Jeremiah 8
8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord,”
when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?”
Man, could that ever be written about the false doctrines of man-made pseudo-Christianity of today. It makes me sad to think of the twisting of Scripture that takes place in this world today. Why can’t we simply read the Bible and take it at face value? Why do we have folks who insist on adding their own non-biblical plans of “salvation” to the mix? Sigh.
Colossians 2
8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
There are plenty of folks vying for the hearts and minds of people out there. None of them can hold a candle to Jesus. Period.
Colossians 1
18 Christ is also the head of the church,
which is his body.
He is the beginning,
supreme over all who rise from the dead.
So he is first in everything.
19 For God in all his fullness
was pleased to live in Christ,
20 and through him God reconciled
everything to himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.
Christ is Supreme. He is the Word of God, the Creative Force of the universe, the Head of the Church. In Him the fullness of God dwells, and through Him everyone and everything CAN be reconciled to God. The choice is ours as to whether or not we WANT to be reconciled, but make no mistake, the reconciliation comes ONLY through Christ!
Colossians 1
15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
16 for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
17 He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.
This is the same Christ Who bids me daily to come and die and follow Him. I must die to myself because I am none of the things described in this passage from Colossians. Jesus is. How could I possibly think that I could come before Jesus? How could I dare be selfish and stupid that way? Father, forgive me for the times when I put Jesus in 2nd place in my heart. He is Supreme over all creation, and I am simply part of the creation! Not the other way around.
Philippians 4
4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
While I have often referred to verse four, verse five seems to have slipped my notice in the past. Yes, we should be filled with joy, rejoicing always, but the natural tie and and result of being filled with joy is to live a life that is considerate in all you do. Then, there is the kicker: “Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” How many times am I less than considerate of others without even thinking about it, or meaning to be inconsiderate? Far too often, I am afraid. Help me Lord, starting to today to be much more intentional and much more considerate of others ALWAYS.
Isaiah 66
1 This is what the Lord says:
“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?
Could you build me such a resting place?
2 My hands have made both heaven and earth;
they and everything in them are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word.”
We have nothing of any value that we can bring to God other than our lives. God owns everything! The glories we can see on this earth (like the beautiful doubler rainbow and sunset Friday night) are nothing but a footstool for God. Our fancy buildings and contraptions are NOTHING to God. Our devotion and love are what He desires.
Isaiah 65
1 The Lord says,
“I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.
I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’
to a nation that did not call on my name.
2 All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people.
But they follow their own evil paths
and their own crooked schemes.”
God’s people at the time of Isaiah were the people of Israel. Today, God’s people are the Church. I fear that far too often, we, the Church, do not call on His name, and that we follow our own evil paths & crooked schemes. I must fall on my face daily and deny myself. I must call on the Name of the Lord so that I may stay on the path He desires for me always.
