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.