Category: Righteousness

Everything

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We live in a world that seems to think “It’s all about me.” Sadly, even believers fall into this trap. We need to spend time with God daily asking Him to show us what we are selfishly holding back. If we do something good for our own benefit instead of the glory of God, I think we contradict this verse. Every part of our lives should be for our Heavenly Father.

This is easy to say, but hard to do. That is why we need to daily go to God to ask for help glorifying Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, please help us to do everything for Your honor and glory. We know you are deserving of glory. Thank You for giving us the opportunity to glorify you.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Strengthened for Joy

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I don’t know about you, but I often feel weak. Life is filled with challenges (I think I may be sounding like a broken record – if there was sound to writing). Some days those challenges become overwhelming. Have you ever quit? I have.

When we feel weak, joy and thankfulness can be hard to come by. When I find it hard to be joyful or thankful I start with what verses 13-14 tell us. “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves. In Him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” God’s undeserved gift is easy to be thankful for.

Today’s verses talk about being strengthened. We need God’s strength to have endurance to make it through the challenges. God knew there would be many and so he sent the Holy Spirit to help us. Here is another reason to be joyfully thankful.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the strength that You give. Please help us to look to You for the endurance only You can provide. Please help us to be joyfully thankful. We know You give good gifts.

I praise this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Praying to Grow

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Those who have trusted in Jesus Christ have the opportunity to grow and mature. I appreciate Paul’s statement in verse 9 that he and Timothy are consistently praying for the believers in Colossae. Pray should be step number one in our spiritual maturity. We should pray to be “filled with the knowledge of His will” for ourselves and others. Then, we need to seek knowledge, wisdom and spiritual understanding.

The purpose? To “walk worthy of the Lord.” He is worthy to be pleased and we get to grow by “bearing fruit in every good work”. There is no greater purpose.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving the gift of prayer. Please help us to look to the knowledge and wisdom You have given. Please guide us to the greatest purpose of bearing fruit to please You.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Thankfulness and Love

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The apostle Paul often opens his letters with thankfulness for the believers to whom he is writing. I like how Paul qualifies that thankfulness in this book. This is because of the love the Colossians had “for all the saints”. John 13:35 tells us that people will know we belong to Jesus by our “love for one another.” This tells us that love for other believers is very important.

Love doesn’t always come easily. We face many challenges. However, God is faithful to increase our love for Him and others through the challenges. He gives us His Spirit and His Word. And He gives us other believers with whom we can wrestle through the difficulties.

Dear Heavenly Father, please give us the wisdom we need to show all men that we are Yours. Guide us to love as You do.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Worthy and Worthwhile

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We live in a world who wants worth to be whatever we want it to be. The truth is our value is because we are made in the image of God. There is no greater worth that people can know.

I typically write this blog for people who have a personal relationship with God. I wonder if anyone reads who doesn’t know what it is like to know who God really is. There are many ways to learn about God – there is only one to know Him personally. If you want to learn more start reading the book of Mark in the Bible. See who Jesus is. He can be trusted – the Bible can be trusted. You will learn the truth. If something is confusing ask God to help and find a church that can teach you the Bible. I can assure you that the greatest joy you can find is knowing who God really is.

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m not sure who will read this post or what they will do with this. I pray that someone will choose to find out Who You are. Please help me to share the truth of the gospel with others including reminding those who know You to continue to trust in You each day.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Love with Discernment

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The apostle Paul wanted the Philippian believers to increase in their love. Sadly, we have seen culture misuse this concept. Society wants to define love their own way. I’m confident that is why the apostle Paul said that the love should abound “with knowledge and all discernment.” Verses 10 and 11 continue the concept, “so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Our love needs to be directed by the truth in the Bible (the only source for truth). The only way we can know the truth is to read and study God’s Word. The pursuit of Biblical knowledge is very rewarding.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us absolute truth in the Bible. Please give us an insatiable desire to read and study Your Word. Help us to have discernment to know the truth.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Old vs. New

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As I continue to look at the idea of personal identity, I have to look at Ephesians 4:22-24.  As I have mentioned before, I think we have the tendency to cling to a me-centered identity.  The Bible tells us to put off the old self which has deceitful desires.  I think we can struggle being honest about what we want in life.  Too many times we allow selfishness to rule our thinking. 

Verse 23 tells us to be renewed and then verse 24 talks about putting on the new self which is God-like righteousness.  That is a pretty tall order.  However, God gives us what we need throughout Scripture to work towards this goal. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for giving Your Word to guide us through life.  Please help us to put off the old deceitful self and put on the new according to Your righteousness and holiness.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.  Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV)