Thought for August 11, 2023

  •  1866: First roller rink opens--Newport RI
  • 1919: Curly Lambeau founds the Green Bay Packers
  • 1956: Elvis releases "Don't Be Cruel"
  • 1965: Watts riots begin
  • 1988: Al-Qaeda formed
  • 2008: Airnb founded
  • Born: Alex Haley, Steve Wozniaki, Hulk Hogan, Chris Hemsworth
  • Died: Andrew Carnegie, Herb Brooks [Miracle on Ice], Robin Williams, Jackson Pollock, Lowell Mason [tune for "Nearer My God to Thee," "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross," "My Faith Looks Up to Thee"]
Thought:
Reading Colossians 2 this morning. Paul is concerned that the church be deluded or deceived about their salvation in Christ [2:4, 8]. He doesn't want the church or us to be deluded by a persuasive argument or deceived by philosophy or empty deception. Think about that.
  • Deluded means believing something that is not real or true. Paul does not want us to be tricked by hearing an argument that is based on things that are not real or not true. Think about the arguments you hear today--God is love; God loves everybody; a loving God would not send anyone to hell; therefore, either there is no hell or God will find a way to save everyone---don't worry, be happy. Or, this is my body, I can do anything I want to with it. I read a few weeks ago that this is the hottest month ever--really? The thermometer wasn't invented until 1612 or so. How do you know how hot is was before that---oh, you have calculated based upon some assumptions. Sorry, inadmissible evidence.
  • Philosophy is a way of thinking about things. It is based on assumptions and theories developed by man. 
  • What kinds of delusions and deceptions does Paul describe?
    • Man's ideas about holiness---what you eat or drink. [2:16] Jesus said that nothing from outside defiles man [Mark 7:14-19] Peter was shown that nothing you eat defiles you [Acts 10:15].
    • Man's ideas about worship--[2:16]--what days do you worship or celebrate. What style of worship is "right." 
    • You need Christ plus something else: self abasement, fasting, angel worship
  • Paul says all of these things are mere shadows [2:17]--not real; they are not from Christ; they have the appearance of wisdom, but are worthless [2:23]. They are focused on the external, the temporary. 
Paul wants us to be careful about being misled by false statements and man's theories. The serpent misstated what God said and also misstated God's purposes--God doesn't want you to be wise like Him. So what does Paul say to help us not be deceived or deluded:
  • Get your facts and your reality from the source of all knowledge and wisdom [2:3].  Christ has all knowledge and all wisdom--don't go to other sources looking for reality.
  • Take your philosophy--world view--from Jesus, not traditions of man or the elementary principles of the world. 
  • Understand who you are in Christ:
    • Reconciled with God [1:22]
    • Firmly rooted [2:7]. In Christ you have built on a strong foundation. He is immovable, permanent, unchanging. So you should not be blown about by every new idea of man.
    • Alive and forgiven [2:13]
    • Complete [2:10]
    • Raised up with Him [2:12]
All of this really simply reminds us that Christ alone is our hope of glory. In Him, the one who created all things, we find truth, reality, purpose. We don't need anything else. Lord, protect our minds and hearts from all the fiery arrows of fear and doubt, falsehoods and half-truths. Help us grow in the knowledge of Christ alone. 

Blessings
Larry


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Thought for July 19

History: 1553: Lady Jane Gray deposed after 9 days 1692: 5 people hung during Salem Witch Trials 1848: First women's rights convention -Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. Wesleyan Chapel at Seneca Falls NY 1910: Cy Young wins his 500th game 1941: US Army flying school at Tuskegee AL dedicated 1945: USS Cod saves 51 sailors from Dutch sub--only sub-to-sub rescue 1957: Firing of first rocket with nuclear warhead-Nevada 1984: Geraldine Ferraro is first major party female VP candidate 1996: Olympics open in Atlanta 2007: Madmen debuts 2018: Duck Boat sinks in Table Rock Lake killing 17 Born: Samuel Colt, Edgar Degas [painter], Lizzie Borden, Charles Mayo [Mayo Clinic], George McGovern, Al Haig, George Hamilton IV, Vikki Carr, Ilie Nastase, Stuart Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch,  Died: Syngman Rhee [President South Korea], Clyde Beatty [circus animal trainer], Mary Jo Kopechne [passenger with Ted Kennedy], Jack Warden, Frank McCourt [Angela's Ashes], James Garner, Garry Marshall
Read more

Thought for November 23, 2023

Happy Thanksgiving!  1664: Blaise Pascal is converted following a vision. He wrote the date and time of his conversion and said, "Fire. The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob. Not of philosophers and intellectuals. Certitude, certitude, joy, peace. The God of Jesus Christ." Laid the foundation for the law of probabilities; genius in hydrodynamics and hydrostatics developing Pascal's principle of pressure; taught the experience of God through the heart rather than reason; mathematician and philosopher. 1783: Annapolis Maryland becomes U.S. Capitol until June 1784 1863: Patent for making color photographs granted 1889: First jukebox debuts in Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco 1897: Pencil sharpener patented 1904: Summer Olympics in St. Louis close [1st Olymics in U.S.] 1921: President Harding signs an Act prohibiting doctors from prescribing beer or liquor for medicinal purposes 1923: Cecil B. DeMille's first "The Ten Commandments" premiers
Read more

Thought for April 5, 2024

1722: Easter Island discovered 1792: First Presidential veto 1815: Mt. Tambora erupts. Largest eruption ever witnessed. Created year without summer in 1816--frost and snow in North America in June and July. Largest part of eruption on April 10th. Killed 10,000 in initial blast.  1906: Mt. Vesuvius erupts killing 100 1923: Firestone begins producing inflatable tires 1936: Tupelo almost completely destroyed by a tornado--216 die 1972: Baseball strike costs 86 games 2063: On "Star Trek", earth has its first contact with the Vulcan species Born: Thomas Hobbes, Joseph Lister, Booker T Washington, Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Gregory Peck, Arthur Hailey. Gale Storm, Frank Gorshin, Colin Powell, Pharrell Williams Died: Robert Raikes [Sunday School], Douglas MacArthur, Howard Hughes, Abe Fortas, Sam Walton, Allen Ginsberg, Saul Bellow, Charlton Heston, Honor Blackman Thought: Reading Daniel 1:5-7 this morning. Continuing with the thoughts about Nebuchadnezzar's plan. Having brough
Read more