Prayer – Lord God, thank
you for revealing Your secret message about Christ living in us and that we
will share in His glory. Please give me wisdom as I attempt to share this Good
News with others in this blog and in my neighborhood. I’m depending on Christ’s
mighty power working in me…I can’t do this alone!
God has given me the responsibility
of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message
was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been
revealed to God's people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory
of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in
you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about
Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has
given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to
Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty
power that works within me. Colossians 1:25-29
Meditate. Consider your relationship with Christ…and sharing Him
with others.
What
friend would you like to lead to Christ? Do you really know someone else’s
relationship with the Lord unless you really know them…unless you have a
relationship with that person, too? Recently an older gentleman that I knew
growing up died. His obituary said he died peacefully—but it didn’t mention any
church affiliation or devotion to the Lord. When I told a friend about his
death, she asked if he was a Christian. I didn’t know. I was sorry to realize
that although I had a deep respect for him, I didn’t really know him. Had I
kept in touch with him and his family I would have known where he stood with
the Lord…or been able to share my Lord, Jesus Christ with him.
That is what Paul was teaching the Colossians. The importance
of telling others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone
with all the wisdom God has given us. Warning them. Time is short for
us all. We don’t know when we’ll be called home to heaven…in death or rapture.
Only God the Father knows that time. When our time is up…it is up. Those who
believe in Jesus as their Savior, their Messiah—the living Christ—have hope
because the Lord God promised it and He keeps his promises. We have hope for
our future—here on earth and one day in heaven. Our relationship with the Lord
and with others is secure only if we are willing to live the secret—Christ
lives in us. Those who live with Jesus Christ in them have, as Paul stated, an
assurance of sharing in Christ’s glory. My heart is full of joy at that
realization! But I am sorry that I haven’t shared it with as many people as I
could have…and now for some, it may be too late. Now is the time to grow and
mature in your own relationship with the Lord, so you can share Him with
others. What are you doing today to grow closer to the Lord? Are you allowing
Christ to work in your heart and life…and impact others around you? The best
way to share Jesus is to live a life that others would want—so they ask you
about your life. How are you proclaiming His secret message to others? This is
a secret you want to share…you need to share with others. Who is the friend who
needs to hear about Jesus?
Pure white hollyhock flowers.
Jerusalem, Israel
© 2023 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
Revised and reused portions from February 5, 2022 “Banquet With The
King” blog.
All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless
otherwise noted.
New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale
House Foundation.
Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm.
Books by Mickey M.
Hunacek
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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