"I give you, according to my glorious might, the power not to experience the satisfaction you want or the relief from struggle you desire but the power to endure difficult circumstances and to be patient with difficult people." 66 LL. Col 1:11. Seems like I've missed this most of my life. I've believed the satisfaction was for here and I've prayed, cried and begged that God give me relief in the midst of my struggles. Thank you God for opening my eyes. I see so differently now and long for Your Power to endure my difficult circumstances and embrace the difficult people in my life.
God is the one Who rescued me from darkness and set me up in the Light. Col 1:13. He is the One Who holds it all together right up to this moment. Col 1:17.
"Christ is in you, so therefore you can look forward to sharing in God's glory. Col 1:27. Christ! No more, no less. That's what I'm working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me...Entering into this fullness is not something you figure out or achieve. It's not a matter of keeping a long list of laws. No, you're already in—insiders—through what Christ has already gone through for you, destroying the power of sin. Col 2:17
"Be Content with Second Place. Let the peace of Christ keep you in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. Let the Word of Christ have plenty of room in your lives." Col 3:13, 15.
"Pray diligently. Stay alert, with your eyes wide open in gratitude. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out." Col 4:6.
"Place no hope in the experience of satisfaction now. If you do, you are shifting away from the hope held out in the gospel of My Son. You will then disfigure the Christian life into a search for a fullness of felt spiritual reality and complete freedom from evil's power that together promise to provide the life you've always wanted in this world." 66 LL.
Colossians 1: 6 -7
ReplyDelete"My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you've been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You're deeply rooted in him. You're well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you've been taught. School's out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving."
Now that it's almost mid-December, we are rapidly approaching the year through the Message with Bev and Larry Crabb. I feel like I have grasped some of the concepts, but certainly not all. As many of you may know, this has been a turbulent year for me, and when things were at a crisis in my life, Sweet-sister, Sylvia welcomed me into the String of Pearls. I was privileged to meet Bev at the Pearl Retreat, lovingly hosted by Annette. It was such a wonderful time of sharing and fellowship, I know we all came away refreshed, enriched and challenged.
A String of Pearls has become my daily spiritual retreat. First, I read Bev's thought-provoking comments, then move on to the message, then comment on a scripture that has particularly touched my heart.
(My paraphrase)"School's almost out, it's time to apply what I've learned this year, and to start living it!
God is the one Who rescued me from darkness and set me up in the Light. Col 1:13. He is the One Who holds it all together right up to this moment. Col 1:17.
ReplyDeleteJust as relevant today as it was 200 years ago. Through the Blood of Christ Jesus we are brought into the light. It is God who rescues and holds it all together!
"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you:
ReplyDeletecompassion,
kindness,
humility,
quiet strength,
discipline.
Be even-tempered,
content with second place,
quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you.
And regardless of what else you put on, wear love.
It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it."
Put on love.
Take off harshness.
Put on love.
Take off stiffness.
Put on love.
Take off self-love.
Put on love.
Take off coldness.
It would be so easy to fall into these pits. So easy. Especially coldness.
I want to believe in passion. I need Christ to be my security, my passion and my identity.
Clothe me from the inside-out with grace and compassion, Holy Spirit. I pray that Christ's indwelling love in me would splash over onto everyone in my life. I don't want any praise for the things this world rewards. I take Christ...full of compassion. I reject the counterfeit of the enemy. I follow Christ. He is worthy of First Place. With love, deborah.
I just loved what you said, Deborah! HE has First Place with you! The Gospel in you is "simply irresistible."
ReplyDeleteThankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou Sweet Jan...you are a very gracious woman and you are living it out in midst of very difficult circumstances that so drive you to Him! He walks with you! He loves you so! My privilege to have met you this year!
ReplyDeleteAnnette, and it is a Beautiful God in you that Holds you Together! He certainly has this year and you honor Him so!
ReplyDelete