Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - Word Action - The Nazarene Publishing House [The Foundry Publishing House] in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 4 August 2017 - Nice Roots by Fred Prince - Colossians 2:6-15

Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - Word Action - The Nazarene Publishing House [The Foundry Publishing House] in Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Friday, 4 August 2017
 - Nice Roots by Fred Prince - Colossians 2:6-15
Colossians 2:6 Therefore, just as you received the Messiah Yeshua as Lord, keep living your life united with him. 7 Remain deeply rooted in him; continue being built up in him and confirmed in your trust, the way you were taught, so that you overflow in thanksgiving.

8 Watch out, so that no one will take you captive by means of philosophy and empty deceit, following human tradition which accords with the elemental spirits of the world but does not accord with the Messiah. 9 For in him, bodily, lives the fullness of all that God is. 10 And it is in union with him that you have been made full — he is the head of every rule and authority.

11 Also it was in union with him that you were circumcised with a circumcision not done by human hands, but accomplished by stripping away the old nature’s control over the body. In this circumcision done by the Messiah, 12 you were buried along with him by being immersed; and in union with him, you were also raised up along with him by God’s faithfulness that worked when he raised Yeshua from the dead. 13 You were dead because of your sins, that is, because of your “foreskin,” your old nature. But God made you alive along with the Messiah by forgiving you all your sins. 14 He wiped away the bill of charges against us. Because of the regulations, it stood as a testimony against us; but he removed it by nailing it to the execution-stake. 15 Stripping the rulers and authorities of their power, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by means of the stake.

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Everyone knows that the tree that survives the storm is the tree with strong roots. Everyone should also know the Christ follower who survives the storms of life-cancer, divorce, grief, loss of job- must also have strong roots. In Colossians 2 Paul tells us three ingredients for developing strong roots. It’s a process. It’s continuing in Christ.
First, actions: “rooted and built up in him,” the personal discipline of spending time in the Word, prayer, fasting, and times of authentic worship. No one will walk and say, "My, what nice roots you have." But it's also about being rooted in Him.
Second, application: “strengthened in the faith as you were taught.” It’s applying what you’ve learned. It’s putting the principles into practice. It’s not just saying I believe the Bible teaches we should forgive the offender; it’s actually forgiving them.
Third, attitude: “overflowing with thankfulness.” Not thankful for the hassles or struggles, or the insensitivity of some, but thankful that you have Christ in you, the Hope of Glory. Thankful that as you have continued in Him the roots you’ve developed have made it possible to not only to survive the storm but to come out stronger.
Hymn for Today:

"Standing on the Promises" by R. Kelso Carter

1. Standing on the promises of Christ my King, 

through eternal ages let his praises ring; 

glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, 

standing on the promises of God. 

Refrain: 

Standing, standing, 

standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 

standing, standing, 

I'm standing on the promises of God.

2. Standing on the promises that cannot fail, 

when the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, 

by the living Word of God I shall prevail, 

standing on the promises of God. 

Refrain: 

Standing, standing, 

standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 

standing, standing, 

I'm standing on the promises of God.

3. Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, 

bound to him eternally by love's strong cord, 

overcoming daily with the Spirit's sword, 

standing on the promises of God. 

Refrain: 

Standing, standing, 

standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 

standing, standing, 

I'm standing on the promises of God.

4. Standing on the promises I cannot fall, 

listening every moment to the Spirit's call, 

resting in my Savior as my all in all, 

standing on the promises of God. 

Refrain: 

Standing, standing, 

standing on the promises of Christ my Savior; 

standing, standing, 

I'm standing on the promises of God.

Thought for Today:

You will have to suffer only a little while; after that, God, who is full of grace, the one who called you to his eternal glory in union with the Messiah, will himself restore, establish and strengthen you and make you firm.[1 Peter 5:10].

Please pray:

For the development of Christian leaders in Sierra Leone.

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