Category: Colossians

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Take some time today to journal and reflect on the following questions:

What are you willing to surrender to God in order to grow in your relationship with Christ? 

What are you unwilling to surrender? How may God be inviting you to surrender this area of your life over to Him? 

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Children in Jesus’ day started their education at around the same age children do in our culture today. The primary education for children between the ages and 5 and 12 was to memorize the Torah – the first five books of the Old Testament. A select few who showed tremendous aptitude would continue their education, while those who didn’t make the cut would begin apprenticing with a parent or other family member in the family business. Those whose education continued would go on to memorize the entirety of the Old Testament. 

But then there was more. Only a very, very, select few would be invited to follow a Rabbi. The selection process would’ve been similar to Ivy League schools today. The standards for this level of ongoing education was very high. 

Then enters Jesus. He invites Peter, a fisherman, to follow Him. And Matthew, a Tax Collector, to follow Him. Those who “didn’t make the cut” for all other Rabbi’s, Jesus saw something remarkable in them. He has invited you to follow Him as well. And He continues to cry out, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” 

READING & PRAYERS:

     2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18, JOHN 14:6  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What are some areas of life in which you find it easy to follow the Way? What are some areas in which you find it difficult to follow the Way? 

PRACTICE: Choose just one of the areas in which you find it difficult to follow Jesus. Surrender this area over to Him every day, perhaps several times a day. Continue this practice daily until you discover that Jesus truly is inviting you in a different way of life; a way of life that actually works. 

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, despite the many times I feel like I’m unworthy of Your love, You have invited me to be Your disciple; to follow You in all things. I’m grateful for this invitation, and I do desire to follow You in order to continually recognize that You are leading me into a way of life that actually works — a way of life that rests in You and Your finished work, and not a way of life that requires my own strength. Thank You! In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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It is here. 2024 is upon us. For some, there’s excitement for the Summer Olympics. For others, there’s a high level of anticipation for the political elections, or those who just want that part of the year to be over with. Still others, are looking forward to something else this coming year. While it’s true we can enjoy the presence of God anywhere, we must be careful not to put our hope and trust in people or things outside the kingdom of God.

Setting aside of worldly thoughts and instead focusing on what it looks like to live in the kingdom of God is a common theme throughout the New Testament. In the early portion of Colossians 3, Paul hits on this theme when he writes in verse 3, “…your real life is hidden with Christ in God.” 

Translating the original Greek into English isn’t always easy, and this is one verse in which it’s difficult to get the meaning of the text just right. The word life in this verse is about your current, physical life. Paul isn’t writing about the life you will have in eternity, but the life you’re currently living. A life which finds it’s identity in the kingdom of God. Not in any personal achievements or political victories, but a life in His kingdom.

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 6:33, ROMANS 14:17, MATTHEW 6:9-10  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: In what ways does the mindset that you are living in the kingdom of God impact the way you see the world around you — everything which is outside the kingdom of God — differently?

PRACTICE: Throughout the day, pay close attention to the messages you see and hear throughout the day which fall outside the kingdom of God. How many messages every day do you see or hear that fall outside of God’s kingdom? 

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, living in a culture which focuses on everything but life in Your Kingdom is difficult. Continue to help me see the world for what it is, and You and Your Kingdom for it is. May I grow to live in a state of complete peace, knowing You are on the throne. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Colossians 3:2 Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Imagine for a moment it’s a warm day in late Spring. You’re walking through a forrest as sunlight cascades through the tree branches which are just beginning to sprout leaves. The birds are chattering their songs delightfully. There in the warm sun you take an opportunity to just be. There is no deadline for work. No essay to write. No errands to run. You can simply take a few moments to rest, breathe, and be. 

Now, allow me to let you in on a little secret: Experiences such as this are gifts from God. It’s good to receive these gifts as often as possible and to respond in a way that leads you to practice rest.

When Paul writes “Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth,” he is not in any way prohibiting these kinds of experiences. Enjoying God’s creation and being present with Him there is not the same as thinking worldly thoughts. Thinking about the things of heaven is to be mindful of the eternal and not the temporary. As such, enjoying God’s creation is one of many ways to be thinking about the eternal.

READING & PRAYERS:

     COLOSSIANS 3:1-4, ROMANS 1:20  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What are two or three ways you like to “think about the things of heaven?” 

PRACTICE: Take the opportunity to Pause throughout the day to meditate on what’s eternal. As you do, pay close attention to what you learn about God, as well as any specific invitation He may have for you today.  

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, every day I’m inundated with thoughts that are not of what’s eternal. My to-do list. All the errands which need to be run. Other things I feel I have to do. Continue to help me recognize the truth that what matters most are not the things of earth, but the things of heaven. May I enjoy You and Your presence even in the situations which may seem mundane. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Colossians 3:1 …set your sights on the realities of heaven…

What is one hope you have today? For this month? For this year? 

Sadly, many people do not often consider their hopes. The challenges and disappointments of life lead some to think, If I don’t hope for anything, then I won’t experience disappointment as often. So why hope? 

Unfortunately, this mindset doesn’t work. In her book Atlas of the Heart, a book which explores the many different emotions people feel and experience, author and researcher Brené Brown notes that disappointment is one of the most common emotions people feel. This is because we all have expectations — even very simple expectations — which don’t get met. When they don’t get met, we feel disappointment. When we feel disappointment, we set our hopes aside. The cycle continues until disappointment is rampant and hopes are few. 

The simple reality is this: you have deep hopes within you. Some may be simple hopes (e.g., A husband indicating he hopes for a date night with his wife soon,) but others are profound hope which can be experienced only in Christ. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     COLOSSIANS 3:1-4, MATTHEW 6:33  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What is one deep, passionate hope you have? When will you take a moment to sit in the presence of Christ to experience the fulfillment of this hope? 

PRACTICE: Begin sharing at least one hope with somebody else every day this week. Continue this practice daily. As you do so, you’ll discover the beauty and wonder of having a life more deeply rooted in hope.  

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I recognize that if I were to pay close attention to how often I share a personal hope, it may be a lot less often than I would’ve guessed. Help me grow into a person who not only has hope, but one who shares those hopes with others on a regular basis. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Take some time today to journal and reflect on the following questions:

What are you willing to surrender to God in order to grow in your relationship with Christ? 

What are you unwilling to surrender? How may God be inviting you to surrender this area of your life over to Him? 

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Think of something you would love to be able to do but aren’t currently able to do it? For example, perhaps you hear somebody sing or play an instrument really well. You may think to yourself, I wish I could sing or play the piano like that! Or maybe you see an athlete spin around his opponents and score a touchdown. You may think, Wow, I wish I had that kind of athletic ability. 

These kinds of thoughts occur in Christian circles as well. I wish I knew the Bible as well as that person. Or, I wish I could pray like she does. Or, I wish I could teach as well as they do.

These kinds of thoughts all have one thing in common – shame. You see what others can do that you’re unable to do and you feel “less than” or “not good enough.” But shame is not a virtue. It’s a death sentence for the soul. 

You may not become a Bible scholar, a prayer warrior, or a great teacher overnight, but spending time with God and experiencing His presence will help you grow. The question is, what activities lead you to know and experience God well? What small steps can you begin to practice on a consistent basis so that you can experience a life of union with God?  

READING & PRAYERS:

     JOHN 15:1-17  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What do you think it means to live in union with God? What are some practices you can begin to implement so you more fully experience a life of union with God? 

DIGGING DEEPER: Asking a trusted counselor or mentor to help you in your spiritual formation is a big step. Consider the possibility of seeking out a counselor or mentor who can help you on your journey. 

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I’m simply grateful for the reminder that feelings of shame are not healthy for my own spiritual and emotional growth. Today, may I come to you all throughout the day as a reminder to myself and my soul that many things are outside of my control. Instead, I give them to You and humbly choose to live in union with You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Colossians 2:23 These rules may seem wise…But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

A person can be confused reading and studying the Scriptures. On the one hand, Jesus, Paul, and others refute others’ teachings that favor with God can be gained by doing certain things. On the other hand, Jesus, Paul, and others share the importance of doing certain things. Some may question, isn’t this contradictory? The answer, of course, is no. 

Think of it this way: imagine you plant a garden in the same soil every year. Over time, the quality of the crops diminish. You buy higher quality seeds, but the crops continue to fail. Why? Because the nutrients in the soil have been used up. More most be added to the soil in order for the crops to grow. 

God made people in such a way that we truly can grow closer to Him and live in union with Him. It won’t come from a lifestyle of obeying certain rules. But there are healthy practices that can keep the soil of your soul rich for growth. For example, accepting Sabbath as a gift to be received is different than requiring Sabbath as a law to be obeyed. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     MATTHEW 13:1-9  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: What might be one “nutrient” which need to be added to the soil of your soul? In what ways will adding it help you to grow? 

DIGGING DEEPER: Consider the possibility of registering for the Emotionally Healthy Spirituality course at SRC. 

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, when I think about my life, how I spend my time, energy, and money, I can easily discover areas of my life that are not helping me grow closer to You. Continue to help me discover the many ways in which I numb or seek “relief.” Even more, help me to discover what it is I’m trying to numb. May I bring all of these things to Your feet, and find rest and peace in You. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Colossians 3:18a Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial…

In yesterday’s reading we focused on what it looks like to be a false peacemaker. Today, we’ll turn this around and focus on what it looks like to be a real peacemaker. 

Through all of his letters, we see the Apostle Paul respond to those who were teaching false principles or creating tension. He didn’t ignore it in order to be a “peacemaker.” Nor did he respond with a pious attitude. Instead, in grace and truth, he responded in a way that revealed his desire for real peace.

There are valuable lessons to be learned from his example. To use some examples from yesterday’s reading, when somebody shares an offensive joke, being a peacemaker means that it’s good to respond. You can confidently share your value that all people are of equal value and no one should be criticized in an offensive manner. Similarly, when you learn somebody has gossiped about you behind your back, it’s good to respond. You can – in grace and truth – confront those involved, being sure to indicate that talking about others in a derogatory manner doesn’t lead to a healthy life for anybody involved. 

READING & PRAYERS:

     COLOSSIANS 2:16-23  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: Who is somebody you know who manages tension really well? What, specifically, have you observed that shows they’re able to do it so well? 

DIGGING DEEPER: Think over the previous two to three days. Was there situation with some tension in which you opted not to respond? How could you have responded in a healthy so that you would be true to your values?

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, today I simply pray that You will continue to help me recognize the deepest values of my soul, and provide me clarity on when and how to communicate these values in a way that helps me grow into a real peacemaker. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5:9)

Matthew 5:9 may be one of the most misunderstood and misapplied verses by followers of Jesus in our culture today. This is because too many people think that being a “peacemaker” means that they cannot verbally disagree with others as this may create tension in the relationship. The logic goes something like this: “If there’s ever any tension in a relationship, I must be failing at being a ‘peacemaker.’” 

The result can be disastrous. Somebody shares an offensive joke but you don’t say anything because you want to be a “peacemaker.” Somebody is upset because you can’t make it to an event they’re hosting, so your change all of your plans in order to be a “peacemaker.” You discover a colleague has gossiped behind your back saying you must either be lazy or really ignorant. You choose not to confront them because you want to be a “peacemaker.” 

In each of these situations, peace is not attained. Why? Because lying to yourself and/or others doesn’t attain peace. Instead, it leads to being a false peacemaker.  

READING & PRAYERS:

     COLOSSIANS 2:16-23  (also read the commentary notes in your Study Bible of choice.)

QUESTION: How regularly would say you choose not to respond to conflict or tension in order to be a “peacemaker?” How regularly does this lead you to be peace?

DIGGING DEEPER: What do you think about the conclusion in today’s reading; that being a false peacemaker is the same as lying to yourself and/or others?

Take a Step: Practice listening to God by utilizing the One Minute Pause app at least twice a day.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess there are times when I avoid confrontation, and today’s reading has led me to begin considering whether I’m more of a real peacemaker or a false one. As I remain rooted in You, continue to help me see the many ways You helped bring real peace into the lives of others. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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