Thursday, August 05, 2010
Sunday, August 01, 2010
Be On Guard!
Recently my devotions have been in the book of Colossians. I thought I might share something I've learned.
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:6-15)
Can you imagine a miner spending day after day in a cave mining for gold or precious gems, and then after gathering his treasure he leaves it unguarded? Paul tells us that the treasure we have received are not unlike earthly treasures in that respect. We shouldn't leave the treasures we have been given in Christ unguarded.
Did you know that one of the biggest computer hackers of all time is currently appealing his 70 year sentence after being found guilty of causing the U.S. government $1 billion of damage by breaking into it's most secure computers at Pentagon, NASA, the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, in 2005? The very important information stored in these computers were heavily protected, but they were still compromised. The treasures we have been given are the Bible, the Spirit, and salvation in Christ. Our treasure is the greatest gift of all time! It is worth more than billions of dollars! We must guard this treasure!
I believe it is difficult for us to fully understand or appreciate all that we have been given in Christ and how important it is for us to guard this amazing treasure. Unknowingly, we may be letting down our guard to peer pressure, the media,or the newest philosophies. We may allow them to come in and influence our thinking, deceiving us in the process. Think of a computer; it may look fine on the outside but it may have corrupt files or a virus infecting it. We may think we are fine, we may look fine, but our thinking may be corrupt. If we compromise the truth it is no longer truth. Think about it; if something is 90% true, is it still true? If water has just 1% arsenic in it, is the water still pure? Do any of us really live out the truth 100%? No. But if we try to blend the ways of the world with the way of Christ, we will lose the true way.
Colossians 2:8: Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
~Momo
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:6-15)
Can you imagine a miner spending day after day in a cave mining for gold or precious gems, and then after gathering his treasure he leaves it unguarded? Paul tells us that the treasure we have received are not unlike earthly treasures in that respect. We shouldn't leave the treasures we have been given in Christ unguarded.
Did you know that one of the biggest computer hackers of all time is currently appealing his 70 year sentence after being found guilty of causing the U.S. government $1 billion of damage by breaking into it's most secure computers at Pentagon, NASA, the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, in 2005? The very important information stored in these computers were heavily protected, but they were still compromised. The treasures we have been given are the Bible, the Spirit, and salvation in Christ. Our treasure is the greatest gift of all time! It is worth more than billions of dollars! We must guard this treasure!
I believe it is difficult for us to fully understand or appreciate all that we have been given in Christ and how important it is for us to guard this amazing treasure. Unknowingly, we may be letting down our guard to peer pressure, the media,or the newest philosophies. We may allow them to come in and influence our thinking, deceiving us in the process. Think of a computer; it may look fine on the outside but it may have corrupt files or a virus infecting it. We may think we are fine, we may look fine, but our thinking may be corrupt. If we compromise the truth it is no longer truth. Think about it; if something is 90% true, is it still true? If water has just 1% arsenic in it, is the water still pure? Do any of us really live out the truth 100%? No. But if we try to blend the ways of the world with the way of Christ, we will lose the true way.
Colossians 2:8: Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
~Momo
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Do the Next Thing
At an old English parsonage down by the sea,
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven
that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring,
like a low inspiration, "Do the next thing."
Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.
Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.
Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing.
~Author Unknown
Risa
there came in the twilight a message to me.
Its quaint Saxon legend deeply engraven
that, as it seems to me, teaching from heaven.
And all through the hours the quiet words ring,
like a low inspiration, "Do the next thing."
Many a questioning, many a fear,
many a doubt hath its quieting here.
Moment by moment, let down from heaven,
time, opportunity, guidance are given.
Fear not tomorrow, child of the King,
trust that with Jesus, do the next thing.
Do it immediately, do it with prayer,
do it reliantly, casting all care.
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand,
who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on omnipotence, safe 'neath His wing,
leave all resultings, do the next thing.
Looking to Jesus, ever serener,
working or suffering be thy demeanor,
in His dear presence, the rest of His calm,
the light of His countenance, be thy psalm.
Do the next thing.
~Author Unknown
Risa
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Monday, July 05, 2010
Rain
God surprised us a few days ago with some light rain. I meant to post about it that day but...well, you know how that goes.
It ended about ten minutes later and quickly dried up. The weather soon became just as hot as it had been (in the 100's), but it certainly was nice while it lasted.
Here are some other pictures I took that week.
Have a nice Monday--and I hope you had a wonderful Independence Day!
☻SAM
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Take My Life
I recently heard this song and it really encouraged me. I hope you are uplifted and enjoy the music.
~Momo
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