Whatever...!!!!!!

<sup>Scripture
Colossians 3:17

17</sup>And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Observation
So the Bible is being very direct with me, in my words and deeds. Whatever I do....dedicate it, proclaim it, honor it in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Application

As I was reading this today, my mind flashed through the 1000's of things I do each day. And then it flashed to each one of those actions with me stopping and making this statement, " I do this (fill in the blank) in the name of the Lord". Guess what? Many; no most of the things(by word or deed) stopped.....because I could not do "that" or say "that" in the name of the Lord.
More from Chapter 3, in verses 8 & 9 the Bible tells me to rid myself of anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. ⁹Do not lie to each other. In verses 5 & 6 the Bible tells me to put to death sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. So as I walk through today and I see a nice car with 22" rims, waxed up, a slick looking guy driving it and I start to feel greed, and wish I could have something like that. If I take that feeling and stand it next to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that feeling because but a vapor. The jealousy of "that" could not stand nor would it make any sense if I said this ( because I am supposed to do all things in the name of the Lord) "I am Jealous about that guy having an expensive car and looking good, in the name of my Lord Jesus Christ". It just doesn't work. The name of Jesus dwarfs all "things". So the goal is to stop and dedicate my words and deeds to the Lord Jesus Christ before I do them, to see if I should really be doing that or not. This will keep my feet and eyes on the Path God has for me, not my path.

Prayer
Father, you have made a way for me that leads to righteousness, it is me who wants to get off that way and go my own...but that leads to destruction. Continue to renew my mind and help me put to death and rid me of the things you have spoken of. Today I dedicate whatever I do, through the words I say or the actions I take, to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Airlifted

Search and Rescue

Living in the NW, there are frequently Search and Rescue operations for people on Mt. Rainier, lost in the woods or missing on a river. For the first 24 hours it is usually a Rescue Operation, but after that it turns into a Recovery. Let's look into the Bible to see what Christ has done for us.

Scripture
Colossians 1:13-14
¹³For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Observation
The Bible is clear about where I was-living in the dominion of darkness. Ephesians 6:12 says that "struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". We all know that this present world is and can be a nasty, ugly place. But look at what Christ has done for me. He came on a Search and RESCUE operation, looking for me, and He found me. So where did he extract me to? Into His Kingdom where there is forgiveness of all my sin and darkness. I wasn't airlifted, dropped off in a clearing and made to forge a survival for myself, but the airlift took me to a safe house, a place of healing, a place of rest, a place where love abounds-Christ made His Place my place.

Application
Gratitude, Thanksgiving that Christ is in the Search and Rescue business. In Ephesians 1:21 it says that I was alienated from God and was His enemy because of my evil/sinful deeds. Yes I was lost in sin. But Christ kept coming-kept searching, the rescue mission was NEVER called off and He rescued me from darkness into light and love.

Prayer
Father, Thank You for sending Christ on a Search and Rescue mission. Without your rescue operation I would be engulfed with darkness and evil. But you have airlifted me out of that mire, and placed me in your Kingdom. Today, let my lips and my life speak to others who are lost and in need of rescue, and all they have to do is ask you to come pick them up. Amen.