28 - Connecting w/ God
Dr Jim Brown's TruNorth Devotional
CONNECTING with GOD
Day 28 | GROWING DEEP
CONNECTING with GOD
Day 28 | GROWING DEEP
GROWING DEEP
Colossians 2:3-10
“In him (Christ) lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” (NLT)
At times, life seems like a game of tug-a-war. We are born as little children, we learn to walk, to talk, to feed ourselves. We learn to play with other children and to respect our mothers and fathers. We learn to get along with our siblings and to pay attention to our teachers at school.
Then at some age, we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior… and rather than the battle being over, on some level, it’s just beginning.
Paul is encouraging and warning the Christians at the Colossi church that they too would be tempted by the ungodly people around them to jettison their new-found faith in Jesus. Those deceivers would use “well-crafted arguments,” “empty philosophies,” and “high sounding nonsense” – which all come from perverted human reasoning – to try to dissuade these new believers about their belief in Jesus Christ.
I’m guessing the old adage of “misery loves company” is true, as these ungodly people were not content seeing someone else who had committed their life to Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God and wanted them to be as miserable and hopeless as they were.
The same is true today. Many around us think being a Christian is ridiculous. They will argue impassionedly and talk continually about a God they don’t even believe exists. (Which always makes me laugh! I mean, I have a friend who spends hours writing about a God he doesn’t believe exists. He’s not writing FOR something, just being sardonic and trying to convince others to be as miserable as he is [and he IS]. How sad.)
Paul’s admonition to the church in verses 6-7 says “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Ask yourself: Am I truly GROWING in my faith in God? Am I letting my “roots” grow down solidly into the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I letting my life be built on Him – or am I at risk of being led astray by the miserable who love company?
Prayer: Lord, I do want to be strong in You. I admit I haven’t done as much as I should have to let my roots grow deep and so I’m asking that You help me to DO the things I need to do to mature my faith and thus not be vulnerable to the misguided and evil would are anti-God. Lord you are the HEAD and I want to know you better. Amen.
Colossians 2:3-10
“In him (Christ) lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” (NLT)
At times, life seems like a game of tug-a-war. We are born as little children, we learn to walk, to talk, to feed ourselves. We learn to play with other children and to respect our mothers and fathers. We learn to get along with our siblings and to pay attention to our teachers at school.
Then at some age, we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior… and rather than the battle being over, on some level, it’s just beginning.
Paul is encouraging and warning the Christians at the Colossi church that they too would be tempted by the ungodly people around them to jettison their new-found faith in Jesus. Those deceivers would use “well-crafted arguments,” “empty philosophies,” and “high sounding nonsense” – which all come from perverted human reasoning – to try to dissuade these new believers about their belief in Jesus Christ.
I’m guessing the old adage of “misery loves company” is true, as these ungodly people were not content seeing someone else who had committed their life to Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God and wanted them to be as miserable and hopeless as they were.
The same is true today. Many around us think being a Christian is ridiculous. They will argue impassionedly and talk continually about a God they don’t even believe exists. (Which always makes me laugh! I mean, I have a friend who spends hours writing about a God he doesn’t believe exists. He’s not writing FOR something, just being sardonic and trying to convince others to be as miserable as he is [and he IS]. How sad.)
Paul’s admonition to the church in verses 6-7 says “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Ask yourself: Am I truly GROWING in my faith in God? Am I letting my “roots” grow down solidly into the Lord Jesus Christ? Am I letting my life be built on Him – or am I at risk of being led astray by the miserable who love company?
Prayer: Lord, I do want to be strong in You. I admit I haven’t done as much as I should have to let my roots grow deep and so I’m asking that You help me to DO the things I need to do to mature my faith and thus not be vulnerable to the misguided and evil would are anti-God. Lord you are the HEAD and I want to know you better. Amen.
Posted in Connecting w/ God