Colossians 3:3   "For  ye are dead,  and  your life  is hid with Christ  in  God."

THIS TELLS US THAT THOSE  WHO ARE  BORN-AGAIN, HAVE  ACTUALLY, DIED.

WHEN DID THEY DIE?

OVER 2000 YEARS AGO WHEN THE LORD JESUS  DIED ON THE CROSS, THEY  DIED IN  HIM  BECAUSE HE TOOK  THEIR DESERVED PLACE ON THE RUGGED TREE OF CALVARY.

Galatians 2:20    "I  am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless  I  live;  yet  not I,  but  Christ liveth in me;  and  the life  which I now live in the flesh  I  live  by  the  faith  of the Son  of God,  who loved me  and  gave Himself  for me."

WHEN  WE  ACCEPT  THE LORD JESUS CHRIST  AS  OUR PERSONAL SAVIOUR,  WE ARE TAKEN OUT OF THE OLD ADAM AND WE ARE BAPTIZED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT  AND   PLACED IN  THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

NOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN PLACED  IN  CHRIST JESUS  WE OUGHT TO LIVE  HIS LIFE  AND  NOT OUR OWN.

WE  ARE TO ALLOW  -  by yielding to Him  -   HIS FULLNESS   TO BE  LIVED OUT  THROUGH OUR LIVES.

SINCE WE  HAVE RISEN IN CHRIST, HIS LIFE   WILL BE EVIDENT IN US.

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WILL BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT PRODUCE HOLINESS  IN  US.

Hebrews 12:14   "Follow peace  with all men,  and holiness,  without which  no man  shall see the Lord;"

NO PERSON CAN EVER BE HOLY OR EVER  PRODUCE  HOLINESS.

HOLINESS COMES THROUGH CHRIST JESUS ALONE.

Romans 5:1   "Therefore  being  justified by faith,   we  have peace with God  through  our Lord Jesus Christ:  By whom also  we  have  access   by faith  into this grace  wherein we stand,  and  rejoice in hope  of the glory of God."

CHRIST JESUS IS OUR HOLINESS.

HIS HOLINESS HAS BEEN MADE OVER TO US.

AND THEREFORE  WE ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE AT PEACE WITH ALL MEN,  THAT IS,   WITH  ALL WHO WILL ALLOW US TO BE AT PEACE WITH THEM. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE  WHO ARE NOT WILLING  TO BE AT PEACE WITH US.

THE ONLY HOLINESS THAT GOD ACCEPTS IS THE HOLINESS THAT COMES TO US BECAUSE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF CHRIST JESUS  HAS BEEN  IMPUTED  TO US.

WE ARE ABLE TO STAND BEFORE HOLY GOD IN HIS  RIGHTEOUSNESS ALONE.

CHRIST ALONE  IS MY RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Is He your righteousness today?

THE ONLY REASON  THAT   I  WILL EVER GET INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD  IS  BECAUSE  CHRIST DIED FOR ME,  HE DIED IN MY PLACE AND  WHEN HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD,  I  ROSE  IN HIM IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.  THIS  IS SO ENCOURAGING  AND  IT MAKES ME JUST WANT TO GO OUT  AND  RUN  THE CHRISTIAN RACE.

RUN  THE CROSS COUNTRY RACE  WITH ALL THE  OTHER FELLOW   BELIEVERS  IN CHRIST JESUS   AND  ENJOY  CHRISTIAN  FELLOWSHIP.

GOD,  SEES ME IN CHRIST JESUS.   I  BELONG TO HIM.

HYMN.  Now I Belong to Jesus.                                               

Words and Music  by Norman J. Clayton.

Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow'r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;

Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

Once I was lost in sin's degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him;

Joy  floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him;

AMEN.

I HAVE BEEN FREED FROM MY SIN THAT LONG HAD ENSLAVED ME.

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING MORE WONDERFUL THAN THAT.  ALMIGHTY GOD NO LONGER SEES ME  AS  A GUILTY LOST SINNER.

HE SEES ME IN HIS ONLY SON CHRIST JESUS.

GOD SEES ALL  BELIEVERS  IN  CHRIST.

Colossians 3:1-3   "If ye then  be  risen with Christ,  seek those things  which are above,  where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection  on things above,  NOT  ON THINGS ON THE EARTH.  For  ye are dead,  and  your life  is hid with Christ  in God."

THIS IS NOT THE  IF OF  CONDITION,  IT IS THE  IF OF ARGUMENT,

Colossians 1:23   "IF  YE CONTINUE IN THE FAITH,  GROUNDED  AND  SETTLED,   ...  "

THERE  WAS NO QUESTION  OF THEIR  "CONTINUING IN THE FAITH"  THE LIFE OF CHRIST  WAS EVIDENT IN THEIR LIVES.

WHAT WAS THE EVIDENCE.

THEIR FAITH,  HOPE,  AND  LOVE.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT WAS IN THEIR LIVES

THE WORD HAD GOTTEN AROUND THAT THEY HAD A LIVING FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS.

THEY LOVED THE BELIEVERS.

Colossians 1:4   "Since  we heard of your faith  in  Christ Jesus,  and  of  the love ye have  to all the saints."

THEY HAD HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

THEIR HOPE WAS THE COMING OF THE LORD JESUS FOR HIS CHURCH.

THE  IF  IS BETTER TRANSLATED,  SINCE YOU ARE RISEN WITH CHRIST.

THERE SHOULD BE AN EXCITEMENT THAT GOES WITH SEEKING SPIRITUAL THINGS.

WE SHOULD HAVE AN AMBITION AND A DESIRE FOR THOSE THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE.

THE THINGS OF CHRIST.

WE ARE TO THINK ABOUT HIM.

THINK ABOUT HIS WRITTEN WORD TO US.

Philippians 3:10   "That  I  may know Him,  and  the power of His resurrection,  and  the fellowship  of His sufferings,  being made conformable  unto  His death;"

WE  ARE TO PUT OUR PHYSICAL MEMBERS IN THE PLACE OF DEATH.

Colossians 3:5   "Mortify,  therefore your members  which are upon the earth:  fornication,  uncleanness,  inordinate affection,  evil desire  and  covetousness  (which is idolatry)."

Colossians 3:8   "But now ye also put off all these:  anger,  wrath,  malice,  blasphemy,  filthy communication out of your mouth.  Lie not one to another, seeing  that  ye have put off the old man  with his deeds."

These are the  habits  that we are to put off.

We are to put them  off  just as if we were taking off our  horse riding habit  or our golfing habit.

Different people  have different kinds of  habits.

These things  are  to be  put off  -  we are to  throw them away,  in the garbage can,  and  we are not to take them  to the laundry.

The habit of  -  Anger  -   to get angry  over the  wrong things  -  soon turns to wrath.  There is an anger  that is not sinful.  Do you remember  that the Lord Jesus  got  angry  at  the Pharisees?

He got angry  because of the hardness of their hearts.

The habit of  -  Wrath   -  soon becomes an unforgiving spirit.

The habit of  -  Malice  -  congealed anger.  This type of anger  likes to take revenge  and  to get even.  We  are  to get rid of such  behaviour,  as  it certainly does not  represent Christ.

The habit of  -  Blasphemy   -   this is not only taking our Lord's name in vain,  but  it also  means  to  misrepresent Him  or   to  hate Him.  

Some people hate God  because of the things  that have happened  to them  in their lives. We can also blaspheme another believer when we make a statement about them  that is not true.

The habit of  -  filthy communication  means just that. We are  to keep away from dirty jokes  and swearing.

There is no way  that a child of God  can  practice  any of these things.

The habit of telling  -  Lies.

THESE ARE THE DEEDS OF THE OLD NATURE.

WHEN WE TAKE OFF  THE OLD GARMENT  -  habit  -    WE PUT ON CHRIST.

WE PUT ON HIS ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THAT IS THE ONLY WAY THAT THE CHURCH CAN REPRESENT  HIM  HERE UPON THIS EARTH.

THE BELIEVER HAS  THE HOLY SPIRIT  DWELLING  WITHIN  AND  HE  IS  WILLING  TO  LIVE THE LIFE OF CHRIST IN AND THROUGH US.

ALL WE ARE TO DO IS YIELD TO THE WORD OF GOD  -  BE  OBEDIENT TO ALL THAT GOD TELLS US EACH DAY.

WE ARE TO FOLLOW THE LORD JESUS IN HIS WORD,  HE IS OUR ONLY GUIDE IN THIS WORLD AND WE ARE TO WALK IN HIM.

THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US.

WE ARE MADE BRAND  NEW  - WHEN WE ARE  BORN OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD  -  WE ARE BAPTIZED  AND  PLACED INTO THE BODY OF BELIEVERS,  CHRIST'S BODY, WE ARE IN HIM. PLACED IN HIS BODY THE VERY BODY OF OUR PRECIOUS SAVIOUR CHRIST JESUS.

OUR LIVES ARE HID WITH CHRIST IN GOD AND

WE ARE SEATED IN HIM  IN THE HEAVENLIES.

CHRIST IS SEATED AT GOD'S  RIGHT HAND  AND  WE ARE SEATED   IN HIM.

WE DO NOT HAVE TO  HOPE  TO GO TO HEAVEN SOME DAY  SINCE  WE ARE RIGHT NOW  SEATED  IN HIM  IN HEAVEN TODAY.

Do you believe that?

EVEN WHEN WE ARE FEELING LOW,  PERHAPS VERY ILL   AND  IN THE DUMPS,  WE ARE SEATED IN HIM IN THE HEAVENLIES.

CHRIST JESUS HAS GIVEN US THIS POSITION IN HIMSELF.

Colossians 3:12-15   "Put on  therefore  as the elect of God,   holy  and  beloved,  bowels of mercies,  kindness,  humbleness of mind,  meekness,  longsuffering;  Forbearing one another,  and  forgiving one another,   if any man have a quarrel against any:   even as Christ forgave  you,  so also do ye.

And  above all these things   put on charity,  which is  the bond of  perfectness.   And  let the peace of God  rule  in your hearts,   to the which also  ye are called  in one body;   and  be ye  thankful."

WHEN WE TRUST CHRIST, WE RECEIVE A NEW GARMENT  -  HIS CLOAK.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OURSELVES,  WE RECOGNIZE  THAT WE ARE HELPLESS.

THAT  WE ARE WEAK AND POWERLESS  AND  WE  ARE  UNABLE  EVEN TO  " PUT ON" THE FRUITS.

O HOW WE NEED OUR SAVIOUR.

ALL THAT  WE CAN  DO IS TO CAST OURSELVES  UPON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND WHEN WE DO,  THE  SPIRIT OF GOD  MOVES IN AND  ENABLES US  TO WALK  IN THE SPIRIT.

BOWELS OF MERCIES  -  A HEART OF COMPASSION.

KINDNESS  -  WE ARE TO BE HELPFUL TO OTHERS.

HUMBLENESS OF MIND.

MEEKNESS  -  not yellow.

LONGSUFFERING  -  not have a short fuse.

WE ARE TO PUT ON LOVE AND PEACE.

WE ARE TO PUT ON CHRIST JESUS.

PUT HIM IN OUR MINDS  -  IN OUR THOUGHTS.

WE DO THIS THROUGH HIS WORD TO US.

THIS IS THRILLING AND WE CAN TRULY PRAISE GOD BECAUSE HE HAS BLESSED US WITH ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.

Have you ever really thought about what this actually means?

1 Corinthians 1:30   "But of  Him  are ye  in Christ Jesus,  who of God  is  made unto us  wisdom,  and  righteousness,  and sanctification,  and  redemption."

CHRIST IS MADE UNTO US JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION.

WHEN WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE EVER NEED.

THERE IS NO WAY POSSIBLE TO EVER IMPROVE ON THAT.

Dear reader,  are you in Christ Jesus today?

Have you  accepted Him  to be your Saviour from sin?

The moment  that  you  trust Christ  for salvation  you  are  baptized  by  the  Holy Spirit and  placed  in  Him,  in  His body of believers. Please just simply believe God  and  take Him at  His Word.  There are many people who run around with all kinds of gimmicks,  and they try to make us  feel  that  there is something lacking in our lives.  This  is  perfect  nonsense,  as  every  true believer is blessed with all spiritual blessings,  and every believer  is seated in Christ in the heavenlies.

THEY ARE SEATED WITH CHRIST IN THE HEAVENLIES BECAUSE  HE  HAS JUSTIFIED THEM.

THEY ARE THERE ON HIS MERIT ALONE.

THEY HAVE HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HIS HOLINESS AND THEY ARE

Hebrews 12:2  " Looking unto Jesus,  the author  and finisher  of  our faith,   who  for the joy  that was set before Him  endured the cross, despising the shame,  and  is set down  at the right hand  of  the throne  of  God."

HYMN.   In Christ is love abounding,

Sankey's Sacred Songs  Solos 858.

IN CHRIST  is love abounding,  IN HIM  redeeming grace;  

IN HIM   my daily manna,  IN HIM  my hiding place.

IN HIM there is atonement,  IN HIM  eternal life;

IN HIM a full  salvation, IN HIM an end of strife 

Chorus.

IN HIM!...  IN HIM!...  

THERE'S FULLNESS OF BLESSING IN HIS SERVICE SWEET; 

IN HIM!...  IN HIM!... 

I AM IN HIM COMPLETE. 

Verse 4.

IN HIM   I  now am resting;  The half I cannot tell

Of all the priceless blessings which make my heart to swell

With thankful adoration,  As day by day I find

HIS peace and grace sufficient to keep both heart and mind.

Verse 3.

But when I see thee,   JESUS,   When face to face we meet  -  

Then in thine own dear image  It will be far more sweet,

Oh then I'll sing my praises  For all I found in thee;

And give to HIM the glory  Who has redeemed me.

AMEN.

WHEN WE SAY  THAT  WE DID NOT  RECEIVE  EVERYTHING   WHEN WE CAME TO CHRIST,  WE ARE  DENYING  THAT  

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST  PAID  ONCE AND FOR ALL THE FULL PRICE  OF  OUR  REDEMPTION.

PRAYERFULLY MEDITATE ON:

Psalm 61:1-2   "Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.  From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."

The Word of God tells us that that Rock is Jesus Christ  (1 Corinthians 10:4).

Do you believe that Christ's death on the cross was sufficient for your salvation?

Have you made a conscious decision to believe God?

Are you hiding in Christ Jesus?

HYMN.   Hiding in Thee.

Sankey's Sacred Songs & Solos 519.

Verse 1.

O safe to the rock that is higher than I,  

My soul in its conflicts and sorrows would fly;

So sinful,  so weary,  Thine own would I be;  

Thou blessed Rock of Ages, I'm hiding in Thee.

Chorus.

HIDING IN THEE,  HIDING IN THEE,  

THOU BLESSED ROCK OF AGES,

I'M HIDING IN THEE.     

Verse 2.

In the calm of the noontide, In sorrow's lone hour  

In times when temptation casts o'er me its power;

In the tempests of life, in its wide heaving sea, 

Thou blest Rock of Ages,  I'm hiding in Thee

Verse 3.

How oft in the conflict,  When press'd by the foe,  

I  fled to my refuge and breath'd out my woe;

How often,  When trials like sea billows roll,   

Have I hidden in Thee  O Thou Rock of my soul.

AMEN.

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