Devotion #4 – Colossians 3:4

When Christ, who is our life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:4 )

Christ, who is our life…Chapters and books could be written just about this phrase alone! But to fully understand it we also have to go back to the Garden of Eden when God breathed His very own breath (“Ruach”) into Adam and Eve and gave them sentience and consciousness. But we also know that after the fall, the life within humanity was limited. Why is that? Because the only thing that animates us, empowers and sources us is the breath of God. So when our relationship with Him is fractured, strained and broken then the life within us is strained and stained. 

But then Jesus comes and breathes on the disciples and tells them to receive the Spirit of God. He is renewing the life within them. He is re-sourcing, re-viving and re-”lifing” them! The “pneuma” of God in the New Testament is the same as the breath of God in the Old Testament and it is only by His breath that we really live. 

Thankfully He has not removed all of His breath/spirit from the earth or else all life would cease to be (Job 34:14). Like the Bible says about the fact that He rains on the righteous and the wicked, even so He has lent His breath to both the righteous and the wicked, but He desires to bring new breath, new life, new wind into the hearts of humanity. He wants us in fact to be people of the wind (see John 3:8) Jesus told us that He is “the way, the truth and the life” and also that He is “the resurrection and the life.” 

So may we always remember: Christ Himself is our life, when we believe Him and receive Him.

But when will He be revealed? So many times and in so many ways! Of course this is looking towards His coming again, when all creation will know that He is King of kings and Lord of lords, but it also is true that when He is revealed, manifest and made known (in church services, through love and by miracles) then so long as we are hidden in Him and He in us, we will be seen as belonging to Him. And then when the day comes, that He appears in the Eastern Sky, we also will be with Him in glory forever!

So the question is: Is Christ Jesus your life? Have you allowed Him to re-animate and re-vive you?

If He is your life, are you relying on Him for strength, wisdom and direction?

Also, when He is revealed to the world one day, will they then see you revealed with Him? Or will you be revealed as only being part of this world and following self, the world or the devil?

If Christ truly is your life, are you asking Him and seeking His Word so that He alone will be the source for your thoughts, words, actions and reactions?

Devotion #3 – Colossians 3:3

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

This is a strange verse. What does it mean that I “have died”?

Romans 6:11 helps with understanding this: “In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”.

We are supposed to be dead to sin, dead to self, dead to the devil and dead to the wicked ways of the world. And on the other hand we are made alive by Christ. 

Romans 6:8 says “if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.” So by dying to sin and self we know that God Himself resurrects us to new life in Christ. Furthermore when we are resurrected we are in fact “raised…up with Him, and seated…with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. (Ephesians 2:9)

So here we are instructed (yet again) that as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, God has lifted us up by His grace and actually placed us IN Jesus in heavenly places. As a matter of fact not only are we abiding in Him, we are sitting with Him overlooking the earthly realm, unhindered, untethered, unrestricted by earthly things. The temporary things should no longer have a hold on us! That includes worldliness, materialism, fleshly lusts, wickedness and selfishness.

This only happens though if first we die. We have to believe, and in believing we die to self, die to sin and die to the world. In believing, we lay ourselves entirely at His feet as living sacrifices so that He can do what He wants to with us. 

And you know what He wants to do with us? Place us INSIDE of Christ! Remember when John recorded Jesus’ words about Him abiding (dwelling) in us? He also said that we must abide in Him. Of course this is hard for us to understand because we don’t see Him and we think “of course His Spirit can dwell in us, but how can I dwell in Him?” 

Instead of worrying so much about how it is possible, let’s accept the reality that God has in fact done it for all who believe. 

So now Jesus is our clothing. We wear Him on ourselves like a robe. A robe of righteousness. God Himself is our armor: He is our protection, the One who shields us. We are “hidden” with Christ in God which means that we are secure, anchored, covered, surrounded, and like Scripture says elsewhere “hemmed in.”

Are you hidden with Christ in God? You are if you have believed and been born again!

Are you abiding in and dwelling in Him as He also has sent His Spirit to dwell in you?

Are you daily denying yourself and dying so that it is His life that is one display in you?

Why does it have to be this way?

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the foolish, broken, incompetent, overly-complicated or unnecessary things in this life? (you know like technology, cars, customer service, etc)

I know I do!

People make things harder than they need to be:

  • And we over-promise and under-deliver.
  • And sometimes we leave a wake of chaos and confusion behind us.
  • And the end result is stress, frustration and disappointment because of the actions of others.

So what do we do when this happens?

Often times, I feel like losing my mind!

I feel my frustration and anger growing, and I simply want to blow off steam like a tea-kettle that is finally boiling.

But I realize that doesn’t help me, nor is it what is best for the people around me or my witness.

So I have to take a deep breath.

And pray.

And ask God to help put things in perspective.

“This is not the worst that could happen – This is not the end of the world – This is not insurmountable – This can be overcome – Don’t let this steal my joy – Help me to walk by faith – Give me strength and patience to go through this – Help me to look forward to the day when I will be in heaven with you and all this broken mess will be a thing of the past.”

Sometimes I have to walk around to clear my head.

Other times I may need to read or quote a Scripture.

Sometimes I just have to stop thinking about or dealing with that particular aggravation at that moment, knowing I can come back at another time with the energy, patience and wisdom that God will provide.

I hate that it has to be like this sometimes for you and for me.

I wish it weren’t so.

But in the middle of a fallen and broken world, full of sinful, selfish and imperfect people, and imperfect things and situations, these types of things are bound to happen (or as Jesus said: “In this world you will have trouble”).

But may we always remember that Jesus has overcome the world and that He invites us to more than overcomers in Him as well! There is a way through this, as we call on His mighty name!

Devotion #2 – Colossians 3:2

Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth… (Colossians 3:2)

When our mind is set on earthly things, we are often overwhelmed by them. We think about not having enough time to get everything done. And yet time is not a problem in heaven, because everything is timeless and eternal there. When we dwell on earthly things we think about how heavy the load is. But in heaven there is no such thing as a crushing load. For God will remove all pain and suffering and wipe away every tear. 

You may say: “That’s true in heaven but we are here on earth.”

And yet we are also told in Ephesians that if we are in Christ we are in fact “in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Somehow, by His Spirit and power at work within us we are simultaneously living in the heavenly kingdom and on earth at the same time. So therefore we know that we actually have heaven’s power at work within us while we are here on earth. That should be something we should meditate on!

When we think about the things that are here on earth we think about sin and oppressors and despotic/tyrannical leaders. When we think about earthly things, we think about trauma, abandonment and betrayal. But when we think about heavenly things we think about redemption, forgiveness and eternal life. When we keep our mind fixed on the things above we think about deliverance from guilt and shame as well as freedom from loneliness, sickness and death. 

This verse builds on the first verse, which reminds us that Jesus is seated on His throne in heaven. And when we think about this we are reminded that He is there actively interceding for us. In addition to this He is preparing a place for us and awaiting the moment His Father sends Him back to gather His bride (the church) and bring her to glory.

To spend our time thinking about these things has far more value, depth, beauty and power than thinking about the things that are broken here on earth. This Bible verse is not about ignoring the plight of humanity on earth but instead fixing our mind on the answer, the provision, the redemption and the salvation that is available from heaven in spite of whatever is going on here on earth.

Will you choose to keep your mind on Christ and on heavenly things?

Will you surrender now to God the earthly things that you cannot control anyway?

Devotional – Colossians 3:1

I will be sharing a new devotional every week. I hope that you will take your Bible and a prayer journal so that you can listen to the Lord and spend time meditating on His Word and sharing with Him your life and your heart.

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God… (Colossians 3:1)

IF — the offer is made to all people. The invitation is “come follow me” and “humble yourself and I will lift you up.” But it is all contingent upon the “if.” Will you believe? Will you receive? Will  you obey? The promise from God is established. The atoning work of Jesus is finished. But you and I have to choose. And if we choose Christ, we know that He has already chosen us and already made a way. Will you let Him save you and raise you up?

You have been raised up with Christ — once the “if” is settled between us and God, the reality is that He absolutely lifts us up. Out of the muck and mire. Out of despondency. Out of darkness and into His wonderful light. And the raising up is from death unto life. The raising up is participating in the resurrection power and victory of Christ. And in addition to that, the raising up is participating in the ascension of Christ, because God has placed us in Christ Jesus who in fact is at the right hand of the majesty in heaven. 

Therefore — what’s that word there for? Precisely to remind us that contingent upon believing and receiving and then being raised up with Christ, we have a responsibility for something that we must do. Ours is not a passive receiving or a passive believing or waiting on God. Instead ours is to be an active faith that indicates we have something we must actively do. What is it that we are to be actively engaged in?

Keep seeking the things above where Christ is — we know that Christ is at the right hand of the Father. Once He ascended He resumed His ruling and reigning from heaven on His throne. From that place He is also interceding from us, preparing a place for us, and awaiting the moment of His return to claim His bride. Are we seeking things above? Are we seeking to understand God’s rule and reign over all things? Are we willing to change our focus from the temporal to the eternal?

May you and I receive God’s invitation, allow God to raise us up (in salvation as well as perspective and faith) and then let us keep seeking the heavenly things. May we ask the Lord to help us discern the things we should be thinking about, meditating on and daily pursuing.

Have you received?

Are you seeking the things above?

Life is hard – God is good

Dear friend, 

Life is hard. 

But I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know.

And yet it can help when we realize that others see what we are going through.

So, may this post help you to know:

  • You are seen
  • Your cries are heard
  • You are not alone!

When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, He told Moses that He had heard the cries of His people, had seen their struggles and their misery and that He had prepared a plan to deliver them.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if God, or an angelic or prophetic messenger from Him, saw all the hardships you are facing and said to you: “God sees you and hears you and is going to give you all the help you need.”

I hope this blog post serves just such a role in your life. 

The Bible tells us over and over again:

  • The Lord will not leave you or forsake you.
  • The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love.
  • Do not be afraid.

So in all of your trials and tribulations, may you be reminded today that God is near, God is more than able to help you and that He in fact delights in giving you mercy and grace for your time of need.

Don’t give up hope. Don’t hang your head in despair.

Just keep trusting the Lord. Lean on Him and find rest in His unfailing love!

What does it mean to love your neighbor?

  1. Let us remember that love is sacrificial action. It is a decision of the will to desire and work for what is best for that person (both for now and for eternity)
  2. It first starts by noticing your neighbor
    • “Who is my neighbor?” A question asked of Jesus by one who wanted to excuse his neglect of neighbor
    • “Am I my brother’s keeper?” A question asked to God by one who wanted to abdicate himself from personal responsibility regarding the welfare of another
  3. And seeing what they are facing
    • What pain
    • What heartache
    • What disappointment
    • What suffering
    • What oppression
    • What captivity
    • What injustice
  4. And then working for their hope, their provision, their redemption, their deliverance, etc.
  5. If they are in pain because of sickness, disease or injury, we pray for their healing, anoint them with oil in the name of Jesus, refer them to doctors and medical science.
  6. If they are in heartache because of the loss of a loved one or a dream or a relationship, we sit and listen to them, we give them a shoulder to lean on, we pray for them. 
  7. If they are in disappointment because circumstances haven’t turned out like they thought we pray for and with them and share with them the promises of God and His heart to provide for them and give them hope and a future.
  8. If it is suffering we should seek to discover the source of their suffering. We should seek to comfort them and pray for God’s relief in their life, but if we can offer relief through a blanket or food or water or medicine or companionship we also do that.
  9. If it is oppression because spiritual forces of wickedness are accusing and belittling and condemning them, then we share the hope of Scripture and the promises of freedom in the name and power of Jesus.
  10. If it is captivity that they are in because of addiction or human enslavement we seek to help them to be set free. We pray for their deliverance but we also work for them to be connected with addiction recovery tools, groups, counselors, etc but if it is human captivity we pray for their release and work for their deliverance through diplomacy and appropriate appeals to authority.
  11. If it is injustice we must defend their cause, appeal as necessary to authority figures, pray for God to grant them relief and justice and in the meantime help to make sure that their basic (and spiritual) needs are still met while waiting for some manner of earthly justice and of course God’s perfect justice.

We can’t turn a blind eye

There are so many truly difficult, painful and troubling things in this world. 

And so often we would prefer not to see those things or let those things bring anxiousness or chaos into our own lives. 

You might even say to yourself “Not my problem” or “Not gonna let that crazy in here.”

But we can’t turn a blind eye to people in need. We can’t bury our head in the sand and ignore the problems in the world around us.

As Christians, we have tasted of the peace and joy of the Lord in our own hearts and in the church, and we are looking forward to the perfect paradise in heaven that God is preparing for us. But in the meantime, we are in a broken and fallen world, and we need to ask the Lord to open our eyes to the heartache around us. We need to ask the Lord to help us to know the difference between right and wrong and that He would instruct us about what is truly right and just. 

There is much injustice, unfairness and selfishness exhibited in many relationships and homes. Similarly, in corporations, Hollywood and Washington, there is much that is wrong. And we need the Lord to help us to see clearly when things that are said and done are against His holy and loving ways.

And when our eyes are opened we need the Lord to then help us know what to do.

Sometimes we just pray. Other times we seek to help others know the truth. Sometimes we may have to warn people. May we ask the Lord to open our eyes to what is wrong in the world around us so that we can pray, graciously point people to the truth in Christ and so that we can offer a helping hand to those who are in pain, abused, exploited, enslaved or all alone.

May we as Christians never seek the peace and solace of heaven so much that we ignore or disregard the people here on earth who are hurting or being mistreated by others. 

God’s judgment is coming

What are the sins of America for which judgment will come unless we repent?

The same sins condemned in the Bible

  • The sins of extortion and greed
  • Coercion, abuse and exploitation of people
  • Injustice, cheating, lying and stealing
  • Murder and torture
  • Sacrificing of children and babies
  • Sexual immorality
  • Pastors and politicians who lead immorally
  • Calling evil good and good evil (celebrating evil)
  • Shaking a fist at God and His righteous revelations
  • A fierce assertion of self-care and independent autonomy from God

What kind of judgment will come?

The same kind as has always been prophesied in the Bible

  • Plague
  • Famine
  • Sword
  • Calamity
  • Exile and/or Captivity

When will it come?

The same time it has always come

  • When God says the time has come
  • When He has given sufficient time for us to repent
  • When He has sent true prophets and they have been ignored or even persecuted or killed
  • When the surrounding pagan nations are more righteous than a supposedly Christian or God-fearing nation

Might any people survive the judgement?

In the same way they always have:

  • If we are obedient to the Lord, the Lord will deliver us through (or in spite of) the judgment on the land
  • God sometimes has mercy on segments of people/areas of the land 
  • He leaves for Himself a remnant
  • The judgment (on earth) is for a demonstration of His power and for a call to repentance (it is temporary in its punishment and ultimately is for redemption and formation))
  • The judgment (in heaven) will be punitive and everlasting

How can we know if a prophet is true or false when they warn us?

The same way in the Bible anyone could know if a prophet was sent by God

  • Their words came to pass
  • Their lifestyle reflected a counter-cultural bent and a desire to honor God
    • They didn’t quite fit it in
  • They were hated and misunderstood by many
  • Often they did not have a large following of disciples/adherents because the largest group was being led astray by false prophets and teachers
  • Their words were always in agreement with the character and behavior of God

Aren’t you being a little harsh on America? After all there are so many Christians and churches here, surely it’s not as bad as you are making it out to be

America is as evil as as Egypt, Babylon, Rome, Israel or Judah ever were

  • Sexual perversion, deviancy, promiscuity and immorality
  • Idolatry
  • Blasphemy
  • Murder
  • Slavery, oppression, abuse, exploitation
  • Calling evil good and good evil
  • Celebrating evil

The fact that there is rampant evil in America, does not negate the fact that there are also God-fearing, obedient people. But the path and the gate are narrow and few are on it (although many know but are not obedient)

Some people like to equate America with a new Israel but the reality is that if we are a new Israel it is only an apostate one (one that has known the truth but has fallen away). So whether America is the new Israel or the new Babylon, the call is the same: repent and believe and be obedient and be faithful to God and His good commands. 

What is the purpose of God’s judgment?

The same it as always been

  • That people will know that God is the Lord
  • That people will know the utter sinfulness, repugnancy and devastation of sin (and the utter abomination that it is not only to God but to all who are holy and see/hear with His eyes/ears)
  • That He will purify people of their sins 
  • That He will cleanse the land of its idolatry
  • That people will be made holy


God’s judgment always comes with 

  • Advance warning
  • An invitation to repent
  • A clear explanation of the consequences for obedience or disobedience
  • God’s expression of His love and willingness to forgive and redeem
  • A call to remorse (Godly sorrow) that leads to confession (declaration with our mouths of our sinfulness and God’s holiness) and repentance (actively turning away from our sinful deeds and actively engaging in holy and loving deeds by the conviction and empowerment of the Holy Spirit)

God will cause us to know that He is the Lord!

  • Please receive this warning!
  • God’s judgment is coming quicker than we know
  • It will be a swifter judgment than we realize
  • The severity of it may surprise us
  • God’s mercy is available now, but we have to believe and repent
  • A day of judgment is coming and unless we the people, the shepherds (pastors/prophets) and the leaders (politicians, influencers, etc) repent, judgment is coming to America. 
  • May we not look first/only to the people around us who need to repent, may it begin with us! And then may we fast and pray for our nation and the people around us. And may we have gracious spiritual conversations about God’s truth so that others may be warned. And many of us don’t know our nation’s leaders, by may we weep and pray for them and for those who can influence them to call upon the Lord before God’s judgment comes!

Intimacy over efficiency and productivity

For some reason we often find ourselves pulled to be ultra-productive. We may feel this inner push to be efficient with our time and energy. Not that this is a bad thing at all, in its proper place.

Of course we should make the most of our time by efficiently handling email and productively organizing our time to check things off of our “to do” list, however when it comes to relationships, intimacy must be priority. 

We can’t  “streamline” things like relationships. 

We can’t speed the process along and we absolutely shouldn’t be angling to help the conversation go faster or for the bonds to forge more quickly. These are things that ought to take time. These are things that cannot and should not be hurried. 

Can you imagine someone saying “I love you” or even offering a marriage proposal and the person to whom they direct their love and affection simply responds with “Can’t we move this along?”

In the middle of my day today, the Lord reminded me that I need to yearn for intimacy over efficiency. 

Furthermore He told me that when I am intimate with Him, He will direct my path and show me the way I should live and the things I should be spending my time on. In other words, when we are intimate with the Father, He will help to make us efficient and productive.

So the next time, you sense the urge to go faster and be more productive, make sure that it does not spill into your relationships because those just take time to grow healthy and to be fully enjoyed as God intended.