Today's Passage: Colossians 2: 18-23

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, 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. 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— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? 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.

Today's Prayer: 

We choose to reject worldly systems and embrace the cross we choose to reject pride and instead Embrace the mercy of God We choose the one mediator who bore our sins on the cross.

We confess Christ as the head of the body come in the one who nourishes us. We ask you to knit us together. Holy Spirit, we ask you to make manifests the gifts you've given to our church for the work of equipping and edifying your body. We confess that we are members of Christ and members of one another. Teach us Holy Spirit, the role you have for each of us. May none of us think of ourselves as useless, and without gifting.

Rather than focusing on our gifts, we choose to focus on you God, our head.

Father, we lift our gaze to you and as we do, we ask that we would be transformed into your likeness. As we look in Your wonderful face, we ask that the things of earth would grow strangely dim, in the light of Your glory and grace.

In Jesus name we pray…Amen.

NOTES & LINKS:

Information about the Women's Summer Study

Information about the Men's Summer Study

Reach out to the Center for Spiritual Formation