Tag: Colossians 3

Posted on

THE NEW LIFE :: SPEAK TRUTH

AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DESIGNATED WEEK OF THE MONTH.

In THE NEW LIFE series we’re studying one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Colossians 3:1-17. As you will see in the coming months, this is a rich chapter full of valuable life transforming lessons. Join me on the third Friday of each month in 2020 for this in-depth Bible study with real world applications.

Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old self with its evil practices.~ Colossians 3:9

In this portion of our study the Apostle Paul reminds us that because we’re walking a new life we must strip off our old ways and words.

From Anger and Deception to Peace and Truth

Before Christ made us new creatures we were spiritually dead. Our old self would put on anger and deception to manage ourselves and others. But now with Christ enlivening us we can live in peace and truth.

The Ultimate Voice of Truth

Christ, the ultimate Voice of Truth, speaks into our spirit. It’s up to us to listen and believe; to allow Him to live and speak through us to others.

Live Up to The Higher Standard

As Christ followers we hold to a higher standard–we must intentionally put off our old words and ways to walk in this new life. Others are watching and waiting for us to live up or fall down. Let’s live up to Christ with the Voice of Truth in our mouth!

Listen / watch this classic song by Casting Crowns as you contemplate the Voice of Truth living in and through you today.

Posted on

THE NEW LIFE :: NEW TALK / NEW WALK

AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DIFFERENT FRIDAY OF THE MONTH.

In THE NEW LIFE series we’re studying one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Colossians 3:1-17. As you will see in the coming months, this is a rich chapter full of valuable life transforming lessons. Join me on the third Friday of each month in 2020 for this in-depth Bible study in Colossians with real world application for today.

In your past evil life you did wrong things. But now you must put these things out of your life: anger, bad temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and using evil words when you talk. ~ Colossians 3:7-8

This earthly life brings challenges in our daily interactions with other people. These challenges may surface old negative patterns in our inner attitudes and our outer behaviors that were part of our old sinful life. In our new life God wants us to have a new way of talking and walking with others.

NEW TALK

Our attitudes, good or bad, show up in the words we use in difficult situations or with difficult people. When we’re reborn in Christ, God is remaking us from the inside out. This means our attitudes and words should be the first noticeable evidence of our new life to others who know us.

Our old life is dead and we are walking in new life with Christ. We must see our old self, our old attitudes and our old behaviors as dead. Our death to this earthly life must be made real in the way that we live every day.

NEW WALK

We aren’t walking this new life journey alone. Jesus has sent His Holy Spirit to live within us, to strengthen and guide us. We can trust that He is walking with us in our daily battle. He will help us in all areas of our life.

We are being made new in Christ every day. Our creation process is ongoing. It will only be fully completed when we cross over to Heaven one day. Until then, we seek God’s will and God’s ways by reading His Word, praying and listening to His guidance.

God promises He will never leave us or forsake us!

Let’s put on our dancing shoes and celebrate the good news that no matter how we’re talking and walking God will never walk away from us! Enjoy this awesome song by Elevation Rhythm!

Posted on

THE NEW LIFE :: ELIMINATE SINFUL BEHAVIOR

AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DESIGNATED WEEK OF THE MONTH.

In THE NEW LIFE series we’re studying one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Colossians 3:1-17. As you will see in the coming months, this is a rich chapter full of valuable life transforming lessons. Join me on the third Friday of each month in 2020 for this in-depth Bible study with real world applications.

Therefore, put to death what belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, God’s wrath is coming upon the disobedient.~ Colossians 3:5-6 (CSB)

The Scripture reading for today may seem somewhat harsh or unsettling. However, what it is teaching us is critical to living a victorious new life in Christ.

 

Behaviors Driven By Desires

Because we have  accepted Christ as our Savior, we have died to our old life and have been raised to walk a new life in Christ. Living this new life will require changing the habits and behaviors from our old lifestyle.

Our old behaviors were driven by old desires which originate within various parts of our physical body: mind, eyes, ears, touch, taste, etc…  We allowed the desires of our body to dictate how we lived our life.

 

Feeding Habits Keeps Them Alive

Paul tells us we must kill what belongs to our earthly nature. And the best way to do that is to starve it… Don’t feed it anymore! Instead, we must feed our spirit by keeping our hearts and minds set on things above where Christ, is, not on the temporary things of this world.

After committing adultery and murder, King David composed probably the most famous psalm of repentance. Having owned up to his past sins in previous verses, we now see David asking God to make him a new creature.

Create a new, clean heart within me.
Fill me with pure thoughts and holy desires, ready to please you.
May you never reject me!
May you never take from me your sacred Spirit!

Let my passion for life be restored,
tasting joy in every breakthrough you bring to me.
Hold me close to you with a willing spirit
that obeys whatever you say. ~ Psalm 51:10-12 (TPT)

Changed Focus Means Changed Life

When we focus on the things of God, earthly desires begin to fade away. By spending time with God and experiencing a new found joy our desires begin to change. Little by little our thoughts change and our bodies will no longer crave old destructive habits. Soon we will have separated ourselves from the sins that caused us to walk in disobedience.

To stay in right relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ there are things we must not do or think. By humbly submitting our lives and diligently reordering our behaviors we will walk in joyful obedience to God.

BY GOD’S GRACE WE ARE CHANGED!

Celebrate how God changed you with this awesome song by Jordan Feliz. 

Posted on

THE NEW LIFE :: HIDDEN IN CHRIST

AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DESIGNATED WEEK OF THE MONTH.

In THE NEW LIFE series we’re studying one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Colossians 3:1-17. As you will see in the coming months, this is a rich chapter full of valuable life transforming lessons. Join me on the third Friday of each month in 2020 for this in-depth Bible study with real world application.

Your crucifixion with Christ has severed the tie to this life, and now your true life is hidden away in God in Christ.  ~ Colossians 3:3 TPT

When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we made a declaration of that new life and displayed it publicly by the act of water baptism. Submerged under the water we are buried with Christ. Lifted up out of the water we are raised to walk a new life in Christ.

Just as we know that our old sinful life is buried and dead, we can see our new life hidden safely in Christ. We are protected from the sting of eternal death that sin brings and from anything the Enemy tries to attack us with.

CHRIST IS IN ME

I AM IN CHRIST

CHRIST IS IN GOD

Using the image below as a visual example, we can imagine how this new life hidden in Christ works. With nesting containers, the smaller one fits inside the next larger size and so on until all the containers are inside the largest container.

Visualize yourself as the second container, with Christ (the top container) in you. Then with Christ in you, you are also in Christ (the third container). And together you are both in God (the bottom container).

With Christ inside us giving us peace, strength and direction we are protectively hidden in Christ and Father God’s hands. Not only are we safe from the Enemy’s sneaky tricks and hateful attacks, we are fully surrounded by God’s love.

Contemplate what being hidden in Christ means to you with this sweet song by United Pursuit .

 

Posted on

THE NEW LIFE :: SET YOUR MIND ABOVE

AT RHW WE PUBLISH A NEW COLUMN EACH FRIDAY. WE’RE GOING THROUGH FOUR SPECIFIC STUDIES WITH EACH SERIES BEING PUBLISHED ON A DESIGNATED WEEK OF THE MONTH.

In THE NEW LIFE series we’re studying one of my favorite chapters in the Bible: Colossians 3:1-17. As you will see in the coming months, this is a rich chapter full of valuable life transforming lessons. Join me on the third Friday of each month in 2020 for this in-depth Bible study with real world application.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.~ Colossians 1:2

Living a heaven-focused life isn’t easy. Worldly distractions abound… freeway billboards, pop-up ads on our Internet browser, club music in the grocery store and that doesn’t count television, radio and magazines. It’s estimated that we’re hit with up to 10, 000 influences almost every day.

How on earth can we keep our minds set on heaven?

MADE IN GOD’S IMAGE

Because human beings are made in God’s image we have the ability to think like God thinks. Scripture teaches us to think higher thoughts like God does. If God tells us to do something it’s possible to do it. When we ask God for help, make every effort to be obedient He will give us good success.

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ~ Philippians 4:8

DEVELOP A SPIRITUALLY DISCIPLINED LIFE

There is incredible value in learning and applying spiritual disciplines such as: prayer, study, service, confession and worship.  On the 2nd Friday of 2020 at RHW we are doing a Spiritual Disciplines study. One of my favorite Bibles: The Life With God Bible is developed around the spiritual disciplines. It’s an excellent resource and great place to begin your study to grow more disciplined.

You’re only truly happy when you walk in total integrity,
walking in the light of God’s word. What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God, those who seek him as their heart’s passion! They’ll never do what’s wrong but will always choose the paths of the Lord. God has prescribed the right way to live: obeying his laws with all our hearts. ~ Psalm 119:1-4 (TPT)

REJECT WHAT ISN’T FROM GOD

It’s easy to be influenced by worldly things. I’m very strict with what I allow to grab my attention. Whether it’s the tv in the lunch room at work or the radio playing at a co-worker’s desk; I have to be intentional to not let ungodly influences creep in.

Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes. ~ Romans 12:2

SEEK HEALTHY FELLOWSHIPS

There’s no question we become like the people we hang out with. It’s critical that we choose our friends carefully. Jesus may have eaten dinner with sinners but they weren’t his closest companions. Having godly friendship is a form of accountability helps protect us from falling back into sinful patterns.

If we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin. ~ 1 John 1:7

As we fellowship with other believers, practice the spiritual disciplines and keep godly influences around us it will be easier to be Kingdom minded individuals–keeping our minds set on things above.

Spend a few minutes Touching Heaven with this beautiful song by Influence Music.