The Leftovers

Send us Fan Mail

Life doesn't always reward righteousness or punish wickedness immediately, creating moral unpredictability that challenges our faith. God's sovereignty doesn't guarantee our comfort but ensures His ultimate plan will prevail. We must avoid extremes of trying to control God through perfect behavior or abandoning faith when life gets difficult. True wisdom sees reality clearly, submits to God's authority, and accepts life's unpredictability while finding contentment through gratitude. The key to peace isn't getting everything we want but recognizing everything we have as a gift from God.

Send us Fan Mail

Life often feels like a constant race toward the next milestone, but God has designed our lives to include periods of rest and preparation that are just as valuable as seasons of building and harvesting. The key to understanding life's meaning is found in Ecclesiastes 12:13 - to fear God and keep His commands. Just as farmers don't plant crops in winter, there are spiritual seasons when we're not meant to be constantly building or producing. The most faithful thing we can sometimes do is rest and prepare for the next season. True contentment comes from trusting in God's sufficiency in whatever season we find ourselves in, knowing that His timing is perfect and every season has purpose in His plan for our lives.

Send us Fan Mail

The book of Ecclesiastes addresses life's apparent meaninglessness and our struggle for significance in a fallen world. While the author explores the futility of human striving and the vapor-like nature of life, the book's conclusion points us toward what truly matters: fearing God and keeping His commands. Jesus resolves Ecclesiastes' questions by inviting us into His eternal kingdom, where our significance comes not from making a name for ourselves, but from being part of something that will never fade away. This perspective allows us to work from a place of rest rather than working to achieve rest, finding our identity in Christ rather than in our achievements.

Send us Fan Mail

The book of Colossians delivers a powerful message about the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ. Paul emphasizes that Jesus reigns as King, Creator, and head of the church, possessing all authority and power. Christ is not only supreme but also completely sufficient - in Him we find redemption, forgiveness, and everything needed for spiritual life. This understanding should transform how we live, leading us to devote ourselves to prayer, speak with grace, act wisely toward others, and live with anticipation of Christ's return. When we truly grasp who Jesus is, we naturally respond by longing for His kingdom and resting in His completed work.

Send us Fan Mail

Colossians 3:12-17 instructs believers on how to live as God's chosen people by putting on virtues like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Paul emphasizes that our identity as God's holy and dearly loved people is the foundation for these character traits. Christians are called to forgive others as Christ forgave them and to let love bind them together in unity. The passage highlights the importance of letting Christ's peace rule in our hearts, being thankful, allowing God's Word to dwell richly within us, and doing everything in the name of Jesus.

Send us Fan Mail

Colossians 3 marks a pivotal shift in Paul's letter, moving from theological foundations to practical application of faith. Believers are called to set their minds on heavenly things while acknowledging their earthly reality. Paul commands us to put to death sinful behaviors like sexual immorality, impurity, and greed, warning that God's wrath awaits the disobedient. These sinful habits grow like weeds when left unchecked, requiring intentional effort to uproot. The passage reminds us that no one is beyond Christ's transforming power, challenging believers to view their faith not as an add-on but as an all-encompassing reality where Christ is supreme.

Send us Fan Mail

Finding balance between legalism and grace is a struggle many Christians face. In Colossians 2:16-23, Paul reminds us that religious practices are merely shadows pointing to Christ, who is the substance. We often fall into legalism because it's easier to follow rules than transform our hearts. Modern examples include spiritual elitism, excessive busyness, and self-denial to earn God's favor. True spiritual growth isn't about behavior modification but character formation—becoming more like Christ from the inside out. The good news is that we can rest in the truth that there's nothing we can do to make God love us more or less.

Send us Fan Mail

In a world full of persuasive arguments and appealing philosophies, Christians must stay grounded in truth by recognizing spiritual deception that often masquerades as reasonable thinking. Deceptive teachings like the prosperity gospel, universalism, and salvation without transformation sound appealing but lack biblical foundation. To avoid being led astray, believers should continue actively walking with Christ daily, become deeply rooted and built up in faith, and embrace knowledge and understanding rather than anti-intellectualism. Loving God with our minds means intentionally studying Scripture, being mindful of what we consume, bringing God into every moment, and developing a biblical worldview that shapes all aspects of life.

Send us Fan Mail

Paul's teachings in Colossians reveal profound insights about suffering and grace in the Christian life. He demonstrates how suffering can serve a redemptive purpose when endured for Christ's sake, as evidenced by the growth of early Christianity during persecution. Grace is explained as more than divine mercy - it's God's enabling power that equips believers for specific purposes. The mystery of Christ, openly available to all, contains all wisdom and knowledge needed for Christian living, contrasting with the exclusive mystery religions of Paul's time.

Send us Fan Mail

1. Christology (Doctrine of Christ)

   a. Image of God (v.15)

   b. Fullness of God (v.19)

   c. Preexistence of God (v.17)

2. Biblical Cosmology (Creation and Order)

   a. God is creator (v.16)

   b. God is sustainer (v.17)

3. Supremacy of Christ 

   a. Supreme over creation (v.15)

   b. Supreme over the church (v.18)

   c. Supreme over death (v.18)

4. Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation)

   a. Reconciliation (v.20)

   b. Atonement (v.20)

5. Ecclesiology (Doctrine of the Church)

   a. Christ as the head (v.18)

6. Eschatology (End Time Theology)

   a. New Creation/Resurrection (v.18)

7. Theology of Power and Principalities 

   a. Supreme over all (v.16)

8. Doctrine of God (Theology proper)

   a. Trinity - Fullness in Christ (v.19)

   b. Will of God (v.20)