2-11-2003 .. Damascus Will Cease To Exist

http://injesus.com/message-archives/christian-living/ChristianThinkers/fwd-angelaswisdomdamascus-will-cease-to-exist Written by Angela Watkins 2-11-2003 . [Thinkers, -- This is remarkable thinking. Angela emphatically states that she is not a prophet, but only brings out what the Scripture says, what is there within it; and sticks to the Scripture. I find myself fascinated by her points. -- Ellis] THE BIBLICAL TRUTH ACCORDING TO THE HOLY SCRIPTURES: And again I am jumping ahead of some of my studies but it will be okay. IMPORTANT: I am not predicting when but I am teaching according to the Holy Scriptures. There are some tuff days ahead... Isaiah 17:1-14 and Jeremiah 49:23-27 - will Damascus cease to exist in the end times? ISAIAH 17:1-14 verses 1 - 3 The burden of Damascus, Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. OTHER NATIONS - NOTICES OF GENTILE NATIONS - PROPHETIC & DENUNCIATORY "WARNING" verses 4-6, 9-11 And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of this flesh wax lean. And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim. Yet gleaming grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bought, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel. In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel: and there shall be desolation. Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips: In that day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow. TILLING OF GROUND - EMPLOYMENT - SORROWFUL HARVEST verse 7 ...At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel. OBEYING GOD - DUTY TO GOD - WAITING ON GOD verse 8 ... And he shall not look to the altars, the work of his hands, neither shall respect that which his fingers have made, either the groves, or the images. IDOLATRY - GROVE WORSHIP FORBIDDEN verses 12, 13, 14 Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us. OTHER NATIONS -- ENEMIES OF ISRAEL JEREMIAH 49:23-27 verses 23 - 27 Concerning Damascus, Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted: there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet. Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her as a woman in travail. How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy! Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts. And I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it shall consume the palaces of Ben-hadad. OTHER NATIONS - NOTICES OF GENTILE NATIONS: CHIEFLY PROPHETIC & DENUNCIATORY "WARNING" - SYRIA TO BE DESTROYED Scripture text taken from: Crusade @ Bible Publishers, Inc. 1970, Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, 37122, USA [Of course Angela's Archives can be read at http://AngelasWisdom.InJesus.com ]

25 Principles For Leadership That Matters - Book Review

Leadership is always a theological enterprise in the sense that our most important beliefs and convictions are about God. .................................................................................................................. Dr. Mohler mentions several leaders on a national level good and not so good. I loved the comment that he made about the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ................................................................................... For the Christian leader, the frame of reference for leadership is infinitely greater. Our leadership is set within the context of eternity. .................................................................................................. In Daniel 4 we learn of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, one of the most powerful monarchs in human history. God judges Nebuchadnezzar for his arrogrance and pride, and he takes Nebuchadnezzar's kingly sovereignty away from him. Later, after a humbling lesson, God restores Nebuchadnezzar to his former greatness. ......................................... After all this happens, Nebuchadnezzar speaks of the lessons he has learned about who is truly sovereign, and he testifies that sovereignty belongs to God alone, stating that "his dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation" (Daniel 4:34) ............................................................................................. No one can truly thwart God's plans or frustrate His determination. It means that we are secure in the knowledge that God's sovereign purpose to redeem a people through the atonement accomplished by his Son will be fully realized. ...... Those who lead are entrusted with a stewardship that comes ultimately from God and in the end will be judged by him alone. ................................................................................................................ We know that character matters when we hire a baby-sitter. How can it not matter when we are calling a leader? ........ You should read a book or article only for what it is worth. If you find that the book is not contributing to your life and leadership, set it aside. Time is more valuable than money. ....................................................... Keep a couple of books ready for reading, and take a couple with you as you travel. ................................... Test everything you read by viewing it through the lens of biblical truth and your convictions. Those who would lead with conviction must read with conviction. ............................................................................ We can learn a great deal from the secular world and its studies and practices of leadership, but the last thing the church needs is warmed-over business theories decorated with Christian language. ...................................... The requirements of stewards is that they be found faithful. That's why leadership is only for the brave. ............. Leaders are subject to the same laws, morals, principles, and expectations as the rest of humanity, but the moral risks are far higher for them. .............................................................................................. When difficulty comes, and it will come, loyalty is what we give to each other and to the cause we serve. That loyalty has to start at the top. .............................................................................................. Loyalty is hard to maintain in a world of no-fault divorce, broken contracts, and collapsing corporations -but it remains essential. ................................................................................................... Leaders have unique abilities, but they received these talents and the ability to develop them as gifts from God, given for the good and welfare of others. ................................................................................... It's not about us - even though we are given the platform, the position, and the prominence within the organization. The gifts were given to us in order that we might serve others. ....................................................... Those who follow you know that you have weaknesses and foibles, so let them share in the humor you direct at yourself. ................................................................................................................... Humor is the virtue of allowing people to see your humanity and your comfort in being fully human, quirks and all. .................................................................................................................... Leaders know how to laugh with their team, with the public, and at themselves. ....................................... Humor must never be crude or disrespectful, but it can build respect. ................................................. Dr. Mohler saw an example of this when President Barack Obama welcomed former President George W. Bush to the White House for the unveiling of his presidential portrait. The political tensions were incredible. Obama had run against the record of Bush in 2008, and Bush would be doing everything possible in 2012 to prevent Obama from a second term in office. That's politics. ............................................................................................. Humor was brilliantly used by both presidents to humanize the occasion. Obama paid tribute to Bush, and then jokingly thanked him for leaving "a really good TV sports package" on the White House cable system. "I use it," Obama said. Bush, in turn thanked Obama and then told the incumbent president that he could now look at the portrait from time to time and ask, "What would George do?" ................................................................................ Leaders who want to make a a difference, and make that difference last, must write. .................................. Email has now become the standard means of communication, displacing not only the printed letter but also meetings, phone calls, and oral discussion. ..................................................................................... Leaders write newsletters, memos, correspondence, articles, columns, and books in order to extend their reach and deepen the impact of their leadership. ................................................................................ While writing is demanding, its rewards are truly great. .............................................................. The digital world is driven by its entrepreneurial and ideological pioneers and cheerleaders, and they are a multitude. ................................................................................................................... Cell phones, originally the toys of the rich and powerful are now more popular than landline phones in the poorest regions of the globe. ................................................................................................ Facebook, the central fixture of social media (for now), was launched in February 2004 and now links more than 900 million users worldwide. Twitter, the micro-blogging sensation, was launched in May 2006 and boast 140 million users who post 340 million tweets each day. ................................................................................. For many Americans, Twitter represents the leading edge of news and communication. .................................... A teenager with a computer can create a blog that looks more authoritative than the blog written by a CEO of a Fortune 500 Corporation - and perhaps read by more people as well. ............................................................ If you want to influence the future, brace yourself and get in the fast lane. ......................................... Content is king. ...................................................................................................... Your web presence advertises to the world who you are, what your organization is all about, and the seriousness of your commitment to that mission. .......................................................................................... No book can broadcast ideas as quickly and inexpensively as a blog. ................................................... Learn how to use links, images, and social media to drive people to your blog. ........................................ As with the digital world as a whole, there are dangers and traps. Social media can be used for good or evil. Social media will soon dominate all other forms of digital communication. ................................................... If you are not on Twitter, and if you are not working and following it regularly, you are missing a massive leadership opportunity. .......................................................................................................... The old media are tightly contained and controlled by large corporations or organizations. The digital world opens the opportunity for you and your organization to become a producer of video and audio content without the massive investment. ........................................................................................................... Creating a podcast is a powerful opportunity for a leader, but you can start small. ................................... A leader ready for influence and leadership in the digital kingdom needs, at the very least, access to the Internet and support for a presence there. You do not have to own a computer, but you do need one close at hand that is connected to the Internet. ......................................................................................................... Leaders are readers, whether in print or on screen. Leaders have a message, and should be ready to use every appropriate platform and technology to get it out to others. .......................................................... In the book of Ecclesiastes, we find a breathtakingly beautiful testimony to the meaning of time. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) ..................................................................................................................... The first thing that we learn about time in the Bible that God created it and that time is contrasted with eternity. God is not bound by time, and he created time as a feature of the creation that reveals his glory. ................... The Christian leader knows that our time is in God's hands. We cannot add time; we can only exercise stewardship over the time we are given. (Matthew 6:27) ................................................................................ Everything humans build will one day be reduced to ruins, but our lives and our leadership will, in Christ, have eternal consequences and impact. ..................................................................................... The leader knows a time to work, a time to rest, a time to plan and a time to act, a time to read and a time to speak, a time to play and a time to fight. ................................................................................... Leadership requires maturing, learning, adapting, rethinking, and retooling. None of these things come fast or easily. ...................................................................................................................... Truth is eternal, established by the God who is eternal. The truth endures, and so must we. ........................... Leadership, in other words, is perishable. We know that our leadership, no matter our age, is a temporary stewardship. We are creatures made for a specific time and a specific opportunity and a unique stewardship of influence, life, and energy. We have a limited opportunity to make a difference, and make it last. ......................................... Time and opportunities are precious and perishable. ................................................................... The style of the leader is a personal signature. Your tastes will not be the tastes of the future. What matters is that the convictions survive. ............................................................................................. The patriarchs and prophets of Israel define leadership by conviction, as do the apostles in the New Testament. ....... The determination of the patriarchs in the Old Testament: Abraham, Issac, and Jacob all built for future generations. Great chapter of faith in the Bible (Hebrews 11:13) .................................................................. The loss of a secular institution is a shame. The loss of an institution founded on biblical truth is a tragedy. ...... If the concerns is merely financial gain and organizational aggrandizement, legacy will not matter much. ............. The leader unconcerned about leaving a legacy is a leader who will leave the job undone. .............................. Bethany Publishing sent me a copy of this book for review. ............................................................ Dr. R. Albert Jr., became the youngest member in the 153 - year history of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In the process he became one of the most important and prominent Christian voices in contemporary culture. ............ He is president of the Southern Baptist Convention's flagship school, as well as radio personality, blogger, and sought after commentator. .................................................................................................... Dr. Mohler has been quoted in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and USA Today. ................................................................................................................................................................ He has appeared on such national news programs as Larry King Live, NBC's Today Show, Dateline NBC, Good Morning America, The NewsHour with Jim Lehr, and The O'Reilly Factor. ......................................................... He lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife, Mary

2/13/2013 .. True Worship

Jan/Feb/March 2013 Devotional and Educational Quarterly Emphasis is on True Worship. .................................. Devotion Scripture – Psalm/Tehillim 106:1; 95:1-3 ..................................................................... Topic Scripture – Psalm/Tehillim 106:1; 147:1; 150:1-2 ................................................................ “But the hour cometh, and is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such worship to him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24 KJV) .......................................................................................................... Duties to God; Conditions of Acceptable Prayer; In Sincerity (vs 23) .................................................. God; Attributes of God As Being; Spirituality (vs 24) ................................................................. Psalm/Tehillim 104:1 …. God; Attributes of God As Person; General Ascriptions of Greatness to God. .................... Devotional: Psalm/Tehillim 106:1; 95:1-3 .............................................................................. Ps 106:1 … Duties To God; Joy; The Duty of Rejoicing .................................................................. Ps 95:1-3 ............................................................................................................. vs 1 … Duties To God; Joy; The Duty of Rejoicing ...................................................................... vs 2 … Duties To God; Thanksgiving; Exhortations to Thanksgiving ...................................................... vs 3 … God; Attributes of God As Person; Compared with Other God’s .................................................... Topic: Ps 106:1; 147:1; 150:1-2 ....................................................................................... Ps 147:1 … Duties To God; Praise; Praise Due To God ................................................................... Ps 150:1-2 ............................................................................................................ vs 1 .. Duties To God; Praise; Praise a Part of Public Worship ........................................................ vs 2 .. Duties To God; Praise; Praise Due to God ...................................................................... Devotional Message Scripture: John 4:20-24; I Corinthians 3:16; John 14:6, Psalm/Tehillim 95:1 ........................ John 4:20,21,22 .. Other Nations; The Samaritans; Christ Treats Them Kindly ........................................... I Corinthians 3:16 .. God; Holy Spirit; Divinity ...................................................................... John 14:6 … Jesus Christ; Offices of Christ; Our Mediator ............................................................. Topic Discussions: Psalm/Tehillim 106:3; 106:1; 147:1; 150:1-2; 150:6 ................................................. Ps 106:3 … Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces of the New Life; Perfection, Its Blessedness ................................. Ps 150:6 … Duties To God; Praise; Praise Due from ALL, From All on Earth .............................................. Scripture and reference used/taken from: KJV Topical Reference Bible & KJV Precious Promise Bible

Words of Love - Book Review

A family-friendly book with words of wisdom about first love, true love, a mother’s love, romantic love and marriage from the ancient to modern times. ..................................................................................... Nothing’s better than a mother’s love. – African Proverb .............................................................. The greatest love is a mother’s; then comes a dog; then comes a sweetheart’s. – Polish Proverb ........................ I want to make my wife laugh more.l Laughter engenders love. – Rabbi Shumuley Boteach ................................. If you have much, give of your wealth; if you have little give of your heart. – Arab Proverb .......................... Kisses are the messengers of love. – Danish Proverb ................................................................... Love conceals all of one’s faults. – Italian Proverb .................................................................. Love often makes a fool of the cleverest man, and as often gives cleverness to the most foolish. – French Proverb ..... The heart that loves is always young. – Greek Proverb ................................................................. If you judge people, you have no time to love them. – Mother Teresa ................................................... A kiss without a mustache is like an egg with salt. – Spanish Proverb ................................................. Love is sweet, but tastes better with bread. – Yiddish Proverb ........................................................ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.l Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. – I Corinthians 13:4-7 .................... Love has no age, as it is always renewing. – Blaise Pascal ............................................................ Love is a mighty power, a great and complete good. Love alone lightens every burden, and makes the rough places smooth. – Thomas A. Kempis .................................................................................................... Love understands love: It needs no talk. – Frances R. Havergal ........................................................ Love is friendship set to music. – E. Joseph Cossman .................................................................. Love and you shall be loved. – Ralph Waldo Emerson .................................................................... There is more pleasure in loving than being loved. – Thomas Fuller .................................................... All that we love deeply becomes a part of us. – Helen Keller .......................................................... To be loved, be loveable. – Ovid ...................................................................................... A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. – Germaine Greer .............. To fall in love is awfully simple, but to fall out of love is simple awful. – Anonymous .............................. Teenagers don’t know what love is. They have mixed up ideas. They go for a drive, and the boy runs out of gas, and they smooch a little and the girl says she loves him. That isn’t love. Love is when you are married twenty-five years, smooching in your living room, and he runs out of gas and she says she still loves him. That’s love. – Norm Crosby ...................................................................................................................... If you love somebody, tell them. – Rod McKuen ......................................................................... The greatest weakness of most humans is their hesitancy to tell others how they love them while they are alive. – Orlando A. Battista ................................................................................................... In real love you want the other person’s good. In romantic love you want the other person. – Margaret Anderson ....................................................................................................................... What comes from the heart, goes to the heart. – Samuel Taylor Coleridge ............................................... For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it. – Ivan Panin ........................................................... Marriage is a lot like the army, everyone complains, but you’d be surprised at the large number that re-enlist. – James Garner ................................................................................................................ An archaeologist is the best husband any woman can have; the older she gets, the more interested he is in her. – Agatha Christie .............................................................................................................. This is the way marriage should be: ................................................................................... To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, till death fo us apart. – The Book of Common Prayer ....................................................................................................................... A successful marriage is an edifice that must be rebuilt every day. – Andre Maurois ................................... Never forget the nine most important words of any marriage: 1. I love you. 2. You are beautiful. 3. Please forgive me. – H. Jackson Brown, Jr. ............................................................................................... There is no friendship, no love, like that of the mother for the child. – Henry Wade Beecher .......................... When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. – Sophia Loren ........................................................................ The child who acts unloveable is the child who needs to be loved. – Cathy Rindner Tempelsman .......................... A baby is born with a need to be loved – and never outgrows it. – Frank A. Clark ...................................... My best creation is my children. – Diane von Furstenberg .............................................................. Have you hugged your child today? – Slogan ............................................................................ If you can’t hold children in your arms, please hold them in your heart. – Clara Hale ................................. The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child. – Joe Houldsworth ...................................... Sometimes it’s better to put love into hugs than to put it into words. – Anonymous .................................... Our ability to pray for people and surround them with love makes an enormous difference in how they feel and heal. – Peggy Huddleston ...................................................................................................... Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. – Martin Luther King, Jr. ...................... Never succumb to the temptation of becoming bitter. As you press for justice, be sure to move with dignity and discipline, using only the weapon of love. – Martin Luther King, Jr. .................................................. The final word is love. – Dorthy Day .................................................................................. I was given a free copy of this book tom review by Viva Editions. ..................................................... Allen Klein is the author of this book. ............................................................................... He is on a mission to deliver joy and get people into the habit of thinking positively. He is the world’s only certified Jollytologist@.

2 - 10 - 2013 Sermon Notes

Sharing my notes from Church on Sunday 2 – 10- 2013 from my Pastor’s Sermon. .......................................... Stepping Into Your Dreams – Sermon Title .............................................................................. Sermon Scripture – Joshua 4:4 – 8 ..................................................................................... Sometimes our dreams become a reality — but we have to step by faith. ................................................. There is a Jordan River you have to cross. ............................................................................ Sometimes Jordan River is not easy to cross. .......................................................................... You have to step out sometimes. ....................................................................................... God has something bigger for you. ..................................................................................... Some people have a tendency to back up instead of stepping out on faith. .............................................. There is much growth that I need. ..................................................................................... There is a growth process that we are going to need to cross. ......................................................... You have a bright future. ............................................................................................. We have to break generational curses. ................................................................................. God has a way of dismissing generational curses. ...................................................................... Examples of people who would not give up: ............................................................................. Henry Ford – went bankrupt five times ................................................................................. Walt Disney – went bankrupt .......................................................................................... Beethoven – was deaf .................................................................................................. You must be persistent, try and try again. ............................................................................ Everybody has to cross the River Jordan. .............................................................................. It was time for Israel to cross the Jordan River. .................................................................... Step out on faith on the ministry of God. ............................................................................. Keep your eyes on God. ................................................................................................ Joshua 4:1-4 they waited for three days; it had been a long forty years. .............................................. Moses got to the edge of the river and never crossed. ................................................................. The Ark of the Covenant represents God. ............................................................................... God is up to something. ............................................................................................... Sometimes God grabs us and takes us out of our comfort zone. .......................................................... Joshua had to step up, for Moses was gone (deceased). ................................................................. You have to follow God in order to get into Canaan. ................................................................... The cattle on a 1000 (thousand) hills belong to HIM, all the silver and the gold belong to HIM. ....................... Sit and wait on directions. ........................................................................................... Follow the Ark and keep your eye/mind on God. ......................................................................... If you have to work for what you get – it has more meaning to its value. ............................................. When you’re saved you don’t sit down – you have to work out your Salvation. .......................................... I know how I’ve made it – I trusted in God. .......................................................................... When you step out on faith – God will guide you. ...................................................................... You may not get your blessing right now – but “Stay on the Battlefield.” .............................................. To get prepared you have to listen to God’s instructions. ............................................................. Nothing will happen to you – step off the river bank. ................................................................. You’re going to have some Jordans. ................................................................................... Without faith it is impossible to please God. ......................................................................... My God won’t send me anywhere without making a way. ................................................................... God loves us. ......................................................................................................... God has a bigger job for us to do now. ................................................................................ God is still here and still in the blessing business. ................................................................. God has all power in HIS hand. ........................................................................................ We’re not telling our children what God is/has done in our lives – this is the problem. .............................. Tell your children how you stepped out on faith. ...................................................................... God is not through with me yet. ....................................................................................... I’m going to see the man name Jesus one day. .......................................................................... End of my notes for 2-10-2013

Leadership - By The Book - Bible

Thought for February 12, 2013. .......................................................................................... Why am I sharing this? This Scripture is on a daily calendar over 15 or 20 years old. ................................... Deuteronomy 28:13 - Prosperity in Business & Finance ................................................................... And the Lord shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: ....................................................................................................................... Deuteronomy 28:13 ...................................................................................................... Scripture reference "Prosperity in Business & Finance" is taken/used from KJV Precious Promise Bible. ................... Now prosperity means different things to difference people. ............................................................ Maybe by the weekend I will be able to share a book review on leadership, but if not if the Lord says the same it will be next week. ............................................................................................................. This Bible - The Precious Promise Bible was sold to my late grandparents in 1923 by Rev. Solomon Nash. ................. I am assuming that they bought this Bible in MO. or MS. but I do not know to be exact.

It's A Wonderful Life! .. 2/10/2013

Sunday School Lesson for 2/10/2013. Unit III. Imitating Jesus. It’s a Wonderful Life! Colossians 2:6-15. .............. Now remember that I shared “Free Online Resources & Tools for Bible Studies” earlier this week in a blog post so you can study or research what I share if you like. ...................................................................... Christ’s Person & Work (Colossians 1:3 – 2:7) ......................................................................... Paul’s Ministry (Colossians 1:24 – 2:7) ............................................................................... Safeguard Against Error (Colossians 2:8 – 3:4) ....................................................................... The Fullness of Christ (Colossians 2:8 – 10) .......................................................................... Spiritual Circumcision (Colossians 2:11,12) ........................................................................... Christ’s Victory (Colossians 2:13 – 15) ............................................................................... Through Jesus, God forgives all our trespasses and triumphs over all earthly rulers and authorities. .................. Whether that’s spiritual, social, education, familial, or occupation, we are not defined by our successes or failures, but rather by our fullness in Christ. ................................................................................. Colossians 2:6 – 8 .................................................................................................... Verses 6,7 – Man Redeemed; Duties & Graces of The New Life; Steadfastness ............................................. (The Colossians had received Jesus Christ after hearing Epaphras preach) .. Epaphras – Colossians 1:7; 4:12 ........... Verse 8 – Scripture; Characteristics of Scripture; The Standard of Truth .............................................. We are going to have obstacles and challenges daily while maturing and following Christ. .............................. (Psalm/Tehillim 1; Ephesians 2:20; Jude 3; Colossians 1:7 – Reference Scripture in Sunday School Book) ................ Colossians 2:9 – 10 ................................................................................................... Verse 9 – Jesus Christ; Christ’s Divinity; Is Made Equal With God ..................................................... Verse 10 – Jesus Christ; Christ’s Divinity; Christ Possesses the Attributes of God, Omnipotent … (Omnipotent – unlimited power & authority) .......................................................................................... Importance of being buried in Christ and raised with Him in baptism ................................................... (Philippians 2:7; John 1:16 – Reference Scripture) ................................................................... Colossians 2:11 – 15 ................................................................................................. Verse 11 – Sacred Rites & Forms; Sacraments, Worship & Church-Fellowship; The Significance of the Rite, … But of No Importance to Christians … Read Colossians 2:11 ...................................................................... Verse 12 – Sacred Rites & Forms; Sacraments, Worship, & Church-Fellowship; …. IT’s Spiritual Significance ............ Importance of being buried with Christ and raised with Him in baptism. ............................................... Verse 13 – Man Redeemed; Effectual Calling; This New Life is of God .................................................. Verses 14,15 – Jesus Christ; Offices of Christ; Our Propitiation … (Propitiation – atoning sacrifice) ................ The apostle Paul gave us five aspects of being complete in Jesus: Spiritual Circumcision (Philippians 3:3, Spiritual Baptism, Made Us Alive Again (Ephesians 4:18), Removal of the Requirements of the Law (John 19:30) & Triumph over Powers. .............................................................................................................. The Law could not save humans ......................................................................................... If you have that you are carrying remember Jesus nailed it to the Cross .. ............................................ Press forward with thanksgiving for the blood of Jesus and quit looking back in the past. ............................. Wolves in Sheep Clothing: In this Digital/Internet age some tv evangelists and Internet worship services continue to attract Christians/Saints of God attention, remain on guard and be alert, false teachers are still lurking in darkness … (I Peter 5:8) ....................................................................................................... The Importance of a Bible-Centered Church/Place of Worship: to teach, evangelism & discipleship, provide opportunities for you to use your gift(s) & skill()s). .............................................................................. There is no such thing as a perfect Church – for we are not perfect… .................................................. (Scripture references: Hebrews 10:23-25; Ephesians 4:12-16; I Corinthians 12:18-20, 25; I Peter 4:10) ................. When we accept Christ, He forgives our trespasses. .................................................................... Scripture & reference used/taken from: KJV Topical Reference Bible, KJV Precious Promise Bible & Zondervan Bible Commentaty