Colossians 2:6-23

"...And you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."

{Colossians 2:10} (NIV 1984) 

Paul believes this! He lived his life believing that Christ was alive in him. Paul has already told the Colossians in 1:27 that our hope is Christ in us, and in verse 29 he told them that he labours and works with Christ’s energy, which powerfully works within him. 

Are you tired this day; maybe dragging around a bit, weary of the struggle? Perhaps we wish that someone else could do it for us? Stop for a moment and consider the awesome truth that is being declared in this verse. "In Christ", that is, Christ is in us, so we are in Christ. In Christ we have Him, all of Him; His fullness has been given to us! He has been given all power and authority, He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is God’s One and Only Son. He has the fullness of Deity within Him. This is who is alive inside we who believe. I hope this truth gives you hope for this day. I hope this truth puts the spring in your step, and a smile on your face. 

Friend, what a gift we have been given! May we this day say with the apostle Paul: Today I will live my life in my body through faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) 

Lord Jesus, take all that I am, all that I have and use me however you want. Lord Jesus, I know that I can’t handle this thing today. Lord Jesus may you control me, may you handle it for me. Praise your glorious Name!

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Colossians 2:6-23

 "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form..."

{Colossians 2:9} (NIV 1984) 

“Who do you say I am?” (Matt 16:15,16) What is our answer this morning to the question our Lord asked Peter? Surely our answer is that Jesus is the Son of the living God! We were taught this and we know that this is the answer we are supposed to give, but do we consider the truth that is contained inside that answer? 

Throughout human history, God has been present through various forms; He met with Adam and Eve, He ate with Abraham, He wrestled with Jacob, He appeared in various forms to the Israelites including His presence above the lid of the atonement cover, He spoke to Elijah. But in Christ, He has appeared in His fullness. Our Lord is not a type of God, or a shadow of God, or even just a part of God. Our Lord Jesus is God, and is all God. 

God in a human body is another way to understand this verse. This means that there is nothing missing, no compromise, not settling for something that is inferior- rather, the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being. (Heb 1:3) The holiness, the power, the justice, the righteousness, the grace, and the love of God all dwell with us in Christ Jesus.

The word “for” at the beginning of this verse means that Paul is making a point. His point is simple, don’t rely on human wisdom, tradition and philosophy, when we have God we can rely on. Friend, all you and I need today is Christ Jesus.

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Colossians 2:6-23

"...Rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

{Colossians 2:7} (NIV 1984) 

We received Christ Jesus as Lord. That is, we asked Him to save us and He did it by entering into us, and making us alive. 

A root is what brings life sustaining nourishment to a plant. Cut off the root and the plant dies. Our very life comes from The Lord. Let us be rooted in Him; let us be connected to the Source of Life that is within us and then we will continue to grow and be built up in Him. 

As we focus on the Lord Jesus, as we walk by faith, keeping our eyes on Him and not on our circumstance, we will be built up and be strengthened in our faith. Storms will come, and storms will go, but our Lord remains the same, and His character never changes, and therefore His promises will always be true. To overflow with thankfulness, is usually easier in the calm times of our lives, and not so easy in the storms. Yet if our root goes deep and our connection to our Lord is strong and vital, we will overflow with thankfulness despite our situation. 

Friend, do we have thankfulness overflowing today? Check the root. The issue is not people or what is happening around us, the issue is our root.

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Colossians 2:6-23

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him..."

{Colossians 2:6} (NIV 1984) 

How did you receive Christ? Can you remember that day, the time, the situation? What happened then? What words did you say? What emotions did you feel? What communication from God did you receive? 

Paul’s point here is, how we received Christ, is how we should live. Now I don’t know your answers to the questions I posed. But I do know that not one of us made a bargain with Christ Jesus. We didn’t come to a marketplace and offer something of value for the right to become the child of God. NO! In our own way, and with our own words we came to Christ Jesus on our knees, calling out, begging for Him to save us.  Each of us had come to the realization that we needed saving, and when we heard the good news that Jesus will save a sinner like us, we responded in faith and asked Him to save us; believing the promise of God, that all who call on the Lord will be saved. 

So, how about we live like that today! Let us not approach this day from a position of strength, as if we have something valuable to offer God. Instead let us fall on our knees before our Lord and ask Him to have His way in our lives. Let us trust Him completely today to do what he has promised to do.

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Psalm 103

"The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all."

{Psalm 103:19} (NIV 1984)

There is a real throne, a place of rule, a throne room that is out of this world. The LORD set it up and rules all His creation from it. This is a place of absolute power! No created being has the ability to truly threaten the Creator’s righteous rule. This is a place of absolute justice! His judgments are true, and final with no appeal available. This is a place of great wonders and wondrous creatures! Cherubim and seraphim move around, arch angels are present, heavenly rulers sit in front of the Ancient of Days, and every one of those creatures desire to do His will, and to see His will done on earth. 

Yet this place of absolute power and justice and great wonders, is a place of grace. It is a place where the children of God are always welcome. A place where we are not only invited to come, but urged to come! A place that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Who am I that He who sits on the throne would care for me, a worm? Well I am in Christ, who is His dearly beloved Son. 

As David turned his mind toward this great throne room, he urged the mighty angels and the heavenly host to praise this gracious God. He then urged all of creation to praise Him, and then he turned to the one thing that David could himself control; He urged his own soul to praise and to bless the LORD.

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Psalm 103

"He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel..."

{Psalm 103:7} (NIV 1984)

There is an ancient truth that applies across all cultures, all places and all time: “Actions reveal character.” Proverbs tells us that even a child is known by their actions (20:11). Our Lord tells us that wisdom is revealed by actions (Lk 7:35). James tells us that faith is proven by actions (Ja 2:7). Paul tells us that love is proven by actions (1 Cor 13). 

David tells us in this Psalm that the LORD has revealed His ways, and His deeds in the time of Moses. What sort of character do the LORD’s deeds reveal? A compassionate God, who realizes our frailty and comes along side us and helps us in very practical ways. A gracious God, who doesn’t treat us as our actions deserve, but is faithful to His promise, when we are not. A God who is slow to get angry, and slow to act in His anger. He gives us time, and allows intercession to be made. He is patient with us. Over all of His other attributes is LOVE. His great LOVE for you and for me. His great LOVE for the world. His great LOVE for His Son! 

Friend, there are some really good people in this world, but no one has the character of God. No one loves you like God loves you, and no one will help you like God will help you! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me!

{Mercy Me, The Love of God, via YouTube}

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Psalm 103

 "Praise the LORD, O my soul,  and forget not all his benefits— who redeems your life from the pit  and crowns you with love and compassion..."

{Psalm 103:2,4} (NIV 1984) 

Jeremiah knew all about being in a pit. His pit was a place they put him to kill him 

(Lam. 3:53), a terrifying narrow deep hole, with water and mud at the bottom. Ezekiel prophesied to the king of Tyre that he would be put in a pit to wait there until his destruction (Ez 28:8). Zechariah spoke of God rescuing us from a waterless pit, a pit without the Holy Spirit, a holding place for death (Zech 9:11). 

Remember O my soul, that the LORD redeemed me out of that pit. He paid the price, His own Son’s blood, He purchased me and brought me out of the pit and up into Life! As wonderful as this truth is, and as beneficial to our soul that meditating on it would be, David reminds his soul that God didn’t stop there. No! The LORD Almighty, the King of all creation, crowns us. Not only are we brought up out of the pit, not only are we cleaned up and given new clothes, but He crowns us, for we are now children of the King. His love will never fail, His mercy is new every morning, and He Himself, draws near to us each minute to bring us help, for He has compassion on us as a father has compassion on his children.

Bless the LORD O my soul!

10,000 Reasons, Matt Redman, via YouTube 

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Psalm 103

"Praise the LORD, O my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins

    and heals all your diseases..."

{Psalm 103:2,3} (NIV 1984)

At the top of the list of benefits that I should remind my soul of this day: in order to be able to praise His Holy Name, is that He forgives all my sins! Friend, there is not a single sin that God will not forgive you of. We won’t forgive ourselves; others won’t forgive us, but God forgives ALL our sins when we approach Him through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ. 

“Your sins are forgiven” our Lord told the paralytic, and so that we may know that He can forgive sins, He then healed him. (Mk 2:1-12) Not only does He forgive ALL our sins, He also heals ALL our diseases. Disease was a part of David’s life, (Ps 6) and it is a part of our lives. Just as sin is part of our lives, disease is right there beside it. Disease, sickness and death are all a result of sin entering the world and will be present in this world as long as it there is sin. 

We wonder if David meant ALL – as in - up until this point in his life, or does he mean ALL - as in - every disease including the one that took his life. (1 Kg 1:1) Then we read the description of the Holy City (Rev 22), where only those who have been forgiven by the blood of Christ can enter, and we see the trees for the healing of the nations. Then we realize that David meant ALL diseases, just as he meant ALL sins.

Praise the Lord O my soul!

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Psalm 103

"Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name."

{Psalm 103:1} (NIV 1984) 

It may seem a little odd that David is speaking to his own soul. Have we ever got up in the morning and told our soul to do something? Do I ever say to myself, “John remember to do such and such.”? If there was ever anything that you and I should remind ourselves to do, this is the most important. Praise the LORD O my soul! Tell yourself that this morning. Tell yourself to praise Him, and see if your soul is able to obey. 

What stops us from being able to praise God? What is it that could possibly stop us from worshiping the God who loves us so much? He took care of us all our lives. He guided us in ways that we didn’t recognize until later. He protected us; He brought us into His kingdom through faith in His Son. 

Friend, what has stolen the joy of our salvation? Who is the dastardly thief? Nehemiah told his people, “The joy of the LORD is our strength.” (8:10) We need this joy, we need to praise Him, we need to worship Him! Make your soul listen. Don’t accept no from your inner being. Don’t allow lethargy to stop this praise from happening! Praise the LORD, praise His Holy Name.

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul

And all that is within me

Bless His holy name

He has done great things

He has done great things

He has done great things

Bless His holy name

{Bless the Lord, Andre Crouch, via YouTube}

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Romans 10

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” 

{Romans 10:1} (NIV 1984) 

What does it mean to me that God is the One who decides who will be saved, and who will not be saved? To many people it means that they turn away from God. They reject the right of the Creator to make decisions regarding His creatures. To Paul, it means that he turns to God and pleads with God for their souls.

It is made crystal clear in the book of Exodus that God choose the Israelites over the Egyptians. It is made clear in the book of Romans that God hardened the hearts of the Israel in order that salvation would come to the Gentiles. What does it mean to me, that God is a God who chooses whom He will save, and works in their hearts to save them? It causes me to pray for those that I want to see come to Christ. We all know that only a remnant of the world will be saved. God asks us to come boldly before Him and plead for grace. That is what Paul did, and that is what we should do. 

Even as I write this, I am reminded of a person I used to pray for and had stopped. Friend, let us be people who plead for God to bring these souls to Himself. Let us not give up, but let us pray in faith to our gracious God. Their only hope is the grace and mercy of our God.

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Romans 9

"Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth? They crouch down and bring forth their young..."

{Job 39:1-3} (NIV 1984) 

Friend, when we read Romans 9 we ask questions like “Is God unjust?”(vs 14) When we are given a small glimpse into the thoughts of God as He rules and administers His creation and His creatures, we in our sin and pride cannot help but accuse Him of injustice and lack of mercy. This is natural only in the sense that we are naturally sinners, and that we have finite minds and therefore cannot understand the mind of God. 

These three verses in Job 39 always bless me and bring me to the place of praise. These Words of God take me from Pharaoh’s throne room and put me in a cedar thicket on the north side of Stoney Lake. Who is there when those does give birth? Who counts down the months, and days, and minutes before those little fawns come forth? Who crouches in the wet and the snow and gives a doe strength to bear her young? God does! He cares for the animals, and He cares for you. His mercies are new every day all over the earth, there for every part of His creation. They are there for you and for me. Our Lord told us, “Don’t be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matt 10:31)

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

{Civilla D. Martin, 1905}

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Exodus 9:13-35

"But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

{Exodus 9:16} (NIV 1984) 

This is the plainest statement in Scripture about the power of God and the purpose of evil rulers. Why are there evil rulers? God has raised them up (or spared them) in order that God’s power might be seen, and His Name proclaimed. 

If Pharaoh had wisely allowed the Israelites to leave, the wonders of God would not have been revealed. This truth about Pharaoh is a truth about Satan. Why did God create Satan? So that He might show His power and that His Name would be proclaimed. Why has God allowed people in our lives who are evil and are bent on destroying us? So that He might show His power and that His Name might be proclaimed. Why did God allow His people to suffer abuse under this evil tyrant? So that He might show His power and that His Name might be proclaimed. Why does God allow His people to suffer sickness and pain? So that He might show His power and His Name be proclaimed. 

Friend, call upon God this day: Show us your power! Heal us! Free us! Sustain us by Your mighty hand of grace! May we proclaim His mighty Name this day, to those we meet.

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John 19

"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} (NIV 1984)

Pilate held the power of life and death over humans. He ruled in Caesar’s place and sat in Caesar’s seat, and when our Lord remained silent under his questioning, Pilate reminded the Lord of the power that Pilate had over Him. The Lord’s answer makes it clear that God is the One who decides who the rulers of humans are. 

How can it be that the person who makes the decision to have the Son of God killed, is less guilty then the Jews who handed Jesus over to him? Pilate no doubt, was a man of authority and action. The days of the Roman Empire were brutal days, and men who became leaders were men used to power, authority and action. The words of Jesus made Pilate realize that he was not in authority or in control, and the text tells us he tried to have Jesus released. Matthew’s gospel tells us that he washed his hands and put the responsibility onto the Jews. 

O friend, thank God that we are not kings or governors, raised up by God over our fellow humans, and then forced to make decisions we don’t want to. Praise God that our King rules the world with righteousness, and will never be forced by anyone to make a wicked decision regarding us. Our King is not a weak human! He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

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Daniel 4

"But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory."

{Daniel 5:20} (NIV 1984) 

The Bible tells us that there has never been a king on earth as powerful as king Nebuchadnezzar. Yet God broke him lower than a human, and made him become like an animal. 

God has complete control over kings and dictators. Lord Acton in 1887 wrote, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." People become prideful, arrogant and wicked when they have absolute power over other people. They imagine that they are in control, and that they decide the future. They imagine that within themselves is all that they need. God laughs and scoffs at them (Ps 2:1-4). 

We struggle to understand why God would raise up such wicked rulers, and yet the Bible clearly teaches His sovereignty over all rulers (Rom 13:1). God has His purposes and we will trust Him, for He knows the end from the beginning. Wicked kings can kill us and many other people. They cause disaster and hardship, sometimes even worldwide, and yet they serve the purposes of a good God, who does whatever He wants with them, whenever He wants, and He holds the power of life and death over them. (Isa 14:9,10)

Let us join Paul in praise of our God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,  who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Tim 6:15,16)

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1 Kings 3:16-28

"The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases."

{Proverbs 21:1} (NIV 1984) 

The king of Israel was sovereign over his people, and held the power of life and death for all his subjects. Solomon’s signature act of wisdom, determining which woman was the baby’s mother, only worked because the mother believed the king would kill the baby. In our culture, the idea that one person holds this much power is abhorrent to us! Our preference for the counsel of many, gives us parliaments who make the laws, and juries who render verdicts. We see our southern neighbours debating the power of a president to order drone kills of individuals, and we are vaguely uncomfortable with the thought. 

Whether we accept it or not, the truth is that single individuals all around the world hold the power of life and death over others. This verse declares God’s power over these powerful individuals! Proverbs presents the heart as the centre of a person’s will. It is like deep waters, we can’t discern it, but God searches it and not only does He understand what makes a king make decisions, but God directs their decision making centre, as a human directs water in a ditch. 

Friend, would you like to influence the most powerful individuals in the world to do God’s will? Pray for them, that God would direct them and cause His will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven! (1 Tim 2:1,2)

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John 12:20-36

“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

{John 12:27,28a} (NIV 1984)

Verse 20 starts with some Greeks who want to see Jesus, and ends with our Lord hiding Himself from the crowd. As I read it I can’t help thinking of our Lord crying out to His Father on cross, “My God, my God why have you forsaken me?” Why is it a spiritual truth, that when we go through the darkest hours of our lives, we can’t see our God? I can’t tell you why, but I can tell you that it is a spiritual truth, found throughout the entire Bible, and revealed in its fullness in the account of our Lord’s death. 

Friend, remember this truth, when that moment strikes, when the loneliness closes in, when your heart is troubled and you can’t see God anywhere. Go to this passage and follow the example of our Lord. Say what He says, “Shall I say to my Heavenly Father, Save me from this hour?” No, the reason I came to this hour was that I might glorify His Holy Name! When our Lord said those words, sincerely and from His heart, then His Father spoke for our benefit. 

Friend, say those words, sincerely and from your heart, and you will hear your heavenly Father’s voice, spoken to you for your benefit. He will be glorified through us! The reason that this hour has come is so that we can bring glory to the wonderful Name of our Father. Praise His Holy Name!

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Revelation 12

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

{1 Peter 5:8} (NIV 1984) 

Peter knew that we have an enemy! This enemy is powerful and vicious. Living in Canada lulls us into complacency. Food is stored up, medical needs are cared for, communities are organized to be helpful, neighbours are friendly and we have no enemies. We start feeling like everyone loves us, just put a Canadian flag on our jacket, and doors open all around the world! Friend, are you a child of God? Have you given your life to Christ Jesus? Is the Holy Spirit present within your body? Then know this, you have a vicious enemy and he prowls around looking for complacent Christians to devour! Be alert, get control of yourself. Don’t allow the blessing of life in Canada to dull your senses and make yourself an easy target. Our enemy can do us harm. He can hurt us, and he can hurt our families, he can bring destruction into our lives. The Lord told Peter in the garden, as he struggled to wake up after sleeping instead of praying, “Watch and pray, so that you will not fall into temptation….” (Matthew 26:41) 

May we be people who watch and pray. May we watch and pray today!

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1 Peter 5

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

{John 16:33} (NIV 1984) 

Peter was there listening as our Lord spoke these words. He would remember them as he sat by himself after denying the Lord. He would remember them as he got back together with the disciples after the death of their Lord, and found out that only John was at the cross. 

The Lord told them that they would be scattered and leave Him alone, and Peter never forgot it. The book of Acts tells us that Peter rejoiced when he suffered for the sake of his Lord. Church tradition tells us that he willing went to his death and asked to be crucified upside down for he was not worthy of dying in the same manner as his Lord. 

As we read the words of 1 Peter 5, we can hear echoes of the words of Jesus to Peter as He spoke to him about feeding His sheep. Peter appeals to the men of the church, to be who God wants them to be as men, whether leaders or followers. Men who won’t scatter to their own homes, and leave everyone to themselves, in the midst of suffering, but men who will stay together and will care for the people of their Lord. 

Take heart, take courage, for our Lord overcame the world! Stick together, encourage each other, for this time will pass and God will restore you. Suffering is for a little while, but we are called to eternal glory!

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2 Corinthians 1

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation."

{Revelation 3:14} (NIV 1984) 

The Lord Jesus describes Himself in this letter, as the 'Amen'. Paul tells us that all the promises God has made are 'Yes' in Christ Jesus. Pick a promise, any promise - Old Testament or New, take it to God, lay it before Him in prayer and then gaze at Christ. As we gaze at Him, as we fix our eyes on Him, we will see that we have that promise in Him! 

Our Lord is the faithful and true witness. Oh that He would dwell in my heart through faith, that I might be the faithful and true witness that He is. Jesus never faltered, bold as a lion; He spoke Words of grace and of love and of forgiveness. He called people to repentance, He called them to love God with all they are, and to love others sacrificially. Not only are the promises of God 'YES' in Him, not only is He the faithful and true witness, but He rules all of creation. He is seated on the throne of God; He is the Ruler of all there is. 

What troubles do we face this day? What burdens and doubts plague us? Satan and evil seem to triumph; falsehood and thievery seem to prevail and sin seems so strong in us and in the world. Friend, be encouraged. The Lord Jesus is ruler. These times are under His righteous rule, but greater yet, we are in His hand!

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Ephesians 1

"For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love, he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."

{Ephesians 1:4-6} (NIV 1984) 

In this amazing passage we learn that not only did the LORD make all of creation in such a way to reveal Himself, but that our salvation through Jesus Christ was designed to reveal His glorious grace. This chapter is all about praising God for His grace, for His goodness, for His strength, and for His power. His character is revealed through His dealings with the redeemed! He has a plan to reveal who He is! That plan is salvation of all who put their faith and trust in His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. The purpose of the church is to bring praise and glory to the Lord, to reveal the true nature of God. 

In salvation through Christ, God has revealed the radiance of His glory. He has revealed His great, great love, His incomparable strength, His wondrous forgiveness, His inconceivable wisdom and the richness of His grace. He set His eyes on people who deserved death; bought us, sought us, and saved us. He keeps us by His power and seals us by His Spirit, all to the praise of His glory. May we know this God! May we praise this God! May He be revealed to those around us through our lives today. May the fullness of Christ fill us in every way.

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Genesis 1

"For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

{Romans 1:20} (NIV 1984) 

The LORD was here before there was a 'here'. He always has been and He made all that exists. We can ask ourselves, 'why did He make it?' The answer is, “for Him”. (Colossians 1:16) He created everything for His purposes and He created everything in such a way that everything reveals who He is. Creation is all about God! 

In our pride we believe creation is about us. Food is for us, water is for us, air is for us. It is true that creation was made in large part for us, to give us life, and to bring enjoyment and purpose. Yet this verse reveals that all of creation was created for us to see God; to reveal His presence to us that we might seek Him. It isn’t that we existed before creation and God made creation to reveal Himself, rather, we are the last of creation, made in His image, and placed in a world that sings to us the wonders of God, who He is and what he can do. 

May we today, enjoy this revelation of God, may we listen to the song of creation singing His praises. May we rejoice as we see the white glistening snow reminding us of the gracious God who made us as white as snow.

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Philippians 3:1-11

"For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—"

{Philippians 3:3} (NIV 1984)

Paul can’t make it any clearer than this text. Physical circumcision has NO spiritual value in this age of grace. Anyone who teaches that physical circumcision is required by God in order to have peace with Him, is an evil doer. 

Paul gives three identifiers of those who are spiritually circumcised. Firstly, we worship by the Spirit of God. That is, we draw near to God in spirit and in truth. Secondly, we glory in Christ Jesus. That is, we boast about Him, we think about Him, and we point to Him constantly. Thirdly, we put no confidence in the flesh. That is, we don’t make the mistake of thinking that anything we are physically, plays any part in us having peace with God. Not only are we not relying on physical circumcision, but we are not relying on our skin colour, our weight, our height, our family or anything that is physical. Spiritual circumcision is the sign that a person has joined into the promise of God. 

Friend, are these three identifiers in your life? Then you are the circumcision! You are part of the family of God! You are in Christ! Praise God for He has done it!

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