Category: Colossians

  • In Charge: Finding Faith in Chaos

    Dark storm clouds over a vally with the text "Is anyone in charge?"

    The world is in chaos. Political divisions, economic messes, pollution, crime, hatred and more. It can feel as if God is slowly slipping out of sight. It makes you wonder, “Is anyone in charge?”

    The church is in chaos. It feels like we’re losing ground to competing worldviews, and people seem to be walking away from the faith. Churches struggle financially, and there are plenty of false teachers out there. It makes you wonder, “Is anyone in charge?”

    Sin is running rampant. It feels like the inmates are running the asylum. Relationships are breaking down, and people are more connected than ever before through technology, yet lonelier than at any time in history. It makes you wonder, “Is anyone in charge?”

    The answer is yes, someone is in charge, and none of this is a surprise to Him.

    In his letter to the church at Colossae, the Apostle Paul writes about Jesus.

    Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, And in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him—whether things on earth or things in heaven. Colossians 1:15-20

    Jesus is in control of all things. In Him, through Him and for Him. Nothing can thwart His plans. His victory was never in doubt and has already been accomplished.

    That’s why Paul could also write…

    For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

    The Lord is all-powerful (omnipotent), all-knowing) omniscient, and all present (omnipresent). He is ruler (sovereign), unchanging (immutable), non-created (self-existent) and outside of time and space (transcendent).

    Nothing in all of creation can thwart His plans for us or His creation. The church will always be, and believers will always belong to him. The answer to “is anyone in charge?” is clearly yes and amen.y

    No matter what you face today, because the Lord knows, He cares, and He is in control.

    Praise Him and give thanks no matter your circumstances.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God) 

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

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    SUMMARY

    In a world that feels out of control, the Apostle Paul reminds us that Jesus is sovereign over all creation — nothing in heaven or earth can thwart His plans. Because He is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, believers can rest in the certainty that they are held securely in His love.

    KEY POINTS

    The chaos we see in the world, the church, and in sin is not a surprise to God

    Jesus created all things, holds all things together, and will have first place in everything

    Nothing in all creation can separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus

  • Is self-help the answer? What does the bible say?

    "Self-Help ?" superimposed

    The self-help industry is estimated to generate over $50 billion a year worldwide, with about 40% of that in North America. That tells me people know they are a mess. I have no doubt that some of that money brings at least temporary results for some people. I’m all in favor of better people.

    The problem is that very little, if any, self-help material addresses our key problem. Our problem is sin, and the effects of that sin.

    The Bible is not a self-help book, and the gospel is not a self-help program. The Bible tells of our need for God and His plan of rescue. The gospel is that plan.

    The gospel tells us that when we become believers, we are no longer the same person.

    Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

    That person no longer exists. The new creation still has problems, but we are reconciled to God and transferred into the Kingdom.

    … giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Who rescued us from the authority of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:12-24

    That doesn’t immediately clear up all of our other problems. For that, the Holy Spirit works in us. As we draw closer to God, our behavior and character change. Our ideas about what is and isn’t truly important transform over time.

    Other than Jesus, no one has been born without sin. Adam and Eve were sinless for some short period of time, but they fell in a most spectacular way. You and I were born with a sin nature and a propensity to sin. We cannot defeat it on our own, no matter how many good works we do or how many self-help books we read.

    The Lord is our helper. The Lord is our healer. He created us in His image, and His desire is for us to be more like Him.

    We are works in progress, but we are His workmanship.

    For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

    He will not fail to finish what He started in us.

    For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

    Get help where you need it, but never forget that your true help and healing is supernatural. The God of the Bible is the ultimate helper.

    Trust Him.

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God) 

    Be blessed 

    Kevin 

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    Summary:

    The self-help industry may offer temporary improvement, but the Bible teaches that humanity’s deepest problem is sin, and true transformation and healing come only through God through Jesus Christ.

    • The gospel is not a self-improvement program but God’s rescue plan that makes believers a new creation reconciled to Him.
    • Human effort alone cannot overcome sin; lasting change comes through the work of the Holy Spirit shaping believers over time.
    • Christians are God’s workmanship, and He faithfully continues the work He began in them until it is complete.

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