Reflection on Colossians 1:15-20

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Scripture

Christ is the head of the church, which is His body. He is the beginning, supreme overall who rise from the dead.

Observation

Christ the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before everything and reigns over everything. He made everything, whether visible or invisible, including the demonic principalities and rulers.

Christ is the head of the church, which is His body. He is supreme over those who will rise from the dead. In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, making peace with everything.

Application

Christ is the head of the church, not the human hierarchy that dominate its earthly form.

In all things, Christ is in control.

There are times when the church, at least part of it, seems week, unspiritual, and even ungodly. People use and abuse the church for their own ends.

Regardless of all this, the Lord Jesus Christ is in control. He reigns over all of creation, but especially the church.

How can this be, when there is so much evil in both the world and the church? God is able to use even gross sins for His glory and for our good. This does not justify anybody’s evil deeds, but it does give us hope that our suffering will carry some redemptive value.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, I acknowledge that you are the head of the church. You are the king over all things, blessed be your name. Amen.

Quote for the Day

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Prophetic words and influences are to be cherished and honored. We must be quick to recognize and thank God for those whose presence in our personal lives has laid the foundations of our faith. Yet we must remember that Jesus Himself was and is the greatest prophet. He is Prophet, Priest, and King. Andrew White

What Is Truth?

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Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash

This week’s news cycle was dominated by unsubstantiated claims that some unnamed people had sent some text messages saying nasty things about the Prime Minister. Worse still, some of these unnamed people were his friends.
That’s not news, that is Primary School level of gossip.
No facts have been offered, no justification for the story and no explanation of why it might even be important.
Many hours of air time, internet screens and column inches have been wasted on what is just a mischievous attempt to sir up trouble.
Unfortunately, we live in a post-truth culture. My truth might not be the same as your truth. My feelings may be more important than facts. My assertion about what happened is valid if I can get enough journalists to report it.
Regardless of what you feel about the truth, the reality is that if you step off a cliff you will accelerate towards the ground at the rate of 9.8 m/s2. As a former engineer, I can confidently assert that the strength of a bridge is far more important than whether I like its colour.
Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Nobody can to the Father except through me.” Jesus claims He alone is the Truth, and if you want to find happiness with God, then you have to go through Him.
People try to mix and match spirituality according to how they feel. They rarely ask the most important question of “Is this true?” or “Does this match reality?”
If Jesus really is the truth, then He is the truth for everybody. If He is the truth as He claims, then there is no other way to find God.
I don’t know if there is a text message somewhere about the Prime Minister, and I really really don’t care.
What I do care about is basing my life on truth rather than fairy tales. How about you?

Bill Muehlenberg: DISMANTLING THE COVID SHIBBOLETHS

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Bill Muehlenberg writes:

DISMANTLING THE COVID SHIBBOLETHS

Posted on

Busting the Rona myths:

There have been a number of mantras pushed over the past two years in regards to the Rona which the “experts” have assured us are completely true and fully based on the science. But just this week two of the biggest ones have taken further blows: that we all must be locked down, and that we all must get jabbed. Important new studies continue to appear showing these have been hugely questionable health mandates.

There has been plenty of research showing how wrong the statists have been in locking us all down and demanding that we are to be coerced into having substances injected into our bodies against our compliance. Two of the newest bits of research on these matters simply further confirm what we have known for quite some time now.

Take the issue of harsh, draconian lockdowns – something I and others have been speaking against for nearly two years now. Many have argued that the evidence points to the fact that they actually cause more harm than good. And even if not, they are doing little to stop the spread of Covid deaths.

Consider one new study, a Johns Hopkins University meta-analysis of studies. This 60-page report is found here: sites.krieger.jhu.edu/iae/files/2022/01/A-Literature-Review-and-Meta-Analysis-of-the-Effects-of-Lockdowns-on-COVID-19-Mortality.pdf

Read the rest of the article here

Reflection on Colossians 1:7-14

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Scripture

We also pray that you will be strengthened all his glorious power so that you will have all the endurance and patience you need.

Observation

Paul’s co-worker,Epaphras, taught the Colossians about the Good News, and he also reported back to Paul about the love for others that the Holy Spirit gave them.

Paul continues to pray for them always. He asks that they will receive complete knowledge of God’s will with wisdom and understanding to be able to honour and please the Lord. He also prays that they will be strengthened to endure and be filled with joy. The Father has transferred us from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of His dear Son who purchased our freedom.

Application

We all need the “glorious power” of the Holy Spirit. This is the power manifested in various gifts of the Holy Spirit such as words of knowledge, wisdom, faith, healing, and miracles. We should earnestly seek these things.

Paul here speaks of this glorious power leading to endurance and patients. When we know that God is with us and in us, we can endure anything. The power of salvation leads to the power to overcome opposition.

God calls us to stand firm in Him. He is the one who gives us the ability to persevere to the end and through to eternity.

Endurance and patience are underrated qualities in our culture. It is not how we start the race that matters, but how we finish it.

Prayer

Lord, grant me your glorious power so that I can endure all things and remain victorious in you. Amen.

Bill Tenny-Brittian: No One Left Behind

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Bill Tenny-Brittian writes:

No One Left Behind

 
I was watching one of “those” movies the other day. In this case, the space ships were flying and the ground troops were storming the asteroid. Suddenly reinforcements for the axis of evil show up and the good guys have to regroup and retreat to fight another day. Except one of the ground troops was pinned down on the asteroid and the next twenty minutes or so of the movie was spent making sure there was no man left behind.

Leave No One Behind

Every branch of our military includes this commitment to its troops. It’s a sacred honor promise that marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen swear an oath to. As a former Air Force sergeant, I totally support the concept … for our military. But that kind of sentiment has crept its way into the church in ways that even Jesus himself wouldn’t (and didn’t) embrace.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that Cultural Christianity has increasingly adapted to make itself as palatable to society as possible – because we don’t want to leave anyone behind. Many of the church’s adaptations have been made in response to flagging attendance and dwindling giving numbers. Who can blame them?

In a consumeristic culture, it’s counterintuitive to be countercultural, right? It’s important to fit in and work to get everyone to like you, right?

It’s not just that we have a story to tell to the nations, we’ve a story to sell to the nation – as in convincing people why being a Christian and a church member are good things. And if they’re not buying, and by-and-large they haven’t been, then we have to adapt the product. Right?

It’s an episode straight out of Shark Tank. If the consumer doesn’t like what you’re presenting, then offer something else … because we don’t want to leave anyone behind. That’s not just a commitment, that’s a sacred vow.

Funny thing, though. I don’t see any of that in the New Testament. And the times I see it happening in the Old Testament, it doesn’t go well for those who had “adapted” the Law to suit the culture. In fact, when it comes to the whole “no one left behind” concept, Jesus seems to be the worst of the worst.

Case in point. The Rich Young Ruler in Matthew 19:16–22. He comes to Jesus and clearly wants to be a part of the in-group. “What must I do?” So Jesus spells it out for him and …

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Matthew 19:22

This story is retold in Mark 10 and Luke 18 – and all three versions record Jesus’ response to the wealthy young man who walks away. Instead of Jesus chasing him down to negotiate, compromise, or offer a better deal, he uses the incident as a teaching moment about how difficult it is to become one of his disciples. Jesus’ response is almost cavalier, even though Mark’s account says that Jesus loved him.

A love that allows people to be left behind?

Obviously.

 

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