DATE POSTED Wednesday, 2023-01-11
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: Colossians 2:6-7
TRANSLATION: Living Bible (TLB)

BIBLE TEXT: 6 And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him. 7 Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done. 8 Don’t let others spoil your faith and joy with their philosophies, their wrong and shallow answers built on men’s thoughts and ideas, instead of on what Christ has said.

APPLICATION: Ever notice how we struggle to find things to share with the family at Thanksgiving, or perhaps we share just the same old, same old? Are we really overflowing with thanksgiving each day as we reflect on all the reasons we have for being a child of the King that day? How is it at your church when your group is asked to share what they are thankful for? Is the room filled with silence, or are you challenged to find an opportunity to get a word in because of the endless praises of thanksgiving being offered up by your group? I wonder if in many cases we are caught up in telling the pastor, or group leader what we think they want to hear, or perhaps trying to encourage a group member by saying what you feel they need to hear. What if that challenge was restated as ‘what would you tell God right now that you are thankful for in what He’s been doing in your life’? Please allow me to restate some of the things that Paul reminds us of that will influence our attitude of praise:
=> Trust God with each day’s problems – When we don’t do this, we tend to go into overload, as troubles tend to increase when we mess up in trying to solve them alone.
=> Live in vital union with Christ – I feel like ‘vital’ means that we shouldn’t dare to attempt life without seeking out our Lord Jesus in everything. Only Jesus knows what lies ahead for us, and only He knows the way to the Father. So, we must always incorporate Jesus in our plans, even after asking Him to guide and protect us on our journey of life.
=> Let your roots grow down deep in Him – I was nurtured as a baby, lived with my parents, listened to them, fed the best meals by them, seen their lifestyle, witnessed their success in life, and therefore became, what I believe to be, a reflection of them, because of my roots being embedded and nurtured by my parents. That what we can expect when we allow our lives to grow deep in Jesus also. When others try to discern where our strength, our beliefs, our principles, and our practices come from. I pray that they will easily discern the depth of our love and admiration of, and our obedience to our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
=> Grow in the ways of God – We learn the ways of God by reading about Him and His practices, throughout the pages of His Word. We grow in His ways by making every effort to obey His Word and all that He commanded us to do. We grew in the ways of our parents by obeying what they instructed, and in imitating what they did that resulted in a blessed and successful life. It’s no different in the formula to grow in the ways of God.
=> Be ready to defend your faith – Paul taught that when we fail to do the above things, we will accept whatever goes on around us, and taught by whomever comes our way. With Jesus as our Savior, and with our determination and godly principles in place, we can depend on God to help us defend our faith. Let me encourage you to reflect back on this anytime you feel like you have been gullible in listening to false teaching or failed to stand firm in your faith.
Friends, I believe we were designed to explode in excitement, joy and thanksgiving when we see good and glorious things happening in our lives because of our determination to be more like Jesus every day. So, what are we thankful for? Give me an hour as I share with you the love of my God for a servant such as I, and for His deliberate blessings poured out on me each day!! An old hymn was written about this end result ‘Count you many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done‘! And another ‘Thank You Lord, for Your blessings on me‘!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Praise and thanksgiving will come naturally when we’ve been with Jesus, and when we’ve taken particular note of how He’s been with us in all of life’s challenges and good times!

PRAYER: Lord, You are good and Your mercies endure forever and forever. I can’t imagine life without Your love, power, teachings and Your wonderful blessings each and every day. Thank You Lord for desiring a relationship with me – such an unworthy vessel – until I found You. Thank You for the reminder, through Paul, of the things that will enhance our relationship with You and fill us to overflowing with praises and thanksgiving to You each and every day. Oh Lord, please let this be something that attracts the unsaved person to You. Help them to know that it’s only because of You that we could smile in our storms of life, for we know the end of the story and all the blessings that await us in Heaven. Please Lord, allow this word today to encourage and strengthen the commitment of Christians, and use it to show the unsaved world all the difference that You make in our lives, so that they too may desire relationship with You. AMEN!