“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:12-15 NIV
What wonderful truths are shared about the believers position in Christ and our special relationship to our heavenly Father. We discover that at rebirth we not only died with Christ.. but we are raised up into newness of life in Him and our new life in Christ our born again nature, is positioned in Him. What an expression of value assigned in Christ. We are chosen, holy and dearly loved. This alone should give us incentive to be intentional with how we live, to contrast where we came from with where we are going as Christ’s life giving Spirit changes us from the inside out. Because we have been made new in Christ Jesus, which is continually renewed in the image of our Creator, we are to actively clothe ourselves with characteristics that mark the believer. What we are to put on is compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience and love. We are to forgive and set aside hurt and grievances, being gentle so we can bear with one another. In other words, we are to dress the part and make a conscience choice in how we live. There are six ingredients, six attitudes, found in these verses that if we will work on these, if we will build these six things we’re going to look at into our lives, our satisfaction and fulfillment in our relationships will dramatically increase and the conflict in our relationships will dramatically decrease. Here are the six, BE COMPASSIONATE IN YOUR ATTITUDE, BE KIND IN YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS, BE HUMBLE IN YOUR THINKING, BE QUIET IN YOUR STRENGTH, SHOW RESTRAINT WITH YOUR TEMPER, SHOW LOVE IN EVERYTHING. God made us with all our diversities. Contrary to what we may think, we don’t have it all together. We don’t have the total picture and perspective on life. So God took His truth and put it in different personalities so that we would need each other. God has seen to it that we are different and we need each other. He wants those differences not to divide us but to enrich us. Not to compete, but to compliment. Love binds all these virtues together in perfect unity!!!
Father thank You for this day and oh how we praise and thank You that even though we were dead in trespasses and sins and at enmity with You, we have been called by You and chosen to be a child of God and a joint-heir with You. Lord let Your abundant blessings rain down like a flowing river over my friend and family today. Lord thank You that we are washed in the blood of the Lamb by grace through faith and have been made a new creation and eternally positioned in You to Your praise and glory. Lord thank You that we have been set apart for Your glory. Lord use my friend to share Your Gospel to others in word and deed today. Daddy we love You amen. Have a blessed weekend. Be a blessing. Love you !
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