Meditations

Read Colossians 4

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most
of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full
of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may
know how to answer everyone.”
(Colossians 4:5-6)

Thoughts… Are you ready to share you faith at a moment’s notice? Many Christians would freeze up if that “moment” ever happened. The truth is, I have been there and done that—I had the perfect opportunity to share Christ, but I pulled my punches and missed a perfect opening to put in a good word for Jesus.

Paul is reminding us that we must stay alert to our main mission in this world, and that is to serve as ambassadors of Jesus Christ (cf. II Corinthians 5:17-21). We are not on this planet just to get a good education, find a good spouse, make a good living, live in a good neighborhood, drive a good car, have good friends, and go on good vacations every year. We have been put here to point people to a good God by telling them the Good News that they can be made right with God through his Son, Jesus Christ, live a life of purpose and when life is done, enjoy an eternal life that is light years ahead of being just merely a good life.

That is our mission. That is our main focus—or at least it should be. And we are to “make the most” of every situation in order to strategically align ourselves to get in a word with “outsiders” — since in reality, they unknowingly and subconsciously are looking for what we have already found. The Greek phrase for “making the most of every opportunity” literally means to buy up an opportunity for one’s self; to use everything and everyone as an advantageous opportunity; to see each moment as a strategic, crucial God-moment to extend his kingdom.

How can you do that? Paul gives several ways in the surrounding verses. First of all, ask God for opportunities. Verse 2 says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” Being and staying on mission requires being and staying on alert in prayer. Second, develop a kingdom mindset. How? Again, it involves prayer; specifically, prayer for kingdom advancement through the lives and ministries of others. Doing keeps your mind on the main reason you on are this earth. Verse 3 says, “And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” And third, make sure your message matches your mouth. A lot of believers blow any chance at an effective witness because their behavior has sabotaged the beliefs they are trying to share. Paul says things like “be wise in the way you act toward outsiders…let your conversation be seasoned with salt”, which represents purity of speech, and “full of grace”, which means full of God’s loving, redemptive truth.

“Make the most of every opportunity!” Paul is pleading with us to take advantage of every situation. We are to capture each moment. We are to be opportunistic for the kingdom’s sake every chance we get.

Whatever the Lord has planned for you today, it will include opportunities to advance his kingdom.

So be ready to think on your feet, and when there is an opening, put a good word in for Jesus!

Prayer… Father, keep me in a kingdom mindset all day long. And enable me to make the most of each opportunity to speak up for you!

One More Thing… “Jesus Christ did not say, ‘Go into the world and tell the world that it is quite right.’” —C.S. Lewis

Read Colossians 3

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the
Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an
inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the
Lord Christ you are serving.”
(Colossians 3:23-24)

Thoughts… What if you did everything for one week as if you were doing it for Jesus? What do you think would happen? Do you think your life, and the lives of people who interact with you, would be different? Better? Changed for the good?

I want to suggest a seven-day experiment, starting from the moment you read this blog: For one full week, treat everyone you meet as if you were meeting Jesus. Speak to them, work for them, lead them, serve them, think about them just like they were Jesus himself. Do it no matter how you feel or how they respond to you, and just see what happens.

If you are married, love your husband like you would if your spouse were Jesus. Serve your wife like you would if Jesus were your bride. Parent your children like Jesus were your child. If you are under someone’s authority—a parent, teacher, a policeman who pulls you over, a supervisor who knows less about the job than you do, or the owner of the company—treat them with the kind of respect you would give Jesus if he were in their place. If you are in authority, lead like Jesus would.

And do your work like you were working for the man, because really, Paul says, you are working for “the man.” If it is cooking breakfast and cleaning house, or doing homework and working on some project, or if it is keeping the books and ringing up a customer, do it as if you were doing it for Jesus himself.

Try it—because in fact, it is the Lord Christ you are serving.

What if you did that? What if…?

Prayer… Jesus, in everything I do this week, I will give it my best shot. I will love more freely, encourage more fully, serve more diligently, and work more excellently. I will do it for you, because it is you I am serving.

One More Thing… “It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, but why he does it.” —A.W. Tozer

Read Colossians 2

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
(Colossians 2:6-7)

Thoughts… Christianity at its best is to live as Jesus would if he were in my place.

That’s what Paul is teaching. That’s what it means to “continue to live in him.” To “continue” pictures a lifestyle patterned after Christ’s. It simply means to walk as Jesus would walk if he were in your place. I John 2:6 says, “The one who says he abides in him ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.”

Actually, it means that we should not just live in him, but rather, we should allow him to fully live in us.

I love the story of a little girl and her mother who were having a conversation on the way home from church one Sunday. The girl turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me.”

The mother said, “Oh? Why is that?”

The little girl said, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”

The mother replied, “Yes, that’s true honey.”

“And he also said that God lives in us? Is that true, Mommy?”

Again the mother replied, “Yes.”

So the girl said, “Well, if God is bigger than us and he lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?”

As we “continue to live in him” —to live as if Jesus himself were living in our place—to allow Jesus to live alongside and inside us—he will begin to show through!

That is Christianity at its best!

Prayer… Lord, I have just one simple request: So fully indwell me today that you show through!

One More Thing… “Beside Jesus, the whole lot of us are so contemptible…. But God is like Jesus, and like Jesus, He will not give up until we, too, are like Jesus.” —Frank Laubach

Read Colossians 1

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds
because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you
by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy
in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”
(Colossians 1:21-22)

Thoughts… My arch-enemy in the second grade was a kid named Delmer. He was the biggest, meanest, scariest guy in our class…a real bully. And I had the brains to get into a fight with him one day at recess. No damage was done, really, we were only eight-years-old.

After school that day Delmer and two of his no-good lackeys, Stephen and Jay, confronted me as I walked toward home. Words were exchanged, and we went our separate ways. Then I made the critical error of picking up and heaving a rock, along with some choice words, at Delmer and his buddies as they were walking away. That caused a barrage of rocks to come back my way. One of those rocks, about the size of a baseball, caught me right on the chin. It caused a great deal of pain and discomfort, along with a fair amount of blood. I ran home, bloodied and bawling, and told my mom the whole story (from my point of view of course). My mom then took me right back to school and into the headmaster’s office where I again gave my account of the story. The next day at school, Delmer and his buddies were summarily marched into the office, and the “board of education” was swiftly and forcefully applied to their “seat of knowledge”, if you know what I mean..

That encounter way back in the second grade left me with a scar that is still visible to me today. I see it every time I look into the mirror. It is a constant reminder of the fact that I offended someone, that I didn’t handle a conflict very well, and that this failure led to severe pain in my life.

Each of us has scars—unpleasant reminders of painful times. But the worst scar in our lives, whether visible or not, is the scar that sin has left. Sin always leaves scars. Sometimes those scars are physical, sometimes they’re emotional, but always they’re spiritual—ugly scars that remind us of our past failures.

I want to suggest a new way of looking at your scars. Use them as an ever-present reminder of Christ’s triumph over your failed and sinful past. Every time you look at that scar or you feel remorse or you cry over what has been or what might have been, remember that God has brought victory out of sin through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ. That is what Paul is reminding us of here in Colossians 1:20-23 as he explains what we call the doctrine of reconciliation:

“…And God, through Jesus, reconciled all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight and without blemish and free from accusation–if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel.”

In my opening story I told you about Delmer and his partners in crime, Stephen and Jay. Jay received the principal’s paddle along with Delmer for hitting me with the rock. Actually, Jay was the guy who threw the rock that did the damage. But somehow, for some reason, Jay and I were reconciled through that encounter. And Jay and I were not just reconciled, we became closest friends throughout our growing up years. We were inseparable all the way through childhood. We who were once enemies now stood as friends.

That’s a picture of reconciliation. That’s what happened when Jesus died for you. He has the scars to prove it. And so do you. His scars were for your sins. Your scars are a reminder that he became a sin offering for you.

The next time you look at your scar, or see it in your mind’s eye, don’t die again for that which Christ has already died! Rather than remembering the pain and disappointment of your sin, think of the reconciliation that Christ’s death produced between God and you.

You were once an enemy—now you are God’s friend!

Prayer… Lord Jesus, thank you for bearing my sin in your body on the tree. I sometimes fall back into feelings of guilt for things I have done, but today, I choose to look at those things as a reminder that I have been reconciled to God and have been brought near to him. All that is due to you, and I gratefully praise you for that.

One More Thing… “Most Christians are being crucified on a cross between two thieves: Yesterday’s regret and tomorrow’s worries.” —Warren Wiersbe

Read Colossians 3:18-4:18

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the
Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an
inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the
Lord Christ you are serving.”
(Colossians 3:23-24)

Thoughts… What if you did everything for one week as if you were doing it for Jesus? What do you think would happen? Do you think your life, and the lives of people who interact with you, would be different? Better? Changed for the good?

I want to suggest a seven-day experiment, starting from the moment you read this blog: For one full week, treat everyone you meet as if you were meeting Jesus. Speak to them, work for them, lead them, serve them, think about them just as if they were Jesus himself. Do it no matter how you feel or how they respond to you, and just see what happens.

If you are married, love your husband like you would if your spouse were Jesus. Serve your wife like you would if Jesus were your bride. Parent your children like Jesus were your child. If you are under someone’s authority—a parent, teacher, a policeman who pulls you over, a supervisor who knows less about the job than you do, or the owner of the company—treat them with the kind of respect you would give Jesus is he were in their place. If you are in authority, lead like Jesus would.

And do your work like you were working for the man, because really, Paul says, you are working for “the man.” If it is cooking breakfast and cleaning house, or doing homework and working on some project, or if it is keeping the books and ringing up a customer, do it as if you were doing it for Jesus himself.

Try it—because in fact, it is the Lord Christ you are serving.

What if you did that? What if…?

Prayer… Jesus, in everything I do this week, I will give it my best shot to love more freely, encourage more fully, serve more diligently, and work more excellently. I will do it for you, because it is you I am serving.

One More Thing… “It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, but why he does it.” —A.W. Tozer.

Read Colossians 3:1-17

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts
on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand
of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly
things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with
Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears,
then you also will appear with him in glory.”
(Colossians 3:1-3)

Thoughts… What Paul is proposing here is that if we are to walk in radical response to God’s grace by living a holy, God-honoring life, then the what we’ve go to do is to is fix our hearts—the seat of our emotional life, and our minds—our thinking, feeling, perceiving life, on heavenly things.

In other words, we got to live with an eternal perspective. The more we’re consumed with heaven, the more life on earth will change—for the better. C. S. Lewis put it: like this,

Looking forward to the eternal world is not… a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do… If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were those who thought most of the next. The Apostles themselves, who set on foot the conversion of the Roman Empire, the great men who built up the Middle Ages, the English Evangelicals who abolished the slave trade, all left their mark on earth, precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.

Ephesians 2:6 calls us citizens of heaven. Hebrews 11:13 says we are strangers and exiles on earth. Hebrews 13:14 says we are seeking the city which is to come. Philippians 3:20 says our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. I Peter 2:11 calls us aliens and strangers.

Get the picture? Our focus is to be on the world we’re destined for. We’re not just to think of heaven, we’re to actively pursue it! It’s when we actively pursue heaven that we change the present one. Someone has said that to reach the present world, a Christian has to first leave it.

What Paul says is that we are to set our minds and our hearts on heaven’s value system. The phrase he uses, “set your hearts…set your minds” means to keep on seeking, to be preoccupied with. Jesus said it this way in Matthew 6:33: “Seek before anything else the kingdom of God and it’s righteousness…”

Here’s what happens when we seek heaven’s values for our lives now: We act differently. We behave in ways that please God, not because we have to and not because we are afraid of God’s disfavor, but because it’s just the natural thing a transformed, heaven-focused person does.

One of my favorite writers, Max Anders, illustrate this truth in the following way: Imagine yourself in the late 1800’s. You are prospecting for diamonds in the remote mountains of South Africa…far from civilization. But somehow a courier finds you and tells you that your rich uncle has died in San Francisco and left you a vast fortune. To collect it, however, you must present yourself to his estate attorney in that city.

Now at that moment you discover you are fabulously wealthy…beyond your wildest dreams. You own a mansion in the city, a summer home in the country; fine clothes, concerts, exhibits, powerful connections…all these and more are suddenly, amazingly yours.

There’s only one problem: you’re not in San Francisco to collect it and enjoy it. And you don’t have much money at present. There’s some joy now in the anticipation, in just knowing it’s true. And the courier has brought enough money for you to book passage for your return trip. But it will take three weeks of hard travel just to get to Cape Town, and three months over rough seas to get to New York. And another several weeks of bone-jarring travel across the U. S.

Are you wealthy at that moment? Beyond measure. But you have to endure months of hard living to get to your inheritance. That’s the way it is with the Christian life. We’re on our way to the riches of heaven…but we’ve got to endure some difficulties before we get there. But on the journey, our minds are fixed on the wonderful wealth and the face to face relationship we’ll have when we get there.

And as we endure the arduous journey, should the knowledge of our inheritance affect how we live? You bet. If we’re thinking about the riches at the end of the destination, we’ll begin to live like we are rich now!

Paul is saying that if we fix our hearts and minds on things above, we’re going act differently here.

“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 yourself 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.” (Verses 5-10)

Notice that Paul says “put to death…” In other word we need to get intentional about ridding our lives of sin. The Puritan preacher Richard Baxter wrote, “Use sin as it will use you. Spare it not, for it will not spare you; it is your murderer…use it, therefore, as a murderer should be used. Kill it before it kills you. And though it brings you to the grave, as it did [Christ], it shall not be able to keep you there.”

Paul gives two sample lists of sins to kill. The lists include some of the most common and troubling sins believers face.

The first list, in verse 5, deals with sexual sins. The second, in verses 8-9, deals with hateful actions. In between the two list, in verses 6-7, Paul gives two reason why we’re to put these sins to death: One, because they anger God and he will punish those who live in them, and two, because they are now inconsistent with who we have become.

Let’s briefly break down these two lists: First of all, sexual immorality takes place because of impurity. Impurity comes from lust, or perverted passion and desire, which in turn, comes from to root sin of greed.

Sexual immorality is translated from the word porneia, and refers to sexual sin. Our English word for pornography comes from this. It refers to any form of illicit sex. Since there seems to be a debate of sorts as to just what actually constitutes adultery in out culture, I think it’s really important get clarity as to what illicit sex is from God’s point of view. The Bible defines adultery as any act of unfaithfulness to your spouse, even the act of lusting after another person. The sin of emotional adultery is just as serious before God as physical adultery. And likewise, the Bible clearly says that two people who are not married who are involved sexually, are committing fornication. And verse 6 tells us that the wrath of God will come upon those who engage in these acts.

Impurity, the second word, goes beyond the act to the evil thoughts and intentions of the mind, which is where the battle for sin is always waged. The third word is lust and the fourth is evil desires. There is no great distinction between these two words-they are specific thoughts and intents of the mind toward sexual sin.

Then Paul mentions the fifth word, greed, last, because it is the evil root from which all the previous sins spring. It is the insatiable desire to have more, to have what is forbidden. And because it places selfish desire above obedience to God, greed amounts to idolatry. When people sin sexually, it is basically doing what they desire, rather than what God desires. And that, in essence, is to worship themselves rather than God, which is idolatry.

Paul says people with a heavenly mindset are going to crucify those sins…they will have no place in the life of an authentic disciple.

Then Paul gives a second list in verse 8-9, which are sins that are not so much personal as social. There is anger, which is a deep, smoldering, resentful bitterness. There is rage, which is a sudden outburst of anger. There is malice, which is the evil intentions one has to bring harm to another…not just physical harm, but verbal and emotional harm. And then there is slander, which refers to insults and dispararing remarks toward another.

Paul mentions two more: Filthy language refers to filthy and abusive speech meant to hurt someone else. Lying is falling into the pattern of Satan himself, who is the father of lies. And lying always hurts, both the one who lies and the one who is lied about.

So Paul says that if you are going to follow Christ, these things have to be put to death. Don’t treat them gently but deal with them harshly. There is no place for them in the life of a true disciple.

But the question is, how do you do that? How do you kill them off?

You can’t put them to death by just trying hard, by living a more disciplined, legalistic life; you can’t do away with them by simply becoming a super-spiritual person; you don’t it by beating your body into submission through asceticism. We’ve all been there, done that, and have fallen back into these very sins.

You do it by developing an eternal perspective. That’s where Paul started this whole teaching: “Set your hearts…set your minds on things above.” And here are three things we can do to help us live with an eternal perspective.

First of all, mark sin in your life for eradication. Resolve to do away with sin in your life. Quit playing around with it! Quit making excuses for it! Quit comparing the degree of your sin with the magnitude of worse sins. Sin—sexual and social sins—will kill you. They dishonor God. They will keep you out of heaven. There is no place for them in your life. Just resolve to do away with them.

Second, monitor your thought life. What are the kinds of things you are letting into your mind…what are the kinds of things that are influencing your ability to live with an eternal perspective? Since sin originates in the mind, the battle has to be waged there.

Put everything you allow into your mind — TV, movies, books, magazines, conversation, etc., — to the test of Philippians 4:8: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”

One of the best ways to do this is to begin to journal at the end of each day the kind of things you’ve exposed yourself to. Another way is to become accountable to a small group for these kinds of things. And if you really want to get ruthless with it, go on a media fast.

Finally, meditate on God’s truth. It’s as simple as that. Psalm 1 says blessed is the one who meditates day and night on God’s truth…he’ll be planted in the nourishment of God’s soil.”

Do you want to be a radical Christ-follower, one who lives and breaths grace and puts sin to death in your life? Develop an eternal perspective. Take these three things and just commit to doing them daily.

Romans 12:1 says the same thing another way: “Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Now here’s the encouraging thing about this. You may not feel like you are becoming a disciple, you may not feel like you’re being transformed. It doesn’t matter. Just begin to do it, and God will see to it that you are transformed. You just have to keep offering your body as a sacrifice, and over time and with consistency you’ll get there.

Prayer… Jesus, my sins were put to death when you died on the cross for them. Now with your help, I will bury them so they have no more control over my life. Rather that being submitted to their pull and power, I will be controlled by your Spirit. I will set my mind on the things you have in store for me one day in heaven.

One More Thing… “You’ll be bored with heaven if you’re not ecstatic about it now.”

Read Colossians 1:24-29

“We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with
all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which
so powerfully works in me.”
(Colossians 1:28-29)

Thoughts… “Every mule thinks his pack is heaviest”, an astute person once equipped.

Translation: If you were to ask one hundred different people about their life’s work, you would get ninety-nine would say their work environment was more difficult than most people’s; that their jobs were far more demanding than the average Joe; that their work was certainly more physically, emotionally and mentally taxing than others; and that their boss certainly had to be the toughest boss on the face of the planet.

I want to make a case in this blog that the job of a pastor has to be the most difficult and demanding job there is. Here’s why:

• Not only does the pastor have to be a person of outstanding moral integrity and godliness…
• Not only does the pastor have to have an attractive, talented godly spouse and obedient, respectful children…
• Not only does the pastor have to be an effective marriage and family counselor…
• Not only does the pastor have to be ready to answer wisely and profoundly on just about any subject known to man…
• Not only does the pastor have to be a perceptive financial manager…
• Not only does he have to be frugal with his own finances, yet dress impeccably, drive the latest model executive car but not be ostentatious, live in a respectable home large enough for entertaining the congregation but small enough not to be ostentatious…
• Not only does the pastor have to get up every Sunday and offer words from the very throne of God in an articulate, entertaining, deep, inoffensive and life-changing way…

Not only does the pastor have to pass muster in all those categories, just to name a few, dear ol’ Reverend also has the assignment of presenting each person in the congregation perfect before Christ! Now tell me if that is not the most difficult job in the whole world!

That’s what Paul is saying in Colossians 1:28, “So that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” Do you have an bullet-point like that on your job description?

In all seriousness, the role of a shepherd is extremely demanding and difficult for this very reason: It is the pastor’s assignment to turn irreligious people into fully devoted Christ followers. Since both the pastor and his people have fallen natures; because the shepherd’s sheep resist the growth process and are not always cooperative; because people are just plain old stubborn, selfish and sinful, getting people to that point of perfection before Christ is the greatest challenge in the world.

In this section of Colossians, Paul gives us a glimpse into his own heart as a pastor. As we look at Paul’s passion for his people, we gain a deeper appreciation for the role our own pastor plays in our lives.

In this brief but impassioned paragraph, Paul show seven dimensions of his ministry that can help us understand and appreciate the nature of pastoral ministry:

First of all, Paul talks about the source of the ministry. Back in verse 23, Paul is speaking of the gospel, of which, he says, “I Paul have become a servant.” Then in verse 25 he says I have become a servant [referring to the church] by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in all its fullness.”

In other words, Paul is letting this church know that it wasn’t his choice to become a minister of the gospel, it was God’s call on his life. And since God sovereignly called Paul, and filled him with the spiritual gifts to pastor, Paul had to be obedient to that call.

The word Paul uses to describe his call, or his commission, comes from the Greek word, oikonomia. It means to manage a household as a steward of someone else’s possessions. In Paul’s day, a steward was given complete oversight of the business and financial affairs of a household, giving the owner the freedom to travel and pursue other interests. The steward held a position of great trust and responsibility.

And so does a pastor. He is not building his own kingdom or reputation. He is managing God’s household of faith in a local church. Notice that Paul characterized his leadership as that of a servant…and that should be the attitude of the pastor as well. When it isn’t, you have a pastor who has lost sight of God’s call on his life.

Second, Paul talks about the spirit of the ministry. Verse 24 says, “Now I rejoice…” As difficult and demanding as the ministry may be, it was never intended to be an unbearable burden.

No matter what is going on in the church, whether difficulties from without or challenges from within, those circumstances should never sap the inner joy of the Lord that is to be the strength of a pastoral ministry. Most likely, a pastor who has lost the joy of serving Christ is not in a bad circumstance, but has a bad connection. The joy of ministering for Christ is lost when communion with Christ breaks down.

Paul got discouraged by things that happened in the churches, but he never lost his joy because he maintained an intimate connection with Christ.

Third, Paul talks about the suffering of the ministry. Look at verse 24 again: “I rejoice in what was suffered for you and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body the church.” To emphasize that joy is independent of circumstances, Paul says that he rejoices in his sufferings for their sake.

He’s referring to his imprisonment at the time of this writing. It was characteristic of the early Christians to rejoice in suffering, since they considered it a privilege to suffer for the name of Christ. The Roman apologist Aristedes wrote Christians would even rejoice and give thanks to God if any righteous person among them passed from this world. When a child was born to Christian parents, they would praise God. If the child died in infancy, the parents thanked God even more because the child would be one who had passed through the world without encountering sin. You just couldn’t beat these early Christians down because they found reason to rejoice in everything, even their sufferings.

And Pastor Paul led the way. A effective pastor will be ready to lead the way in suffering if necessary, and teach his congregation how to suffer joyfully as well.

Fourth, Paul talks about the scope of his ministry. Verse 25 says, “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in all it’s fullness…”

Notice the last phrase: in all its fullness. Paul didn’t pull any punches in his preaching. He didn’t say things just to get big crowds or just to please people. He spoke the truth of God to them, whether that was through encouraging words of instruction of through stinging words of admonishment and correction.

Verse 28 continues, “We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom…” Proclaim means literally to publicly declare a completed truth; Admonishing means to give encouraging counsel in view of sin and coming punishment; Teaching means imparting positive truth; Wisdom means practical discernment.

That’s the pastor’s responsibility. He’s got to give it to you straight and not shy away from doing so, even when there is the risk of offending some and driving others way. But when the parishioners understand the pastor’s passion, they realize that he does it as a steward of God’s household and for the benefit of the church.

Fifth, Paul talks about the subject of the ministry. V. 26 calls it “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints.” What is the mystery? Verse 27: To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.”

What that means is that the plan of salvation was kept from humanity as well as from spirit beings until Christ’s work on earth was done and the Holy Spirit brought forth the church in Acts 2.

Prior to that, there were glimpses that the Messiah would come to redeem Israel. But no one had a clue that God would actually dwell in his new Temple, the redeemed church, made up now mostly of non-Jews. The birth of the church and their stewardship of the Gospel message was absolutely astounding, earth-shattering news, and it was and is fought tooth and toe-nail by God’s enemies.

The Good News that Christ came to clean us up on the inside and live within us as his dwelling place on earth is the message of the ministry. And when ministers get side-tracked from that, there is the risk losing their primary purpose for being called by God to the ministry in the first place. They are setting aside the very mystery of the glorious richness of Christ in us, the hope of glory. Pastors just can’t let that happen.

Sixth, Paul talks about the sum of the ministry. Look at the last part of verse 28: “So that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” The goal of the ministry is the maturity of the saints. That’s what the word perfect means. It’s being complete, mature, grown up, like Christ in every way.

That’s why there will always be the need for pastors. Although we strive for that lofty goal, no one on earth has arrived there yet. One day, every true believer will attain it—but not in this life. That’s why we keep having church, keep having Bible studies, keep on moving to the next dimension in our spiritual formation, keep having pastors train and equip us.

And seventh, Paul talks about the strength of the ministry. It would be an absolutely impossible and discouraging task were it not for verse 29: “To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.”

The word labor means to work to the point of exhaustion. Striving refers to competing in an athletic event. We get our English word agony from it. The verse speaks of the pastor putting forth all his energies, efforts and focus—his maximum exertion—on maturing the saints. When he does, his toil won’t be in vain; God will supply the pastor with Divine power to get the job done.

That is a quick look at the work of a pastor—his purpose and his passion. So what does that have to do with you?

For one thing, anything Paul says about the pastor’s call is true of God’s call on your life. You may not be called to vocational, full-time ministry, but as a member of Christ’s body you have a call and an anointing on your life. You are spiritually gifted and there is a place of service just right for you in the church.

You too have been called to present this mystery—Christ in you the hope of glory—to the world in which you live. You should be no less passionate about God’s call on you life than your pastor. You too, are a steward of God’s grace.

So let me call you to an increased level of passion for the work of God and for his people.

For another thing, you need to keep in mind that the pastor’s role isn’t to make you more comfortable, but but to make you more Christ-like. That’s why words like admonish and agonize, struggle and suffer and servanthood and maximum effort are used when talking about the pastor’s efforts.

So let me encourage you to encourage your pastor to tell it to you like it is. Give your shepherd permission to give it to you straight, without pulling any punches. And when he or she does, take it like a maturing saint, not a sniveling martyr. Remember, it is not easy for the pastor to fulfill that tough side of the ministry.

So let your pastor know that you’re behind him and expect him to push you when he needs to.

Then the pastor’s passion ought to be of interest to you because their work concerns your life. The pastor is not just doing it for the fun of it. No, the pastor’s passion is seeing Christ fully formed in you, seeing you fully mature in Christ. So what you shepherd is doing in ministry touches the very core of your spiritual life.

Finally, because of the important role the pastor is so vital, make their job as easy for them as you can by joyfully entering into a partnership with them. Make it a joint venture, where you fully cooperate with God and pastor in the process of your spiritual formation. Don’t worry that they’ll have too much time on his hands if you make it too easy for them. Believe me, there will be plenty of other saints who seem to have a ministry of making the pastor’s life tough.

The story is told of two guys riding their bicycle built for two up a steep hill. And when they finally made it to the top, the guy in front said, “Whew! That was the toughest climb…the steepest hill I’ve ever rode up. Didn’t know if we would ever make it up.”

And the second guy said, “Yeah…and if it weren’t for me keeping my breaks on the whole way, we would have easily slid back down.”

Don’t put on the brakes on while your pastor is peddling you to be presented perfect before Christ.

Prayer… Father, thank you for every spiritual leader who has contributed to my spiritual formation. Bless them abundantly. Let them know that their efforts have not been wasted. Allow them to experience the joy of knowing this sheep is well own his way to being presented perfect before Christ.

One More Thing… “”The authority by which the Christian leader leads is not power but love, not force but example, not coercion but reasoned persuasion. Leaders have power, but power is safe only in the hands of those who humble themselves to serve.” —John Stott

Read Colossians 1:21-2:7

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your
minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled
you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you
holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.”
(Colossians 1:21-22)

Thoughts… My arch-enemy in the second grade was a kid named Delmer. He was the biggest, meanest, scariest guy in our class…a real bully. And I had the brains to get into a fight with him one day.

Actually, it wasn’t much of a fight. He claimed I stole his big red rubber ball at recess; I had just “innocently” picked it up when it came rolling my way. He accused me of of being a ball theif and I defended my second-grade honor. Punches were exchanged: he hit me in the stomach and I hit him in the stomach, the bell rang, recess was over, and so was the fight—if you want to call it one. Or so I thought…

After school that day Delmer and two of his no-good lackeys confronted me on my way home. Words were exchanged, as were a few more ineffective punches to the mid-section, and we went our separate ways. Then I made the critical error of picking up a rock and heaving it, accompanied by some choice words, at Delmer and his buddies as they were walking away. That caused a barrage of rocks to come back my way.

One of those rocks, about the size of a baseball, caught me right on the chin, which caused a great deal of pain and discomfort, along with some blood. I ran home, told my mom the whole story (from my point of view of course), who then took me right back to school and into the headmaster’s office where I again gave my account of the story.

The next day at school, Delmer and his buddies were summarily marched into the office where the board of education was swiftly and forcefully applied to the seat of knowledge. To add insult to Delmer’s injury, my older brother caught up with him not long after and threw him into an irrigation ditch, finishing what I and the principle didn’t. Delmer never bothered me again.

That encounter way back in the second grade left me with a scar that is still visible to me today. I see it every time I look into the mirror to shave. It is a constant reminder of the fact that I offended someone, that I didn’t handle conflict very well. And it led to severe pain in my life. It is a constant reminder of an unpleasant experience.

Each of us has scars—unpleasant reminders of painful times in our lives. But the biggest, ugliest scar in our lives, whether visible or not, is the scar that sin has left. Sin always leaves scars. Sometimes they’re physical, sometimes they’re emotional, but always they’re spiritual—ugly scars that remind us of our past failures and the consequences that resulted.

I want to suggest a new way of looking at your scars, whether they’re visible or invisible: Those sin-scars can become positive reminder of the wonderful work of reconciliation that has taken place in our lives. I would even go so far as to challenge you, if you have a physical scar, a visible reminder of past pain, to now use that as a constant reminder, not of the failure of your sin, but of the victory in Christ that has come out of your past failure. Every time you look at that scar or you feel remorse or you cry over an injury, remember that God has brought victory out of sin.

In yesterday’s blog, I suggested that we need to live with a big God mentality. One of the areas that is hardest for us to adopt this big God mentality is in the area of personal sin. When we live under fear and guilt and condemnatione, we are acting like our sin is the one area where God just isn’t big enough.

Paul is reminding us that because of a great Scriptural truth called reconciliation we don’t have to live under that awful load. When you grasp the doctrine of reconciliation, you can begin to live with a big God mentality in the area of personal sin. Colossians 1:20-23 says,

“…And God, through Jesus, reconciled all things to himself, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight and without blemish and free from accusation–if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope of the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, which I, Paul, have become a servant.”

The key idea here is reconciliation. This is one of five key Divine actions that took place at the cross in order to secure your salvation. It would be good for you to understand these five:

Justification: The sinner stands before God guilty and condemned, but is declared righteous. Romans 8:33 says “Who can bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.” Christ has made us just as if we had never sinned as we stand before God.

Redemption: The sinner stands before God as a slave, but is granted freedom. Romans 6:18 & 22 says “You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness… But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.” Your freedom was paid for in Christ’s blood.

Forgiveness: The sinner stands before God as a debtor, but the debt is paid and forgotten. Ephesians 1:7 says “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…” Your sin-debt has been paid in full. It was charged to Christ’s account.

Adoption: The sinner stands before God as a stranger, but is made a son. Ephesians 1:5 says “In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and his will…” You were once an outcast but now you are a treasured child.

Reconciliation: The sinner stands before God as an enemy, but becomes a friend. II Corinthians 5:17-20 says “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.” Your enemy has now become your best friend.

In my opening story, one of Delmer’s buddies was a guy named Jay. Jay received the principle’s paddle along with Delmer for hitting me with the rock. Actually, Jay was the guy who threw the rock that did the damage. But somehow, for some reason, Jay and I were reconciled through that encounter. And Jay and I were not just reconciled, we became closest friends through our growing up years. We were inseparable all the way through childhood.

We who were once enemies now stood as friends. That’s a picture of reconciliation. That’s what happened when Jesus died for you. He has the scars to prove it. And so do you. His scars were for your sins. Your sin-scars can become a reminder of what he did for you.

Next time you look at that scar (or feel it in your mind), rather than remembering the pain and disappointment it brought, think of the reconciliation that has occurred between God and you.

Prayer… Lord Jesus, thank you for bearing my sin in your body on the tree. I sometimes fall back into feelings of guilt for things I have done, but today, I choose to look at those things as a reminder that I have been reconciled to God and have been brought near to him. All that is due to you, and I gratefully praise you for that.

One More Thing… “Most Christians are being crucified on a cross between two thieves: Yesterday’s regret and tomorrow’s worries.” —Warren Wiersbe

Don’t re-die for that which Christ already died!

Read Colossians 1:1-20

“Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over
all creation…all things were created by him and for him.
He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
(Colossians 1:15)

Thoughts… How big is your God?

That’s a critical question, because the way you live will be in direct proportion to the size of your God. The problem that most of us have is that our God is too small. We’re not convinced that we are safely in the hands of a competent, all knowing, all powerful God. The truth is, many of us live with a shrunken God.

The New Testament writers never tire of telling us that the God we serve is no little God. And there may not be another passage that gives us a clearer, more majestic picture of the greatness of Christ than the one Paul paints for us here in Colossians 1:15-20. There is not a paragraph anywhere in Scripture that has more concentrated doctrine on the supremacy and preeminence of Christ than this one.

The reason Paul writes this is because of a heresy spreading through the New Testament church about who Christ was. Some so-called believers viewed Christ as just one god among many gods. In this belief system, called Gnosticism, it was believed that matter was evil and spirit was good, and since God was spirit, he would therefore not have had anything to do with the creation of matter. The idea that Jesus was made flesh was unthinkable, and if he was, then he wasn’t really a big God.

We’re still doing that to Jesus in our day, by the way. Maybe not doctrinally, but practically we have shrunk Jesus down to something less than who and what he really is. We don’t deny Christ outright, but we dethrone him by giving him prominence rather than preeminence in our lives.

So here in this letter, Paul writes the church in Colosse—and by extension, to the church today—to remind us of the greatness of Christ. Paul points out several truths that ought to bring Jesus into sharper focus for us:

First of all, Jesus Christ is the reflection of the invisible God. Verse 15 says, “He is the image of the invisible God.” In other words, when you see Christ, you’re seeing God himself.

The Greek word used for image is “eikon”, from which we get our word icon. An icon is a statue. Here it refers to a portrait. Paul says Jesus is the portrait of God, the perfect, absolutely accurate image of the heavenly Father.

Hebrews 1:3 describes Jesus as the radiance of God’s glory. Christ reflects God’s attributes as the sun’s light reflects the sun. Furthermore, that verse says he is the exact representation of his being. The Greek word for exact representation is “karaktar”, from which we derive our word character. It referred to an engraving tool, or stamp. Jesus is the exact likeness of God; the invisible God became visible in Christ.

One day a little girl was drawing a picture. So her mom saw what she was doing and said, “Honey, what are you drawing?” The little girl responded, “I’m drawing a picture of God!” The mom informed the little girl that no one knows what God looks like. And to that the little girl said, “they will when I get done.”

People in Jesus day had never seen God; no one knew what he looked like. They only knew of him from laws and traditions passed down from their fathers, who as sinful, fallen men, sometimes painted a picture of God that was far from accurate. No one had ever seen God, but Jesus came along and said, “they will when I get done.”

How much of God do we see in Jesus? Paul tells us in verse 19, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.” What does this say about what God looks like? Just look at Jesus.

How does God feel about little kids? Look at Jesus gathering the little children and saying, “Suffer the little children to come to me…” How does God feel about the poor? Look at Jesus affirming the elderly widow putting in her to pennies in the temple offering, declaring that she gave out of her poverty while the well-off were shortchanging God. How does God feel about sinners? Look at Jesus dealing with the woman caught in adultery: “Woman, I don’t accuse you…go and leave your life of sin.” How does God feel about the loss of a loved one? Just look at Jesus weeping at the tomb of Lazarus.

What does God look like? Just look at Jesus!

Second, Jesus is the agent of creation. Look at verse 15 again: “He is the image of God, the firstborn over all creation.” And verse 16 adds, “For by him all things were created…”

The word Paul uses here for firstborn is “prototokos”, from which we get the word prototype. Paul isn’t saying that Jesus was the first to be created but that he was the agent of creation. This was a title of preeminence which meant that Jesus is the Lord of creation.

Verse 16 says, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, things invisible and visible, whether thrones or powers, or rulers or authorities, all things were created by him and for him.”

How big is your Jesus? He was the very one who created the universe and everything in it. So what does that mean for you? It means that Jesus is Lord over governments, networks, authorities, belief systems, addictions, illness—he is Lord over everything that affects your life. That means you don’t have to fear or worry about any of these—Jesus will take care of them for you.

How big is Jesus? He is Lord over all creation

Third, Jesus is the sustainer of all things. Referring to the entire created order, verse 17 says that Jesus, “is before all things and in him all things hold together.”

Your Christ is so big that he is holding everything you see and don’t see together. If it weren’t for his power, this whole universe, including your life, would just come apart at the seams and spin out of control clear into infinity.

A guide took a group of people through an atomic laboratory and explained to them how all matter was composed of rapidly moving electric particles. The tourists studied the models of molecules and were amazed to learn that matter is made up primarily of space. And during the question period, one visitor asked, “If this is the way matter works, what holds it all together.” And to that the guide had no answer.

But Paul gives us the answer. It is a Christ so big, so powerful, so ever-present that he continues to sustain all things by his nature. If you are like me, there been times when you don’t think you can hold it all together. Here’s the good news according to Paul: You don’t have to—Jesus will.

What is God like? How big is he? He is the Lord of creation who continues to sustain all things by his nature and his power, and he have revealed himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. This Jesus you serve is so big that he created the universe by his power and for his use. And since you belong to him, you can take courage and begin to live your life with a big God mentality, because you live in a big God reality!

Prayer… Lord Jesus, you are bigger and greater than everything else in my life. You are supreme and sufficient for me. As I go about my day, I will take courage that I belong to the one who created all things and holds all things together by his power. I will therefore live my life as a big God person.

One More Thing… “Until we know Jesus, God is merely a concept, and we can’t have faith in Him. But once we hear Jesus say, ‘He who has seen Me has seen the Father’ we immediately have something that is real, and our faith is limitless.” —Oswald Chambers

“Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ.” (Colossians 3:23)

Thoughts... Who is your boss?

Years ago, Tom Peters and Bob Waterman wrote a landmark book on successful companies called, In Search Of Excellence. In their research, they discovered the main ingredient to succesful businesses was found in, “Unusual effort on the part of ordinary employees.” When they found a string of unusual efforts from a host of ordinary employees, they knew they were on the trail of an exceptional business—a company with a corporate climate that rained excellence.

One of those outstanding companies was Nordstrom. They tell the story of an executive who wanted to buy a suit. His wife and daughter were Nordstrom fans, and always pestering him to shop there. Frankly, he suspected that Nordstrom charged an arm and leg for everything. But he badly needed a suit, and there was a sale, so he figured there wasn’t much to lose. He went shopping, and found the service was actually good, so he bought a suit on sale and another one at full price.

Nordstrom promises same-day alterations, unless there’s a sale, then alterations are the next day. So he came back the next day, wanting the suits for a business trip that night. To his surprise, his salesman greeted him by name. The guy ran upstairs for the suits, but after 5 minutes, reappeared empty-handed…they weren’t ready! Though he needed them for his trip, he felt happy because their failure confirmed his original suspicions.

He left town without the suits, but when he checked into his hotel, there was a package waiting. The Federal Ex fee of $98 had already been paid—by Nordies. And there were the suits, with three expensive silk ties thrown in for free. There also was a note of apology from the salesman, who’d called the guy’s home and found out where he’d be.

Needless to say, this executive was now a Nordstrom fan, too! The salesman had not only did his job well, he went above and beyond the call of duty—and Nordstrom got the credit.

Now wouldn’t you say that as followers of Christ, we have a calling that’s fundamentally higher than Nordstom to work with an attitude of excellence? Because of “Who” we serve, going above and beyond the call of duty ought to be just be a part of a good day’s work. Because God is both our boss, and our customer, our passion ought to be to do our jobs well, and then some! Because of Who and what our mission represents, people ought to be able to look at our excellent lives and see the excellent God we worship.

Paul talks about this very thing in Colossians 3:17,

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Imagine what would happen if you and I—just ordinary people—gave sustained effort to live out this verse every day!

Paul goes on in verses 22-24,

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Imagine if each one of us did everything as unto the Lord. Instead of people bubbling about Nordstrom, or whatever else they may gush over, they’d be bubbling about our Jesus.

Let me unpack these verses a little more, because Paul’s call to the Colossians is God’s call to all Christians today. And I want to get you to think more deeply about this by posing 3 questions: What? How? and Why?

First off, what is excellence? Very simply, I’d say it is doing everything for the approval of God. If that is truly my motive, then my work will be done with excellence. I will leverage what I have to the best of my ability to produce something that is fitting for the King of all creation. It will be the very best I can do. I will go above and beyond the call of duty. It will make God proud.

Here the second question: How am I to go about my work? Verse 22 from The Message Bible says,

“Do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real master, for God.”

Paul is saying not just some of the time, not just when you’re being watched, not just with partial effort, but every time you do what you do, do your best…and then some.

Here’s another way to look at it: Would whatever you’re doing stand up to inspection by Jesus himself? Would he say, “Wow, this is really good?”

I have been reading a book on the Disney Corporation’s unswerving commitment to excellence. It’s called “Keys To The Magic Kingdom”. It’s full of principles and examples—it’s a great read. One of those examples had to do with the immaculate condition of the facilities and grounds at the Disney theme parks. Someone asked how many custodians it took to achieve such impeccable conditions, and the response was something like 45,000 custodians.

How could that be, so many custodians? The answer was that, in effect, all of the Disney theme park employees served as custodians—each one knows that cleanliness is his or her job. They all know customer service is their job, too. They all know quick and easy access to rides is everybody’s job. They all know that putting the magic in the magic kingdom is everybody’s job. That’s what makes Disney the magic kingdom—a corporate culture of excellence. That being the case, they simply go about their work with a commitment and passion for excellence.

Since we work for the real magic kingdom, the Kingdom of God, shouldn’t excellence be at the heart of who we are and how we work?

How should you work? You should be the kind of person Jesus would be if he were in your place. You should do the kind of work you’d do if Jesus were your boss. Your attitude should be the same if Jesus were your customer.

So if that’s how I’m supposed to work, the third question is: Why should I work with excellence? The answer to that is rather obvious, but let me just remind you that if your motivation is anything other than working for the glory and pleasure of God, you will eventually begin to offer less than Biblically-defined excellence in your work. That’s why Paul says in verses 23-24,

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving”

Knowing who you are working for and working for his approval will make all the difference in your attitude, in the quality of your efforts and in the outcome of your work!

A long time ago, on an extremely hot day, a crew was repairing some railroad tracks when they were interrupted by a train that ground to a stop right where they were working. A window on the last car opened and out of the air-conditioned coach a booming voice shouted, “Dave—is that you?” Dave Anderson, the crew chief, called back, “Sure is, Jim — great to see you again!”

Jim Murphy, president of the railroad, invited Dave Anderson in for a visit. For over an hour, the two men visited, then they shook hands as the train took off.

Dave’s crew was impressed; they couldn’t believe that Dave was a personal friend of Jim Murphy—the president. Dave explained that over 20 years earlier, he and Jim Murphy had started to work for the railroad on exactly the same day. One of the men jokingly ask Dave why he was still working like a dog out in the hot sun while Jim had gotten to be the president of the company. Dave said, “Some twenty years ago, I went to work for $1.75 and hour, and Jim went to work for the railroad.”

Who are you working for? In reality, it is not for a paycheck; it is not for your employee; it is not for advancement; it is not for anything other than the approval of God.

It’s the Lord Christ you are serving!

And every day, in every way, he deserves excellence in everything you do!

Prayer… God, today I offer all of my life to you—all that I am and all that I will do. I offer it in the most excellent way I know. I pray that you will take my passion for excellence and empower it with the supernatural presence of your Holy Spirit so that eternal things might be accomplished for your glory.

One More Thing… “No sacrifice can be too great to make for Him who gave His life for me.” —C.T. Studd