Jehovah reigns

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. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)
January 28, 2008 How to Face Life and Its Struggles One of the most difficult things in a Christian's life is being able to cope with the hard knocks of life. Our text above sets the reality of how to face these struggles. Most of us know that we are risen with Christ - that we are seated with him; and, that he has risen from the dead for our justification and coming for our glorification. What is missing then? I feel, after preaching forty and one-half years, that I am still in the learning mode, and when I see something I have not seen before - I like to share that. Note the clause: “WHEN CHRIST WHO IS OUR LIFE”. What does that mean? Good question. It means a number of things: (1.) we are his. Think about what a privilege it is - that we are His. He is our life. We were His in eternity, because, we were chosen in Him: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephesians 1:3-4. We were His at Calvary, because, we died with Him (Isaiah 53). We were His in regeneration: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). (2.) We are not our own. He has purchased us, as the apostle Paul was led to write: For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1Corinthians 6:20). Also, Paul writes: Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men (1Corinthians 7:23). So, that leads to this question: in whom is your life hid? If it is not hid in Christ - if He is not your focus in everything you do - when life throws something at you, you will lose it. We must love our mates in marriage, but they are not our focal point. We must love our families, but they are not our focal point. We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ; likewise, they are not our focal point. Wrap your life in Christ. Love Him above all things. Accept His will in everyday things that come your way. Praise Him for that which we understand, and that which we do not understand. I have heard people say, "I just can’t go on" - yes, you can in Christ; "I can’t handle this" - yes, you can in Christ. All this is enhanced in our lives when we study His word, and it becomes the mirror in which we can see Christ - every day. We should hide His word in our hearts that we might not sin against the LORD (Psalm 119:11). Be encouraged today - is my prayer for all of us. If I can help anyone, please contact me by email at: jvdup1@hotmail.com . Amen. Bro. Jack Duplechain

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.
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear,
then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
(Colossians 3:1-4)

January 28, 2008

How to Face Life and Its Struggles

One of the most difficult things in a Christian's life is being able to cope with the hard knocks of life. Our text above sets the reality of how to face these struggles. Most of us know that we are risen with Christ - that we are seated with him; and, that he has risen from the dead for our justification and coming for our glorification. What is missing then? I feel, after preaching forty and one-half years, that I am still in the learning mode, and when I see something I have not seen before - I like to share that. Note the clause: “WHEN CHRIST WHO IS OUR LIFE”. What does that mean? Good question. It means a number of things: (1.) we are his. Think about what a privilege it is - that we are His. He is our life. We were His in eternity, because, we were chosen in Him: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love Ephesians 1:3-4. We were His at Calvary, because, we died with Him (Isaiah 53). We were His in regeneration: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). (2.) We are not our own. He has purchased us, as the apostle Paul was led to write: For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1Corinthians 6:20). Also, Paul writes: Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men (1Corinthians 7:23). So, that leads to this question: in whom is your life hid? If it is not hid in Christ - if He is not your focus in everything you do - when life throws something at you, you will lose it. We must love our mates in marriage, but they are not our focal point. We must love our families, but they are not our focal point. We must love our brothers and sisters in Christ; likewise, they are not our focal point. Wrap your life in Christ. Love Him above all things. Accept His will in everyday things that come your way. Praise Him for that which we understand, and that which we do not understand. I have heard people say, "I just can’t go on" - yes, you can in Christ; "I can’t handle this" - yes, you can in Christ. All this is enhanced in our lives when we study His word, and it becomes the mirror in which we can see Christ - every day. We should hide His word in our hearts that we might not sin against the LORD (Psalm 119:11). Be encouraged today - is my prayer for all of us. If I can help anyone, please contact me by email at: jvdup1@hotmail.com . Amen.

Bro. Jack Duplechain

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