Week of August 1, 2010, Colossians 3:1-11

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Paul’s letter to the Colossians, chapter 3, verses 1-11, where Paul talks about rules for holy living.
1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Jesus, You suffered and died for us, and You were raised at Easter and You are seated at the right hand of God. Jesus, You raise us up, and tell us to set our hearts on things above. You tell us to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things. Help us to do that – to not be concerned with what we are to wear or what we are to eat, because we know that You watch over us, You provide, You direct us. Help us to have a holy perspective – a perspective that takes in all aspects of our life – to see that You have been intimately involved in our lives, with every aspect of our lives, and that You are with us through it all. Jesus, You are our life.

So help each of us to live lives worthy of children of God, to live our baptism each day – dying to ourselves and our earthly nature, and rising to new life each day – putting away unclean thoughts and evil desires, and walking in holiness and purity, moving away from anger and pride and envy and lies and filthy language, and all things contrary to Your ways, and to live and walk daily in the Spirit, putting on a new self, being renewed and refreshed each day in the Word of God in the Bible, and to realize always that there is no Greek or Jew, no white or black or Hispanic or Asian, slave or free, but to realize that Christ is all and Jesus Christ is in all.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your love, power, peace and presence in our lives. Amen.

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to Himself;
May the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in His service;
May the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
May the fire of the Holy Spirit bring comfort, guidance and fervency;
And may the blessing of the almighty and most merciful God - Creator, Word and eternal Holy Spirit - be upon us and remain with us always.
In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May God be with you now and always.