A poor Substitute

Colossians 3:15-17

This morning, as is my routine, I began my day asking God to lead me in a way that pleases Him and brings honor to His Son.  I like to begin my time with Him in “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers, before I begin to record my thoughts on the Scripture I am reading.  Because I use my computer to do this, often I will check my messages, 90 percent of the time they are full of stuff that take my mind away from the things of God, this morning was no exception.  As I read, “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing palms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thanksgiving in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:15-17)

We have a choice, Internet, full of stuff that upset you, full of things that take your mind from Christ, and even funny stuff that may feed your flesh, but has no value to you or anyone else.  Or we can “let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,” And this morning I opened my mind to the Internet before I  “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another” and I must say it was a poor substitute.  Not only do we have a choice, we were called to let the peace of Christ rule in our heart.  If we begin the day with anything but letting the peace that only Christ can send rule in our hearts, then we are void to letting the word of Christ dwell in our hearts.  It is a show stopper for the fellowship God desires with us, it limits our ability to teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and it sure does not guide us to worship, or to have gratitude in our hearts.

This freedom you and I have in Christ amazes me, in 1 Thessalonians 2:12, “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”  And let me leave you this morning with this thought from 2 Timothy 1:9,10, “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began and which now has been manifested though the appearing our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” Wow!  Look at 1 Peter 3:8-12

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice