Let the Peace of God Rule in Your Hearts
Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Colossians 3:1-17. Paul reminded the Colossians that if they were raised with Christ they should set their minds on heavenly things and not the things of this world. What does Paul mean when he says, “If you are raised with Christ?” He is saying if you’re a Christian, you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. We were all dead in our sins, but if we have accepted Christ as our Savior we are now alive in Christ.
Paul says to slay your body of its fleshly desires, wickedness, and do away with all filthy communication. In other words, we’re to do away with all the behaviors of the old sinful man. We’re to take on all the attributes of the new spiritual man which is renewed in knowledge after God. We can only do this through our trust and faith in Christ.
Paul tells us to put on the new Christ-like behaviors of: humbleness, meekness, long-suffering, mercy, kindness, and love. He says we should uphold each other and forgive each other as Christ forgave us.
We should let the peace of God rule in our hearts. We’re to study the Word of God so it dwells in us. By studying the Bible we gain wisdom from God. Paul exhorts us to teach and admonish each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs singing and worshiping the Lord.
We all need to have an attitude of gratitude for all that the Lord has done for us. I recently did a Bible study on attitudes and one of the things I learned through this study was that we have to replace old bad attitudes with new good attitudes. To change an old bad habit you have to replace it with a new good habit. Paul is trying to tell us this same thing in this Scripture when he tells us to put off the old man and put on the new man.
We can’t do this in our own strength. With God’s help we can strive to do away with the old bad habits and take on the new good attributes of God, through our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Daily Bible Reading:
Colossians 3:1-17
1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.
9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deed;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.
11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
14 And above all, these things put on charity (love), which is the bond of perfectness.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Things to think about:
- Why does Paul remind us to do away with the old sinful nature?
- What are some of the things we should replace this old nature with in order to walk in the fullness of Christ?
- What in your life shows you have been raised with Christ?
Prayer of the Day:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank You for this Scripture in the book of Colossians. Paul reminds us that You make us a new creation when we accept Christ as our Savior. Help us to do away with the old bad habits of the flesh and to take on the new good habits of a spiritual person. Fill our hearts with Your love and help us to express that love to one another. Please help us to be more thankful for all You have done for us. We love You LORD and thank You for the many blessings on our lives. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Daily Bible Verse:
in one body; and be ye thankful.
– Colossians 3:15
Featured Book:
The Book of Colossians: Paul’s Letter to Colosse
by Deborah H. Bateman.
The Book of Colossians: Paul’s Letter to Colosse is a Daily Bible Reading Study by Deborah H. Bateman. This book is a study of the book of Colossians from the Old Testament of the Bible. The Book of Colossians is one of the Apostle Paul’s letters. In this letter Paul acknowledges the people of Colosse for their faith in Jesus Christ, their love of the saints, and their hope in heaven.
Paul encourages the Colossians to walk worthy of the Lord, to put their hope in the gospel, and to let the peace of God rule in their hearts. Paul also discusses with the people of Colosse how to have relationships that are pleasing to God. Paul reminds them of the great sacrifice that the Lord Jesus Christ made for them on the cross and encourages them to redeem the time.
The Book of Colossians: Paul’s Letter to Colosse contains eight Daily Bible Reading lessons, which can be used as a personal or group Bible study. Each lesson contains a brief commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, several questions for contemplation or discussion, and a prayer to go along with the lesson. Our desire is that this book will help you to have a better understanding of Paul’s letter to the Colossians and how you can apply his message to your life today.
For those of you interested in Bible journaling, may I suggest you pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study this book.
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Deborah
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