Reasoned Hope: The teaching ministry of Pastor Rod Page

Our study in Colossians continues in Colossians 3:1-4 answering the question; What does it mean to seek the things above?

The Lord leads us towards a pure devotion to Christ which always leads to thanksgiving and His glory! Join us as we look at the beginning of the work of the Lord in the life of his servant Gideon from Judges 6. 

Inspired from Colossians 2:19 - when some had wandered and were not "holding fast to the Head" but were falling for plausible arguments that distracted believers from clinging to Christ. Colossians and the rest of God's Word gives us literally hundreds of reasons to cling to the Lord. Here are some of my favorite ones! 

Before Paul opens the door on practical applications of who we are since Christ is is "in" us he gives some needed warnings about those who would make us feel like second-class believers in Jesus. God has blessed with us all we need in Christ -- He is sufficient in all things and therefore we can rest in all He is without making idols of do's and don'ts, religious observances, or seeking after mystical experiences for the experience' sake. 

Sunday sermon from 9-26-20. This is our third message in a series on Paul's letter to the saints in Colossae. They were in need of a fresh reminder on just how precious their salvation was. Paul states that we have been transferred out of the domain of darkness into the kingdom of our Father's beloved Son. In this reminder we must look back and be thankful that God has rescued us from immense and life threatening danger and that our only hope in what He has accomplished through the Gospel. Included in this message is a recap on the context of the passage. 

Building off of our message on Sunday - to be full in Christ so we can end emptied out offerings at the end of our lives - and in light of other current events in the life of our church, we offer this podcast. We hope you will be encouraged and built up in your faith as we spend time in God's Word and sharing what God is doing! Here is to more and more hope!

in Christ,

Pastor Rod

Some encouragement and explanation for the Wednesday evening ministry opportunities at Lewiston Community Church

Do you know Christ as being in you in such a way that there is no room for worry or any of a number of other "things" that keep you bound to yourself or the things of this world? If we are honest, there are not too many believers in Christ who can say they never worry, and yet we are commanded to not worry at all! Phil. 4:6 

I imagine we all will be working out this command until we find ourselves in heaven! But, the Scriptures are not meant to lead us into failure on this account or any other or to cause us to be living a frustrated and bound up life. Jesus said, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." John 10:10 

So what is the secret? It is finding Christ to be our sufficiency. Come and listen as we share today from a very familiar verse from a closer perspective and see what the Lord can show us as we strive to live for him, to fight the good fight of faith!

I truly believe that prayer is the key to seeing real change come -- and that begins with me and you -- the ordinary believer in Jesus Christ. But, it is not something we do in the natural man at all. Yes, we use our minds and our tongues to pray but this is a spiritual enterprise. The good news is, we who know Jesus have the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to "teach us how to pray" as the disciples requested of their Lord so long ago. There is nothing that God cannot do in response to genuine prayer-- "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." James 5:16b.  Nothing is too hard for Him. But sometimes moving past the natural seems so hard for us! My suggestion is this; start as a little child, go into your room and shut the door and begin by seeking God's face. The best place to do that is on your face! If we humble ourselves we will experience more of His amazing grace than we can hold. We will give it back to Him in praise and thanksgiving. That is a good place to start. 

Lord give us a fresh sense of our desperate condition without you and our lofty position in You! Help us to pray as we ought. Lord! Teach us to pray and help us to defeat that natural man that would keep us from You in prayer! 

Amen.

In this first episode on prayer - the real hallmark of a servant of the Lord is to have God's perspective and a good conscience before the Lord. 

The Scriptures shared are in Jeremiah 3:3, 1 John 3:21-24, Matthew 6:10, John 14:21-23 and Hebrews 4:12-16.