Day 2 - Week 75 - Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

So what is your idea of worship?

Reading from Baker's Evangelical Dictionary, "If Christianity is the transformation of rebels into worshipers of God, then it is imperative for the Christian to know and understand what constitutes biblical worship. One may always consult Webster's Dictionary for the precise meaning of worship (adore, idolize, esteem worthy, reverence, homage, etc.). Yet truly defining worship proves more difficult because it is both an attitude and an act."

and,

"The true worship of God is essentially internal, a matter of the heart and spirit rooted in the knowledge of and obedience to the revealed Word of God."

Yes, true worship takes place in the heart of the believer...I think that's what Paul is saying when He says that Christ's message should "dwell" richly among us.  That is the essential first ingredient to true worship.  If we do not accept and allow the good news of Christ's life, death and resurrection to abide within us, then how can we move to any higher step of worship of our Father?  The word "richly" as used here means "abundantly, in great measure, in large amounts." When that message has come into our hearts and taken residence within our lives to that degree, then what happens?

We cannot contain it!  We move to the next steps of Paul's instruction: teaching and admonishing. 

Both of these actions can be absolutely intimidating and daunting to may Christians.  Teaching carries with it great responsibility, as stated in James 1;3, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."  Does Paul want everyone teaching?  When I read it weighed against James words, I think Paul may be saying that the we must make sure that the message of Christ is always taught "in all wisdom."  We need to make sure that Christian teaching is being proclaimed within our churches, and not according to man's wisdom, but according to the wisdom as contained in Scripture.   Everyone is not called to teach, but we are all called to make sure we're listening to teachers whose words align with the Word of God.  We all have a responsibility not to listen blindly (isn't that a nice combination of words!), but instead to listen, with our eyes focused on the Bible's words, making sure that what we're hearing is what we're reading, and when that happens, thank God for good Christian teachers who keep His Word proclaimed and alive.

If you are called to teach, teach.  And do so with the wisdom of God as contained within His Word.  And if you are called to hold a teacher accountable to God's Word, do that.  If they are truly a humble servant of God, they will accept such admonition with grace and thankfulness. 
 

Day 1 - Week 75 - Summer's Over!

Isn't it funny how the seasons merge and one is over and the other upon us without absolute clarity?  Fall becomes winter obscurely until one morning we see snowflakes and are surprised; the winter chill becomes a little less intense and one morning we see tulip blades beginning to poke out of the ground and know Easter can't be far behind; here in the Texas panhandle, the spring winds blow hard until one day we seem to notice they have lightened up, and the sun is shining down on us a little harder, and summer is here.  All of the seasons seem to catch me a little by surprise...except for fall!

When summer is over, you know it.  Kids go back to school, we have the Labor Day holiday weekend, and college football is resonating through the house.  I love fall!  The air becomes crisper, sunlight falls a little differently, and to me, there is always a sense of a return to schedules, I guess our school years bring that feeling back to us.  Well, I'm getting "back to schedule." Our women's Bible study group reconvenes next Tuesday night (can't wait for that!) and there will be a new verse every Monday!  Every week, you can count on it! 

This week, we move to our second of three verses contained in the third chapter of Colossians...remember last week's verse?  Colossians 3:15?  "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful."  Now Paul moves from reminding us of the unity that we should have within the Christian body, to how this unity shows itself in our time of worship.

If you'll remember this comment by Robert J. Morgan, you'll not forgot the source text for this week's verse:  "Just as John 3:16 provides the core of the gospel, Colossians 3:16 provides the core of worship."  Things like his statement really stick in my head and sure help me make a connection to the verse so that I remember where it can be found.

    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Here is our call to worship and an explanation of what worship should look like---teaching, singing, thanksgiving, prayer---and pulling our previous verse back to mind, all should be done in the unity of the Christian body in a spirit of peace.  If you have not found a church body to worship with, I would encourage you to do so.  It is what God directs us to do and it is what we need as part of His body.

Now let's review our most recent verses!

The Holy Spirit's Role in our Lives (6)
Ephesians 5:18 "And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit."
Ephesians 5:19 "Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in to the Lord in your hearts."
Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 5:21 "Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ."
Galatians 5:22 "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."
2 Timothy 1:14 "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you...guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us."

Joy: God's Kind of Happiness (12)
Psalm 118:24 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
Philippians 4:5 "Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near."
Philippians 4:6 "Do not worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."
James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds."
James 1:3-4 "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you will be mature and complete, lacking nothing."
1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Rejoice always."
1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray constantly."
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Give thanks in everything, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."


Faith: Trusting God and Resting in His Word (12)
Ephesians 2:8 "For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift."
Ephesians 2:9 "Not by works, so that no one can boast."
Ephesians 2:10 "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Colossians 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful."
Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

This Labor Day 2012, I am singing a spiritual song of gratitude in my heart...so thankful for what God has given me here on earth and even more thankful for what I know is waiting for me in heaven.  I'm also signing a song of gratitude for getting to spend two days caring for our 5 and 3 year old granddaughters as their parents traveled to a wedding of a lifelong friend.  What a joy it is to get to spend time with these children and to hear their commentaries on life!  What a joy it is to see them grow and change, and to see their parents raise them in a home that fosters faith in God and in His Son.  I have a heart full of gratitude today...can you hear me singing?