Colossians Chapter 4

1 Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

In Christ there is no male or female, bond (slave) or free, rich or poor.  God looks at each of us the same way with the same love and respect.  The poor have an easier time approaching God because they KNOW they aren’t particularly special and don’t expect special treatment.  Wealthy and famous people have become used to special treatment.  How often have we seen the media turn to these ‘beautiful people’ and solicit their opinions of everything from science to social to economics? 

If you are one of the elite then God expects you to provide a safe and secure place for your employees or servants to work.  You have a God given responsibility to make their lives better while they serve you.  I would go so far as to say that this responsibility goes beyond mere profit and loss statements.  This country is struggling to stand because our business and political leaders have no higher sense of responsibility and have moved our manufacturing plants to countries known to be virtual enemies of this country. 

One day soon those countries will demand higher wages and they will have surpassed us economically.  It will be too late to return businesses to where they began.  We who once provided products and almost miraculous ideas to the rest of the world are now just trying to keep the lights on.  We have been sold out by the greed and shortsightedness of business and political leaders who believed they held no special responsibility to those who worked for them. 

In most of these cases it wasn’t that the business in this country weren’t making a profit, it was just that the profits from outsourcing were so much higher that greed overcame wisdom.  It wasn’t long before the profits disappeared to social programs created to carry those who had lost their jobs to that very outsourcing; and this is just in one country. 

I am not an economist and even I can see the folly in this type of business practice.  It is far better to maintain steady employment and moderate success then to have extraordinary wealth for a few and poverty for the rest.  The poor cannot afford goods and services and eventually the government will have to find the money to pay for them somewhere. 

One absolute certainty is that God will judge those who have liquidated prosperous businesses and laid off entire workforces for a few additional dollars.  He will require that debt to be paid and will get it from those most to blame.  Doing the right thing may not be flashy or exciting but it will make you a hero to thousands of happily employed servants who just want to live in peace and have a roof over their heads.

This is just one aspect of this scripture.  It also speaks to governments who fail to protect their citizens from murdering religious tyrants because they didn’t really like those people anyway.  Governments have a responsibility to ALL their citizens and God will hold those men and women accountable.  In the mean time we who name the Name of Jesus have a responsibility too…

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

1 Timothy 2 says, “1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

The weapons of our warfare are not carnal and do not require great military strength on our part.  Currently in this country we are experiencing a struggle between those who wish to own weapons to protect themselves and those who wish to take those weapons away in the name of peace.  Truthfully, the ones with weapons often scare me but the ones who cry ‘peace, peace,’ at any cost terrify me.  They will sell their souls for what they believe and change those beliefs in an instant.

It isn’t weapons that are killing thousands of people a year in this and other countries.  Men kill, machines don’t.  We build and maintain those machines and without our hands on the triggers there is no threat at all.  We in the body of Christ must pray for leadership and for the spiritual atmosphere in our nations.  We must pray for the failure of those who would try to destroy us and success for those who help.  God has made it our responsibility to create an atmosphere of peace in this and other nations.  We have the true weapons of spirit and faith.  Next to an interconnected and faithful church the other side is unarmed.

It’s up to the church to bind demonic works and hate and to release the love of God in all its glory.

3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

Evangelism is alive and well on the Earth and it is not being led by those who serve the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; it is not being led by those who believe Jesus is the Son of God.  In other words … it is not led by us.  We carry the anointing and power of the creator of the universe.  There is no excuse for us to be shut out of countries or cities or states.  The prayers of the saints will open doors that no man can shut if we will but use them.

While everyone is supposed to share their faith, not everyone has a God given ministry of the Evangelist.  If you are more of a prayer warrior, then pray that God will open up the way for evangelism here and abroad.  Perhaps it doesn’t touch your heart to minister next door.  Maybe you are the one to go to Germany or France.  You might have the funds that the evangelist needs to function.  Some of you have great business and financial skills and can build a fortune out of a pile of trash.  Great.  If that is you then take a portion of that wealth and send others out to do the work of God.

Scripture said that God gave every man a talent.  Whatever your talent, do not be afraid.  Trust in Him and it will be well with you.   Use your talent for His glory.  Raise money, lead ministries, and knock on doors.  If you see a need and your talents don’t seem to be helping, pray the Lord of the harvest to send in more laborers.  There is always something you can do to further the kingdom of God.  We do not want to be outdone by false religions.

4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

When you have done everything you can to get the gospel where it needs to go, pray that God will open the hearts of the speaker and the hearer so those who speak will be the oracles of God and those who hear will be open and receptive vessels.  We wage a spiritual war and we need to spend less time in natural combat and more in an arena where we can really make a difference…the arena of prayer.

5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

Unsaved people are in enemy territory and don’t even know it.  They follow the dictates of an unsaved and unchanged heart.  Emotionally and intellectually they may be friendly and kind but spiritually they are dead.  God desires a relationship with them and when we go around offending them for their sin rather than presenting a God who came that they might have more abundant life we anger them.  That is not our job.  Our calling is to speak life in Christ, faith in Christ and peace in Christ and let Jesus change the way they think.

There is only so much time available to us.  Even businessmen and women recognize this basic fact, there are only so many hours in a day.  We must be about our Father’s business and win souls at all times.  Night is coming and when it does no man may be saved.

6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

I am reminded of that church that goes from house to house cursing the parents of dead homosexual children for not raising them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  Is that really the love of God to go attack someone when they are grieving a lost loved one?  They may even know their child was living in sin.  Couldn’t you speak with just a little grace and mercy to them? 

I have known those who struggle with homosexual feelings.  They knew the scripture but in spite of that seemed powerless to live it.  In some cases they led double lives of tremendous ministry on one hand and depravity on the other.  One man was eventually killed by his lover while his wife waited for him at home.  This is a terrible thing and must be addressed with prayer, grace, love and understanding.  You are not going to make a change in a life like this by cursing them.  They are already cursed by their actions.  We need to pray and encourage them in the truth which will make them free.

The only way to make a change in this person is to have a relationship with them. You must be someone they respect and will listen to.  Even that will not be enough if your prayer life and the church’s prayer life are not up to the task.  This is a spiritual warfare and requires spiritual weapons.  Peter cut the ear off the High Priest’s servant to defend his Lord.  Jesus turned around and healed the man before they took our Lord and killed him.  God is a God of grace and mercy and we must live as if we are His disciples. 

7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:

We can’t always go to a need and minister.  In this case Paul was in prison and that made it just a bit difficult to get out.  Whatever your reasons for being stuck at home you may be able to find someone who is faithful in the Lord who can go.  Just remember, if you are going to go and represent someone to another, make sure you represent them and not yourself.  Don’t have an Absalom spirit.  He eventually died for attempting to take away his father’s kingdom. 

For all his flaws, that is not something David would have done.  David wouldn’t even go against Saul after God had ordained him king.  It’s not your responsibility to put out the trash.  God will do that; just make sure you aren’t the trash.  This does not mean you ought to fellowship with those who cause trouble.  The Lord said to mark those who cause division and have nothing to do with them.  Don’t even take them to dinner to counsel them.  You know they are tricksters and so do they.  Let God work on them for a while on the outside and maybe then they will be grown up enough to rejoin the family.

8 Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;

I say this again, if you are sent to minister by your pastor or apostle, make sure you are ministering their heart and not your own.  There is a reason God sends us to work in another man’s field before He will give us our own.  In our immaturity we often miss the tender tug of the Holy Spirit.  As long as we are following the dictates of our leader and represent him faithfully, we continue to grow and mature while leaning on his or her spiritual insight.

In this case Paul wanted to make sure they were comforted.  He was sending his beloved assistants to speak on his behalf.  How terrible would it have been had they chosen to start their own ministry rather than do what they were entrusted to do?  These men served Paul as he served God and the wisdom they gained following him would one day grant them a ministry of their own.  That is what happened in Philip the Deacon’s case when he became Philip the Evangelist.

9 With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

We  understand from Paul’s letter to Philemon that Onesimus was a slave who had run away.  Paul entreated Philemon to allow Onesimus to continue to work with him.  When Paul met Onesimus he taught him about Jesus and the man was saved.  Had Philemon been unwilling to part with his slave Paul would have sent him back and even offered to pay for him.  Most scholars believe that Philemon was touched by the letter from Paul and freed Onesimus on the spot.  Paul offered a play on his name when he said that after this Onesimus might be useful to Philemon since Onesimus means useful or helpful.

Consider what this man brought to the ministry in Colosse?  How often do we ignore the trials and privations we have suffered and try to forget they ever happened when God expects us to tell of His wonderful acts setting us free?  You are an epistle written in blood and read of all men.  Your suffering and salvation are examples that money cannot buy.  If you know God’s Word and don’t have a degree it doesn’t matter much.  Few of Jesus’ disciples were what you would call ‘educated’ men.  What matters is who and what you are in Christ and what you have endured to succeed.  Once you have learned to walk in freedom you can bring the example of victory to others.

10 Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)

No man is an island.  Do you hog all the glory of working for the Lord or do you point out all the help you have?  My late apostle used to drag us young folks up to pray and minister. He wanted to make sure all of us were equipped for the work God had assigned us.  I am often amused by Paul’s sense of humor.  The word Aristarchus means the “Best Ruler” and Paul calls him his fellow prisoner.  When Paul sent these men out, they went in his authority and not theirs.  After a time God bestowed an anointing of their own over their lives and would send them out on their own. 

11 And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellowworkers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.

Even now there is a certain double mindedness in the church toward Jews.  Some believe that God stripped the Jews of His promises and put us in their place.  I disagree because God’s covenant with Abraham was not dependent on Abraham doing anything; in fact, Abraham was asleep when the covenant was made.  Others go out of their way to do and be all things Jewish but still Christian.  This too has problems.  I have always found it interesting that some cultures will call their children Jesus.  I would not be comfortable using the name of God for my child.  Here we see a born again Jew who chose to go from Jesus (Jehovah is salvation) to Justus (Just).  I’d be with him.

I find it comfortable that God has a chosen people, a tame olive branch if you will, and that people are the Jews.  I am not blind and I can see how often they failed God.  That only lets me know that there is hope for me.  He also has a body for His son Jesus and that is the church.  I don’t know what exactly the Jews will be doing in the Kingdom of God or even what we, the body of Christ will be doing, but I believe God has a work and a place for both of us.  We know that we who obey His Word and use His gifts and talents wisely will rule with Him.  Who we will rule and for how long I don’t know but it suffices me to know God has a plan for us and it is motivated by love.

12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Epaphras means “lovely.”  Words in scripture are never random or without purpose.  Lovely who is one of you, a servant of Christ, sends greetings and as always labors fervently and effectually for you in prayer so you may stand mature and complete in all the will of God.  A servant of God is a beautiful thing.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 

13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.

For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up (Psalm 69:9, John 2:17).  He has prayed for you and waged a powerful warfare on your behalf and for those in Laodicea and Hierapolis.  It bears witness that the church in Laodicea was the lukewarm church (Revelation 3:14-19).  Apparently they did not heed the unction of the zealous prayer warrior.  I wonder how often they felt the tug and thought to themselves, “It doesn’t take all that.”

14 Luke (Light giving), the beloved physician, and Demas (Governor of the People), greet you.

Remember, names matter.  We need light givers and governors in the body.  Paul’s name was changed from Saul (desired) to Paul (little).  I think of that song we sin, “Ordinary people.”  One of the refrains is:  “Little becomes much when we place it in the Master’s hand.”  Everything Paul was, God made him.  He who wasted the church threw it all down to be used in any way possible by God.  He became little and was used to pen three quarters of the New Testament.

Luke brought understand and clarity everywhere he went.  Many believe he was a slave as well as a physician.  He brought understanding to us about the early church as well as the life of Jesus and it is thought that those two documents were used as the court documents presented to Caesar.  You could say he brought light to the ruler of the known world.  Demas, true to his name sadly, left Paul to pursue a life in the world. 

15 Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

Notice how Paul admonishes us to be a community?  We are one in Christ, one in faith and one in our future.  If we spend more time fellowshipping with those in the world is it any wonder that so many in the body are fractured and broken.  No man can serve two masters.  We must encourage one another in the Lord.  Nymphas was a wealthy man who nonetheless managed to be saved and be zealous about it. 

Queen Elizabeth once said she was saved by an M.  Scripture says that not many rich or noble will be saved.  It doesn’t say that not any will.  When God puts the rich, famous and powerful before us it is for His purpose and we need to know that purpose.  Pray for understanding so you do not miss an opportunity to advance His cause.

16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

This is one area of ministry that occasionally gets a bit skewed from time to time.  God gives us revelation and we publish that revelation in a lesson and then get angry if someone is blessed by it and sends it out.  I understand that we have copyright laws these days and know that intellectual property can be licensed and protected just like a car or a home but if we’re being honest, just whose intellectual property are we talking about here?  If God gave it to you, isn’t it really His? 

I have no problem receiving gifts and compensation for ministering what God has given me.  Scripture says not to muzzle the ox while he treads on the corn.  It also says that the workman is worthy of his hire.  In case you don’t consider teaching or preaching work, you must have never had the after message crash when the anointing leaves and it’s just you and your exhaustion.  It is extremely tiring to preach or teach or minister under the anointing.  Our little bodies were not really designed to carry the power of Almighty God in them. 

Some still believe it isn’t work, in fact the ancient rabbis believed that every sage and every rabbi should have a secular job.  This allowed a rabbi to know how to earn a living and they could understand the struggles of their congregants.  I have worked in the secular world myself and loved it but God had other ideas.  In case you still wonder if those who bring you God’s word are worthy of their hire, God told you to study to show yourself approved unto God a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.  That means that teachers and preachers of God’s Word are worthy of their hire.

Now that I’ve made that distinction (at least I hope it’s distinct), we ought to spread the gist of what we’ve learned in the Gospel and in the Spirit far and wide.  If I write a lesson and it blesses you then why wouldn’t you want to send it to someone else to be blessed?  If they enjoy it then why shouldn’t the process continue?  Perhaps one day someone will offer me my own lesson back after it has traveled around the world.  I can see it now, “Hey Bishop, here’s a lesson from another bishop I got from a guy in Nepal.  It’s great, you should read it.”  I’ve read some of my lessons from years ago and they blessed me.  What I’m saying is, “Get the word out.”

17 And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.

Archippus means, “Master of the horse.”  Scripturally I can only think of Deuteronomy 17:16.  God told the kings of Israel not to multiply horses or wives lest they be tempted to return to Egypt where all the best horses were.  He had admonished them not to return to the way they had lived and not to multiply wives lest they be turned out of the way.  Solomon did both and was led away from God in his old age. 

The very way verse 17 is worded leads me to believe that Archippus was a bit double minded about his life and future in Christ.  Paul is admonishing him to put his hand back on the plow and work the field God gave him, stop looking back.  I have known many who have been given ministries and went another direction.  The temptation to be an electrician again used to be strong in me.  I know how to do that.  Well I used to anyway.  Now my daughter is becoming one.

This Bishop thing is often a bewildering work for me.  I know enough scripture and enough of the way it is written to know that I know next to nothing.  God is so complex and full of wonders and we are expected to open up this whole Christian walk to the entire world.  Next to this I long for a simple light switch replacement (done 3 since I moved into my house), or install lights or run new wires. 

Serving God is a daily life and death experience.  It requires me to die every day and to live only in Him every day.  I must love those I have every reason to hate and help that … saint … that stumbled yet again.  It is easier to wire an entire house than to lead one crying immature saint to the altar to pray yet again.  Ministry is not simple but it is often rewarding and you live for those miracle moments.  Still, I adjure you; make full use of your ministry.

18 The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace be with you. Amen.

Paul signed all his letters, which leads some to believe that he always had a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan troubling him.  Some believe his eyes were weak after being blinded by Jesus.  Either way, he often had someone take dictation for him.  It is rather humbling to see this concern by someone who would soon be beheaded in Rome.  Grace be with you.

Written from Rome to Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus

Bishop J

For God Has NOT Given US A Spirit of FEAR

Begun at 2:00 am

2 Timothy 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

I am thankful to God.  I serve Him faithfully and with a pure conscience.  Paul was the end of a generation of faithful priests but I am faithful beginning the day Jesus brought wisdom into my soul.  I remember those who have faithfully labored with me and remember them in my prayers.  I remember Mother Nash and so many others who prayed for me and encouraged me to continue on.  I remember and pray for my fellow laborers because even apart from the love of God my Father and my Lord Jesus Christ, I am not alone.  I am part of a larger body and as much as I love them and the encouragement I draw from them I am honored by their love and the encouragement they draw from me.

2 Timothy 1:4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

I miss you greatly and when I read of your tears, whether because you have lost a loved one or are suffering or are merely lonely as I sometimes am I remember and pray that you may be encouraged and I may be filled with Joy.  If I took time right now to name names of those who are on my heart, I would name, K, M, M, D, C, H, B, G, D, E, E, E, R, K, E, J, R, J, C, J, P, T, E, A, A, T, E, T and so many others.  This is by no means a complete list because even now B, A, E, P, C, R, E, F, V, V, C, K, T, D, A and so many more appear before me.  Yes I know you are hurting at times and yes I know your loved ones do not always appreciate you but God does and He is the one who is making a difference.  I rejoice in you and call you brethren beloved.

2 Timothy 1:5 When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Your love for God is real and not faked.  You who have loved God from your parents and beyond have reaped from their love of God and are all the stronger for it.

2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

I am related to Apostle Joseph L. Sims who was poured as an offering into my life and many of yours.  Do you accept this gift and blessing?  Do you believe in it and the power it adds to your life?  I am related to C, S, H, C, B, H, B and so many others who have taught, chastened and raised me to become who I am and who YOU are.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Fear does not belong in me.  You and God love me.  Jesus gave His life for me.  I am DUNAMIS, all power; I am AGAPE, founded on love; I am PISTIS, based in faith.  I am the substance of all good things I have hoped for and the evidence of even those things I have never seen but believe in.  I am SOPHRONISMOS, disciplined, focused, directed and sure of who and what I am in Christ Jesus.  No weapon formed against me shall prosper and I will dwell in the house of my Lord FOREVER!

2 Timothy 1:8 Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

Do not sweat because of your testimony before Christ but rejoice in the one that followed your conversion.  Do not be ashamed because it does not yet appear that you or I am where we ought to be, but when He has completed His work in our lives we shall be LIKE HIM!!!  Even now we are like Him in faith and truth.  Prisoner we may sometimes be but no person on earth is as free and full of hope and future as we are.  Rejoice in your afflictions and be filled with joy over your trials because the King of Glory is coming in with power and deliverance.

2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

You weren’t called by your works or because you looked cute or because you have such great untapped potential.  You were called because God looked upon you and loved you without reservation or purpose of evasion.  He chose you out of millions and made you an example of His Love.  You are the fiancé of an eternal King and Lord and He is watching you with great anticipation, love, passion and joy.  How can you fail unless you choose to unaccept the joyous offer of eternal redemption, love and union.

I was awakened at 2:am concerned about our runaway government, world hunger and starvation, war and rumors of war and signs in the heavens.  I was not awakened in fear for that is not my mind.  I was awakened because God reminded me that it does not take a gun or a huge bank account or a clear and focused purpose.  It takes faith in Him to protect me and I am persuaded YOU in this walk. 

Beloved, stop playing.  Stay focused.  Our enemy doesn’t play.  God warns us and gives us instructions.  Keep focused even more so you never miss His loving and sure direction.

I love you.

Stay safe in me and Him while I stay safe in you and Him.  We can’t do this thing alone.  We are a body.  We need every single one of the called to make it.  Listen to your spirit and silence your flesh. 

Bishop J.

Colossians Chapter 3

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

I love the Lord.  That is not why I began to serve Him but I serve Him out of love now.  Whatever your reasons for asking Christ to dwell in your heart, it must one day turn to love and relationship because God has not done this as a jobs program or eternal insurance.  He wanted children and Christ wants a bride.  The Hebrew word for father is ab or sometimes abba.  Love is ahab.  In Hebrew letters the word for father is aleph bet.  The word for love is heh aleph bet.  You might ask, “So what?”

Love is the breath of God joined to the strength and protection of a father.  Abram went from being a great man to beyond greatness by adding that breath of God. AbraHam.  Sarai went from being the mother to mother of multitudes with that breath, SaraH.  God wants to add that divine breath to your life too.  Can you see how God might be offended by sex passed off as love or ungodly relationships?  As offensive as that might be to Him, I believe our lack of loving fathers standing by their roles might be equally distasteful.

If we fail to love one another and love God then from His point of view, what is the point?  He created us to love.  We are so tuned to it that we will seek it when there is no possible avenue for proper love and respect around us.  Look at the first two verses again.  Jesus is sitting on the throne beside God’s right hand waiting for our fullness to come.  From time to time He must intercede on our behalf because we forget ourselves and behave like the world. 

They are both fully aware of the lost around us and their hearts desire is for those people to be saved…but…we are the center of their focus.  We have responded and replied.  We have turned our eyes to the hills from where our help comes.  What verse two is trying to make us understand is do not be double minded.  Do not put your hand to the plow and look back.  Your paths will never be straight.  Focus on the goal and press toward it no matter how those around you may try to drag you off course.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

I keep hammering at this and it never seems to get through to anyone.  We are dead.  Dead men and dead women don’t complain; they don’t sin and they don’t run off on their own adventures.  In our case we are dead in Christ and our life is hidden with our Savior in our Father.  We are hidden like Psalm 91 says, under the wings of our Lord.  We are protected under His feathers.  Our real life is not of the Earth.  We are passing through and have an opportunity to do some witnessing for our Father while we’re here.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

We’re not going to be left behind in some Heavenly Harem when Jesus returns.  We are the body of Christ.  When He returns and stands with his feet on both sides of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives and that hill breaks in two, it will be our feet and our legs that stand on that mountain.  I have no idea what that will look like.  Consider the statue that king Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dreams and the one he actually built.  The one he saw was gold, silver, iron and iron mixed with clay.  The one he built was solid gold.  Jesus said our lives must be tried in the fire so we might come forth as pure gold.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Make your physical body behave as if it is DEAD.  Let’s just look at this short list provided here.  A FAR more comprehensive one can be found in Galatians but let’s look at this one.  I have been in the church for a long time and am amazed how many people who never miss a service will do these things.  No fornication – No sex with someone you are not married to.  That’s pretty clear; no free taste in the name of love.  No uncleanness – No impure thoughts and time spent looking at pornography or forbidden sexual practices.  No inordinate affection – Plain old ordinary lust.  That thing you feel when your head is swiveling around on the beach like it’s going to spin off and hit the floor.  No evil concupiscence – Evil longing.  Wanting something that you know is forbidden to you.  Homosexuality falls into this category no matter how much you try to dress it up with marriage or ‘love.’  Finally, no more covetousness – You can’t want what someone else has and you shouldn’t keep wanting more, never being satisfied with what God has blessed you with.   

Paul said, “I have learned to be content in whatever state I am in.”  He would not have looked at a wealthy man’s Lear Jet and said, “I sure wish I could have that to minister with.”  He went where God sent him and did what God told him to do.  If you live within your means and trust God to bring increase you will have everything you need.  This is idolatry because it is more important to you than service to God and you are telling God He does not know how to take care of you.

6 For which things 'sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

Not the children of the devil but the children of disobedience.  It could be the children of the devil or just disobedient children who refuse to obey and restrain their own fleshly desires.  Wrath is the word orge.  The word means that God is so incensed by our disobedience that He explodes in passionate uncontrolled anger.  Now that is not what I want to ever see pointed in my direction.  Have you ever seen the aftermath of a tornado?  It can roar down a street and level one house to the foundation while not even tipping over the birdbath next door.  If we stand side by side and the wrath of God hits you, I will be scratching my head wondering what happened to you.  Sorry but there was no way I was going to use myself for this analogy. 

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Can’t speak for you but I have definitely walked down that road before.  I have to say I am thankful that God waited until I took a few spiritual showers before he looked too hard at me.  Let’s be honest, even now we all struggle.  It is a constant battle to remain dead to sin.  We don’t always succeed.  Regardless whether we do or not, don’t give up.  A righteous man falls seven times but he gets up again.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

Anger - Orge – violent passion.  Vengeance is mine; I will repay saith the Lord.  Wrath – Thymos – Blazing instant heat which destroys and is just as quickly gone.  “I don’t know what came over me.”  Malice – Kakia – “When I get done with them they won’t know what hit them.  They won’t even see it coming until it’s too late.”  Blasphemy – Blasphemia - “Those miserable, low life scum sucking pigs!”  Doesn’t even have to be spoken against God.  This is why God said if you call someone a FOOL you are in danger of judgment. 

Finally, Filthy mouth communication – aischrologia ex hymon stoma – Obscene language and filthy speech.  The tongue is an unruly evil for with it we bless God and curse men.  Men and brethren, this should not be (James 3:8-10).  And yes, I have seen these things in the church.  It’s understandable since we are supposed to gather the hurt and wounded together to encourage each other to live holy but it is sad to see in God’s house.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Lying – pseudomai – Psuedo means fake.  A lie is a fake conversation passed off as the truth.  It’s intent is to lead someone astray from the truth and truth is what will make you free.  Satan is the father of lies.  We used to be part of his kingdom.  God is the Father of truth and now we are in His kingdom.  There will be a test later. 

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

You are washed in a shower, fed in a restaurant, entertained in a concert and renewed in knowledge.  A shower lasts only so long as you don’t sweat or get dirty.  A restaurant only stops your hunger for a few hours.  Entertainment becomes addictive and you keep wanting more and more exciting entertainment.  Living knowledge of God’s Word will keep the flesh at bay and submitted to our Lord and King.  Jesus wouldn’t make bread of stones, walked on water, was translated into the Kingdom of God and fed 5000 with a few loaves after defeating Satan.  Now that’s an image to become.

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

In the new man God no longer judges by the nation you live in whether an actual Greek – Hellenist; Jew – Judean; spiritually and physically made Jewish or never made Jewish (Circumcised or Uncircumcised); Barbarian – Neither Jew nor Greek, rough speech, Scythian – Forbears to modern Russians (considered the most backward, violent barbarians of all); Bond – Doulos – Ear bored slave (Exodus 21:5-6); Free – Under no compulsion to do anything.  In Christ we are all equal before God though we all have different responsibilities to Him and different gifts and administrations of gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Are you clothed?  Before their fall Adam and Eve were naked yet without sin.  They were clothed with righteousness.  After the fall they lost their righteousness and were naked in their own eyes.  God says that before Christ came into our lives we were naked in all these areas and must as the elect of God put on a garment of praise.  How about you?  Are you running around as a naked saint or are you dressed to impress.  Nothing wrong with that if it’s the right type of clothing.

First of all, do you know that you are the elect of God, holy and beloved?  Is that understanding part of your own personal sense of self-esteem?  To be the elect means that you were chosen.  No man comes to God unless the Holy Spirit draws him.  Bowels of mercies means to be passionately gracious to others.  I must be honest; in all my time in the church I have not seen most people display this burden for mercy and love displayed more than a small percentage of the time.  Self-righteousness has been much more evident I’m sorry to say.

Kindness to … kids, pets, cute things, oh how sweet; grumpy, cranky old men, two faced liars and criminals – okay, now you’ve gone too far.  Actually beloved, God expects you to go even farther.  Humility of mind – what do you think of yourself?  We are in a difficult position in Christ.  We are kings and priests and yet we must humble ourselves before some of life’s worst people and treat them with utmost respect while they often despise us.  All that we are we receive from Christ and He was willing to give all to buy our lives.  We too must be willing to give all (emotions, heart, strength and intellect) to the service of God.

Meekness – Someone once said that meek is not weak but is power under control.  We know who and what we are in Christ.  It is not something we have to prove to anyone; what we must prove is that we are under control to the point that your opinions and words about or against me will in no way affect how I respond to those around me or you for that matter.  I will be meek as a lamb no matter; like a sheep before its shearer I will not speak out against those who rail against me. 

Oh dear, I can see those necks wobbling right now. 

Longsuffering – Patience, forbearance, constancy (remaining constant in love and action no matter the provocation.  It was said that Rabbi Hillel from whom Jesus quoted many times could not be made angry.  There is even a story about a man who deliberately kept pestering Hillel and keeping him from his rest on the Sabbath day to make the honorable man angry.  After the third or forth interruption of his Sabbath meal Hillel was heard to tell the man, “If your purpose is to cause me to lose my peace or become angry you are spending your time in vain.  I will not become angry.”  The same could not have been said of Rabbi Shammai.  Longsuffering may not be the most important attribute for saints of God but it is one that God uses powerfully in our lives and we ought to follow His example.

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

I don’t have to put up with this!!!  Okay, one question.  Whose do you think you are?  If God’s…you absolutely do with few exceptions, infidelity in marriage or someone trying to destroy you.  That does not include your boss being a jerk or your spouse being rude or insensitive.  These are things to pray through.  Forbearance is a knight in full armor upon his powerful warhorse, in a hurry to important business, pausing to allow a poor man to herd his single sheep across the road.  The duty is important; the man heavily armed and highly placed and yet he will not abuse or disrespect one of God’s less lofty subjects even when that subject is a cantankerous, rude and disrespectful old pauper.

Forgiving one another – When you think of forgiveness do you think of forgetting or ‘dropping it?’  When God forgives He often forgets our sin but in our case, forgiveness means something different.  For us…and God…it means to give grace, mercy and assistance to the one who has wronged us.  In other words, it means to turn the other cheek while going the extra mile.  Keeping no record of wrongs is just one aspect, being a blessing is a more important part.  Can you do it?  I have a quarrel with you because of what you have done so I am going to go the extra mile and do something good for you to let you know there are no hard feelings.  Yes it requires wisdom so you don’t become a slave to an abusive personality, but we are talking about another somewhat immature brethren beloved. 

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

I want you to consider who Paul was talking to in this letter.  He had never been to Colosse and wasn’t able to personally minister to them.  Much of what he lays out here can take years of trials and frustration and tests to grow into and yet Paul expects it of these new converts.  Is it possible that we in this country and possibly those in other countries allow themselves a little too much freedom to be a fruit inspector, judging one another to determine who we ought to love and less being fruitful?

“Above all,” he writes, “put on love, agapao, God’s love, which is the bond that holds us together perfectly.”  One thing I have discovered is that no matter how frustrating my son or daughter or anyone else who has full access to my heart may have hurt me, I will still love them.  The relationship is not broken.  Are there relationships you have ended, not because they have so terribly hurt you but simply because it seems too hard to love that person?    Be honest about it but after some real soul searching, repent and submit yourself under the mighty and loving hand of God.  Love, forgiveness, longsuffering, gentleness, all the fruit of the Spirit are choices you make. 

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Do you have His peace?  Philippians 4:7 says we can have a peace that exceeds our ability to understand or comprehend.  This peace should RULE, command and lead our hearts so we can be like Rabbi Hillel who loved the difficult visitor and said with confidence, “You can’t make me mad.”  There are times when I wonder if we really expect God to step in and be the power that makes a difference in our lives and relationships.  We are called, requested and invited into this body and we ought to be thankful for it.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

You can’t have the word of Christ dwelling in you at all if you don’t study.  The bare minimum should be basic weekly Bible study at church.  Every saint ought to have a personal devotional time where they read and meditate on God’s Word.  So first God starts you on meditation and then encourages you to teach, warn and encourage one another by singing to one another.  It appears to me that we ought to have started Bible karaoke night in the church and start belting out gospel songs to one another while allowing the grace and love of God to take root in our hearts.  It also seems that if you lack grace this is the way to develop it…sing praises. 

I see it this way; if you don’t feel like singing and making melody to the Lord then your spiritual grace tank is low or empty.  Human beings are not like cars where you drive around until you need a fill-up and then buy gas.  We are like a mill grinding wheat and powered by a water wheel.  The moment the water stops so does the mill.  The moment God’s immediacy in our life stops so does the work we can perform in Him.  If there is no melody in your heart you are disconnected from the heavenly source and without true power.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with ALL your might.”  Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are THE CALLED according to His purpose.”  To these we add the admonition to live in the NAME of Jesus.  John 16:24 says,

“Up to now in your life you have asked nothing in my name (Jesus).  Ask now and receive that your joy may be full.”  Work hard for the Lord with all your might and God will make everything work together for your good.  Why? Because you are called to accomplish good works in the Name of the Lord and He will not allow you to fail but causes all things to work together to make you successful in your endeavor.  Since Jesus sits at the right hand of our Heavenly Father and since He is our advocate and the propitiation for our sins, we pray THROUGH the name of our Advocate Jesus and God will answer so OUR joy may be full. 

How great a promise is that?

18 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.

This verse has the potential to be one of the most divisive in the Bible.  There are presuppositions involved here that must be fulfilled for it to work and even bring peace and harmony to your home.  It presupposes that you and your wife are both born again Christians who are dedicated and committed to live their lives in a Christian manner.  It presupposes that you both put God first in your lives and are not selfish and disrespectful of the mate God has loaned to you.  We often say that God has loaned our children to us and we are required to raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord so when they are grown we can present them to God as mature saints who are ready to take up their kingdom responsibilities.  Adam said, “The woman you GAVE me sinned.”  He was attempting to pass the responsibility from himself to God.

Husbands, the verse above makes it the woman’s responsibility to submit willingly to you.  Stay out of her business.  Wives, it is your responsibility to submit to your saved, loving Christian husband.  Unless you live in a culture that forces the issue, you must do so willingly.  Consider this…if you do not submit to your husband you will have to explain your reasons to God.  If it turns out that your husband’s failures as a head of household or even as a minister of God’s word and purpose are a direct result of your unwillingness to be a true helpmeet then you will answer to God. 

Abigail submitted to her fool of a husband Nabal until it was apparent that doing so would cost the life of every male in her household.  She quietly fed David’s men and stopped the slaughter before it started.  She even accepted blame for not being a helpmeet to her husband’s greedy nature by being attentive to the visitor’s needs and allowing her husband’s poor attitudes to bring such danger into the household.  God killed Nabal and she married a husband that appreciated her wisdom, David. 

Wives have the ability to make a marginally decent husband into a great man of God and good provider.  They do it through encouragement and helping the areas where your husband is somewhat weak.  It is hoped that your husband will assist where you are somewhat weak as well.  These relationships should never be him against her but them, the couple, taking on the world.

19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

Husbands, husbandmen (one who causes plants to flourish), love, agapeo with God’s love your wives and do not be bitter or embittered against your wives nor cause them by your actions to become bitter.  Husbands, sacrifice as Christ sacrificed Himself for the church, give yourself for your wife so she might be filled with love and joy.  The responsibility is ours, as husbands, to make marriage to us as pleasant and rewarding an experience for our wives as possible. 

It is apparent that you will have little possibility to succeed and flourish in marriage unless verse 18 and 19 work together.

20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.

Ephesians 6:1-2 says, “Children obey your parents in the Lord because it is the right thing to do.  Give honor to your father and mother which brings a promise that you will live long on the Earth.”  This is one of the first commandments of God.  Jesus reminded us that He always did those things which please the Father (John 8:29).  One thing I have discovered is that almost all children love and cherish their parents when young and as they get older they begin to be angry toward them.  Part of this is a child’s desire to become more independent, but part is due to the parent’s relationship.

21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

Fathers – do not provoke (stir up and agitate) your children.  We are supposed to be a bringer of stability to our children.  Love and strength ought to flow from us to them and give them a foundation of self-esteem to build on.  If we discourage them they may never overcome this early loss and succeed. 

Consider this, one child grows up in a loving and encouraging home where parents spend time with their children and help them discover their strengths and some things they can be passionate.  Another child grows up in a busy household where the parents come home too exhausted to spend time with their children.  Left to their own devices they are often in trouble and have no idea what things are out there to pique their interest or help them succeed.  Later in life those children marry. 

If the first child marries someone else who has had quality time with their parents the two will likely excel as parents and as a couple and find success.  If the first child marries the second child things might be more difficult and it places a lot of pressure on the well raised child to help build the other spouse’s confidence to succeed.  If both spouses are the second child then they may never succeed and lack even the direction needed to guide their weak spouse.  Both are weak.  How you raise your children largely decides how they succeed later in life.

I have known highly intelligent and not so intelligent people in my life and the ones with good self-esteem and discipline generally do better while the ones without do not, regardless of their intellect.  Having a great intellect is of no use whatsoever if you have no drive or will to exploit it.

22 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God:

We discussed this before, servants – doulos – bond slaves – serve your masters according to the nature of the relationship, not just to get by or seem to be doing your tasks, as if you seek to be recognized, but with a single minded determination to be the best servant possible as if it is unto God.  Abraham’s servant stood to inherit everything if Abraham died childless and yet he went out of his way to find the perfect wife for Issac by praying to make sure he didn’t make a mistake.  Joseph was sold into slavery in order to complete his preparation for service to God.  As a slave he did EVERYTHING as unto the Lord and God blessed him.

23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

I don’t think we really have to explain this too much since we approached it fairly clearly a few verses ago.  No matter who you work for and no matter how much it seems you are working for a personality her or there, do it to God and not to the man.  Why?  Next verse.

24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

That’s why.  The inheritance isn’t just in the hereafter and it isn’t just dependent upon how much you witness or how holy you live.  Your inheritance is affected by everything you do and say, especially toward those who have rule over you.  God desires to reach the mighty and the weak and he will use you to reach kings if your attitude is right.

25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

God will defend you or defend others from you.  You do not want God to have to protect others against you.  Live by the Spirit.  Love by the Spirit.  Treat everyone better than you want to be treated.  Make God’s way clear for Him.  Make it the way of life eternal and blessings in the here and now.

Press in beloved,

Bishop J

Colossians Chapter 2

1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;

Have you ever been responsible for something or someone and have to trust others for their care?  I know there are those who are better at organization and study and prayer than I am but are they going to organize, study and pray harder for something near and dear to my heart?  Can you imagine someone as zealous for souls and new converts as Paul having to trust another to get the job done?  He was in jail at the time and would soon have a legal fight for his life and yet his passion and his fear was for the lost souls of Colosse and Laodicea.  He was unable to get a taste of their heart nor they his and it tore at him.  I wouldn’t call Paul a micro-manager but he was certainly someone who liked to keep his own hands busy with the work.

Christians need to understand that they are each a single part of a great body.  As it says in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I have planted, Apollos watered, but it is God who gave the increase.”  This was a harsh lesson for Paul; not because he was a glory hog but because he always wanted to be sure it was done right.  One thing is certain; Paul never shrank away from trusting God whether he found it uncomfortable or not.

2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;

This is what it means to be joined to the body of Christ.  Your hearts should be comforted while at the same time being knit together in love for one another.  Notice the wealth you are being promised?  God promises to give you full assurance of your understanding of who and what you are in Him and who and what He is as well as the Father and trinity as a whole.  Scripture says, “If anyone lacks wisdom let him ask of God who will give to all men liberally.”  It has never been God’s will for you to wander about in ignorant faith.  God expects you to have regular epiphanies; He wants you to have those, “Ah hah!” moments.

If you aren’t being comforted and encouraged in God then either you or your fellowship is missing something.  He sent His son to die for you.  He’s not going to leave you without just because you don’t understand something.  God’s intention is always for you to have your questions answered and your heart filled with love.

3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

All the wisdom and treasure of the ages is invested in Christ Jesus.  Proverbs 25:2 says, “it is the glory of God to conceal and hide a thing but the honor of kings to seek out that very matter.”  Revelation 1:6 and 5:10 says we are made kings and priests.  It is your honor to seek out those hidden things in God.  There are so many things that are simply hidden in the Bible.  Just the names of individuals in the genealogies and other place names mean something and yet most concordances don’t bother to translate each name while translating the scripture into another language.

When someone says, “I am going to Bethel to be with my Lord,” the very name means ‘beth’ – house.  ‘el’ – God.  Bethel means house of God.  Every name in the Bible matters.  Every phrase does too.  The ancient rabbi’s used to say, “When Messiah comes he will not only teach us the whole Torah but He will translate even the spaces between the letters.”  When was the last time you did a Bible Study that took into account the letter and word use of the original language.  Few do because God blinds their eyes.  Pray for God to open your eyes and reveal the truth to you.  This gift is yours.

4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Why the warning?  Why would Paul warn against men beguiling you and giving you alternative but sweet sounding words?  He warns us because that is just how Satan works.  I can’t tell you how many times I have rejoiced to have someone speak against a portion of scripture I was trying to apply to my life because it meant that I was on the right track.  If you ever see the Pharisees or others trying to kill one of the disciples or even Jesus, it is because they or He just said something profound and you need to go back and study it.  Satan had the chief priests and Pharisees so bound up in fables and genealogies that they thought good was evil and evil good.  They were completely confused.

It wasn’t that they were always against God but they had become just corrupt enough to call good evil and evil good.  Their hearts desire was to see Israel as a strong political force when God’s was to see it become a strong spiritual force.  They missed the call and missed the boat.

5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

If you’ve never served under a strong spiritual leader you may not be aware how much such a covering can matter to you and your day to day walk with God.  The example such a person provides along with the spiritual advice and authority they bring can change your life completely.  Paul was trying to tell them something significant here.  He said that to be absent from this body is to be present with the Lord, but here was a similar but different idea.  To be absent in the flesh is to be present in the spirit.  God honors these spiritual sons and daughters, and Paul, walking in the spirit honors and loves and rejoices in them as well.  When one is in the spirit, it isn’t an offering you rejoice in but in the heartfelt change of your hearers.  That is what brings joy unspeakable and full of glory.

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

I hope you have received Jesus with love, joy, passion, enthusiasm, faith and a powerful will to serve.  Sadly, many do not receive God so graciously because they were not introduced to Him in that manner.  The next verse says how we are to serve the Lord but before we go there let me admonish the preachers, teachers, prophets, evangelists and apostles to preach the Word of God as God has given it.  I was blessed to receive God from someone who even after a hard message because sin was in the house would say, “Now, let me get you a bandage,” then he would proceed to love us and hug on us in his message and you went home knowing you sinned but that in spite of that you were loved and cherished.  The chastening made you feel bad but the hug afterwards made you want to do better so you didn’t embarrass your pastor or your God.

7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

When you know you are loved and cherished it is so much easier to trust what someone says they will do.  So many have received faulty information about God’s love and mercy that they keep asking the same question, “Am I really saved?”  This can be caused by a childhood where you were not loved much by your parents or perhaps you went through an abusive relationship with someone.  Our walk with God depends on a relationship with Him more than merely following His Word.  We follow His word so the relationship might be formed.  When you are told to follow his Word to avoid Hell or to keep from being punished, it can make you miss the most important point of all, God loves you, wants to relate to you in love, and is not an excessive disciplinarian. 

Don’t get me wrong, God IS A DISCIPLINARIAN.  He absolutely expects his sons and daughters to grow into upstanding citizens of His heavenly kingdom.  What some church leaders miss however is that we learn line upon line and precept upon precept.  My knowledge of the Lord is the sum of thirty-five years of pressing in and getting chastened, loved and appreciated.  It has grown through baby stages and toddler, teen and young adult.  I like to think I have finally become somewhat mature in my faith but it has taken decades to get here.

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

God wants a relationship rather than a dictatorship.  He wants a family more than a house full of servants.  Our Lord is an organized head of household who expects the dishes to be washed, beds made and house kept clean by the kids; but as long as the chores are done He is a loving and gracious father who dotes on His children and does many wonderful things for them.  He believes in community service and will assign us any number of hours in the local or even international community to spread His message of love and family. 

His main concern is that since His message is so simple and loving there are any number of people on the outside and even on the inside who feel it can’t be true or want to change it to something that makes sense to them.  Jesus came so you might have life and have it more abundantly.  At the higher levels this can appear quite difficult to those who have not yet attained that stature.  We read, “To live is Christ and to die is gain,” and we might walk away scratching our heads and asking, “How is that love?” 

The missing ingredient there is maturity of life and maturity of understanding.  No parent tells the two year old to clear the fine china off the table; not if he wants to preserve the china anyway.  Many of the ‘difficult’ parts of my walk with God are second nature to me now but I struggled and despaired over them thirty years ago.  We in the body of Christ must learn to portray an accurate image of Jesus and our Father to the world rather than the twisted and warped one sold by Satan. 

My spirit man is the most important part of who I am but it is not the loudest.  If I am to die in Christ then I need to have a full understanding that we are only speaking of death of will or death of dark desires.  Sin brings shame.  Life in Christ brings life and peace.  You must experience it to understand it and in the beginning it doesn’t make any ‘natural’ sense.  You must develop your spiritual sense first.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

The word here translated fullness is, pleroma which means, “That which fills.”  Within Christ and so within the body of Christ which is made up of individual Christians dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.  How much power does God have in His little finger?  If it is enough to shake a mountain and you are God’s little finger, shouldn’t you have that level of power? 

10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

All your flaws, all your shortcomings, all your mistakes are overcome through Christ in you.  A murderer is complete in Jesus if they have repented of their sin and crime.  If the whole world hates them and they are saved then 1 John 4:4 says, “Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world.”  You might yet be locked in a prison of your own making but in Christ you are free.  I recall a woman who killed several people.  She was sentenced to die for her crimes.  While awaiting her execution (which might take decades in this country), she became a Christian and began to serve God with her whole heart. 

She appealed her conviction so she could do God’s work on the outside and was denied.  Everyone agreed that her life had changed completely.  She asked forgiveness of the families she had injured and worked tirelessly with prisoners.  On the day she was put to death she asked only that by dying she could offer some closure and peace to the families she had devastated.  There was no fear in her when she closed her eyes and awoke before her Savior.

If God can do this much in someone who had broken too many of His commandments to count, how much more can He do in your life.  If He is above all principality and power, you are above all principality and power.  Jesus said upon rising to glory that greater things than these shall we do because He goes to the Father.  I don’t know about you but I want to see these greater miracles come through my ministering because I believe in my Lord.  One of the greatest witnesses in the history of mankind was the thief who died the same day he got saved.  His life continued through the Gospels and has brought many criminal and lost soul to salvation.

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

I am reminded of a story of a little girl whose mother was terribly scarred by burns.  When she began school the little girl was embarrassed by her mother and the other children mocked her looks.  One day the little girl was frustrated about this and asked her mother why she was so scarred.  What she really wanted to know is why couldn’t she have a mother like the other kids.  Her mother explained that when she was a baby a fire broke out in their apartment.  Her mother ran through the flames to rescue her child and received the terrible burns.  From that day on the girl was never ashamed of the marks her mother bore for her sake and was proud to be seen in public with her.

Circumcision was a covenant that God had with the Jews.  Most of the people around them were not circumcised.  There are all sorts of spiritual reasons for this circumcision but most importantly it was a setting apart of the Jews and was an outward sign of an inward event, marking them as His special people.  One obvious purpose of circumcision was to ‘mark’ the one part of our physical bodies that can get us into significant trouble and make us unfaithful.  Romans 16:17 says to mark those who cause division.  In this case we are marked because we bring unity through the circumcision of Christ.  Consider how important this is when one day the mark of the beast on hand or forehead will separate us from the world and our ability to buy and sell.

We are circumcised in Christ by faith.  It is a spiritual circumcision where we surrender the unfaithful thoughts and deeds of our past to the saving works of Jesus on the cross.  Circumcision is dying to the sin of infidelity and falsehood to God and being buried with our old man along with Jesus on the cross.  Jesus was scarred and marked as well on the cross and even before when they beat Him and tore the beard from his face.  These scars left Him unrecognizable to his disciples on the road after His resurrection.

Jesus isn’t asking us to be scarred or burned to serve Him but is it too much to ask that our lives are an example of good works and dedication to our Lord?  Can the world around you see the circumcision of your heart in the actions of your daily walk?

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Had Jesus simply been buried as our sacrifice he would not have become our high priest or been able to make continuing intercession for us before the Father.  When we are baptized we are buried with Him and our sins are forgiven but we are dead and useless.  We would have no power and be of no use to the Lord upon the earth.  God however did not stop there; He raised Jesus up from the dead to stand once again, faultless and holy before God.  By faith we too are raised in glory of incorruptible spirit.

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Once you were dead in Christ you were forgiven.  Your spirit and flesh have been made alive right along side Jesus.  God has forgiven you every trespass against Him.  You have been forgiven for the trespasses you committed before as well as the ones you commit next week and next year.  As long as you continue to walk before God in faith His blood continues to cleanse you day by day and moment by moment. 

14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Romans 7:9 says, “…the law came, sin revived and I died.”  Sin is what God says it is.  Why?  Because He says so.  How do we know?  We know because God sent us His law so we will have no excuse for not doing the right thing.  According to Romans 8:2 there is another law called “the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.”  This is the law we now obey and this law has blotted out the laws that had previously condemned us to Hell.  When the Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross they were in effect nailing the Old Testament commandments to the cross with Him.  There is a requirement in Romans 8:1 that says there is no condemnation to those who stop walking after the flesh (which is listed in Galatians 5:19-21) and who walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). 

I know there are those who believe that once you have accepted Christ as your Savior you can’t lose your salvation.  This has not been proven to me adequately.  There are too many scriptures (such as the parable of the talents) which appear to say that as long as you press toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus you are one hundred percent safe but if you take the talents God has given you when you are born again and bury them or ignore them or even walk away from God that it isn’t such a sure thing. 

I understand us wanting to be safe no matter how much we live like the devil but is that really what God promises?  I’m sure some of you are screaming “YES!” right now but if you can’t provide sound scriptural evidence that overrules everything else I have read about serving God then please don’t shout at me.  God is perfectly willing to save you free of charge and embrace you like a son or daughter but He will not have bastard children who will not obey or submit.  Does He expect perfection in your thought life and walk right away?  No.  Let me ask that again.  Does God expect perfection in your thought life right away?  NO!!!!  He does however expect you to PRESS toward the mark of your calling every day. 

I do have a question for those of you who embrace this ‘once saved always saved’ philosophy.  Why do you feel God should save someone who believes in Him enough to pray the prayer but not enough to TRY and live saved?  Notice I didn’t say, “live saved.”  I said, “try.”  God expects Christ in us to make a difference on how we live our lives.  He has empowered us and runs interference for us and all He expects in return for this magnanimous gift is to do our best (even if it is weak.) 

15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

If you only TRY to live saved, God will spoil all the principalities and powers that have made a failure of you in the past.  I love the word spoil as in, “The soldiers won the battle and took spoil of the enemy.”  How much has Satan stolen from you in the past?  God will spoil him and make him give back what he has taken.  For His part God likes to rub the failure in the devil’s face and let the whole world see.  Even when you make mistakes and Satan tries to accuse you of your sins God looks through those eyes at your life cleansed by the blood of Christ and sees no sin at all.

One other thing to consider about spoil and spoiling the enemy; you must be trained to fight and willing to go to war.  “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.”  We are in a war and if you expect to get spoil you too must engage the enemy and the first thing a soldier must do is TRAIN FOR WAR.

16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

You are going to make mistakes from time to time.  You are going to miss it and eat something that is better left uneaten or drink something likewise.  There are days God Himself has set aside to worship or celebrate or show you love Him and you might miss one of those days or you might even worship on a Sunday when scripture points to Saturday, actually from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.  Many years ago when I had taken stock of what time of year I had gotten saved and was baptized in the Holy Spirit I discovered that these major events in my spiritual walk had occurred during Jewish holy days.  This wasn’t on purpose or by any thought on my part.  I didn’t even know about Jewish holy days back then.

God has His own calendar and while many Christians will say we are not bound by holy days and special food or drink I would endeavor to say that it is better to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Having said that though, I would also suggest you examine your life and see if God Himself hasn’t put his fingerprint on your life.  If you remember what days and what years you were saved or were baptized or had a major spiritual breakthrough, find out if it connected with a Jewish holiday.  I believe if we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit we will see many things coincide with the special days of God listed in the Old Testament. 

As the ancient Hebrew sages were fond of saying, “Coincidence is not a kosher word.”

17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

What does this say?  Those very calendar dates are a shadow of things to come.  Since we know that we do not keep them consciously in Christ then they must be a shadow of things to come after.  What comes after Christ?  Armageddon, the Millennial reign, the New Heaven and the New Earth.  All these things come after.  It is quite possible that these days will have even more importance during these latter times.  One thing we do know is that the temple of God during the millennium will only be open on the Sabbath day.

Interesting isn’t it?

18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,

Angels are created beings that serve God … or not.  Satan was a cherub of great power and beauty.  A third of all the angels followed him when he challenged God’s authority and was cast down.  God’s angels will never allow you to worship them.  The only case of an angel other than the devil allowing someone to worship him was when it was the captain of the Lord’s host, the angel of the Lord.  In other words it was a pre-incarnate visit by Jesus Himself.  Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him and was rebuked by our Lord. 

People will choose anything to worship.  I remember a woman in India who worshipped a white rat in a group of brown rats.  When asked why she said the divine rat was her reincarnated brother and so she fed and worshipped it so her brother could ascend.  God warns us not to worship idols and creatures and beasts.  Our only Lord and Savior is Jesus who is the Head of this body, the church of God in Christ.

19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

These people choose not to accept Christ in His role as our King of kings and Lord of lords.  Christ and Christ alone binds us all together, nourishing us and causing us to be interdependent and whole.  When we are one in Him the power of God can flow through us and we are finally able to accomplish great works.  Sadly, we often fight against one another over foolish differences of opinion and minor points of doctrine which God Himself will correct in due time if we just trust Him.

20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

Rules are for a dead people with dead spirits and a heart to do better and serve to give guidance, especially when everything about them points to lawlessness.  Every decent law we have ever had in any country at any point in its development has come under attack of ‘progressive’ elements.  Adam and Eve were told to abstain from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  You can see from her response to Satan in Genesis 3:3 that she had been thinking of it.  God said not to eat.  She said that God told them not to eat OR touch.  Within her heart she was already tempted and was strengthening the commandment against the temptation.

Some might say that Eve simply didn’t understand the commandment of God or that she was a bit slow.  I don’t believe this for a moment.  Adam and Eve were the first humans God had ever made.  They were likely to have been geniuses and highly discerning spiritually.  God’s word didn’t say that the moment they ate of the tree they would begin to die.  He said that the moment they ate of the tree they would die right then.  It is most likely that Adam and Eve were spiritually alive and more to the point, totally integrated in spirit, soul and body.  There was no serious warfare in the flesh until Satan came.

Some have said that women are more naturally curious than men.  I don’t agree or there would be more women scientists than men scientists.  There is a reason that Eve struggled with this and Satan was familiar with the deceptive pull of temptation.  He had managed to get a third of all angels to follow him into banishment; how hard could it be to trick one young girl who was younger than Adam.  The rules were for mankind’s good.  The moment she stumbled Heaven must have rocked.  When Adam followed after her in sin for the sake of love or companionship, their living sanctified spirits were torn from them and they died as living spirits.  It doesn’t say in scripture how old they were when they fell but after only 930 years of an eternal lifespan, Adam died.

21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

Why did God give them the commandment regarding the tree?  What would have happened if they had never touched it?  The question doesn’t matter because even before He arranged everything God knew they would fall.  Perhaps we ought to ask ourselves another question and contemplate on it from time to time; why does God allow us to live in circumstances that make it all but impossible to live holy?  The disciples in their writings say that they were unable to live by the law.  Jesus alone lived and never broke a commandment. 

God put a test before Adam and Eve that they could not have passed since the Serpent made it almost a sure thing they would fail.  Mankind has never lived successfully before God for any length of time.  The longest period of time was probably during Moses (when they still blew it) or possibly during one of the Judges’ reigns.  For the most part Israel almost always defaulted to the sins of the nations around them, were punished and then restored (over and over again until God had enough.)  Why?  God could have totally destroyed these fallen angels.  He certainly didn’t have to leave them in our realm. 

God does not tempt mankind and yet He allows many things to lead us astray.  He always leaves a way to come back but what does He expect of us that He needs us to be Special Forces warriors in the spirit who cannot be tempted or stumble under any demonic or angelic attack?  We know He loves us.  We know He is not willing that any should perish.  We also know that He expects us to reign with Him.  As awesome as that idea is, one must admit that we just do not know as much about God and His purposes as we might like.  We do know this, He expects us to follow Him through fire, flood, death and despair.  This is not a life for wimps and sissys.

23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh.

The Torah, the Law of God appears to be full of wisdom, helping us learn to worship God by humility and keeping our bodies under subjection but they do not satisfy the flesh or change it from a ravening lion into a gentle lamb.  It rails and begs and demands no matter how much we feed it.  The flesh does not understand the word NO.  It wants.  Excessive gluttony will kill it.  Excessive asceticism will kill it.  Buddha tried to discover how to find ‘enlightenment’ by starving himself and then feeding himself until he could hardly move.  What he missed is that there is no enlightenment to be found without the living breathing God connected spirit being in control.

Blessings beloved.

Bishop J.