MEDITATION
MONDAY
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I've shared on this blog over the last month or so of different people making the decision to become christians by putting Christ on in baptism.
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Galatians 3:26-27You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
Yesterday morning, Steve's sermon to our local church family shared that these young people were joining the rest of us on this journey of being clothed with Christ AND of Christ living IN each of us:
Colossians 1:27b-29 begins by saying,....Christ in you, the hope of glory...
Steve emphasized that He sees this as one of the most powerful statements in the New Testament. Instead of christians saying, "Well, I hope I'm going to heaven," we need to have the kind of hope that Steve defined as:
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Hope - the confident expectation of glory
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Steve asked if any of us had ever been on a treasure hunt. He said that, in our search for our treasure, many of us may have:
- learned all we could about the treasure
- used a map
- got some clues
- gathered some tools
- secured a compass
- been committed to the task
- had a desire to dig
Then, He led us to consider applying this to our spiritual treasure. Most in the room have already done all of things listed above to find this spiritual treasure. Some have just recently found the treasure. Some have not learned much more about the treasure since finding it! They hold on to the treasure, but don't really experience what it has to offer.
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Steve led us to Colossians 1-3. He said that in our spiritual treasure hunt, there was a certain way we were BEFORE we found the treasure. Finding the treasure was a wonderful experience! Now, what is it that we are doing with this treasure since or AFTER we found it? The treasure, of course, is Jesus!
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He challenged those who had found their treasure in Jesus to:
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GO DEEP!
Colossians 1:27b-29 does begin by saying, .
- ...Christ in you, the hope of glory...
In the remainder of these verses, Paul tells us that this is a labor of love... a journey... not the end of the treasure hunt...
- We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me. "
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What encouraging words! Do you know someone who doesn't understand hope? Do you know someone who knows about Jesus but really hasn't got to know Jesus? Do you know someone who needs mercy extended to them as they learn to dig deeper into Christ? Is it you?
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Steve gave us a list of suggestions to get started on. Please consider how you can take the challenge today:
- Carve out private time for you and Jesus.
- Get your Bible, notebook, pen, and pencil; use them daily; bring them with you to Bible class
- Ask God for His wisdom to be led by the Holy Spirit
- Learn to be still and wait on Him.
- Read a verse or two and meditate on it. Ask questions about it.
- Write a verse on a 3 x 5 card and carry it around with you. Memorize it.
- Get with someone who is also digging deeper. Share! Listen!
- Pray for one another and help keep one another accountable.
- Be alert to God as He brings things to your attention.
- Look for how God is working in you, through you, and around you
- Thank God/Jesus/Holy Spirit for opening up your mind to understand the scriptures.
- When you close your Bible, don't close your mind to the spiritual world around you!
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BEGIN TODAY:
Begin to really get to
know Jesus!
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GO DEEP!
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~BLESSED~
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