“But now you also,
put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your
mouth” (Col. 3:8). “For it is because of
these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience”
(verse 6).
Hey Gang: Time to
turn up the heat or we will be on the Change Process for the next six months. Not that I do not believe we need to zero in
on the change process; the Word tells us that we are ever seeking and too often
do not come to the knowledge of the truth.
My bride and I just arrive home from celebrating our
fifty-ninth re-union of the day we both said “I do” and committed our lives to
each other. God knew what He was doing
when He gave us the formula for a God blessed relationship between a man and
woman. In Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 He gave
us the perfect formula and note it is one that is anchored by the Holy
Spirit. Solomon wrote. “A cord of three strands is not quickly
torn apart”.
Hey, you married folks, and you who will walk the aisle with
great anticipation, notice Solomon’s words, “Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting
life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life
and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun“ (Eccl: 9:9). Well, that is enough marriage counseling for
the day.
In step two of the change process Paul tell us we need to
take an inventory of our life and examine what is good and what is not-so-good
and then send the not-so-good things packing.
Not sure whether your house is pure and ready to come into the presence
of the Lord.
Psalm 15 is titled
“Description of a Citizen of Zion” which begins with these words: “O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who man dwell on Your holy hill?” (Verse
1). And in Psalm 24:3 David adds to this
question with these words: “Who may
ascend into the hill of the Lord? And
who may stand in His holy place?” In
answer to his question: “He who has
clean hands and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and
not sworn deceitfully” (verse 4).
To “put off” those things that are offensive to the Lord is
tough, but when we submit “all” to
Christ, we have the joy of victory through Christ who strengthens us. Jesus said, “All power in heaven and earth dwells in Me, (Matt. 28:18) and dwells
in you giving you the power to be an overcomer (Gramps rendition).
The weakness of humanity is that we are takers, we
continually make withdrawals from our love bank and neglect to make deposits leaving
an open heart for Satan to set up camp. In
step three of the change process Paul says we are to put on a new self, a new self that is being
renewed in the true knowledge according to the image of Christ.
Paul gives a clinic on what that means. He continued his
teaching on the nuts of bolts of putting on; he wrote, “Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience,
bearing one another burdens, forgive each other, whoever has complaint against
the other, just as the Lord forgave you, put on love, which is the perfect bond
of unity” ((3:12-14).
This we know, whatever we put into our mind will determine what
is going to come out our mouth. To reflect the heart of Our Father put on Paul’s
list. Don’t let the influence of our
culture control or color your choices. We often make stew and one rotten onion spoils
the whole pot.
The final step is the most difficult part of the change
process. Remember the verse in Isaiah “We
like sheep have gone astray each going his own way” (Isa. 53:5). We all have seeds of pride within us that
lead us down the path of separation from God and causes our light to go from
good too mediocre to no light at all.
The final step of Paul’s change process, “Let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts,
to which indeed you were called in one body: and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell with you
with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in
the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God and Father”
(Col. 3:15-17).
The Key to the change process – “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus
giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17).
Oh, I have tried but
it just does not work. Check out
verse one again. Notice the prerequisite, “Therefore,
“IF” you have been raised up with Christ keep seeking the things above where
Christ is seated at the right hand of God.” Refire your boilers and
recommit to allowing God to do what He knows is best for you.
Let the peace of Christ rule and let the word of Christ dwell!
Blessings,
Gramps
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