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1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. 11 In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! (Colossians 3:1-11 NRSV)
Hear Here: May this be a Tremendous Tuesday for you and yours, dear Friend!
In 1999, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, I was the guest speaker to a two weekend event for 13,000 kids. The event was so huge that they split it between two weekends. As the speaker I had the choice of the event flying me home after the first event, or to stay the week until the following weekend. I chose to go home. I had enough airline mlles that for my second weekend I flew our daughter Saraí down from Troy, NY, where she was in school at RPI. It was an event that blessed my life. One church member said that I should go every weekend because he could tell the difference in my preaching because I had preached to those kids. The music was fantastic led by Mr. James Ward, a pianist and vocalist, and worship leader at his home church in Philadelphia, who rocked the crowd by having brought in select musicians, all masters of their trade. The guitarist, before my first introduction asked where I was from. "Texas." "Texas? Okay, some ZZ Top!" And sure enough I came out to the music of that lil ole band from Texas. The Holy Spirit was in that crowd and many made decisions for the Lord. The thing that stayed with me was a song that James had written that goes with this passage, "New Resurrection LIfe." Inspired by this passage it speaks of how we should live if truly we "have been raised with Christ." Paul lays it out; our mind should be set on the things from above, visualizing Christ at the right hand of God; holy, pure, spiritual things that bless our walk here on the earth. We have died to our old nature and the new nature is all resurrection! Crucified with us should have been the old things, and Paul lists them here: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (there's that word again!), which Paul likens to idolatry. Those who have not put those things to death are making God mad, and God will return to deal with those who live by such things. Paul adds to the list: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from our mouths. We should no longer lie to each other, because our old self has been stripped from us as have the old practices. Our new covering is the renewed life in Christ which sparkles with the image of Jesus all over it. That new being reflects neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free; "Christ is all and in all."
It all begins with our surrender to Jesus; we turn over to Him our sins, confess our repentance (turning away from those sins) and our wllingness to be led by His Holy Spirit in a new way. We will be like Christ Jesus and we will be a blessing to God's Kingdom.
PRAYER: Loving God, I surrender to You my sins and my old self. Make me new. Remove the old, crucify the evil in me, and guide me to a way of purity and peace. This I ask in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a beacon of light and love as you sparkle Christ in your life!
Blessings of love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
