Choose Daily Whom You Will Serve

Sorry I am a day late, however, we gave my uncle a beautiful send off to heaven.

Read Colossians 1:1-14


Title in NIV: Paul’s thanks to God for the Colossians’ faithfulness.


There are so many passages in the bible that start with the result and then work backward to show you how to get that result. (Have you noticed that?) I am going to explain vs. 3-6 in order.

Everyone has free will. When you hear the gospel you will either choose hope stored up for you in heaven or choose not to hope in heaven (which is basically hoping in self). Those who do not choose hope do not understand God’s grace for them and don’t think they need His grace or His salvation.

But, let’s say you hope in heaven because you have heard the gospel and understand God’s grace that has come to you. Your hope in heaven should cause two reactions. Faith in Christ Jesus and love for all the saints (saints are the faithful in Christ Jesus…you and me!) Hope shows itself by actions in faith and love. (You still have free will at this point and could decide not to show faith or love.)

The gospel message has its goal: to bear fruit and grow. You and I (Christians) are who Paul is encouraging with his message to help spread the gospel and grow his kingdom…helping people become faithful Christians. (You still have free will at this point and could decide not to spread the gospel.)

Paul prays for the Christians and asks God to fill them with the knowledge of his will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. When we act on our knowledge, wisdom and understanding we are living a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way.  ( You still have free will and could decide not to act on what you have been taught.)
What does a life look like that pleases Him: bear fruit in every good work, grow in the knowledge of God, be strengthened with all power according to his might so that you may have endurance and patience. All these qualities and characteristics should be making us joyfull and give thanks to the Father.  (You could be doing all these things but instead of joy, you could be bitter or have the attitude that you are 'good enough'.)

Now that we accept Jesus Christ, the Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. We have redemption and forgiveness of sins in that Son. We have all this when we –using our free will—choose to follow Jesus Christ, daily. This is not a one time decision. It is a daily decision.

I still can’t understand why anyone would not choose to follow Jesus with their heart, mind and soul. Some people try. They come to church and all the church events but their motives and heart are not in it. Sometimes we see their heart when we see how they are treating others. They want to reap the benefits and not put their heart into faith and love.

The faith and love in action I am talking about will most likely be seen as crazy to people who don’t understand the grace of God to ALL people. (People, maybe even your families, inside and outside your churche will see your actions as “what’s the point”.) All our actions will be judged by the motive of our heart. And, by the way, we do not get to judge those actions of others. We cannot see into someone’s heart and why they do what they do. God is the judge and Jesus the mediator.

Choose Jesus daily and be careful of those things that get in front of your choice.