Colossians 3 Devotions by Stephen Taylor

Colossians 3:3

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

 

I have a face swap app, and the other day as I was swapping faces, God brought something to my attention. Christ did the same thing for me on the cross. He swapped Himself for me. He took the shame, guilt, and sin I would acquire and put it on His shoulders and took it to the cross!!! Thank You, Jesus!!!

 

I love how God used that silly app and this powerful verse to speak to me. It’s no longer evil me He sees, but when He looks at me, He sees Christ!!! I can now approach the throne with a humble confidence that I will be accepted and received by my Heavenly Father!

 

I love the thought of being, “hidden with Christ in God!” It’s truly a beautiful picture of how precious we are to Him and how close He wants to keep us. He doesn’t want us to stand far off, but rather be hidden in Him! He chose to draw us in with His kindness and love, not cast us out with wrath and judgment. But the choice is ours, so do we want to be secure in Him or take our chances against Him? Think about it this way: people hide their treasures to keep them safe, secure, and so they know right where to find them, and that is exactly what God has done with us. He took His only Son, the most important thing to Him, and He hid us with Him because He knew that we would be safe, secure, and loved!!!

 

Be hidden with Christ, Be found in God, Be filled with the Holy Spirit, and starting today, let’s love the way God calls us to love!!!

 

I love you all, God bless, and glory to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit!!!!

 

Colossians 3:13

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

 

The other day, I was doing laundry, and I ruined someone’s pants. They were not happy about it – LOL! At first, I felt bad because I ruined them, but as their anger continued throughout the day and into the next, it started to make me mad because they wouldn’t let it go. Then my anger turned into a little resentment. All this took place in about a 24-hour period. How quickly I went from not sinning to sinning!! How quickly I let the enemy steal my peace over a pair of pants!

 

One of the hardest things to do is extend grace, and even harder than that is extending it when the other person doesn’t even ask for it! But that’s exactly what Jesus did for us!! While we were still sinners, He died for us!! How I pray the Holy Spirit sears this into our hearts today!

 

God brought this question to my mind earlier: “What if this moment, right now, is the time that person is most apt to accept Jesus? Would you handle it differently or forgive more freely?” See, we never know where someone else is spiritually or when they will receive the Gospel, so we have to be ready at all times!! If holding on is holding you back, I pray you choose to give it to God and let Him help!!! I promise you He wants to!!!

 

I love you all, God bless, and Glory to God!!!! I forgive because I’m forgiven!! Thank You, Jesus!!! 

 

Colossians 3:13,14

For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Every one of us, from mother Theresa to Charles Manson, was born into the kingdom of darkness. Each one of us is born into the enemy's possession, and without Jesus Christ, that's where we would have died. In the NIV, it says the "dominion of darkness," and as I read that this morning, It struck me how oppressive and impossible to escape on our own that is.

When I hear the word dominion, I think dominate; when you dominate something, it has no chance against you; it's yours to do with what you want; it has no say and no way to stop you. So, when I read that, I see it as we were dominated by darkness until Christ set us free! Thank You, Jesus! He paid our debt that day on the cross, bought our freedom, and set us free!

In our world, when we pay someone's debt off, they then owe us whatever we paid for them, but not so with Christ. He paid our debt, canceled the repayment plan, and instead is taking willing hearts to be His for all eternity! Our God reigns and always will! If you haven't received His free gift, then you’re still walking in the trespass. You're a citizen of a kingdom, but it's up to you to choose which one! The kingdom of darkness or the Kingdom of Light!

Colossians 2:13,14- When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

God bless! I love you all, but His love sets you free! Glory, honor, and praise now and forever to Papa God, Jesus Christ our King, and the Holy Spirit!