It Was Christ Which Delivered You

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 1:13-14

It is only through the mercy of God and the grace of His son that you have been “delivered from darkness…” This passage cautions me to be thankful unto the mercy and saving power of our God… As I read these verses, this epistle informs me that there is news for the one who thinks more highly of himself than he ought to think; this letter provides a bit of information for the one who places all his care into the hands of physical wealth or power… Paul asks a question to the church of Colossae that should be echoed to us today, “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness…?” As the songwriter said, “If it were not for the Lord who was on my side, tell me, where would I be?” Make no mistake about it, you are here by the grace of God and are alive because He has allowed you to experience His love, affection, and tender mercies… It is of the utmost importance that we remember who has delivered us from darkness. Paul posed this question to the body of believers, and it is very germane to today’s church as well… 

The bible cautions us several times that we “are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think…” You cannot do it on your own. If you look at your life when you have tried to handle things in your own power, I am sure that you can agree with this statement, knowing that nothing worked as you planned… We couldn’t save ourselves, and the filth that we are wasn’t, nor is it worthy of heaven… This is why Paul goes on to ask not only who delivered us but also who “hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son…?” To be translated in this sense is to be converted, transformed, or turned… God has converted us from what we were, He has transformed our way of thinking and what we truly desire, and He has turned us from our path of sin…  God has delivered us from the bondage of sin and has provided us a golden opportunity to come back to Him through the sacrifice of His very own beloved son, Jesus Christ! We didn’t have the pure sacrifice that was needed to pay the debt that we owed, and if we understand that, we can understand and know that Christ has delivered us and wiped our sins away!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Victory Is Found In Christ

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:7

The word of God declares that you have the ability through the offering of Jesus Christ to “come boldly before the throne of grace…” We are promised that “ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you…” This is very good news to know, as we are assured that our prayers do not fall on deaf ears; however, in order to see this promise come to fruition, you must first choose the path of life that you desire to travel… Notice that Jesus says, before you can ask, and it will be done; that you must “…abide in me…” Your prayers haven’t been answered because your life hasn't been submitted or surrendered… How many times have you heard people say that God will do whatever it is that you ask? How many times have you heard people recite John 14:14 or say that if you ask God He indeed will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19)…? These sayings and the reciting of these scriptures are frequently uttered in the church or serve as reminders when we are in the face of adversity or opposition; however, we are called today to remember that asking God to do something or praying for a breakthrough is one thing that can be done, but to experience God’s goodness, we must first submit to Him… The bible says that “when you seek me with your WHOLE heart, then you will find me…” You must have a desire to totally give your life to Christ; you must be abiding in God's plan for your life and making the word of God a part of your everyday being to see these promises come to light… God is calling and desires an intimate relationship with you, a relationship that you put your full trust in and will adhere to as it relates to His divine plans... THEN and only then, you can ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. This command is not negotiable; there is no reading between the lines or loopholes for a quick turnaround; if you abide in Him, He will abide in you!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Edification Requires Thinking Before Speaking

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 

Ephesians 4:29

When I was a little child, I can recall how often my father would instruct me to think before I speak… Even though I never really paid his instructions any mind, today I have come to know and understand exactly what he meant… Words are powerful; the things we speak can sow seeds of abundance or failure in one’s life; this is why James writes in the 3rd chapter of his book about the importance of taming our tongue… In this chapter, he says, “For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell...”

Your tongue can transform lives or tear them down, your tongue has the ability to reap corruption or alter the atmosphere; because of the power that lies in its use, we are reminded today that we must not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouth… When I read this passage, there are two points that jump out to me: either you think before you speak, or you need to just learn to shut up… “What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.” People will always talk about you, they will always say things that you may not agree with or may be hurt by, but the ultimate sign of a true Christian is not your response in words to the accusations, but how you flip this trial so that God receives glory and honor. Isaiah 53:7 says,” He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.” Bottom line, think before you speak, and if that doesn’t work, just shut up…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

Purification Works From The Inside Out

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

1 Peter 1:22

Notice that this passage says that you have purified your souls through obeying the truth by the Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit residing within you, you cannot accomplish anything. We have to be led by the Spirit; we have to have the Holy Spirit abiding within us. Remember, Christ spoke to the disciples before His departure and said that you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes; through the Spirit, we can overcome and be victorious on this earth. It is also through the Spirit that we can love unconditionally; we can help our enemies and be kind to those who show no kindness towards us. This passage emphasizes the fact that I should be able to tell your spiritual makeup by the way you fervently love one another. To be fervent means that you are passionate, eager, zealous about something; I should be able to see all those traits in your lifestyle as a Christian. Remember, greater man have no love than this, then that he lay down his life for his friends!!!!!! That is Jesus showing his fervent love for us! This is the same love we are to show and will show through the aid and presence of the Holy Spirit… The bible declares that everything is possible through Christ… This has a new meaning for us today as we walk in love; we can love our biggest adversary through Christ, we can smile in times of frustration and adversity through Christ, and we can turn the other cheek even in the most daunting of all challenges through Christ… 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

If You Desire God's Will; Study God's Word

Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 

There is no exaltation in the kingdom of God without being diligent in the word and will of God… Today we are reminded that DAILY we must study the word of God; we must continue to grow and mature in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… This passage reminds us simply that talk is cheap. Many claim to be Christian but we are to study to show ourselves approved. We must be immersed in God’s word; this is not to be confused with going to church, or attending Sunday School, but rather that we open the bible to start the day, we meditate on God’s word, and consume what He has given us (Ezekiel, before going before the people was told to “eat the scroll”). When you get to that point where you are about God’s word and studying, then you can be a workman who is not ashamed. This means that you are confident in your faith, knowing that the scriptures are true. You are confident in approaching any situation or even other religious beliefs because you can stand against the enemy… Not being ashamed means that you know the truth and you are not ashamed of what people may say and/or try to do… Let’s not get it twisted, we must understand that weeping may endure for a night; however, we are not ashamed because we believe that God is the creator and sustainer and have the assured certainty that joy will come in the morning (whenever God deems fit)…When you believe that, you can walk boldly on this earth, you can be about God’s work, and know that the devil is a liar! 

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You'll Lift; He'll Draw

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

John 12:32

The promise Jesus makes in the Gospel of John today to His disciples is a promise of simplicity and a promise of power… The simple task we have (which isn’t actually that simple, given our sinful nature and natural desires) is to lift up Jesus, and it is through this very act that the power comes through His exaltation, which “will draw all men unto him…” This very passage recorded in the 12^th chapter is the key to our life on this earth and serves as a great tool of witnessing for those who do not know Christ or have gone astray... As Christians, we have the faith that Christ is the center of our being. This says that if we lift him up, He will draw. In all things, focus on Him; continue to lift His name above your pain and suffering, lift Him in your worry and tribulation, exalt Him during your storms, knowing that if you focus on Him, He will bring you out. He will deliver you from the muck and mire, and you will be just like a tree planted by the waters; you shall not be moved!!! 

When something is lifted, it is exalted, raised, or elevated above. This speaks to the true heart of a Christian! It is very easy to praise God when you or your family and friends are blessed, but is His name lifted in and through your life when storms rise? Is He receiving your praise when tribulations come knocking on your door? Christ is posing a thought to us today, “if I be lifted up…” He is seeking for you to lift Him above every situation; He wants you to speak His name over every obstacle and blessing you incur or encounter… Don’t lose sight of God’s goodness and the power that lies in the name of Jesus! When Jesus is lifted, He will draw… By lifting His name, not only will He save the lost, but He will make the vision plain for your life, He will sketch the plans of His will for you, and make the course that you are to travel clearer every day! So lift up the name of Jesus so that things can begin to change, lives can be altered, and your path can be defined!!!

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!

You're Here Because of God's Patience

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Romans 2:4

I was once told you can tell a leader not by their title but by how many people are following them… In today’s focus verse, Paul is writing to the religious leaders of the Church of Rome… This church had not been visited by Paul; however, the religious structure and advancement of the church were brought to His attention, which compelled this letter… Paul is instructing the leaders to look within themselves before they pass judgment on another person! Oftentimes, we find ourselves downplaying the sins that we have committed by trying to magnify the sins of our colleagues… We take a stance of being “holier than thou” and not having any fault within us. Paul is saying that we must remember that God has tolerated all of our sins, we must remember that He will stand as the judge, and that He desires for all to be saved… We have all been guilty at times of “despising the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering…”  This simply means that we belittle the things that God has done despite the many flaws we have… We don’t give life to the grace and mercy that He has dispensed upon our lives; however, we want to be critical about the paths that others travel… Whether we want to admit the truth today or decide to live a life of deceit, God knows that it is only by His desires for all to be saved and to repent that we are not consumed by the temptations and lust set before us by the enemy… We make mistakes, but we must know that God has given us a way to be victorious through His son, Jesus Christ. By His Grace, By His Mercy, By His Longsuffering are we here and have been presented the opportunity of a lifetime… Take advantage of this chance, but more importantly, don’t condemn others… Allow them a chance to experience God’s love just like you…

ALL FOR HIS GLORY!