Colossians 2 - 5.3.23

Scripture

‭Colossians‬ ‭2:6-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

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Observation

Paul gives encouragement to the church in Colosse that can serve as an encouragement to us today. It's all about Jesus Christ!

Application

Remain in Jesus. Live lives in Him, be built up in Him, and be thankful.

As we remain in Him, a grateful heart will naturally flow as a result. Let us stay connected in relationship to the Source of all power and continue to remain in Him. Apart from Him we are nothing.

““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” -‭‭John‬ ‭15‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Prayer

Dear Lord, You give us purpose, meaning, life, breath, and our being. Thank You Jesus for your faithfulness and continued providence and sustenance in this life. Amen.

-Michelle Gaddi

Isaiah 58 - 5.2.23

SCRIPTURE:  Isaiah 58:13,14  "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on My holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob."  For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

OBSERVATION:  The Sabbath day was instituted by God for the nation of Israel to commemorate His deliverance of them from Egypt.  It was a special sign to the Israelites that they had been set apart as followers of the Most Hight God.  Their keeping of the Sabbath would help distinguish them from the nations around them.  (Got Questions. com).

Sunday was the day that Jesus rose from the dead, and since that time, believers have gathered on the first day of the week to celebrate His victory over sin and death. The day of the week is not the most important issue - but the heart motivation behind that choice is crucial. 

APPLICATION:  Years ago after reading these 2 verses in Isaiah, I made a vow to honor the Sabbath Day.  I decided that I would obey by setting it apart from all the rest.  That first word in Isaiah 58:1 says, "IF".  If I keep my feet from breaking the Sabbath, and show proper respect to God Who also rested on the seventh day, THEN... I will find joy in the Lord.  

Even though we are retired folks, my body knows when it's Sunday.  I have trained myself to purposely set aside the Sabbath to physically rest from the extra duties, chores and regular activities that I do during the week, and when I do, I feel so much more refreshed and rested as I begin the next week.   And besides feeling rested and refreshed, God has promised that if I obey His command to keep the Sabbath Day holy then I will find JOY in the Lord!  

Throughout the years I have strived to obey these verses, and I can honestly say that God has kept His promise to fill me with His supernatural joy! 

PRAYER:  Lord, I am so grateful for the "aha" moment that I had many years ago while reading these verses!  You have commanded us to keep the Sabbath holy, and You have taught us how to do it.  And... the rewards that come from obeying Your commands regarding this area are priceless!  Lord, I thank You that as I claim the Sabbath as Your own, and not pursue my ordinary plans of amusement and pleasures, but call the Sabbath a delight, and live as You have purposed, I will find my joy IN YOU! 

- Robin Orefice

Philippians 4 - 5.1.23

Scripture

Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Observation

This is the apostle Paul’s final letter to the Philippians. In it, he encourages them to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, to remember to practice all the things that he has taught them, to settle any lingering disputes, to be joyful in the Lord, and to give ALL their worries and concerns to God in prayer. 🙏🏽

In this verse I chose today, Paul is reminding us as believers that we can speak directly to God. He is the maker of Heaven and Earth. He is the One who has all power and authority, and is in control of every situation. So why not take our concerns to God? He loves us, and yearns to have that relationship with us.

*Please note: God doesn’t always promise to change every situation to our liking. What He does promise is to give us peace during any situation.*

Application

Allow me to quote a rapper from the 90’s, “We need to pray just to make it today.” -MC Hammer 😎

I like the idea our church had for people who were trying to build a good prayer life. It’s called “First 5, Last 5.” The concept behind this is to spend our first 5 minutes in the morning in prayer, and the last 5 minutes of our day in prayer. It’s a great way to begin and end our day!

Then like any discipline we are trying to build, we can up the frequency. Maybe from 5 minutes, do 10 minutes. Then, slowly start implementing prayer throughout the day. We can pray and thank God before each meal. It’s a great way to build our prayer life and open up our communication with God.

But how should I pray? Well, may I recommend the acronym A-C-T-S.

• A-Adoration: Start your prayer by adoring God for Who He is. (i.e. God you are holy and worthy to be praised. You are my rock my redeemer.)

• C-Confession: Confess your sins to God. Ask for His forgiveness.

• T-Thanksgiving: Give God your gratitude. Thank Him for all He has done in your life and has blessed you with. Even thank Him for some of the difficulties you may be facing. Acknowledge that You know He is good, and that He is always with you. Know that He has a purpose for everything, and He will work all things together for good for those who are called according to His purpose-(Romans 8:28).

• S-Supplication: This is a fancy word for making requests. Make your requests known to God, just like the verse I chose today reminds us to! 😊

Prayer

Father God, I know that You are omniscient. You already know my requests before I even ask it. But, I know You desire a relationship with me. You want me to come to You and communicate with You through prayer. Forgive me for the times I’m too busy or too tired to talk with You. Thank You for always being there for me, waiting for me with open arms. I pray that I can continue to seek You each day in prayer. May I experience Your peace in my heart and mind because of my times spent with You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽

-Moses Gaddi