My OOPS from Last Week

It has been a week since I posted my Proverbs 3:5-6 blog, and just now realized the MAJOR typo in my publication! I left out the phrase, “…and lean not unto your own understanding”! How in the world did I manage to do that and how did I not catch it? I referred to it and made the concept the theme of the post~ but…. 

So, now I guess this gives me an opportunity to fix it and emphasize that part one more time before returning to Colossians. Since everything happens for a purpose, maybe someone needed to read it one more time. So, here we go again…

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your steps.

It is when you don’t understand what is going on and when you don't understand why something may be happening in your life that you need to rely on the promise of this passage. In our finite, human minds we don’t always understand. Things don’t always make sense. We can’t always figure things out ourselves. BUT, remember, God is God. He knows what He is doing~ and it always turns out for our best.

I think I will return to this at a future date and dive into the entire section (verses 1-8) as mentioned last week.

I know this isn’t my normal in-depth Bible Study, but I wanted to clear up the mistake from last week and offer one more word of encouragement from this awesome passage.

I hope to return to Colossians 3 next week!

Remember, don’t depend on how you understand the situation in which you find yourself, but rather~trust and rely on the Lord.

Debbie

A Special Return Blog

Well, friends~ I’m back! My, it’s been a long time! So excited about my new laptop! But, I am still struggling with writing in the afternoons! I may have to set aside Saturday mornings for my writing time.

I am not quite ready to get back to “Colossians for Christie”, my series from Colossians chapter 3, written especially for my daughter-in-law, but available to all my beautiful readers.  If you are new to my blogs, check out my archives to the right and catch up on this particular series, as well as my previous one entitled “The Mary/Martha Saga”.

But for today, I am going to ‘throw out’ a verse as a reminder to dear family members who need this special reminder. I bet it could come in handy for a lot of you at this particular point in your life, as well as a daily nudge even for us who may not ‘be going through anything’ right NOW.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says,

“TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART~IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE WILL DIRECT YOUR STEPS”

The pathway in the garden of your life may SEEM like it is not heading where you want it to go right now, but remember, God is setting the bricks in place day by day. Step on today’s brick and wait patiently for tomorrow’s. When you arrive, you will be exactly where the Lord wants you to be. It will be better than you ever imagined, and SO much better than what YOU thought you wanted several bricks back! You may have thought Plan A was best,  but remember, God knew better and had your back!

The meadow may be comfortable, but you will never enjoy the view from the mountaintop without enduring the long, rocky, uphill climb. 

(I actually came up with that on my own!-pretty cool!)

One more time: Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART~IN ALL YOUR WAYS ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND HE WILL DIRECT YOUR STEPS.”

While you’re at it, go ahead and read verses 1-8. These are some of my favorite verses. At one time I had them memorized. Great lessons to learn in our daily walk!

Step gracefully,

Debbie

Keeping a Clean, Fresh Closet? It's our Choice

Last week we began looking at two mild, yet impactful commands Paul used to encourage the Colossian believers in their new found Christian lives.  These commands are in God’s Word to encourage us to keep our heart’s closets clean and fresh.

We looked specifically at Colossians 3:15 and learned that in order to keep our closets clean and fresh, we must ALLOW the Peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. We must allow the Peace of Christ to be the final judge in the tough circumstances we often face with one another.

Today, as we look at verse 16, we see the encouraging command to allow God’s Word to dwell richly in our hearts personally and collectively.

I like the way the editors of the Expositor’s Bible Commentary elaborate on this passage. The message of Christ, God’s Word, should “…become so deeply implanted within us that it controls our thinking.” God’s Word should be so much a part of us that it controls our thoughts, our attitudes, and therefore, our actions.  Specifically, according to verse 16, the Christian principles that we have hidden in our hearts (Psalm 119:11) should be expressed in our thoughts, which in turn affect the songs that we find ourselves humming and singing subconsciously throughout the day. When God's Word indwells us in this way, it allows us to regularly be in a spirit of worship, therefore affecting our attitude and actions towards others, like those we are commanded to 'forbear'! (That is an OUCH!) That is having the Word of God implanted deeply in our hearts and minds! Wouldn't you agree?

In the Bible Knowledge Commentary, the writers compare this to a mountain spring bubbling forth with fresh, pure water. When God’s Word flows through us and springs forth from our hearts, we can teach and admonish (counsel and encourage) one another with true wisdom that only comes from above.

Both verses 15 and 16 begin with the imperative “let”, or allow. This is something we CHOOSE to do. We must CHOOSE to allow the Peace of Christ to rule. We must CHOOSE to allow God’s Word to dwell (pitch a tent and make itself at home) richly (like a great treasure) within our hearts. (Word Study by W. Wiersbe, Be Complete and Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary).

This is how we keep our closets clean and fresh and how we can continue to wear those lovely outfits we think are so hard to put on!

Next week, we will look at the concept of thanksgiving and gratitude which are imbedded within these two verses.

GOD’S WORD~~READ IT, STUDY IT, MEMORIZE IT, AND APPLY IT to your life! 

 

Allow this great treasure to make itself at home in our life!

It's our choice,

Debbie

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Let the Peace of Christ Rule in your Hearts

Let’s quickly review from where we have come so far in Colossians chapter 3.

Verses 1-3 reveal the change that has taken place in our lives since we have ‘been risen with Christ’, or because of our salvation.

Verses 5-9 lists old dirty ‘clothing’ from our past lives that should have been taken off and destroyed- (But, for some reason, we always manage to hold on to one or two of those ugly outfits).

Verses 10-14 lists what instead should be ‘put on’ -and topped off with the final accessory –love!

So I wonder, have you muttered the following comment to yourself while studying this section with us, “Yea, but it’s hard!”?

Well, in verses 15 and 16 Paul provides two pieces of advice as to how to put on these outfits and keep them on! Number one, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…” and number two, “Let the word of God dwell in you richly…”  

Let’s look at the first one today.

Throughout Colossians chapter 3, Paul is saying, you are now a new person in Christ, you’ve put the past actions and attitudes behind you, you’ve put on new, godly actions and attitudes, and you have ‘accessorized’ them with Christ-like love.  Now sit back and enjoy your new found life and allow the peace of Christ to rule! This peace refers to spiritual tranquility, both within one’s self and with one another. 

To rule has the idea of an umpire. It is the same word the Greeks used in reference to the umpires of the Greek games of their day. The goal of peace should become the deciding factor in the matter of conflict with others. If we wear the ‘outfits’ from verses 12-14 and love as we are commanded at the end of verse 14, peace will rule in our hearts personally, and peace will rule in our relationships with others. 

This reminds of a saying a dear friend often says, “Lord, put one hand on my shoulder (peace) and one the other one over my mouth (umpire). If we allow the peace of Christ to be the umpire in our difficult situations, peace will reign victoriously, and we will continue to look lovely in our new ‘outfits’!

(Resources: The Expositor's Bible Commentary and The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Peace to each of you!

Debbie