Dad's Ramblings -- Passionate Striving

PASSIONATE STRIVING
Colossians 1:29
 
"To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightly."
 
Labor -- Striving -- Work!!  This does not sound like a half-hearted, piddling effort!  Paul had a passion to do God's work.  The Greek word for striving (agonizomai) reflects the passion that drove Paul.  There was an ache in his spirit to minister God's grace to the lost and to the church.  True, it was God's energy (work:  energeo) that supplied the force that drove him, but it also required a dedicated heart that was willing to pay the price.  Lord, work in and through me with your mighty energy!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT:  It is God who works in us to do His will, but it also takes a passionate heart that is available.
 
Have a "mighty" day.   Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- WARNING SIGNS

WARNING SIGNS
Colossians 1:28
 
"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ."
 
We are surrounded by warning signs.  "No lifeguard.  Swim at your own risk."  "Danger:  Rough road ahead."  "Smoking is hazardous to your health."  Warning signs are good because they alert us to disaster ahead.  Why is it that we are so afraid of warning people of future disaster in the spiritual realm?  Modern preachers say very little about hell.  Paul's preaching had two main foci:  warning and teaching -- warning people of God's judgment and teaching them to live godly.  I think we need more warning signs on life's highway.  There is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain.  The wise man heeds warning signs and avoids disaster.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT:  Preaching should include warning people of judgment and teaching them to live holy.
 
Have a "warning" day.   Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Stewardship

STEWARDSHIP
Colossians 1:25
 
"... of which I became aminister according to the stewarship from God which was given to me, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints."
 
Paul was entrusted by God with the stewardship of a ministry that he was responsible for -- the truth that the gospel was not only for Jews but for Gentiles also (vs. 26).  Each and every believer is also entrusted with a ministry.  I want to be a faithful steward.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT:  God entrusts every believer with a ministry that he or she is responsible for.
 
Have a faithful day.   Love you.

Dad's Ramblings -- Loving The Church

LOVING THE CHURCH
Colossians 1:24
 
"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.... "
 
Paul loved the Church of Jesus.  He loved it so much that the suffering he endured for it brought him joy.  How much that contrasts with much of Christian attitude toward the church in our age -- "I have Jesus;  I don't need the church."  Paul's love for the Lord Jesus led him to sacrifice his body for God's people.  Jesus suffered and died for the church.  Now we get to "fill up what is lacking" since Jesus no longer suffers in the flesh.  It is our turn to suffer.  I want Paul's commitment:  "I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls;  though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved"  (II Cor. 12:15).  When we take up Jesus' cross, it is not for ourselves but for Jesus and His Church.  So, fill'er up!!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT:  If I love Jesus, I will love His people.
 
Have a loving day.   Love you.
 

DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- Unmoved

UNMOVED
Colossians 1:23
 
"... if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister."
 
What causes people to be moved away from the hope of the gospel? Perhaps disappointment, perhaps intellectualism, perhaps lack of understanding. But one of the main reasons is simply becoming overcome by the things of this world. Jesus said that the seed that fell among thorns was "choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life" (Luke 8:14). It takes intentional living to remain grounded and steadfast, and not moved from the simple truth of the gospel – that Christ died for my sins so that I could go to heaven.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The hope of the gospel – salvation and heaven – is for those who are not moved from their faith in the Lord Jesus.
 
Have a steadfast day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Peacemaker

THE PEACEMAKER
Colossians 1:19-22
 
"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fulness should dwell, 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. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight – .... "
 
The Nobel Peace Prize is given each year to someone who has been recognized as a peacemaker. I nominate the Lord Jesus as the peacemaker of the ages. The whole human race was at war with God. We were enemies of God. God did not hate us, but we hated God and by our thoughts and deeds were alienated from Him. But in His great love, He Himself in the fulness of Christ became the peacemaker and reconciled us to Himself by paying the price for our sin through His death on the cross . Oh, how great the Father's love!!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Jesus, through His death, reconciled sinful man to the Father and brought peace.
 
Have a peace-filled day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Head of the Church

THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
Colossians 1:18
 
"And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all thing He may have the preeminence."
This sentence seems rather fractured. Without changing the meaning, I think it could be easily translated, "And He, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, is the head of the church that in all things He may have the preeminence." Jesus, the Creator and risen Savior, is the Lord of His church. Sometimes people forget that and think that they have the preeminence – are the bigshots – in the church. Even preachers sometimes get that attitude. Jesus is first, last, and always, the focus of the church. Without Him, it is just another man-centered human institution. Jesus, be the Lord of all!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Jesus, the Creator and risen Savior, is the head of His Body, the church.
 
Have a Jesus day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Held Together

HELD TOGETHER
Colossians 1:17
 
"And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."
 
Many translations render "consist" as "held together." The universe is held together by His word and His power. God is a God of order, and without His control, there is mass chaos. This principle applies not only to the physical universe but also to society and individual lives. When people do not submit to God's rule, and His way is rejected or ignored, the result is chaos. Looking around at the confusion in our world, we can see living proof of this truth.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God's rule brings order out of chaos.
 
Have a "held together" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Jesus, Creator and Lord

JESUS, CREATOR AND LORD
Colossians 1:16
 
"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."
 
Paul reminds me of John's declaration: "All things were made through Him...." (John 1:3). But Paul adds the understanding that everything – material (the universe) and immaterial (angels) – were created for His pleasure. He is Lord. Jesus was there in the Garden when Adam was created out of the dust. Man lives as though he is the apex of the universe and is in control. Man is not greater than his Creator. We live for His pleasure.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: As Creator, Jesus is Lord over His creation and the creation exists for His pleasure.
 
Have a "created" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Invisible God

THE INVISIBLE GOD
Colossians 1:15
 
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."
 
I can understand why the agnostic and the atheist do not believe in God. It is difficult to believe in something invisible. So a gracious God has revealed Himself. "The word became flesh, and we beheld His glory.... No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son...has declared Him" (John 1:14, 18). The disciples saw Jesus and believed He is God. I believe because of the testimony of those who saw Him. "Blessed are those who have not seen, yet believed" (John 20:29). I am blessed.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The invisible God has revealed Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.
 
Have a blessed day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Kingdom of Light

THE KINGDOM OF LIGHT

Colossians 1:12-14

"... giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

There are only two kingdoms – the kingdom of Christ (which is light), and the kingdom of Satan (which is darkness). This is indeed a dark world without the light of Christ's kingdom. There are no illegal aliens in His kingdom. The only path to citizenship is through His blood that cleanses from sin. There are no "dual" citizenships. It is one or the other – either light or darkness. I am so thankful that He has "conveyed" me into His kingdom. I may still have some traces of the old kingdom in my life (like a language accent), but there is no allegiance to the kingdom of darkness. My sins – the fruit of darkness – are forgiven, and my allegiance is to Jesus. Hallelujah!

TODAY'S THOUGHT: The only path to citizenship in the kingdom of light is through the cleansing blood of Jesus.

Have a "light" day. Love you.

Dad's Ramblings -- Inner Strength

INNER STRENGTH
Colossians 1:11
 
[I pray that you be] "... strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy ...."
 
When I was a kid, I was a weakling. I could not even chin myself on a bar, and I dreamed of being like Charles Atlas – rippling with muscles.  Worse than that, I did not have the inner strength to resist the pull of the crowd.  I wanted to be accepted and popular -- to be like everyone else.  There is a strength that is much more important than physical strength. It is inner strength, strength of character that can resist temptation to sin, strength that endures hard times with patience and joy. I confess that I am still weak and need the strength of His glorious power to live a godly life. My strength is in You, Lord.  (See also Ephesians 3:16.)
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Inner strength is much more important than physical strength.
 
Have a strong day in Jesus. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Christian Living

CHRISTIAN LIVING
Colossians 1:10
 
[I pray] "...that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God ...."
 
Here are four goals of the Christian: 1) to live a life worthy of being called a Christian without bringing reproach on the Savior; 2) to live pleasing to Him; 3) to be fruitful; 4) to know Him better. When all is said and done and I stand before Him, I want to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The better one knows and loves the Savior, the easier it is to live worthy,
pleasing, and fruitful before Him.
 
Have an "increasing" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Spiritual Insight

SPIRITUAL INSIGHT
Colossians 1:9
 
"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...."
 
The first thing Paul prayed for the believers at Colosse was for spiritual insight. As humans, we are prone to view our world through the lens of the "wisdom of this age" (I Cor. 2:6). "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God ... they are spiritually discerned" (I Cor. 2:14), and spiritual understanding only comes by revelation from God (I Cor. 2:10). To really understand our world and His will, we need to see through God's eyes. This applies to every area of life, including the political arena. When we abandon God, as much of America has, we are left with only worldly wisdom. No wonder we are in such a sorry state.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: To really understand what is happening in our world, we need a revelation of God's will.
 
Have a day of spiritual insight. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Faithful Ministers

FAITHFUL MINISTERS
Colossians 1:7-8
 
"... as you also learned from Epaphras our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, who also declared to us your love in the Spirit."
 
I am so grateful for "faithful ministers." As I look back through the years, I remember pastors and teachers who faithful implanted God's Word and His grace into my life – Bro. Walcher, Bro. Gould, Bro. Beebe, Bro. Walker, Bro. Versolenko, Bro. Johns, and many more. My life is richer because of their ministries and I owe a lot to them.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God puts "faithful ministers" into our lives to plant God's Word.
 
Have a grateful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Fruit Of The Gospel

THE FRUIT OF THE GOSPEL
Colossians 1:5b-6
 
"... of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 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...."
 
The Gospel, which is the word of truth – God's Word – is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). It not only brings salvation, but it continues to transform the believer throughout his life. It is the agent of fruit and change and stability to anyone who will hear and do it. That's why it is so important to imbibe God's Word daily.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The Gospel produces fruit in the believer's life.
 
Have a fruitful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Hope Of Heaven

HOPE OF HEAVEN
Colossians 1:5
 
"...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...."
 
The hope of the gospel is heaven. Jesus spoke a lot about it. The apostles preached it. So why don't we hear more from the pulpit about heaven? Could we be so centered in this life in this world that we neglect the next life in the next world? Without the hope of heaven, the gospel is empty – meaningless. I'm longing for heaven.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The hope of the gospel is heaven in the presence of Jesus.
 
Have a heavenly day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Connected

CONNECTED
Colossians 1:3-4
 
"We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all the saints...."
 
A television ad depicts two men who are exchanging information after an auto accident. Upon learning that they have the same insurance company, the one man – a rather scruffy-looking guy – says, "We're connected." The other man who appears to be a successful business man says, "No, we're not!" The high-class man did not want to be connected to the low-class guy. As Christians – whether Baptists or Methodists, Presbyterians or Pentecostals – we are connected because we have the same Father and faith in the Lord Jesus, whether or not we want to be. Like Paul, we need to embrace our fellow-believers with thankfulness and prayer because we are connected.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Believers in the Lord Jesus are connected because of a common Father and faith.
 
Have a "connected" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Faithful Brethren

FAITHFUL BRETHREN
Colossians 1:1-3
 
"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."
Today is Labor Day. When I was still working, I appreciated fellow-workers who were faithful. I got exasperated with slackers, and those whom I could not depend on to be there. People who are undependable drive me up a wall. The same was true in church ministry. I appreciated those who were faithful to church attendance and the ministries which they were involved in, whether Sunday School, ushering, music, or whatever they did in the Body. People who are dependable bring stability because you know that they will be there. I want to be a faithful servant of Jesus, a faithful father, and a faithful husband that can be depended upon.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Faithfulness and dependability is an important character trait.
 
Have a faithful day. Love you.