Archive for category: GAMEtime Sharing

Hi GAMErs!

The passage for today should be Colossians 2:16-23.  Let’s go!

Colossians 2:16-17 (NIV) 
16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.
17 These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

On verses 16-17:  Apparently some members of the church in Colosse were teaching others in the church that they needed to:

– practice the dietary regulations found in the Old Testament and/or refrain from eating food sacrificed to idols; and

– observe the Jewish holidays, whether prescribed by the Jewish law or by tradition.
These “Judaizers” were judging and condemning those in the church who failed to follow those rules.  Paul tells the church not to give in to these legalistic practices, which God had already repudiated earlier.  He says that such legalistic practices were at best “a shadow of the things that were to come” (v17), pointing us toward a greater reality.  Now that that greater reality – Jesus – has come, let our focus be on Him.

Hi GAMErs!

There are so many good truths and practical lessons for us in today’s passage, Colossians 1:24-2:5.  Just one of these lessons could be enough for me to chew on today, but God’s Word here is like a bountiful buffet. Let’s go!
 
Colossians 1:24 (NIV) 
24 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 

On verse 24:  What is Paul saying here?  Is he saying that what Jesus Christ endured on the cross was not enough to pay for our sins?  No.  The afflictions Christ endured on earth, especially dying on the cross, was sufficient to pay for our sins and to reconcile us to God.  But here Paul is saying that he has more suffering to endure as he follows God’s calling on his life.  And for whose sake is Paul suffering?  Christ’s body, the church.   From this we can learn two important lessons:
 

Hi GAMErs!

Today we begin the book of Colossians.  Since I was a 15, Colossians has been a special book to me as it contains one of my “life verses”, which I’ll share with you in the days to come.  

Here is some background on the book of Colossians to help us understand what’s going on in this letter:

1. Colossians is a letter written by Paul in approximately 60 AD to a church located in the ancient city of Colosse, located in the heart of what is modern day Turkey. 

2.  Paul had never met the church community at Colosse before (see Colossians 2:1).  The one who started the church was probably Epaphras (1:7), a student and disciple of Paul and a native of that area (4:12).  Although Paul had never met the church at Colosse, because of Epaphras his relationship to them was like that of a spiritual grandparent who had great concern for their well-being. 

3. Colossians is one of Paul’s four “prison letters” in that Paul wrote the letter of while he was in prison for preaching the Gospel, probably in Rome.  The other three prison letters are Philemon, Ephesians and Philippians.  

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Philippians 4:1-9, which is full of good verses to remember.  Let’s go!
 
Philippians 4:1 (NIV)
1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! 
 
On verse 1: You can feel Paul’s affection for his church in Philippi by the tender words he uses to describe them: “you whom I love and long for”, “my joy and crown”.  This tells me two things:
 
1. If Paul’s affection for his church in Philippi is a reflection of Christ’s affection for His Church (see 1:8), then to Jesus you are his joy and crown, one whom Jesus loves and longs for.  You are the object of Christ’s affections.
 
2. To be an effective pastor, your heart has to be in it.  That is probably the biggest reason why pastoring (or shepherding people) is a tough gig.  It’s because from time to time your heart will be tested, challenged, stretched, and even broken, pierced and stepped on, both by the people around you and by the situations you face.  Pastoring is certainly not for the faint of heart.  But if you’re called to it, there’s also nothing more rewarding and nothing that brings more fulfillment and joy.

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Philippians 2:19-30.  Let’s go!

A big theme in the book of Philippians is humbly putting others before yourself for Christ’s sake.

In chapter 1 Paul talks about how he personally wished he could depart and go to heaven, but for the benefit of his church he is committed to staying.  Paul was putting the interests of his church ahead of his own.

In chapter 2:1-18 Paul talks about how Jesus put our interests ahead of his own.  Although he was in very nature God, he took on the nature of a servant and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.

Now in these verses Paul cites two more men who exemplified this same attitude of humbly putting others before themselves.  They are Timothy and Epaphroditus.