from colossae to cork 5

last week i spent 5 days with other pais project leaders from across europe at the talmidin academy. we were taught by paul gibbs, global director of pais project, on discipleship.

we learned that one of the key things that is necessary for leading and growing those around you is transparency, giving people an example to follow. so, we have each been encouraged to blog our daily devotions from those 5 days...

personal devos from the talmidim academy

day 5: colossians 4:7-18

how do we speak of those we work with? those we lead? those we follow?

paul sends his final greetings and instructions concerning specific individuals...

this list of personal messages speaks to me about how much paul cared for the church and for those who followed his leadership.

an incredible change for someone who--prior to his encounter with Christ--seemed to place little value on the lives of others.

tychicus

- vs 7  dear brother, faithful minister, fellow servant of Christ

- paul states his confidence and faith in tychicus so that the church might accept tychicus' words of encouragement with their hearts

onesimus

- most likely the runaway slave who is the subject of paul's letter to philemon

- ran away from philemon and was converted to christianity in rome

- paul describes him as a 'faithful and dear brother'

- a runaway slave now being called faithful....what a change!

aristarchus

- a prisoner with paul...i can only imagine the joy and comfort found in their friendship and suffering together

mark

- barnabus' nephew

- barnabus and paul had a dispute over mark that caused them to go seperate ways.

- acts 15:37  barnabus wanted to take john, also called mark, with them, but paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. they had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.

- now paul is instructing the church to show respect and hospitality to mark...great example of forgiveness, restoration, leadership.

justus

- a fellow jew and co-worker for Christ

- a great comfort to paul

vs 11  these [listed above] are the only Jews among my co-workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.

epaphras

- from colossae

- praying and working on behalf of the church in colossae, laodicea and heirapolis

luke

- the doctor

- wrote the gospel of luke and the book of acts

demas

- 2 timothy 4:10  demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me...

- the letter to the colossians was most likely written before demas deserted paul...a sad reality that every leader faces--watching a beloved co-worker choose the world over Christ

nymphas

- the only woman mentioned in this list

- opened her house to the church

archippus

- receives a direct encouragement from paul

- vs 17  'see to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.'

asking for words of encouragement--truth, love, hope, restoration--for those that have been entrusted to me and those i might influence.

from colossae to cork 4

last week i spent 5 days with other pais project leaders from across europe at the talmidin academy. we were taught by paul gibbs, global director of pais project, on discipleship.

we learned that one of the key things that is necessary for leading and growing those around you is transparency, giving people an example to follow. so, we have each been encouraged to blog our daily devotions from those 5 days...

personal devos from the talmidim academy

day 3: colossians 3:18-4:6

vs. 18-22

- paul gives clear and simple instructions on how we are to treat each other

wives, submit to husbands

husbands, love-agapao-your wives

children, obey your parents

fathers, don't provoke your children and cause them to lose heart

servants, obey your masters, serve them from your heart

vs 17  and whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

vs 23  whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters

vs 24  it is the Lord Christ you are serving

i can either serve Him well....or poorly...

"the way we treat creation reveals how we feel about the creator"

"the greatest lovers of people are those who love God more than they love people"

--

vs 4:6  let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone

a conversation is about more than the words spoken...

body language

tone of voice

facial expression

attitude

and includes the history of previous conversations

salt

- tasty

- draws out flavor in food

- preservative

- healing

- fertilizer

to put it simply...

the way i interact with people has the potential to bring joy, reveal a truth that has been hidden from them, provide strength and courage, bring healing and restoration, encourage the growth of seeds that have been planted in their hearts for the sake of God's work in their lives.

always praying for more Love.

from colossae to cork 3

last week i spent 5 days with other pais project leaders from across europe at the talmidin academy. we were taught by paul gibbs, global director of pais project, on discipleship.

we learned that one of the key things that is necessary for leading and growing those around you is transparency, giving people an example to follow. so, we have each been encouraged to blog our daily devotions from those 5 days...

personal devos from the talmidim academy

day 3: colossians 2:13-23

vs 15  having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

what Christ did for us on the cross was so pure, so holy, so good and so full of true Love...it exposed evil for what it really is.

can our lives do the same?

how?

vs. 16-23

we've tried our own methods....

we respond with fear - ultimately fighting darkness with darkness....leaving us in the dark.

out of fear of doing wrong, we rely on:

- religious rituals

- super spirituality

- strict rules

but is our goal, in the end, to not do the wrong things?

or is our goal to live a holy life so full of Love that darkness is exposed for the sake of others?

so paul rejects all of these...

- religious rituals "these are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ."

- super spirituality "such people go into great detail about what they have seen, and their unspiritual minds puff them up with idle notions. they have lost connection with the head"

- strict rules "these rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings."

paul goes on to instruct the colossians...

colossians 3:1-2  since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

when i look at Christ's example, it's like He brings things to the surface that maybe i have hidden, neglected, or didn't even realize. He makes them public in my eyes.

that crippling fear looks ridiculous in light of His faithfulness and goodness.

those selfish tendencies are absurd compared to His sacrificial Love.

my pride is hideous next to the (my) Creator's humility.

and He inspires me to be more like Him.

can we-as His followers-do that for the world?

vs 3:12-14  therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. forgive as the Lord forgave you.

and over all these virtues put on LOVE, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

asking Father to continue shaping my heart to look like His, that the way i live my life will glorify Him and expose darkness so that others might be set free from it.

from colossae to cork 2

last week i spent 5 days with other pais project leaders from across europe at the talmidin academy. we were taught by paul gibbs, global director of pais project, on discipleship.

we learned that one of the key things that is necessary for leading and growing those around you is transparency, giving people an example to follow. so, we have each been encouraged to blog our daily devotions from those 5 days...

personal devos from the talmidim academy

day 2: colossians 1:24-2:13

vs 1:24 now i rejoice in what i am suffering for you...

- when paul wrote this letter to the church in colossae he was in prison

the amazing thing about paul's attitude, he doesn't say "i know Christ will release me from prison"

instead he says "i fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions" 

what is my attitude towards the less difficult struggle i face?

what is my purpose for embracing those struggles?

--

vs 1:25 the word of God in all it's fullness

the word of God-in all it's fullness-is more than words.

matthew 4:4 - man does not live on bread alone, but on the word of God

luke 8 - like a seed that bears fruit in good soil

john 1:1-3 - there from the beginning, with God, was God, all things made through Him

hebrews 4:12 - living and active, a double edged sword

1 peter 1:23 - living and enduring

2 peter 3:5 - creative (it creates)

1 john 2:14 - lives within us

rev 19:11-13 - i saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True...his name is the Word of God.

(just to list a few....)

the word of God

in all it's fullness

is more than words.

--

from colossae to cork

last week i spent 5 days with other pais project leaders from across europe at the talmidin academy. we were taught by paul gibbs, global director of pais project, on discipleship.

we learned that one of the key things that is necessary for leading and growing those around you is transparency, giving people an example to follow. so, we have each been encouraged to blog our daily devotions from those 5 days...

personal devos from the talmidin academy

day 1:  colossians 1:1-23

paul (and timothy) has written a letter to the church in colossae...

vs 4-5  ...we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all his people--the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven... 

hope.

i find that planting our hope in the wrong place can cause disappointment, fear, manipulation, anger, bitterness.

and putting hope in nothing leads to cynicism and isolation.

but this hope that paul writes about produces faith in Christ and love for people.

that sounds good, i want that!

what do i put my hope in?

have i placed my hope in systems and legalism?

maybe a political party or a religious leader?

it's possible to put hope in a relationship...current or future...

or have i put my hope in myself?

--

vs 9-12

paul and timothy pray for the church...

- knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of God's will that comes from the Holy Spirit

great! yes, please!

how many of us have prayed for those things, to know the will of God?

to have the wisdom to do the right thing?

what university do i attend? what career do i choose? who should i marry? where should i live?

but the rest of paul's prayer doesn't help with any of those things...

- bearing fruit in every good work

- grow in knowledge of God

- strengthened according to God's might

- endurance and patience (through God's strength)

- joyful gratitude towards Father

and goes on to tell the church that they have been... 

- qualified as co-heirs in the kingdom of light

- rescued from dominion of darkness

- redeemed by Christ

seems to me that living 'a life worthy of our Lord and pleasing to Him in every way' is less about what we do and more about who we are and how we do it.

--

vs 15-18

Christ is at the center of everything.

Genesis 1

Job 38-41

John 1:1-18

but not just in the beginning, not just when he lived on earth, not just when paul wrote this, not just in the new earth and new heaven.

NOW.

how does it change who i am and how i live when i begin to fully acknowledge who He is?

--

vs 21-23

now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.

back to hope...

hope isn't a warm fuzzy feeling.

hope is a source from which faith and love spring up.

hope is a choice, a resolution, a decision to stay on the path no matter how scary it might be in places.

first

seeking first the kingdom of God...

i've been thinking about what that means.

and if i'm honest, i realize that there are a lot of things i tend to choose over my Father's dream for this world and His desires for my life. 

when i have a decision to make, what takes priority?

what comes first?

focusing on what i accomplish rather than who i am.

what i know over who i know.

achieving/earning more over giving more away.

talent over surrender.

reputation over integrity.

flattery over honesty.

peace over discipline.

comfort over growth.

greatness over humility.

independence over intimacy.

memory over grace.

safety over love.

i noticed a few things when i looked back over this list (which keeps growing as i continue thinking about it).

first...

the two options i feel like i must choose between are very rarely obvious opposites.

choosing beween love and hate - or even love and apathy depending on how you look at it - isn't usually a decision i struggle to make. but choosing between love and safety...

then...

it's not as simple as 'good' vs. 'bad'

comfort is good. growth is good.

but i've learned that i rarely get both and choosing comfort over growth...leads to decay.

finally...

your list could look completely different from mine.

and for that reason, it's probably worth making your own.

and at the end of all this thinking, i have one more to add to my list....

right over relationship.

the temptation to think the right things, say the right things, write the right things.....to be right and yet completely miss the whole point: a life-giving relationship with my Father.

part 3

A man in the crowd said, "Teacher, I brought you my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech. Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground. He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid. I asked your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not."

When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth.

Jesus asked the boy's father, "How long has he been like this?"

"From childhood," he answered. "It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."

"'If you can?'" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for one who believes."

Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

imagine the scene.

a crowd of religious men who've missed the mark, a desperate father, a child thrown into a demonic fit and Jesus.

how should the story go?

Jesus should heal the boy, sort out the religious, and everyone can go home happy.

but the majority of his attention goes to the father in this story. why?

i can't know what Jesus was thinking and won't be able to comprehend His wisdom.

but when i put myself in the shoes of this father, i can at least begin to understand. maybe...

because when i relate to the father, i realize his need for healing, freedom and restoration was as great as his son's need.

and i realize how much healing, freedom and restoration i have experienced.

i've never been possessed by a demon, afflicted with serious illness or trapped by addiction.

it could be so easy to look around and see everyone else's obvious need for a Healer.

but Jesus came to look me in the eye, to heal me, to change my heart.

to infuse my life with hope, faith and love.

and He has.

inspiring me to cry out for help in the midst of my unbelief.

pounding walls of cynicism, fear and pride into dust.

and then teaching me to live in open spaces, free from restriction.

everyone else that day saw the son, but Jesus saw the father.

and i love Him for that.