Father God, I am feeling tattered and worn. I want to feel joyful and excited. I am feeling overwhelmed and burdened. I want to feel confident and free. I feel sad and lonely. I want to feel happy and surrounded by your love and the love of those who love me. I feel disconnected today. I want to feel connected. Thank you for Tina's words of encouragement. My heart aches to feel the truth of her words spoken over me. I keep thinking this dark cloud is coming from somewhere outside of myself, but I don't think so anymore. I think this dark cloud is of my own issues. I release all these burdens and fears to you. Thank you that you are bigger than my circumstances, and thank you that somewhere in the depths of my cold and scared heart I know that you are planning something so big and so amazing for my little family. Please, please renew the strength of my song today. ~Amen.
2:16-17 "Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."
"Don't let anyone judge you." Some of those voices are me letting other people judge me. I was feeling so defensive yesterday. I thought it was because several of my friends are struggling and I was in intercession for them, but now I realize it was mine...I am feeling so uneasy about all these things and so many of the people I talk to have been sowing into that uneasiness. Eric's family is concerned about the low pay we're going to Redding for. Apparently, I'm allowing their concerns to fortify my concerns, rather than leaning on Christ for the reality that He is going before us. We have done our very best to surrender this whole thing to Him at every turn. This is where the rubber meets the road for my faith. I know what I know, but deep inside I still believe He is setting us up to show us where our motives are wrong. All that talk I talk about how good He is, and on some deep level I still don't believe it!!! I am so desperate to feel the healing balm of His love wash all that yuck away, and yet He is asking me to trust, to wait, and to be patient. I cannot speed my healing process. Truly, I really don't want to. I don't want to do anything ahead of him. And here I am, partnering with that enemy voice in my head telling me I'm not as far along as I think I am.
Okay, I guess I'm a mess today. I am so glad we are doing this. I am so glad that this is the time that "we" chose to study this particular book of the Bible. What I like about these verses is that it says that religious rites and festivals are a shadow of the intimacy and celebration we're going to have with Jesus. After over 400 years of silence from God, Jesus comes into the world and brings with Him a revival of the religious festivals. I imagine that many of these festivals were done by rote and without much remembrance of what the point was. The people had given up hope and joy. Even after Jesus came, Paul was speaking to folks who were still under that black cloud of ritualism without life (sounds a little like myself right now). Paul was offering them freedom from that dark cloud of empty religion. He was giving them a taste of the freedom that belonged to them in Christ already!! I want this to become so real to me.
2:18-19 "Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow."
These verses have weight significance to me. I've been one of these people in the last year. I got so distracted by the signs and wonders that I lost focus on the love of God. It is a long story that I don't want to relate here, but I know exactly what Paul is talking about here. I am so grateful that He gently showed me the error of my ways and put me back in line with Him and my husband.
2:20-21 "Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: 'Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"
Again, I think of diets. Probably because this was a verse quoted often in The Weigh Down Workshop, which was my diet of choice for many years. The first thing is that I died to the basic principles of this world! I want to examine that for a minute. I died to the principle that there isn't enough for everyone on this planet. I came alive in Christ to the truth that God rains his goodness on the righteous and the unrighteous. I came alive in Christ to the truth that God owns the cattle on a thousand hills and that he is the most generous beings in the Universe, and He is IN the universe. Yeah! God with us! Immanuel. I died to the principle that God is angry with me, and I came alive in Christ to the truth that He sees me as His dear, sweet, delightful daughter. I died to the principle that the Universe is working against me (curse of Adam), and I came alive in Christ to the truth that there are riches untold and resources always coming my way to encourage me and draw me into the purposes and plans God has for me. I have all that I need to do what He has called me to do.
I know I am still embroiled in this struggle to come out of the darkness of the world's principles into the glorious truth of God's principles. Father, I pray that you help the four of us really get this, really draw your principles deep into our beings so that we can walk out of your principles and no longer fall under the weight of the rules of this world and religion. I pray that as we four begin to really walk upright in your kingdom principles, our children will learn and follow after us. Thank you that we can see your goodness in the land of the living!
2:22-23 "These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence."
Harsh treatment of the body...His Body! The Church! Human commands and teachings. There is so much human wisdom and teaching going on in the church today, and it's killing the church. I know it is fear, and I do not judge harshly. I know God is at work, breathing His fresh life and the truth of freedom into the church. I'm seeing it in many bodies and in some subgroups of bodies around here in the Skagit Valley. When I hear the phrase "harsh treatment of the body," I think of all the people coming into the church and being turned away because they don't "tow the line" of mainstream Christian rules. In some ways, it seems that many of the Christian churches are beginning to look a lot like the Pharisees. And it's NOT working to curb sexual indulgence. Marriages are suffering, pastors are stumbling, and secrets are being kept all in an effort to maintain the false humility. I am so hungry to see things turn around for the church as a whole.
I am so glad that God has shown me how similar we all are in our woundedness and in our struggles against sin and strongholds in our lives. I am so grateful to begin seeing that one person can make a difference if they start walking against the grain with Jesus. And that His freedom is really free...free from the regulations that don't deliver the power and truth of the Spirit of Jesus. Father, I pray that where we are still under these regulations that don't have anything to do with your love and your power, we would begin to see the truth. I pray for a quieting of those rules and regulations floating around in our minds. I pray that you would show us how to walk free of the world's principles with finality. Help us make the full transition to your Kingdom principles. ~Amen.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Colossians 2:16-23 Tina
Dear God I think you so much for what you are doing within me, I feel you presence with me and I am just filled with your spirit, thank you Lord for your comfort. Lord I pray a special prayer today for our brothers and sisters in Egypt, I pray Lord that you would bring about real change there and that you would end the violence and unrest. Lord you are the creator of all things and the bible tells us that the kings and rulers of our lands are under your control. I pray that your will be done in Egypt, I know that your plan is always best. I pray for Angela, be with her today and bless her with your spirit and comfort.
Amen
I went all the way to the end of Chapter 2, I just couldn't stop!!
2:16 So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths.
So once again the “laws” do not pertain to us in Christ. We are free to eat and drink what we want and celebrate what we want. I am sure this new found freedom was hard for the people of the day to swallow with all the traditions and laws that were being followed by the jews. The Pharisees added hundreds of extra laws to God’s laws. The false teachers were like judges. They told the Christians to obey these laws too. They said that this would make them into better Christians. But Paul said that the false teachers were wrong. In Mark 7:19, Jesus said that the laws about food had ended. Christians may eat any foods. Paul wrote to the Galatians because they had started to obey the Old Testament laws too. Today there are some who would like to add on different laws to us, we must hold firm in our foundation in Jesus, and we really are free. Free to pray quietly, free to pray loudly or in tongues, free to dance, free to assemble together, free to eat, free to stay quiet. I think a lot of different denominations put us back under the law, I know I felt this way in Texas. The law there was No drinking, at all, never. While I understand that public intoxication is not a good testimony to unbelievers and might lead other weaker Christians to drink, the law it self is unwarranted. A glass of champagne on my anniversary is hardly a reason to question my salvation. Other laws were not so obvious, you must live up to a certain standard, to have a nice house, vote a certain way, have well behaved “quiet” children, you must never complain or be in turmoil even if it is your health in question; sad that some people believe in these laws of today.
2:17 For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself.
My friend Sarah Ristow described this to me a long time ago. The law was like a baby sitter. The baby sitter watches carefully, corrects and tries to keep you safe while your parents are away. The babysitter sets us rules in order to have control over the child and do her job well. God is our Father, he loves us unconditionally, he does the same job as a babysitter but he does it out of complete and utter love. The rules are still there but they are established out of relationship, out of love. The child obeys because they love the Father. The Laws were giving us a picture of what Christ was like, holy and pure.
n the past, the Old Testament laws reminded the Jews that God is holy. The laws showed them how to live in the right way. But these laws did not give the Jews the power to live a holy life. However, every Christian in the world can live a holy life. This is because of Christ. The laws were good. But Christ is superior to the laws. The laws only showed people how to live in God’s way. But Christ actually lived in God’s way. And Christ gives his power to everyone who trusts him. Christians do not need the laws; they only need Christ.
2:18 Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial. And don’t let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this. These people claim to be so humble, but their sinful minds have made them proud.
Our God is a jealous God; he does not want us to worship anything above him. Not angels, food, people, job, nothing. Oh sad that we are so easily lead astray. Again the false teachers are piling on the duties for this church; follow the law, worship angels, circumcision, and self denial. These things are worldly in nature and not of God. God simply wants all of us; he wants us completely immersed in him. Only when we are soaked in Christ can we see what is of him and what is not.
2:19 But they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For we are joined together in his body by his strong sinews, and we grow only as we get our nourishment and strength from God.
Sinews: noun
1. A tendon.
2. Vigorous strength; muscular power.
3. The source or mainstay of vitality and strength. Often used in the plural: "Good company and good discourse are the very sinews of virtue.”
I love the vision this verse and definition are bringing to my mind. God is the head of the body, he gives us direction, helps us to see things, hear things, interpret ideas, we are the body of Christ (church) we do the work, we are the hands, the feet, the legs that moves through the earth. Not only that but we all make up the body and we are connected through strong tendons, we are nourished from the mouth of God which of coarse is in the head. We get our strength to do the work through our connection to the head, from God!! These being said a few verses ago when we talked about having access to the wisdom and knowledge of God, this verse confirms it. We have access to knowledge of the universe, from the creator of all things. This is amazing.
2:20-21 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the evil powers of this world. So why do you keep on following rules of the world, such as “Don’t handle, don’t eat, don’t touch.”
Paul is really trying to combat those false teachers by telling the church, “Jesus did it all for you, you do not owe him anything else but your love. You are connected to God through Jesus. Jesus erased the law, you are free. It is finished.” After reading through these last verses I think we all need to be reminded of this stuff. Being human we are fallible to pride, we think we can do everything on our own. We do these things to ourselves; we put ourselves back under the law so quick. We think we have to measure up in order to make it. Jesus says to abide in him.
John 15:4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Abide:
1. To put up with; tolerate: can't abide such incompetence.
2. To wait patiently for: "I will abide the coming of my lord" (Tennyson).
3. To withstand: a thermoplastic that will abide rough use and great heat.
v.intr.
1. To remain in a place.
2. To continue to be sure or firm; endure.
3. To dwell or sojourn.
The world would like to place us under the laws which we can never live up to, Satan would love nothing more than to have us feel like we do not measure up. Jesus says dwell in him and he will dwell in us, we will produce much fruit.
2:23 These rules seem wise because they require strong devotion, humility, and severe bodily discipline. But they have no effect when it comes to conquering a person’s evil thoughts and desires.
Again human understanding, these rules seem wise and require a lot of work but in the scheme of your heart and evil desires it does nothing. These rules and discipline leave us feeling like we can’t measure up. God would never want us to feel like that. I am beginning to think that the discipline that God is asking of us is simply to be with him as much as we can. The world is so distracting and it draws our vision away from him, our human desires are strong. Could it be that true discipline is just soaking with God, to abide in him? It seems so simple and yet it that is what my heart is telling me about what we are reading.
Colossians 2:11-15 Angela
aFather God, thank you for your joy and for your perspective and for your help in all things. This week I need help with the packing and finding work. I know you are with me, and I don't have to run in fear or give in to the overwhelming feelings that make me want to run and hide in my bed. Thank you that you are giving me strength for each moment and that I can take one task at a time. Right now, I am spending my time in Your word and in spirit with my dear friend, Tina. I pray that you will fill us both with joy, pressed down and running over. ~Amen.
2:11 "In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ..."
circumcision: peritome (from peritemno): circumcision
peritemno (from peri & the base of tomoteros): to cut around, i.e. to circumcise
peri: around, circuit, excess (beyond), or completeness (through). AND tomoteros: to cut as if by a single stroke; more keen; sharper.
He is saying that our sinful nature was completely cut off in one stroke...Jesus' death on the cross. I have been hearing this more and more over the past year. It is hard to reconcile this with the teaching that I will always sin and never be perfect like Jesus is perfect. I am still wrestling with this concept, asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten me. I am beginning to understand some things about it, but not enough to really write about it.
2:12 "...having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."
Paul just keeps repeating the gospel over and over again in different ways for different ears. I love this book! I was buried with Christ...dead to my sinful nature, and I have been raised by my faith alone...my belief that Jesus is the Son of God and died for my sins and is now seated at beside Him on the throne interceding on my behalf. And I have been raised in power, God's power. God, who raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him in heavenly places, also raised me from the dead and has seated me with Christ in heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:20 & Ephesians 2:6)
The power of God, which is at work in Paul, is also at work in each of us, wooing us, calling us, cleansing us, healing us, and preparing us for the good works that He has prepared in advance for each of us to do!
2:13-14 "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross."
While I was dead, God forgave me of all my sins. He did this by canceling the debt I owed to the written code of the Law. It doesn't mean that I won't break the law, but it means that He has canceled the opposition against me. He has taken the foothold away from the accuser. Satan accused Job, and God allowed Satan to take advantage of that situation because Job was still beholden to the law. It is different now. Satan still accuses us. I hear his voice every day in my head accusing me of stuff...bad motives, wicked intentions, bad moods, yelling at my kids. He is constantly telling me I'm a loser. The difference is that he doesn't have anything to stand on. He doesn't have anything to take to God against me anymore. I'm not even sure God entertains him in the courts of heaven any longer. It says he was confined to roam on the earth. He tries to pit us against ourselves and against each other, but he no longer has any basis to stand on to accuse us in heaven!
It says here that the law was opposed to us! NOT GOD!! For so long I believed God was out to punish me, just waiting to let the hammer fall. Makes sense, since that's what I was taught by my parents. Mistakes are intolerable and speaking my mind was punishable by the law in my house! Please Father, help me really get this. Help me really see that you are a loving Father, not waiting to punish us with words, deeds, or withholding of your love for us. You are a Daddy who gets excited when we step out and try new things. You are a Daddy who loves us and wants us to explore this world you created for us without fear. You are a Daddy who looks us in the eye and tells us we are wonderful, special, delightful, talented, and gifted! You are the greatest encourager of all! The Gift of Encouragement comes from you. You are the source of all encouragement. Show us your encouraging nature today!
2:15 "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
This is so amazing! Again, I got ahead of myself in the last paragraph about the last verse. He has defeated every power and authority...it's like the wars where the treaties were signed, but the final battles were still being fought out to seal the deal. Our mission here on earth isn't to defeat Satan; it's to allow God to mop up the messes of the final battles and set us on our feet aright. He wants us fighting in the Promised Land and not in the wilderness. This last year has been the transfer of that for me. What I have realized for my own self is that the fights in the wilderness are fights against myself...my bad behaviors, my negative thinking patterns, the roots of my problems concealed and hidden so that it seems as though I am my enemy. I am beginning to take these words Paul has spoken to heart, thanks to good teaching and some good friends who have learned about authority and the lack of power the enemy has over us. Now, I can see more clearly the generational nature of my "sins." I can see that they are rooted in a faulty foundation of lies and wounds, and I'm beginning to see the lies and wounds unraveling. The enemy is falling quickly, and now I am not fighting myself any longer, but I'm standing against him. It's such an amazing and different feeling not to hate myself anymore.
Father, I thank you that I am beginning to learn to love myself and not feel betrayed by myself all the time. I pray that you would continue to strip away the lies and show me the truth of the victory that I have in You. I pray this for Eric, too. That you would open the eyes of his understanding, that he might see the truth and begin to shout triumphantly for joy. I pray this also for Mark and Tina, as well. I pray for a completion of the mop-up and the beginning of an organized fight against the enemy and his lies! ~Amen.
2:11 "In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ..."
circumcision: peritome (from peritemno): circumcision
peritemno (from peri & the base of tomoteros): to cut around, i.e. to circumcise
peri: around, circuit, excess (beyond), or completeness (through). AND tomoteros: to cut as if by a single stroke; more keen; sharper.
He is saying that our sinful nature was completely cut off in one stroke...Jesus' death on the cross. I have been hearing this more and more over the past year. It is hard to reconcile this with the teaching that I will always sin and never be perfect like Jesus is perfect. I am still wrestling with this concept, asking the Holy Spirit to enlighten me. I am beginning to understand some things about it, but not enough to really write about it.
2:12 "...having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead."
Paul just keeps repeating the gospel over and over again in different ways for different ears. I love this book! I was buried with Christ...dead to my sinful nature, and I have been raised by my faith alone...my belief that Jesus is the Son of God and died for my sins and is now seated at beside Him on the throne interceding on my behalf. And I have been raised in power, God's power. God, who raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him in heavenly places, also raised me from the dead and has seated me with Christ in heavenly places. (Ephesians 1:20 & Ephesians 2:6)
The power of God, which is at work in Paul, is also at work in each of us, wooing us, calling us, cleansing us, healing us, and preparing us for the good works that He has prepared in advance for each of us to do!
2:13-14 "When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross."
While I was dead, God forgave me of all my sins. He did this by canceling the debt I owed to the written code of the Law. It doesn't mean that I won't break the law, but it means that He has canceled the opposition against me. He has taken the foothold away from the accuser. Satan accused Job, and God allowed Satan to take advantage of that situation because Job was still beholden to the law. It is different now. Satan still accuses us. I hear his voice every day in my head accusing me of stuff...bad motives, wicked intentions, bad moods, yelling at my kids. He is constantly telling me I'm a loser. The difference is that he doesn't have anything to stand on. He doesn't have anything to take to God against me anymore. I'm not even sure God entertains him in the courts of heaven any longer. It says he was confined to roam on the earth. He tries to pit us against ourselves and against each other, but he no longer has any basis to stand on to accuse us in heaven!
It says here that the law was opposed to us! NOT GOD!! For so long I believed God was out to punish me, just waiting to let the hammer fall. Makes sense, since that's what I was taught by my parents. Mistakes are intolerable and speaking my mind was punishable by the law in my house! Please Father, help me really get this. Help me really see that you are a loving Father, not waiting to punish us with words, deeds, or withholding of your love for us. You are a Daddy who gets excited when we step out and try new things. You are a Daddy who loves us and wants us to explore this world you created for us without fear. You are a Daddy who looks us in the eye and tells us we are wonderful, special, delightful, talented, and gifted! You are the greatest encourager of all! The Gift of Encouragement comes from you. You are the source of all encouragement. Show us your encouraging nature today!
2:15 "And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."
This is so amazing! Again, I got ahead of myself in the last paragraph about the last verse. He has defeated every power and authority...it's like the wars where the treaties were signed, but the final battles were still being fought out to seal the deal. Our mission here on earth isn't to defeat Satan; it's to allow God to mop up the messes of the final battles and set us on our feet aright. He wants us fighting in the Promised Land and not in the wilderness. This last year has been the transfer of that for me. What I have realized for my own self is that the fights in the wilderness are fights against myself...my bad behaviors, my negative thinking patterns, the roots of my problems concealed and hidden so that it seems as though I am my enemy. I am beginning to take these words Paul has spoken to heart, thanks to good teaching and some good friends who have learned about authority and the lack of power the enemy has over us. Now, I can see more clearly the generational nature of my "sins." I can see that they are rooted in a faulty foundation of lies and wounds, and I'm beginning to see the lies and wounds unraveling. The enemy is falling quickly, and now I am not fighting myself any longer, but I'm standing against him. It's such an amazing and different feeling not to hate myself anymore.
Father, I thank you that I am beginning to learn to love myself and not feel betrayed by myself all the time. I pray that you would continue to strip away the lies and show me the truth of the victory that I have in You. I pray this for Eric, too. That you would open the eyes of his understanding, that he might see the truth and begin to shout triumphantly for joy. I pray this also for Mark and Tina, as well. I pray for a completion of the mop-up and the beginning of an organized fight against the enemy and his lies! ~Amen.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Colassian 2:11-15 Tina
2:11 When you came to Christ, you were circumcised, but not by a physical procedure. I was a spiritual procedure-the cutting away of your sinful nature.
The false teachers were telling the people at in the church that they needed to become circumcised, to follow the law. We are no longer bound to the Old Testament Law; Jesus came to fulfill the law requirements. We are cleansed by Jesus, for Jesus. In Jewish tradition it is the circumcision that bounds Jews to God’s family, we no longer need this “tradition” because we are bound to God through Jesus.
Lord, I ask that you cut away any sinful nature within me that I be made clean for you. –Amen.
2:12 For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to a new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.
This is why I cry every time someone is baptized! The leaders baptized people as soon as they became Christians. They went to a river or a deep pool of water. The new Christians went right down under the water. Then they came up out of the water. The water was like a grave. They buried their old nature. Then they rose up and had Christ’s new life in them. This act was on the outside of them. But it showed what had happened inside them. Christ had died and he became alive again. At their baptism, Christians joined in Christ’s experience.
2:13 you were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. The God made you alive with Christ, he forgave all our sins.
Ok so what I am hearing is the cutting away of our sinful nature is done through baptism? Am I right on that one?
2:14 He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s cross.
Oh this is big stuff! I know so many believers who miss this one verse but it is so important. Our file is empty in heaven. God isn’t going to have list and name off everything you have done wrong in your life. Why do we feel that he is going to do this? Has Satan perverted the truth so much that we turn a loving Fathers welcome home into a complete repay of our sinful lives? I am drawn back earlier in the blog when I mentioned being completely covered in Jesus when we stand before God, we will look like Jesus. This is the one truth that I believe we as Christians need to share with the unbeliever, your record is clear Jesus has done that for you.
2:15 In this way, God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.
This is probably why this truth in the Bible is so perverted in today’s world. Satan is beat; of coarse he is going to lie to us to so he can look better. He is a sore loser. God hates sin and loves holiness. We could never be presented before God because we were sinners. In this way we would all end up with Satan in hell because none of us was good enough. Through Jesus’ cross we are all cleared of our sin charges. We are free men and women, accepted and cleaned by Jesus’ blood. We no longer belong to Satan, we belong to Christ. So in 2:14, the simple truth that we are spotless before God, Satan would love nothing for all of us to not believe it. That way he can condemn us, shame us, test our faith, and make us miserable.
Dear God,
Thank you for your word. Thank you that we are free in Christ. Help us to live each day surrounded by your love; remembering that you have done all that is needed for our salvation. We need to just abide in you, in your love and grace. Lord I ask that your simple truths would be soaked upon our hearts.
Lord I pray for the Andrews family that you would continue to work in there lives, that you would lead them where you want their family to go.
I pray for my family here that you would continue to work with each one of us. I thank you for each one of my girls and for Mark. I pray that you would open Mark’s eyes to what is going on around him. I pray that you would continue to give me patience with my husband and help me to love him through what ever he is going through.
Amen
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Colossians 2:6-10 Angela
Father, I ask for your special touch upon our bodies today. I pray for a relaxation within our cells and our muscles. I ask for strength that wells up from within us, strength we didn't know we possessed. I pray for a release of muscle tension, tissue swelling, tension headaches, and pain across the shoulder blades. I ask that you would awaken our minds and hearts to your word throughout the day, examples and signs that show us that you are near to us and confirm to us your word in our hearts. ~Amen
2:6 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him."
I can sense the build-up to something profound here. Living in Him. This is something I have been really focusing in on this past week as we struggle and contemplate where we are going to live. Several weeks ago, we opened up our hearts and minds to the possibility of moving somewhere other than Redding. This was very hard for me, since Redding is really the only place I want to go. However, I realized that I needed to be open to what my husband really needs (a positive job experience) and open to what God really wants for us. From this side of things, knowing for sure that Redding is where we're going to go, it is easier for me to talk about the process we've walked through now. We toyed with San Diego, Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, and even a little bit of discussion about other places in New Mexico and Arizona. Most recently we also talked about just staying in Bellingham. That was the worst for me. I have a vision of something God is trying to do in our lives, and Bellingham just wouldn't work for me. Last Friday I was so distraught because I was convinced that my husband would seriously move to Bellingham just for money and no other reason, which he admitted was the case. I talked with a friend, who said, "You can't always have what you want." Although there is a part of me that believes that, there is also a part of me beginning to believe that this is another one of those false doctrines.
It's not that I believe God is Santa Claus, ready to grant us any wish or fancy that comes along in our minds. I don't believe that for one second. What I do believe is that He is at work, coaxing and gently working within us to bring up the deep layers of our hearts to the surface so we can live out of the dreams that He has planted within us. In fact, I believe that 90% of what we do and think comes from this deep layer. Unfortunately, for many of us our deep layers are filled with the weeds of the enemy's work in our early lives...wounds, experiences that disprove a loving God, anxieties, and fears that prove this world is hostile to us. God has been healing this deeper layer in my life, and I've begun to realize how much of my behavior stems from hidden thoughts and motivations. I have been asking Him to uproot these things and allow only His truth to dwell there, so that the fruit of my conscious life will be in keeping with His word. And what has been true for me throughout this entire process of considering other places is that Redding is the best choice of all of them for me, and I believe for my husband too. But I haven't wanted to manipulate him or circumvent his process, so I have patiently walked through it with him. Considering options, discussing it, being open to God changing my heart as much as I was praying for Him to show Eric what He has been showing me.
This is why what my friend said to me did not bring me peace that day, which is unusual since she almost always brings me peace in our conversations. The peace came when I called a second person for prayer, and he saw that my vision for Redding, my reasons for going, and the call he could feel coming through the phone lines was really from God. He encouraged me to keep telling my husband the truth in respect, honor, and love...to keep speaking to him about destiny, choosing things for reasons other than money, and truly putting faith in God's plan and direction despite what the financial situation looks like from the outside. I did just that, and my husband who was really only slightly leaning toward Bellingham, assured me that night that Bellingham was not a serious consideration. I realize now that what Eric was looking for was a confidence about Redding that he wasn't feeling. But isn't that the way of faith? We sometimes must act on what we know without the feelings. He was looking for what I had. So I am praying for that for him now...full understanding, vision to see what God has shown me about Redding, and trust in the meantime while it is still dark. And Sunday, I talked to him on the phone (since he is at home, and we are at my folks'), and he is now having more confidence.
The funny thing is that it totally reminds me of the three or four months just before our wedding. He had no assurance. He had no faith. He just knew that when he contemplated life without me (which he did for a week), he couldn't imagine it. He didn't have any more assurance after we got married. Our first year of marriage was awful, but we can both see from this vantage point that it was clearly God's plan and destiny. This comparison has helped Eric, too.
With all that being said, when I was in the midst of my turmoil, wondering if God would really show me all that He showed me just so we would have to move to Bellingham for another year to satisfy my husband's curiosity about whether moving for money would actually work for us, God did talk to me about abiding in Him. He told me that my home is in Him and not in a place, not even in Redding. If I'm looking for a home in Redding, I'm not going to find it. If I'm looking for Him in Redding, I am going to find Him. My friend has been right about one thing. She keeps telling me that I must get to the essence of what I'm looking for, because I will not find what I'm looking for if I'm holding too tightly to one way of getting it. I know now that God didn't want us moving to Redding looking for home, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want us moving to Redding! Our Home Is In HIM!!!!
2:7 "...rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
I knew it was building to a crescendo in these verses. I already talked about the roots in our subconscious governing our actions. I am seeing this transition in my life, a transferring of kingdoms, so to speak. A few years ago I realized that I was very negative. I always said everything with a smile on my face, and people liked to be with me, but the fruit of my life was pain, negativity, depression, and anger. NOT the fruit of the Spirit. I started crying out to Him, not really having a plan for change...in fact I realized that no amount of changing my behavior was going to change anything. Instead, I just told Him every day, over and over, I'm not exhibiting Your fruit. I'm not exhibiting Your fruit. It seems like it got worse, but really I just came out of my denial. I started seeing my negativity in spades, in the way I talked, in what I talked about, and in how I treated my kids and husband. It has taken nearly three years for me to begin to see different fruit growing out of my life, but it has definitely begun to take over. I can tell that the roots I'm nourishing in my life are rooted in Him. The ones that are not of Him are slowly dying and becoming more obvious. Their fruit is cut off before it has a chance to ripen most of the time. Not all the time, but most of the time. And what flows out of me more and more each day is thankfulness instead of complaining! What flows out of me more and more is joy, instead of sorrow and depression. I am so thankful to you father, that what you have been doing in me you are doing in Tina's life. She will see your goodness in the land of the living. She will experience this transfer of Kingdoms, and I believe it will happen much more swiftly for her than it has for me. Thank you, Jesus.
2:8 "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."
Hollow and deceptive philosophy. Hollow, that word brings to mind shallow, empty, vanity. Believing things that don't really make a difference. Being taught to do things that don't result in what is promised. Deceptive means not trustworthy, not delivering what is promised, not leading or steering us in the right direction. The foundation of hollow and deceptive philosophy (way of living) is dependent on human traditions. I am praying that God will give me discernment to know when I am depending on human wisdom and when I am depending on Christ. The first thing that comes to my mind in this area is dieting. Haha! Dieting is a hollow and deceptive philosophy. I've been on countless diets, even Bible-centered diets, but I have never found lasting success in controlling my tendency to binge on food, eat too much sugar, and gain weight. I am now turning this part of my life over to Jesus, asking Him for wisdom and solutions...looking for the roots instead of trying to change my behaviors. In the last several years I have seen success in some areas. I choose better foods. Over the past seven years, I have made subtle and lasting changes, one at a time without real results in the weight department, but I do have a ton more energy and I eat far better. I'm guessing that my inside is in far better shape than my outside at this point, but I still have a ways to go before I'm where I want to be physically. Human tradition works from the outside in, whereas Christ works from the inside out. That's how I would sum up my thoughts about this verse.
2:9-10 "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."
It just keeps getting weightier and weightier. This is one of the verses that proves Jesus' deity, but it has often been taught in a way that divides us from Him rather than helps us identify with Him. Even though no one has really come out and said it out loud to me, there is a subtle teaching that I've picked up over the years that has led me to believe that I'm not actually capable of reaching the standard which Jesus set for us. I've believed this for years; that I won't reach my full potential until I die and go to heaven. On one level, I really do believe that is true. But I realize the effect that teaching has had on my life is to make me want to give up on this side of heaven. If I can't attain it, why should I even try. The truth is that this verse is actually telling us that we are full of Deity just like Jesus is. This is the proof that we are capable of all that Jesus did and more on this earth, just like He says. I have been living subpar for so long in my life, settling for the crumbs of a life of service when Jesus has really wanted me to live unafraid of taking the risks required to eat the full banquet of seeing myself healed of pain and my scarred and troubled childhood, seeing myself set free from bondage to addictions, seeing myself free to be all that God has made me to be, exercising my gifts and giving away the very freedom He has given to me so I can see others get free.
We have the fullness of God living within us. He has authority over power and principality. EVERY ONE OF THEM!! And His authority dwells within us, too. We have authority over every principality. I can pray for myself and see myself walk free of the enemy's grasp. I can pray for you and see you walk free from the enemy's plans and schemes against you. You can pray for Mark & I can pray for Eric, and we WILL see the enemy's plans fall to the ground. He will be found out and defeated, and we will see God's purposes begin to grow and flourish in our lives and in the lives of those around us. I am so excited!!
Thank you Jesus that you have given us the authority over this earth that we lost to the enemy. Teach us to walk in our true calling. Show us the plans you have for us and show us how to walk in them. More importantly, teach us your ways. Show us how to fall deeper in love with you. Melt our hearts and help us to do everything with our eyes fixed on you, the lover of our souls, or Abba father, our dearest friend. Thank you that you have chosen to share your master plan with all of us through your servant Paul. Prepare our hearts to receive the instruction that is buried deep within the verses of Colossians. Paul is laying a firm foundation for what he is about to say next, and I want to be ready to receive the call that he is going to issue for us, those who are faithful in love. Make us faithful in love, Jesus. ~Amen
2:6 "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him."
I can sense the build-up to something profound here. Living in Him. This is something I have been really focusing in on this past week as we struggle and contemplate where we are going to live. Several weeks ago, we opened up our hearts and minds to the possibility of moving somewhere other than Redding. This was very hard for me, since Redding is really the only place I want to go. However, I realized that I needed to be open to what my husband really needs (a positive job experience) and open to what God really wants for us. From this side of things, knowing for sure that Redding is where we're going to go, it is easier for me to talk about the process we've walked through now. We toyed with San Diego, Santa Rosa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Albuquerque, and even a little bit of discussion about other places in New Mexico and Arizona. Most recently we also talked about just staying in Bellingham. That was the worst for me. I have a vision of something God is trying to do in our lives, and Bellingham just wouldn't work for me. Last Friday I was so distraught because I was convinced that my husband would seriously move to Bellingham just for money and no other reason, which he admitted was the case. I talked with a friend, who said, "You can't always have what you want." Although there is a part of me that believes that, there is also a part of me beginning to believe that this is another one of those false doctrines.
It's not that I believe God is Santa Claus, ready to grant us any wish or fancy that comes along in our minds. I don't believe that for one second. What I do believe is that He is at work, coaxing and gently working within us to bring up the deep layers of our hearts to the surface so we can live out of the dreams that He has planted within us. In fact, I believe that 90% of what we do and think comes from this deep layer. Unfortunately, for many of us our deep layers are filled with the weeds of the enemy's work in our early lives...wounds, experiences that disprove a loving God, anxieties, and fears that prove this world is hostile to us. God has been healing this deeper layer in my life, and I've begun to realize how much of my behavior stems from hidden thoughts and motivations. I have been asking Him to uproot these things and allow only His truth to dwell there, so that the fruit of my conscious life will be in keeping with His word. And what has been true for me throughout this entire process of considering other places is that Redding is the best choice of all of them for me, and I believe for my husband too. But I haven't wanted to manipulate him or circumvent his process, so I have patiently walked through it with him. Considering options, discussing it, being open to God changing my heart as much as I was praying for Him to show Eric what He has been showing me.
This is why what my friend said to me did not bring me peace that day, which is unusual since she almost always brings me peace in our conversations. The peace came when I called a second person for prayer, and he saw that my vision for Redding, my reasons for going, and the call he could feel coming through the phone lines was really from God. He encouraged me to keep telling my husband the truth in respect, honor, and love...to keep speaking to him about destiny, choosing things for reasons other than money, and truly putting faith in God's plan and direction despite what the financial situation looks like from the outside. I did just that, and my husband who was really only slightly leaning toward Bellingham, assured me that night that Bellingham was not a serious consideration. I realize now that what Eric was looking for was a confidence about Redding that he wasn't feeling. But isn't that the way of faith? We sometimes must act on what we know without the feelings. He was looking for what I had. So I am praying for that for him now...full understanding, vision to see what God has shown me about Redding, and trust in the meantime while it is still dark. And Sunday, I talked to him on the phone (since he is at home, and we are at my folks'), and he is now having more confidence.
The funny thing is that it totally reminds me of the three or four months just before our wedding. He had no assurance. He had no faith. He just knew that when he contemplated life without me (which he did for a week), he couldn't imagine it. He didn't have any more assurance after we got married. Our first year of marriage was awful, but we can both see from this vantage point that it was clearly God's plan and destiny. This comparison has helped Eric, too.
With all that being said, when I was in the midst of my turmoil, wondering if God would really show me all that He showed me just so we would have to move to Bellingham for another year to satisfy my husband's curiosity about whether moving for money would actually work for us, God did talk to me about abiding in Him. He told me that my home is in Him and not in a place, not even in Redding. If I'm looking for a home in Redding, I'm not going to find it. If I'm looking for Him in Redding, I am going to find Him. My friend has been right about one thing. She keeps telling me that I must get to the essence of what I'm looking for, because I will not find what I'm looking for if I'm holding too tightly to one way of getting it. I know now that God didn't want us moving to Redding looking for home, but that doesn't mean he doesn't want us moving to Redding! Our Home Is In HIM!!!!
2:7 "...rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."
I knew it was building to a crescendo in these verses. I already talked about the roots in our subconscious governing our actions. I am seeing this transition in my life, a transferring of kingdoms, so to speak. A few years ago I realized that I was very negative. I always said everything with a smile on my face, and people liked to be with me, but the fruit of my life was pain, negativity, depression, and anger. NOT the fruit of the Spirit. I started crying out to Him, not really having a plan for change...in fact I realized that no amount of changing my behavior was going to change anything. Instead, I just told Him every day, over and over, I'm not exhibiting Your fruit. I'm not exhibiting Your fruit. It seems like it got worse, but really I just came out of my denial. I started seeing my negativity in spades, in the way I talked, in what I talked about, and in how I treated my kids and husband. It has taken nearly three years for me to begin to see different fruit growing out of my life, but it has definitely begun to take over. I can tell that the roots I'm nourishing in my life are rooted in Him. The ones that are not of Him are slowly dying and becoming more obvious. Their fruit is cut off before it has a chance to ripen most of the time. Not all the time, but most of the time. And what flows out of me more and more each day is thankfulness instead of complaining! What flows out of me more and more is joy, instead of sorrow and depression. I am so thankful to you father, that what you have been doing in me you are doing in Tina's life. She will see your goodness in the land of the living. She will experience this transfer of Kingdoms, and I believe it will happen much more swiftly for her than it has for me. Thank you, Jesus.
2:8 "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."
Hollow and deceptive philosophy. Hollow, that word brings to mind shallow, empty, vanity. Believing things that don't really make a difference. Being taught to do things that don't result in what is promised. Deceptive means not trustworthy, not delivering what is promised, not leading or steering us in the right direction. The foundation of hollow and deceptive philosophy (way of living) is dependent on human traditions. I am praying that God will give me discernment to know when I am depending on human wisdom and when I am depending on Christ. The first thing that comes to my mind in this area is dieting. Haha! Dieting is a hollow and deceptive philosophy. I've been on countless diets, even Bible-centered diets, but I have never found lasting success in controlling my tendency to binge on food, eat too much sugar, and gain weight. I am now turning this part of my life over to Jesus, asking Him for wisdom and solutions...looking for the roots instead of trying to change my behaviors. In the last several years I have seen success in some areas. I choose better foods. Over the past seven years, I have made subtle and lasting changes, one at a time without real results in the weight department, but I do have a ton more energy and I eat far better. I'm guessing that my inside is in far better shape than my outside at this point, but I still have a ways to go before I'm where I want to be physically. Human tradition works from the outside in, whereas Christ works from the inside out. That's how I would sum up my thoughts about this verse.
2:9-10 "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."
It just keeps getting weightier and weightier. This is one of the verses that proves Jesus' deity, but it has often been taught in a way that divides us from Him rather than helps us identify with Him. Even though no one has really come out and said it out loud to me, there is a subtle teaching that I've picked up over the years that has led me to believe that I'm not actually capable of reaching the standard which Jesus set for us. I've believed this for years; that I won't reach my full potential until I die and go to heaven. On one level, I really do believe that is true. But I realize the effect that teaching has had on my life is to make me want to give up on this side of heaven. If I can't attain it, why should I even try. The truth is that this verse is actually telling us that we are full of Deity just like Jesus is. This is the proof that we are capable of all that Jesus did and more on this earth, just like He says. I have been living subpar for so long in my life, settling for the crumbs of a life of service when Jesus has really wanted me to live unafraid of taking the risks required to eat the full banquet of seeing myself healed of pain and my scarred and troubled childhood, seeing myself set free from bondage to addictions, seeing myself free to be all that God has made me to be, exercising my gifts and giving away the very freedom He has given to me so I can see others get free.
We have the fullness of God living within us. He has authority over power and principality. EVERY ONE OF THEM!! And His authority dwells within us, too. We have authority over every principality. I can pray for myself and see myself walk free of the enemy's grasp. I can pray for you and see you walk free from the enemy's plans and schemes against you. You can pray for Mark & I can pray for Eric, and we WILL see the enemy's plans fall to the ground. He will be found out and defeated, and we will see God's purposes begin to grow and flourish in our lives and in the lives of those around us. I am so excited!!
Thank you Jesus that you have given us the authority over this earth that we lost to the enemy. Teach us to walk in our true calling. Show us the plans you have for us and show us how to walk in them. More importantly, teach us your ways. Show us how to fall deeper in love with you. Melt our hearts and help us to do everything with our eyes fixed on you, the lover of our souls, or Abba father, our dearest friend. Thank you that you have chosen to share your master plan with all of us through your servant Paul. Prepare our hearts to receive the instruction that is buried deep within the verses of Colossians. Paul is laying a firm foundation for what he is about to say next, and I want to be ready to receive the call that he is going to issue for us, those who are faithful in love. Make us faithful in love, Jesus. ~Amen
Colassians 2:6-10 Tina
Lord, Thank you for the fullness of you son Jesus. - Amen
2:6 And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him.
I use to be afraid of the word obedience; it scared me and brought up images of my earthly father demanding it with a scream or a smack. For me it brings up images of the Old Testament Law, following rules. Obedience to God is different, it is submission. Instead of submission out of fear we submit because God is in control of everything in our lives and beyond. If we are to obey Jesus’ rules then we are to Love the Lord with all our hearts, minds and souls and love our neighbor as our selves. For me it is a lot easier to obey a loving Kingly Father than to obey the earthly one who was full of humanness.
2:7 Let your roots live in obedience to him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let you lives overflow with thanksgiving, for all he has done.
This is one of those underlined verses in my bible. A tree with roots down deep in the earth can not be easily blown over. With deep roots the plant receives its food and water easily and can flourish. When we plant out lives deep in Christ and trouble arises we are not easily shaken. When our roots are deep in Christ we continue to grow because we are fed by faith and the word of God. I love “let your lives overflow with thanksgiving” this is something that is hard to do when life’s a storm around you. I have made it a practice to have a thankful page in a notebook, I write down as many things I can to be thankful about. WE need to fix our eyes on the thankful book! Retrain our thoughts to be that of faith and trust and not keep an eye on the storms that are around us. Even when things are miserable in my life the thankful book is full because God takes wonderful care of his children.
2:8 Don’t let anyone lead you astray with empty philosophy and high sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the evil powers of this world, and not from Christ.
Paul was telling them not to follow or be enslaved by the false teachers who were teaching to live by rules. Jesus came to set us free, so be free! I am afraid there is so much of this nonsense in our world today. It is scary to think about what the world thinks is good and honest and true. ‘Philosophy’ refers to human wisdom and thinking. But wisdom without Christ is false wisdom. People’s traditions may seem to be good and wise. But they often have power to control people. Traditions depend on human ideas and human wisdom. They do not depend on God’s wisdom. The ‘from the evil powers of this world’ refers to satan’s spirits. People believed that spirits ruled the world. So people worshipped them. Satan would love nothing better than to twist the word of God to sound right but not be true. (garden of eden tree of knowledge) That is why having our roots deep in Christ is so important so we can discern what truth is and what is not.
You mentioned yesterday” We are in Jesus. He said this. That we are in Him. Our lives are hidden in Him. Our souls are hidden in Him. This means that our souls are hidden in the same place as the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Is it possible that we are the repositories of His wisdom and knowledge? That we are the vessels He has chosen to hide His wisdom and knowledge within? He has definitely chosen to reveal Himself through us, and He is wisdom! He is knowledge. He is everything that is ever worth experiencing, knowing, understanding. And He is in us. We have the wisdom and knowledge of the ages at our fingertips.” I think when we dig our roots down deep in Christ we can tap into the wisdom and knowledge and see the lies, false teaching, and philosophy of the world for what it is.
2:9 For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body,
Christ was not just the Son he was the Father in fullness for us to see. God sent himself! I think this is important to remember because some would say that he was just a Son, just a nice man who came and said nice things. No, he was God in his fullness who stepped down from his royal throne in heaven, to live a pure human life (NOT EASY!), be tempted, sacrifice himself brutally, scorned, whipped, crucified, died and raised again all for you and me. Amazing to me when you think about it, God could have done a different plan to save us, could have done anything he wanted after all he is God. He could’ve chose a different way to safe his people but it was only through his complete sacrifice, first stepping off his throne to be born in a manager, living his life as a human full of weakness and temptation, teaching a bunch of lost sheep who could not identify him for who he was! I wonder if he got frustrated by all of that. He submitted himself to mockery, trial, injury and crucifixion for us, to pay for our transgressions. I don’t know of any other god worshipped on earth that would go through any of that for their followers. In Christ lived the fullness of God, a sacrificial father who loves us enough to suffer for us, amazing.
2:10 and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.
WE are complete because Christ has already done the ultimate for us. We are complete because we are now adopted into the family of Jesus, we are his sisters. The Christians at Colossae did not need to get anything from the false teachers. Christians already have all that they need. God himself fills them with himself.
Dear God, Thank you that we are indeed filled with you, completely filled by Jesus. Lord I ask for your wisdom and knowledge to overflow through our lives. Help us to use this wisdom and knowledge to do your work through our lives. Help us to Love more completely, sacrificially as you son Jesus did for us.
Lord I pray for Angela’s family, that you would meet each one of them right where they are today and fill them with your Son Jesus. I pray for their move, I pray for your provision, leadership and strength through this transition.
Amen
Friendship
My sweet friend,
I was touched by the words you spoke yesterday. I too feel like our time together is more than mere friendship, it is a life given force that is doing God’s work in my heart and in my life. When I try to express how I feel about it to my husband or to my family they simply do not understand, this makes me sad. I think it is so powerful because we are united in spirit by God’s word, expressing our hearts on the page. We are united in the oneness of pursuing Christ. I am so happy that you feel the same way and that this isn’t just a writing assignment for you. Thank you for spending a few minutes with me each day. - Tina
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