Empty Deceit

Have you ever been listening to someone speak and thought to yourself, “That’s not true,” or “He doesn’t know what he is talking about”? Perhaps, at that time, you were listening to a politician, car salesman, social media influencer, or even a friend. In today’s society, it seems that whoever speaks the loudest and with the most self-confidence, is the one who gets heard, even if what they are saying is not true.

Colossians 2:8-10 says, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. for in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.” Don’t be led astray by those who boldly speak and flaunt their ideas in social media and beyond, because they do not possess real wisdom. Instead, turn your attention to Jesus Christ, who is the head of all rule and authority. He possesses all knowledge and wisdom.

Why Did I Do That?

I have been in the process of doing some small task and realize that I have done something wrong. Then, I know that I will either suffer the consequences or do something to make it right. At other times, I will say something and immediately regret it. Again, I then have to apologize and try to make it right. Why do we make these mistakes and then suffer for them? Frankly, it is because we are sinners by nature and by behavior. In many ways we are only doing what our sin nature requires that we do.

Romans 5:17 says, “For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Before believing in Jesus Christ, our sins and weaknesses ruled over us. But when we receive salvation by the free gift of grace, His righteousness is able to rule in us. He makes us new creatures, able to act and react differently by letting His righteousness rule in us.

Everything I Need

When we lived in Nepal, the stores were very small and very specialized. Whenever we went shopping, we would most likely need to go to several stores to get the everyday supplies and groceries that we needed. I remember when I first thought of getting a mobile phone. I wanted to wait until they produced phones that could do everything that I needed. I didn’t want to have to carry a phone, a camera, a walkman, and a game device. I wanted it all in one device.

II Samuel 22:2-3 says, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior; you save me from violence.” As our rock, God is strength and security for those who believe. As our shield, God surrounds us with love and protection. As the horn of our salvation, His voice is the powerful announcement of our redemption. As our stronghold and refuge, He is our secure and lofty retreat from our an evil world. As our savior and deliverer, He has freed us from sin’s clutches and given us eternal life. God is everything that we need and He is One, the only God.

When Things Turn Against Us

You have probably heard someone say that we can learn a lot about ourselves and others when things start to go bad. If something goes against us and we immediately get angry, then we may have some weakness in our character. On the other hand, if in these situations we can react with gentleness and reasonableness, we must have some strength within us that gives us a positive perspective in our trials.

Philippians 4:4-5 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.” When things turn against us, our first reaction can be an emotional one. However, if we approach these times with an attitude of rejoicing, our response will be reasonable and gentle.

Profit and Loss Statement

We are familiar with the Profit and Loss Statements that companies produce. They detail the income, expenses, assets, liabilities of the companies. While we don’t produce a physical document, sometimes we look at our lives in the same way. In the profit column, we list our accomplishments, good works, awards, and positive relationships. On the loss side, we list failures, lost relationships, job losses, and heartaches. We are proud of our profit column and boast about these things. But we try to hide our losses.

Philippians 3:7-8 says, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” The treasures of this life do not measure up to the value of knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Whatever we do to gain fortune, fame, and personal fulfillment doesn’t compare to the eternal value of what we do to honor God and serve people. At the end of our lives, only what was built for eternity will remain.