Note for 20250910 - 1 Col 3v1-4 - If Ye Be Risen

 

Daily Devotional

Note for 20250910 - 1 Col 3:1-4 - If Ye Be Risen

1. Opening

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The House of Bread · Note for 20250910 - 1 Col 3v1-4 - If Ye Be Risen

We are to receive the Word of GOD by the Spirit, so I strongly urge you to pray before you receive the Devotional. Let Christ take the lead in your Spiritual Development.

Introduction

Have you ever been on your way somewhere, and somewhere on that route you just get this feeling, "I am not going in the right direction?" At that point, you are uncomfortable, even if the GPS shows you are heading to your destination. Something is "off," and you are uncomfortable with your surroundings.

Friends, sometimes, I feel like that, when I read the Word of GOD and compare my life to it. Then, I am not so comfortable. Now today, that same "feeling" entered me, when I read these verses in Colossians. I am concerned that what we have understood before, is not quite what I read here.

2. Scripture Text

Colossians 3:1-4 KJV

[1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. [2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. [3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

https://bible.com/bible/1/col.3.1-4.KJV

3. Devotional Reflection

“If ye then be risen with Christ…” speaks actively of the present moment, not some time in the future. It speaks to the right now, are you risen with Jesus Christ?

Oh! But that is just the beginning, friends, from the Verse of the Day, this morning, I was led to this:

Isaiah 61:1-11 KJV

[1] The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; [2] to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; [3] to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. [4] And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. [5] And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. [6] But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. [7] For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them. [8] For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. [9] And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the LORD hath blessed. [10] I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. [11] For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

https://bible.com/bible/1/isa.61.1-11.KJV

Without any doctrine upfront to predict the understanding, what does this say? Remember, this was written before Jesus came.

If ye then be risen, how do these prophetic words reflect? How does the time of reward look now? I feel "blindsided" by the teachings of men. As if... I was sent in a direction that doesn't match up to what the Word of GOD is saying. If we stand in reward, who then are these strangers (aliens) that perform the servitude?

What I thought was in the future at first, well... It appears to be applicable right now, like with the verse of the day. And what was shown for the future, after the resurrection, and that seems different now, somehow, considering also what we have learned about the City of GOD in our last devotional.

Yesterday we learned of "saved nations" after the white throne judgment. And today, we are seeing this, a form of restitution taking place in the fair judgment of GOD in Jesus Christ, the coming King. Then I see how Satan raises an army for himself when he is led loose after the thousand years. Is it because of these, that stand in service during a time called peace, the being coherenced to rebellion again?

The verse of the day, and supporting verses there, even if you read further on there in Colossians; that speaks to an immediate moment in our lives, as we seek the Kingdom of GOD first, which Christ says is in us, where He and the Father will make their abode, according to John 14 we looked at yesterday too. But, Isaiah 61, that was written in the past, even before Christ came in the flesh, and it speaks of a moment we have not reached yet.

How do we then get to be on the "rest side" of Isaiah 61, and not on the side of those that rebuild and work the fields of it? Well, we look further in the text of Colossians where we are given what applies in our immediate life, to get to the "right side" of things, in righteousness.

Colossians 3:5-17 KJV

[5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: [6] for which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: [7] in the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. [8] But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. [9] Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; [10] and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: [11] where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. [12] Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; [13] forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. [14] And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. [15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. [17] And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

https://bible.com/bible/1/col.3.5-17.KJV

From our previous revelations in the scriptures, we now know that Israel is not forgotten by GOD, even when they attacked Qatar just in the last day or so. We know they largely do not see their Saviour in Jesus Christ yet, and that they were blinded to bring the Gentiles in by grace, just as we have learned in Isaiah too. Here in Isaiah 61, we read of the rebuilding of cities again, and we learn who will do the labour. These labours shall come from those caught on the wrong side of the period of grace, without accepting Jesus Christ (before He returns to judge the world.) If we have accepted Jesus now, then Colossians 3 should be alive and actively functioning in our daily lives, right?

Now, to compile a few of the past devotions, let me state it like this then: If we have the "Vision Ahead" and we can see the "City Ahead" we must stand on "The Road Ahead" to reach our destination. And it is in the likeness of this doctrine shared by Paul to the Colossians, also that shared with others and by others of Jesus Christ, that speaks of the Kingdom of GOD. Yes, so basically the entire New Testament. I told you, we do not arrive at a "retirement village" type of Heaven, but a reward with Christ to rule and reign, and today we see over who we will reign with Christ. But, that ruling and reigning begins within, as we "mortify our members..." as Paul wrote here to the Colossians.

Up to this moment, we have not even looked at the contents of these two chapters in scripture referenced in depth. So far it has just been "positioning" to read and learn from it. Now that we know what is for now, and what is to come... Shall we look at what it says? And all this, starting with the verse of the day, that most will read in isolation of what has been shared here with you in this note. What does it say?

These two chapters, friends, are huge! So much so that I will have to go beyond my usual "quiet time" to look deeper at what it means to be "risen with Christ" and that is if we can reach it today. Because there is a bit of a matter that we must visit in the book of Luke that will challenge your considerations on these matters, as Christ reads from Isaiah 61 in the synagogue:

Luke 4:16-21 KJV

[16] And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. [17] And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, [18]  The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, [19]  To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. [20] And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. [21] And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

https://bible.com/bible/1/luk.4.16-21.KJV

Now, if that was fulfilled then, where do we stand today, as we still wait for most of Isaiah 61 to come, even though most are somewhat ignorant of it. It opens up this huge consideration of what plays out in times to come, and what is at work within us now, by the Holy Spirit that was poured out on us, and as we are hid in Christ, right now, as He stands at our Father's Throne. How much of what we have read this morning is at play in a Spiritual manifestation of prophecy, while we wait still for our reward to come with Jesus Christ? At this moment, we are still standing in servitude. Do you see that? And if you don't, may I ask, "Is Colossians 3 effective in your daily life?" You see, if it isn't, you might not realise where you are right now, and what it is to come in the millennial reign of Jesus Christ, right here on earth, from Jerusalem. So much of what Isaiah writes about here is already true for us in Christ, as we, as His bride, are covered in His righteousness; like a Spiritual cloak that is hung upon our shoulders, some refusing.

I know, friends, this message is heavy in significance and requires an enormous consideration, but there is no diluted version. The start to our entry into the Kingdom of GOD, is here and now, by the Holy Spirit of GOD and righteous living, mortifying those old members Paul writes about to the Colossians.

Now, we stand in this "review." We look at our own lives through this scope of application of the effective working of GOD'S grace, through the Spirit of truth and separation unto God, as we are called out of this world, to the Kingdom of GOD, becoming ambassadors for the Kingdom, while we remain here in the world still; awaiting our redemption and perfection in Jesus Christ. It is huge!

4. Verse of the Day

From the YouVersion Bible App

Colossians 3:1 KJV

[1] If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 

https://bible.com/bible/1/col.3.1.KJV

Note on the Verse:

Verse of the Day is expanded to form the root text and starting point for the devotional today

5. Closing Paragraph

And still, the message of Salvation remains so simple a child can understand. Faith in Jesus Christ, gets us home to be with GOD forever.

There are more, friends. What lacks is time in our day, a slackness of mind and unwilling hearts. Those are the choices we face day by day, as we implement matters like Colossians 3 into our lives in agreement with the Will and Word of GOD.

Selah, Shalom.

6. Optional Reading / Study Expansion

Background Reading:

To Start: 

Colossians, Isaiah 54-63 and The Gospel of Luke (at least, but all if possible) 

Then:

The Letters to the Churches and Church leaders (Timothy, Titus and Philemon) and Revelation. 

Optional extra: 

Romans, Hebrews, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel (All the Prophetic Books in the Bible, if possible)

Ideal:

Read the entire Bible in a “as it happened” sequential reading (Sequence provided by the Blue Letter Bible)

7. Resources

Playlists:

Find all playlists compiled on SoundCloud (and feel free to share with your loved ones.) 

Find playlists at: https://soundcloud.com/houseofbread4u/sets

Radio Stations:

House of Bread Music Radio App

Download link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.houseofbreadmusic

The Stern Watch Radio App

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