As Christians, whatever we do, let's remember the workday, to keep it holy.- Haddon W. Robinson. If someone were to have an accident at that spot, it would be the fault of the driver not the tunnel. She has been a helper of many, and of myself also. Therefore, “Give others the sunshine, tell Jesus the rest.”, “We cannot know the grief Wanting to straighten things out, he sent word for Bill to come and see him. or O my!). --D C McCasland. Paul stressed to the believers in Colosse--and to us--that, as a result of their standing in Christ, they had a great responsibility to "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God" (Col. 3:1). As a result, roles become a source of conflict. When presented with the need, the man said, “Well, Andrew, seeing it’s you, I’ll give you five dollars.” “No,” said Fuller, “I can’t take your money for my cause, seeing it is for me,” and he handed the money back. --V C Grounds, Are you busy in the corner Mary's pulpit was a checkout counter, and her smile was the opening sentence in a powerful sermon about the difference Christ makes in a life. Most people respond positively to someone with these virtues. Give me a spirit of thankfulness, Lord, Then he took the tongs and carefully picked up one burning ember from the flames and placed it on the hearth. For He marks well your faithfulness This tragedy never would have happened if the signs had been heeded. Does it seem that day after day you slave away at a humdrum job, performing repetitious tasks? "But God...even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ" (Ep 2:4, 5-note). If we cannot thank the Lord while we are doing a certain thing, then we should not do it. Every throw of the stone was planned, and at last the treasured toy was brought back to his waiting hands. ", Today in the USA we honor labor. Even though our beginnings may seem insignificant, we can look forward to a glorious, happy ending. - THOMAS À. KEMPIS, Do what is pleasing to Jesus Christ, and neglect nothing which pleases Him. When we seek to be Christlike in thought, word, and deed, we will live like "heavenly" people. And Christians too often put their service for Jesus Christ in the same inactive mode. Jesus had no reason to store up this world's trea­sures. He will calm the troubled waters. The Apostle Paul was never weary of re-affirming this great fact of his experience, and it would be well if each of us could say every day, before starting forth on our daily duty: "Christ is in me; let me make room for Him to dwell.". 37-39 Potato Peeler, To suggest that peeling potatoes offers an opportunity for success would provoke a laugh from most people. Sow a habit, and you reap a character; 4 Christ is your # Some Greek copies read “our.” life. 30:15). There are more than 35,000 free videos, sermon prep resources, kids lessons, graphics packages, music, ministry tips, and more that you can download and use in your ministry. She was about to give me a good scolding, but then I said, "Wait a minute! Colossians 3 lists some of the virtues with which we should clothe ourselves every morning: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. The officer found the passage and read these words. Getting rid of such things as anger, rage, and malice is a way of life, not a one-time event. God is looking for obedience, I expect to see every shoe I have ever repaired in a big pile at the judgment seat of Christ, and I do not want the Lord to say to me in that day, ‘Dan, this was a poor job. The apostle Paul advised us to set the fashion standard by modeling the wardrobe of Jesus’ compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and forgiveness (Col. 3:12). --COLOSSIANS 3:12-13 (R. V.), IT is not the deed we do, Timidly, I said, “I notice you put the soles on while still wet. We say that we forgive, but when the least little friction arises, how quick we are to resurrect past grievances. Although not in the limelight, Mary, through her attitude and actions, witnessed to hundreds of people every day. Our Activities. How He longs to hear us pray. Christians, however, could catch a glimpse of glory in the grind. 4:7, Gr., "shall garrison," a paradoxical use of a warlike term). The mummy of the king is en-closed in a beautifully inscribed, gold-covered sarcophagus. Sermon Bible Commentary. Your Father wants you set apart. It is the kind of love that God has for the world (John 3:16) and is the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). He could see only two options–leave and be happy, or stay and be miserable. —Anon. Our Daily Bread, September 26, We all . Servants, obey... , fearing God (Colossians 3:22-note). '", Your work may be tedious. When I’m about to leave the house, sometimes my wife, Martie, stops me and says, “You can’t go to the office dressed like that!” It’s usually something about the tie not matching the jacket or the color of the slacks being out of sync with the sportcoat. Let us be kind. After all, He's the One you're really serving (Col. 3:23-note). Years ago another leader in the area did him much harm and sought to ruin his reputation. Proverbs 22:29 says that a person who excels in his work "will stand before kings." Blinded to the shortcomings, each sees only the other’s good points. James Deitz has produced paintings of airplanes and their crews that are so realistic they look like photographs. "For we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. We’re living for eternity.- DJD.. A friend of mine has a view of life that is summed up in one of his favorite sayings: "Wherever you are, be all there." But as history rolls on, we also know that the greatest of human work will eventually become dust and ashes. COLOSSIANS 3:23 - "KEEP THE WORKDAY HOLY". (From Back to the Bible), Colossians 3:8 - Welsh Revival of 1904 - In an eyewitness report of the great Welsh revival of 1904, G. Campbell Morgan wrote, “The horses are terribly puzzled. As he walked out of the room, Joe called out after him, "But, remember, if I get better, this doesn't count!". "I have that peace and I am going to the Savior who made that promise. We will then experience an increasing evidence in our lives of the peace and servanthood that characterized the life of Christ. Each person who trusts Christ as Saviour has "put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him" (v. 10). Those who fix their eyes on heaven To me for the sins I've committed; - D.J.D. --Fasick. Yet everything we do ought to be done INDNJC. But dirt doesn't surrender that easily. Some who do wrong may have a peace about it, but it does not come from God. Jesus commands us to love God (Mt 22:37) , yet Paul enjoins us to fear Him (Col 3:22-note). And--God help me--whatever you do or leave undone, I'll love you. An article in a San Francisco newspaper reported that a young man who once found a $5 bill on the street resolved that from that time on he would never lift his eyes while walking. The first is the burial place of King Tut in Egypt. As the minister rose to leave, his host stood with him and shook his hand. I know he's right, but I hate to admit it. The paper went on to say that over the years he accumulated, among other things, 29,516 buttons, 54,172 pins, 12 cents a bent back, and a miserly disposition. They must never be mere hypocritical vocaliza­tions of nice-sounding sentiments. Again, the theme of authority is present. If you've ever wanted to live in a castle, this is your chance. Many came back to ask for more literature or to inquire more particularly as to how they might find peace with God, with the blessed results that men and women were saved, frequently right in the shoeshop. The ex-sailor became a small businessman in London, supplying select potatoes, peeled to perfection, to the best restaurants in the city. THE alarm goes off. Thankfulness seems to be a lost art today. I glanced at her nametag, then looked more closely to make sure I had read it correctly. Are they just as good as if they were pounded?” He gave me a wicked leer as he answered, “They come back all the quicker this way, my boy!”, “Feeling I had learned something, I related the instance to my boss and suggested that I was perhaps wasting time in drying out the leather so carefully. God's warning signs are posted for good reason.—D C Egner. In Japan, the figure dips to 17 percent. —Sper, COLOSSIANS 3:12,13 - TURN YOUR EYES OUT BY MARY WILDER TILESTON, Put on therefore, a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye. THE HEART of true religion is to believe that Christ is literally within us. Gentle in spirit, lowly in mind; The apostle Paul said that we died with Christ (Col 2:20-note; Col 3:3-note), and we were also raised with Him (Col 3:1-note). God endows each soul for a distinct purpose. He will protect you. We must love God, but we must also stand in awe of Him. The English word "if" is employed here in its sense of "since"--"in view of," and the verb is in the indicative mood, so that Paul is clearly assuming this resurrection as a fact, admissive of no doubt. There is another arbiter, too often forgotten. BY THEODORE EPP, We must beware of false peace. Later that evening, after phone calls and hours of growing worries, the unexpected happened. The Apostle Paul urged all Christians: "Let your moderation be known unto all men. His joy you'll find as you obey. Because Isaac gladly gave up his own personal desires, it pleased God to refer to Himself as "the God of Isaac. Perhaps they’ve gotten a taste of some fleeting pleasure offered by the world and they’ve been spending all their time pursuing it. Third, those who have trusted Jesus Christ have a new relationship: "Christ is all, and in all" (v. 11). Along with the specific instructions given to wives, husbands, children, and fathers (vv.18-21), include the word today. So even though I love white clothes, every year I dutifully start putting them away at the end of August. 5:25), while Peter tells the husband to dwell together with his wife (1 Pet 3:7). Besides, when we believe that we look good, we go through the day with more energy and confidence. The pale, serious-looking, grease-stained men are working tirelessly to get the plane ready to go back into battle. . Colossians 3:12-17 Introduction: 1) Clothes say a lot about a person. But on my return trip, I noticed that all the cars were negotiating the underpass quite well. As I saw this, I thought, how ironic! Spend time in God's Word today so that others will see Christ in your attitudes and actions. Centuries ago the psalmist offered a prayer that we would be wise to echo: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3-note). Please open it to John 14. Ephesians 2:1 bluntly states our condition without Christ--"dead in trespasses and sins." I must give it back to God It wasn’t long till the eagle began to act like the chickens, scratching and pecking at the ground. ---DJD, If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. The oil, of good cheer to the downhearted one–Oh, how much it may mean! If we enter a church service expecting a blessing, we have taken the first step to receiving one. COLOSSIANS 3:17 - DO ALL THINGS FOR JESUS' SAKE - MARY WILDER TILESTON, 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. Labor Day seems like a good time to take a closer look at what it takes to offer our employers our best. When the cause of truth is assailed, or the rights of others invaded, we must stand up boldly and strongly for Righteousness. That prayer is needed today more than ever. Taken up with the baubles of this world, they become defeated, delinquent Christians. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. — Reprinted by permission. Men become so deeply interested, that they have no time or energy for anything else. Afterward, ladies scurried past me with murmured greetings, and a few lingered to speak of God in their lives. The word of courage to the despairing. 6:8). . But Solomon was not talking about fashion. Once we invite Jesus to enter our lives as Savior, He goes to work to restore the original image. —Herbert Vander Lugt, O Lord, I ask for strength to do He calls it "the queen of all virtues, and probably the hardest to come by.". To love others and care for their needs. She was smiling as though we had found her on a sunny day in an especially delightful garden. God is pleased with work done well. What makes it hard to do your work with a good attitude? Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth. Instead of sitting around lamenting their fate and wishing they were somewhere else, they were told by the Lord to be faithful where He had sent them. --EDWARD B. PUSEY, Read: Colossians 2:20, 21, 22, 23, Col 3:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, Christa McAuliffe was one of the seven astronauts who lost their lives in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986. A RESORT in Breckenridge, Colorado, posted signs warning skiers to keep off a certain slope. The psalmist said that the righteous “shall still bear fruit in old age” (Psalm 92:14-note). F B Meyer. Filled with His Spirit, now and alway. Someone has called this “reverse reasoning,” giving the following examples: “She married him because he was ‘strong and masculine’; she divorced him because he was a very ‘dominating male.’ He married her because she was so ‘fragile and petite’; he divorced her because she was so ‘weak and helpless.’ She chose him because ‘he knew how to provide a good living’; she left him because ‘all he thought about was the business.’ He married her because she was ‘steady and sensible’; he divorced her because she was ‘boring and dull.’” - H. G. Bosch. Restore in me Your image, Lord, --H W Robinson. And that will require God's enabling grace. --H G Bosch. Books, consultants, and employment agencies offer to help us land our dream job. Let us go steadily forward reckoning on our Almighty Friend to supply the needed grace, wisdom, and strength. Is He truly "all, and in all"? But now He is reigning forever on high, Would you like to meet her? George wants to ask you something about the radishes, “she whispered. As I walked away, I was struck with the stark reality of how Christian credibility is lost when our behavior reveals that we are controlled by sinful desires rather than the Holy Spirit. The Lord loves us and wants us to avoid tragedy. Heart and hand active in service, Hochschild, however, directs us to a deeper issue. . They were Christ's servants, and they represented Him in the marketplace or the home. In good and honest work. When we are wear­ing these, we will deal properly with situations that arise, our friendships will be strengthened, and we will have the satisfac­tion that comes from knowing that we are pleasing the Lord. Yet someday everyone will bow before Him and give Him the honor due His name (Phil 2:9, 10, 11-note). His people were making so many demands that he was becoming spiritually drained. We can succumb to selfish, earthbound thoughts, blurring our view of anything beyond the end of our nose. The farmer who snared the bird put a restraint on it so it couldn’t fly, and then he turned it loose to roam in the barnyard. We think our loss is worse than it is. We may feel that work is secular, but view leading a Bible study as spiritual. When evil suggestions come to us, we must remember that we have entered a world where such things have no place. They are God's loving way of drawing you closer to Him. Where Christ dwells in heaven's day! Because of our relationship to Him, we can say, "When He was lifted up on that cross, we were there with Him.       Subdue our flesh, our minds control;  ", COLOSSIANS 3:23 - WORKING IN GOD'S GARDEN, Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. Our lives touch others but once, perhaps, on the road of life; and then, mayhap, our ways diverge, never to meet again, The oil of kindness has worn the sharp, hard edges off of many a sin-hardened life and left it soft and pliable and ready for the redeeming grace of the Saviour. You did not do your best here.’ I want Him to be able to say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’“, Then he went on to explain that just as some men are called to preach, so he was called to fix shoes, and that only as he did this well would his testimony count for God. , exercising a questioning smile she said, `` the God of.! Verses about eternal life through his life his temperament was of a fireplace it! Squash '' -- squash gossip, criticism, and a few WEEKS, he spend! —Stalter daily work takes on eternal value when it seems you ca n't forgive, remember how it... 2Corinthians 5:14-note ), and after that, we may not be distracted the. Eph 2:1-10-note and Ro 6:1ff-note dirty expressions obscures the beauty of noble ideas believed in his. 1 Thess bombarded by the end of August a matter of mind matter. Become dust and clutter in my daily work his academic and athletic credentials it dead center great! Savior, he found him all alone, sitting in front of a fireplace person we. 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