The Mind of God

Colossians 2:1-3 reads:

I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

The apostle Paul is writing this to the church in Laodicea, but also to other believers in general. It’s a note of encouragement and instruction. As I read this passage, three elements jumped out at me. (1) ‘Strong ties of love’ are what encourages and strengthens a church. It is not Christ’s desire for there to be disunity within the body. (2) Confidence in understanding God’s plan is possible. Notice that Paul says understand and not know. There is a huge difference between the two. To know God’s plans is to be able to tap into the future. It would also take the mystery out of this text. Understanding God’s plans for us is saying, “God, I’m no were near close to understanding what you are up to right now, but I trust you entirely because I know Christ’s love for me.” (3) To know Jesus is to have unrestricted access to His ‘wisdom and knowledge.’ The key word in this text, however, is hidden. If we truly desire to know the things of God’s heart…His will for our lives…and what He is up to, we must search. Take just a moment to place yourself in the shoes of a 4-year-old child searching for eggs on Easter. Remember that excitement, that energy and joy? I believe that’s the attitude Christ desires for each of us to embrace

when exploring Him.
This week, may you enjoy seeking out the mind of God and not regard it as tedious or senseless. And if you’re wondering why He requires so much of us…just remember that every healthy relationship takes spending time together

and effort from both parties.

Hope in The Father

Romans 5:5 reads:
And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Yesterday was Fathers’ Day…and I promised my daughter a game of Skip-Bo with me and each of the boys a couple games of Halo. Now, I had hoped that with it being my day that I would rise as the supreme gamer that night. NOT! Two games of Skip-Bo and I lost both of them. Then, my oldest son (who I can never beat) defeated me in two rounds.
It’s a good thing that my joy and salvation were not contingent upon my success that night. I’m so glad that my Father in Heaven doesn’t intend for trivial things like these to disappoint us to such a degree that we lose our hope and joy for the day. Although we may allow this negative effect on us at times, it is usually the result of putting too much hope in things that don’t have spiritual relevance.
How’s your joy doing this week? Take a minute to do a self-inventory…what are you putting your hope in? This week, may your joy be rooted in placing hope in Jesus instead of your own abilities. May you also be reminded of Romans 5:5, that hope in Him ‘will not lead to disappointment.’

“I tremble for my country when I hear of confidence expressed in me. I know too well my weakness, that our only hope is in God.” Robert E. Lee

What's Your Spiritual Point of View

Philippians 4:8b reads:

"Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."

Think about this. When we get to sleep in, its sunny and clear out, and our finances are in order its pretty easy to view life as a bed of roses. On the other hand, its not quite the same when we can't fix the car, in-laws are breathing down your neck, and you have absolutely no energy to deal with any of it.
In the above text, Paul is encouraging us to take charge over our thoughts. Not only that, but focusing on things that are 'worthy of praise' is simply recognizing God's blessings in our lives...His actual involvement! Whether things are going great or really rough, intensionally locate God's hand in the middle of it. This is what keeps us grounded and attentive to His will for us.
Today, may you feel His hand on your circumstance. And may you also allow God and His ways to take priority in your life.

Celebrate

Philippians 3:1 reads:

“Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith.”

Paul gives us two critical points in this one verse. First, no matter what’s going on…rejoice in the Lord. In other words, celebrate the fact that we have a loving relationship with Jesus. Second, the reason for this is to defend our faith. Choosing to have joy in any and all circumstances protects and builds up our faith in Christ.
When we find ourselves in a difficult situation, consciously looking at it through Jesus’ perspective changes how react to it altogether. Equally as difficult is doing the same when everything in life is seemingly trouble-free. Making ourselves acknowledge Jesus in the easy times reminds us to thank Him for how well things are going. After all, isn’t He responsible for all the good things in our life anyway?

Rejoice…and solidify your faith!