The Word of God is so RICH!  I truly is living and active.  When our hearts and spirits are open to it, there is SO much to receive from it!  It transforms us, makes us new, conforms us to the image of Christ, for Christ IS the Living Word!!

 

Let’s take a look at this passage from Colossians 3.

 

1.  We are CHOSEN, HOLY and DEARLY LOVED.  Do you know that this is your identity?

 

-We are CHOSEN.  God saw fit to pick us as the object of His affection.  He loves us!

-As He chosen us, and in the choosing, He has made us HOLY — we are purified, set apart, made for something very beautiful and special.  We have been given His transcendence. 

-We are DEARLY loved.  We are cherished by God, not just “tolerated”.  We are dear to His heart!  Let that blow your mind!  God is in love with you!  Every moment of every day!!

 

How do we respond to this great calling and this great love?

 

2.  We clothe ourselves, i.e., we MAKE A CHOICE, to be:

-compassionate

-kind

-humble

-gentle

-patient

 

These things don’t always come naturally to us.  But, we are called in this identity as God’s people to be LIKE HIM and choose to act as He does.  Obviously, these are fruits of the Holy Spirit in us (see Galatians 5).  In other words, we cannot produce them on our own.  However, since we have the Spirit living in us, we HAVE the ability to be all of these things, but we get to CHOOSE to act according to the Spirit or according to our own nature in every situation.  The Spirit will not overtake us and make us act the way He desires.  We make a choice to choose Him.

 

3.  Bear with one anothers’ weaknesses and forgive whatever grievances you have…

-this is huge.  We are so prone to hold grudges and judge others for their faults.  But, we ALL have fault, we all have lack!  And this is why we all must choose to operate in those fruits of the spirit.  We ALL need a little kindness, don’t we?

 

4. PUT ON Love.

-Again this is a choice.  Love is the very nature of God!  And, we HAVE BEEN GIVEN His nature!  The divine nature lives within us!!

 

5.  Let PEACE rule in your heart.

-Sounds like we get to choose…. hmmm.

We can LET peace rule in us, or we can let something else rule our hearts….

 

6.  BE THANKFUL!!!

in every situation

 

7.  Let the Word dwell in you richly.

 

Tim shared a great message on this last Sunday. 🙂