COLOSSIANS THRU II TIMOTHY

It's Sunday morning!  I so enjoy Sundays!  I'm looking forward to teaching and preaching today.  Here are a few thoughts I had today as I read God's Holy Word: 1) WORD FILLED/SPIRIT FILLED- Though these are two different things, you cannot have one without the other.  In Ephesians we had the command to be filled with the Spirit, and then the results were given.  (Singing & Submitting)  In Colossians 3:16, it says:  "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  Now letting the word of Christ dwell in us richly seems to have the same results as being filled with the Spirit.  Singing in verse 16, and submitting in verse 18.  So Spirit filled and Word filled results in both singing and submitting.  The same results!  You can be Word filled if you read and study God's Word, and you can thereby be Spirit filled!  Go for it! 2) PRESERVED BLAMELESS- We are made blameless by Salvation, and we are kept blameless by the Savior.  1 Thessalonians 5:23  "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."   Notice that our spirit, and soul, and body are to be preserved blameless until Jesus comes.  Now, who does this... do we?  Well, the next verse says:  1 Thessalonians 5:24  "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it."   Christ saved us, and Christ will do the work of preserving us blameless until He comes for us!  We cannot save ourselves, nor can we preserve ourselves, but God can.... and does!! 3) WHO WILL HAVE ALL MEN- I love verses like 1 Timothy 2:4  "Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth."  This is a clear statement of God's desire for men.  Now if it is God's Will, why doesn't it just happen?  Well, because God gave man a free will to make choices.  He chooses to accept or reject the truth that God has given him, and the consequences are upon man.  God desires for all men to be saved, God sent His Son that all men might be saved, and God sends the message out that all men might respond, and God's Holy Spirit seeks to draw all men to Christ, but some men accept, and others reject and the outcome no doubt God knows, but still His desire is for all men to come to the knowledge of the truth!  You cannot take the Gospel to the wrong address! 4) SPOKEN TO A PASTOR- 2 Timothy 1:6-7  "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.  7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  In verse six, we see that God is speaking to Timothy about his ordination, and in verse seven, we see that he is teaching Timothy that God has not given unto us the spirit of fear.  Keep in mind that he is saying this to a pastor!  Pastors have fears if not greater fears than laymen.  They guide a church and it comes with a great responsibility and accountability, and fear comes with it as well... if we let it.  WE cannot!  5) NAMING THEM- So unusual that in II Timothy, Paul names those who have hindered the Gospel and caused him problems and other men of God problems.  Usually, he only names his co-workers, but here he names those who resist godly leadership.  2 Timothy 2:17  "And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;"   2 Timothy 3:8  "Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith."     2 Timothy 4:10  "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia."    2 Timothy 4:14  "Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:"     Here he names those contentious to godly leadership.... may our names never be among this crowd of people! Well, have a blessed Sunday!  Blessing on you.  Pastor Mike Mutchler