TALKING IS EVERYTHING. Colossians 3:8; 4:6.

Talking is Everything. Nothing will have a bigger impact on your life and future than your conversations. Are you a good talker? Are you a good listener? First, let me recommend we all become better listeners. Make an effort.  PRACTICE LISTENING.

“Let each one of you be QUICK TO HEAR, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” James 1:19.

But we must also become better talkers. Jesus sends us to light the darkness. We are His ambassadors of love and hope. But we can only share love and hope if people are willing to listen to us. We must earn their attention. We must live in a way that makes them curious to know more about us; our life and words should compel them to listen. Words matter—yes, the actual words you choose. They leave an impression.

“You must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth” Colossians 3:8.[1] 

Paul then leaves the subject of conversation and goes on to provide a great deal of advice about how we should conduct ourselves as believers. But in the next chapter he returns to the question of speech:

“Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person” Colossians 4:6.

Does Paul expect you to use a professor’s vocabulary? Or to speak like a master orator? Does he expect Christians to weave famous quotes and funny anecdotes into their conversations? Does Paul expect you to talk like Shakespeare, Perry Mason, or Walter Cronkite? No. Be yourself. There’s something dishonest about trying too hard anyway.

Paul simply asks two things of our speech:

(1) put away anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language, and

(2) speak graciously, seasoning grace into your words as a chef might season salt into a meal, responding to each person with some sensitivity.

In other words, clean up your words and talk to people with kindness and grace.

Can you do that? Can you stop using questionable language? And can you season grace into your conversations, responding to people with sensitivity and kindness?

Remember, not only will good speech bless those around you, but it will also bless you. Few things will have a greater impact on your future than your skill in conversation. Start by listening well and cleaning up the language.

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[1] By the way, lest you think Paul is obsessed with naughty words, the list that culminates with filthy language begins with other things: “Put to death … sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry” Colossians 3:5.

“I’M NOT RELIGIOUS. I’M SPIRITUAL.” Colossians 2:3,8-9.

It’s the latest cliché: “I’m a spiritual person.”

I’d like to ask, “How is your spirituality different from someone who reads poetry while sipping coffee and admiring nature? What is ‘spiritual’ about it?”

Most who claim “spirituality,” focus on a mindset: they appreciate beauty, they think about gratitude, and they acknowledge there may or (may not) be a higher power.

But being “spiritual” means you talk with SPIRITS. So to whom are you talking? I talk to Jesus. Some of these ‘spiritual’ people find Jesus too old-fashioned, so they prefer other spirits, such as those who tell them they can do or be whatever they want. “Follow your heart” is one of the favorite messages—and all the while the spirits are whispering into your heart selfish messages that will destroy you. Besides your own voice, there are only two voices that speak to people: God’s voice and the deceptive voices of God’s enemy. Those are lying spirits.

Jesus is the God of the Universe, infinitely more powerful than the enemy and his minions.

“All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ…. Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. For all the fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ” Colossians 2:3, 8-9.

Do not be deceived. If someone tells you being ‘spiritual’ means burning incense, playing chill music, and maybe sipping a bit of coffee while you watch the sunrise, they are wrong. Those things are not evil, but they are incomplete. Enjoy the sunrise! And say thank you to the God who made it. Enjoy aromas and good music and talk to God about His amazing creation while you do.

As I keep saying:

GRATITUDE IS THE SECRET TO HAPPINESS. It’s not about the stars, the art, or the music. Those things can be amazing, but deep joy will only come when you worship God and talk with Him about the amazing things with which He has blessed you.

HAPPINESS IS TAKING YOUR THANKS TO THE ONE WHO DESERVES IT.

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Be Careful What You Consume—With Your Mind. Colossians 2:8

Remember the kosher dietary laws—telling the Hebrews what they can and cannot put in their mouths?

There are similar rules for our minds. We are not supposed to just open up and swallow everything.

“See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” Colossians 2:8.

Did you know you can become a captive to ungodly ideas? That is a risk every day. Do you watch TV? Listen to the songs of lost people? Read their books? Of course. We all do. Embrace their ideas. Understand them so you can prove them to be empty and point the lost to the better ideas of Christ.

But don’t be taken in. Don’t become a captive to bad ideas. Seriously. That is a risk. The devil never announces his arrival. He comes in like a thief—unseen—and he feeds you half truths. He does it to all of us.

The only way to defeat the lies is to study God’s Word, God’s Amazing Book of Truth. Read it. Skip around or read it in order. Pick it up and try something at random. But read it. Open it and give your Creator and Savior, the “Lover of your soul”* a few minutes to speak to you every day.

Someone once said of the Bible: “This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.” Don’t allow sin to keep you away from the Good Book. Spend a few minutes reading it. If you can’t find the time, ask yourself how the devil feels about that. It’s his number one goal. If he can keep you from reading the Bible, he has neutralized you; you are no threat to him. Don’t you want to be a player, to get off the sidelines and make a difference? It takes a daily commitment to God’s word.

God, give us a passionate hunger for your word! Help us read it, study it, memorize it, devour it! Remove deceptions and empty philosophies from our minds and replace them with your Truth. Use the word to keep us from sin. Make your word part of the way we think on every subject. Use us to change the thinking of people around us. Help us point them to you. Help us submit our minds and all of our thoughts to the authority of your word. Help us overcome the inertia of doing nothing. Help us begin new habits of reading and studying your word. Even if it’s only five minutes a day. May your word transform our thoughts and beliefs every day. We don’t need the junk food of the world. Bless us with a hunger for the MEAT of scripture. Fill our minds with your truth and use it to change our lives so we can get off the sidelines and get in the game and make a difference for your kingdom.

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  • “Lover of My Soul” is a lyric from a 1738 hymn by John Wesley. The phrase has recently turned up in songs by Hillsong Worship and Kari Jobe.

NOW WHAT? Colossians 1:15-20; 3:1-4:2.

We know that Paul said “to live is Christ” Philippians 1:21.

If so—NOW WHAT? How do we honor Christ now that we know the truth? Do we obey rules? Or do we “do a good turn daily” as the Boy Scouts say? Or do we smile more and convince everyone we are happy? Paul elaborates in his letter to the Colossians, a treatise on Christology. First, he explains the greatness of Christ, then he shows how we should respond:

JESUS IS GOD ABOVE ALL:

(Read what follows slowly–isn’t this the best summary of the attributes of Jesus? It’s incredible.)

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness of God to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself” Colossians 1:15-20.

THEREFORE, LIVE THIS WAY:

“So if you have been raised with the Messiah, seek what is above… Set your minds on things above, not things on earth…. Put to death … sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.… Also put away anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth. Do not lie…. Let the message of Christ dwell in you richly… and whatever you do, do it in His name. When you work, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men…. Devote yourselves to prayer, staying alert in it with thanksgiving” Colossians 3:1-4:2.

Paul does NOT give us rules, but a new way of THINKING:

Think of yourself as ALIVE to Christ.

Think of yourself as DEAD to sin. Put to death lust, anger, laziness.

Work enthusiastically so everyone can see you are serving Christ. Pray hard, be thankful.

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Philemon: the Book About Slavery. Philemon 8.

For centuries abolitionists searched the Bible hoping to prove that slavery was wrong. But many topics in the Bible are not addressed in neat little essays the way we might have hoped. Nevertheless, one book that does address slavery is Philemon.

Philemon is a private letter to a close friend. This letter is not the usual epistle meant to be read in all the churches. But perhaps because Paul is the author, the once-personal letter became part of the canon of scripture.

Here’s the story: Philemon lives in Colosse where he once owned a slave named Onesimus. Onesimus escaped from Philemon and made his way to Rome. In Rome, Onesimus met Paul and Paul led him to faith in Christ. This was a time when prisoners were barely fed and were forced to rely on friends outside the prison to provide them with food, clothing, and all their basic needs. Onesimus proved to be a big help to the wrongly imprisoned apostle.

When Paul learned that Onesimus had escaped from Philemon, Paul faced a dilemma. On the one hand, Philemon had a legal claim to Onesimus, one punishable by the death of Onesimus. The loss of an escaped slave was the loss of a significant asset. On the other hand, Paul, “an elderly man” in chains (Philemon 9), believes Onesimus can do more good for the kingdom by serving Paul in Rome than he could do serving Philemon in Colosse.

Paul had three options. Paul could ignore the matter, telling Onesimus “stay with me in Rome and this will be our little secret.” Or Paul could write Philemon—his good friend and brother in Christ—ordering him to release his claim on Onesimus giving permission for the fugitive to remain in Paul’s service. Or Paul could write Philemon and appeal to him in love, asking him to agree to release Onesimus into Paul’s service.

Paul chose the third option. Paul wants this to be Philemon’s decision. Paul wants Philemon to voluntarily donate to God whatever money he may have invested in this slave. So Paul writes Philemon a letter—and sends Onesimus to hand-deliver the letter to his former owner!

Paul begins by praising his god-fearing friend Philemon for his good works in the kingdom. Then he reminds Philemon that as the older apostle, Paul could command Philemon, but he will not.

“I, Paul, as an elderly man and a prisoner of Christ Jesus, appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. I fathered him [led him to faith] while I was in chains. Once he was useless to you [having escaped] but now he is useful both to you and to me. I am sending him back to you as a part of myself. I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent … So if you consider me a partner, accept him as you would me. And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account” Philemon 9-14, 17-18.

We can learn several things from the book of Philemon. Paul seems to believe that you catch more flies with honey. That is, it pays to be nice. Paul also shows us the importance of being an encourager, as he praises Philemon: “the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother” Philemon 7.

But surely the most important thing about Philemon is that the book addresses slavery. Paul asks Philemon to release his claim on Onesimus, and then he takes it one step further, calling that the right thing to do.

“Although I have great boldness through Christ to command you to do what is right, I appeal to you instead on the basis of love” Philemon 8-9.

When Paul refers to his ability to “command [Philemon] to do what is right,” Paul implies it is right to release slaves. Although millions have wished he would have, Paul did not provide a lengthy argument attacking the centuries-old practice seen round the world. But he did not defend slavery either. Perhaps because this was a private letter intended for Philemon’s eyes only, Paul does not provide a lengthy discussion on the abolition of slavery, but rather a mere sentence or two applicable only to the relationship between the two converts to Christianity, the new brothers in Christ, Philemon and Onesimus.

God, give us hearts that love everyone, from “the small to the great” and give us your wisdom so we can show compassion to those in prison, to slaves and former slaves, to the lost and to the saved. May “the hearts of the saints be refreshed” by our love, compassion, and service.

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HOW DO PEOPLE DESCRIBE YOU? Philippians 4:5.

We spend years telling children to ignore other children. Don’t listen to the mean words, and definitely don’t let them convince you. (When boys in middle school call you ‘gay,’ for example, imagine how preposterous that is: are you going to allow people completely ignorant in all areas of sexuality to influence your adult choices?)

There is never a good reason to believe hateful, judgmental people. Reject the lies of bullies and your enemy, the ‘Accuser of the Brethren.’

But sometimes as an adult, you should do what you can to create positive opinions around you. As a high-school teacher, I was once accused by a ‘Karen’-of a mom of having an inappropriate opinion of her daughter. But the teachers and administrators I worked with knew that was ridiculous. (I have never been more grateful that my co-workers thought well of me!)

The principals actually told her, “Ma’am, Mr. Wales is the LAST person you should be worried about….” Can you imagine how that made me feel? It was true, of course, but what a relief!

When I left Richard White’s office after three years working for him as a contract attorney, he said he would miss my “smiling face and cheerful disposition.” I was so pleased to know that he thought that of me. That was a true compliment.

What do peers and co-workers say about you?

As I have gotten older, my attitude about work has only improved, because I have spent just enough time jobless to be super-thankful for employment. I am thankful and grateful and so pleased to be here. And I know that comes across with people in the office. And as a Christian, I need to take that attitude with me wherever I go.

“Let your graciousness be known to everyone—so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps” Philippians 4:5 (Holman & the Voice translations).

We are called to be a light to the world—to show them the way to Jesus. There should be something attractive about our lives, a joy that is not extinguished by difficult circumstances or worries. “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven” Matthew 5:16.

The easiest way to improve your attitude and increase your joy is to count your blessings.

What are ten things for which you are thankful?

What are twenty things you like about your difficult class or job or group project?

What are thirty things that you need to thank God for today? Write them down.

Like the song says: “Count your blessings, name them one-by-one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.”

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When You Need Courage. Proverbs 28:1.

Have you ever been afraid? Fear is a difficult emotion. Sometimes fear is vague, dull, and unfocused: you feel anxious, but you’re not sure why. Other times it is acute: you know EXACTLY what you’re afraid of! Fear, whether in the form of fright, worry, anxiety, terror, or dread, affects everyone. What is the answer?

Prayer is answer number one—talk to God about your fears and He will give you peace, as it says in Philippians 4:5-6.

But there is another answer: INTEGRITY.

If you have integrity, it will fill you with courage.

How? Because when you have integrity, you are committed to doing the right thing no matter what. You may be afraid of some consequence, but integrity means you care more about doing the right thing than about your own fear. People with integrity push through their fears all the time, they do the right thing, and God blesses them. In the process, they grow more courageous. Thus, integrity breeds courage.

“The wicked flee when no one is pursuing them, but the righteous are as bold as a lion” Proverbs 28:1.

Are you as bold as a lion? If you have integrity, you will be! But the converse is also true: if you do not have integrity, you will be afraid all the time: the wicked flee when no one is pursuing them.

So if fear is ever an issue for you, whether terror or worry, increase your commitment to integrity. Total integrity—total HONESTY—will help you grow more courage! (This advice is for normal fears. Some chronic fear, particularly the anxiety associated with clinical depression can be so entrenched only one-on-one counseling will bring true relief.)

God, help us have integrity. Make us honest in all that we do. Help us work hard for our pay. Help us be honest in our work and honest in our academics. Help us go the extra mile rather than taking shortcuts that are nothing more than high-tech cheating. Mold us into people of the utmost integrity. And use that commitment to integrity to grow more courage in us. Make each of us AS BOLD AS A LION. Thank you!

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Do you ever feel discouraged? Philippians 4:8-9

Sometimes we feel discouraged or depressed because of the stories of hopelessness and despair so common in today’s entertainment. God counsels us to fill our mind with good things. Are you putting good things in your mind or bad?

Consider Philippians 4:8-9:

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, THINK ON THESE THINGS. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” Philippians 4:8-9.

Are you thinking on the good, the lovely, the true? Or have you opened your mind to the corrupt, the perverse, and the evil?

Is your entertainment filled with blood, death, sin, and perversion? Do the characters believe or speak lies about God, the devil, morality, and reality?

If you fill your mind with darkness, then darkness, despair, and hopelessness will fill your heart.

But if you fill your mind with stories about heroes, Godly people who OVERCOME, then you will be an overcomer also.

Finally, look again at verse 9 above. Paul writes “The things you have learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.”

If you hope to have peace, follow Paul’s example. (Writing to my children, I’ll make it easier—follow my example. I’m flawed of course, but I try to read and study the Bible every morning. If you will do the same, then the God of Peace will be with you.)

There is no more powerful antidote to the poisons of pop culture than a few minutes in God’s Word.

God, teach us to protect our minds, to fill our minds and hearts with good things, to focus on things that are true, honorable, right, and pure. Fill us with a love for your word, and the hope that comes from reading it. Bring good examples into our lives, role models who love the Bible, and help us be like them. Help us to read the Word, love the Word, and memorize the Word. Fill us with your peace. And help us share that love with others. Make us role models too, showing other people the way to peace and hope.

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HUMILITY = HONOR. Philippians 2:5-11.

God honors humility.

God HIGHLY honors great humility. 

Jesus—the WORD and expression of God, the LOGOS of God—set that aside, humbled himself to become a man, a squalling infant born on the road, then nailed naked to a cross, and even submitted to the ultimate indignity of death. He took humility further than anyone, and as a result, God will honor Him more than anyone else.

Consider Philippians 2:5-11:

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although existing in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being found in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God highly exalted Him and has bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians 2:5-11.

I thought of my father when I quoted this long-memorized passage to myself today. He has no choice but to submit to the many indignities of age and Alzheimer’s. He will go downhill until his earthly story ends in the ultimate humiliation of death. And ALL our stories will end that way. But take courage—be encouraged. Have hope! Because God is storing up treasures in heaven for everything Grandpa suffers. That is my prayer for him—that every day he is storing up new treasure in heaven. (See Joni Eareckson Tada’s comment on Ephesians 3:10 here.)

But we are ALSO storing up treasures. Every humiliation, chosen or forced upon us, creates more treasure in our eternal account—where neither moth nor rust destroy. You’ll never lose that investment! And Grandpa may be “stacking bills” in heaven during these last days more than ever before in his life, because he is suffering greater humiliations than ever before in his life.

God glorified and exalted Jesus because he humbled himself. God will reward us when we humble ourselves too.

“With humility of mind, let each one of you regard others as more important than yourself” Philippians 2:3.

Be a servant today. Try to do it secretly (to prevent the motive of recognition). Be a SECRET SERVANT.

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DIGNITY vs. INDIGNITY: HUMILITY OR HUMILIATION? Psalm 22; Philippians 2:8.

Have you been mocked, scorned, or made to feel small or weak? Have you had your dignity attacked? It happens to everyone—particularly as children. And even when you are grown and strong and proud, you are not immune from indignities. You are simply fortunate to be enjoying a few years on top.

Everyone succumbs, whether during decades of aging and increasingly poor health, or simply in the moment of death itself, the ultimate indignity. Everyone loses their proud, arrogant manner. Everyone becomes vulnerable. Consider Samson when his hair was cut: he was blinded and forced to pull a millstone. The legendary strongman became a beast of burden. And Nebuchadnezzar who ruled the world lost his mind and lived as an animal for seven years, crawling, drooling, feral.

And Jesus, the God who created the heavens and the earth, suffered the greatest indignities, the greatest humiliation. He was beaten, spit on, and mocked for hours. His clothes were taken and he was nailed naked to a cross like an insect in a shadow box. The God who made men listened to men mock him:

“He saved others but cannot save himself! Come down off that cross so we may believe in you” Matthew 27:42.

David wrote Psalm 22, a prophetic psalm about the cross:

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?…. I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised, everyone who sees me mocks me; they sneer and shake their heads…. People stare at me. They divide my garments among themselves….” Psalm 22:1,6-7,17-18.

We will all be humbled. And God is OPPOSED to the proud, but gives grace to the humble, 1 Peter 5:5. (I don’t want God opposed to ME!)

The Bible says we need Jesus’s attitude, who though he was God, willingly set that aside and became a man, and even let himself be killed, “For this reason, God also highly exalted him and has bestowed on him the name that is above every name…” Philippians 2:8-9.

Humble yourself—and then God will bless you!

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