For the Christian, Christ is the superior One … and our place of security and completeness is in acknowledging Him and rejoicing in His supremacy. The letter to the Colossians has a number of features relating to specific problems facing the believers there. For example, there are warnings against teachings which would encourage angel-worship and […]
What a wonderful thought! You cannot think beyond the One who ever was, who ever will be. The theme of the central section of the opening chapter of Colossians is the supremacy of Christ. In verses 15-17, Paul emphasizes that the Lord Jesus is paramount in creation. He is the first-born over all creation. He […]
Throughout our lifelong journey of faith, the Lord is fully equipped to help us achieve the spiritual maturity He desires for us. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this exquisite portrait of Christ in Colossians 1 will keep us talking for eternity. But when we step back to view the whole chapter, […]
The late Don Welborn defined a spiritual gift as: “A divine endowment and enabling of the sovereign Spirit of God in the life of the believer, given in grace for the express purpose of furthering the spiritual growth and development of other fellow saints to the glory of God.” Each line of this definition condenses […]
Predictions have power. They influence emotions, alter behavior, and even change social policies. During the 1960’s, it was predicted that the earth would become overpopulated within a few generations. It seemed there would be no end to the periodic doubling of the human population and the negative environmental impact this would bring. Rachel Carson’s 1962 […]
Most biographies are written after the subject has died. Or, in the case of an autobiography, it is written towards the end of the person’s life. However, the uniqueness of the Lord Jesus is such that His biography was written before He was born in Bethlehem of Judea. Of the countless references to Christ in […]
I first visited Sioux Falls several years ago when brother Tim Geske suggested I stop by to visit the Sax family en route between engagements in Appleton, WI and Lawrence, KS. Though that makes two sides of a triangle about 800 miles long, I agreed because I had learned that shepherds don’t always travel as […]
Whether by object lessons, rope tricks, street preaching with paint boards, or just meeting people where they’re at—for example, talking with a farmer about the laws of harvest—the enthusiasm, boldness and creativity of the believers in sharing the good news in “salty” ways motivated me to ask the Lord to show me some creative ways […]
During World War II and the Cold War which followed, Soviet Russia was well known for its skill in “reverse engineering.” That is, they were able to take apart and analyze captured enemy equipment and incorporate into their own weapons any innovations in design and performance made by enemy scientists and engineers. For example, the […]