Good morning,
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)
The Christmas season is upon us. Opportunities will abound for us to tell others about WHO Christmas is about. The question is, will we be ready?
Before we can tell others about Jesus our minds and hearts must be in sync with the Bible. To live above the lights and glitter of the season, we must remember that we are in a spiritual battle. Then we must remember who we are in Christ. Followed by our responsibilities as followers of Christ.
Then, we will be ready to take advantage of our opportunities to share about who Jesus is, why He came, and how those we witness to can accept Jesus as Savior and Lord.
SPIRITUAL CONDUCT (COLOSSIANS 3:1-3, 5, 8-11, 9-14, 17)
- Seek those things above V1
- Set your affections on things above V2
- Mortify your members which are upon this earth V5
- Put off:
- Anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication lie not one with another V8-9
- Put on:
- The new man, which is renewed in knowledge, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, charity V 10-14
- Peace of God V15
- Let the word of God dwell in you richly/teach and admonish one another
- Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus
“If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
These verses are key for any season, but crucial during this season of stress if we want people to hear our testimony for Christ.
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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