Heralds Digest

"...and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God." (Colossians 2:19 NKJV) The contrast between religion and relationship represents the subject of Apostle Paul's exhortation to the Colossians. They have had trouble managing the doctrine of the Judaism, which was rooted in the regulation of life based on " dos " and " donts ". Strong attachment to religious practices without healthy relationship with Christ offers little value to the well-being of the body and soul. More than the expected service to the Master, Christianity is more about the cultivation of the process of obtaining a daily serving from the throne of grace. Only a value-added attachment guarantees divine grace for daily growth.

"To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:27 NKJV) When Apostle Paul talked about the supply of what was lacking in the sacrifice of Christ, it was obvious that the reference has nothing to do with doubting the completion of the atonement towards the reconciliation of man to God. What is lacking in the sacrifice of Christ for sinners is the appreciation of the finished work of grace, through willful determination of each of His redeemed saints to deny self to carry the cross and follow the Lord. The glory of God is concealed in every opportunity to suffer for the course of the gospel of Christ. It implies that the perfection of the present sufferings in Christ attracts the presentation of the future glory in heaven with Him.

"For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Colossians 1:9 NKJV) Hunger and thirst for the preeminence of Christ is more desirable than sustainable in every Christian life and conducts. Being reported of experiencing the spiritual appetite for righteousness, Apostle Paul and his associates took the sustainability challenge of the believers in Colosse to the throne of grace. A sustained spiritual appetite is blessed with grace to maintain balance about the understanding of God's will in all affairs of life. However, hell's greatest weapon against the saints of God is the constant resurgence of carnal appetite for position and pleasure.

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 NKJV) The law of economics constraints every budget to be drawn according to the limit of human resources, and not necessarily on the basis of needs assessment. But unlike human consideration, God's ultimate plan is to ensure that supply meets essentially all needs. Until God's supply channel overruns man's supply channel, the supply line cannot be consistent and sufficient. Unfortunately, many unwittingly ignore the preceding actions that are coded in the Philippians 419; but they intend to unlocks God's supply channel by empty faith. Man's supply cannot be restricted to self, and yet he expects an unrestricted supply from God.

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4:8 NKJV) Joy thrives in environment where truth, honesty, purity, love, goodness, and praise reign. Unfortunately, a perpetual voyage into the Island of angels will be required in order to enjoy this perfect environment. Except a personal effort is deployed to create this desired environment, life is generally lived with consistent baggage of frustration. Although it is cheaper and admirable to shift responsibility of environmental sanitation to someone else, no one else can clean up our hearts from every filthiness that kill joy within. Creative joy is the sole responsibility of every created jones.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4 NKJV) The reality of life is the predominance of adversity and anxiety in human affairs, which queries the existence of God. Invariably, no one should be admonished to rejoice in adversity or anxiety. And neither would Apostle Paul do. Rather, he said to the Philippians "Rejoice in the Lord always". It implies that during adversity, we are admonished to exhibit the character of God that abides within us; while the comfort of the Lord is expected to always rule over our anxieties. Therefore, all times can be the season of joy, if the presence of God overrides our reason for rejoicing.

"Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you." (Philippians 3:15 NKJV) Maturity appears to be associated with loss of old memories, gain of new mind-sets, and supply of fresh melodies. Apostle Paul would heartily recommend these spiritual axioms to the Philippian believers as the secret of exceptional revelation from the throne of grace. Old memories are naturally loaded with pains, disappointments, and despairs that the matured must willfully delete, while the mind becomes free to access new opportunities. Heaven's door is ever open for consistent supply of fresh melodies, old memories and mind-sets often distort the rhythm of a joyful heart. A matured mind produces music from an heavenly joy that never stops, even when a joyful heart stop beating.