peace rules

Colossians 3:15-17

Paul is concerned about the unity of the church, reminding them that they are one and that peace is to rule in their individual lives and that they are called to peace as a church. This passage also contains a list of different songs: psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Even though we are supposed to sing to God, we are also supposed to sing to each other. I think that sometimes our times of corporate worship are actually a bunch of individuals engaging in a private worship experience in a common location with common music. Paul reminds the church that there is a greater benefit - we are to sing to each other and our collective worship of God is supposed to benefit us - it is to encourage, teach and even admonish each other.
Thankfulness is another key theme - Paul commands that peace rule in our hearts and that we should be thankful. We are to sing to God (adomonishing one another) with thankfulness in our hearts. We are to do everythin in the name of Christ while giving thanks to God. Paul's concern for the church in Colossae could be spoken to much of the North American church today: I think that a lot of our problems lie in our discontent, greed, envy and ingratitude. If we were more grateful, peace would more likely rule. God is not pleased with our ingratitude because, at its heart, what it actually says is that we don't like what God has given to us - that God is not good because he has not given us good things. Lord, let me not accuse you of not being good!
Finally, I need to ask myself the question everyday: am I doing this in the strength of Christ or in my own strength? Am I doing this for the glory of God or for my own glory? Am I doing this to receive praise from others or out of my love for Jesus? Let my heart and motives be true, Jesus. May I be motivated to give my best for your glory and not my own.

Apostolic Authourity

Galatians 1:10-12

Observation:
The repeated words are: humans/people, approval. The key words are: gospel, revelation.

Interpretation:
Paul is saying that he doesn't preach the gospel to gain approval from humans, nor did he receive the gospel from any human source. He makes it clear that the one that he is trying to please is God and that the source of revelation for the gospel he preaches is Jesus Christ.

Application:
The key question from this passage for me is the first one that Paul asks: "Am I now trying to win human approval or God's approval? If I am honest, much of what I do is for the approval of people. I love the affirmations and applause of people. I am addicted to their praise. I depserately want to be free from what people think, I desperately want to "perform" only for God. The sick think is that I project human relationships onto God: in this world you are valued for what you do. If you perform well, you get praise and people value and like you. In God's view, I know that I m valued for who I am in and because of Christ. But I wil still live like I have to perform i order to receive God's approval. The message of the gospel is that there is nothing I could do to make God love me but he loves me anyway. I know this in my head; God, pleas mak ei treal in my heart and life.

"it's all about me..."

James 4:1-3

The key words are fight, quarrel and battle. The language in this section leaves the feeling of turmoil and unsettledness. James lays out a logical progression: you don't have because you don't ask. When you do ask, you don't receive because your motives are wrong.
So much of what drives me is envy and coveting. Just last night, watching tv, a commercial for the ipod touch came on. Wow! The first words out of my mouth were, "I want!" And who wouldn't? That is a sleek little piece of machinery. The truth is a) I don't need it - I actually hate the whole ipod craze. Take those ear buds out and enjoy your surroundings! Learn to endure a little silence. It's good for the soul! But I'm conflicted because some how the ipod has become the standard of cool - the cooler your ipod, the cooler you are and woe to those who don't have an ipod - and I desperately want to be cool! I am envious of those who have. There is another truth: b) I can't afford a touch. It would be the epitome of materialism, of gluttony, of irresponsibility for me to get one. I would have to take money out of something much more necessary like electricity or food.
The problem is that my desire has been awakened and while I might not physically kill I know that I have had to put people down out loud or in my mind to make myself feel better about not having what they do. The other problem would be if I started asking God for an ipod touch. That would definitely be asking with wrong motives - there is no way that I would (or even could?) use it to glorify God; my reason for having one is to glorify myself. The problem is that I have asked for so much for my own glory. My motives aren't right. I need to submit myself to the purpose and the glory of God so that I can truly pray, with all my heart, the prayer that never fails: "Your will be done" I think then I might see my prayers be answered because it becomes all about him and not about me.