Colossians 3:3-5 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
 
WHAT does it mean to be “hidden with Christ”? Consider what do with a valuable object. You usually hide it don’t you? You want it to be secured and safe, so you put it where it is protected.
    In a like manner, you are hidden with Christ in God because the Father sees you as his valuable possession, his child. Your heavenly Father has put you in a safe place. The devil wants to steal you away, but you are secure with his Son. You are away from the world’s evils that Paul so clearly listed here. Even more, you are safe from God’s eternal condemnation. Joyfully, you are secure in God’s eternal salvation because you are hidden, protected with Jesus.
    In another illustration, see Jesus as your Watchman. He warns with his teachings and commands. He, protects with his promises. He secures you with his death, resurrection and ascension. Jesus is your Savior, who “hides” you from sin with his blood. Jesus is your Brother, who secures you as a child of God. Jesus is your Friend, who welcomes you to a place prepared in heaven for you. Jesus is your King, who safeguards your life now and forever with his power from heaven’s throne. Jesus is your Storm Calmer, who secures you from the waves of trouble that threaten to wash over your heart. Jesus is your Alpha and Omega, who has bound you to him from eternity past into eternity future. Jesus is your Son of Man, who will come again to secure you from the world into heaven’s glory.
    As you are hidden with Jesus in God, you are bound to the Bible, to worship God and to love one another. You are bound to tell the world of his great love.
    Hidden with Christ in God is a good, safe place to be.
 
Life Thought: You can be sure you are secure in Jesus.  

 

Colossians 3:1-2 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 
 
WHAT would it be like if you purchased a new set of clothes but didn’t wear them? You’d miss out on the benefit of the new, wouldn’t you? Your purpose for getting new clothes would become useless, and your physical appearance and perhaps comfort would remain unchanged.
    Now, what would happen if you confessed Jesus as your Lord and Savior, but you failed to “wear” his salvation? Instead, you kept your mind on the worldly things that keep you from Jesus’ forgiveness, mercy, joy and love? What would happen if you continued to prefer your old ways to Jesus, who is the Way? Your purpose for receiving Jesus would become useless, wouldn’t it?
    When you confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, he sends the Spirit to clothe you anew in his truth. See the promise in Isaiah 42:6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.”  Celebrate! You are new in Christ!
    This was Paul’s experience and it is every Christian’s experience. Paul, a true messenger for Jesus, urged the Colossians to turn their hearts to the Lord, to clothe their new life with Jesus. After all, from the right hand of God, Jesus has the power, truth and authority to change lives. To confess him, then ignore him would be to mock his death, resurrection and ascension – the means for your new life. To put on the new life is to seek and to obey him, to honor and to worship the resurrected King. His life-changing gifts are for your use each day. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Romans 6:4)
    As you are saved, the Holy Spirit has raised you from sin’s deadly pit into heaven’s glory. Put on the new life. Wear Jesus with joy as the Lord God your new life each day.   
 
Life Thought: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Colossians 2:18-19 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 
 
MUCH has been written about “Custer’s Last Stand”, the Native American Sioux nation’s annihilation of the U.S. Army’s 7th Cavalry under Gen. George Custer. One repeated reason for Custer’s defeat is that he spoke eloquently to draw people to his side, but he had disconnected himself from the head authority of the U.S. Army. Custer was a man who waged his own private “war” aside from the army’s purpose and policies. In response, one general refused to come to the 7th Cavalry’s aid during the fight, saying, “That’s just Custer.”
    The Colossian church was under this type of separation threat. With such words as, “He has lost connection with the head.” Paul warns against false teachers. They were teaching God could only be approached by worshiping various levels of angels (similar to today’s Mormon cult’s lies). Paul warned the church that these men spoke well and had details about what they had seen. This, too, sounds like today’s cult leaders. But the church must know they spoke against God’s true Word.
    Custer tried to lead in his own authority, and he died. Cult leaders have for centuries tried to lead in their own authority. Sadly, they have died in God’s judgment and have led others to die separated from Jesus’ authority, condemned to eternal death. Be alert! You will hear people say, “I have a new revelation from God.” Separate yourself from the lies. Be linked to Jesus, the church’s true head.
 
Life Thought: Victory is only in the Commander of Heaven’s army. 

Colossians 2:16-17 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 
 
WHEN you read the title of this devotion, “It is About Jesus” I hope you said to yourself, “I know that.” Sadly, though, many people do not know that Scripture is about Jesus. Jesus has become lost amid mankind’s preferences, traditions, and consuming passion for self-desires in the church. I’ve sadly have heard, “We need something more than Jesus.”
    Here’s a quote from the Teacher’s Commentary © 1997 on this scripture: “Many in the ancient world struggled against the idea of ‘new’. They were attracted to the church but tried to adjust Christ to fit their old categories. They tried to define Christianity in terms of their human philosophies rather than letting Christ define them as a new humanity.
    “We have the same problem. God designed the church to be a living organism. Yet today we still persist in creating its structure as a business rather than a body. The leadership is called to equip members of the body. Yet all too many Christians view the pastoral staff as people hired to do the teaching and evangelism that is the body’s ministry.”
    In the new church, false teachers tried to legalize the church. We still work hard to legalize worship, God’s Word, God’s grace and Jesus. We judge others who do not fit our view. We look for ways to criticize and separate instead of joining as one in Jesus. Paul adamantly tells the Colossians, “It’s about Jesus.” Paul reminds them that the Old Testament laws, holidays, and festivals pointed toward Christ. But they were “shadows” of Jesus, who came to bring his light to remove shadows. If we have Christ, we have what we need to know and please God.
 
Life Thought: What’s between you and Jesus?

Matthew 28:1-8 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from Heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and indeed he is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him. Behold, I have told you." 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring his disciples word.
 
ON the resurrection morning the angel of the Lord commanded the women to do two things: "Come, see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead." "Come." they invited. "Go." they instructed.
    Our Christ-centered life is about coming and going isn't it? After all, Jesus' first call to his disciples was, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt 4:19) – an invitation in which our Lord inferred that following him required some action.
    The lesson is simple, and it is eternal. Jesus invites us to come into his teaching that we will learn how to live into his resurrected life. Then we are to go and tell, "He is risen!" so that others will come into faith that they might go to Heaven. 
 
Jesus Teaches: Pray, "Come, Holy Spirit. Fill my faith that I will surely go and tell, "He is risen."

Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by hm to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of his cross.
 
AS Jesus came to fill the world once again with the glory of God’s holiness and salvation, it was essential Jesus carried God’s fullness with him. What is God’s fullness?
    We see this in several places in Scripture. Genesis records God’s fullness – his completeness – in the creation and perfect Garden of Eden. The Great Flood displays the fullness of God’s judgment. Israel’s exodus from Egypt is God’s full salvation. His law is God’s full righteousness. Revelation displays God will fully dwell with his people in a perfect new creation.
    Paul is defending here Jesus’ power to offer mankind God’s full perfection through our soul’s salvation. He continues this teaching in Colossians 2:9-13 Everything of God gets expressed in Jesus, so you can see and hear Jesus clearly. You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him. 10 When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too. His power extends over everything. 11 Entering into this fullness is not something you figure out or achieve. It’s not a matter of being circumcised or keeping a long list of laws. No, you’re already in — insiders — not through some secretive initiation rite but rather through what Christ has already gone through for you, destroying the power of sin. 12 If it’s an initiation ritual you’re after, you’ve already been through it by submitting to baptism. Going under the water was a burial of your old life; coming up out of it was a resurrection, God raising you from the dead as he did Christ. 13 When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive — right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins are forgiven. (from THE MESSAGE paraphrase)
    Do you confess Christ is your Savior? Then be in awe that God is pleased to fully save you in Jesus’ complete work to the cross. Are you yet to confess Christ? Then listen with open ears and humble heart o know God’s full love will lead you to his glory.
 
Life Thought: God fills you with Jesus. 
 

 

Colossians 1:14-18 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence. 
 
WHAT do you think of being bound? “Bound” in the worldly view is being all tied up, unable to do what you want. If you are bound to debt, you are bound to work you might not like to do, so you can pay the debt. Sadly, too many people make inappropriate decisions and are bound to circumstances that have become beyond their control.
    But what happens if you are bound to Jesus? Everything changes. It’s as if you are bound to a glass of cold water on a hot, dry day…tied in love to a good friend who enriches your life…connected to a regular source of food for your good health…bound to a church who nurtures your faith. You are connected eternally to his forgiveness and grace, tied in his body broken for you and his blood shed for you.
    When you are bound in Jesus, you have eternal life in your “redemption through the forgiveness of your sins”. Bound to Jesus you are safe in the power of God, who created the heavens and the earth. You are blessed to live in the authority of the one who holds “all things together”.
    With these worshipful words, Paul elevates Jesus to the heights of your mind. Paul constantly declared Jesus’ majesty to say to the world, “Jesus has the power and the authority to bind you to eternal life. See Jesus, and you will see God.”  Do you believe that great, eternal binding truth? I pray so. Because when you are bound to Jesus, you are bound for your eternal heavenly home!
 
Life Thought: In Jesus, your soul is bound for glory.

Colossians 1:11-13 strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
 
I’M sitting here in awe of these words. I’ve read the Bible every day for the past 35 years; yet, more and more I am astonished by the power of God’s Word. Our sovereign Lord speaks so clearly of His love, compassion, grace, strength and salvation. He overwhelms us with wonder as we pause to consider, “How could I ever deserve even a tiny gram of grace the eternal God has for me?”
    On this day, if you know someone who is hurting for any reason, would you take this scripture to them? Read it to them, or perhaps you could pray for your friend in this manner: “Father God, may you strengthen my friend with all power, according to your glorious might, that my friend would endure this hard time with patience and even joy, giving thanks to you, Father, you have qualified my friend to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Father, you have delivered my friend from the domain of darkness and transferred my friend to the kingdom of your beloved Son, who has redeemed my friend from sin. You have opened your heart to my friend. In Jesus’ name I gratefully pray, Amen.”
    You and I are born unqualified to be with God. But graciously God acted. Lovingly Jesus died. Eternally the Holy Spirit raises you from the pit of darkness into the glorious light.
     Do you know Jesus is your Lord? Be in awe God has qualified you. Are yet unsure of Jesus? Then pray to him. Listen for his response. Rejoice in his eternal commitment to qualify you. Confess. Believe. Get qualified in Jesus. Pray for others to do the same. Live in joy.
 
Life Thought: Psalms 118:27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.  
 

Colossians 1:8-10 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit. 9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.
 
WHAT is your life’s purpose? I know. That’s a big question. To answer that could take you weeks, even months of study – or would it? Let’s go to Genesis to consider the reason God created mankind. “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26)
    God made mankind to bear, to carry and dispense, the image of God on earth. In other words, he made us to be his ambassadors in his new creation with the capacity to rule the earth as God rules over the heaven. You may be thinking, “That’s impossible.” But no, it is possible for you to lead the world in God’s image when you faithfully respond to God’s wisdom, made known through his gospel and his commands. When you trust God’s transforming good news is true for your life, he will fill you with the knowledge of his will. You will take on more of his character to teach, support and lead others through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Saved by faith in Jesus’ resurrection, you will live a life worthy of the Lord. You will please him in every way. Your purposeful life will bear fruit in every good work as you continually grow in the knowledge of God.
    That is Paul’s prayer for the Colossians and the Spirit’s prayer for you today. This is a Christian’s purpose. This is the church’s reason to exist. Jesus’ disciples live in spiritual wisdom and understanding when they pray for these blessings and obey the Lord’s Word. With such knowledge they will “bear fruit”, demonstrating God’s image into the broken world.
    This is the core of Jesus’ Great Command: “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19) as you are a witness to God’s salvation in the way you live and speak. Jesus requires faithful living. Some of his hardest words to us are: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46) Be purposeful. Be true to your faith. Make Jesus known in the way you live. I pray that is your first purpose in life.
 
Life Thought: Be fruitful. Multiply the gospel.