Colossians 4:14-15 "Hot, Warm, or Cold"

Read Colossians 4:14-15.

The body of Christ has and will always fill the pews with a variety of believers in different stages of their walk and relationship with Christ.

Some will catch the fire quickly or gradually, but either way, their devotion is true and unwavering. They never turn to the left or the right. Their hearts are pointed in one direction -- the way of the Lord. The world appears very black and white to them because they have decided for good rather than evil. Luke and Nympha were just such people. Dr. Luke, the writer of the third gospel (my personal favorite) gave his life for furthering the gospel of Christ. He traveled with Paul often on his missionary journeys, and it is believed that he died a martyr's death. He was a Gentile doctor, educated by the Greeks, who recognized the Messiah and surrendered to be His follower. Nympha, although not as well-known as Luke, gave just as much to the mission of Christ. She gave up the privacy and safety of her home and family to have a home-church meet there. She understood that with devotion comes sacrifice. Even though meeting in her home could bring persecution, she was willing to give to her Lord all she had.

Others will take the name of Jesus, but their commitment rises and falls with the wind. They may or may not participate with the body because their Christianity is based on duty rather than heart. Full devotion is not in their vocabulary because they have never completely surrendered their heart, mind, body, and soul to the Lord Jesus Christ. Self still wants to creep in to daily life, and the Christian label becomes simply a "Get out of hell free" card in their practical life. The Laodicean church is made known as the lukewarm church in Revelation 3. God says that He'd rather we be hot or cold, but a lukewarm people He will "spit out of His mouth." The Laodicean church couldn't decide if they wanted their life guided by God or by their wealth. They fell into the horrible trap that money can buy happiness and that is all that is needed for a meaningful life. But what they miss is that God works on completely different rules than the world. Money may buy temporary happiness, but serving the Master brings overwhelming joy and the hope of eternity with Him.

Lastly, we have the cold. Those who have seen the Truth and choose to turn away from it. They may leave for several different reasons. One, self takes over. The Christian walk asks for too much sacrifice. Or maybe they were hurt by a believer and have thus lumped all of Christianity into one category and therefore want nothing to do with it. Maybe they have done so much wrong that they believe they could never be forgiven or accepted by this group of believers, and so never try. Or maybe they feel judged by believers and find fault with the whole idea from that perception. So many avenues to turn away from a life with Christ. All of them lead to the same place -- eternity without the Father. As I've read the study notes, even though Paul sends greetings from Demas at the end of this letter, we know that Demas deserted Paul later. In 2 Timothy 4:10 Paul tells us that Demas left him "because he loved this world." The draw of the world is strong. The enemy has made it very enticing. It takes diligence to stay in close relationship with Christ and the Body while voiding the temptations of the pleasures of the world. If we don't, we will destroy our faith and walk away from the Lord.

I must remain strong and determined in my relationship with and service to my Lord Jesus Christ. I have one life to live, and I choose to be fully devoted to the Master.

Further Thoughts:

1. Which are you -- hot, warm, or cold?
2. Look at the people in the Bible - Old and New Testament. Were they hot, warm, or cold. Explain.
3. Who do you want to be?
4. What does it take to live a life on fire for Christ?

1 John 3:11-24 "Selfless Love"

Read 1 John 3:11-24.

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." NIV

John wraps up this section with a "So what?" So love one another like Christ showed love to us. People all around us today are hurting -- physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There are so many more hurts than "Band-Aids" to fix them. Sometimes, it can seem really overwhelming. There are some people who can think globally and start organizations that help many people at one time. Not all of us are equipped to do that. But we all can love one person at a time. Today, in this moment, I can make a difference for this one.

I thought I knew how to love people and that I was actually doing it. But I was wrong. I have always been a bit of a hermit. Being an introvert, spending time with people exhausts me. I have to plan in alone time afterwards just to recharge. Therefore, I tend to limit a lot of "people" time. God is teaching me the selfishness of that thinking. He is all about people and therefore so should I.

The Lord has strongly been working on this with me over the past 6 months or so. But it really came home when my mom died. I shared back then about what it meant for me to have so many people praying for me during those last 10 days with Mom. I literally felt the prays holding me up like I have never felt others' prayers before. Then the outpouring of sympathy and love was overwhelming. It truly showed me the value of "being there" for others. Well, I couldn't walk away from being the recipient of such love and not find ways to give back.

Since then, the Lord has really opened my eyes to people and their needs. He's helped me to stop and take the time to really listen and not offer solutions, but to give empathy, a hug, a tear, and a heart melting with another's heart. Don't misunderstand; I've not got this all dialed in. I feel like I'm just taking baby steps. But I know I'm walking in the right direction.

Further Thoughts:

1. Flip through the gospels and review how Jesus saw people's needs and met them. Does this challenge your paradigm of loving others?
   
2. Read this story.
   
3. I know I posted this song recently, but it really fits here. So here it is again. Give Me Your Love by Brandon Heath.
   
4. Have you prayed for God to open your eyes to others' needs? It's an amazing step to take. Just be prepared -- the floodgates will open, and it's messy.

1 Peter 4:7-11 "The Time is Short"

Read 1 Peter 4:7-11.

"The end of all things is near." NIV

For hundreds of years these same words have been read by so many -- the end is near. And still the Lord hasn't returned. But the truth remains -- both for the world and for our individual lives. What is near for God? He is outside of time and space. So the end could be very near. "No man knows the day or time" so we should be living each day as if it is the end. But lately, the Lord has been impressing on my heart the shortness of time - time with those I love, time to do the right things, time to help someone in need, even my lifetime on this earth. (Maybe my mother passing away has something to do with this.) But parallel to the shortness of time, I am experiencing the vastness of God. He is huger than we ever think of Him. Too often we want to place Him in a little box and tie it up with a ribbon as if He is something we can know and control. But He is bigger than words or imagination can describe.

So with those two thoughts - the shortness of our time here and the vastness of our God -- look at the following verses.

"...be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray." Most of the time if I am not clear minded or self-controlled, I will try to do everything on my own OR open myself to fall into sin. But if I keep my focus - on the shortness of time and the Almighty Creator that I serve -- I will stop to pray for His guidance in every circumstance; I will recognize temptation for what it is and run from the sin to follow.

"love each other deeply...." I need to do this so much better. I am such an introvert and can be drained by being with people so much that I tend to withdraw from spending time with others and giving them the love I need to give. It's all selfishness; I know that. But I am trying to do better and continue to ask the Lord to give me the same love for others that He has. I want to see others with the heart of Christ and not as my energy drainers. I'm thankful that others have shown me love and want to give back.

"Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling." This one kind of hits into the introvert problem again. (I'm not bemoaning how God created me; just learning to be a better citizen of the world in the midst of it.) I'm trying to open my home up to others more. I love having people over and want to do it more. As my husband always says, "It's all about relationships."

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others...." We don't have time to dink around. God made us each unique and special, and we need to learn what those areas of specialness are that God wants to use to "administer His grace." Whether we take gifts tests or just jump into different areas of ministry to "try on," we can serve Him and others. I believe God opens doors all the time - in small ways and large - to be His servants. It's our responsibility to "faithfully" step through those doors. And if we feel inadequate to fill those positions or duties, just remember, we serve a huge God who gives generously. He will not ask us to do anything that He will not also provide the ability to do it.

All we do for the Lord, we need to do it quickly and reverently. Our time is running out. The clocks ticking. What will my contribution to the ministry of Jesus Christ and the plan of the Almighty be? 

Further Thoughts:

1. From each of the points above, match an Old Testament person to them. How did they live it out?
   
2. Which area is God calling you to work on? Or maybe surrender to Him? If you are fighting Him on that, why?
   
3. How does God make us able to accomplish what He calls us to do? What is our responsibility and what is His? Support with Scripture.
   
4. Track your day and/or week. How much time is wasted? Doing what? What could you be doing instead?
   
5. Do you see our God as too small? Spend a day this week contemplating the vastness of God. Start with observing His creation - large and small. Then move on to His demonstration of His love, grace, mercy, etc. Now how big is He?
   

1 Peter 3:8-12 "Good Over Evil"

Read 1 Peter 3:8-12.

"He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it." NIV

Peter speaks a lot about purity and turning away from evil. He talks about it in our relationship with God, with the authorities over us, in our marriages, and now in our relationships with each other. He admonishes us to do good, not evil. 

What are ways we can have good relationships?

Live in harmony with one another: This kind of living requires looking out for the other person more than you look out for yourself. I just finished The Shack. Although I don't agree with everything in the book, it's a great read and thoughtful concepts on the Trinity and our place in the world. But in the book, the Trinity work together so beautifully because there is no power struggle. They are each looking out for the other's interests. That is the kind of relationship we should be having with one another.

Be sympathetic: I see grace coming in here. Whether it's sympathy for someone going through a hard time and needing comforting or it's ignoring harsh words directed at us and not about us. Again, this takes not saying to yourself, "What did I do to deserve that?" But trying to see life from another person's perspective and really understanding what they are going through. This one's tough because we tend to look at life through our eyes only. But a follower of Christ saved by grace needs to be denying self and extending grace whenever possible. Sympathy for a brother's situation is the beginning of building a strong relationship.

Love as brothers: Family. The body of Christ is a family. We watch out for family. We love them dearly. Even the most distant cousin is not a stranger to us -- they're family.

Be compassionate and humble: Here is where guarding the tongue can come in. Often we want to lash out with judgment against one another's actions or attitudes. It's easy to do. When we are not in the situation, our perspective can be clearer in distinguishing God's ways from man's ways. But with compassion and humility, we guard our tongue and speak in love and gentleness to one another. It doesn't mean we never speak "truth" into one another's lives. That is needed in a family. But it is done out of love and humility, not frustration and anger. Your brother may lash out at you, but never repay "evil for evil or insult with insult, but with a blessing."

Turning from evil and doing good is not easy. Only through the power of the Father can we walk humble and pure lives for His glory. Resist the power struggle. Shun the selfish desires. Put away the "me" filter and see others the way God sees them.

Further Thoughts:

1. Every time I want to find an exemplary person in the OT for doing good and for not repaying evil for evil I always come back to Joseph. He was an amazing man and knew how to live relationships through every step of his life -- wherever he was at. (Well, once he got past bragging to his brothers that they would one day bow down to him. But he was just a naive kid then. He had to grow up fast.) Reread about Joseph and list the relationships he had and how he exemplified a holy lifestyle.
   
2. Is there someone or someones you have difficulty relating to. Pray for them and try applying the above principles for one week. Then record what happens.
   

Matthew 27:11-26

Read Matthew 27:11-26.

"'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility!'" NIV

The religious leaders and the people they sway to their way of thinking seem to be a theme that has been running for several chapters now. Once again, I am struck with the contrast between the religious leaders and the non-believers, in this case, Pilate, the Roman governor, and his wife. Here they turn over Jesus to the civil authorities stating a charge of treason since blasphemy would not have a stand in the civil courts. They could use treason because Jesus had claimed to be "king" of the Jews. Therefore, they were trying to show that Jesus was usurping the Roman authority. But Pilate, this non-believer, sees right through the ruse. Look at verse 18 again, "For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him." He knew that he was receiving an innocent man to be put to death because of the Jewish leaders' arrogance. Isn't that amazing....and tragic? Even Pilate's wife pays attention to a dream she has and tells Pilate in verse 19, "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man...." Two people, not a part of The Way, probably worshippers of mythological beings, sees the Truth clearer than the ones claiming to be upholding it.

And the responsibility for this tragedy doesn't all fall on the religious leaders' shoulders. The people allowed themselves to be swayed by the chief priests and elders and would rather have a known criminal freed and an innocent healer crucified. The blindness is so complete. The enemy had a stronghold that day -- only because God allowed it to fulfill His purposes. But still, the ability to move that many people away from the Truth. We so underestimate his powers. Granted, we have a greater power over the enemy, but only if we keep our eyes focused on Jesus and not moved to Satan's lies.

In the end, the only person who saw the truth was Pilate. He didn't have the fortitude to stand up to the crowd and fight for Jesus' innocence; instead he washed his hands of the responsibility. The people had spoken, and he would honor their request. But he made it publicly known that he didn't agree with the verdict.

So how does the non-believer see clearer than the supposed believer? What is happening in the believer's life to hinder them from seeing Truth as truth? As I look over the last 15-20 years, I know I have grown so much closer to the Lord. I credit consistency to my time in the Word, surrender to His Lordship, and a constant working on my personality to reach out to others rather than just taking care of myself. And as I grow closer to Him, the sin around me becomes more obvious. Inconsistencies are glaring, the world seems to become blacker and Christ's truths, whiter. And my sin appears more wretched than it ever was because I see the perfection of God magnified.

So I guess that boils down to four things: (not necessarily the only things....)

• surrender to His Lordship
• consistently studying the Word to know Him better - this is hearing His voice
• taking steps to be more like Christ
• when I sin, recognize it and immediately confess it

The religious leaders were not doing any of these. Well, obviously they new the Word, but only the law, not the heart. And they obviously did not learn very much about the character of God because their lives did not exemplify Him at all.

This is a clear warning for us all. A life that loses focus on the right priorities, misses seeing the Truth. And that is an eternal tragedy.

Further Thoughts:

1. How are you doing on the "four things?" Are there other areas you think are important that the religious leaders were missing?
2. Compare and contrast the religious leaders of that time to judgemental Christians today. What happens to turn us into judgemental Christians? How is the opposite lived out?

Matthew 26:1-16 "Choose Your Response"

Read Matthew 26:1-16.

"....will be handed over to be crucified." "...an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head...." "Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over." NIV

These three passages sum up the three possible responses to Jesus - get rid of Him, love Him, or betray Him.

In vs 1-5, the chief priests and elders are plotting to have Jesus killed. They want to be rid of Him because He has upset their way of life. In the same way the world wants to be rid of Jesus. He tends to rock the boat still two thousand years after He walked this earth. And those in opposition simply want Him to be gone. Has it ever struck you that people want religious freedom for everyone but the Christians. They scream for tolerance of other religions, but call the Christian's stance narrow-minded and intolerant. Are they not being intolerant of Christianity? So in their minds it's best just to get rid of it. We've not faced that in the extreme in America yet, but in personal hearts it is prevalent. "I don't need Jesus" is the thought of the day. "I'm strong on my own; He is just a crutch for the weak and a wall for the intolerant to hide behind." And they kill not just the idea of a Messiah, but Christ Himself.

Then Jesus goes to Bethany where a woman anoints Him with oil. She represents the believer who will give their all to serve Jesus. He is treasured and adored to the exclusion of caring for what appears to be self's best interest. Jesus is to be lifted up, loved, and prioritized in our lives. We may face ridicule, but we continue to raise Him up as the true God; the One and Only Savior. Our hopes and dreams are centered around Him and His will. Our lives are not our own, but surrendered to the One who gives freedom through service. No longer are we bound by sin because we serve the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. His name is the only name we lift up in praise for He and He alone is worthy. Even if no one else around us believes, we will stand in this truth.

Lastly, the betrayal. Judas sells Jesus out. He's looking out for number one and abandons the very One who gave him life. Judas had lived and ministered with Jesus for three years, yet he still couldn't see the better way. He had witnessed miracle after miracle; prophesies fulfilled. He called Him Lord and Master while sitting at His feet, learning from His teachings. But self won the day and Jesus was betrayed. How many people call themselves Christian yet sell Jesus out each and every day. When decisions must be made that place Christ above personal wants and ambitions, He is placed on a shelf to be dusted off for Sunday services. I guess this makes Judas the first Pharisee of the Christian church. But the practice continues daily where hypocrisy abounds. Hearts not completely surrendered to Jesus will find that a commitment to His ways will collapse under the pressures of the enticement of sin and self.

Crucify, anoint, or betray. How do you respond to Jesus?

Further Thoughts:

1. What does the Scripture say about full devotion or holiness? Find passages from Paul's letters, James, 1 Peter, and 1 and 2 John on this subject.
2. Hypocrisy is rampant in a relative world. Even Christians are drawn into the fallacy that we can make our Christian walk relative to our wants and needs. The Pharisees are a prime example for us of the dangers of and punishment for hypocrisy. Read again the seven woes in chapter 23 as a warning. Compare and contrast a devoted follower to a Pharisee.
3. How do we become complacent in our Christianity? I'm sure Judas didn't leave His family without being devoted to Jesus in the beginning. What happened along the way?
4. Are you who you say you are? This is a question I ask myself often. We can preach something all day long, but if we are not living it, is it embedded in our hearts? Write a complete definition of "Christian." Is your life lined up with this definition? If no, why not?

Matthew 16:5-12 "Eliminate the ME"

I have skipped over Matthew 16:1-4 because the exact same subject was covered in Matthew 12:38-45. Click on link for that post.

Read Matthew 16:5-12.

"They discussed this among themselves and said, "It is because we didn't bring any bread." NIV

I think quite often God is talking to us about one thing, and we "hear" another. Why is that? In this case the disciples' misunderstanding was because of insecurity, maybe guilt feelings. They felt bad because they had forgotten the bread and thought Jesus was rebuking them by bringing up the yeast.

But if they'd taken their eyes off of themselves for just a minute they would have seen two things:

1. Jesus couldn't be talking about needing bread because He can perform miracles to feed anyone. We've seen it done twice now.
2. He's warning us of the religious leaders' teachings.

Quite simple really, but because they couldn't take themselves out of the equation, Jesus' meaning was completely clouded.

How often am I missing what He is saying to me because I don't take the "me" out of the picture? I'm worried about how it affects ME; what He is upset with ME about; what does He want ME to do. I'm really starting to hate that word, "me." It's really getting in the way of seeing Christ clearly. That's one of the reasons He said to, "die to self." Everything that darkens my life seems to begin with my selfishness and "me" focus. If I remove the ME, I just see Christ, His compassion and grace, and His desire that I reach out to others first. Period.

Lord, I don't want ME in the equation any more. Keep my focus only on You and Your desires. ME just gets in the way of seeing and hearing You.

Further Thoughts:

1. When you hear a teaching, is your first reaction to focus on ME? If sin is involved, we do need to confess that and repent. But maybe He is trying to get you to focus on Him and others and move on past those temptations to sin.
2. If we stop focusing so much on ourselves, will we stop the cycle of sin in our lives? Support your answer with Scripture.
3. Look at the story of Saul and David. Saul was Me focused and David was God focused. In what ways is that true and how did that affect the outcome?
4. Read Galatians 5:16-26. Compare and contrast the acts of the sinful nature with the fruit of the Spirit. Which ones are ME focused and which are outward focused? What does that tell you about life by the Spirit?

Matthew 14:1-12 "Getting My Way"

Read Matthew 14:1-12.

"Prompted by her mother, she said, 'Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.'" NIV

I don't know exactly the reason this passage is in the Bible other than a historical account of what happened to John the Baptist. However, whenever I read it, I focus in more on Herodias and what I should learn from her actions.

Women instinctually have a manipulative gene in their DNA. Blame it on Eve if you want, but we can all be very good at manipulating a situation for our intended outcome. Whether manipulation in and of itself is a sin is a dicussion to be had. But suffice it to say, whether done above board or not, is it not a form of deception and selfishness?

And then there are the Herodiases of life. She's the most dispicable manipulator because she used her daughter. She sends her in to entice Herod with her sexuality and to get him to give an open-ended promise. When she asks for John the Baptist's head, he feels he is held by his oath and those who witnessed it to give her what she asked. What kind of mother expects her daughter to bring a severed head to her on a platter? (Now I will not address Herod's ethics or leadership skills; that's another discussion.)

Now, I don't know anyone that goes to this extreme, although I know there are mothers and fathers who have sold their children into prostitution to make money for the family. But for the most part, our manipulations are not as drastic but still can cause a lot of damage to our relationships with others and with our Lord. The deceitfulness that can be used to manipulate destroys our integrity with others while the selfishness of "getting our way by any means" is not a Christ-like characteristic. Christ never manipulated. He encouraged and guided, but not for His own benefit. His motivation was always for other people's good.

This is once again a moment to fight the sinful nature of selfishness and think about others' needs without succombing to the subversive attitudes and actions of manipulation. Whether in little issues or in big ones, our thoughts should be for others before ourselves.

Lord, you know my heart. I want to think of others before myself. Help me to not manipulate, but to be honest and forthright in all I do. Teach me to love better.

Further Thoughts:

1. Think through people in the Old and New Testament. Who were some of the manipulators? Compare and contrast their motivations and the outcome of their situations.
2. Read Galatians 2:20. How can this verse and the selfishness of manipulation co-exist?
3. Do you have trouble with manipulating people? Do you believe it is destructive or not? If yes, what are some steps to take to stop this habit? Who can you be accountable to who will help you stop?
4. Is there a situation that you are manipulating? Is there someone you need to apologize to for using them to get what you want?

Ephesians 4:25-32

"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 'In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." NIV

When you see "Therefore," figure out what it is there for. Paul has been telling these converted Gentiles to live out the new life they have been given through Jesus Christ. Put off the old self and put on the new. Now he describes some specific behaviors and attitudes that need to be altered to line up with a life pleasing to God.

Everything Paul lists is rooted in selfishness. Lying - keeping yourself out of trouble or making yourself look better. Anger - not happy with how things are affecting you, so lash out at someone else or maybe just because you are not getting your way. Stealing - laziness. Unwholesome talk - again, you think it makes you look cooler or better than someone else; putting someone else down to elevate yourself. But the things that Paul tells us to put on are unselfish acts - kindness, compassion and forgiveness. A self-absorbed focus will destroy us. Part of taking off the old self is turning the spotlight of my attentions off of myself and onto those around me - those hurting, in need, or ones who just don't know Jesus.

Lord, reposition my internal spotlight. Help me recognize my sin for the selfishness it is. Teach me to be content with who I am and what I have and to look outwardly to others and their needs and feelings. I do not want to grieve Your Spirit, Lord.

Further Thoughts:

1. Compare these "old self" attitudes with the Fruit of the Spirit that we are to live out in the "new self" as described in Galatians 5:22-23.
2. Some will say it's okay to get angry because Jesus did. Reread that passage where Jesus gets angry. Is it rooted in selfishness or something else? (See John 2:12-17)
3. The antithesis of selfishness is service. Using a concordance, look up Scripture with the word serve, service, or serving.
4. Do you still struggle with any of these things Paul is telling us to "put off?" List them and surrender them to the Lord. Ask Him to forgive you and point you in a new direction.