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Showing posts with label How to be Thankful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label How to be Thankful. Show all posts
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:5-6
My gratitude... I grew up in a family where Athiesm was praised. Agnostic, you are their buddy too. Christians? Well, you better have guts of iron because they will put you through the wringer. They will take the Lord's name in vain more than usual in your presence... just to watch you squirm. They will ridicule every.last.move because if you aren't the perfect picture of Jesus then, in their mind, you are a poser and they are ready to throw the punches.
Some days it would be subtle. Others, it was down-right war. They (and I at the time) don't/didn't understand the concept Paul often references as spiritual babies. 1 John even seems to be written to this group of new believers... trying to learn how best to glorify God and screweing up pretty consistently along the way until one day, those mature steps start being taken. But I can't give my family a hard time for that... even many Christians don't realize this about the walk we are called to when we accept Christ as our LORD and savior.
Lord: He is in charge. He is what it is all about.
Coming into this understanding after rededicating my life in my early 20s, I had a richer belief after falling away. I had a deeper understanding because of my broken family and my unbelieving relatives. I have written many times how my biological dad is an atheist... of how we didn't talk for years because of the persecution. Yet, when I started praying and asking God WHY, why did he give me such a challenge for a dad, a quickly received my answer: his unbelief has helped grow my belief. His steadfastness in the un-realness of God has created a deeper and more seasoned trust in the realness of my Faith.
No, it hasn't been easy. But through it all, God has taught me so much. He has taught me, most of all, how to pray in Thanksgiving through all things and to trust Him, seeking Him for the words I need, when I need them... especially with my family but also with all those I encounter on any given day. I am grateful for this. For how God has grown me and for how He never stops giving the words I need to be seasoned with salt.
What are you thankful for as the result of your reflections on Colossians 4 this week?
Blessings,
Post
your own Gratitude Reflections this week, share the button and share
your post in comments below and/or on my Facebook page! Let us
encourage each other this week.
It's not to late... you can gather around the thanksgiving table and share gratitude. You can even still print the page below for adults and children alike to do something fun during your dinner gathering. (click on image to go to the pdf.)
How
is your study going? How has God's Word been speaking to you this
week? Today I will share what I saw as I walked through this
passage. For time's sake, there will be no video this week...
We have learned such deep truthsto living a life which radiates gratitude, no matter our circumstances. Where do we go from here? How do we bow out of this study in a way which resonates? More directly:
How can we pray steadfastly in thanksgiving and, as the result of our prayers, seek open doors where we might be salt and light?
As is typical with most Epistles, and especially Paul's, he closes his letter with greetings and/or a call to pray and some prayer requests. Here, in keeping with the thankful message, Paul adds a measure of gratitude to the mix:
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 4:2
In case you are wondering, be watchful is a common exhortation in Paul's closings, reminding believers that someday Jesus will return and we ought to be ready at every moment. Steadfastly is also a regular theme which reminded believers to not give up, not cease. It is also seems to be a reflection of Paul's do everything statement in Colosisans 3:17. But most importantly in this little verse is HOW the believers were to pray. Not just steadfastly, not just being watchful but with Thanksgiving.
Imagine the life of these first century believers, which we have discussed extensively for the past 3 weeks. If you remember, it is quite reflective of our own: a licentious society given over to idol worship and condemnation of those who aren't. How do you walk thankfully in an oppressive society where different is... well... different and not well accepted. Our Salvation, our growth and being rooted in Christ, our New being as a result, create the groundwork of our gratitude. Paul seems to point out here that all these things are wrapped up and tied together through our steadfast prayers being made in thanksgiving.
What do we thank God for? Well, all the afore mentioned blessings in our weeks of study... and anything else we just might have left out. Whether it is the air in your lungs or the weather on your way to work or errands. Thankful things aren't worse (because they always could be) or that things are better. Thankful that Jesus will someday be coming back and that all of this life is temporary and passing. Thankful to realize that even the best day here pales in comparison to what heaven holds when we eventually meet up with Jesus.
Some days, before my husband accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior, I couldn't imagine life being any worse. Thankfully, my husband never hit me... but some days I wished he had and just got it over with... that is how bad it was. I have lived in physically abusive relationships, I endured many years of verbal abuse as well from hubby B.C. (before he accepted Christ) but still... I was able to be thankful. Thankful for hope and knowing life wouldn't always be that way. Thankful it would pass and thankful for the little things I did have in the mean time.... like my children, my home, food and adventure.
There is always something to be thankful for if you stop and pay attention to HOW God is using your situation.
As a result of praying in thankfulness, Paul shows the believers what comes next:
At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison--that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.
Colossians 4:3-4
Pray for others and, as a precursor to his next statement, he shows how he is looking for opportunities to share about Christ, even from prison, that God would give him Words and he trusts the concerted prayers of believers will help. Then... he calls them to do the same:
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time.
6
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:5-6
If he can sit in prison, praying with gratitude, encouraging and teaching believers and looking for even more opportunities to do so.... then surely so can the rest of the believers.... so can we.
Be wise toward outsiders - unbelievers
Make good use of the time - literally buy up the time like people buying up a product at a good price. Christians are to buy yup ever opportunity God gives to share the good news and serve others.
Practice gracious speech - re-consider Colossians 3:12-14.
Seasoned with Salt - a sub-heading to gracious speech (see Monday's historical note) Rabbis of the time would also use the term salt to refer to wisdom
WHY does Paul tell them to do these things? So that the believers would know how they ought to answer each person. Without consistent prayer, in thanksgiving, focusing their hearts on the goodness of God and eternity vs. the deprivation of man and the broken lostness of the temporal, an ability to respond wisely was difficult at best.
Is it not the same for us now?
Measuring gratitude, practice thanksgiving each and every day of our lives is not only critical to our personal walk with Jesus Christ, but it is also imperative to reflecting Him and hearing His guidance as we seek to speak truth to others in a way which is uplifting and draws the lost to being found in Christ.
I pray you will find these truths planted deep in your heart as the Thanksgiving season passes and all other days follow behind. To make a habit of counting blessings and expressing gratitude... especially when it is hardest to do so!
........................................
Also,
take time today and for the remainder of this week to reflect on how
you you can be thankful through prayer and in what ways you can be prayerful in sharing your faith and your hope with others.
If you want, you can print the leaf document below and fill them out with gratitude reflections.
I pray you willcarry this spirit of gratitude beyond this Thanksgiving season.
It is our last Preparing Home and Heart message in the How to be Thankful study. Is your heart ready for true Thanksgiving? This week we wrap up our study by considering prayer and sharing so this is the inspiration for the....
Home and Heart challenge this week:
Thanksgiving is in a few short days. Hard to believe it is almost upon us. I don't know about you, but even with no company coming there is a lot to be done before Thursday. Whether dusting or cooking or plotting out the order of events.... it is all coming down the line and even with my little family, I find it helpful to remember that joy Jesus has placed in my heart and stay centered on doing these things for the right reasons.
It isn't about impressing anyone. It isn't about tradition (even though we do have them). In the midst of the holiday madness it boils down to one thing: gratitude.
So my challenge for you and for me this week is to do each task, whether cleaning or cooking or... whatever else... with prayer in my heart. To be thankful for those Christian brothers and sisters (and blood related family) God has put in my life and prayerful for those who haven't accepted Christ yet. Each spec of dust, each freshly cooked dish, each moment praying for open doors and opportunities to share my hope in Jesus and prepare lost hearts to receive it.
I pray this challenge will help you to enjoy the prep time more AND the big event just as much. To see those around you (even the challenging ones) as a great blessing and a great opportunity to share your hope and faith with!
Can you believe this is our last week of studying How to be Thankful together? I prayed and fumbled around quite a bit with how to approach this last bit of scripture. I desperately wanted to finish up Colossians 3 and fold it into Chapter 4 this week
since it is filled with such wonderful advice for the believer as they
are made new and leading into how to pray in thanksgiving. However, out
of respect for those who have a passel of plans this week, I decided to
go with a more concise wrap-up.
You will find each lesson to be much shorter this week in order to accommodate meal and guest preparations. Not to mention, I ultimately felt it necessary to focus our energies on this final Thanksgiving command in order to prepare our hearts and wrap up the study. If you missed the first 3 weeks, don't
fret. I think you will agree: learning how to be Thankful isn't just a
November thing. I would encourage you to still go, grab Week 1 , Week 2
, and Week 3 out of the line-up, and start the study now (or as soon as you can).
Maybe just disregard the fall bonus activities!! This study is
applicable to our lives year-round.
Remember: For your convenience, I have placed an asterisks * in the title of the 2 weekly articles which most directly hit on the study. Other articles are applications, reflections, and just plain fun stuff! There are really only two key posts to this study each week, they post on Sunday and Wednesday.
............
Let's recap:
Week 1: True Gratitude stems from Salvation as a reflection of how thankful we are for what Jesus has done. We looked at the first part of Colossians Chapter 1 with emphasis on this passage:
11May
you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all
endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks to the Father, who has
qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13He
has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom
of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins.
- Colossians 1:11-14
Week 2: As the result of Salvation we are called to live a Christ-centered life and when we do so, gratitude is an overflow of such a life. We finished up Chapter 1 and scoured Chapter 2, pouring over these verses:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in
the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7
We also considered some instructions for
getting better rooted in Christ and bearing His fruit found in Galatians
5:16-26 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22.
Week 3: Salvation + Christ-centered = Made New. We put to death the earthly things and focus on the eternal, letting the Peace of Christ rule in our hearts producing even more gratitude! No matter the circumstances, we can be grateful God is with us. We also discussed how, in the name of was a reference to being like a person. We are called to be the image of Christ. We had multiple points and gratitude verses in this section of reading. We mostly pooled around these:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
15
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:15-17
This Week for our final message we will look at Paul's closing remarks to pray watchfully in thanksgiving and to share our faith.
This week's reading and study plan (click on the image to open the PDF):
What and How ... what do we do now and how do we respond?
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
- Colossians 4:6
One historical note I want to touch on before we get started is the use of salt. I think all other analogies will be clear as we study but this one I wanted to be sure was crystal. Salt in biblical times had 3 main uses or references:
cleansing and preserving food from decay
forming covenants
flavor
Two of these uses are probably familiar to you as still being common today. In contrast, forming covenants is something which stems out of Leviticus 2:13 and draws salt's preservative use into the concept: a covenant which will not decay. We can easily extract symbolism in the 4:6 passage with concrete covenants, however, the element which seemed most applicable is flavor. Consider this; without flavor (see Matthew 5:13) salt becomes useless, dull, un-interesting and indistinct. Not only will we look at praying in Thankfulness, but we will also look at where we go from here and the importance of not letting our life become flavorless and how our prayers of gratitude can help.
As we study this week, let's keep this fact at the forefront of our mind!
How can you pray steadfastly in thanksgiving and, as the result of your prayers, seek open doors where you might be salt and light?
This is the question we will answer this week.
Blessings,
Feel free to grab the button and share!
Remember, all you need is your Bible and
a journal or paper. If you want to print the S.W.A.P. worksheet, it is
optional. You can use one for the whole week, adding to the questions
as you go, or print out one for each day. If you have any questions,
please don't hesitate to let me know. Take it step-by-step and do
whatever you feel able to do. The important thing is to focus on God's
Word and what He is saying.
Week 3 of our study is wrapped-up and only one more week left! How did you do? If this is your first time here, don't despair, the How to be Thankful study is meant to be a lesson for the whole year through... pick it up and try it at any time!
Today
we top off our
week with some fun tid-bits. The first week we looked at Thanksgiving
Appetizers, because we were just starting out. Last week we dove into the Main Meal, because we had been getting into the meat and
potatoes of the study! This week is like the cherry on top as we celebrate being Made New in Christ... what is sweeter than dessert?!
By the way, before I get started, just wanted to let you know I posted in Menu Monday this week about setting up a holiday Menu. Next week's Menu Monday will dive even deeper on the topic. Check them out if you are interested!
Onto our delicious desserts...
Perfect Pie Crust
I'm not going to bore you with ANOTHER pumpkin pie recipe. There are tons.
I do the standard. I can share everyone's favorite pie crust recipe
though. Something which stands out among all the others and begs people
to ask how you did it... while you simply smile and assure them in their unbelief that it was so easy your 2 year old could figure it out!
For a 2 crust pie You need:
2 cups flour (I use regular white or all purpose)
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup lard or shortening
7 Tbsp cold water
Wooden (or other) spoon
pastry blender or a large fork
rolling pin
additional flour for dusting surface to roll on
Medium-large metal or glass bowl
I use a large metal bowl because I am messy and my mix will get EVERYWHERE if I don't! In your bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in the lard/shortening until mixture resembles crumbs. Add water and stir with spoon. Set spoon aside and use hands to lightly kneed in the remaining crumbs in the bowl (this does not need to be a technical kneed... just simply making sure all ingredients are combined)
Divide dough in half. Form dough halves into a disk. From here you can either wrap in wax paper and Ziploc to store in the fridge or freezer for use... or... roll disks according to needed crust for pie recipes. For extra flavor you can put a quick dash of nutmeg into the flour
mixture before cutting in the lard OR a small splash of vanilla into the
water before adding it in. This recipe is pretty forgiving, so don't stress! Even when I need a single crust I will make a two-crust batch and freeze the extra. (Consequently, this is the same recipe I use in Pot Pie!)
*Pie Crust baking tips
When possible, pre-bake pie crust about 5 minutes, it helps avoid soggy bottoms!
To avoid burnt pie crust edges, tear off thin strips of foil (1-2" wide) and cover the pie crust edges before baking.
Cranberry Apple Pie
While we are on the subject of pie, I have to share a phenomenal recipe I found online at the Family Fun website a few years ago. I'm glad I printed it then because I can't find it's duplicate now! I have, of course, made a few modifications to fit us. Just in case you are snubbing your nose at "cranberry" in the title, I also have to confess that I do NOT rush to the cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving buffet... ever. However, I have found that I love whole cranberries in Cranberry Bread, Festive Cranberry Pineapple Salad (which appeared in every other magazine I got back in the early 2000s) and Cranberry Scones... along with this recipe. It is reminiscent of a rhubarb pie but not as tart, much softer on the pallet.
What you need:
PIE
1 Pie crust
2 cups apples, peeled, cored, chopped to desired pie size (I make approx 1"x1/8" slices)
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (whole berries like you get in produce section)
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 Tbsp cold butter (I use margarine)
Preheat oven to 400. Roll out pie crust and place in your pie pan so it comes to the lip of the pie pan. You can do a decorative edge if you like.
Combine all pie ingredients and pour into crust filled pie pan.. Bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients of the crumb topping and cut in the butter using a large fork or pastry blender (I usually do this in the same bowl I used for the pie fillings).
Remove pie from oven, reduce temperature to 375 and sprinkle the crumb topping over top. Bake for another 25-30 minutes, until top is golden and the juice seem to be thickening and bubbling around edges.
The pie is best when it has sat for a couple hours before serving. You might want to make 2.... it will go fast!
Turkey Cookies
Back in the early 2000s I was addicted to homemaking and family magazines. I think Kraft was trying to boost marketing and put out a FREE magazine every few months with awesome recipes which were quick, budget friendly, and easy to follow. One recipe we latched onto was called Chocolate Holiday Bears and turned out to be a substitute for Gingerbread boys... I can't have gingerbread, I think I am allergic... seriously (I'm weird like that). I saw the cute bears and instead thought "Turkeys!" The rest is history! We make these every year now, share them with friends and neighbors and I even make extra dough for the freezer so I am ready for Gingerbread boys at Christmas! I only regret I don't have a finished product picture to show you.
What you need:
3/4 cup butter, softened (I use margarine)
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 pkg (4 serving size) chocolate dry instant pudding mix
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
For decorating:
3 sq Semi Sweet Baking Chocolate (I use chocolate chips when I don't have it)
Decorations such as small candies, sprinkles, candy corn, coconut, slivered almonds, etc. (we tried marshmallows one year but they got hard and weren't very good)
Preheat oven to 350.
Beat butter, sugar, pudding mix and egg in large bowl with electric mixer on medium until well blended. Combine remaining dry ingredients and gradually add to the wet ingredients. Form into a disk and refrigerate for up to an hour.
Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/4" thick and cut with cookie cutters. We use turkeys, leaves, acorns and sometimes even pumpkins when little ones are in charge! Place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until slightly firm. When done, remove from pan and cool on rack.
Melt chocolate in microwave dish or double broiler (Micro on medium for 2 min). Spread chocolate over desired area of cookie and add decorations or serve plane. We usually spread the chocolate on the "feathers" at the back end of our turkeys, the "tops" of our acorns or over the entirety of our leaves. I like to use a toothpick to trace the 'veins' of the leaves in the chocolate, giving them a more three-dimensional look.
This recipe will make quite a bit as you roll, combine scraps, and re-roll. Don't double unless you expect to share with a lot of people or freeze half the dough for Christmastime.
*****
Our craft this week was inspired by an old, long-ago, public school project my oldest (now 21) did in early elementary. We have done it every year now as a family for as long as I can remember and no matter how old my kids get, they still look forward to it... as do hubby and I!
Turkey in Disguise
(also known as SAVE THE TURKEYS!)
What you need:
Imagination!!
Turkey template (below) printed on card stock
Whatever arts and crafts odds and ends you have on hand
Construction paper
Glue (school glue for bigger objects, glue stick for paper-to-paper)
Tape
Imagination (did I mention that yet?)
(click on image to access printable PDF of template)
ANYTHING goes with this project, as you will see below. The idea is to help the turkey put on a disguise so he won't be recognized and, therefore, eaten at Thanksgiving! One year, I cut a wagon wheel out of construction paper and glued it on mine, hubby used an old iPad cover and turned his into an iPad. Brenden once made his a trash can using construction paper for the can and actual wrappers and "garbage" glued on! The sky is the limit....
(last year's disguises)
Brenden disguised his turkey as Dustfinger having been inspired by reading Inkheart at the time.
Ashley was reading (and then watching) Left Behind (with Kirk Cameron). Surely no one will cook good ole Buck?!
Brooke was thoroughly inspired after just attending her first live concert and meeting Brandon Heath. No turning back on this one! (one hand holds a ticket, the other a pen for signing with - he had signed her ticket for her)
Hubby has quite the eye for detail (and disguise) as well. His theory: if you think it's skunk surely you won't hunt it for Thanksgiving dinner!!
Just in case anyone wondered, I had to make it clear: NO turkeys here, try looking elsewhere!!
Usually we display our disguised foul on a door in a central area of the house. One year I set up an entire scape along an elongated bulletin board we had in the hallway to our central bathroom. (one of the turkeys was dressed as Santa that year and one was a bush!!) I don't recommend hanging on the window if you live in colder climates. The moister that gathers on windows may ruin the paper.
Have elementary age kiddos?
Check out this book. It is a great supplement to this activity AND one of our all time faves. We used to read it every Thanksgiving Eve (click on image to find it at Amazon)...
Speaking of Thanksgiving books, have you seen this one? It ties with 'Twas the Night as a family favorite. The pictures are captivating and the story puts a whole new spin on a classic song sung by children through the ages at this time of year. (click on image to find it at Amazon)...
What your family favorite dessert and activities for Thanksgiving?
How has your study been coming? I hope the video yesterday
wasn't too long... again (if it was, the notes included in the post
pretty much
sum it up and might be quicker to read!) I actually felt less nervous with this one, however, in my comfort I talked more than planned! I just hope and pray you find it helpful, informative and uplifting. I will keep working on the time though!
This week's reflection stems from the following verse from our study:
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Colossians 3:15
My gratitude... in this topic took many years and many trials to perfect. It wasn't easy to tell the loan company that, while my car was 3 months behind after my husband was laid off in the recession, I really would catch the payments up. It was heart-wrenching trying to talk with snide customer service representatives at the electric company, begging them to work a deal with me so my kids wouldn't be cold mid-winter during this same lay-off period. I have a list, a mile long, of situations God allowed me to walk through in order to refine me and my attitude to be more reflective of Christ.
There was a day when I would go toe-to-toe with rude customer service reps. There was a time when, I am ashamed to admit, I was not the woman for a job which required extreme patience and grace. My greatest hope is that acquaintances from this period of my life don't remember me for that!
One day it clicked though. In an early morning Bible study, God spoke to me and showed me how, while the world might react with spite or anger, Christians are called to react with grace, peace, and, most of all, TRUST. Trust that God is in control and with that basic knowledge, NO, NONE, NADA... not.a.single situation needed to steal our peace unless we allowed it to.
I still remember, clear as crystal waters, later that day as I spoke on the phone with the car company. Once again re-assuring them we would catch up, I wasn't angry anymore, I wasn't bitter, I wasn't begging or complaining. I.was.at.peace. The rep noticed and commented and I had this wonderful opportunity to share my Hope. Ultimately we did end up loosing that car, but we didn't fret. I could write an entire blog post on that amazing story. I can say, in our peace, we got to share our faith with the tow-truck driver and encourage him in the midst of a rough day!
This past week I was blessed with an opportunity to remember and let the peace of Christ rule in my heart when our only car broke down. We had $20 to our name, didn't know a single trustworthy repair shop in town and had NO CLUE how we would move the car OR get hubby to work. It broke down as I pulled into the church parking lot to pick kids up from youth group and as well-meaning deacons, youth pastor, and other leaders came out to re-assure me everything would be OK, I simply smiled and said 'I know'. My kids were amazing too as they laughed and chatted on about how 'we've been through worse but God always takes care of us'. My heart swelled with gratitude and pride for them, for life's hard times which made this one so much easier to bear and, most of all, for a God who counts me worthy of His teaching and care!
P.s. The car is back in order enough to use, God took care of it for us!
What are you thankful for as the result of Christ's peace ruling in your heart this week?
Blessings,
Post
your own Gratitude Reflections this week, share the button and share
your post in comments below and/or on my Facebook page! Let us
encourage each other this week.
Start
a gratitude leaf theme for yourself or with your children using
construction paper OR this free printable (you can cut them out too!). You can find display inspiration in Friday's post from week 1:
How can you take on your new identity in Christ and find gratitude in it?
On Sunday we had some introduction to Colossians 3. I asked the big WHY question after considering verse 3:17:
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
- Colossians 3:17
WHY
do the disciples, and Jesus himself, keep using that phrase (in the name of the Lord Jesus)? It is used often throughout the New Testament. I shared how the culture at that time believed a name was indicative of a
person and their personality. When believers were told to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, they were essentially being told: take on the personality and characteristics of Jesus.
"Christian", as we and they are known by today, is more than a title,
it is our very identity and we should be living as such.
This whole message piggy-backs last week's on being rooted in Christ. Here, Paul begins to expound on HOW. His "IF" statement in 3:1 seems almost to be a challenge:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
When I studied this passage myself I began to list-out his admonishments. After all, the above is quite a bold statement, IF you have been raised with Christ. Essentially, IF... then your mind should be somewhere else, not on earthly things. Let's break this down:
Since we are made new:
seek things above where Christ is [not the things below on Earth with man]
set your mind on things above [not on things below]
Why? For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God (v3) you are alive in Christ (not, alive in the world)
Remember from Monday: our identity, the definition and example of who we are, is in Christ. This was said for the 1st century believers who wondered and questioned... and it is said for us today.
Put to death the earthly in you (v5...)
sexual immorality
impurity
passion
evil desire
covetousness, which is idolatry
We once walked but now... put them away (v7-8)
anger
wrath
malice
slander
obscene talk
lieing
As we have discussed since week 1... we aren't talking about a list of dos and don'ts... rather... we are waking the mind to see how and what truly reflects the character of Christ in us. Notice the action words Paul uses with the believers here: Put to death, put them away. These are deliberate motions he commanded the first century believers to go through in order to deny the flesh. Is it easy? No, not always. But Paul is serious in calling on believers to root out the things in them of this world. Once those things are out of the way, more of Christ can shine through.
You may be saying: this is still a list of things to do. So let me explain.
I heard once how, when we remove sin from our life, if we don't replace it with something else, sin comes right back and brings all his friends.
Paul knows this. That is why, right after he tells them to put the earthly things away, he explains what should take it's place:
... you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of the creator.
Colossians 3:9b-10
Did you catch that? That one word in there: being. This suggests that our walk, our spiritual growth, is a process. I believe this is a process which results from the putting off talked about in the previous verses and the putting on in subsequent:
Put on (v12...)...
compassionate hearts
kindness
humility
meekness
patience (bearing with one another)
forgiving (because Christ forgave so we must forgive others)
**love**... this binds it all together
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts (v15)
be thankful [because Christ's peace is ruling in your heart] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (v16)
teaching (in all wisdom)
admonishing (in all wisdom)
singing (with thankfulness in your hearts to God)
... psalms
... hymns
... spiritual songs
[Basically]... do EVERYTHING in Jesus' name giving thanks to God.
And notice, extremes:
Let the peace of Christ RULE in your hearts
Let the word of Christ dwell in you RICHLY
These are abundance worlds. Not just let, but let to the extreme. Christ is in control and abundance. He isn't your COpilot... He IS your pilot! You're just the passenger riding in a state-of-the-art jet-liner with everything you need on board!
Oh boy, where do I go from here?
First of all: action, action, action. How many times do we or others we know come to Christ expecting to not have to do anything to see our faith grow? Like the 1st century believers in the licentious society of Colosse, we want to meld with the culture around us. We don't want to be weird or different. We just want to be like everyone else AND like Christ because it just sort of happens that way.
But the believers then couldn't, hence Paul's very direct.to.the.point letter to them... a message for us now as well.
PUT ON and LET are choices we make to do something. Not to gain approval from God, rather, to reflect Christ in us. Think of it like this: if your spouse or kids are getting on your nerves... not because they did anything inherently wrong but just because your nerves are frayed that day... you have a choice: snap and make a mess of emotions in everyone including yourself OR pray through it, seek your peace in Jesus and give grace, making for peace in your home... what do you CHOOSE? Neither one nullifies your relationship with your family, though it might strain it. Which mood or attitude do you put on or let control your decisions and what are the consequences? From a Christian perspective: which mood or attitude in this scenario reflects Christ most?
Now broaden that to the way you interact with society on a whole. The 1st century believers in Colosse had a choice too. They, like us, would fight it at times. They would resist the right choices... whether for acceptance or out of fear or some other reason... we don't know. I have to believe Paul's use of the verb 'let' tells us he is calling them to lay down that resistance and allow something, someone, greater work within. To choose the attributes growing inside which reflect Christ over the attributes that should be dieing off since accepting Him.
Notice, too, AFTER Paul beseeches them to put on he calls on them to walk in gratitude THREE times in just three consecutive verses:
be thankful (because peace of Christ is ruling your heart)
with thankfulness (sing and worship)
giving thanks (do ALL in Jesus' name)
Again, he isn't giving them a list of dos and don'ts. No. What Paul is doing here is much more revolutionary: he is calling them to an entirely new way of thinking which will result in a new lifestyle. The new life is heaven and eternity focused with Christ verses the rules and regulations of false teachers which call believers to focus on things of this earth. We all know the things of this earth are not eternally satisfying, they eventually wear out and we are left empty and worse than before. One profound quote I saw on this topic:
Our death to this life must be made real in the way that we live day-to-day
....We can be thankful through the process of being made new because the peace of Christ can and will sustain us.
....We can worship God with deepest gratitude because of our salvation and the process of being made new. Worshiping in thanksgiving is powerful, even if life isn't perfect, just to thank God for being our deliver and comforter.
....We must continue to do all that God calls us to do: go to work, stay home, wash the car, feed the hungry, clean our toilet, cuddle a baby... EVERYTHING.... thanking God we have the place and space and strength to do it.
Even in our weakest moments: chemo, broken leg, illness, loosing a job, even the despair of death : we can thank Him and give Him glory because this life, this day, this world is passing. We have an eternity with Christ in a place of no pain or suffering. Our attitude is the one thing which might be used, even in the darkest moments, to shine the light of Christ to someone else. If we are focused on eternity, the sorrows in our moment pale in comparison to the hope we have in our future.
Put onin the name of Christ... BE Christ every minute of every day of whatever time you have here. Be made new.
........................................
For more study on how to be made new refer to last week's study outline and the additional Bible passages listed at the end of the document. These can be just one source and guide.
Also,
take time today and for the remainder of this week to reflect on how
you have been made new (or can be made new) in Christ. Find some songs, psalms and/or hymns which reflect your heart of gratitude for the ways your relationship with Christ have helped you to overcome old habits and put on new ones... and Thank God through worship.If you want, you can print the leaf document below and fill them out with gratitude reflections.
I pray you will celebrate the New Life you have in Christ this week (and all weeks!) and take those revolutionary steps to be counter-cultural in BEING Christ to the world around you.
My prayer is that you are finding transformation in this study. This week's biggest challenge is to put on a new attitude... a new way of thinking. This is what Paul was calling the Colossians to do and it is a message which speaks loudly to us today.
What area of your home do you typically have a bad attitude about cleaning. Are you tempted to cut corners, get grouchy, or just simply not find joy in this task? Tackle it this week!!! BUT, in typical Preparing Home and Heart style, be renewed in HOW you do it. Put off your old attitude and way of thinking about this task and put on one which sees it as a blessing: a blessing to have a home (or this area of the home) to clean. A blessing to get to make your home warm and inviting to guests (not stinky or dirty or grimy). You are blessed, you are renewed in Christ, so EVERYTHING you do ought to be done in his name: with the attitude and mindset He would have in a task.
By the way, even if this mess was someone else's "fault", that doesn't matter. Pray through that as well and be thankful for that person in your life. Put off your frustration with them and, instead, put on a new attitude toward that person.
You will feel better when you are done with this task, having done it with more joy. Your family will feel better as well because they will get the pleasure of not having you frustrated or.... simply outside of the peace God promises!
I pray this challenge will help you unlock deeper gratitude for how transforming God's Word is!
We are officially halfway through our study on How to be Thankful! How has your study been going? If you missed the first 2 weeks, don't fret. I think you will agree: learning how to be Thankful isn't just a November thing. I would encourage you to still go, grab Week 1 and Week 2 out of the line-up, and start the study now (or as soon as you can). Maybe just disregard the fall bonus activities!! This study is applicable to our lives year-round.
Remember: For your convenience, I have placed an asterisks * in the title of the 2 weekly articles which most directly hit on the study. Other articles are applications, reflections, and just plain fun stuff! There are really only two key posts to this study each week, they post on Sunday and Wednesday.
............
When I sat down to do the study this week, I felt a need to sort of review and reflect where I had been. It helped me to connect all the dots and see more clearly where I am going:
Week 1 we looked at the first part of Colossians Chapter 1 with emphasis on this passage:
11May
you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all
endurance and patience with joy, 12giving thanks to the Father, who has
qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13He
has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom
of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of
sins.
- Colossians 1:11-14
We talked about how the key to gratitude, first and foremost, is Salvation. Without Salvation, we have no eternal gratitude and everything else is temporal... it is passing. We took time to Thank God for our Salvation (or seek Salvation if one did not already have it) and the joy and peace God gives us as a result... more than enough to even help us in difficult times.
Week 2 we finished up Chapter 1 and scoured Chapter 2, pouring over these verses:
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus
the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in
the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7
We discussed the importance of a Christ-centered life and touched on HOW to have that. We saw where thankfulness should be in abundance (abounding) as an overflow of being rooted in Christ and His Word. We also considered some instructions for getting better rooted in Christ and bearing His fruit found in Galatians 5:16-26 and 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22.
This week I want to dive into Chapter 3 and take a look at the advice Paul gave the first century believers in Colosse on HOW to live a Christ-centered life so we can see How to be Thankful as the result of being Made New through Christ.
This week's reading and study plan (click on the image to open the PDF):
Why is a new question I want to expound on this week. If you remember from the previous weeks, we talked about the Judaiser and multi-relgion/multi-culture influence the new believers in the bustling town of Colosse faced. The idea of religiousness (you have to earn your way to favor with God) and the confusing teachings, rules and ideas of what you could get away with as a Christian, were all nearly knocking the new believers off track. The idea of "freedom in Christ" could get rather confusing, but Paul comes to the rescue with some elaboration on this concept.
This week Paul says something we can easily glaze over if we aren't careful:
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
- Colossians 3:17
How many times in scripture (namely the New Testament) do we see that phrase and it's cousins, "in the name of the Lord Jesus..."? WHY do the disciples, and Jesus himself, keep using that phrase? The answer... In that period it was believed that a name was indicative of a person and their personality. How often in the Bible do we see names changed as the result of great (or not so great) feats? Jesus even changed Simon's name to Peter for the significance it would eventually have. He wasn't a rock at first... but he certainly became one as time, and Jesus's abundance of grace, went on. When believers were told to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, they were essentially being told: take on the personality and characteristics of Jesus. "Christian", as we and they are known as today, is more than a title, it is our very identity and we should be living as such.
As we study this week, let's keep this fact at the forefront of our mind!
How can you take on your new identity in Christ and find gratitude in it?
This is the question we will answer this week.
Blessings,
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Remember, all you need is your Bible and
a journal or paper. If you want to print the S.W.A.P. worksheet, it is
optional. You can use one for the whole week, adding to the questions
as you go, or print out one for each day. If you have any questions,
please don't hesitate to let me know. Take it step-by-step and do
whatever you feel able to do. The important thing is to focus on God's
Word and what He is saying.
