Some Thoughts on Colossians.

I was listening to a C.D of Louie Giglio speaking while I was on the way to the doctors yesterday. He was talking from Colossians ch 1 and then I watched Francis Chan last night online and he spoke from the same chapter!!! I love Colossians anyway. It's my favourite book in the Bible. It speaks of the supremacy of Christ. It makes me go "Wow".

Now what struck me from Louie's talk was what he said from verse 14. "We have redemption ,the forgiveness of sins ." Now I have purposely italicised have and s in sins as thats what Louie was emphasising. ( He had five points but I've picked out two. )Louie was saying that we don't need to keep asking for forgiveness when we sin . We already have that through Jesus taking all the sins of the world upon Himself on the cross. When the Holy Spirit convicts us that what we have done is sin then we need to confess that to God, agreeing with Him that what we have done is sin and repent, that is turn away form the sin. Also its not just one sin thats been forgiven. Its all our sins. So were are forgiven from all our sins once and for all. What a great message !!!

From Francis Chan's message I was most impacted by verse 9 . " Asking God to fill you with all knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. "He asked "do we really want to know God's will for us today, tomorrow or next year or will that be too scary??" I think that is a very good point to ponder as God's will may be very, very different from my agenda. It may mean that I need to open my hands and surrender to God what I am still clinging to as mine and not giving everything over to Him. ( Thats a bit of a joke really as everything I have comes from Him anyway )

So in finishing I'll keep with Colossians and pray for all my blog readers :-

"That you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being stengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in His kingdom of light."

"Abide With Me." Henry F. Lyle.

Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
Earth's joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks, and earth's vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Bunnygirl has posted the first line of this hymn in her new poem on her blog.
I love this hymn. It takes me back to being a ten year old and singing it at the end of an evening at the Girl Guides in the church of my childhood.
Beautiful memories of more carefree days.