Day Eighteen - Fixing our Minds on Christ

I'm so honored that you've joined me again today. I'm Cathy McIntosh with Strengthened by the Word Ministries. We are fixing our minds on Christ. Walking through our daily devotions through the book of Colossians. 

“Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” 

Colossians 3:16-17 (HCSB)

We need to look at the context of this verse once again and if we look clear back to chapter one in the opening verses of Colossians we see that Paul is writing to the Saints of Colossae. He's writing here to believers and he's telling them to let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among the church and then it will spread outward to those who are unchurched.

We also need to know and understand that in verse 14 -  just a couple of verses ago - Paul told us to put on love which is the perfect bond of unity. So when we are teaching and admonishing one another we’re to do it first to believers and then also with love and kindness 

To Warn with Gentleness

“To admonish” means “to warn with gentleness.” It doesn't mean to scold or reprimand or to get mad at. It means to go to someone with gentleness and speak love into their lives sharing the love of Christ. 

So many times I see us getting angry, not only inside the church but outside the church as well. It's almost as if we look at people who are held captive and those that don't know Christ (they are held captive by the enemy so that they cannot see the truth) and we get angry and mad and upset with them because they can't find freedom. Instead of sharing love, honor, tenderness, and gentleness with them and showing them with love and mercy and grace the love of Jesus Christ, we find ourselves getting defensive and angry and it doesn't work. It does not work.

So, we need to reach out to one another with love which is the perfect bond of unity and we looked at that just yesterday in our devotional time. 

Whatever We Do

Verse 17 is a great life verse and it reminds us that whatever we do in word or in deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God the Father through Him. What a great way to live your life.

Today's Challenges 

My challenges to you today are this:

First of all love.  Love someone else. Ask the Lord to show you how to reach out and show love to someone that perhaps you are disunified with or are experiencing some strife with.  Second of all to do everything that you do today and tomorrow and the next day and the day after that as if you were serving the Lord and representing Him. Whatever you do in word or in deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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I pray that you’re blessed today. I pray that you are strengthened by the word and I pray that you’ll come back and see me right here tomorrow as we fix our minds on Christ. Thank you for being here.

To watch the video devotion, click here:

Cathy McIntosh is the author of Victorious: Finding Triumph When Hope Seems Lost. When you can’t see God’s activity in your situation, you might begin to feel hopeless. You’re tempted to doubt His care and involvement in your life because He feels so . . . absent. Victory feels elusive as if God intends it for everyone but you.

But God is never absent. He is as involved in your life today as He was when He protected Queen Esther and the entire Jewish nation from annihilation, and He will bring victory.  Click here to purchase.