Colossians 2 ~ If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations—

1 Corinthians 3:8

He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.

Colossians 2

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.


16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

Bible Study and digging into His Word keeps us replenished.

If you live in the Southern United States, you understand - especially today - the water mark can show drought. The River Jordan has no such water mark.

Where does our Bible Study begin - at the Source - with HIM. And we must appreciate this - I recently saw a Church marquee that said, "He appreciates effort, not wishes." I frankly do not agree. We are a soul wrapped by a perishable body. Our being is Spiritual. We sit with HIM and expectantly at our core - our soul - our prayers express to Father God who we really are. He does not wish us to hide from Him as HE created us to be transparent to Him.

With this in mind, we begin our Bible Study. Digging into His Word.


For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul struggled to present the Holy Spirit. We struggle each day saying, here are my open hands, my desires, my ministry, the people I love, like and care to pray for. Norman Vincent Peale had a great remark he frequently repeated "If you have trouble - rejoice - you are alive."

Galatians 6:9
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread

I frequently shorten Jesus' prayer to Give Us the Day. My abbreviation for - this is the day the Lord has Made. Give Thanks. Who is our daily bread but Jesus? The Bread of Life.

What would God mostly say to us - be encouraged, knit others together in love. The full assurance - understanding - knowledge of God's mystery. He fully, completely and totally sees, understands and loves you. As His Child. His Beloved. And, let's be frank, we are frankly mystified that anyone who fully sees us - Loves us!!! I personally think the great mystery is Wow! He loves us!!!

4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.

We read this is His Word:

1 Peter 4:12
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

We see all the time in our media with satellite imagery that the world has struggle, fiery ordeals and we drive in .... traffic.

We should daily be surprised and delighted instead with - awe, amazement, wonder - That God Believes we are part of HIS good order and He firmly has Faith His Son came for us for Very Good Reason. W

6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

What can we give to the LORD, other than Thanksgiving? All of our gifts are from Him. Well, okay - transparency - complaining - struggling. Digging. And not being the whiny Children of Israel.

Not being the people secretly angry with Him.

Joel 3
“What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will return your payment on your own head swiftly and speedily. 5 For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples."

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. 11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

God has created us to be transparent. He sees our complaints. We sometimes get bored with our own complaints. That's, frankly, a miraculous blessing. And then other times we, as Christians, have the 'root of bitterness' rise up. God is not unaware of the word anger. Anger appears a lot in Scripture. God wants us to reach up. To Him. For the high road. He just isn't asking us to be fake or insincere. Be yourself. Then reach up to HIM. We do Not sustain Him. He Sustains us. We do not exist to serve others. We exist to be in relationship with HIM and then take that light to others. This is a struggle.

To repeat, as God does in Scripture a lot:

you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Recheck. HE sustains us. Notice with me this is first person. God, Almighty, Creator of the Universe. The Alpha. The Omega. Is concerned with one person here - you. God is telling us there is a powerful working here - you. And HIM. He is not fumbling around. God loves.... you.

This is the great TA DA - The Victory:

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

The Victory continues. This living Word is written to you. Singular. To you. His child.

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:16
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst

God tells us we should look to ourselves  - esteem ourselves  - in our words, actions, attitudes - He values us. God does not see us as slouches.

8 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.


I, very personally, and with verve proclaim, - I'm against asceticism - suffering for goodness. And I believe we are the Body of Jesus Christ. We gently proclaim our virtues and do not insist our gifts be worshiped. While saying - I matter - I'm a Child of GOD. It's not all about me. But I matter to HIM.

20 If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— 21 “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” 22 (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 23 These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.

If life were up to me, I'd be a poor deity; we might only have donuts. And that is not the Bread of Life. We work to bring talents to the table and recognize He is the Bread of Life. We are supplements. You might be broccoli. You might be apples, but HE is the Bread of Life.

I fully realize this is a very weak analogy. I apologize. The full analogy is that we need to dig into God's Word. Bring our attitudes, heart, soul, mind, work, desires to HIS Table. To be who we are in gratitude. To admit freely to Him - I'm not the best I could be - but I surely - with my heart and soul and entire being desire to be Part of YOU. Dear Father God.

Peter and John looked bodily into the eyes of  God's Only Son. And Peter said this. John recorded this.

John 6:68
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

Light of God. Jesus Christ the Lord. Dwell in me. Raised me, in faith, in the powerful working of God this day and always. Amen.

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