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Colossians 2

There is no shortage of advice in this world.  If you are not getting it on TikTok, YouTube or your favorite social media, just ask Google.  My quick search returned simple tips for happiness.  they include diet, exercise, better sleep and gratitude journals.  Sound familiar?

we are inundated, everyday with this advice.  They might even have “the appearance of wisdom,” as Paul says in Colossians 2:23.  In fact, diet, exercise and the like, easily turn into a “self-made religion” (v23).  I bet you know that person, I do.  But, there is a problem.  Paradoxically, they may lead to pride and self-indulgence.

These results are far more subtle than other sins Paul highlights. Consider sexual immorality or drunkenness.  These are overt and hard to conceal.  Spiritual-pride and self-righteousness, however, are much more covert.  In the end, they lead us down the same path.  As Paul puts it, “they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh” (v23).

While Paul addressed religious legalism, I believe our cultural obsession with self-improvement follows the same pattern. Our culture tends to take these good things and turn them into the things.  herein lies the mistake.  There is only One, Jesus Christ.  It is his death and resurrection that give us life.  Accepting that means that “you died to the elemental spirits of the world” (v20)  No, that doesn’t mean to stop exercising or eating healthy.  It does mean remembering that they are merely contributors to glorifying and serving Jesus Christ.

Psalm 73

In Psalm 73, Asaph describes how at first, he was envious and tempted after watching the way the wicked and arrogant live their lives in verses 1 through 14.  His jealousy was brewing.  He wasn’t seeing the instant gratification in what he knows of his own pure heart while the immoral were prospering right in front of him.  He wasn’t seeing them struggle, their bodies were healthy, and their lives looked so easy.  They spoke with such arrogance as if they themselves owned the heavens, and people around them were soaking up every drop.

Others could see this evil happening and began questioning God.  “Why is He allowing this?”  These heartless people were living carefree, getting richer and richer.  Meanwhile the righteous were suffering?!  Asaph was tempted to believe that all his time trying to live a holy life was for nothing.  Verse 13, “Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.”

Then in verses 15 through 28, Asaph brings himself back to what he knows is true and good after getting clarity from visiting the sanctuary.  When it came to decision time and whether he would opt in with the evil doers, he was wise enough to stay to true to God’s words.  He knew in his heart that these wicked people were walking a tight rope with no net underneath to catch them.  He understood that just because these individuals were ‘flourishing’ in this life, punishment awaited them in the next.

Asaph acknowledged his foolishness for initially questioning God. Verse 22, “I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.”  Also summarized in verses 27 and 28, ‘those far from You will perish, but as for me, it is good to be near You.”

We all see this every day.  People arrogantly boasting about how good they have it and how easy life is.  But if we keep listening, they are easier to spot than you would think.  It is usually those that seem to give all the glory to themselves and leave out any mention or thanks be to God.   Then you can truly see who has been feeding off the devil’s lies.

Our societies are filled with so many people who are completely confused about who they are, why they’re here, and the meaning of life.  They are walking off cliffs, and the only thing that will save them is the truth that flows out of the sanctuary of God.

Today’s Reading: Psalm 71

Psalm 71 is a psalm of lifelong trust, offered from the perspective of someone who has walked with God since youth and now looks back in old age. The psalmist pleads, “Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent” (v. 9). It is a prayer that God’s faithfulness will continue into life’s later chapters, but it is also a declaration of confidence: “You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again” (v. 20).

This perspective is deeply inspiring when we think about the idea of legacy. Leaders, influencers, and mentors—whether in faith, public life, or culture—are often remembered not just for their words, but for the consistency of their character and convictions across time.  While we as Christians mourn the murder of Charlie Kirk, we can remember him through the power of his convictions related to the Word of God. Psalm 71 reminds us that the highest calling of legacy is not fame or impact alone, but the testimony of God’s righteousness. Charlie consistently espoused that. The psalmist vows, “I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God” (v. 22).

For us as Christian, this means living in a way that, when our days come to an end, others remember a life anchored in trust and faith. Charlie Kirk’s legacy is just beginning to be written.  Whether someone leads a large movement like Charlie, teaches a small group, or raises a family, the psalm calls us to use every stage of life to proclaim God’s goodness. True influence lies not only in building platforms, but in leaving behind a witness that points beyond ourselves to the Lord. Whether you have an impact like Charlie Kirk or an everyday Christian, we all can make an impact. Psalm 71 encourages us to think of legacy as a lifelong song of praise, meant to inspire generations still to come. Charlie Kirk certainly accomplished that.

Psalm 68

This psalm was clearly a song that would have been sung in worship of God during David’s reign. We see in the title that the word “song” was added. In verses 7-10 of this psalm David highlights that God was ever present with Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. In other areas of this psalm we see that God is a father to the fatherless, a defender of the widow, a provider for his people, but most of all he is a fighter for His nation Israel.

Kings flee from YAHWEH because of His greatness and because of what He has done. God is a just God that hates wickedness. He went before His people in battle and was given the name Jehovah Nissi “The LORD is my banner”. Verses 20-21 read, “Our God is the God of salvation; And to God the Lord belong escapes from death. But God will wound the head of His enemies, The hairy scalp of the one who still goes on in his trespasses.” This verse is dripping with Truth that we can cling to. YAHWEH is a God who delivers his people; He delivers them not only from the physical enemy, but also the spiritual enemy Satan.

In Genesis 3:15, God spoke to the serpent in the garden of Eden after he deceived Eve and stated, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.” God told Satan how his end would come. He gave the entire plot to His redemption story in a single verse in the first book of the Bible. Satan bruised Jesus’ heal on the cross, but Jesus crushed Satan’s head on the third day when He rose from the dead.

Although this psalm is David pleading with God to eliminate Israel’s oppressors, we can now look back and see Jesus all through this psalm. Jesus brought a final victory for mankind against their oppression. We now fight through this life from a stance of victory, not from a stance of defeat. David was still looking for the Messiah, but now the gentiles have access to the promises of God including Salvation because of the battle Jesus won. The Church today does not replace Israel, and God surely has a plan for Israel in the end times, but He has grafted the gentile into His family tree. We know that the God of the Bible fights for both of His beloved, Israel and the Church.

Today’s Reading: Psalms 66

God has many blessings for us and is ready to pour these upon you, when you and He are in alignment. 

When you’re about to embark on a breakthrough, God is preparing you and strengthening you. But as the breakthrough is about to happen the enemy sees the future of you and wants to shake you. 

An example would be right before the storm happens, the world gets calm. The thunder rolls. The lightning strikes and then the rain comes down. The rain comes down in sheets. Once the rain has finished and the thunder and lightning roll away, the coolness of the after storm comes in. The freshness of the day begins. All of the dust and the debris from before the storm is washed away. 

Now you can go into the next day or “after storm”  with refreshment and clean and clarity. 

The enemy tries to hinder you and frighten you before the storm comes so that you can hide and be fearful of the after storm. But God, send angels and encouragement before the storm, during the storm, and after the storm.

“Shout for joy to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies come cringing to you. All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” Selah Come and see what God has done: he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man. He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him, who rules by his might forever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations— let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah Bless our God, O peoples; let the sound of his praise be heard, who has kept our soul among the living and has not let our feet slip. For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭66‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/59/psa.66.1-12.ESV

In this psalms passage  David is given joy for his after the storm. David is showing Israel that before the storm Israel was frightened. David gives the people a memory of before the storm and the after storm. He shows them the good deeds of God. 

Sometimes when we are in the midst of change and the midst of hurt and in the midst of despair we can forget that God is ready for us on the other side. There may be obstacles that come your way, but these obstacles are only there to hinder you from your blessings that are on the other side of the obstacle.

May God continue to give us these angels and the words of peace and understanding and Solace in the before the storm, during the storm so that we can see the blessings of the after the storm.

What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us ~ AW Tozer

The pessimist believes God is against them. He’s punishing us.  The world is unraveling. Tomorrow will look no better than today. Since everything is destined to fall apart, why even try?

The optimist looks at failure and insists, “God is using this to teach me.” They search for silver linings, hoping to turn setbacks into springboards. There’s some wisdom in that, but it often leaves God out of the story. Instead of God’s plan, life is about what happens to me, leading to the mantra: “Anything is possible if I just try harder.”  Scripture offers a better way.  In Philippians 4, Paul provides a solution that transcends both extremes.

The faithful see God differently. They trust His plan and His methods.  It’s not about winning or losing, it is about God Himself. Learning to distinguish between what they want and what God wants, leads to living for His glory. Paul said it plainly: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11). His confidence wasn’t in outcomes, it was in God alone.  How about you?

If you find yourself asking “Can God?”, or “Will God?” You may be stuck in either pessimism or optimism. Shifting to faith requires a different response to life’s circumstances.  Simply consider, “He is. He always was. and always will be enough.”

Philippians 2

A modest or low view of one’s own importance according to Webster.

I know, I know. We all already know what humility is.  What it looks like.  How it is defined.  But how often do we sit and think about the Bible’s meaning of humility?  I don’t disagree with Google…..”A key virtue marked by an absence of pride and self-centeredness, emphasizing love and placing God and others before oneself”.

In Philippians, Paul breaks down humility very simply.  Verses 3 & 4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  Paul makes it so easy to read, but is it that easy to carry out in everyday life?  Are we all able to find humility in our everyday lives or do we very often get lost in our own self-interests and desires?

I love how life works.  Just this morning before I sat down to spend time on this chapter in Philippians, I was listening to a podcast.  The host is an avid pool player and his guest is currently the #1 pool player in the world.  The host explained how he casually played against his guest a couple of years ago and lost several times, expectedly.  But the host wasn’t mad or upset that he lost, even though he finds himself as a very good pool player.  No, instead he told the guest how humbling it made him feel.  The host knows he can beat the average pool hall player but also recognizes that the guest is an elite pro.  This pro spends way more time practicing and playing pool and there is a reason he is #1 and the host understands and accepts this.

This is just a microcosm example of everyday humility and certainly not exactly the type of humility Paul is referring to in Philippians.  Paul’s humility is that of Jesus.  One that describes not considering equality with God to be attainable, but instead being a simple servant made in human likeness.  By just humbling yourself for who and what God made you.

When I think of being humble, I think of exactly where I am sitting or standing in that very moment.  I am currently sitting in my office in my house in front of my computer.  I am humbled by everything I have in my life.  An amazing God-fearing wife, 2 amazing little girls, a roof over our heads, all the family and friends that I love and care about and that love and care about me.

But every night I put my head on my pillow, periodically throughout the day and especially church on Sundays, I am reminded of the humility through Jesus.  Verse 5, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus”.  This is not true for me 100% of the time, and thank God that’s ok.  But it is a great memento that it should be a lot closer to 100% than 0%.  A recent sermon in the last month has stuck with me in absolutely everything I do that Right or Wrong(especially wrong), I need to be more like Jesus in every which way.  If it were easy everyone would do it!  Well, none of us can be 100% like Jesus, but maybe we can at least try more, 100% of the time.