13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Point to ponder: In this week's scripture we are encouraged with a blessing that Paul wrote about 2000 years ago, and it is such a good reminder in this time of turmoil and world-craziness that God fills us with His Hope.
"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
I am taking a break from ministry etc. to travel and visit family for this coming few weeks, this will therefore be my last devotions for 2023. I would therefore like to bless you with being filled with the hope of God, with joy and peace in believing - and that you will abound in the hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. In spite of the world crumbling around us - we need to remind each other in this time that we are heavenly citizens and that our hope remains in HIM alone.
May you all have a safe and sound festive season and may you experience the blessing of the presence of God in abundance.
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
Point to ponder: Often we focus on the image of Jesus being the good shepherd. Today I want to focus on Him being the door. In the days of old the shepherd slept with the sheep in the field. When they made a shelter for the sheep, the shepherd slept in the door to the shelter - watching over the sheep and protecting them from anything that tried to come in to harm them. When Jesus uses the image of the door, He is speaking from that point of view. He speaks about being the One who guards the door to our life, but also guards the door to eternal life. The sheep could not enter into the fold unless they passed through the door - but so could the enemy also not enter the fold either, because The Shepherd would protect the sheep from harm coming to steal, kill, and destroy. In verse 16 we also read the amazing hope that Jesus is the Shepherd of all people - not just of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles. He has sheep which are not of 'this fold' that He wants to bring in. Have you entered through the door which is Jesus and are you part of His fold? What an amazing image to keep in mind - the Shepherd guarding the door - and what is there under the sun, that will come past this Shepherd?
Have a look at what such a sheepfold may have looked like in the Bible's time:
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ...
Point to ponder: In a time where people from all walks of life and all over the world are grabbing natural weapons to either attack or to defend - it is good to be reminded that, as Christians, our weapons are not carnal, but spiritual. Our weapons are mighty in God for pulling down strongholds and casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. Let us therefore take on this war - the one in the spirit, and start using our spiritual weapons to cast down every high thing that exalts itself against God. Whether it is a thought that needs to be brought into obedience to Christ, or whether it is an argument or a stronghold of some nature. Let us take it on with the spiritual weapons God gave us - not the natural ones that we make for ourselves.
Point to ponder: This is such an encouraging Psalm of David. He declares that God has brought him out of a deep pit of miry clay. How many times did God fish you and me out of an array of horrible pits of miry clay? Maybe take some time to recall a few of these moments and celebrate with David those victories. Celebrate those times that God listened and heard your cry. Celebrate the times that He set your feet on a rock, established your steps and put a new song in your mouth - and then praise God anew for each one of those moments, and trust Him again because of the track record of faithfulness in your life. Sing a new song to Him!
The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them,
And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose;
2 It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice,
Even with joy and singing.
The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
The excellence of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the glory of the Lord,
The excellency of our God.
3 Strengthen the weak hands,
And make firm the feeble knees.
4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted,
“Be strong, do not fear!
Behold, your God will come with vengeance,
With the recompense of God;
He will come and save you.”
5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
6 Then the lame shall leap like a deer,
And the tongue of the dumb sing.
For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness,
And streams in the desert.
7 The parched ground shall become a pool,
And the thirsty land springs of water;
In the habitation of jackals, where each lay,
There shall be grass with reeds and rushes.
8 A highway shall be there, and a road,
And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness.
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But it shall be for others.
Whoever walks the road, although a fool,
Shall not go astray.
9 No lion shall be there,
Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it;
It shall not be found there.
But the redeemed shall walk there,
10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
And come to Zion with singing,
With everlasting joy on their heads.
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Point to ponder: Sometimes, when I look at the world today and see all the wars and rumours of more wars and tragedies upon tragedies, then I have to admit my knees are feeble and my hands weak. In times like these, this prophecy in Isaiah 35 is so encouraging. God promises that one day there will be Holiness and righteousness and peace, and that the sorrow and sighing shall flee away. He encourages us to strengthen the weak hands and feeble knees, and to say to the fearful hearts - fear not! Be strong, for God will recompense His people and save them.
He promises that one day there will be a highway of Holiness. So let us remind ourselves that, as we have a heavenly home, we are just walking through this world temporarily. So let us 'walk with Him' while we have to walk in this world still, and let us invite Him to walk with us, so that our feeble knees and weak hands will be strengthened, and fearful hearts can be encouraged.
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Point to ponder: At a time in history where the world seems to be spiraling into an ever-increasing vortex of conflict, war, immorality and hopelessness for many, it is good to be reminded of this verse. God, through Paul (who was no stranger to adversity and persecution) encourages them (and consequently us) that no matter what goes on in the world, we still remain conquerors through Him Who loved us. Paul's persuasion that nothing - not death, life, angels, demons, things we know now and things which are still to come, no height, no depth nor any created thing - nothing, but nothing is able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Let us put our faith in Him alone and trust Him Who loves us no matter what. Let us stand firm in the knowledge that NOTHING can separate us from Him Who loves us.
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. 13 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
Point to ponder: I don't think there was ever a better time to read and ponder this scripture. We are in a time in history where darkness is getting darker than ever before. We dare not fall asleep in the spirit, we need to ask Holy Spirit to wake us up in every possible way. We need to put on the Light of God in our spirit. The night is indeed far spent, we need to make sure that we change our ways and walk properly in the day, casting off every sin however 'small' we might perceive it to be. Just a little bit of darkness is enough to escalate into unimaginable darkness. Putting on the armour of light means that we can make NO provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts.
Help us Abba to walk in the light, to stay in the light and to put on the armour of light as You designed it to be before the foundation of the earth.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Point to ponder: After contemplating last week's scripture about men loving darkness rather than Light - I was reminded about this scripture in John. Not only do men love darkness, but darkness does not comprehend light. Think about that statement - comprehend on the one hand means to mentally understand or grasp, but it also means to include, comprise or to encompass. In the original Greek of the New Testament, comprehend includes to 'take possession of" or 'make one's own', "To take into oneself". Darkness, therefore, does not understand light, but it also does not include, comprise or encompass light. Darkness does not take possession of light, nor does it make light its own. Darkness does not take light into itself! What a picture of evil is that not! Evil does not take light into itself because it would mean that darkness has to encompass Him Who is The Light... it will mean to take possession of Him who is The Light, to make his own Him who is The Light.
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men". Darkness is an absence of light. It is an absence of Him who IS Light - and if He is absent so would life be absent, for "In Him was life and the life was the light of men" As simple as that. The absence of light in our spirits means the absence of life.
How dark would our spirits not be if there were no light from God shining? Why does man love darkness rather than light? Let us ask Holy Spirit - He Who is the fire that was poured out on Pentecost, to come put on the lights in our spirits.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
John 3:16-17
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
Point to ponder:
The last week's happenings in world history are probably on all of our minds. I have no real words for the unspeakable suffering of people under the ruthless rule of pure evil leadership. But then God reminded me of the above verses. God is so much bigger than us, somehow He manages to get all the principles together and weave them into a tapestry of perfection. He spells it out that He is righteous and will not let evil run rampart unpunished, and at the same time God makes no secret of the fact that He is a God of love who does not condemn anyone who believes in Him. He is longsuffering and does not want anyone to perish, but wants to bring us to repentance precisely so that we will not perish forever. He did not come to condemn us, but if we do not believe we are condemned already, simply because we do not make use of our only way to safety, the only way by which we can get out of the trap the enemy sets for us. He spells out so beautifully exactly what condemnation is - it is the rejection of God's light. Even though light has come into the world - they loved darkness rather than light and therefore their deeds are evil. Everyone - yes EVERYONE - no matter your political affiliation, or which team you support, if you practice evil, you hate the light and do not come to the light, simply because light will expose all your sinful evil deeds.
However, if we love the truth, we will gladly come to the light so that our deeds will be clearly seen that they are of the light - done in God. And this is the issue of the heart - what is in our hearts? Is God's light there? Then there is no place for evil deeds, the only time there is place in our hearts for evil deeds is when we love darkness more than God's light. Evil is the absence of light - the absence of He who is The Light.
For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
Point to ponder
Today it is good to know that this earth with all its brokenness, failures and heartache, is temporary. We but live in a tent - a temporary dwelling - our eternal house, our permanent dwelling is in heaven. While we are longing for our eternal home, desiring to be clothed with the splendor of God's glory, once again let us be encouraged by knowing that ultimately mortality is swallowed up by life. God prepares us for that life, by giving us His Spirit as a guarantee - to be with us. He is Emmanuel, God with us in this temporary tent abode! Heaven came to our earthly house so that mortality is swallowed up in life and we can be united with Him forever.
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
Paul addresses and greets the congregation in Thessaloniki with a blessing to receive the grace and peace of the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, and then He continues by writing somewhat of a testimonial of this congregation. He remembers their work of faith, love and their patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ - and this is what he thanks God for producing in this congregation's life.
Point to ponder: How about we take an inventory of the good things we see in someone's life, start thanking God for producing it in that person's life and then give them some positive feedback by bringing it to their attention? We all need some positive feedback from time to time. What if we do this for 1 person this week? Maybe the person who least expects us to do so?
So let's ask the Lord to open our eyes to see who He is and what He is doing in those around us.
5 Behave yourselves wisely [living prudently and with discretion] in your relations with those of the outside world (the non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the opportunity. 6 Let your speech at all times be gracious (pleasant and winsome), seasoned [as it were] with salt, [so that you may never be at a loss] to know how you ought to answer anyone [who puts a question to you].
James 1:5 AMPC
5 If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him.
In Colossians 5:5-6 Paul encourages us to behave wisely - especially in our relationships with unbelievers, so that we can make good use of every opportunity to be a testimony of God's grace and wisdom to a world that does not know Him. He specifically mentions our words and the answers we give when someone asks us about our faith. However, when I read these few verses, I thought but I do not always know what the right answer is to give. Sometimes we are faced with situations that are beyond our understanding and we simply do not have the best wise answers. And then Holy Spirit reminded me that the Word of God says - if we do not know, are deficient in wisdom - then simply ASK. When we ask for God's Wisdom for a situation, the Word says He is a giving God Who will liberally give us Wisdom.
1 Corinthians 12:8
8 To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom...
In 1 Cor 12:8 Wisdom is introduced to us as a gift of the Holy Spirit, thus we never need to feel out of our depth facing life, questions and unfamiliar situations without Wisdom, we simply need to ask for the Holy Spirit to come and give us His Wisdom for every situation.
Point to ponder: Ask the Holy Spirit - who is the Spirit of Wisdom (Is 11:2) to come and give us His wisdom for every situation that we find challenging.
2 Be earnest and unwearied and steadfast in your prayer [life], being [both] alert and intent in [your praying] with thanksgiving. 3 And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ (the Messiah) on account of which I am in prison;
Paul admonishes us to pray and keep on praying. To develop the discipline of a continuous prayer life.
Point to ponder: So this week's point to ponder is simply - what does your and my prayer life look like? Are we intentional with our prayers? Take this week to focus on this question and maybe to make some changes to become more intentional with our prayer life?
Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.
This is such a sobering verse. In modern-day everyday life, Paul's admonishment would probably be something along these lines: Most of us work for an employer, we are bound by an employment contract. Some of us are employers, who have employees working for us. We should serve well if we are employed, and employers should treat their employees justly and fairly. However, in God's Kingdom there is a great equalizing principle. Whether employers or employees on earth, reality is that in heaven we all have a Master that we are going to serve for an eternity. Our Master in heaven is a just and fair King who is perfect in character and cannot treat anyone serving Him in an unjust or unfair manner - so the crux of this verse is that ultimately, we are all servants.
Point to ponder: The kind of servant we are willing to be in the natural probably gives an indication of what kind of servant we are to God in the spirit. Are we serving well, or do we need to make some changes as to how we serve Jesus, and those at work, in church or in our families, or our friends? What kind of servant are we choosing to be in His Kingdom?
10 “All of you are standing today before the Lord your God—your leaders, tribes, elders, officials, all the men of Israel, 11 your children, your wives, and the foreigners in your camps who cut your wood and draw your water— 12 so that you may enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, which He is making with you today, so that you may enter into His oath 13 and so that He may establish you today as His people and He may be your God as He promised you and as He swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 14 I am making this covenant and this oath not only with you, 15 but also with those who are standing here with us today in the presence of the Lord our God and with those who are not here today. 16 “Indeed, you know how we lived in the land of Egypt and passed through the nations where you traveled. 17 You saw their detestable images and idols made of wood, stone, silver, and gold, which were among them. 18 Be sure there is no man, woman, clan, or tribe among you today whose heart turns away from the Lord our God to go and worship the gods of those nations. Be sure there is no root among you bearing poisonous and bitter fruit. HCSB
Colossians 3:16-17
16 Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. HCSB
In the book of Deuteronomy, when the people were at the brink of moving into the promised land, God reminded them of the covenant He had made with them. At the same time, He also warned or admonished the people to make sure that their hearts do not turn away from their God and go and worship other gods. and then he added the last sentence in verse 18 by saying "Be sure there is no root among you bearing POISONOUS and BITTER fruit" .
Point to ponder: When there is bitterness growing in our hearts, we need to be keenly aware of the fact that that poison will kill us long before it kills the person to whom we are directing our bitterness, and it seems to me that this poisonous root of bitterness is a core open door that God is warning the people against - because it opens the door to the worship of idols and false gods. So how do we come into the opposite spirit? In Colossians 3:16-18 I think God gives us an idea. If we come with wisdom, singing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs WITH GRATITUDE in our hearts to God, giving thanks to Him for all things, there will be no place, no chance for a poisonous root of bitterness to grow and bear fruit in our hearts. Gratitude uproots any root of bitterness and protects our hearts against worshipping idols. Gratitude permeates our beings with songs of praise for our creator-God Who sent His Son Jesus to take all our poisonous bitterness upon Him and give us His joy. Let us rejoice in Him this week, replacing our bitterness with thankfulness and gratitude.
12 Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, 13 accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. 14 Above all, put on love—the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful.
Point to ponder: Let us just take some time this week to intentionally put Paul's advice in these verses to practice. Ask yourself how, where, to whom can I intentionally show compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience? Who do I need to forgive and accept as a brother in Christ? How can I 'put on the love of Christ and where and in which situations should I let the peace of Messiah control my heart? How about thankfulness? What can I be thankful for - let's be intentional about these things and make it a lifestyle, not an isolated event.
So, if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above, where the Messiah is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on what is above, not on what is on the earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with the Messiah in God. 4 When the Messiah, who is your life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 5 Therefore, put to death what belongs to your worldly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, God’s wrath comes on the disobedient, 7 and you once walked in these things when you were living in them. 8 But now you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self. You are being renewed in knowledge according to the image of your Creator.
Recently on an outreach weekend, a young lady asked me if it is sin to go to movies or e.g., read books that are of a worldly nature. I do realize it's really difficult - we are in the world, but we are not of the world - thus, of course there will be times when we are in a place where not all we see and hear is squeaky clean in the spirit. Someone once told the following story, I don't remember anymore who the person was or whether the story was real or fictional, but the lesson was good enough to have stuck with me for life. The person explained that his children one day asked to go to a movie and said to him, there is only a little bit of filthy language in the movie. He then decided to teach them a lesson, so he baked a cake for them and decorated it beautifully, only he took some of their dog's 'bollies' and mixed it into the cake batter. Once the cake was finished, he called the children and explained to them what he had done, made tea and offered them some of the wonderfully decorated cake. Of course none of them would have any of it, no matter how he tried to explain that it really was only a little bit of 'bollie' in the cake, really not a lot, and it would not make any difference to them eating it. All the bacteria were dead from the temperature the cake was baked at, so they really had nothing to worry about. When they all refused to eat any of the cake, he asked them: "So if you do not want to eat the cake in the natural - why are you prepared to eat that cake in the spirit" (by going to look at a movie with questionable values). He obviously made his point.
We were raised with the Messiah, and we are being renewed into His Image
Point to ponder: I think this is exactly what Paul is saying in this scripture. If we are dead to sin, why do we still compromise with some of the sinful behaviour in our own lives? What is there of my old life that is still left in this new life I have in Christ, that really just does not belong in my new life in Him? Let us spend some time this week and get rid of all that is old to embrace the new in Christ in full.
12 Having been buried with Him in baptism, you were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive with Him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; He triumphed over them by Him.
I remember many years ago, as I was grappling with the question of getting baptised or not, that God gave me this scripture one morning. Suddenly upon reading this, it was just so simple that I was wondering why I actually found it, for some time, to be a 'difficult' question? Baptism is a simple prophetic act in the spirit of identifying with Christ's death, in our place, and being raised up with Him to a new life, to being a new creature in Him.
And then verse 15: ...He disarmed the rulers and authorities, disgraced them publicly and triumphed over them. Through Christ's finished work on the cross and His resurrection, He obliterated the hold and the legal right the enemy had on us through our own sin.
Point to ponder: What a privilege to have a God Who came down to us when we were completely lost in our sin. A God Who made a humongous, out of this world, effort to make it possible for us to return to Him and walk in relationship with Him without fear or shame. The only thing He asks of us is our willingness to believe - because even then He comes and puts the faith we need for that in our hearts through His Holy Spirit.
9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,
10 and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
What a thought, that the ENTIRE fullness of God's nature dwells bodily in Christ - and that we have now been filled by Him. In other words, the entire fullness of God's nature then also, through the Holy Spirit, now indwells us. Remarkable. Far too big a thought for me that the God who created the universe, who rules and reigns over every ruler and authority, has thought it good to indwell us with all of Who He is.
A friend and I had a profound discussion last night after we returned from a weekend camp. We were talking about God's faithfulness and our own unfaithfulness to God. She said something to this effect: "When we are unfaithful it reflects on our character, but when we do not believe God - it speaks to His essence - then we reflect our own unfaithfulness onto Him, portraying Him as unfaithful. He, however, cannot deny Himself and He is never unfaithful"
So the point to ponder for this week is: Do you and I believe God when He says the entire fullness of God's nature dwells in Christ with Whom we have been filled through His Holy Spirit?
4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude. 8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ.
It is hard to think that Paul wrote this approximately 2000 years ago. He could have just written it this morning - it would have been equally relevant. In our day and time, it is of the utmost importance to be rooted and built up in our faith in Jesus Christ and on no other persuasive arguments or deceitful human traditions. We are so easily taken captive by all kinds of philosophies based on the world's thinking and certainly not based on what we received from Christ. How do we 'walk in Christ' in a time like this? I believe that we need to get to know Who God is intimately and experientially, and we need to stay with the truth of Who He is - we need to stay with the truth that we have been taught, overflowing with gratitude for that truth that we have received but also overflowing with gratitude for what He has done for us, for Who He is and for who He has come to be for us, in us and through us.
Point to ponder: Who do you say Jesus is? Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and to shine His light on any false philosophies based on human traditions.
1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. 3 All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. HCSB
In verse 2 and 3 Paul shares with us his passion that even those that are as yet unknown to him, will get to know the riches, treasures, understanding and the knowledge that is hidden in Christ. Secondly, he also has a desire that the people will be encouraged and joined together in love. If I read and understand that sentence correctly, I think that Paul is saying that we will struggle to have the fullness of the knowledge of God's mystery in Christ that is hidden in Him - unless we are encouraged and joined together in love to other believers. Paul is making the point that those in the body of Christ are meant to be encouraged by each other and JOINED together in love so that we can discover the full treasure God has in store for us.
I know that I have the privilege to have people in my life to whom I am joined together in love that encourage my heart greatly. People that keep me on the straight and narrow. People that walk with me in accountability but also in the excitement of discovering God's truth in His Word and so ultimately and above all we get to KNOW HIM together. Deeper together.
Point to ponder: Are you and I willing to risk that our hearts be joined together in love to othrs in the body of Christ? Are we willing to push through the difficult times in relationships, to forgive when we get hurt, to let go, to have space for another who loves Christ but thinks about life differently? Are we willing to allow others to speak into our lives when we are straying from God's truth? Are we willing to lay down pride and acknowledge that we have strayed and come back to His truth and walk joined together in love with each other? It takes guts, it takes forgiveness, it takes maturity, above all it takes the love of Christ in us for each other. Where is your heart encouraged and joined in love? Treasure it and be intentional in walking with others in love.
24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.
Point to ponder:
So what is the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations? Well, it is no longer a mystery since it is now revealed. And what a revelation! God willed to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery AMONG the GENTILES. Imagine that! God reveals this precious treasure not only to Jews, but among the Gentiles! And what is this mystery? Christ in YOU the hope of glory!
And this is what Paul says they are preaching in all wisdom for one reason only, and that is to present every man perfect IN Christ Jesus. What an amazing thought! And to think we are the heirs of the wisdom that brings the understanding of this mystery, that was once hidden but is now revealed! What a privilege! Speechless humbling privilege. What a treasure to receive and hold on to! May we all grow in a continuous revelation of what exactly this means in our every day journey on this earth.
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Point to ponder:
While we were once separated, alienated from Him and therefore His enemy, He has now changed all that by reconciling us with Him and making peace with us and He presents us holy and blameless in His sight. How awesome is this thought? What does this mean to you? What was it like for you to be alienated from God and how did that change for you? Are you convinced that you are reconciled to Him and that you are blameless before Him? Are you at peace with God?
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Point to ponder:
I really just feel at a loss of any words to discuss this piece of scripture - just read it slowly and carefully and let it sink in.... and celebrate who He Is.
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Do you sometimes feel that you want to pray for someone in a difficult situation, but do not really know what to pray? I think that Colossians 1:9-14 is an ideal scripture to pray for any person in any situation. Let's break it down in smaller parts:
That you may be filled with knowledge of the will of God in all wisdom and understanding
That you may walk worthy of the Lord
Fully pleasing Him
Being fruitful in every good work
Increasing in the knowledge of God
Strengthened with all might according to His glorious power
Having patience and longsuffering with joy
Giving thanks to the Father who qualified us to be His heirs
Delivered by Jesus from the power of darkness and moved into th kingdom of the Son of His love
In whom we have redemption through His blood and forgiveness of sins.
So imagine if we pray this for each other every time the Holy Spirit reminds us to? Imagine if we pray this for our church leadership, imagine if we pray this for our government, every day? You think maybe there will be a mountain or three that will be moved?
Point to ponder challenge:
Think of the person you know that you would want to pray for the least, and for the next three weeks, every time there is load shedding where you are at work or at home, pray this prayer for that person and speak the Name of Jesus over that person. I am sure some mountains are going to move.
4 For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you [have and show] for all the saints (God’s consecrated ones),
😄 Yes I am aware that I am writing this week's Monday devotions about the same scripture than a few weeks ago. However, it is from a different translation. This time it is from the Amplified Translation, thus the words in brackets are an explanation of what the words mean in the original language. So re-reading verse 4 this week, but this time in the Amplified version, made me realize that the verse says so much more than what I commented on in the previous post. Faith in Jesus is explained in the Amplified as the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His POWER, WISDOM AND GOODNESS
Imagine that our faith in Jesus is defined here as leaning our ENTIRE human personality on Him in ABSOLUTE trust and confidence in HIS POWER, HIS WISDOM, HIS GOODNESS. Need I say more?
Point to ponder
How much of my ENTIRE personality relies in ABSOLUTE trust and confidence in HIS power, wisdom and goodness? I think I am going to need a month pondering this one, how about you?
For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (placed in, introduced into) the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
Acts 2:2-4
2 And when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all assembled together in one place, When suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a violent tempest blast, and it filled the whole house in which they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were separated and distributed and which settled on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled (diffused throughout their souls) with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other (different, foreign) languages (tongues), as the Spirit kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].
As we celebrated Pentecost in the last week, it is just so good to be reminded of the fact that Jesus said to His disciples that they would be baptized by fire, that the Holy Spirit would come to empower them to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and that this all happened just as He said it would. The Holy Spirit was given when the whole assembly was gathered together in unity and in prayer. This same group of people that could not testify that they knew Him before (e.g. Peter) now became such powerful witnesses that 2000 years later you and I believe because of their testimony! What an amazing miracle wonder working God we serve!
Point to ponder: Come Holy Spirit, fill us again and again - make us Your witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth, so that 2000 years from now there will be those who will believe because of the testimony of Your Spirit through us!
3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
What a remarkable testimony Paul gives in the beginning paragraphs of this letter about the congregation in Colossae. He says since he heard of this congregation's faith in Christ Jesus and their love for all the saints, he started giving thanks to God for them! Jesus' command to his disciples was to love God and love our neighbour as our selves. This congregation seems to have taken that to heart in a remarkable way and has really lived out both these principles, causing others like Epaphras to carry the testimony of their faith to others.
Point to ponder:
- It made me wonder... if others had to testify about our faith, what would they have to say? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to flow through us, carrying the hope and faith and producing His fruit in us and through us?
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
John 14:3-6
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
On Thursday we will be celebrating Ascension Day. Perhaps it is good to just for a moment this week ponder the meaning of this day once again:
Jesus overcame - had complete victory over death, therefore after his resurrection He simply ascended into heaven - he did not have to die again (like Lazarus for example).
He went to sit at the right hand of His Father - where He intercedes for us while we are on our journey back home.
He said He would be back. He said that He will come again to fetch His bride - promising that He is preparing a place for His Bride. This was an analogy that the early church understood well. In their culture of how weddings were conducted, after the 'engagement' the Bridegroom went away to His Father's house to build a house for His Bride. After doing so and when the Father deemed it the right time, He would inform the Bridegroom that everything is ready and that it is time to fetch His Bride. During this time the Bride would prepare herself so that she will be ready when He comes to fetch her.
Point to ponder
We are the Bride of Christ.
We are living in the time where the Bride has to prepare herself for the return of the Bridegroom.
Ascension day reminds us of the fact that He returned to His Father and is praying for us now, but Ascension day also reminds us with joy that He promised to come back to fetch His Bride when the time is right!
Are you ready?
Look up - He will come just as He went - on the clouds - then we will join Him in our new home.
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.
Like Paul encouraged the congregation in Corinth with the words, "Watch, stand fast in the faith be brave and strong, and do all you do in love", so the Lord encourages us with this today. Whatever your circumstances or whatever you need to do this week - let us be encouraged by Him who promised to be with us in all that we do.
Point to ponder: Let's ask the lord this week to make us brave and help us to do all we do in love.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
During this week we got the terrible news that one of my eldest daughter's friends, whom she grew up with in school, tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident. So it was quite a surprise to see that verses 50-58 is our next pitstop in our journey through the book of Corinthians. Amazing timing from Father I would think. He reminds us that at some point in time - whether we be young or old - we have to exchange the corruptible for incorruptible, the mortal for immortality - but then the immense encouragement that comes with it is the thought that death is swallowed up in victory, death has no sting anymore, for the sting of death was sin and the law which was dealt with by Christ our saviour, Who overcame death and gave us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
What more encouragement can we get in times like these? Somewhere else Paul says death is gain. Mostly we do not think about it in this way, but for the child of God living is a joy and holy, for it means that we still are living out our callings for God on earth, but death is also gain when ultimately our task is done and Abba takes us home - death is swallowed up in victory and we exchange the corruptible for the incorruptible.
45 Thus it is written, The first man Adam became a living being (an individual personality); the last Adam (Christ) became a life-giving Spirit [restoring the dead to life]. 46 But it is not the spiritual life which came first, but the physical and then the spiritual. 47 The first man [was] from out of earth, made of dust (earthly-minded); the second Man [is] the Lord from out of heaven. 48 Now those who are made of the dust are like him who was first made of the dust (earthly-minded); and as is [the Man] from heaven, so also [are those] who are of heaven (heavenly-minded). 49 And just as we have borne the image [of the man] of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the image [of the Man] of heaven.
What an amazing thought it is to think that we as humans, made from the dust of earth - were also made to carry the image of the all-powerful, sovereign God. However, maybe even more amazing to me is the thought that God chose to come to earth in human form - not just to carry the image of man, but to redeem the image of God in man.
Point to ponder: How earthly or heavenly minded are we in our daily walk?
33 Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character. 34 Awake [from your drunken stupor and return] to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more. For some of you have not the knowledge of God [you are utterly and willfully and disgracefully ignorant, and continue to be so, lacking the sense of God’s presence and all true knowledge of Him]. I say this to your shame.
Deception and misleading are all over the church these days - and as Paul says, it is to our shame because we aught to know better. Paul calls out two things as causes for our state of deception.
1. Keeping evil companionship that corrupts our morals and character, and
2. An utter and willful ignorance - not having the knowledge of God - and thus by implication also not having the presence of God either.
It is in this context that Paul urges us to AWAKE - but not from sleep - rather from a drunken stupor! He calls us into our right minds and admonishes us to SIN NO MORE.
Point to ponder:
Which evil companionships do we harbour that corrupts our morals and characters?
Are we growing in our knowledge and obedience of God, or are we willfully ignorant because we want to continue to engage in things that the Word of God clearly spells out as wrong?
Can we ask the Lord to WAKE US UP out of this drunken stupor we are in?
20 But the fact is that Christ (the Messiah) has been raised from the dead, and He became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep [in death]. 21 For since [it was] through a man that death [came into the world, it is] also through a Man that the resurrection of the dead [has come]. 22 For just as [because of their union of nature] in Adam all people die, so also [by virtue of their union of nature] shall all in Christ be made alive.
Since we are at the end of Passover weekend today, I think it is so fitting for us to celebrate with Paul as he explains to us that Christ was the first fruits of those who died and came to life again. What a hope for us who are the descendants of Adam to know that in Christ we will be made alive again - resurrected with Christ into newness of life.
Point to ponder: There were others who died and were resurrected before Jesus - for example Lazarus, the daughter of Jairus etc, but all of them died again. Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven - He did not die again. In Christ we have the hope of being resurrected with Him one day! Lets celebrate His - and our - resurrection with Him through this song:
This sentence in verse 14 had me thinking this week. In a way it is easy to identify idolatry when it involves carved images and Canaanite temples like those we read of in the Bible, and most probably we often read over this sentence and do not give it another thought since we automatically think we are not guilty of idolatry. However, if we stop for a moment and think about what exactly the word idolatry means, this picture changes significantly.
A quick search for a definition brought the following to attention:
Webster's dictionary says:
Idolatry is "worship of or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing" An idol is anything that replaces the one true God.
Idolatry is therefore anything that is more important to us than God Himself. Anything that I derive fulfillment from outside of God, anything that saturates my heart more than God, anything that I give more adoration to than God, anything that fills, floods my heart and imagination more than what God does, anything that you seek out to receive from what we should only be receiving from God, can be defined as an idol.
Point to ponder: Let us ask God during this week when we are preparing for celebrating Passover to show us the idols in our heart in whichever format they may exist.
May we be wholly filled with God alone in this time as Ephesians 3:19 (AMPC) says:
[That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!
