SUNDAY SONGS OF FAITH-Hosanna-Hillsong

A Study in Philemon Week 01

Philemon 1 1-25

Onesimus was a slave belonging to Philemon, a Christian of Colosse. This slave had opportunity to run away and seized on it.

He made his way to Rome where he expected his identity and past life to be swallowed up by the great metropolis. One day he chanced upon a gathering where Paul was preaching. There he heard the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit regenerated him, making him a new creature in Christ. He told his story to Paul, and Paul sent him back to Philemon with this accompanying letter.

The primary purpose of this epistle is to reveal Christ’s love for us in what He did for us before God in pleading our case. This is the finest illustration of substitution: “If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee anything, put that on mine account” (Philemon 18).

We can hear Christ agreeing to take our place and to have all our sin imputed to Him — “For he hath made him…to be sin for us…” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He took our place in death, but He gives us His place in life: “If thou count me, therefore, a partner, receive him as myself” (Philemon 17).

We have the standing of Christ before God, or we have none at all. He took our hell, and He gives us His heaven “that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Onesimus, an unprofitable runaway slave, was to be received as Paul, the great apostle, would have been received in the home of Philemon.

Verse 1 Paul uses his “prisonship” as a basis for his plea for Onesimus’ release from slavery.

Verse 2 “Apphia” is the wife of Philemon. “Archippus” is the son of Philemon. He is a young man who is a fellow soldier, enduring hardness for the gospel. “Church in thy house” — there were no church buildings in the apostolic period. The church assembled in homes.

Verse 3 Grace and Peace God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense and the peace that passes understanding.

4-7 Why does Paul thank God for Philemon? Because of his faith in Christ, which is manifested in his love for other Christians.

Verse 6 tells us that sharing our faith leads to understanding what we really have in Christ: a salvation beyond our wildest dreams.

8-16 Onesimus became a Christian because of Paul’s witness to him. Remember how he called Timothy his son? That meant that he lead Timothy to Christ. The same thing applies here.

Paul says, in verse 11, “Formerly he was useless to you;” that is: he was a slave and only a slave, doing Philemon’s every command. “But now,” says Paul, “he is useful to both of us.” By that he meant that Onesimus now has a spirituality that comes from a relationship to God through Christ.

In verses 15-16, Paul tells Philemon that he should no longer consider Onesimus a slave, but should realize that he is now a brother in Christ.

17-21 Paul uses himself as a “type,” or picture of Christ and reminds us of the Good Samaritan, who told the innkeeper that if anything was owed, he would pay it.

Verse 22 tells us that Paul expected to be released from prison, and when he was, he assured Philemon that his release would be an answer to his prayer for Paul.

23-24 Imagine being in prison with Paul! It must have been one fine revival meeting. Each of those men listed in these verses got to experience Paul’s commitment and faith.

Verse 25 Paul closes with a reiteration of his greeting: GRACE.

THE PHENOMENAL 2 LETTER WORD!

Do you know the one word in the English language that can be a noun, a verb, an adjective, an adverb or a preposition?

This will further your education.

UP

This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].

It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?

At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen.

We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.

At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.

To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.

And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!

To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.

If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.

When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . . my time is UP!

Oh . . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?

U


P!

Did that one crack you UP?

Now I'll shut UP!

GUESS WHAT THIS COMMERCIAL IS ABOUT BEFORE IT'S OVER

READ...AND FEEL LIKE A GENIUS

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I handed the teller at my bank a withdrawal slip for $400.00
I said "May I have large bills, please"

She looked at me and said "I'm sorry sir, all the bills are the same size."
When I got up off the floor I explained it to her....

IDIOT SIGHTING:
When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked. 'Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'it's open!' His reply: 'I know. I already got that side.'

This was at the Ford dealership in Canton, MS

IDIOT SIGHTING:
We had to have the garage door repaired.
The Sears repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener.
I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one Sears made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.
He shook his head and said, 'Lady, you need a 1/4 horsepower.' I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4.
He said, 'NO, it's not..' Four is larger than two.'

We haven't used Sears repair since.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
My daughter and I went through the McDonald's take-out window and I gave the clerk a $5 bill.
Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her a quarter.
She said, 'you gave me too much money.' I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar bill back.
She sighed and went to get the manager, who asked me to repeat my request.

I did so, and he handed me back the quarter, and said 'We're sorry but we could not do that kind of thing.'
The clerk then proceeded to give me back $1 and 75 cents in change.

Do not confuse the clerks at McD's.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I live in a semi rural area.
We recently had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request the removal of the DEER CROSSING sign on our road.
The reason: 'Too many deer are being hit by cars out here!

I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.'

IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE:
My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and ordered a taco.
She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.'
He said he was sorry, but they only had iceburg lettuce.
-- From Kansas City

IDIOT SIGHTING:
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked,
'Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?'
To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?'
He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That's why we ask.'

Happened in Birmingham , Al a.

IDIOT SIGHTING:
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it's safe to cross the street.
I was crossing with an intellectually challenged coworker of mine. She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for.
I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red.
Appalled, she responded, 'What on earth are blind people doing driving?!'

She was a probation officer in Wichita , KS


IDIOT SIGHTING:
At a good-bye luncheon for an old and dear coworker who was leaving the company due to 'downsizing,'
our manager commented cheerfully, 'This is fun. We should do this more often.'
Not another word was spoken. We all just looked at each other with that deer-in-the-headlights stare.

This was a lunch at Texas Instruments.


IDIOT SIGHTING:
I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself
and for the sake of her life, couldn't understand why her system would not turn on.

A deputy with the Dallas County Sheriffs office, no less.



IDIOT SIGHTING :
How would you pronounce this child's name?
"Le-a"

Leah?? NO

Lee - A?? NOPE

Lay - a?? NO

Lei?? Guess Again.

This child attends a school in Kansas City, Mo.
Her mother is irate because everyone is getting her name wrong.
It's pronounced "Ledasha".

When the Mother was asked about the pronunciation of the name, she said, "the dash don't be silent."

SO, if you see something come across your desk like this please remember to pronounce the dash.

If dey axe you why, tell dem de dash don't be silent.

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF FAITH-We Will Glorify-Twila Paris

A Study in Colossians Week 04

Colossians 4 1-18

Verse 1 actually belongs in Chapter 3, as it is a continuation of what our attitudes must be if we really know Christ. Our attitudes are not the results of rules, but a response to the One who gave us so great a salvation.

The Verses

2-6 If we know and love Christ, the evidence will be that we speak with Him in prayer, walk in His wisdom and speak of Him with enthusiasm.

Paul was in prison and yet wanted to be certain that he reacted correctly.

You need to know how to explain the gospel so that others will understand their choice: to accept Christ or not.

7-15 This section is similar to Romans 16. It is a roster of believers who lived, moved and had their being in the pagan culture of the Roman Empire and yet lived for Christ.

Tychius was the pastor of First Baptist Church of Ephesus.

Onesimus (whom we will study in our next book: Philemon) was a slave who belonged to Philemon.

Aristarchus was Paul’s friend in prison, as were Mark and Justus. They were “converted” Jews, who worked with Paul to spread the gospel.

Epaphras was the pastor at Colosse, but was in prison, too.

Luke was the beloved physician.

16-17 Here Paul encourages the Colossians to share his letter with the Laodiceans. (You can learn more about that church in the book of the Revelation of of Christ, chapter 3, verses 14-22).

Finally, in verse 18, Paul informs the Colossians that he has written this letter in his “own hand,” in order that they would know that it was he who was teaching them and that they would know that he meant what he said.

“Remember my Chains” had become a motto of those who took over the witnessing of the gospel after Paul was imprisoned.

His final exhortation was for the Colossians to grasp the grace (God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense) that had been poured out upon them.

Colossians’ themes are: faith; love, hope and unity.

The OBJECT of the Epistle is to counteract the false teachings that had emerged in the church, by setting before the Colossians their true standing in Christ alone (exclusive of all others), the majesty of His person, and the completeness of the redemption He has given us.

Those false teachers were teaching wrong things to the Christians at Colossae. The false teachers were saying that the Christians must be more like the Jews. ‘You must obey the same rules that God wanted the *Jews to obey’, they were saying.

You must learn to identify false teachers.

The key to identifying false teachers is their treatment of Christ and the meaning of His gospel.

Paul taught that the Colossians (and, indeed all Christians) ought to be conformed to their risen Lord, and to exhibit that conformity in unity in their daily lives.

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF FAITH-Were It Not for Grace-Larnelle Harris

A Study in Colossians Week 03

Colossians 3 1-25

1-4 The Greek word translated “if” in KJV or “since” in the NIV is “ei”: a primary particle of conductivity. That means it connects this thought to the previous.

Paul had been speaking about being set free from the Law (remember: it was nailed to the cross.) by having Christ in your heart. That is assumed as the beginning point for what follows.

In other words: because of your new relationship with God through Christ, you should focus on those things that are the opposite of what this world has to offer.

Verse 3 is one of dozens in the New Testament that speak of “dying to self-interests.” (Romans 6:8, 11, 13, etc.)

In verse 4 we are reminded that Christ IS our life. (John 1:4 - “In Him was life…” Romans 6:13 - “…brought from death to life…” II Corinthians 3:6 – “…the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Galatians 2:19 – “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God”)

5-11 “Put to death…” demands that we make a specific effort to rid our lives of worldly things. Paul gives us a list, not of rules, but of examples of the kinds of things we should put to death by faith in Christ.

12-14 Any time you remove something from your life, you create a vacuum that must be filled. If you don’t deliberately fill that vacuum with something, something you might not like will fill it. So, choose to fill your life with things of the Spirit: compassion, kindness, humility, patience, etc.

15-17 “Let” implies that you have both a choice and the power to allow Christ’s peace to rule your heart.

Paul reiterates his “unity” theme of being one body in Christ. Have an attitude of gratitude, stay in the Word. Admonish each other (not to be confused with lecture), but do it with wisdom, not opinion.

“Whatever you do…do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…”

18-24 A Christian would, if focusing on spiritual things, never forget the lesson of “submission.” Remember Ephesians 5:21? “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Men prefer to start at verse 22, but that misses the point).

Put simply: Treat each other nice, work hard (as though you are working for the Lord, which, of course, you are).

There is an inheritance from the Lord for those who live in Christ.

3:25-4:1 Don’t worry, those who don’t live in Christ have a reward, too…albeit a negative one.

God does not play favorites (is not a respecter of persons). You are either a “saint” or an “ain’t.” There is no middle ground.

You can’t be a “pretty good Christian,” a “nominal Christian,” or a “great Christian” and expect a positive reward.

Your inheritance comes only when you are a part of the Family of Christ by trusting in, and only in, the finished work of Christ at the cross of Calvary.

SUNDAY SOUNDS OF PRAISE-Touch of the Master's Hand-Wayne Watson

A Study in Colossians Week 02

Colossians 2 1-23

There were five errors that endangered the Colossian church: (1) Enticing words, (verses. 4-7; (2) Philosophy, (verses 8-13); (3) Legality, (verses 14-17); (4) Mysticism, (verses 18, 19); (5) Asceticism, (verses 20-23).

Colossians is a sort of synopsis of the essence of Romans, I Corinthians; and Galations

1-5 Notice that in verse 2 Paul reiterates his admonition of unity. There is a purpose to his insistance on unity in the Body of Christ (the Church): to demonstrate that we know Christ.

Paul warns against falling prey to arguments that sound good but are not imersed in the gospel message: sin separates; sin requires repentance; repentance leads to faith in Christ’s finished work at the cross of Calvary and His resurrection. (verse 4).

Verse 5 equates orderliness with a picture of firmness in the faith. “Order” is a military term, meaning to stand shoulder to shoulder.

6-8 Paul admonishes the Christians in Colossi not to be caught up in human traditions.

9-15 Here Paul contrasts traditions with the spiritual truths of Christ’s power, authority and completeness. In other words, it is Christ, Christ, Christ and only Christ plus absolutely nothing else. “Fullness” is pleroma. This is a clear-cut statement of the deity of Christ.

Verse 14 may be the most important verse of Scripture outside of John 3:16. Here Paul clearly says that the written code, with its rules and regulations has been removed from us and nailed to the cross.

16-19 Paul assures us that in Christ we have absolute freedom…not freedom to sin, but freedom from sin. We are free to worship when we wish, celebrate when we wish (yes, even on Sunday). He says once again that all reality is found in, and only in, Christ.

A believer is not to observe ordinances that are only ritual and liturgical, as they have no value.

The Law was a picture of Christ. Now that Christ has come, we have the reality…the presence of the person of Christ and we no longer need the pictures.

20-23 If you are truly in Christ, it is impossible for you to be caught up in the world’s rules and regulations. Some churches specialize in rules about this and rules about that, but Paul says they are based on the false premise of human understanding and commands. They seem wise and necessary, but they lack any value at all. They accomplish nothing.

Read Galations 3:1-14 again and be reminded of what Paul wrote to them.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics
By Francis Scott Key 1814

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?




On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,

Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,

In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:

'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!




And where is that band who so vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,

A home and a country should leave us no more!

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave

From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!




Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand

Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land

Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

A Study in ColossiansWeek 01

Colossians 1 1-29

Paul wrote this letter in about A.D. 62

CHURCH AT COLOSSE:
Paul had never been to Colosse when he wrote this epistle (Colossians 2:1). He was in Ephesus for about two years where he had his most fruitful ministry (Acts 19:8-19). Colosse was 75 to 100 miles east of Ephesus, and visitors from Colosse had heard Paul and had come to know Christ. Apparently Philemon was one of these. A church came into existence in Colosse (Philemon 2). Epaphras was the minister of the Colossian church (Colossians 1:4-8; 4:12, 13). Paul intended to visit there when he was released from prison (Philemon 22). Paul wrote to this church as though it were his own.

THE PROBLEM AT COLOSSE:
Colosse, located in southwest Phrygia in Asia Minor, near Laodicea, was beset with oriental mysticism. Gnosticism had intruded into the church, with its Greek pantheistic philosophy of the demiurge. (The demiurge is a concept from the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy for an artisan-like figure responsible for the fashioning and maintenance of the physical universe).

GNOSTIC CHARACTERISTICS: The teaching that the realization of Gnosis (esoteric or intuitive knowledge) is the way to salvation of the soul from the material world.

(1) They had an exclusive spirit (were aristocratic in wisdom).
(2) They held speculative tenets on creation —that God did not create the universe directly, but created a creature who in turn created another creature, until one finally created the physical universe. Christ was considered a creature in this long series of creations.
(3) Their ethical practice was asceticism (influenced by Greek Stoicism) and unrestrained
licentiousness (from Greek Epicureanism).

The Verses

1-2 - Paul’s greeting, as usual, emphasizes God’s grace (God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense) and His peace (that passes all understanding).

3-14 – In verses 3-4, Paul gives thanks directly to “God…the Father.” This is His redemptive provision (John 3:16). Gnosticism did not believe one could go directly to God, but rather through the emanations of God.

Paul links a trinity of elements to GRACE: faith; love and hope.

He emphasizes the need to accept the gospel and to bear its fruit.

Paul’s prayer, in verses 9-14, is all about the Colossian’s commitment to the gospel.

15-19 – This section is a direct refutation of Gnosticism. In it he describes the characteristics that differentiate Him from all other ideas about “religion” and philosophy.

He lists nine (9) marks that make Him different:
1. (Verse 15) “Image” (Greek:eikon). Christ is the incarnate God. If you’ve seen Him, you’ve seen the Father.
2. “…the first-born of all creation” is what John 3:16 is about.
3. (Verse 16) “By Him were all things created” reinforces John 1:3.
4. He created all things for Himself.
5. (Vs 17) He is pre-incarnate – He existed before His earthly birth in Bethlehem.
6. Jesus keeps the universe together and causes it to obey His laws of physics.
7. (Verse 18) He is the head of the body, the church.
8. The will of Christ must prevail throughout all of creation
9. (Verse 19) He is 100% God in relationship to the Father (15); to creation (16-17); to the church (18-19) and to the cross (20).

Objective work of Christ for sinners

(Verse 20) — Christ “made peace through the blood of his cross” (Romans 5:1). God is not a big policeman waiting around the corner ready to pounce on the sinner. God has His arms outstretched and is saying to the sinner, “Come, and I will give you redemption rest.”
Reconciliation is toward man. The cross of Christ reconciles God. He is asking man to be reconciled to Him (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

“All things” is limited to all things appointed for reconciliation (in just such a way as “the loss of all things” is limited to what things Paul had to lose [Philippians 3:8]).

“Things in heaven” indicate that not only must we be made ready for heaven, but heaven must be made ready to receive us. The Lord Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). By the incarnation, God came down to man; by the blood of Jesus, man is brought up to God. Notice that it does not add, “things under the earth” (Philippians 2:10).

(Verse 21) — “Enemies in your mind” reminds us that there is mental alienation from God as well as moral alienation. This explains the fierce antagonism to God on the part of some so-called intellectuals.

(verse 22) — “Body of his flesh” is an explicit declaration, as Docetic Gnosticism stated that Christ suffered in appearance but not in a real body.
“Un-blamable” means without blemish. This was the requirement for a sacrificial animal.
“Un-reprovable” means un-accusable; un-chargeable. “It is God that justifies.”

(Verse 23) — This is not conditional, based on the future. It is not something that shall be if something else is. Rather, this is the “if” of argument, often used by Paul. It could be translated, “Since ye continue in the faith….”

(Verse 24) — A free translation could be, “Now I, Paul, rejoice in the midst of my sufferings for you, and I am filling up in my flesh that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ for His body’s sake, which is the church.” It was necessary to fill up that which was lacking of the suffering of Christ.

(1) There are sufferings of Christ that we cannot share:
(a) Human suffering;
(b) Suffering as the Son of God;
(c) Suffering as the sacrifice for the sins of the world.
(2) There are sufferings of Christ that we can share:
(a) Suffering for righteousness’ sake;
(b) Suffering in the measure we identify ourselves with

Christ for the Proclamation of the Gospel.

(Verse 25) — “Dispensation” is economy; stewardship.

(Verse 26-27) — “Mystery” is a sacred secret. This looks forward to the day when we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2). We are in Christ down here at present.

(Verse 28-29) — “Perfect in Christ Jesus” means complete. This was the goal of Paul.