How you doin? We're very excited today. We'll be going to the South Jersey Revival Alliance pray/worship meeting this morning. We're so excited to fellowship with like minded followers of Jesus. I believe that God honors and is pleased with our efforts to advance His Kingdom. Today is a corporate effort to connect with Him. SO GOOD!!!!!!! Stacey and I are hungry for fellowship and community with like minded followers of the Way. I know the Holy Ghost will be there. Colossians 4 today.
Verses 2-4, "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak." A couple things stood out in these verses. The word "devote". I don't think this word gets used enough when speaking about prayer. I believe we tend to be circumstantial prayers, not devoted prayers. I think the part that will help me is the "attitude of thanksgiving". I find myself praying to inform or pursued God. Not only does that have zero gratitude, but it's rather insane. Not even to mention self serving and arrogant. Being devoted to pray with a attitude of thanksgiving sounds like a much better option.
Verses 5-6, "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace,as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." I always notice "salt" in the Bible. I'm guessing it's due to my line of work and deep like, bordering on love, for salt. I was asked once about the affect salt had on food. I said that it draws out moisture, which preserves and in some cases draws out flavor. It enhances flavor. Either way it draws out. Then the question was posed, "If we as Christians are the "salt of the world". What are we to be drawing out?". Sadly enough the collective answer of the group was "sin". That is an old covenant, sin conscious, answer if I've ever heard one. Here in verse 6, salt is drawing out grace. That's a new covenant, truth conscious, answer. I think it's better to draw out true identity, grace, and love. In culinary arts, salt can "save" food, which in turn can bring it back from the dead. COME ON!!!!!!! In my kitchen I'll hear, Chef, that "whatever" is dead. I'll come investigate with a box of salt in my hand. Let the salt of heaven draw out grace in you today.
PS Stacey sent me this Kris Vallotton quote off of his Facebook page.
"Everybody needs to live in an environment where they are celebrated not just tolerated.
When people stop believing in you, you stop living at your full potential. When you stop operating at your full potential, it validates the misconception that you are not worth believing in...and the beat goes on.
Of course we all know that our worth is not in our ability but in our identity in Christ."
"Everybody needs to live in an environment where they are celebrated not just tolerated.
When people stop believing in you, you stop living at your full potential. When you stop operating at your full potential, it validates the misconception that you are not worth believing in...and the beat goes on.
Of course we all know that our worth is not in our ability but in our identity in Christ."
Colossians 4:11, "and also Jesus who is called Justus; these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me." There's something to be said for unity, fellowship, and community.
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