[Colossians] The Gospel of Grace_part 2

Colossians 1:24-29

Suffering for the Gospel

Christ in you the Hope of Glory

When I am tired or have pain in my body or have any sort of “problems” I become a ZOMBIE.  The I stare at the wall, I want to take a nap, get nothing done. I make a list of what I need to get done knowing full well that I will not accomplish much because I feel like a kind of ZOMBIE. 

In these last few verses of Colossians 1, Paul writes from a perspective of being able to share the mystery of the Gospel of Grace even as he suffers.  In Prison.  Beaten.  Stoned- like the kind with real rocks!  Left for dead. More than you and I will probably ever face or experience. The pain and deformity his body must have received from all he had endured... 

Yet. He was glad, rejoiced even, to suffer and press through, struggled, in order for the Gospel of Grace to be proclaimed. 

Not minimizing in any way what you and I experience in the way of physical emotional and mental suffering. We live in a world where life happens and we get aches, pains, ailments and real issues going on. 

This passage just makes me rethink how distracted I allow myself to become. I don't want to miss being able to share Grace with others or miss the plan God has for my life because I am in a Zombie State or Stress Paralysis over all that I am not getting done when I don't feel my best.  

I am choosing to turn my sorrow in to rejoicing...even when I don't feel like it.  I am making a choice to praise God for anything that is not "right" in my life.  Otherwise, I will continue to become off focus, miss what God has, not accomplish what He has for me and fail to be present on the Kingdom Calendar.  I am refusing to give in to this scheme of the Enemy.  He is real.  Yes and so are my distractions.  But greater is my God and we overcome by His mighty hand!

What is the mystery of the Gospel of Grace?  

Christ IN YOU. The Hope of Glory. 

Are you distracted from accomplishing what God has planned for you to do on His behalf?

What keeps you distracted from being and doing what God has called you to do for His Kingdom? 

How can you press through and pray through and not be distracted by the struggles you face?

IDEA:  
Make a list of what bothers you, keeps you off focus.  What issues are you dealing with… mentally, physically, emotionally?  
Instead of being distracted by them, use them for His purpose today. 

BIG IDEA:  Praise God for your issues, pain, suffering-whatever concerns you... Thank Him that these sufferings lead you to seek Him more. 

Don't let the enemy get you off track.  God is still in control of your life and issues you face.  God ahead. Praise the LORD!

[Colossians] The Gospel of Grace_part 1

Colossians 1

WOW... even as I typed those words I am amazed that Christ is IN ME and HE IS MY HOPE!!! Here is a little video from me and Mike and our thoughts on Chapter 1.  

NOTE:  I am from the South Y'all... my grammar sometimes gives that away and sometimes I say things wrong... like understood instead of understand.  I know. I know.  Give me some grace??? hahah!!

Alienated from God verses Reconciled to God.  

Hearing and Understanding.

How would you describe your relationship to God right now? Where do you stand?  

What have you heard of GRACE and what do you UNDERSTAND?  

Please feel free to share. 

[Colossians] The Gospel of Grace

Colossians _A Casual Study of the Gospel of Grace

Colossians 1

I have been praying fervently for a loved one.  It’s a complicated story, but my fear is that my loved one has a form of godliness but not a true salvation of soul.  I have been devastated and hurt deeply by this person whom I love.  Yet, love does.  It loves.  It is patient and kind and keeps no record of wrong.  Easier said than done, but choosing to forgive-and praying for healing and salvation and grace and blessings- is just that. A choice.

Grace is a Free Gift.  Grace is Jesus.  But we must choose Grace.

In my season of prayer for my loved one, I had a very vivid and emotional dream in which this loved one and I were talking about grace.  My loved one insisted that they knew what grace is but could not articulate clearly; said they didn’t need to be able to tell me about grace.... 

OH, but I want them to know the ONE called GRACE and how HIS WORD is filled with love not strife and bitterness, envy rage and malice. 

In the dream, when asked what the Bible says, my loved one said they didn’t need to know what the Bible said to understand grace.  My question to them in my dream was “what does Colossians say?” and I pressed forward with the Holy Book in my hand asking, "what does it say??"

My dream concluded with a deep sobbing and despair of heart just as I awoke and wondered if I had cried out loud in the night.  It was that vivid and real.  And heavy on my heart and mind all of that morning. 

I won’t pretend to be someone who dreams “dreams” or has prophetic visions.  There were some things in my dream that were just plain out of real life in my “now” season-things heavy on my heart and soul.  So I guess my mind was simply re-playing over and again the concerns that I have in my waking hours.

When I began my prayer time that morning, The Gospel of Grace and the book of Colossians is what stood out from my dream.  So I went for the book of Colossians and to read through. Asking myself, "What does it say?"

I decided to not let what God reveals to me go to waste in the dark corners of my mind and heart… I will not read every line with seeking what to say to my loved one, but will ask God what He will say to me.  I will not give in to despair over my loved one; I will not give up praying for them. I will give them up to Jesus who knows each heart fully, completely and loves more freely and unreservedly than I could ever hope.

As it happened, Mike has agreed to read through and discuss his insight with me as he prays with me over the loved one who is important to me. So you will see his thoughts woven through out this simple study.  

Mike Morris is a man of Grace.  He has received and he freely gives grace. I you know him at all, this you can agree on.  Grace fills his life.  It is his call.

This is a casual study.  Casual.  I am no theologian or seminary graduate.  I am simply praying and asking that God would teach me by His Holy Spirit and to guide me as I continue to pray during this season.  Will you join me? 

Do you need the Gospel of Grace? Are you, too, praying for a loved one to know the Gospel of Grace?  Let’s do this together.

Feel free to message me or post your thoughts and comments. 

REMIDER:  
We are discussing The Gospel of Grace so be grace-filled and loving if you post or comment.

  

Children of the Day Week 7

You are doing so well!  Keep up the good work!

This week in our homework, we discussed our Ministry and how we ALL HAVE ONE.  

One of our key verses this week:

2 Thessalonians 1:11 ESV
 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power,

"What am I called to do?", you may ask yourself.  

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 NIV
Such confidence we have through Christ before God.  Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

2 Timothy 4:5 HCSB

 But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.


Not an evangelist, you say??? Yes you are.  

If you are in Christ, your goal in life is to be a witness to His Gospel work in your life.  Being an evangelist simply means sharing the good news.  AND if you have received Christ's salvation work in your life, then you have GOOD NEWS to share.  

We are misled to believe that an Evangelist is a Job or a Position to be held by those who have studied and travel and speak to large crowds.  Everyone of us is called to tell others about Jesus, and that means everyone of us is an EVANGELIST in our own spheres of influence.  

How this looks specifically in each of our lives will vary depending on our spiritual gifts and  personalities. But the fact remains that we are called to be His witness wherever we find ourselves.  

Not just at church on Sunday morning, but in the everyday ordinary... like while driving in heavy traffic and you feel like someone cut you off and you want to "flip" them off... Like when you are in a hurry at the check out line and the person in front of you is in no hurry at all and the cashier is brand new that day...or when you are having a hard time LIKING your loved one...

The list goes on, but you get the point!

One of the questions that was posed in our lessons this week was found on page 145:  

Who would you be if you loved jesus with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength?  What are you bursting to do when your heart is flooded with divine affection?

In John 15:8 Jesus sain," My Father is glorified by this:  that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples."  

God has given each of gifts, talents, spiritual gifts, and a specific personality to accomplish His Divine Purpose for our lives but the goal that each of us share is to:

1) Bring Glory to God's Name

2) Build others up.

To put it another way:  

Love God. Love People.

How do we fulfill our calling and do the work we are called to do?? 

The only way to walk worthy of our calling and to fulfill the ministry that we are called to accomplish is to do what Ezekiel was told to do in 
Ezekiel 3: 1-4..

EAT THIS BOOK

You and I will not be prepared to fulfill our calling unless we know the Word of God by consuming it for ourselves on a daily basis.  

Deuteronomy 32:47 NIV
 They are not just idle words for you—they are your life. 

Your turn to Review:

Principle Questions:
DAY 1:What exhortation is recorded in Colossians 4:17? ( p 142)
DAY 2: Compare 1 Thess 3:12 to 2 Thess 1:3.  What answered prayer do you see reflected?
DAY 3: what did God tell the prophet Ezekiel to do before he spoke to Israel? (p 150)
DAY 4: How did Paul describe the symbiosis in Colossians 1:29? (p 157)
DAY 5: Who is in charge of providing what we need to do God's will? (p 158)

Personal Questions:
DAY 1: Have you found other people's contributions encouraging or discouraging lately?  
             Explain. ( p 144)
DAY 2:  How has God used others to encourage, train, or direct you?
DAY 3: Would you like to share your letter with your small group? (pa 155)
DAY 4: In what task could you use some equipping from the Scriptures? ( p 159)
DAY5: From your experience  how are preparing and repairing distinct? (p 159)

Summer Bible Study: Children of the Day

Hey Y'all!!! I am super excited to participate in Summer Bible Study in my community here in the South Greenville County of South Carolina.

I know some do not live near here, and maybe you do but cannot attend the weekly meeting with us on Mondays beginning June 9 @ 6:30 @ The Core of South Greenville, so I wanted to provide you with some information on how you can STILL be part of the journey...

Children of the Day is a nine week study of the books of 1 & 2 Thessalonians.  There is a workbook that provides 5 daily homework assignments per week and a weekly video teaching by Beth Moore.



You will LOVE Beth Moore.  You will be drawn to her down to earth, every day living stories as she inspires you toward a deep love for God through His Word.

But be prepared to study the Word and not be spoon fed.  There is too much of that going on.  We need to be about our Father's business, but if we don't know the Word, how can we???
As Beth says, "His Word Works!"

Please go to Life Way's website to order your workbook (or you can stop by your local Christian Retailer).  The workbook is also available in an electronic format that you can purchase and download from Life Way.

You will want to purchase the individual video sessions to watch and to follow along in your work book each week. The individual sessions are only about $5 each. Budget friendly if needed.

Just lay off that extra mocha late' from your local coffee store each week and you will be fine!

ANOTHER way you can participate in the Summer Bible Study of Children of the Day is to follow Beth herself via her blog over at Living Proof Ministries Blog.  You will be blessed, inspired and discover a whole community of women online across the globe, literally!! who are seeking to know the Lord through His Word.  You will be amazed at the love, community and CHURCH of it!


To get you pumped and ready... here is a little clip found on Life Way's website that you will enjoy as you pray about your participation in Summer Bible Study.

See you @ The Core of South Greenville, or on the Web, or RIGHT HERE at
Life Under the Oak Tree!  Blessings, sweet friends!

The Word. Worship. Prayer.  

These are my Roots.