Tag Archives: grace

Imitation Admiration

Imitation from admiration IS the Gospel!

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The recurring theme of Paul’s letter to the Colossian believers was to stay centered on Jesus.

Our lives are hidden with Christ in the Father. This implies a need to seek Him, discover Him in growing and intimate ways.

The overall picture is very much like a young boy who imitates his father who he looks up to. He admires him and wants nothing more than to be just like him. He pays attention to what he does, where he goes, what he likes, what he wears and becomes SO influenced by him, that he begins to acclimate to his ways. This is not just by means of forced imitation, but through loving admiration – his find himself influenced by his father to the point that he is becoming like him without any real effort at all.

THAT is the gospel!

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Nailed Cross

Nailed to His cross

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Paul stresses the need for ongoing Faith to the Colossian believers, as well as the need to stay established in the truth.

Both Jews and Essense were influencing this church to consider the aesetic practices of neglect of the body and observance of the externals of the ceremonial Law of the Old Testament for righteousness.

Paul explains that such things have been removed out the way and nailed to the cross with Jesus our Messiah.

In this message we also address the misunderstanding of Paul’s words regarding obeserving sabbath days. This he clearly meant in relation to the other laws he listed which were all celemonial and exterior in nature. ALL Feast days had associated sabbath rests which were in no way related to the Sabbath day declared Holy by God on the 7th day of Creation and the 4th commandment of the Law.

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Laying Hold Mystery

Laying Hold of the Mystery of Christ in Us

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In the letter of Paul to the Colossian believers, he stresses the importance of being found well pleasing to God.

That pleasure is directly connected to the mystery God has kept hidden in Christ from before time began. It is the mystery of Christ in us!

As Michael Card so clearly stated in his song, Live this Mystery “The Mystery of life in Christ, is that Christ can live in you!”

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Tough Growth Father

Tough talks with God towards Spiritual Growth

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Series: In Pursuit of Relational Knowledge

Paul addresses the topic of Christian immaturity with the Corinthian believers.

He expresses the need for Christian maturity because our child-like actions are building ungodly structures upon the foundation of Jesus Christ which will be judged at the Judgment seat of Christ.

It is better to enter into the tough discussions with God now, than to have to face our unfaithfulness and lack of deep devotion on that day.

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Spirit Veil

The Spirit & the Veil

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Series: In Pursuit of Relational Knowledge

This week we explore the connection Jesus and Paul make between loving God self-sacrificially and the Spirit revealing Jesus to us.

That which has always veiled the true person of God from the eyes of humanity has always been the flesh.

Jesus and Paul both said, that it is our true, agape love for God which allows for God to be manifest to us. Without genuine respect, love and the honor of prompt obedience – we are in no position to have Christ revealed to us. In fact, if He were – it would work towards our hurt and shame.

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