Podcasts about in colossians

Substance over ShadowsJuly 13, 2025 • RD McClenagan • Colossians 2:16-23This Sunday, RD continues our summer series on Colossians. In Colossians 2, Paul urges believers to grow into spiritual maturity by holding fast to Christ, who is the message and the means of transformation, not adding human traditions or self-made religion to the gospel. He reminds the Colossians that God made them alive in Christ by forgiving all their sins, canceling their debt, and triumphing over spiritual powers at the cross. True growth comes from clinging to Christ, the head of the body, through whom the church is nourished, held together, and grows with God-given strength. In contrast to the slavery of self-righteous effort, the gospel produces love, joy, freedom, and worship as we behold Christ and are made more like Him.WEBSITE: https://fellowshipknox.org/INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fellowshipknox/

All sin is bad and to be avoided. It will hurt you and left unchecked it will ultimately destroy you. So you don't want to make excuses for it. What's to done about sin? Today on a Daily Walk we're given practical counsel from God's Word. In Colossians chapter three we're told put off the old - and put on the new. And this is especially needed in light of the Lord's return. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1368/29

As a Jesus Follower, the Greatest Witness for the Gospel that You Can Give Is for Others to See Jesus IN You MESSAGE SUMMARY: We live in a hurting world, but God wants more for you. You need to live as a Jesus Follower in whatever you do – at home; in your job; in the way that you drive; and in the way that you treat your friends. To achieve God's desire for your life, you must stay in fellowship and communion with God; and you must let God work in your life. In Colossians 3:17, Paul challenges us: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”. If you live your life, in all places and situations, in the name of Jesus, you will live a better life in our hurting world. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.". Remember, the greatest witness for the Gospel, as a follower of Jesus, that you can give is for others to see Jesus in you.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Colossians 3:16-17; Matthew 21:21-22; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalms 43:1-5. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Prayer for America” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Nailed to the CrossJuly 6, 2025 • Greg Pinkner • Colossians 2:8–15This Sunday, Greg continues our summer series on Colossians. In Colossians 2, Paul warns the Colossians against false teachings that diminish Christ, distort grace, and pull believers back into legalism and human traditions. These teachings made Christ out to be just another created being, not the sovereign Lord, and suggested that salvation still required human effort. However, Christ is fully God, the head over all rule and authority, and believers are made alive in Him. True transformation comes from a spiritual change of heart, not outward religious performance. It is through Christ's death and resurrection that God has forgiven sin, defeated the powers of darkness, and brought believers into His victory, not as captives, but as beloved family.WEBSITE: https://fellowshipknox.org/INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fellowshipknox/

In Colossians 1:24-27 Paul reminds us that the Gospel we've received is No Cheap Gospel because it has come to us through suffering endured by its messengers, and the mystery revealed to the Saints.

Welcome back to In the Word with Malcolm Webber!In Colossians 2:16-23, Paul is reminding the Colossians that Jesus has abolished the law through His death. And because the law with all its ceremonies and rituals has been abolished, therefore, they should not follow teachings that bring them back into bondage to it. This is true for you today: you are complete in Christ and you have new life in Him. Don't allow anyone to turn you to anything else! Find out more in the second part of Malcolm's message, “The Reality Is Found in Christ.”In the Word with Malcolm Webber is a weekly podcast featuring selected teachings from Dr. Webber's over 40 years of ministry. Find more teachings, along with books, courses, tools, and other resources from Dr. Webber at our website.Related Resources from LeaderSource* Book: The Preeminence and All-Sufficiency of Jesus Christ* Book: The Christian and the Law* Audio Teaching: The Law of Moses, Pt. 1* For More Teaching on Common Errors: Malcolm's Musings* Email Course: Who Jesus Christ IsNew to the series? Start here:More messages from Malcolm: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadersource.substack.com

We all have a king that rules our life. And no, I don't mean Charles!  We all surrender our lives to something or someone that ultimately rules us. The question is not whether we have a king but rather what king do we serve. And the king we choose to serve will ultimately enslave us. The list is endless - relationships, family, money, career, beauty, fitness, technology. And the consequences of this slavery are a whole range of behaviours that are unhealthy, undisciplined and ultimately ungodly. In Colossians 3, Paul makes a list of such behaviours that ultimately lead to death.Take your next step Receive prayer - https://gatewaybaptist.com.au/prayer Learn more about Jesus - https://gatewaybaptist.com.au/alpha Get Baptised - https://gatewaybaptist.com.au/next-st... _______ Gateway Baptist Church meets across five locations in South-East Queensland and also online. For more than 90 years we've been a community dedicated to leading people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus. To learn more about us, visit https://gatewaybaptist.com.au or join us on Sundays at https://gatewaybaptist.online.church

Welcome back to In the Word with Malcolm Webber!In Colossians 2:16-23, Paul is reminding the Colossians that Jesus has abolished the law through His death. And because the law with all its ceremonies and rituals has been abolished, therefore, they should not follow teachings that bring them back into bondage to it. This is true for you today: you are complete in Christ and you have new life in Him. Don't allow anyone to turn you to anything else! Find out more in the first part of Malcolm's message on this passage, “The Reality Is Found in Christ.”In the Word with Malcolm Webber is a weekly podcast featuring selected teachings from Dr. Webber's over 40 years of ministry. Find more teachings, along with books, courses, tools, and other resources from Dr. Webber at our website.Related Resources from LeaderSource* Book: The Preeminence and All-Sufficiency of Jesus Christ* Book: The Christian and the Law* Audio Teaching: The Law of Moses, Pt. 1* For More Teaching on Common Errors: Malcolm's Musings* Email Course: Who Jesus Christ IsNew to the series? Start here:More messages from Malcolm: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadersource.substack.com

Jesus – He's our subject today on a Daily Walk! In Colossians chapter one the apostle Paul presents Christ for who He really is. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1368/29

In Colossians 1:19-23 we discover that Christ's death made a way for all to come to God by removing the sin barrier that blocked our relationship with the Creator.

In Colossians 1:9-14, we learn that when a church puts Jesus at it's center, they are able to know and do God's will and find the means to have genuine gratitude for his finished work in the Gospel.

BOUND TOGETHER IN UNITY!In Colossians 3, we are instructed on the qualities that believers should embody as members of the body of Christ. We are called to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, treating one another with love and grace. Through forgiveness and understanding, we can foster unity among fellow believers and reflect the character of Christ in our relationships.

Does anyone like to suffer?The apostle Paul knew a lot about suffering. He suffered beatings, imprisonments, and shipwrecks. In Colossians 1:24, Paul said he “rejoiced” in his sufferings. What? How could he rejoice in suffering? Because God used it to advance the gospel.Paul also pointed out that suffering strengthens our perseverance, character, and hope.Most of us have little experience with real suffering. We don't even like minor inconveniences like waiting in a long line.No matter your circumstances, God has a purpose and plan for your life.Let's ask God to help us see and teach our boys the value of suffering for His kingdom's sake.For more information about a Proven Process that is helping boys grow into godly men, visit Trail Life USA or RaisingGodlyBoys.com.

In Colossians 1:15-17 we discover that Jesus Christ is worthy of our Worship because He is the pre-eminent Christ, the Lord of Creation and its Sustainer.

In Colossians 1:1-8, Paul's gratitude for the Colossian church reveals three essential marks of a healthy Christ-centered church, Gospel hope, Gospel fruit, and Gospel messengers. 

He has the Whole World in His HandsJune 8, 2025 • RD McClenagan • Colossians 1:15–17This Sunday, RD continues our summer series on Colossians. In Colossians 1:15–17, Paul emphasized Jesus as the visible image of the invisible God—fully divine and fully human, holding all things together. Jesus is not moderately important—He is central to everything, supreme over creation, and the one who restores the broken image of God in us through the gospel. Even in suffering, we can trust Jesus, who also bears wounds, not only reigns but also suffers with and for us.WEBSITE: https://fellowshipknox.org/INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/fellowshipknox/

Many people have a small view of Christ. Some are skeptical of his existence, while others believe he was merely a good person, a religious leader, or a prophet. Even some Christians who believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord, but go no deeper, have a conception of Jesus that is too small. In Colossians 1:15–20 the apostle Paul calls us to meditate on the deep things of God, on the deep structure of reality—to meditate on Christ. In a passage where every phrase is bursting with significance, Pastor Luke Herche summarizes what we see under three declarations about the glory of God: He is the image of God, over all creation. He is the fullness of God, the reconciler of all creation. He is the head of the church, the beginning of the new creation. Sunday Morning Worship // June 1, 2025 ------------------------------- Want to go deeper? Take some time to reflect on the sermon with the following questions: What are various views of Jesus...that are too small? What are they missing? What is Jesus in relation to creation, redemption, and the church? Why do you think it is important to have a big understanding of the bigness of Jesus? What happens when we have a small view? How can we remedy that? What do others need to know about the bigness of Jesus, and how can we show them that in the way we live our lives? ------------------------------- allsoulspca.org All Souls (Urbana, IL) is a part of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), a Christian, Reformed denomination with historic and theological roots in the Protestant Reformation.

Paul begins to talk about the mindset of “no pain, no gain” and how he has embraced the battle and responsibility of being a disciple of Christ. In Colossians 1:24-29, he shares his testimony to build credibility and inspire the Colossians, teaching that salvation is not the finish line but the starting line for a mission with God. Salvation means we have not only been saved from something, but we have been saved for something. Salvation marks the beginning of discipleship and the responsibility to proclaim, warn, and teach. Paul shows us that while our insecurities may make us hesitant, we must strive with God's strength and not let them rob us of our obedience. Even in suffering, Paul reminds us to trust God's plan and see our struggles as opportunities to know Him deeper. What has God saved you for? Listen to this sermon about in the third part of our In The Word series, walking through the book of Colossians.Check out our video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/ZP4VuIU7k0oSubscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/8wmeCwBf_zkLearn more about us at chestnutmountain.orgFollow us on Facebook & Instagram @chestnutmtn_Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast, leave a review, and let us know what you think.

We're not just invited to believe in Jesus – we're called to be filled with Him. In Colossians 2, Paul confronts deceptive ideas that threaten to replace Christ with lesser cosmic claims, including legalism, mysticism, philosophy, and spiritual forces. He reminds the Colossians, and us, that we don't need to add anything to Jesus. Why? Because in Him, the fullness of God dwells, and we have been given fullness in Him. In this message, Pastor Louis explores Christian cosmology – the grand story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration with Jesus at the very centre. It's not a tribal or partial Gospel. It's a universal truth for all of creation. You'll discover:

In Colossians 4:2-5, we read Paul's passionate call for followers of Jesus to pray with perseverance and purpose, act with boldness and clarity, and watch how we live and love others. In doing this, we can “live sent” and proclaim the gospel with our lives. churchofthelakes.org

In Colossians 2:2, Paul reveals a mystery that unites believers.

Have you ever marveled at the fact that a Holy God would save sinners such as you and I? It is incredible to think that a Holy God would see us, who are prone to wander and so easily distracted, and have mercy on us and save us from our sin.In Colossians 2, Paul shares the great lengths that our savior went to so that we might be saved. This week, we will look at what Jesus has done on our behalf in Colossians 2:11-15.I'd love for you to join us this week!

In Colossians 3:16-24, we see what it looks like to live with Jesus in our everyday lives – in our homes, our workplaces, and in our relationships. When we let the gospel of Jesus Christ “dwell in us richly,” we are reminded that we are on mission for Christ every day, even in the mundane […]

How many spam calls have you received this week? Is your email inbox full of junk trying to take advantage of you? It seems we live in a world that is constantly trying to deceive and take us captive. There is no shortage of "the next best thing" advertising that makes promises that it can't deliver.In Colossians 2, Paul gave a warning to the Colossian Church. He urged them to not be deceived by the world around them; instead imploring them to walk in Christ. The fullness of God and truth.

In Proverbs chapter 3, King Solomon writes to his children to “bind his Torah around their neck.” What does it mean to bind something around your neck? How do you “write” something on your heart? It seems that Solomon is instructing us to take action, but hasn't it “all been done for us”? What are the three things Torah does for us? Rabbi Steve Berkson begins this final episode of the series by expounding on how pursuing the Torah of Yahweh can bring peace into your life. Then, moving into Jeremiah chapter 23, Rabbi Berkson ties it to Proverbs chapter 3 and discusses the responsibility of being a proper anointed/appointed teacher of the scriptures. How did the teachers of Jeremiah's day scatter the people? For what were they being reprimanded and punished? Is there a Messianic reference in this chapter? How is Yahweh going to fix the problem of inadequate and problematic teachers? Moving on from Jeremiah to Luke chapter 8, we see the event where Yeshua, leaving His disciples in charge of getting them to the other side, took a nap. Then a great storm came upon them, causing the disciples to cry out, “Master, we are perishing!” Rabbi Berkson points out a great deal of insight from the telling of this event in the Gospel of Luke that can be applied to our life today. In Colossians chapter 3, Rabbi Berkson teaches about “the Above,” the world that is Yahweh's, and “the Below,” the world that is not His. He provides clear instruction, stating that if you are of “the Above,” raised with Messiah Yeshua, then you should diminish your passion for or any connection with “the Below.” Subscribe to take advantage of new content every week. To learn more about MTOI, visit our website, https://mtoi.org. https://www.facebook.com/mtoiworldwide https://www.instagram.com/mtoi_worldwide https://www.tiktok.com/@mtoi_worldwide You can contact MTOI by emailing us at admin@mtoi.org or calling 423-250-3020. Join us for Shabbat Services and Torah Study LIVE, streamed on our website, mtoi.org, YouTube, and Rumble every Saturday at 1:15 p.m. and every Friday for Torah Study Live Stream at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.

In Colossians 2:20-3:5, we discover more about what it means to have “Jesus over everything” in our lives. The truth is, legalism is powerless to change us. However, real change happens when we have a resurrection mindset, and we kill the old life in order to live into the new life that Jesus offers us. […]

In Colossians 1:24-29, we are reminded that pain isn't pointless when we are in Christ. We suffer with purpose, we steward the mystery of God as Christ is “in us,” and we persevere with the Holy Spirit's power. churchofthelakes.org

In Colossians 3:15-17 we find a trilogy of commands for believers to submit to Christ in specific ways. Join us as we examine these 3, as well as the absolutely necessary heart posture for all believers in these areas.

Men, are you just clocking in, or are you building the Kingdom of God through your work?In this powerful second part of our Daily Grind with God series, we confront the real battle most of us fight every day, the temptation to see our jobs as a burden instead of a mission. Whether at a desk, in the trades, on the road, or at home with the kids, your work matters to God.This is the truth grounded in Scripture and the Catechism. In Colossians 3:23, St. Paul commands us: "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." When you live this out, even the most mundane spreadsheet becomes an offering. Even changing diapers becomes an altar.This episode dives into:How your job is part of your divine vocation (CCC 2427)Why St. Joseph, St. Therese of Lisieux, and St. Josemaría Escrivá are your daily companions in the grindHow to turn every workday into a prayer through intention, rededication, and excellenceThe real danger of turning work into your god—or treating it like it's meaninglessAnd most importantly, the spiritual challenge I give every man listening: Offer your work this week as a sacrifice for a specific intentionIt's time to stop coasting. Get intentional. Sanctify your labor. You don't need to change careers—you need to change your heart.3 POWERFUL QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE:“Your desk, your tools, your kitchen—that is your battlefield.”“God doesn't want your sloppy seconds. He wants your best.”“Are you working for God, or are you working for yourself?”KEY TAKEAWAY FOR CATHOLIC MEN:Start offering your work every single day for a specific intention—your spouse, your kids, your priest, the souls in purgatory. Make your labor a prayer. This is your battlefield. Fight with purpose.RESOURCES & REFERENCES MENTIONED:Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraph 2427Colossians 3:23St. Therese of Lisieux – The Little WaySt. Josemaría Escrivá – Spirituality of WorkSt. Benedict – Ora et Labora (Pray and Work)Book: The Power of Silence by Cardinal Robert SarahEvent: Men's Silent Retreat – June 14, Grand Rapids, MI @ Franciscan Life Center (Link in show notes)SHARE THIS EPISODE Men, we are in a war—and most of us are losing the battle in the workplace by treating our job like it's separate from our faith. Forward this to a brother who's stuck in a rut, burned out, or tempted to check out. We need soldiers—not spectators.Send us a text Support the showPlease prayerfully consider supporting the podcast on our Buy Me A Coffee page. to help grow the show to reach as many men as possible! Thank you for your prayers and support. Be sure to follow us on X for more great content. As always, please pray for us! We are men who strive daily to be holy, to become saints and we cannot do that without the help of the Holy Ghost! Subscribe to our YouTube page to see our manly and holy faces Check out our website Contact us at themanlycatholic@gmail.com

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9You don't have to study Scripture long to realize that God's wisdom differs sharply from what the world considers wise. John Cortines joins us today to talk about the nature of wisdom, and spoiler alert— it's a Person, not a thing.John Cortines is the Director of Grantmaking at The Maclellan Foundation. He is the author of our new study on the book of Ecclesiastes, Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money, as well as the co-author of God and Money: How We Discovered True Riches at Harvard Business School and True Riches: What Jesus Really Said About Money and Your Heart.The True Nature of WisdomIn our modern world, we often equate wisdom with knowledge, education, and the ability to make good decisions. While these aspects are certainly part of it, Ecclesiastes teaches us that wisdom is far more than intellectual mastery or a collection of best practices. In fact, wisdom is not just a set of principles—it is a person. That person is Jesus Christ.Throughout Ecclesiastes, the Preacher (likely King Solomon) wrestles with the big questions of life: What is our purpose? Where can we find joy? How should we handle money? The book explores the various paths people take—seeking pleasure, accumulation, and status—but ultimately concludes that all these pursuits are vanity, or "chasing after the wind."The key takeaway? True wisdom is found in fearing God and keeping His commandments. But it's not merely about following rules—it's about cultivating a relationship with God through Christ.Ecclesiastes isn't just a book about the limitations of human wisdom; it points us to the deeper truth that wisdom is found in a relationship with God. Near the end of Ecclesiastes, we read that "the words of the wise are like goads," and these words come from "one shepherd."Interestingly, this shepherd's identity is made clear in the New Testament, where Jesus identifies Himself as the Good Shepherd in the Gospel of John. Not only does Jesus impart wisdom, but He is wisdom. In Colossians, we learn that Jesus is the one who orders and sustains all things—He embodies wisdom.Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:30 that Jesus became "to us wisdom from God, righteousness, and sanctification." This concept shifts our understanding of wisdom from a set of teachings to a relationship with a person.Ecclesiastes and the Limitations of Human WisdomEcclesiastes acknowledges the limits of human wisdom. Even Solomon, renowned for his wisdom, struggled to make sense of life's paradoxes. He sought knowledge, but it never gave him lasting meaning. In fact, knowledge alone cannot answer the deeper questions of life, such as suffering, uncertainty, or death.True wisdom isn't found in education or achievement; it's received from outside ourselves. Proverbs 9:10 states, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and in the knowledge of the Holy One, there is insight. True wisdom is about trusting in Christ, who alone leads us into all truth and understanding.Walking in Wisdom with ChristIf wisdom is a person, the way to grow in wisdom is to walk closely with Jesus. John offers some practical ways to deepen our relationship with Christ and grow in wisdom:Spend time in God's Word: Not just for information but to encounter Christ and be transformed.Pray and seek His guidance: God promises to give wisdom to those who ask for it.Live in obedience: Wisdom isn't just knowing what is right; it's living it out.Surround yourself with wise counsel: Engage with fellow believers who are also walking with Christ.Trust God in times of uncertainty: Lean on Christ in suffering and hardship.Develop a heart of gratitude: Recognize and enjoy the simple gifts God gives us each day.These steps, though simple, shape our lives and our relationship with God. They allow us to grow in wisdom and understanding as we live in step with Christ.The Connection Between Wisdom and FinancesOne area where wisdom plays a critical role is in our financial lives. The way we handle money is closely tied to our spiritual journey, and the book of Ecclesiastes speaks directly to this. Money is often viewed in our culture as a means of fulfillment, but Ecclesiastes teaches us that wealth is a tool, not our source of meaning.In Ecclesiastes 11, we are reminded of the importance of generosity: "Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days." Giving reflects God's nature and His wisdom, and it produces Kingdom fruit. Generosity is a key part of living for Him.Ecclesiastes teaches us to appreciate the simple gifts God provides, while also reminding us that money and possessions are fleeting. As we apply the wisdom of Christ to our finances, we see the balance between frugality, generosity, and enjoying the blessings God has given us.The Ultimate Wisdom: JesusAt the heart of Ecclesiastes—and of all Scripture—is the call to fear God and keep His commandments. In the New Testament, we understand that this means following Jesus Christ, who is wisdom incarnate. Our pursuit of wisdom isn't about accumulating knowledge or living by a set of moral principles. It's about knowing Jesus personally and living in relationship with Him.If you're seeking wisdom, the answer is not found in more knowledge or better strategies—it's found in Jesus Christ. As we follow Him, we grow in wisdom, and our understanding of life's challenges—including money and possessions—becomes clearer. Wisdom is a person, and that person is Jesus.For those interested in diving deeper into the book of Ecclesiastes, our new study, Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money, offers a comprehensive exploration of this biblical text and its profound teachings on money, work, and contentment. Visit FaithFi.com/shop to get your copy today or to place a bulk order.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I have a son who has separated himself from our family. We haven't spoken in two and a half months. I want to know if there are any biblical references that would support changing my will to take my son out of it, given our current strained relationship.I made an insurance claim for a new roof, which was necessary. Now my insurance company has raised my rates, and my next payment is $163 higher than usual, which I can't afford this month. Do I have any recourse, and what should I do besides looking for another insurance company?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's New Quarterly MagazineTrue Riches: What Jesus Really Said About Money and Your Heart by John Cortines and Gregory BaumerSplitting Heirs: Giving Your Money and Things to Your Children Without Ruining Their Lives by Ron Blue with Jeremy WhiteWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money (Pre-Order)Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.

In Colossians 3:12-14, Paul gives us a beautiful picture of what being counter-cultural actually looks like in the life of the church, and challenges us to apply it.

Bert placed his debit card atop the restaurant bill. The waiter scooped it up and then paused to ask, “Wait, who is this guy who says ‘I am the way the truth and life?’ That’s so conceited!” Bert realized the waiter was reacting to the words printed on the card by his Christian financial company—Jesus’ words from John 14:6. Amused at the waiter’s response, Bert explained the identity of “this guy” and His sacrificial offering to bring us to God. When we encounter people who know nothing about our faith, we might respond with ridicule or even judgment. But the apostle Peter challenged us, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Then he warned, “Do this with gentleness and respect” (v. 16). In Colossians 4:6, Paul explained the power of such a response, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Just as salt on our food enhances flavor, salty answers invite others closer to faith. Questions may come in surprising settings from those completely unfamiliar with Jesus Christ. When we respond with gentleness and grace, our answers offer a saltiness that entices questioners to yearn for more.

In Colossians 3:1-4 we see that the resurrected life involves reorienting your life around Jesus; letting your future destiny determine your present pursuits.

Metro Atlanta is famous for our terrible traffic. Most of us have probably had the frustrating experience of being late for a meeting because we're stuck in standstill traffic. We can become increasingly irritated as we boil over in exasperation and anger. Now imagine you looked over next to you to see someone blasting music, singing their guts, and experiencing what looks like real joy… in a traffic jam! We'd probably all draw the same conclusion, this is a strange time to be joyful. In Colossians 1:24-27, Paul makes a very strange statement, “I rejoice in my sufferings…” What?!?! Suffering is a strange thing to take joy in, even more strange than being joyful in a traffic jam.

Colossians 1:28 talks about teaching AND warning people. In Colossians 3:5-11 we find the warning. The wrath of God is real and it is coming. So what fundamentals do people need to understand about His wrath, and for believers who are no longer under it, how should this essential truth impact our lives and actions?

In Colossians 1:15-23, we're given a breathtaking vision of Jesus Christ—one that lifts our eyes beyond the ordinary and into the Holy of Holies. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation, the One by whom and for whom all things were made. In Him, all things hold together. This passage invites us to see Jesus not merely as a teacher or moral example, but as the preeminent Lord of all—supreme over creation, sovereign in redemption, and reconciling all things to Himself through the blood of the cross. It's a vision that anchors faith, inspires worship, and redefines everything.

Bearing the Fruit of Christ (audio) David Eells – 4/23/25 Saints, The Lord told me a few days ago that the Man-child and Bride are not quite ready for all He has planned.  He indicated the time would be soon, but they need to “…Behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.” This is justification by faith and also is how the power to manifest Christ in us comes. 2Co.3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. Today I'm going to talk to you about bearing the fruit of perfection in Christ. We have learned that we were sanctified and perfected. (Heb.10:14) For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. We shall be manifested in these things. We receive sanctification and perfection by this position in Christ Jesus. Now we need to cooperate with God to manifest what we've received by faith. (Heb.11:1) Now faith is assurance of [things] hoped for, a conviction of things not seen. We want the evidence to be made manifest in our life so that Christ can live through us in this world. I usually study the Parable of the Sower out of Matthew 13, but I would like us to look at Luke this time. (Luk.8:4) And when a great multitude came together, and they of every city resorted unto him, he spake by a parable: (5) The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. (6) And other fell on the rock; and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. (7) And other fell amidst the thorns; and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. (8) And other fell into the good ground, and grew, and brought forth fruit a hundredfold. As he said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (9) And his disciples asked him what this parable might be. (10) And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.  (11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. (12) And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. (13) And those on the rock [are] they who, when they have heard, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. (14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. So obviously, we're talking about the manifestation of perfection, which is to bring fruit to perfection. Notice, even though they were receiving the seed, they didn't bring the fruit to perfection. (15) And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. These bring forth fruit unto perfection. Glory to God! That's our hope, that the Lord Himself will manifest His fruit in us. It's the seed that brings forth the fruit unto perfection; it's not us. It's the seed, the Word of God in us, that has power. One of the points is that we have to hold it fast, hold fast the seed. We see that the seed is being sown in the heart (verse 11) and the seed is the Word of God. If the heart holds it fast, it will bring forth fruit unto perfection. (12) And those by the way side are they that have heard; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. Here the Word is not held fast so that it bears fruit; this is a miscarrying womb. The heart is the womb that brings forth the fruit, just like the womb of a woman has to hold fast the seed in order for that seed to come to birth. (1Jn.3:9) Whosoever is begotten (the word “begotten” here is the same word for “born”) of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him…. In other words, it stays, it's being held fast, it “abideth in him.” He cannot sin because he is born of God. So, when the seed abides, it can come to birth, it can bring the fruit to perfection. And we know, since the seed is the Word of God, and Jesus is the Word of God, that the fruit that is born in us is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col.1:27); that is, Christ manifested in His people. We know that we were perfected at the cross, that His life was given for ours, and that we don't live anymore – Christ lives in us by faith. But as we hold fast the promise in the midst of the many trials of riches, temptations, and so on, as we hold on to the Word, that Word will bear fruit. Many times in the trial, our mind wants to revert back to the things of the world. Our mind wants to walk by sight instead of by faith, but in the trial, we have opportunity to hold on to the Word and not turn it loose, so that it bears the same fruit of Jesus Christ in us, the same faith, the same miraculous power, the same sanctifying power, manifested through His saints. When we're in the midst of the trials, we have to hold fast to the Word and cast down everything else. (2Co.10:5) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. That's the whole point: we are to hold fast to the Word and cast down every other word that empowers the curse. We must cast down the seed of the devil, which is his word and thoughts. Cast it down, cast it out of our mind. We only want the one seed that can bring forth the fruit of Christ. That's the only seed we want to accept and we have to hold fast to it, because the devil is seeking to take away the seed that's been sown in our heart. He desperately has to do that, or we will bear fruit and it will be too late. We have to “hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not.” When you're in the fiery trial and you know what the promise is, remember that promise is the seed that you have to hold to in order to bear the fruit. We don't want to have a spiritually-miscarrying womb. Remember, Jesus said, The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life (Joh.6:63). Any other word besides the Word of God is also spirit and is also life, but not the spirit and life of Christ. We don't want another life. We don't want to have “strange children,” as the prophet spoke: (Hos.5:7) “They have borne strange children”. They have to look like the father. If you have a child who looks strangely different from the father, you wonder, “Now, whose seed is this?” It wasn't the seed of the father. Well, so it is today. We read the Scriptures in order to become familiar with the Father, Jesus said, He that hath seen me hath seen the Father (Joh.14:9). In other words, Jesus manifested His Father. He was a seed which was in line with His Father, and we have to also be such a seed. The fruit in us has to also be a seed, which is in line with our Father's Word. There is an example in Leviticus 19 that points this out pretty well: (Lev.19:19) Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with two kinds of seed…. In other words, each seed brings forth after its own kind; you don't want a mixture here. I remember my father-in-law told me one time about how he planted a row of hot peppers too close to a row of bell peppers and his bell peppers became hot. I can imagine, in some cases, hot bell peppers might be pretty handy, but if you want bell peppers, you want bell peppers. What the Father is looking for is Jesus. He's not interested in anything else. He has planted that seed in His field and He wants Christ. (Joh.3:13) … No one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven…. The Lord wants Jesus, so we don't want two kinds of seed sown in our field, because this is going to be a mixture; it's not going to be the fruit of Christ. Any mixture takes away from the fruit of Christ. (Lev.19:19) … Neither shall there come upon thee a garment of two kinds of stuff mingled together. That's a good example of “putting on the works of Christ” along with putting on our own works. “Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof]” (Rom.13:14). The problem is making sure that the seed is the true seed of the Father, which is the Word of God, making sure that we hold fast to the seed, and making sure that we don't have a spiritually-miscarrying womb. Leviticus 15 speaks about that in another verse: (Lev.15:19) And if a woman have an issue, [and] her issue in her flesh be blood (notice that it doesn't say “in her body”; it purposely says, “in her flesh”), she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. This is a parable and, therefore, types and shadows. There's nothing unclean about the natural thing that this is speaking about. But the spiritual revelation here is that it's very unclean. (1Co.10:11) Now these things happened unto them by way of example; and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come. So what we see here is something concerning a miscarrying womb, because of the issue of blood, where what's in the blood represents our nature. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood…. The life, the nature, the soul (“soul” is sometimes translated in the New Testament as “nature”) has been passed on to a person through the blood of their parents. This nature of the “old man” is our enemy; it's the whole problem we're fighting against. It's struggling with us and there's a war going on, but the Blood of Jesus represents His life, His nature, His soul, and bearing fruit is to bear the fruit of the Spirit and soul of Christ in us. That is what the Word manifesting itself in us is all about. We see here that, if a woman has an issue of blood in her flesh, this is impurity. Why? Because the blood of the old life washes away the seed, and the seed doesn't bear fruit. The woman is not fertile. In fact, it says here that she will be impure for seven days. She's not going to be fertile until the eighth day. The eighth day is a new beginning. So in a spiritual way (the verse is not talking about natural women), the “women” spoken of refers to sects and divisions of God's people, as Scripture speaks about them. (Isa.4:1) And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name…. These “women” are the seven churches doing their own thing. Women can also be local churches. (2Ti.3:5) Holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof: from these also turn away. (6) For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, (7) ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. So they're studying, studying, studying. They continue receiving seed, but they're never coming to the knowledge of the truth. It happens all the time. “Silly women,” as the Scripture calls them, these sects of God's people who don't grow up in Him are led captive by these men making disciples of themselves. (Lev.15:19) … She shall be in her impurity seven days…. (Mat.15:6) … Ye have made void (“of no effect”) the word of God because of your tradition. We see from this that the blood of the woman represents her carnal nature, by which she rejects the seed of Christ (the Word of God), the seed that is to bring forth the life and nature and fruit of the Husband. The Jews were doing just that. They were like a menstruating woman, who were not going to bring forth fruit, because their old nature had determined that they were going to walk after their traditions – those things that were pleasing to their natural life and to their flesh. Therefore, when the Word of God comes along, which sometimes is crucifying to the “old man,” they reject it. It gets washed away by their own nature. Jesus rebuked them and He told them, Not that which entereth into the mouth defileth the man; but that which proceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man (Mat.15:11). Their thinking was coming out of their mouth. That was what was defiling them because they were rejecting the true Word of God. They were making of no effect the Word of God by their tradition, making the seed ineffectual in bringing forth any fruit. (Lev.15:19) And if a woman have an issue, [and] her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. Note that the word used here for “unclean” is the same word for “defiled.” Remember Revelation 14:4: “the firstfruits unto God and unto the Lamb.” It says they “were not defiled with women.” This is talking about them not being defiled with those sects of God's people who are rejecting the true Seed of God. If we're not holding fast the Word, then we're washing it away with our own unclean, fallen nature. (Lev.17:11) For the life of the flesh is in the blood…. As we read on down, we see: (Lev.15:24) And if any man lie with her, and her impurity be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days…. Well, we know who it is who “lieth” with these women. It is those who are supposed to be sowing the Seed of the Lord. Paul said, For though ye have ten thousand tutors in Christ, yet [have ye] not many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I begat you through the gospel (1Co.4:15). In other words, Paul sowed the Seed of the Lord God, and it brought forth the fruit of Jesus in those early disciples, and so on. But we see here that those who lie with the woman who was not willing to give up her old life, to give fertile ground to the seed, then that man is unclean, too. (2Ti.3:6) For of these are they that creep into houses, and take captive silly women laden with sins, led away by divers lusts, (7) ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Jesus said the same thing, “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to the rest in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand” (Luk.8:10). Jesus wasn't going to sow the seed in that infertile ground. He wasn't going to give the true Word of God to those people who had no respect for it, and who would just wash it away, like throwing pearls before swine. It's that same way today. The true Word of God will not be received by many apostate Christians, and a person wastes their time trying to give it to them. Those apostate Christians will disrespect God's Word and will cast it to the ground. So the woman with an issue is going to stay in her impurity and the man who sows seed in her is going to stay in his impurity seven days. These people have the unscriptural idea that they're going to escape by flying away and miss the seven days of the Tribulation. They're not going to do it. (Lev.15:28) But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. We're coming to the time when people need to be cleansed so that at the end of the seven days (the seven-year Tribulation), they'll be ready to meet the Lord. (Lev.15:29) And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tent of meeting. (30) And the priest shall offer the one for a sin-offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her before the Lord for the issue of her uncleanness. (31) Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness, that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is in the midst of them. Now we see here that we're talking about a defiling of a tabernacle, a body of God's people, a temporary temple of God's people. This tabernacle is being defiled because they've cast the Word of God to the ground. They have been caught up in the traditions of men, so that their own opinions and their own ideas are more important to them than receiving the Seed of the Word. I'm reminded of this: (Isa.32:9) Rise up, ye women that are at ease, [and] hear my voice; ye careless daughters, give ear unto my speech. (10) For days beyond a year shall ye be troubled, ye careless women; for the vintage shall fail, the ingathering shall not come. The ingathering harvest (the Rapture) that they're all expecting to be at the beginning of the seven days won't come until the end of the seven days. Why? Because they're defiled. The vintage did not bear fruit. (11) Tremble, ye women that are at ease; be troubled, ye careless ones; strip you, and make you bare (in other words, take off those mixed garments), and gird [sackcloth] upon your loins. And when does He say they are going to bear fruit? (15) Until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be esteemed as a forest. The wilderness is called the Tribulation in Revelation chapters 12 and 17. The “firstfruits” in Revelation 14 “were not defiled with women.”  So we see these women who are defiled, have to go through the Great Tribulation in order to be purified. God's plan is going to be fulfilled. For those of you who are walking undefiled now, that's great, and praise be to God when we come to respect God's Word above our own thinking and the traditions of men. It's going to take a pure Word. Jesus said to these people, “ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world” (Joh.8:23). We can't have the mixture of two seeds in our field. There can only be one seed that is not of this world and brings forth the fruit of Jesus Christ. Remember the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares? The word there for “seed” is the word sperma, letting us know this is not just talking about plants here. The Word, sperma, is what's going to bring forth this wheat. When a person sows good seed in their field, the Lord's sperma is there. Who sowed those tares among the wheat? Jesus said, “an enemy hath done this” (Mat.13:28). There's not supposed to be two seeds sown in the same field. The field, here is in the Kingdom of God on this earth. But in our life, it's up to us to make sure we cast down the bad seed, which is, “imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God” (2Co.10:5). Receive only and hold fast to the good seed because the good seed will bring forth the birth. In Luke 8, we're told, (Luk.8:15) … that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. I pointed out that in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, the Lord used the word sperma. The sperma only brings forth after the nature of the Father, so that's using a human analogy. Jesus does the same thing again in this chapter: (21) But he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these that hear the word of God, and do it. Jesus also said, (Mat.7:24) Every one therefore that heareth these words of mine, and doeth them, shall be likened unto a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And He said that the wind and the storm and the rain that comes will not tear down that house because it's built on the Rock (verse 25). So we see that to be Jesus' brother, we must be from the same Father and through the same “mother.” And to be His mother, we must bear the same fruit. We must bear the fruit of Jesus Christ. His fruit must be born in us. We must hold fast to the Seed of the Word of God, so that His fruit will be born in us. When the disciples came to Him and they said, “Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee” (Luk.8:20), He responded, (Mar.3:33) “Who is my mother and my brethren?” He always wanted to bring things to a spiritual level. (34) And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren! (35) For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. We have another example in Luke 11 of a woman on a natural level who came to Jesus: (Luk.11:27) And it came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck. (28) But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. This woman could have been a Mariolater, of Mariolatry in our day. It was important to her to know who the physical mother of Jesus was, but He said, “No, that's not important,” because God could have picked anybody to do that, in that she was the mother of His flesh, not the mother of His spiritual “man.” The important thing is that this parable is fulfilled in our day. Who should bring forth Christ now? Those who hear the Word of God and keep it. So when we think about the mother of Jesus, Jesus applies this to us. In Isaiah 7, we see this parable: (Isa.7:14) Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign (The word “sign” here is owth and it means “omen,” which is a sign of something to come. Now this is the sign of something to come.): behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son…. How is it that Mary was a sign of something to come? Most importantly, she was a virgin. There was no seed of man; it was the seed of God that brought forth the fruit of Jesus Christ in her. In Revelation 12, we see what appears to be a virtuous woman with the 12 stars around her head, standing on the moon (in other words, reflecting the light of the Son), and she's clothed with the sun (she has put on the Lord Jesus Christ), and she's bringing forth, or birthing, the “man-child.” So, that woman must be a virgin. Just to fulfill the type and the shadow, she has to be a group of people who are rejecting the word of man. They're rejecting the seed, or sperma, of man. She must be a virgin. So, therefore, in these end-times, at the time of the birthing of the man-child, there is a group of people who are rejecting the seed of men. There are two things about that little parable in Revelation 12: one, I think, that is individual and the other that is corporate. Each one of us, as the mother of Christ, must be rejecting the seed of man: what man has to say, what man has to think, what this man in whom we walk thinks and believes with his sight and with his feelings, and so on. We're to reject those things in order to believe, to stand on, and to hold fast to only the Word of God, so that it bears fruit. Corporately, there is a body of people who are at this time rejecting the words of man, the seeds of man, and they will bring forth a corporate man-child who is the firstfruits of those who walk in the steps of Jesus Christ in the coming days. We see here that this sign is that they have to be a virgin: (14) … A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel (God with us). Jesus wasn't just with them; He's just as much with us. He is still Immanuel, God with us. In fact, every Christian carries Jesus, as God, with them, because they're all pregnant with Jesus. They have all been pregnant with Jesus because of the Word of God, to which they highly respect and hold fast. They're going to bring forth His fruit. In Luke 1, we see the story of Mary, which is that sign. The angel Gabriel came and appeared to Mary, saying to her, (Luk.1:28) … Hail, thou that art highly favored (or, indued with grace), the Lord [is] with thee. This is very similar to what we saw about “Immanuel” or “God with us.” “The Lord” here is the word kurios, which is “lord” or “master,” and is used all through the New Testament. The Will of the Lord (Who is “God with us”) is being fulfilled through the type and shadow of Mary in His church and in His people, because everyone who hears and does the Word of God is like Mary. They are like His mother. Then Gabriel says, (30) … Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor (or grace) with God. Mary wasn't the person that a lot of Mariolatry religions want to make her out to be. She had to have grace; she had to be saved; she had to be filled with the Spirit, and she had other children after Jesus, after she fulfilled this type. It goes on: (31) And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb (this is the Word of the Lord going through the angel Gabriel, God's leading messenger angel), and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (which originally meant “YHWH is salvation”). He is “Immanuel” – “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14) but the promise to Mary, as the mother of Jesus, was that she would bear the fruit of Jesus. This was the promise, and that's the promise to us, too. The Bible says the same thing about us, that we will bear His fruit: (32) He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. Once again, a firstfruit is coming forth in this day who will sit in the throne of David. It is Jesus Christ in a body of David, just like it happened in Luke at that time. (33) And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (34) And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Well, there it is. We see she had not known a man; it was not a man's seed that would bring forth this Son of God, obviously. Each seed brings forth after its own kind. If it's the seed of man, the only thing she could have would be man. Jesus said, “Ye are from beneath; I am from above” (Joh.8:23). He is born from above. No seed of man can bring forth anything from above, and so, she knew not a man. She was a virgin. (Luk.1:35) And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and the power (dunamis) of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also [it says in the Numerics, “that which is born”] shall be called holy, the Son of God. That's a better translation than in the ASV text, which reads, (35) … wherefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God. (36) And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren. The next verse is very enlightening, especially in the original wording, which says, (37) For no word from God shall be void of power. You see, Mary had a Word from God, a Word that by itself could bring forth in her the Son of God. Now I know some translations say, “Nothing shall be impossible with God,” but the word here is “no word (rhema) from God shall be void of power (paI dunateo).” “Impossible” does not represent the original wording there. Everything that God says has the power; it is the Seed that has the power to bring forth itself in a fertile womb. So the Word of God in our heart has the power to bring forth Jesus Christ in us. It is His sperma. It has the power. All we have to do is give it fertile ground. We are Mary if we give the Word of God, which comes down out of heaven, which is not from man, fertile ground. And what did Mary say? (38) And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word…. In other words, she was in agreement with the Word of God. “Let it be so, Lord.” “Just as You say.” “I agree with that.” “I accept that, Lord.” Many people today are just washing the seed away. They argue with the Word of God, thinking that they have a right to their own opinion. We don't have a right to have our own opinion – we're dead. Dead men don't have their own opinions. We died with Christ and He now lives in us. We have His opinion, so believe what He says. Mary was in agreement with the Word that came from the Lord. Every word from God is powerful. It has the power to bring forth what it says. (38) … And the angel departed from her. She said, “be it unto me according to thy” rhema, and he “departed from her.” (39) And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; (40) and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth. (41) And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; (42) and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb. And the same is true today: blessed is the fruit of the womb of this natural life that brings forth the fruit of Christ. (43) And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me? (44) For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. (45) And blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. The things that were spoken to her from the Lord, the Word of God, shall not be void of power. And, because she believed, there was a fulfillment of the words of God – all the words of God. Many Christians believe that these words of God are just naturally going to be fulfilled. However, they won't be fulfilled if a person doesn't have faith. The Word of God has power, but Mary had to agree with what was promised to her by the Word of the Lord: (45) And blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. Yes, the Lord says, For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified (Heb.10:14), but there may never be a fulfillment of that for us, unless we believe, as Mary did. Belief gives fertile ground to the seed, which will bear fruit when a person agrees with it, accepts it and walks in it by faith. We fight a battle with the devil, who has an ally, the old carnal nature, working with him and against us. The devil can steal the seed because he has agreement in the carnal nature, which washes the seed away. The carnal nature won't let that seed be held fast, so that it can bear fruit. We're like Mary only if we hold to the Word of God, as 2 Thessalonians says: (1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. Why? “[O]ur testimony unto you was believed.” Jesus is coming to be glorified in His people because that testimony of “Christ in you, the hope of glory” will be believed “in that day.” This is talking about the time immediately before the coming of the Lord; look at the text. So, right before the coming of the Lord, God's people are once again going to believe in the Gospel that has been spoken to the “woman” church. Remember what Jesus said: (Mat.9:29) … According to your faith be it done unto you. (Mat.8:13) … As thou hast believed, [so] be it done unto thee. Do you believe that the seed of the promise of the Word of God can bring forth Jesus Christ in you? If you do, it will happen. We hear all the time in the churches that we can't be perfect, but there's no such verse in Scripture. We're going to read over and over in the Bible what it has to say about perfection before we're through with this teaching. What we have to agree with is, “Okay, Lord. You said it and I believe it. If, at the cross, You perfected me forever, as Hebrews 10 says, then I accept that Word. Be it unto Thy handmaid, according to the Word of the Lord.” Believe it; receive it. If God says it, it's yours. When you believe it, (Luk.1:45) Blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. We believe it. We receive it. In Colossians, we read, (Col.1:25) Whereof I was made a minister, according to the dispensation (or, the word is actually “stewardship”) of God which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God. In other words, even though God has made this promise, He sends forth ministers (a messenger) to share the truth of this revelation with us, just like the messenger who came to Mary. And it's the same message of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Now, when we believe that, blessed are we who believe, for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to us from the Lord. Some people say, “Well, I don't believe that. We believe we're sinners saved by grace.” Now that's not in the Bible! That's a tradition. The Bible says, “He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb.10:14). “Sanctified” means “separated from the world.” If we are separated from the world, then we believe what God says: (Col.1:25) … (A stewardship) of God, which was given me to you-ward, to fulfil the word of God, (26) [even] the mystery which hath been hid for ages and generations; but now hath it been manifested to his saints. So, in the time of Paul, the wonderful revelation that he was about to share was made known. And, though they lost it shortly after that, in our day, once again, it is being made known. And what is that wonderful revelation? (27) To whom God was pleased to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We have no hope of glory outside of Christ in us. The seed brings forth the fruit of Jesus Christ. The part of us that was original, this old man, this old life, is just the dirt in which the seed was sown, but the seed is what brings forth Christ. Each of us must hold fast the seed and not be a miscarrying womb. (27) … Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Col.1:28) whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ. In other words, this is talking about manifestation. We preach the wonderful mystery of “Christ in you,” the holding fast of the seed of the Word, as the mother of the Son of God – being manifested in us and soon to be seen of men. “Present every man perfect in Christ.” Some may say, “But I thought we were already perfect?” Yes, we are by faith, and now Scripture is talking about manifesting that faith. Faith is the substance of the thing hoped for while the evidence is not yet seen, so faith gives us this substance, as a position in Christ, until the manifestation comes. It's like believing for a healing – it's a whole lot better to get one. The faith is just a meantime substance. God wants us to manifest that healing, that deliverance, that provision to us, and that is Christ in us! That is what we hold fast, what we're not shaken away from. We're not going to let the devil steal it from us. It's our right in Jesus Christ. Amen! Paul goes on to say, (29) whereunto I labor also, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. The Lord is working in us to bring this to pass, as the Lord was working through Paul, His minister, to share this wonderful mystery, this revelation with the disciples in those days. Now we're entering into a time when God is going to share this wonderful revelation in these days with His people. He's going to work mightily through His ministers and He's going to work mightily through His people to manifest Christ in them. It's a wonderful revelation and it's a wonderful fulfillment! Christ is once again going to walk in this earth because God's people are going to believe. (2Th.1:10) When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be marvelled at in all them that believed (because our testimony unto you was believed) in that day. Paul was saying that he didn't think it was completely believed in his day: “Our testimony unto you was believed … in that day.” In other words, God is going to share special grace with His people to believe once again this mystery of “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Glory to God! We are the mother of Christ! We hear and do the Word of God. We're not hearers deluding ourselves, beholding our natural face in the mirror: (2Co.3:18) But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit. We accept from the beginning that Christ now lives in us, that we no longer live. We accept it by faith, and because we accept it by faith, God says it is going to be manifested. So glory be to God! This is the perfection that we have in Christ and it will be manifested through us as we abide in Christ. This is “that perfection.” Also, we have this word: (Luk.8:14) And that which fell among the thorns, these are they that have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of [this] life, and bring no fruit to perfection. The word “perfection” here is a strange word not used anywhere else in the Bible. It's the word telesphoreo. There's a common word for “perfection” – teleios – but this word is telesphoreo and it means “to bring to perfection” or “end in view.” In other words, we have to see the end from the beginning. We have to call these things that be not as though they were. We're “beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” (to look in the mirror and see Jesus; that's having farsightedness) and “are transformed into” that “same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord the Spirit.” And Paul prefaces that with, “But we all, with unveiled face,” so this telesphoreo we see from the beginning. We're seeing it, accepting it and we're walking toward it, and we're going to receive it by faith. Isn't it awesome? This is God's promise to us! Oh, praise be to God! Listen, saints, get into the Word of God. It's the only thing that brings forth Jesus. Love the Lord. Don't be distracted. Cast down the words of man.

Welcome back to In the Word with Malcolm Webber!In Colossians 1 verses 24-28, Paul reveals to the Colossians the “mystery” of God — that the Gentiles would one day enter God's covenant, and be united with Christ Himself. Find out more in the first part of Malcolm's message on Colossians 1:24-28, “Christ in You, the Hope of Glory.”In the Word with Malcolm Webber is a weekly podcast featuring selected teachings from Dr. Webber's over 40 years of ministry. Find more teachings, along with books, courses, tools, and other resources from Dr. Webber at our website.Related Resources from LeaderSource* Book: The Preeminence and All-Sufficiency of Jesus Christ* Book: The Glorious Bride of Christ: An Exposition of Ephesians* For More Teaching on Common Errors: Malcolm's Musings* Email Course: Who Jesus Christ IsNew to the series? Start here:More messages from Malcolm: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit leadersource.substack.com

In Colossians 3:1-4 we find the call to set our minds on the things above, but what are those things? How do we set our minds on them?

In Colossians 2:16-23, Pastor Abraham walks through the passage where Paul describes how Christ is the fulfillment of the traditions practiced in the Old Testament. How Christ is the substance that the shadows preceded. Find related discussion questions here: cbcnyc.org/sermon-discussion-questions

Do we give God the Father enough credit for spiritual success in our lives and the lives of others? In Colossians 1:3-8, the Apostle Paul writes about giving thanks to God the Father for the spiritual fruit reported among the Colossian believers.Main Passages: Colossians 1:3-8; John 13:34-35; Isaiah 55:10-11East Memorial Student Ministry | Pastor Mathew Wronski | March 19th, 2025

In Colossians 2:9-15 we find the full umbrella of atonement described; a debt needed to be paid and our Savior condescended in His great love to take on the penalty and payment of that debt.

In Colossians 2 we find a macro-perspective on recognizing false teachers/teaching, as well as several micro-level identifiers. Join us as we examine these timeless warnings for the Church.

In Colossians 2:2 we find an absolutely incredible word in the original Greek that should deepen our understanding of, appreciation for, and zeal for the church. All of which must lead us in praise of God. Join us as we study Scripture.

As a Jesus Follower, the Greatest Witness for the Gospel that You Can Give Is for Others to See Jesus IN You MESSAGE SUMMARY: We live in a hurting world, but God wants more for you. You need to live as a Jesus Follower in whatever you do – at home; in your job; in the way that you drive; and in the way that you treat your friends. To achieve God's desire for your life, you must stay in fellowship and communion with God; and you must let God work in your life. In Colossians 3:17, Paul challenges us: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”. If you live your life, in all places and situations, in the name of Jesus, you will live a better life in our hurting world. As Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:31: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.". Remember, the greatest witness for the Gospel, as a follower of Jesus, that you can give is for others to see Jesus in you.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Colossians 3:16-17; Matthew 21:21-22; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalms 43:1-5. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Essentials Part 2 – More than Just a Man” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In this week's message, we focused on the idea that the journey, or "the means," is just as important as the outcome. Transformation in Christ is a process that requires setting our minds on things above, letting go of earthly desires, and actively renewing our character. In Colossians 3:1-15, Paul urges believers to put to death sinful behaviors and instead clothe themselves with virtues like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Growth occurs during the process of following Christ, not only in reaching an end goal.

In Colossians 2:14 NLT it says "He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross". In today's episode, Pastor Dom goes solo as he gives an update about his life and shares on the power of redemption.For more info about Pastor Dom and the current church he is pastoring use the link below.Desert Sky Baptist!!!Street Talk Theology has a new sponsor!!!Logos Christian Academy is the proud new sponsor of Street Talk Theology. As Casa Grande's premier classical education school, Logos Christian Academy teaches from a biblical worldview, equipping students both academically and spiritually.They are passionate about teaching students HOW to think, instead of what to think. To find out how to enroll, or to simply learn more, visit logosclassical.org

In Colossians 4:2, Paul, ordained by the Spirit, wrote to the Church: "Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." We've learned a lot through the past 7 weeks of Breakthrough Prayer. Many of us have seen it with our own eyes! Many of us are still waiting. Regardless, we must be watchful with thanksgiving. Why is that important? Primarily because God deserves it - and he is still overseeing the direction and answers to those prayers. But gratitude is key because, as Brother David Steindl-Rast notes, “The root of joy is gratefulness…. It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” It pleases God when we serve him with obedience and joy! Listen in to this great conversation - and a clue to the next series!. ▶️ Nate's Message on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@roswellgrace8562/videos

Sometimes, we miss out on some of the best blessings God has for us with our own sense of obligation. In Colossians 2:6, Paul reminded us what Jesus provides is so good, so you don't need anything else else to enjoy an unbroken, thriving relationship with God. Paul goes on to share another hollow and deceptive practice that religious people can fall into: legalism.