Summer Study - July 31

How will the world know us? 

It is the last day of July, only a few more days left of our Summer Study.  I sure do hope you have enjoyed the reading and videos.  I especially love todays reading because the imagery is wonderful.  

Read: Colossians 3:12-17

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     Which one of these traits do you find it easiest to clothe yourself in?  How can you grow in some of the other traits?  

2.    Love and peace seem to be the most important traits of all, why do you think this is true?  How do you grow in peace?  How do you grow in love of others?  

Activity for the Day:  Make it a goal for these to be the clothes that you put on each day when you leave the house. Make an index card to place on your door to the garage.  It can say… “Remember to be tender-hearted, kind, humble, meek, ready to put up with anything, be ready to bear with one another and forgive.  Remember to let peace be the deciding factor.”

Blessings, 

Kristyne

Summer Study - July 30

Old and New

Greetings to you all.

I hope you are having a great start of your week and that your devotional times are going well. I love todays passage because Paul does not mince words, he just lays it out for us. If you are going to follow Christ, then things have to change! 

As you prepare to read the passage today and watch the video ask God to give you an open heart to hear Paul’s words and to examine your life.

Read: Colossians 3:5-11

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     As you read through the list of sins from verses 5 and 8, do you see anything that you still struggle with in your life? What does Paul call you to do with these sins?  

2.    What does it mean to put on our new nature? Who is invited into this new way of living?

Activity for the Day: This Sunday we will be celebrating the remembrance of our baptisms. As we prepare for this service take some time to journal what it means to be baptized with Christ and what it will take to putt to death the sins that continue to plague you.    

Blessings, 

Jim

Summer Study - July 29

Raised to Life 

Good Monday Morning!  When you got out of bed this morning did you think:  “Today is a new day.  Today I rise a new creation in Christ.”  Each evening before I go to bed I like to sift through the events of the day and give God the praises of the day and the failures of the day.  Then the next day I wake up to a brand new day with new opportunities, I rise up a new creation.    

Read: Colossians 2:20-3:4

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     Do you like to have a list of rules to follow, to know you are on the “good” list?  How is setting your eyes on Christ different then following a list of rules?  

2.    What practices can you add to your life to help you “die” to your life and “rise” to your new life every day?  

Activity for the Day: Can you remember when you were baptized? Many of us cannot imagine what this was like because. we were infants when we were baptized.  This coming Sunday we are going to have a chance to “remember our baptisms”.  You don’t want to miss this special Sunday.  

Blessings, 

Kristyne

Summer Study - July 28

This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!!

Today is a day to walk and bask in the glory of God. A God who is with you and has set you free. As you read the passage today think about the life you now have because of the work God has done through Christ. 

Read: Colossians 2:13-19

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     How has Christ set you free? What is the significance of this in your life?

2.    How can you live into this great gift of God?

Activity for the Day: Take some time to get away today and just be with God. Celebrate the love that God has for you and the gift of Jesus Christ that God has given you. As you experience God, take time to write down declarations of praise and thanksgiving that you have because of the work of Jesus. 

Blessings, 

Jim

Summer Study - July 27

Welcome to the Weekend!

I hope you have all had a good week and that you are having a blessed Saturday. I like this passage today because it speaks to our need to have our lives centered on Christ. This centered life is our hope in times of stress and in the times of confusion that are coming at us from every side today in our world that is going through a time of cultural change. I invite you to read the passage and then let’s think about what it means to be centered on Christ. 

Read: Colossians 2:8-12

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     Paul is calling the church to live above the philosophies and ideas of the world, and this is a needed call. How does he call us to then focus our attention? 

2.    John Wesley talked much about the “means of grace,” doing those things that put us under the power of the Holy Spirit (such as prayer, studying scripture, small group community, giving and participating in the communion service). How can these things lead us to be more connected with Christ today? 

Activity for the Day: Take some time to do a spiritual inventory. Where are you growing with Christ and where are you struggling? How can you continue to grow in your “means of grace?”

Blessings, 

Summer Study - July 26

Healthy Roots

Happy Friday Church! 

The passage for today is all about remaining strong and making sure that your faith is built on a strong foundation and on truth.  Before I was called into ministry I was content to let other people tell me what to believe.  However, I now think it is important to know what I believe by why I believe it. I think this is important for me, but also for you.  This is part of having a strong foundation built on truth.  That is why a daily habit of Bible reading is important. However, being part of a small group and taking Grow Night classes is also important.  It is all about continuing building upon that strong foundation.  

Read: Colossians 2:1-7

Questions to Consider:                                                  

1.     Why is it important to not just know what you believe by why you believe it?  

2.    Are you in a small group?  Have you taken a Grow Nigh class yet?  Could you make a commitment to consider a small group and a Grow Night class in the fall?  

Activity for the Day: What are some things you can do in your life to make sure you are putting down healthy roots in Jesus and are being built up brick by brick in Jesus?  Write about this in your journal.   

Blessings, 

Kristyne