite of David's appeal for help from God in this Psalm, David was also expressing his trust and confidence in the Lord. God had been David's refuge and help in the past, and David knew God would be his refuge in the present crisis. In Psalm 71:5-6 David continued to express his confidence and trust in prayer. David said, "For You have been my hope, O Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on You; You brought me forth from my mother's womb. I will ever praise You."
The longer we serve the Lord the more clearly we see the Lord's continual faithfulness to us in past problems. Then we also begin to grow in our trust in Him to sustain us in the midst of our present problems and needs! We need to contemplate the Lord's faithfulness in the past; so that we can proceed in faith, trust, and peace in facing today's challenges and problems. Our constant prayer must be that no matter what circumstances the Lord allows in our lives we will continue to say to Him, "I will ever praise You." May our lives be filled with praise for the Lord every moment both in pleasant times and in difficult times. This is possible, if we are truly trusting that the Lord is leading and guiding our lives in faithfulness.
In Psalm 71:9 David went on to pray to the Lord. David prayed, "Do not cast me away when I am old; do nor forsake me when my strength is gone." David was facing a new major crisis in his life. In this new crisis in his life David needed a sense of the Lord's presence even as he was growing older. David then went on to say in prayer in Psalm 71:14, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise You more and more." David knew with an absolute certainty that God had been with him in the past. David also knew that the Lord would be with him in the present crisis in his life! Notice that David was also praising God in the middle of his crisis! We must do the same.
We can praise the Lord in all circumstances, however, only if we are trusting in God's complete faithfulness and guidance. David said in Psalm 71:19-20, "Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God, You have done great things. Who, O God, is like You? Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter. You will restore my life again." Then in Psalm 71:23 David prayed, "My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to You-I, whom You have redeemed."
Because of the Lord's past faithfulness to us, we can trust Him for today's challenges and problems. We can also trust Him for the future challenges and problems we will face. We can do this with a joyful heart and with a heart full of praise, because our God is a faithful God!
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Jeremiah 29:11-14
"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord." Jeremiah 29:11-14
The words of Jeremiah 29-11-14 were originally penned to God's Old Testament people who had been taken into exile, but they are still relevant to God's people today. God's plan for us is to prosper us and not to harm us. He always works for our spiritual good, and no ultimate spiritual harm will ever come to a child of God!
Our definition of success and prosperity may not always match the Lord's definition, but His way and will for us is always best. True success and prosperity is found in seeking to please and honor the Lord with the resources, opportunities, and blessings that He has given us. True success is found in trusting the Lord's leading and direction in our lives.
God may allow difficult circumstances in our lives as well as times of relative calm, but we can be certain that His plans for us are always for our best and are not meant to harm us. His plans according to Jeremiah 29:11b are to give us "hope and a future." When everything around us seems to be falling apart, the Lord already has it all figured out! The Lord already has a plan in mind for our lives from all eternity! Every step and event in our lives has been planned by the Lord and is known by the Lord. Why should we fear anything? The Lord allows these difficult times to help get our eyes off ourselves and more focused on Him. His plans in even difficult times are meant to give us "hope and a future."
In order to have the assurance of the Lord's presence in our lives, however, we must always call upon Him in prayer. We must seek a relationship with the Lord with all of our hearts. It must be our passion to serve and please Him. The Lord must be most important in our lives. Our lives in what we consider good times and in times which we consider difficult times must be centered on our growing love relationship with the Lord. We must also find our strength in the Lord alone.
This is the path and secret to joy and success in the Lord. Life will continue to contain uncertainties and times of difficulty. The Lord, however, is our certain future; if we seek Him with all our hearts. People and things will fail. The Lord will never fail. He will bring us from victory to victory! Praise His name!
The words of Jeremiah 29-11-14 were originally penned to God's Old Testament people who had been taken into exile, but they are still relevant to God's people today. God's plan for us is to prosper us and not to harm us. He always works for our spiritual good, and no ultimate spiritual harm will ever come to a child of God!
Our definition of success and prosperity may not always match the Lord's definition, but His way and will for us is always best. True success and prosperity is found in seeking to please and honor the Lord with the resources, opportunities, and blessings that He has given us. True success is found in trusting the Lord's leading and direction in our lives.
God may allow difficult circumstances in our lives as well as times of relative calm, but we can be certain that His plans for us are always for our best and are not meant to harm us. His plans according to Jeremiah 29:11b are to give us "hope and a future." When everything around us seems to be falling apart, the Lord already has it all figured out! The Lord already has a plan in mind for our lives from all eternity! Every step and event in our lives has been planned by the Lord and is known by the Lord. Why should we fear anything? The Lord allows these difficult times to help get our eyes off ourselves and more focused on Him. His plans in even difficult times are meant to give us "hope and a future."
In order to have the assurance of the Lord's presence in our lives, however, we must always call upon Him in prayer. We must seek a relationship with the Lord with all of our hearts. It must be our passion to serve and please Him. The Lord must be most important in our lives. Our lives in what we consider good times and in times which we consider difficult times must be centered on our growing love relationship with the Lord. We must also find our strength in the Lord alone.
This is the path and secret to joy and success in the Lord. Life will continue to contain uncertainties and times of difficulty. The Lord, however, is our certain future; if we seek Him with all our hearts. People and things will fail. The Lord will never fail. He will bring us from victory to victory! Praise His name!
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Jeremiah 18:1-6
"Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand." Jeremiah 18:6
God often teaches us spiritual truths in the Bible through the use of parables or living pictures. In our Scripture passage today God gave the prophet, Jeremiah, a living picture. God did this to help Jeremiah understand an important spiritual truth. God told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 18:2, "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."
In Jeremiah's day one could not go down to the local retail store to buy a bowl, vase, or pot. One had to go to the potter's house. The potter would start with a lump of clay. The potter would then put the lump of clay on a potter's wheel; and with the touch of his hands he would form the clay into a beautiful vase, bowl, or pot of some kind.
Sometimes the potter made something that did not please him, or the vessel "was marred in his hands" (Jeremiah 18:4). This may have happened because some impurities had not been removed, or perhaps a piece of unwanted material in the clay would not yield to the work that was being done on the potter's wheel. If this happened, the potter would smash the pot and remake it over and over until it was a vessel pleasing to him.
The Lord God is the Potter in our lives, and we are the clay in His hands. He is in sovereign control of our lives, and He controls all the events of our lives. When spiritual impurities come into our lives the Lord God recreates and molds our lives to be more in tune with His will. All the events of our lives are used to make us more like Jesus.
God especially uses problems, difficulties, and trials in our lives to mold us into the kind of people who truly reflect the Lord Jesus. The Lord wants to bring us ever closer to the center of His will. Difficulties teach us to not rely on our own self-effort and devices. Difficult times in our lives teach us to rely and trust only on the Lord. Difficulties in our lives also help to remove the impurities of sin from our lives, and they help us to grow in our love relationship with the Lord. All the events of our lives, including difficult times, are meant to shape us into beautiful vessels for the Lord.
Our prayer to God should be that He will make us into beautiful vessels of purpose for Him. When we fail and allow spiritual impurities into our lives we need to pray that the Lord will take us back to His Potter's wheel. We need to pray that the Lord will then reshape us and form us into something more beautiful for Him. From the beautiful fragments of our lives the Lord can make us beautiful vessels for Him!
We must not fight against or question the Lord's molding of our lives. We need to pray that each touch of His hand in our lives will help us to become whom He wants us to become. The Lord knows just the right amount of pressure to put on our lives. We must remain thankful for how He is working and leading in our lives! We must persevere in our willingness to submit to the Lord's will. We must be submissive to the Lord even in trials and difficult times in our lives. The Lord has promised to be with us all the way.
We must also ask the Lord for the filling of the Holy Spirit's power and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We must yearn for the Lord to control our lives completely every hour and every day! There is a song that expresses this well. The words to this song need to be our prayer each day. "Lord, You're the Potter. I am the clay. Mold me and make me in Your own way. Take me and break me, Savior, I pray, into a vessel of honor today."
God often teaches us spiritual truths in the Bible through the use of parables or living pictures. In our Scripture passage today God gave the prophet, Jeremiah, a living picture. God did this to help Jeremiah understand an important spiritual truth. God told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 18:2, "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message."
In Jeremiah's day one could not go down to the local retail store to buy a bowl, vase, or pot. One had to go to the potter's house. The potter would start with a lump of clay. The potter would then put the lump of clay on a potter's wheel; and with the touch of his hands he would form the clay into a beautiful vase, bowl, or pot of some kind.
Sometimes the potter made something that did not please him, or the vessel "was marred in his hands" (Jeremiah 18:4). This may have happened because some impurities had not been removed, or perhaps a piece of unwanted material in the clay would not yield to the work that was being done on the potter's wheel. If this happened, the potter would smash the pot and remake it over and over until it was a vessel pleasing to him.
The Lord God is the Potter in our lives, and we are the clay in His hands. He is in sovereign control of our lives, and He controls all the events of our lives. When spiritual impurities come into our lives the Lord God recreates and molds our lives to be more in tune with His will. All the events of our lives are used to make us more like Jesus.
God especially uses problems, difficulties, and trials in our lives to mold us into the kind of people who truly reflect the Lord Jesus. The Lord wants to bring us ever closer to the center of His will. Difficulties teach us to not rely on our own self-effort and devices. Difficult times in our lives teach us to rely and trust only on the Lord. Difficulties in our lives also help to remove the impurities of sin from our lives, and they help us to grow in our love relationship with the Lord. All the events of our lives, including difficult times, are meant to shape us into beautiful vessels for the Lord.
Our prayer to God should be that He will make us into beautiful vessels of purpose for Him. When we fail and allow spiritual impurities into our lives we need to pray that the Lord will take us back to His Potter's wheel. We need to pray that the Lord will then reshape us and form us into something more beautiful for Him. From the beautiful fragments of our lives the Lord can make us beautiful vessels for Him!
We must not fight against or question the Lord's molding of our lives. We need to pray that each touch of His hand in our lives will help us to become whom He wants us to become. The Lord knows just the right amount of pressure to put on our lives. We must remain thankful for how He is working and leading in our lives! We must persevere in our willingness to submit to the Lord's will. We must be submissive to the Lord even in trials and difficult times in our lives. The Lord has promised to be with us all the way.
We must also ask the Lord for the filling of the Holy Spirit's power and the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We must yearn for the Lord to control our lives completely every hour and every day! There is a song that expresses this well. The words to this song need to be our prayer each day. "Lord, You're the Potter. I am the clay. Mold me and make me in Your own way. Take me and break me, Savior, I pray, into a vessel of honor today."
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