A Powerful Work

Colossians 2:12-14

I have a group of friends who come over once a week, we have been studying Paul's letter to the Colossians. We are currently going through chapter 2.

As I was reading the verses for our study this week, it struck me how casually I can sometimes read God's Word. In Colossians 2:12-14, Paul is talking about how we have been raised from the dead with Christ in "the powerful working of God".

Again, I was struck with that phrase, how casually I read it. It was as if the Holy Spirit told me to go back and read that with reverence and awe. As I read it again, a little movie played in my head. I had to stop. I closed my eyes and watched it play again.

Words are too clumsy to describe what I watched in my little head. I would ask you to read these verses of scripture before finishing what I have written here: Genesis 12:1-3; Genesis 28:10-15; Job 9:32-33; Job 19:25-26; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; Psalm 22; 1 Peter 1:10-12

Christ Jesus, our Redeemer and Lord, took upon Himself all of our sins and erased all of our transgressions. He bore the wrath of God and gave us His righteousness. He died. On that third day in the rich man's tomb, God once again took up, with trembling hands, the lump of clay that was the mangled body of His only Son. He leaned in and with a Holy and powerful act, as Abraham, Job, David and all the prophets looked on in awe, He breathed life... and our Sovereign opened His eyes.

God is AWESOME!

The Full Armor of God

Ephesians 6:10-18

The Christian life is often a tumultuous one. We have battles on so many levels. There is the battle against our own flesh, the battle with our own mind and the battle with the devil.

The battle with the devil, I think, is the hardest. He is relentless. Anything he can do to lead you astray, he will throw it at you (Ephesisans 6:11). Not a soft throw either. A big league fast ball.

It is the hardest battle because the devil is smarter than us. He knows all of our weak spots, and he will use them against you.

But, thanks and praise to the Lord Jesus the Christ! He sent us a helper. Someone to help us in donning the armor that He provides as one of the benefits of being in Christ.

The belt of Truth (Isaiah 11:5), The breastplate of righteousness (Isaiah 59:17), the Gospel of peace (Romans 1:16), the helmet of salvation (Isaiah 59:17), the sword of the Spirit (Hebrews 4:12).

Let's look at the One who forged this armor. He is the image of the invisble God (Colossians 1:15-18). He is the One who calmed the storm and the One who cast out demons after they begged Him for mercy (Mark 4:35 - 5:13). He is the One who is an all consuming fire (1 Kings 18:20-40) The One who brought to life a vast army of dead and dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-10).

With God as our Father, Christ Jesus as our savior and King and living Word of God, and the Holy Spirit as our coach, and the armor He equips us with, we really have no reason to fear and every reason to fight.

God is AWESOME!