He Is Before All Things, And In Him All Things Hold Together (Colossians 1:13-17)

He Is Before All Things, And In Him All Things Hold Together (Colossians 1:13-17)

We have received God’s grace in Christ. Through his grace, we received the Holy Spirit as promised, and he dwells in us forever. By the wisdom and understanding of the Holy Spirit living in us, we are able to discern God’s will, walk in a way worthy of the Lord, and live lives that please him. A life that pleases the Lord is, first, bearing the fruit of the Spirit; second, growing in the knowledge of God; third, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience with joy; and fourth, offering thanksgiving to God with joy.

Who is Jesus? The one who was laid in a manger in Bethlehem two thousand years ago is in fact God himself. God became flesh and came into this world to save it from sin and death. Jesus, the promised Christ of God, took on human flesh and became incarnate, suffering the pain and punishment of the cross in order to offer his body as the Passover Lamb before God. Though he had no sin, Christ bore the sin of the world and shed his blood unto death.

In Colossians 1:13–17, Paul declares that this Jesus Christ is the Creator God who made heaven and earth, and that even now he rules over and sustains all that he has made.

Jesus Rescued Us from the Dominion of Darkness

13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13–14)

We have become children of light. This is because Christ Jesus became the atoning sacrifice for us. In Adam, we were trapped in the grip of sin and death and unable to inherit the kingdom of heaven. We could not enjoy God’s love, joy, and peace but only lived in misery and tribulation. But now, by the merit of Christ’s blood, we have been set free from darkness and made children of God’s love, heirs who enjoy all the inheritance of his kingdom. This is why we give thanks in everything. Therefore, we are equipped to live lives worthy of the Lord’s grace and to please him.

The Son Is the Image of the Invisible God

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15–17)

Jesus Christ, who set us free from the dominion of darkness, is the image of the invisible God. The invisible God appeared on this earth in human likeness. The words and works of Jesus reflected the image of God. Most of all, when Jesus died on the cross, he clearly revealed God’s heart of love for sinners. He also healed every disease, walked on water, raised the dead, and answered every question. Even when falsely accused, arrested, and interrogated, Jesus showed himself as the Lord of all.

Jesus is the Firstborn over All Creation

Jesus Christ is the firstborn over all creation. This does not mean he is a created being like us, nor that he is less than God. Rather, as God’s firstborn Son, all authority and power belong to him. He is the Word who was with God in the beginning, and through his Word all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3).

Jesus Christ is the Creator God. Everything visible and invisible was made through him. Thrones, powers, rulers, and authorities were all created through Christ and for Christ. The universe is vast. Countless stars fill the cosmos, moving at astonishing speeds around the solar system. With the advancement of astronomical technology like the Hubble Telescope, we now know that countless galaxies exist, and the presence of invisible black holes has been confirmed.

Look at the earth we live on. Deep inside, magma boils at thousands of degrees. The ocean reaches depths of 10 kilometers. The earth revolves around the sun at 107,000 kilometers per hour and rotates at 1,670 kilometers per hour. Gravity keeps the earth from veering out of orbit.

Look at the human body. Every tongue and fingerprint is unique. Hair grows 12 inches a year, lungs spread wide enough to cover a tennis court, and the thigh bone can support 1,300 pounds. The heart beats 100,000 times a day—over 3 billion times in a lifetime. Blood vessels stretched out in a line would circle the earth four times. The small intestine reaches 7 meters, skin sheds 30,000–40,000 cells a minute, and the total number of body cells is about 60 trillion. Cartilage in the ears and nose grows throughout life, and the liver can regrow to its original size within four weeks even if two-thirds is removed.

Jesus Made All Authority and Power

Jesus also made all authority and power, and he rules over them. He told Pilate this truth during his trial:

Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” (John 19:11)

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. (Romans 13:1)

The federal and local governments have been entrusted with authority to maintain order and public safety. The most visible expressions of authority for people are taxes and traffic laws. Wherever we go, we are under the rule and authority of government. If we disobey, we are fined or detained. Laws basically exist to establish equality and justice, and violations bring consequences.

But not all laws are written; some are unwritten. Cutting in line may not be legally prohibited, but it is rude and inconsiderate. People say, “That’s unfair.” On what basis? The law written in the heart becomes the standard. For example, when everyone contributes equally but only a few are recognized for their effort, people naturally sense injustice.

Jesus Made Unseen Powers and Authorities

Besides these, there are also unseen powers and authorities. There is the devil, hiding in the darkness, causing fear and anxiety. He is the evil one who deceives with lies, tempts, and tries to make people fall in order to destroy them. We submit to all authorities, but we resist Satan, the devil, who holds the power of hell. For the devil does not submit to God’s authority but opposes it. The devil is the very expression of disobedience to God’s authority. Forgetting his place as a created being, he tries to take the place of God. Therefore, the struggle of believers is a battle against the devil who holds the power of darkness.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

Jesus resisted the devil and drove him out, casting out demons that tormented people. When Jesus and his disciples went to the region of the Gerasenes, a man possessed by demons lived among the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones, terrifying the whole town. He lived there day and night. People often tried to bind him with chains and irons, but he broke them apart and no one could subdue him (Mark 5:3-5). That man was completely destroyed under the power of the devil’s darkness.

“For Jesus had said to him, ‘Come out of this man, you impure spirit!’” (Mark 5:8). The man possessed by demons recognized Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and fell on his knees before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” (Mark 5:7). Before Jesus Christ, the Creator of heaven and earth, the demons submitted, left the man, and entered the herd of pigs, which rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned (Mark 5:13). Therefore, we resist the devil and he flees.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7).

Even today, the devil tries to devour us if he can. For example, he urges us not to yield our rights, but to fight to claim them. He stirs up hatred, envy, and jealousy, accusing us falsely and tempting us not to love our enemies but to hate them. But we resist hatred, envy, and jealousy. We follow Jesus Christ, who did not save himself but sacrificed his body as an atoning sacrifice. We endure shame, pain, loss, and humiliation. By faith, we die with Jesus, who died on the cross.

In Jesus Christ, All Things Hold Together

Jesus not only created all things, but he also rules and sustains them. “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17). The earth’s axis is tilted at 23.5 degrees, which plays a crucial role in creating a climate suitable for life. The surface temperature of the sun is about 6,000 degrees Celsius. Our hearts beat 60–100 times per minute, day and night. The grains, vegetables, and fruits produced from the earth feed over 7 billion people every day without running short.

The three forces that sustain the universe are gravity, electromagnetism, and nuclear force. Without gravity, we could not stand. Electromagnetism powers all electronic devices, and nuclear force holds the atomic nucleus together, forming matter. The one who created and sustains all these powers is Jesus Christ. That is why we cannot live even for a single moment without the grace and love of Christ.

Above all, the glorious power and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ are revealed in his incarnation, when he offered himself as a sacrifice on the cross. As the Judge of all, Jesus rightfully should judge people trapped in sin and darkness. As the holy God, it would be justice to destroy this disobedient and rebellious world filled with evil.

However, instead of using his power and authority as Creator for judgment, Jesus used it to save the world. He took the condemnation of the world’s sins upon himself and became the sacrificial Lamb. Jesus’ death on the cross was not submission to Jewish or Roman power. The rulers of this world did not judge him. Jesus willingly gave up his life to the Father in order to save the world (John 10:17). He laid down his life to redeem the world from sin.

“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father” (John 10:18).

Jesus offered his body once for all to save those who were bound under the law of sin and death (Hebrews 10:10). This was the will of God the Father. The Father’s will is that we are made holy through the blood of Christ, not by human effort (Hebrews 10:10). Because of this, we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place, to come before the throne of grace (Hebrews 10:19). From the throne of God’s grace flows the living water of eternal life, and we live forever. Amen!

July 7, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Live A Life Worthy of the Lord and Please Him in Every Way (Colossians 1:9–12)

 

Live A Life Worthy of the Lord and Please Him in Every Way (Colossians 1:9–12)

Paul prayed for the believers in Colossae, asking that grace and peace from heaven be with them. Since the day they heard the gospel of Christ Jesus and truly understood God’s grace, it has been bearing fruit and growing among them and throughout the whole world. Because of the hope stored up for them in heaven, they were practicing faith and love.

Faith means trusting and depending on the unseen God and on His word of promise. Abraham held on to God’s promise, and in the land of Canaan, though it was foreign to him, he pitched his tent, built an altar, and lived there looking forward to the city God had prepared. Love means following the example of Jesus on the cross, denying oneself and laying down one’s life for others. Love is seen in yielding, giving up, and even suffering loss. The faith and love of the saints are because of the hope laid up in heaven. Jesus endured the cross, trusting in the Father’s love and grace of salvation for this world through His sacrifice.

In Colossians 1:9–12 Paul prays that through the Spirit’s wisdom and understanding, they may know God’s will so that they may live a life worthy of the Lord and please Him in every way.

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:9–12)

Paul had heard news of the Colossian church through Epaphras (1:3). From the moment he heard, he did not stop praying for them. Of course, this does not mean that Paul did nothing else but pray day and night. He still preached the gospel and wrote letters. But it shows that he continually entrusted their well-being to the heavenly Father in faith.

First and foremost, Paul prayed that they would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will through the wisdom and understanding the Spirit gives. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding is the Spirit of the Lord Himself. The prophet Isaiah foretold that the Spirit of the Lord would rest on the shoot that comes from the stump of Jesse, that is, on Christ:

“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;
from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and of might,
the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—” (Isaiah 11:1–2)

The Holy Spirit Promised

At the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him. He also said that He was going to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house (John 14:2). This pointed to His suffering on the cross, His death, His resurrection, and His ascension into heaven. But the disciples did not understand where He was going and were troubled (John 14:1). At that moment, Jesus promised them another Advocate who would be with them forever (John 14:16):

“The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:17–18)

Jesus, who came in the flesh, died on the cross and rose again on the third day. For forty days He remained on earth, then ascended into heaven on a cloud in the sight of His disciples (Acts 1:9). He is no longer physically present on earth, but God has sent the Spirit to be with us forever. Therefore, those who believe are never abandoned; God does not leave His children as orphans. Jesus in the flesh was bound by time and place, but the Spirit is always with us everywhere.

“Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:19–20)

How do we discern God’s will? The Holy Spirit dwelling within us enlightens us. The Spirit is the Spirit of truth, who searches even the deep things of God (1 Corinthians 2:10). Therefore, it is only through the Spirit that we can discern God’s will. All the knowledge of the world cannot bring a person to know God.

But there is also the deceiving spirit, the devil, who seeks to confuse believers about God’s will. For example, in times of suffering, the devil whispers, “Where is your God?” Yet the Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26). The Spirit assures us that suffering produces perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope (Romans 5:3–4).

So Paul prayed that through the wisdom and understanding of the Spirit, we would discern God’s will and live a life worthy of the Lord, pleasing Him in every way. To live in such a way and to please the Lord in all things is possible only by the power of the Spirit.

So then, what does it mean to live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way?

First, it is to bear fruit in every good work. To live in a manner worthy of the Lord is to obey according to the will of God. We follow as the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, makes us aware. For example, we put off the old self that disobeys and put on the new self that obeys. The old self lives according to the sinful nature, but the new self lives clothed with the power and authority of Christ. This is to follow the truth of the cross, which is self-denial. The old self hates and envies others, but the new self loves as Jesus loved us.

To walk worthy of the Lord is to please him in every way. Why should we please the Lord? Because God created us and is the Father of life and grace. God loved us so much that he did not spare his one and only Son. When someone loves us, we respond with thanksgiving. Likewise, we obey with a thankful heart toward God’s holy love. To love our neighbors as Jesus Christ loved us is to live in a manner worthy of the Lord, and this pleases him.

Everyone bears fruit. But not all bear good fruit. Hatred, murder, and stealing are bad fruit. Love, joy, peace, and patience are good fruit. To love our neighbor as ourselves in response to the love we have received from God is the good fruit that pleases the Lord. Bearing fruit is a process, and it is not done once and finished, but continues without end.

Second, it is to grow in the knowledge of God. When a baby is born, it is natural to grow. Yet a baby does not become an adult overnight but grows step by step through infancy, childhood, adolescence, youth, and adult. Spiritual growth is also gradual. Jesus taught Nicodemus the truth of being born again. We who were dead in Adam are born again in Christ.

However, at the moment of new birth we cannot know everything of God. As we respond to God’s love with thanksgiving and obedience, we continue to grow in the knowledge of God. God delights in obedience and blesses us to bear fruit. Fruit is like God’s seal of approval. But if there is no obedience, there is no fruit, and there is no growth in the knowledge of God. Judas Iscariot was such an example.

According To His Glorious Might

“11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:11–12).

Third, it is to be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience with joy. God supplies all power according to his glorious might. By his supply, his children bear the fruit of patience. Paul prays that God will supply the power of his glory so that they may bear the fruit of endurance.

All power according to God’s glorious might refers to the glory and power of the resurrection—the authority and might of the Creator God. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. In all creation, God’s invisible power and divine nature are displayed (Romans 1:20). A grave has no life, no breath, only death, emptiness, and weakness. Yet God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, something impossible for man. Amen!

In order to endure suffering and pain in this world with joy and to bear the fruit of patience, we must be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might. The fruit of endurance is the fruit of the Spirit. All the fruit of the Spirit comes from heaven; it is spiritual fruit. Therefore, it cannot be produced by human effort or resolve. Only by clothing ourselves with God’s resurrection power can we endure with joy and patience.

How then are we strengthened with all power according to his glorious might? God, as he promised, sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to those who believe. The Spirit comes once and never leaves (John 14:16). Jesus completely submitted to the Father who dwelt in him, obeying with joy and a willing heart even to the point of death. Jesus endured the cross by the power and authority of God’s glory given by the Father.

Therefore, as Christians, when we face persecution and accusations in this world, to look to the heavenly hope and to endure with patience is to be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might. The believers in Colossae also lived out their faith and love for all the saints because of the eternal hope stored in heaven, and this too was by being strengthened with all power according to God’s glorious might. Thus, they endured with joy and patience. From beginning to end, only by being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might do we hold firmly to the hope of heaven and practice faith and love.

Fourth, it is to give joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. Scripture says, “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Even though we suffer pain and hardship in this world, there is an eternal heavenly inheritance in the light that no one can take away. For the believer, there is no more darkness. We are freed from the snare of death and the grave.

Jesus gave thanks because the Father heard his prayer (John 11:41). Jesus, believing that through his suffering the Father would give us saving grace, offered himself as a sacrificial offering with joy and thanksgiving.

The opposite of thanksgiving is grumbling and complaining. To be ungrateful is to have no hope in the eternal reward stored in heaven. Instead, one seeks to fill life with things of this world. But the things of this world perish, spoil, and fade. The more one seeks, the less satisfied one becomes, and thirst only increases.

The Samaritan woman was such a person. But she met the Lord Jesus Christ, who gives living water that never runs dry, and she received the hope of heaven in the light. This is God’s will revealed through spiritual wisdom and understanding. To our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us eternal hope in heaven, we give thanks and praise forever. Amen!

2025. 8. 31.

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.

 

Because of the Hope Stored Up for Us in Heaven (Colossians 1:3–8)

 

Because of the Hope Stored Up for Us in Heaven (Colossians 1:3–8)

The apostle Paul greeted the believers in Colossae and prayed that grace and peace from heaven would be with them. Paul, sent as an apostle by the will of God, proclaimed the gospel of Christ throughout the world in the first century. Timothy served alongside Paul as his coworker in the gospel.

By God’s grace, we believe in Christ Jesus, receive eternal life, and inherit the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is filled with love, joy, and peace, and those who receive this inheritance also have love, joy, and peace. Amen!

In Colossians 1:3–8, Paul said that he had heard of the Colossians’ faith, love, and hope, which came from hearing and understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thanksgiving to God

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel (Colossians 1:3–5).

Pray Without Ceasing

Paul had never visited Colossae or met the believers there, but he heard about them through Epaphras and prayed for them. His prayers were for God’s grace and protection and that they would entrust themselves to the Lord. He prayed that they would stand firm on the truth of the gospel, discern what is not the gospel, and continue to grow and be transformed in Christ’s love and grace. The details of Paul’s prayer are explained in verses 9 and following, and they are also our daily prayer.

Prayer is communion with God and an expression of dependence on Him. Therefore, we cannot live without prayer. Paul urged believers to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to present everything to the Lord.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).

Jesus also prayed. He rose early in the morning while it was still dark and prayed in a solitary place. After feeding the five thousand, He went up on a mountainside to pray. In Gethsemane, He prayed earnestly that the Father’s will be done, not His own. Jesus always prayed. He lived in constant communion with the Father, offering His body as a living sacrifice so that the Father’s will might be accomplished.

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19).

Living by Faith Alone

Paul always thanked God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he prayed for the believers. This was because he heard of their faith in Christ and their love for all God’s people. Their faith and love came from the hope stored up for them in heaven. Faith, hope, and love endure beyond death and into eternity.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

What is faith? Faith is believing in God and His promises. Blessing comes through faith because the object of faith is God Himself. However, trusting in the world or in money leads to destruction, for money has no power to save. True faith is believing in the unseen God and His kingdom. We come from God and return to Him. Only God and His kingdom are our true hope.

Abraham is the father of faith. He was declared righteous because he believed God’s promise of an inheritance in a place he had not yet seen (Genesis 15:6). A promise is not yet fulfilled, and what is already seen is no longer hope.

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? (Romans 8:24).

Everyone desires something better and longs for what is truly good. People search for true satisfaction, yet nothing in this world can provide it. Everything here fades, spoils, or disappears. But the kingdom of God is eternal, imperishable, and undefiled. Humanity’s longing for true fulfillment is evidence that we were created in the image of God. Abraham believed and saw the mystery of the heavenly hope by faith.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them (Hebrews 11:13–16).

What we believe is precious and valuable. Who would put their trust in something worthless? The kingdom of heaven, our future hope, is of greatest value, beyond comparison with anything in this world. The mystery of the kingdom is hidden in God’s Word. That is why we devote our time and hearts to reading, meditating on, and studying the truth of Scripture—so that we may understand and obey the mystery of God’s kingdom, our true hope, and bear fruit for His kingdom.

Love each other as I have loved you

Paul also gave thanks because of their love. Love, too, comes from hope. Love is giving. Love is sacrifice. The model of love is Jesus Christ, who gave His own body as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. Giving up His life is the love of God. It is by this love of God that we have come to salvation. By God’s sacrificial love we have received forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

But God did not love us because we were worthy. When we were lost in sin, in ignorance and darkness—when we were enemies of God—He did not spare His Son, Jesus Christ, but gave Him up for us (Romans 5:8). This is the grace of God that comes down from heaven. Grace is given where there is no merit. Yet the only way to enter into the grace of God is through faith. Believing that God loved us to the point of sacrificing His Son is to step into the embrace of the grace of salvation.

And once we are His children, God’s grace remains forever, unchanging. After we are born again in Christ, we are always under the shelter of God’s abundant grace. The love of God’s grace does not change and shows no partiality. Whoever turns their heart, repents, and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will receive grace that flows like an unending waterfall.

So what was the love of the Colossian believers like? It was sacrificial and self-giving love, loving one another as Christ loved them. It was bearing shame and humiliation in place of others, just as Jesus did. It was dying to self. It was laying down pride and enduring pain. It was suffering loss for the sake of others. It was yielding willingly when conflicts arose. To lay down pride is to deny the very thing we hate more than death itself.

How is this possible? The answer is found in the example of Jesus. He endured the cross because He believed that through His blood and death the grace of salvation would come. He also believed that God the Father would raise Him from the dead. This was the Father’s will and plan established before the beginning of time. Jesus was with God the Father from eternity.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Therefore, love is based on hope that comes from the promises of God’s Word. Since that hope is beyond comparison to present suffering or pain, love endures loss, shame, and humiliation willingly. Abraham reasoned by faith, and so he did not return to his homeland of Ur, but stayed as a stranger in the promised land of Canaan, building tents and altars.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

“Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures” (Psalm 90:10). Life passes quickly like an arrow. Human life is like the morning dew, like the flowers of the field that are here today and gone tomorrow (Isaiah 40:6–8). Our bodies die, decay, and return to dust, for we came from the dust. Even now, those who once worked hard, raised children, traveled, and enjoyed life are old, unable to move their bodies, and living in nursing homes. This is life!

But this is not all. Even though the body perishes, decays, and disappears, we will be clothed with a new body made by God (2 Corinthians 5:1). Our spirit will live forever with God’s Son, Christ, in this new body. While on earth we imagine the length, breadth, height, and depth of the glory to come, but we believe by faith that we will surely reach that day.

Hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and understand God’s grace

“…about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit” (Colossians 1:5b–8).

Where do faith, love, and hope of the believers come from? They come from hearing and understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came in the flesh. Hearing includes practicing obedience. To only hear without doing obedience is like building a house on sand. When trials and persecution come, it cannot stand but collapses.

Hearing carries expectation. One listens with longing to hear the gospel of God’s Son, Christ, and to understand. Sometimes at a beautiful concert one is moved to tears. In a greater way, the gospel of Christ brings life, encouragement, comfort, and hope. Hearing means dwelling in Christ. Hearing means coming willingly and joyfully before the Lord with a longing for His Word of truth. Hearing is listening for God’s whispering voice through the difficulties and pains of life.

“You are my Son; today I have become your Father” (Psalm 2:7; Mark 1:11).

And from the day they heard the Word and understood God’s grace, their faith, love, and hope spread throughout the whole world. Paul heard all of this through Epaphras. The grace of God does not stop within us but is revealed to the world. For Christians bear the marks of Christ (Galatians 6:17). These marks of Christ are the suffering and pain of the cross and His self-giving love. When we believe God’s promises and His goodness and obey His Word by loving our neighbors, that love spreads outward.

August 24, 2025

Buffalo Livingstone Church ©2025, David Lee Ministries ©2025 – All Rights Reserved.

Scripture quotes are from the NIV.