Some Challenges from Colossians! (Part 8)

We continue with our brief study of the letter to the Colossians as we look at the last section of chapter one:

24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

 

Time for a Great Cartoon: Victimhood

Classic Watterson!  What a great line — “Your denial of my victimhood is lowering my self-esteem!”  You’ve got to hand it to Calvin’s teacher — she says the right things!  In another cartoon, Calvin says something like, “I hate it when she drinks Maalox right from the bottle!”

Learning to take responsibility for my actions, choices, decisions, priorities — is a pretty good definition of MATURITY, don’t you think?

Your thoughts?

 

Psalms of My Life (Psalm 119): Part 22

ת Taw

¹⁶⁹ May my cry come before you, Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word.
¹⁷⁰ May my supplication come before you;
    deliver me according to your promise.
¹⁷¹ May my lips overflow with praise,
    for you teach me your decrees.
¹⁷² May my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commands are righteous.
¹⁷³ May your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, Lord,
    and your law gives me delight.
¹⁷⁵ Let me live that I may praise you,
    and may your laws sustain me.
¹⁷⁶ I have strayed like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant,
    for I have not forgotten your commands.

 

How Do I Get Spiritually Healthy? (a study of Titus – Part 8)

A second machine that I use is called the “LEG EXTENSION” machine.  Now, I thought this meant that if one of my legs was shorter than the other one, this machine would make the necessary adjustments.  That’s not how it works.  With this one a padded bar rests on your feet and you lift that bar with both your legs at the same time.

I’m careful to read the instructions printed on these machines.  I don’t need to lose a limb while losing weight (although that would be about 30 pounds, wouldn’t it?).

You see that little red handle-thing?  That’s where you choose the weight your two legs lift.  I have been setting that handle-thing at about 90 pounds.  It seems to be just enough so that after ten “reps,” I start to feel “the burn.”

How am I when it comes to SPIRITUAL EXERCISE?  Do I ever feel “the burn” of the Holy Spirit saying to me, “Hey, get off your duff and start working out your own salvation.  And do it with fear and trembling!”

We’re looking at the little epistle of Paul to Titus and noticed some questions on the first section of chapter two.  Here are those verses again and my response to the questions I raised.

Chapter 2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Here are a few questions — and my responses:

1.  How is teaching minimized in our culture?  How is teaching seen by Paul as he advises TItus (v. 1)?  May I suggest that our culture minimizes teaching in acting as if no one knows any more than anyone else.  I guess it’s a pride thing.  Paul sees teaching as a key to combating false ideas which lead God’s people astray.

2.  How do we know if we are teaching what is “appropriate” to sound doctrine?   How do we test ourselves and others?  Obviously, we take a systematic theology class from someone like myself.  Just kidding.  We take the whole of Scripture to test an idea or a set of ideas or a system.  We test ourselves by God’s revealed Word — and we use the same instrument to evaluate others.

3.  Paul then gives specific instructions to different age groups.  What seems to be his primary burden with the older men (v. 2)?  It seems Paul’s primary point with the “older men” is that they would be models worth following.

4. We’ve lost the impact of the word “temperance,” don’t you think?  One dictionary defines temperance as “moderation or self-restraint, especially in eating and drinking.”  Why is TEMPERANCE such a vital quality of godly men (v. 2)?  Godly men can lose their reputation and respectability by bad choices, immoderate lifestyles, indulging in “the flesh,” as Paul puts it elsewhere.

5.  How does a man make himself someone who is “worthy of respect,” do you think (v. 2)?  I can’t make people respect me, but I can seek to remove any barriers that might cause them to disrespect me.  I can positively live in a way that pleases God — who is the object of my attention.

6.  Do a brief word study of the expression “self-control” in the Scriptures.  What do you learn about that virtue?

We learn much about self-control from the following seven texts:
Proverbs 16:32
Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city.
Self-control is esteemed higher by God than a conquering warrior!

Proverbs 25:28
Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.
The person who lacks self-control is like a defenseless city.

Acts 24:25
As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”
The message of the gospel is not just salvation, but the practical matters of righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come.

1 Corinthians 7:5
“Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”
The Bible gets very blunt about the marital relationship between husband and wife.  Satan waits to tempt the too-long-abstaining couple who reach the end of their self-control.

Galatians 5:23
“gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law . . .”
One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control which seems linked here with gentleness.

2 Timothy 3:3
“without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good . . .”
False teachers in the end times will be marked by a lack of godly qualities, including that of self-control.

2 Peter 1:6
“and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness . . .”
The believer is to add to his/her faith certain virtues, among which is self-control.

7.  The third use of our term “sound” occurs here in 2:2.  These older men are to be sound/healthy in FAITH, LOVE, and ENDURANCE.  If you are a man, perhaps admit to being an “older” man, which of these three is the most challenging for you?

 

 

 

Theology — Unplugged! (storytime)

Monday, I had a near death experience that has changed me forever. I went horseback riding. Everything was going fine until the horse starts bouncing out of control. I tried with all my might to hang on, but was thrown off.

Just when things could not possibly get worse, my foot gets caught in the stirrup. When this happened, I fell head first to the ground.

My head continued to bounce harder as the horse did not stop or even slow down. Just as I was giving up hope and losing consciousness,

. . . the Walmart manager came and unplugged it!