Good morning everyone. I noticed that yesterday's post didn't go out in an email for some reason, well it's here if you'd like to read it. Also I don't always put a link to the chapter I read so I'll start doing this today.

1 Thessalonians 3

As believers in Christ, as his children, as members of God's family, we ought to love one another. That's my prevailing thought after reading this chapter. Paul talks about his desire to be reunited with the church in Thessalonica to encourage them and also to "know their faith." His eagerness to see them was also driven by the fact that he knew how difficult this Christian walk would be. One lesson we should take from Paul is what he says here in verse 4, "for, in fact, we told you before when we were with you that we would suffer tribulation..." When we share to gospel with people, we ought to let them in on this although it's not appealing. If we don't, and we only paint the rosy picture of you and Christ skipping and picking lilies for the rest of your life, we don't give the whole truth and we set people up for disappointment. The Thessalonians faith endured in spite of affliction because, as verse 3 states, they knew they were appointed for this.

Another lesson we can take is that we ought to check in on each other every once in a while, as it concerns our faith. In our conversations with other believers, we ought to sometimes let our conversations go beyond the surface level stuff and find out how our brothers & sisters walk is going. It can be, as it was for Paul, an encouragement to know that other believers are enduring and remaining faithful. But it also might be an occasion for you to encourage someone to do better, be more faithful. On the flip side, it could also be a time for you to reflect on how faithful your own walk is. When we don't discuss these things and assume everything is alright, we cheat ourselves of an opportunity to grow. So today, that' my goal - to get all up in somebody's business and see how their spiritual walk is going. Maybe I'll encourage them, maybe they'll point me in the right direction. Either way, the body will be edified and Satan won't be happy.

8/30 - 1 Thessalonians 2, Part 2

Congrats to my friends Nate & Stacey! They had their first child yesterday - a baby girl named Madison. I can't imagine what that must feel like to finally have the baby, get to hold it & actually have them let you walk out of the hospital with it. Now there's this new life your responsible for. It's an awesome thing & I suppose I won't have to imagine much longer. T-minus 14 weeks and counting...On with today's scripture.

"And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out." (v. 13-15)

This morning I'm brought back to a topic that has always amazed me as it concerns the Bible. Of all the controversial parts of the Bible one indisputable fact is that, shortly after Christ died, Christianity spread. It's not so much that it spread (because obviously all religions have done this) but how it spread. The central character of this sect of believers had actually died which, one would think, is an uncommon beginning to such a popular movement. The Message went against the norms of the day. In a time where tradition was greatly valued, the message was new, fresh & unconventional; a time when Jewish beliefs ruled, the message strayed away from it; a time where paganism was rampant, the message taught against it's ways.

I'm probably not giving you much new information here but what I'm trying to get to is the awesomeness of the power of the Holy Spirit. I'm convinced that He's the main culprit in the spread of this gospel. Why else would the new believers of this time turn from their old lives & follow this Man they had only heard about? Why would they sacrifice their lives and the lives of their families for this cause? They had to be convicnced that what they heard & what they believed was absolutely true because the cost was so high. And how else could they know it was true unless revealed by revelation of the Holy Spirit? These believers didn't have the same resources we have today. Most couldn't read & if they could, the New Testament wasn't even a book yet. They didn't have the archaeological & historical evidence of the truth of the Bible. They didn't have the droves of Christian bookstores to get information from.

I understand why Paul was so thankful that they had even received the Word & accepted it as the word of God. He knew the challenges of the times & had to be aware of how silly his gospel message sounded (1 Cor 1:21). They even showed their acceptance by enduring persecution. It's a blessing to see the fruit in the lives of those you've shared the gospel with. That's a long way down the road, however, if we're not at first even sharing the gospel.

So I'm thankful today, for the power in God's word, in His Holy Spirit. The power to convince people of truth, to endure hardships & live holy. I'm thankful for the access we have to this power through His holy word. Thankful that this power resides in me (John 14:16).

8/27 - 1 Thessalonians 2

Wow, it's been quite a few days since I've blogged. I could run down plenty of excuses but instead I'll ask for your prayers that I remain diligent in study & I'll pray the same for you. Our own personal study is an expression of our love for the Savior. Taking the time to get to know Him & to know what pleases Him so we can then go forth and actually do it. I've been studying in the morning but haven't been able to get up in time to blog also. Kinda falling back into this love affair with the snooze button & not getting to bed at a decent hour, so please keep me in prayer on that.

This chapter spoke the same thing to me this morning I felt was revealed to me last night in Bible study, something for which God has placed a serious conviction on my heart. We looked at Isaiah 9:2 and talked about Jesus as a Light. As we began to share & discuss this passage and what it means for us beyond the surface-level understanding that Jesus was a light to the Jews and Gentiles, we concluded that this same spirit that was in Jesus was also in us and that we ought to reflect a light as well. The obvious question, then, became "are you a light?" I tried my best to take an honest, introspective look at myself and I think that in some situations I am a light, but also that I have some blind spots. I call them blind spots because unless you look at them carefully & intentionally, you might not even notice they are there.

Most Christians have a heightened level of spirituality in certain environments, whether it be Sunday morning, bible study or any gathering of believers. In these environments we find it easy and very comfortable to be a strong representation of Christ. But what about at home - are we displaying Christ to our family? Or at work - do we shy away from mentioning Christ? Or amongst old friends - do we avoid uncomfortable conversation in hopes of avoiding being considered "lame"? Well, these are my blind spots. I could show my wife more of that light that resides in me and do more to lover her as Christ loved the church (that might be an understatement...). I struggle with the corporate culture which says faith is never to be discussed. I also often pass on opportunities to share Christ with friends because it may be uncomfortable. In these few areas I see an opportunity for vast improvement so that in all situations I might be able to say, as did Paul, that I walked worthy of God who called me (v.10-12)

So none of this has actually been about 1 Thessalonians 2 yet. Sorry, sometimes I have no idea where the keystrokes will lead....Verse 2 of this chapter actually brought all this back to the forefront of my mind.

"You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure.We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition"

Paul suffered real persecution, yet in spite of this he still carried out the purpose God called him for. He didn't let it deter him one bit. I thought back to those blind spots and realized that, for me, this is my "strong opposition." For Paul it was external but for me, and maybe even some of you, my opposition comes from within. In spite of these internal fears & trepidation, I can "dare to tell the gospel" and in doing so, fulfill my call. That same Spirit that was in Christ and was in Paul, abides in me (1 John 2:27, John 14:16). Consider today what your 'blind spots' are. Where do you not allow your light to shine? And if you find yourself to be consistent, glory be to God. Pray for God to sustain that spirit within you and pray for those of us who struggle & sincerely wish to be an accurate reflection of God to the world.

8/21 - 1 Thessalonians 1

I was encouraged today in reading this chapter. I read it yesterday morning and really didn't get much from it except that it was another of Paul's intros to his letters. Reading it again this morning gave me a new perspective. Thank God for this book which is alive & that there's always something new to be revealed to us.

The example of the Thessalonian church is pretty extraordinary considering their background. We know from Acts 17:1-10 (check it out real quick b4 we move on) that there was a strong Jewish influence in the city. It would remain that way in this city for centuries as the Jewish population peaked around 1943, making over half the city Jewish. This would take a dramatic turn shortly thereafter when 96% of the Jews in the city would perish at the hands of the Nazis during the Holocaust. Also notable about the city was it's strong Greek influence (well...it's located in Greece). Greek mythology has its roots some 1000 years before Christs arrival. Greek gods & idols were just as common in this place as cheeseburgers & apple pie in America.

So all this background became significant to me when Paul commends the Thessalonians: "your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God" (v.3-4). In the strong climate of Greek and Jewish religious influence, the gospel had penetrated the hearts of these Thessalonians in such a way that their lives bore fruit and they even established a reputation. Had to be the Holy Spirit working. Well it's not just my assumption, it kinda says it in the next verse:

"For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake" (v. 5)

This verse also becomes significant because of the deliverers of that gospel message. It implies that not only did they preach the gospel but they lived the gospel which could have only been another testament to the power of the Holy Spirit. I think this shows us that no matter how spiritually bankrupt we may deem our society to be, no matter how low the moral climate of our workplaces, no matter what the situation, the Holy Spirit can never be outmatched and can use us to be positive influences that can change lives.

Of course this isn't easy, it wasn't for Paul either. Verse 6 says that the Thessalonians became followers of Paul "in much affliction." Going back to Acts 17:1-10, the Jews became envious when the gospel message had been received, responded violently and accused the men of "turning the world upside down." Even in a "free" society of the Greeks, there was still persecution of Christians, just as there is today. I mean, just saying you're a Christian today is pretty cool & no one would care much. We only truly experience this persecution when we're bold enough to stand out, stand on God's word, preach His gospel & separate ourselves from the world.

Main point I got from this - let's turn the world upside down. With the Holy Spirit as our strength, we can be witnesses for our Lord and like the Thessalonians, cause the word of the Lord to "sound forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place." (v. 8)

8/20 - The Suffering Servant

A suggested reading today. I think it's important that we keep fresh in our minds exactly what Christ did for us & why He did it. We've been through the following passage in Bible study lately & it's truly amazing each time I read it. Written roughly 700 years before Christ....Isaiah 53

¹ Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

² He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

³ He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.
Like one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

⁴ Surely he took up our infirmities
and carried our sorrows,
yet we considered him stricken by God,
smitten by him, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

⁷ 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.

⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
And who can speak of his descendants?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

¹¹ After the suffering of his soul,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.

¹² Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

8/19 - Colossians 4, part 2

This morning the word of God spoke to me from Colossians 4:2 about something I've been slacking on,

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving"(NKJV)
"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving" (KJV)

I've been struggling recently trying not to fall asleep during my morning prayer. I'll fade in and out in a battle to just have a conversation with the Lord. He seems to be the only one I do this with, which is a pretty convicting thought. I added the KJV version of this verse because this was the order that I read them this morning and came to learn that that word "watch" in Greek means "stay awake; vigilant." The literal translation of the verse means "continue in prayer and stay awake while doing it!" We know from Matthew 26:41 that Jesus told his disciples to be careful of this very thing and their subsequent failure to do so. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is so weak. Can I get an "Amen" from the balcony?! I sincerely want to be vigilant in prayer but often fall short. I know there's some practical things I can do to get better though.

This verse even goes beyond it's literal translation to mean that we should be persistent & staying alert for specific things to pray rather than just the general "God please bless so-and-so" prayers. Being alert also means being aware of the needs of your friends, co-workers, country or whatever you may be praying for. So the full embodiment of my prayer life is no longer just the time I spend in actual prayer, it's how soon I go to bed & what I expose myself to. I say what I expose myself to meaning asking friends what they need prayer for, being aware of what's happening in our country and having meaningful conversations with people so our prayers turn from "God bless this country or God bless John" to "God guide our leaders what to do concerning healthcare and God be with John as he goes through surgery tomorrow." I also say what I expose myself to because, just to be honest with you guys, when I pray other thoughts pass through my mind no matter how hard I try not to let them. So I'm realizing this morning that prayer, for me, needs to become integrated with my life, not just part of it.

8/18 - Colossians 4

Quick post today. Colossians 4:5-6,

"Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one."

'Those who are outside' refers to non-believers, 'redeeming the time' means taking advantage of every opportunity. We ought to be walking in wisdom, taking every opportunity to witness to nonbelievers. Our walk & our talk ought to be lined up so both can testify to the God we claim to serve. This ties in well with yesterday's blog on chapter 3. During this process of becoming 'new men' we're growing in knowledge & wisdom, building characteristics such as mercy, humility & patience (3:12) while letting go of anger, malice & filthy language (3:8). Now our conversations can be 'seasoned with salt,' an appetizing diet of words for the spiritually starving non-believer.

Let's be in prayer for each other in this area. That we'd become fully committed to God, forsaking our old ways & giving God His due. For those who have accepted His salvation, He bought us at the cost of His son's life. By this testimony, we are all witnesses & called to be so in Matthew 28:19-20. The least we could do is show gratitude, learn more about a God who would do such a thing, and spread that message to others.

8/17 - Colossians 3, Part 3

We've talked about the things in our lives that need to be put to death. Each of us know what some of these things are but I'd encourage you to pray for God to continue to reveal everything He wants out of your life. We can sometimes, whether consciously or subconsciously, convince ourselves that certain things in our lives are ok, when God would really want them removed. Read Psalm 139:23 -24 and ask God to search your heart to determine where you fall short. If you don't read any more of this post, please do this.

After Paul deals with what we need to put to death in our lives, in verses 12-17 he discusses what needs to come to life within us: humility, mercy, patience, forgiveness. One of the most convicting things my old pastor Reggie would say is that we ought to forgive others with the same measure that Christ forgave us. I didn't know until later (and clearly I wasn't paying full attention) that this is explicitly stated in verse 13. Considering how we treat Christ, how our actions are so often a slap in the face of a Savior who was beaten beyond recognition on our behalf (Isaiah 52:14), I'd say the bar is raised pretty high on how forgiving we ought to be. "I'll forgive but I won't forget" doesn't carry much weight in light of God's standard for forgiveness.

In order for us to replace our old ways with the new virtues from this passage, Paul give us a hint: at the core of these things is love. Developing a love for others like Christ had. This sort of love can only be formed by fervent prayer and diligent practice. It takes practice to show love to those who don't show it to you. This sort of thing won't just come overnight. Of course another key in this is developing a heart that desires what God desires and the only way to know what He desires is by reading His word. Verse 16, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom..."

God, grant me an intense passion for Your word & the desire to love others like You do. Reveal to me what you want removed from my life & give me the courage to change. I want to be more like you & whatever pain comes along with is well worth it, just be pleasing to You.

8/16 - Colossians 3, Part 2

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all." (Colossians 3:5-11)

Being a new man in Christ necessarily requires that you remove the old junk out of your life. Confessing Christianity means committing to a total transformation from who you were to who God wants you to be. How can a total transformation be complete if we hang on to our old stuff? Was Abram anything like Abraham? Was Saul anything like Paul? Was Steve Urkel anything like Stephan Urkelle? If I want to fix my golf swing (Lord knows I need to), there's some old habits that I need to completely forsake if my new swing will be successful. Just like any of the things we try to change in our lives - attitudes, addictions, skills, etc - holding on to our old ways only hinders our progress. I don't mean to imply that I'm offering a "just do better" or "just stop what you're doing" solution. If it were that easy, it wouldn't be worth blogging about. I'm trying to establish a foundation by which transformation can be deemed a worthy conquest and reasons why the old ways we hold on to should be destroyed. Jesus gave a great example in a parable where he said

"No one uses a new piece of cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink and tear a bigger hole. No one pours new wine into old wineskins. The wine would swell and burst the old skins. Then the wine would be lost, and the skins would be ruined. New wine must be put into new wineskins. Both the skins and the wine will then be safe" (Matt 9:16-17, CEV).

If you're going to a party with a 3-piece Armani suit, don't blow it by wearing your 6-year-old busted Reebok's. Your old stuff is not allowing the new stuff to shine.

That was a silly analogy but I think it also helps explain why we hold on to our old stuff. We get comfortable in it. Those old busted Reebok's have conformed themselves perfectly to our feet & we don't want to let them go. In life we think that just because we've been doing a thing so long and we've become so accustomed to it that it can come along for the ride in our Christian walk. Paul says put to death your old members which are on earth. The list he mentions - fornication, uncleanness, evil desire, etc - we know what of those things we hold on to. I think that phrase "put to death" implies action. It's a little more than praying for it & hoping God takes it away. Now that's a great start, but without action it could be a futile attempt. This process, which I think we should be engaged in everyday (1 Corinthians 15:31), is not an easy one and requires prayer, confession, accountability, Bible study & some carefully placed restrictions in your life. If you're a shopaholic, maybe consider placing your expendable income in an account you can't easily access. Pornography addict, consider an accountability partner & blocking yourself from certain websites. These type of actions, of course along with prayer, constitute putting our old ways to death.

The process is painful & tedious, just like the Israelites who had to put their best lambs to death (Leviticus 1:1-9), but it's necessary for our sanctification.

8/15 - Colossians 3

Good morning everyone. I added a "verse of the day" feed from biblegateway.com (the site I use to link all my scriptures) and it's on the right side of the page under the subscribe link. Earlier this week I snuck a Twitter link on the blog, found on the bottom right. Yep, I joined Twitter (www.twitter.com/rpscott02). My wife thinks I'm going to become a junkie, and I'm not even here to say I won't...but I'll try not to. I didn't understand what all the fuss was about but after experiencing it a few days I think I'm starting to get it. I'm also able tweet the blog posts each day which I thought was pretty cool. So follow me @rpscott02 tweeps! Nevermind what that means, on to more important matters...

Colossians 3

The chapter begins, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (v. 1-3). In my distracted life, it is easy to forget what has been revealed to me with regard to why I'm here. I can focus all my energy on the temporary things of this life: my job, paying bills, running errands, Bengals training camp, etc. Not that these things should be ignored, but if all my energy is focused on these things, how can I be fully focused on Christ? Now I don't think I should just be walking around oblivious to the world, chanting "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus" with total disregard for others or my earthly responsibilities. I think a focus on God would look more like continual prayer throughout the day, taking time to get to know my co-workers so I can minister to them, considering where God would have me donate money when I look at my finances, viewing everyone I encounter as either heaven or hell bound and letting my conversation flow from that.

OK, back to the verse. The KJV version of verse 1 reads "If ye then be risen in Christ..." That word "risen" in Hebrew is "mischar" which means "morning; rising in the sense of day breaking." The moment we decide to follow Christ, the Bible says we are new creatures. The sun has set on our old ways and the dawn of a new era begins. Just as each day is separate from the day before, we are completely new concerning our old selves. With this "new self" then, should have a new perspective, a new thinking that is separate from our old way. As Paul put it, we should set our minds on things above. Here's a few parallel passages that speak to our being made new in Christ - Ezekiel 11:19, Romans 6:4, 2 Cor 5:17, Galatians 6:15, Ephesians 2:15, 4:24.

Although we have this "new self," there's still a lot we need to do to realize the full potential of this new creation. I'm not talking about doing things to earn salvation, but taking active steps toward sanctification - the process of separating one's self and striving for holiness. Though we are made new, there are still some consequences and bad habits we have to deal with from our "old self." I think this is why Paul took the time to give some very straight to the point advice on striving for holiness: "put to death your members which are on earth: fornification, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry". We can't take on this new self while still catering to our old desires. More on this tomorrow. Grace & peace to you.

8/12 - You Got Served

Jesus said to his disciples,

"For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves" (Luke 22:27)

When banquets are held for special people - people who have done work worthy of honor - you'll usually find them seated in the front at the reserved table, waiting to be served. Guests may even find it appropriate to approach the table and greet the honoree. We make sure the person it served first, gets the first chance to speak and maybe even has others speak on his behalf. When it comes to honoring people, we're pretty good at it.

For just a moment this morning, reflect on the fact that at the dinner table of life, it is Jesus who is serving us. Oh, and what a main course He's prepared. Imagine Jesus, after all He has done, after all you've done to Him, serving you the best meal of your life and then just to take things a little further begins to wash your feet. Is your response like Peter, who felt entirely unworthy to let Jesus do this? I'm not sayiing thats the right or wrong response but I imagine my response would be similar. So as Christ followers, or better yet Christ imitators, should it be us who serves others unconditionally? who considers others as better than ourselves? (Philippians 2:3....again). The best servers are the ones who can serve you suffieciently, recognize what you need and cater to that need quickly, be polite, be genuine, pay attention, and do all of this without hardly being noticed. Are we willing to take no credit, humble ourselves & serve other people (especially non-believers)?

We must lose the attitude that we're here to always receive something. We go to church to receive a blessing but how often do we go to be a blessing? Some have been convinced to focus their energy on the fact that "this is their season" or "this is their breakthrough" and I don't know, maybe it is, but see where the focus is?

The world is at the dinner table and we've been delivered the Main Course, now we just have to serve it to them.

8/11 - Colossians 2, part 3

As I mentioned in the last blog, I wanted to take a look at some of the "principles of this world." Bear with me for a moment....This quote is from a New Zealand blog that opposes Focus on the Family & it's conservative values. The quote is in response to FoF's distribution of DVDs that teach creationism:

"The Education Ministry is taking a sensible view of the creationist nonsense. It says the unsanctioned material does not breach the Education Act and there are no plans to ban its distribution. But it stresses the theory of evolution underpins the science curriculum and schools have a responsibility to teach theories that are subject to accepted scientific scrutiny."

For those of us who believe in creation, the world views it as nonsense and insufficient when held up to our own standards of truth. Now, I think science has a lot to offer in proof of creation and wouldn't just toss it aside, but science can only get us so far. Evolutionist & creationists alike would have to agree that whatever conclusion you come to has to involve some level of faith (check out answeringenesis.org when you get a chance)...

I've been told many times (yesterday as a matter of fact) that as it relates to our finances priority should be God - Me - Family - Others. Basically tithe, take care of yourself, help others if you can. I think this is a widely accepted belief (if atheist just remove God but keep remaining order) and there's some truth to it, but I think there's even something missing here...

Our system of ethics or morality attempts to rank our iniquities. Our legal system determines the severity of crimes, attaches a "fitting" punishment to it and calls it justice. First off, I think this is totally necessary. But I also think this sort of philosophy trickles down to our individual thinking where we justify categorizing our own wrongs as "big" or "little" sins. Eating a piece of my wife's cheesecake in the fridge when she said not to - little sin (maybe even a little funny). Smacking her around - big sin. I've chosen extremes here, but I think you get the point...

I could go on and on about some of the principles of this world but what I find in these examples, I think I'd find in all of them - they're contrary to what the word of God says. This is why Paul warns us "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ" (Col 2:8, NIV).

The things I've mentioned may seem trivial to you and maybe you even disagree and that's fine. But just know that the Bible teaches differently. I think we all know that biblical teaching is opposed to evolution (see Genesis 1 - 2 for a start). As it relates to our finances (I'm bracing myself for backlash here) I think the Bible teaches a little differently than to take care of yourself before you do others.Matthew 6:25, 31-32 [read 19-34 for whole context] - "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?...So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them." Also see Philippians 2:3-4, 1 Timothy 6:6-10, Job 1:21, Matthew 5:40-42, Matthew 19:21, Luke 6:38. The Bible talks a lot more about giving than it does saving or building your nest egg. It may sound like it but I'm not advocating fiscal irresponsibility nor am I saying its wrong to save & plan for the future. I do that. But when the Bible gets to taking about treating others better than yourself, our temporary stay here on earth and how God is such a great provider, does it make sense to then leave yourself at the top (or even one below God) on the priority list?

The point of all this comes back to dedicating ourselves to understanding the "treasures of wisdom and knowledge" from God's word so that we aren't deceived by persuasive words & the principles of this world. Paul thought it was important to touch on because, I think, it's easier to lend yourself to worldly thinking because much of it sounds good, and maybe even biblical, but if you don't know God's word & aren't spending time in it, it's easy to be confused.

8/7 - Colossians 2, Part 2

OK, yall please pray for me b/c sleep is really killing me this week. Been getting to bed later and that's starting to affect my study time. I actually started my prayer off this morning with "Lord, thank you for this food." No, I wasn't eating. Just my sleep deprived mind trying to yet again go thru the motions of praying. I'm sure God got a laugh out of that one. Or maybe it was a stern look of a Father who's disappointed in his son not taking time with Him seriously. Either way, I need to get it together!

There's a great passage here in verses 4-10 that speak to mind renewal and following Christ as opposed to the ways of the world. I'd really like to spend some time on this topic as I feel I really need to learn more about it & get closer to that "full assurance of understanding" back from verse 2. Verse 8 of this passage reads:

"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ."

I got to thinking about some of the traditions of men & the principles of this world and how deeply they are ingrained in our culture. Evolution, individualism, entitlement, relative truth, postmodernism, and a host of other wikipedia-search-worthy ideologies are married to our culture and often run contrary to the word of God. I'd like to go a little further with this in the next blog or 2 but from this morning's chapter, I can see that if we focused our academic & psychological efforts on our search for God & His truth (this goes back to verses 2-3) we wouldn't be so prone to the errors of modern philosophy. Again, I'll try to further with this but for now my prayer is that we can learn to truly be satisfied in the fullness of God & not seek, like the Gnostics, deeper knowledge beyond Him as if He's not sufficient to meet our needs.

1 Timothy 6:6, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" and Philippians 4:19, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

We'll dig deeper later. As always, your comments are always welcome

8/5 - Colossians 2, Part 1

Good morning everyone. Quick confession - got up a little late this morning so this post may be a bit short. Sleep 1, Ryan 0.

I was able to study Colossians 2 and again, this morning I have been convinced that God's word is alive & moving. I've read this before but this morning it was as if I read it for the first time. It's a refreshing feeling to know that God is always speaking, that He is His word (John 1:1) and each moment you spend in it is time spent with Him. It doesn't always happen for me like this but this morning was like the "Ahhhh" feeling after sipping a Coke on a hot day. So I thank God for it and I'll enjoy it for a little while.

Paul's desire for the Colossian church was that

"that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (v. 2-3).

The part that jumped out to me was the "riches of the full assurance of understanding."Having the full assurance or complete confidence in anything is a great feeling. It gives us the ability to move or act decisively and in full expectation of a positive outcome. Isn't that what we want in our lives as Christians? I can remember taking Calculus 1 in college and I had a full assurance of anything related to limits, derivatives, integrals, trigonometry, etc (this is going to sound like bragging, but I'm going somewhere with this). There wasn't much you could do to convince me that my knowledge of the subject matter wasn't genuine. You couldn't sneak any false calculus doctrine past me because I was built up in knowledge and had come to understand they mystery of Calculus. I was steadfast, immovable. My confidence had reached the point where I was willing & able to boldly teach others that they, too, might receive the benefits (passing Calc 1) of the hidden treasures found in Calculus.

Imagine where you (myself included here) could be if you applied yourself to diligent study of the Word, longing for it's understanding & growing in wisdom. Wouldn't you be more sensitive to false doctrine? Wouldn't you be more confident witnessing to others? Wouldn't others seek you out for guidance? Who could shake your confidence in God's word? I know that's a place I want to be. It all goes back to Bible study doesn't it? Man, Pastor Reggie (my pastor in Tallahassee) was so right. I used to think he went a little overboard b/c everything he talked about came back to "you need to study the Bible more." We could be talking about football and somehow it would come back to that. I'm starting to realize more & more how right he was.

Trust God + Reading His Word - Pride = Confidence = Assurance = Understanding * X (where X is the number of repititions of studying Bible).

It's all mathematics.

8/4 - Came to My Rescue

No official post today, but here's a song I came across & hope you enjoy. It's called Came to My Rescue by Hillsong. I've heard a few songs by these guys and the one consistent thing so far is their passion in their songs. Might need to check these guys out...Here's a link if you can't get to the embedded vid from your email.

A great worship song to get your morning started.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAMbEPZfWCY

8/3 - Colossians 1

Worthy of Worship

OK I'm back to my normal format for now, picking up at Colossians. Last week I deviated a bit but wherever the Holy Spirit takes me, I'll go. In this chapter Paul admonishes the church in Colosse to continue in the faith they had received through the preaching of Epaphras, another faithful minister of the gospel. He encourages them to walk worthy of the Lord, do good works, increase in the knowledge of God and to exhibit patience with joy. Then he suggests they ought to be "giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (v. 12-14).

Paul's audience here is one of primarily a Gentile background, as the city of Colosse was a Roman province of Asia and predominantly Gentile. When Paul talks about sharing the inheritance & being rescued from darkness, I'm reminded of a passage we've been studying in Bible study:

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned" (Isaiah 9:2).

God spoke hundreds of years ago that this people who, in God's view, were obscure, unimportant & unchosen, would one day be shown a great Light. Understanding the Colossians verse (12-14) in this context, knowing that this Gentile nation who historically had been without hope and without God, and knowing that even my heritage is Gentile, it becomes obvious that this God is worthy of my worship. This is an awe inspiring thing: "the mystery which had been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to his saints. To them God willed to make known the what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (v. 26-27).

I encourage you to offer God praise today because the Word makes it evident that He is worthy. Before Christ the destiny of the Gentiles was total separation from God (Ephesians 2:11-12). But here is hope, and a point of reflection:

"For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness 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" (v. 19-22)

Where would we be without Christ today?