March 11, 2024 SO THAT YOU MAY WALK
Colossians 1:9b-12 “I pray that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of Lord, to please Him in all respects, and bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
Being a follower of Jesus has implications; Jesus, being our Savior and Him being our life, brings about certain benefits and certain fruits that affect how we live daily. We are no longer who we use to be; we have been joined to Christ and that makes a huge difference-it impacts everything about who we are and how we live. Our salvation is so much more than being assured of heaven when we die. Living the Christian life by our own strength is impossible; living life the way God designed it is nothing less than super natural. Without the Spirit of God living in us, there is no way that we could ever please God ‘in all respects;’ BUT, because of His presence and His work in us, we CAN please Him ‘in all respects.’ I know that for most believers, it is a stretch to believe that we can please Him in all respects. Many believers still consider themselves sinners who continue to sin even though they have been born again. It is a huge gap in seeing ourselves as believers who sin and seeing ourselves as new creations who have been set free from the power of sin. We do not have to sin. Do not misunderstand: it is possible for believers to sin, but it is only because they choose to walk by the flesh instead of walking by the Spirit-note, it is a choice. The great and awesome good news that many believers have not yet come to believe is that we can walk, or live, in a way that is worthy of the Lord and in a way that is pleasing to Him. And, we can be bearing good fruit in every good work and can be increasing in the knowledge of God. If that’s not enough, we can be strengthened with all power, and be steadfast in living out the ways of God. We need to understand our inheritance in the Lord; our inheritance has benefits for the present, and it has huge benefits once we die and go to be present with the Lord in heaven. Our old life has gone; now we have been made new with a new nature, a new heart and a new spirit! It was Paul’s prayer that believers would be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that they could walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord-and we are included in that prayer. This prayer may sound like a ‘pipe dream’ prayer or a prayer reserved for just a few; however, this prayer reflects what it means for you and I to be made complete in Christ. Our salvation is for the present, and it means that we can be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we can walk in a way that pleases Him in all respects.
Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”
Ephesians 5:10 “..trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
Blessings, Buddy
Colossians 1:9b-12 “I pray that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of Lord, to please Him in all respects, and bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us share in the inheritance of the saints in light.”
Being a follower of Jesus has implications; Jesus, being our Savior and Him being our life, brings about certain benefits and certain fruits that affect how we live daily. We are no longer who we use to be; we have been joined to Christ and that makes a huge difference-it impacts everything about who we are and how we live. Our salvation is so much more than being assured of heaven when we die. Living the Christian life by our own strength is impossible; living life the way God designed it is nothing less than super natural. Without the Spirit of God living in us, there is no way that we could ever please God ‘in all respects;’ BUT, because of His presence and His work in us, we CAN please Him ‘in all respects.’ I know that for most believers, it is a stretch to believe that we can please Him in all respects. Many believers still consider themselves sinners who continue to sin even though they have been born again. It is a huge gap in seeing ourselves as believers who sin and seeing ourselves as new creations who have been set free from the power of sin. We do not have to sin. Do not misunderstand: it is possible for believers to sin, but it is only because they choose to walk by the flesh instead of walking by the Spirit-note, it is a choice. The great and awesome good news that many believers have not yet come to believe is that we can walk, or live, in a way that is worthy of the Lord and in a way that is pleasing to Him. And, we can be bearing good fruit in every good work and can be increasing in the knowledge of God. If that’s not enough, we can be strengthened with all power, and be steadfast in living out the ways of God. We need to understand our inheritance in the Lord; our inheritance has benefits for the present, and it has huge benefits once we die and go to be present with the Lord in heaven. Our old life has gone; now we have been made new with a new nature, a new heart and a new spirit! It was Paul’s prayer that believers would be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding so that they could walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord-and we are included in that prayer. This prayer may sound like a ‘pipe dream’ prayer or a prayer reserved for just a few; however, this prayer reflects what it means for you and I to be made complete in Christ. Our salvation is for the present, and it means that we can be filled with all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we can walk in a way that pleases Him in all respects.
Galatians 5:16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.”
Ephesians 5:10 “..trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.”
Blessings, Buddy
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