Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

Christ CHOOSES to come down TO US.
We call Him Immanuel.  God with us. Mind blown.

Christ CHOOSES to come down FOR US.
We call Him suffering servant. Lamb. Sacrifice. Mind blown.

Christ CHOOSES to come down IN US.
We call Him indwelling. His HOME is here inside believers. Mind blown.

This used to be a "mystery". (Something we'd never understand without His help. Knute Larson). But now, it is revealed that this is true for first the Jews and now everybody else.

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So Jesus begins everything in creation; He holds it all together and He even begins the resurrection parade.

But rather than giving homage we are HOSTILE
Rather than extolling we act like ENEMIES
Rather than honoring we HATE
and rather than reverencing we REBEL

So after all that, He does one more thing: He RECONCILES. Let's try for once to be a little appreciative.  

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Jesus was there AT THE BEGINNING
Jesus gave all things their BEGINNING
After the beginning, He HOLDS ALL THINGS together
He begins what comes next. He starts the resurrection parade.

He surely has the preeminence. 
Does he have the preeminence WITH ME?
Listen 7 minutes to find out.
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In a way (almost. see John 1:3)unique to the whole of the chronologically read New Testament, Jesus reveals Himself as CREATOR in today's passage. After all we know about Jesus as Savior, death defeater, and sin stomper, now He tells us, "Oh, BTW, I MADE THAT." In fact, I made everything. Even the matter that is used to make things. I made it all.

If you are going to the birth of a new human, you'd best bring a hankie. Why? Because the concept  of all things "created through Him" will be seen and experienced. IMHO, it is the closest any of us here, whether believer or non-believer, may ever get to Jesus in this lifetime. You cannot separate creation, babies, from Jesus. You see Jesus as creator as at no other moment. 

If God sustains us for another day, you will want to have subscribed at bewithme.us or Spotify to get another listen of something very fresh. 

Who do you know that is in the struggle? A: Everybody
How can you struggle FOR those who are IN the struggle? A: In prayer
What can I pray for them? A: their maturing process, no matter what stage it is in.

Timothy and Paul have never met the Colossians.  But they know Epaphras, who is from Colossae, and they JOIN HIM as he STRUGGLES FOR his brothers back home. They pray for maturity in thought and maturity in action. They struggle IN PRAYER for their brothers who are "in the struggle".

Join me for 7 minutes of struggle, as we learn how to struggle for our friends who are in the struggle. Bewithme.us Spotify like subscribe write at [email protected]

The first gem that we find as we start our journey in Colossians is a guy named Epaphras. He's a believer and founded the church in Colossae. Yet, as we find him at this time, he's 1000 miles away from home, with Paul, in prison. He is described as struggling on YOUR behalf in prayer. As if he doesn't have enough struggles under Roman arrest. Here he is, still ministering and trying to move the Colossians toward Christian maturity.  

Please join me in the book of Colossians. Collect the gems of this book with me over the next few weeks of episodes. I PROMISE it will be worth your time and attentions.  In fact, if it is not a worthwhile gift to you, I will give you all your money back. Subscribe at BEWITHME.us or Spotify or Apple Podcasts.  Listen with as many mornings as the Lord may give us.

There is a BARRED OWL hooting and conflicting with a Crow at the 3:00 mark today. Listen for it. 

Philippians is a book about setting our mind in a certain way: like Christ's; in unity; and in a way that aids conflict resolution. It is the mind, not circumstances that drive the fixed, unwavering, manned-up Christian walk. 

It is a book of resolve that is initiated with humility, dependence and even desperation. We work and walk out our sanctification with fear and trembling. Yet, what He asks, He HELPS.  He does not leave us alone.

At its' center is a love story that has YOU in the bulls-eye. He wants us to BE FOUND IN HIM. Jesus has made believers HIS OWN. I keep coming back to these thoughts as centerpieces of this wonderful book. Likely, I will continue to need to be re-MINDED. 

It will help if you subscribe at bewithme.us or on a podcast or on the FB BeWithMe page. Thank you for being here for Philippians.

Philippians chapter 1 is a charge to man-up; don't give-up but get-up; be of full courage, hold-on, to stand shoulder-to-shoulder; to bear with great difficulties; and to cooperate in bringing this maturing process to completion.  Even writing this is exhausting and overwhelming.

How in the world are we to do this?  Well, only PART of it is from this world.  He suggests we have the mind of Christ.  And that mind is one of HUMILITY.  In short, we man-up by BOWING DOWN. Listen as we start to summarize this great book, from a great God, who is doing a great work. If you don't achieve spiritual perfection today, subscribe at bewithme.us  or Apple Podcasts, or Podcaster and we'll take another crack at it tomorrow. 

Could it be that the only places in the entire universe that don't recognize the GLORY of GOD are the acres occupied by PEOPLE? Creation has no problem glorifying God. Springtime yields to glory. Giraffes easily declare glory.  Who sometimes has a problem being of the opinion that God is glorious? It is people. 

Let's let our mind be occupied by the recognition and declaration of God's holiness, majesty and glory.  Let's say AMEN to it. Let's agree with the Glory of GOD on our particular acres. Amen. 

Declare and share His glory. Share this 7 minute podcast. Come back tomorrow at bewithme.us and Apple Podcasts or on FB.

Paul disabuses the Philippians about the so-called "prosperity-gospel" because it is too IMPOVERISHED.  It is condemned not for what it "offers", but because of what it NEGLECTS.

Paul certainly wants givers to have the "fruit that increases to their credit." It includes:

• the PERSON of God
• the PLEASURE of God
• the PARTICIPATION in the ministry of God
• the PEOPLE that are ministering afar (Paul)
• The PEOPLE that are ministering near (your fellowship)
• the PROBLEMs that get to be shared
• and yes, the supply of your needs from His riches

Let us consider our views on giving. Perhaps they are too impoverished. bewithme.us Apple Podcasts, google. Deezer. Instagram.FB. Etc.