Turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God

1Th 1:9  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
1Th 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

You turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

Idols.

I don't know personally anyone who has set up a shrine to a stone deity representing a false god, who worships at that altar.  I KNOW they exist throughout the world, but I just don't know anyone that actually worships a 'sun god' for example.  I know they exist and exist in great numbers but my personal interaction with them is non-existent.

What is turning to God from idols?

What were the disciples dealing with?

Rev 2:14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Rev 2:20  Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Act 17:22  Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
Act 17:23  For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Act 17:24  God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25  Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26  And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27  That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Act 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Act 17:31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Act 17:32  And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.
Act 17:33  So Paul departed from among them.
Act 17:34  Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

'...the Romans referred to the rocky hill as "Mars Hill", after Mars, the Roman God of War.

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The Romans are known for the great number of deities they honored, a capacity that earned the mockery of early Christian polemicists. The presence of Greeks on the Italian peninsula from the beginning of the historical period influenced Roman culture, introducing some religious practices that became as fundamental as the cult of Apollo. The Romans looked for common ground between their major gods and those of the Greeks, adapting Greek myths and iconography for Latin literature and Roman art. Etruscan religion was also a major influence, particularly on the practice of augury, since Rome had once been ruled by Etruscan kings.

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Turning from idols- from worshiping false gods of which there were many.  Their religion of worshiping idols was a very serious one, not laughable as it is to us today in our so called enlightened world.  The mere concept of people worshipping Mars, Jupiter, Apollo, Zeus, Poseidon, etc. seems almost ludicrous. We know people did it and were very serious about it, that it was very real to them, but to us it seems strange and archaic. If I told someone I was worshipping the god Jupiter, they'd give me strange looks and might ask me exactly what that entails. I'd explain that I erected a little shrine to him and that I pray to him and give him gifts and ask for his guidance.  Most likely they'd shrug their shoulders and say - 'To each his own.' Meaning everyone has the right to believe what they want to, and they don't have to agree with them.  My worshipping Jupiter wouldn't affect them, it'd be harmless as far as they were concerned as long as it didn't involve hurting anyone in anyway.  But the TRUTH of the matter is all worship of false gods is harmful- eternally harmful.

We live in such a time as virtually 'anything' goes. Do as you please as long as it stays within the letter of the law- and maybe even sometimes we'll overturn or change a law to accommodate new beliefs if there is a majority consent.  We call this intelligence. We call this right and good. We call this modernism. We aren't encumbered by such nonsense as our ancestors who were filled with superstitions and crazy customs. In a book written by C.S. Lewis- Mere Christianity- He states something like the following- I'm paraphrasing here. 'Of course the world doesn't hunt witches any more- they don't believe they are real any longer. If they truly believed they were real and had real powers to harm people they'd still be hunting them.'   The truth is they stopped believing in them, they didn't suddenly agree to let witches- real, harmful witches who use curses and spells- to live. Are their witches today? Yes. Do they curse and put spells on people? Yes. Are they effective in what they do? No.  People just don't believe, and why would you possibly be against something you don't believe has any real affect on society? People don't believe religion has any power - real power at all- no matter what the religion is. They believe they are mostly harmless fables silly people continue to believe in though all real tangible evidence says they're fools for doing so.

Even the harmful religions- the jihadists of radical Islamic belief- who believe in killing those who do not adhere to their faith, they are considered silly as well- very dangerous but silly because they are caught up in fables. 

Idol worshipping today exists, it's alive and well, only the biggest, most popular idol people worship right now is …

…themselves.

Have they set up altars to themselves? How many live solely by their own desires? Perhaps working and living under a boss only in order to ultimately serve themselves and fill their lives with their own desires.   Throughout the day what is most often on their minds? Their own plans, right? Their own plans that will serve to make them if not happy, then content. Life revolves around themselves and all that live around them are there to assist in their desires if possible.

To those caught up in their self worship, others who choose not to be caught up in self worship seem to be the strange ones, the fable believers.  But most often the self worshippers will still find a kindred spirit in the fable believers because they see that in spite of the fable believers declarations of other worship they still in actions and a lot of words act like self worshippers.

1Th 1:9  For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
1Th 1:10  And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

This REAL faith, this REAL belief, this REAL turning from idols to SERVE the living in and true GOD; this waiting for HIS SON from heaven, whom HE raised from the DEAD, even JESUS, which DELIVERED us from the wrath to come- is a LIVING FAITH.

We are worshipping the eternal life of our God who always was, always is, and always will be. We are not worshipping a created one, but the ultimate Creator of ALL. We are not worshipping an unhearing, unseeing,  non-breathing  God we are pretending has life. We are not worshipping a created being that is in a constant state of deterioration living towards dying.  We are not worshipping one who does not know the end from the beginning. We are not worshipping one who makes empty unrealistic promises based upon our flesh desires. We are not worshipping a selfish God, but a selfless God who truly deserves all praise, all glory, all honor from us- not to feed an oversized ego- but because the truth of His selflessness.

We serve a selfless God, this is the TRUE LIVING GOD. The CREATOR, the REDEEMER, the SELFLESS ONE.

All in HIM ALWAYS!

May we serve HIM ALWAYS, turning from all our idols!

By HIS LOVE! By HIS GRACE! By HIS MERCY!

Gospel- not in word only, also in power

1Th 1:5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
1Th 1:6  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost

Not in word only- but also in power- the GOSPEL.
In the Holy Ghost- the GOSPEL.
In much Assurance- the GOSPEL.

Followers of the LORD.

Receiving the word in MUCH affliction- WITH JOY of the HOLY GHOST.

Not in word only- not just hearing words without meaning. We all know what it's like to listen to words that have no meaning to us- we call that generally being bored by the speaker and letting things go in one ear and out the other.  We call it listening but it having no real impact upon us. We call it every day life as we deal with things that have no real substance. How many conversations have you had in the last week that are memorable to you? How many conversations had an impact on you and your life? When you read the word of God last - did it leave an imprint upon you or were they simply words to be read, understood perhaps, yet lacking real staying … POWER.   We need the gospel in POWER, not just in word.  The HOLY GHOST gives the power to the gospel.  The SPIRIT and the TRUTH.

Joh 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Eph 5:9  (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

2Th 2:13  But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth

1Jn 4:6  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1Jn 5:6  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

The SPIRIT and the TRUTH- hearing the gospel in POWER not just in word.

Luk 4:14  And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.

Luk 4:32  And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.

Luk 24:45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
Luk 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48  And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Act 4:33  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.

Act 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Act 26:15  And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
Act 26:16  But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
Act 26:17  Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

God's word! God's HOLY WORD! God's TRUTH. GOD'S POWER! May we also preach not just in word but in power- the power of the Holy Spirit.  Help us Lord to understand it is YOUR POWER alone that SAVES. That YOUR TRUTH HAS POWER.

All in YOUR LOVE!

Laboring fervently- in prayers

Col 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Labouring fervently for you in prayers-  that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Laboring FERVENTLY in PRAYERS!

Do we really think of praying as something laborious?

Have you prayed laboriously lately?

Have you labored fervently in your prayers? 

Seriously- laboring , when we think of laboring we generally do not think of praying. We think of working, we think of something hard not something easy. Yet when we pray do we consider it something laborious, something agonizing?

G75 labor fervently-

- to contend with adversaries, fight
-to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers
- to endeavour with strenuous zeal, strive: to obtain something

- to struggle literally (to compete for a prize) figuratively (to contend with an adversary) or generally (to endeavor to accomplish something): - fight labor fervently strive.

Read those words, do they make it sound as if laboring fervently in prayer is something done lightly?

Yet we pray so much, so often and never as if it were hard work.

We are told to pray continuously, to pray always, to pray and watch- maybe we need to rethink things just a little tiny bit.  Maybe prayer isn't simply speaking to God as a friend. Maybe it isn't simple at all. I'm not saying that we have to make praying hard, but I'm saying we need to give it more REAL thought. When we talk of praying for someone maybe we need to ask ourselves if we are praying fervently- laboriously for them or are our prayers lukewarm tokens, mere good hopes and thoughts. 

Good hopes and good thoughts for someone aren't bad things at all, and if that's what a person is inclined towards doing it's not wrong. We aren't all led by the Spirit in the same way. Remember some are called to be teachers, others preachers, other evangelists, we all are called to pray.  But perhaps some are called to be more fervent prayer warriors - so to speak, I don't know, I don't have all the answers of course but we are told to study and in studying we are learning- all by the GRACE of God.

When I read this verse-

Col 4:12  Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

- it just really hit me  - that laboring fervently in prayers- because I'm not sure if I pray that way and maybe I really, really need to. It's not that I don't pray - I do all the time, but to call it 'laboring fervently' well I'm not sure I do that all that often. I know I have but I think I need to do it more.

We are to be praying for others, praying that they may STAND PERFECT and COMPLETE in ALL the WILL of GOD!

All in Christ's righteousness! All in Christ's LOVE! We have to pray this way for each other because we will have to stand perfect and complete all in the will of God- it's the only way we should stand- fully in HIM, always in HIM.

All too often we get busy praying for the various things people desire but isn't the greatest prayer for another truly praying for them to stand perfect and complete in all the will of God?  Seriously. If this life is a temporary life- temporary to eternity- then praying for someone to STAND PERFECT and COMPLETE in ALL the WILL of God- is more important than anything else. What good is it to pray for a person to 'get well' if you are only truly praying for them to get well without concerning yourself with their eternal life? Do you really only want them to get well for this life? No, I'm not saying we shouldn't pray for people to get well but let us also pray for them to be Christ's and all that means.  Let us pray for God's will to be done and we KNOW it's God's will for us to be His in Christ. Above all- HIS WILL is most important and that we live according to HIS will not our own.

Please Lord, please help us to be YOURS fully. Teach us to pray laboring fervently in prayer for others to YOURS, for us to be YOURS fully, always!

Guide us with the HOLY SPIRIT, help us to stand perfect and complete in ALL Your Will!

All in YOU!

All by YOUR LOVE!

Walk in wisdom

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

People say they want to know what God wants of those who love Him and when they are told the excuses begin as to why they just can't do it.

We are to WALK in WISDOM.

What wisdom?  God's wisdom.

1Co 1:24 ... Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

We are NOT to walk in man's wisdom.

1Co 1:17  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30  But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
1Co 1:31  That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

We are OF HIM. We are IN Christ Jesus- WHO of God IS MADE unto us WISDOM and RIGHTEOUSNESS, and SANCTIFICATION, and REDEMPTION.

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

We are to WALK in CHRIST which is WISDOM towards those who are NOT walking in Christ and this is how we are to redeem our time.  We must LIVE in Christ- visibly.

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Col 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

We must TALK ALWAYS with grace- SEASONED with SALT- that we might KNOW HOW we ought to answer every man.

What does it mean to always talk with grace SEASONED with salt?

What is the purpose of salt as a season? To give something the proper flavor, right? If you have too little salt your meal can be tasteless, or if you add too much it can be awful. You have to add just the right amount of salt to a meal to make things taste good.  Now don’t start that whole salt is bad for you stuff, that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about proper diet without all our modern day abuse of salt in food which has led to so many problems.

When we discuss  talking always with grace- seasoned with salt we mean that we are to talk of our Savior's loving grace appropriately.  What do I mean by appropriately? I mean speaking as the SPIRIT leads us to speak and NOT speaking as we would. Some people believe to spread the gospel, to preach Christ and His amazing salvation that they have to be forceful, they have to speak it even if someone doesn't want to listen. Knowing when to speak is as important as knowing when not to speak. Having our speech seasoned with salt as we talk of Christ will allow us to KNOW how we are to answer every single person we talk with. We aren't to assume that we are to talk to everyone in the exact same way. Every one is an individual and some people can only handle the milk and not the meat, and only the Holy Spirit can show us how we are to talk.

We need to pray-

Col 4:5  Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.
Col 4:6  Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

We need to pray that we can walk in wisdom, speaking with grace always, seasoned with salt so that we might KNOW how to answer every man.

No, not all are called to be teachers, preachers, evangelists, but we are all called to LIVE Christ, to live for Him, in Him, by Him and in doing so our lives touch others and when they touch others they will be able to see Christ in US all through the HOLY SPIRIT!

Please Lord, please give us the words we need to speak, don't let us use our own unseasoned words.

All by YOUR grace! YOUR LOVE!

Speak the MYSTERY of CHRIST

Col 4:2  Steadfastly continue in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving,
Col 4:3  praying together about us also, that God may open to us a door of the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, on account of which I also have been bound,
Col 4:4  that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak.

Praying - that God may open to us a door of the Word.

A door of the Word.

Open a door.

What happens when you open a door? Why do people usually open doors?  When you open a door you to so in order to go into another place. When you open a door you want to get from one place to another. You want to open that door perhaps leading you outside from being inside. Or you want to go inside when you're out. Perhaps you're going from one room to another. Doors lead to places whether into something or out of something.  When you want a door to open for you, you want it to open so you can get inside.  Perhaps there is something inside you desire, usually there is, right? Even if you go inside to relax, or get something to eat, or sleep, perhaps go to work, or to be entertained. There are numerous reasons a person goes through the doors they do, but always there is a reason. 

When we want the door to the Word to be opened we are asking for understanding, aren't we?

We are asking, we are asking in prayer, for God the Father to open the door of our understanding to HIS word. We are asking for this so that we may SPEAK of the MYSTERY of Christ, of that Word.  We need to speak of the mystery to others that wondrous mystery of Christ- salvation found in Him and Him alone!

Rom 16:25  Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the MYSTERY, which was kept secret since the world began

Eph 3:9  And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the MYSTERY, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
Eph 3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11  According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
Eph 3:12  In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Eph 6:19  And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the MYSTERY of the gospel

Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Eph 1:8  Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
Eph 1:9  Having made known unto us the MYSTERY of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Col 4:2  Steadfastly continue in prayer, watching in it with thanksgiving,
Col 4:3  praying together about us also, that God may open to us a door of the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ, on account of which I also have been bound,
Col 4:4  that I may make it clear, as I ought to speak.

We have to pray that we may be able to speak of this wondrous MYSTERY of CHRIST- that we may speak it CLEARLY as He intends that we should through HIS power, through HIS SPIRIT.

Praying continuously- in constant communication with our Lord and Savior- in constant contact with Him so that He may work through US. That door has to be opened and He will open it, He will speak through US all to HIS glory and HIS glory alone!

All praise, all honor, all glory to our God and King, our SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!

Amen!
 

Continue in prayer

Col 4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving

Continue in prayer.
Watch in prayer.
Pray with thanksgiving.

Prayer- communicating with God.

We pray through faith, believing our God hears us, believing He listens to us, believing He answers us. We don't pray to idols of stone, wood, plastic, rubber, glass, paper, etc.  We pray to a living God. We could carve a million idols from all those things mentioned and none of them would have life in them, not a single one. We could label another human being as god, yet they would still be a created being, a human- not God- not Spirit. We could say the elements are gods but that'd be wrong, they too are created things. Our God, the TRUE God is NOT a created being.  Our TRUE God is a SPIRIT being.

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

God is an entity beyond our full comprehension.

When we pray we are addressing our CREATOR, our REDEEMER, our GOD- God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit who AGREE in one agreement.

When we say we will pray for someone, or some situation we are telling others that we are going to seek divine intervention on their behalf. We are going to use the faith we've been given by God to seek Him and communicate with Him. We do this and we believe that our prayers are truly being heard, not being spoken (even silently) to someone that doesn't exist.

We are to CONTINUE in prayer. 

To be God's- we have to remain in CONSTANT contact with Him. Jesus taught us that, didn't He?  He was in constant contact with the Father God throughout His entire life on earth- up until the cross when He felt the separation that sin causes between God and man.  Remember His agonizing words?

Mat 27:46  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

His Father did NOT forsake Him- but that separation caused by taking on the sin of the world made it seem as if He had. Sin separates us from God, only forgiveness, only repentance, only atonement by our Savior brings us back in contact with God.  It was God whose power caused Jesus to rise from the dead and brought Him back to life. God did NOT forsake His Son, if He had then He would never have been brought back to life.

For someone who lived in constant contact with God the Father that separation was horrific. Jesus prayed constantly - the lines of communication were completely opened between them day and night.

Is it any wonder our Savior told us through His apostle to CONTINUE in prayer, to WATCH in prayer, and to pray with THANKSGIVING?

He's telling us to keep in CONSTANT contact with God the FATHER.

When you only pray once a week just how close to God do you really think you are? Truthfully, how close? How close are to someone you never talk to? You might have ties that bind you but to really know someone and have them know you - you have to talk with them, you have to interact with them. I have a brother who lives in New York and I've probably spoken to him five times if that in the last ten years. It's not that we don't like each other we're just not buddy, buddy. I love my brother and I say that truthfully, but do I know him? Do I know the things he likes and dislikes? Not really. I know him but I don't know him, and a lot of people know God but they don't really know Him.

Now if I spent time with my brother over the course of that time I'd be able to say I know Him. If I spend time with God, I would know God, as much as we are possibly able to know Him.

We can't know Him much at all if we aren't in contact with Him through prayer. If we cut Him off as He's trying to communicate with us how do we ever expect to know Him or be known by Him?

No, it's not like a human and human friendship but it's something very, very special and if you do NOT choose to speak with God, to listen to God through His word, then you are missing out on something incredibly beautiful.

Col 4:2  Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving

Continue in prayer-
Watch in prayer-  we have to watch, we have to pray as we watch, and we need to be very, very thankful knowing our God hears us, our God loves us, our God wants us to know Him.

Please Lord, help us.

Through Your love!

We have a Master in heaven

Col 4:1  Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

We don't like to think in terms of 'masters' and 'servants', puts us in the mind of thinking 'masters' and 'slaves', and who likes to think about that sort of thing? Slavery is something we imagine to be awful in all respects and yet… oddly enough slavery served and serves a purpose still in some places. I'm not talking about slavery of abuse and without consent! What I'm talking about is JUST slavery and by that I mean a person WILLING to be enslaved to serve a purpose  - perhaps to pay off a debt or some such- and that person being enslaved by a just master, not an abusive monster of a master.  Do you imagine there is such a thing, a 'just' master?  We don't like to because we'd rather imagine the horrors of slavery- of which there are many.  Yet, here in the Bible we know there were slaves and masters, and it was accepted, and God wanted the masters to be just to the slaves and the slaves to serve the masters justly as well.

There was also this-- 

Deu 15:12  And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee.
Deu 15:13  And when thou sendest him out free from thee, thou shalt not let him go away empty:
Deu 15:14  Thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy floor, and out of thy winepress: of that wherewith the LORD thy God hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him.

Sold- you cannot be sold unless you are a slave.  Sold and served six years then in the seven set FREE and given goods liberally. 

Not EVERY thing about slavery is evil, but Satan would have us believe that even the tiniest thought of slavery is evil. Satan want us  to equate our relationship with God as slave serving a master in such a way that it is a derogatory thing, not a good thing. As master and servant- a bad thing for the servant. Satan would have us all believe we should be masters.  Haven't you heard the various sayings about being masters of our own destinies, masters of our own ships,  master of our own fates, etc. We are even told that we don't need to listen to God, we don't need to obey God, but rather we need to be our own masters and do as we please because God is just hiding things from us, God is just keeping us from being so much better- Satan did the telling of all that to Eve in the garden and mankind has desired to be right with God ever since.

Can you even imagine how badly Adam and Eve regretted their decision to listen to Satan?

I mean, we on a significantly lower level of things, get disappointed when we lose a great job, a great house, when we must end our vacation and return to our mundane life. We never had paradise and lost it, not like Adam and Eve. We never had that oneness with God, never. 

Losing paradise is something people don't concern themselves over much with because Satan wants us to believe that there never was a real paradise to lose. Satan doesn't want us believing in His lies, that being a creature in servitude to a Creator/Master is an offensive thing.

Adam and Eve would probably have given just abut anything to get their sinless state back, to live their life in perfect harmony with their Creator, not doubting Him.

Satan wants us to believe that we are losing out when we submit to the authority of God. In fact, Satan has set our world up to believe in the same thing about each other. To be in service to another is to be inferior- this is what the world believes and yet, there is nothing further from the truth.

Luk 22:25  And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luk 22:26  But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luk 22:27  For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.

He that is chief- HE THAT DOTH SERVE.

CHRIST was among us as HE THAT SERVETH.

We are servants, every single one of us is a slave to our Master in heaven.

We are servants to each other! We are NOT to strive for mastery over all, mastery above God, mastery above each other.   Yet when we are thrust into the position of being a master over others as is the way of things especially in many positions of authority, we MUST treat those who are serving under us as if we were in their position.

Col 4:1  Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

We have a Master in heaven and it is to God that we are required to answer for our every action.

We are to LOVE one another as we would be loved, not as we are loved by others, but as we would be in that ideal, perfect world people long for. When we treat others as we WANT to be treated even if they hate us and treat us horrifically, then we are doing God's will, serving our God! 

We must give to others especially if they are subservient to us in any way, we must give unto them that which is JUST and EQUAL, because we WILL answer to our MASTER in heaven for our treatment of others in all the huge ways and in the very tiny, tiny ways.

Please Lord, please HELP us all to do YOUR will, and YOUR will only! All through YOUR love! Please Lord, please bless us and teach us to be YOUR SERVANTS ALWAYS.