The Power of Fullness

 The Power of Fullness                                       

Have you ever said, “My heart is full,” or “My cup runneth over”? At times in life when an experience or event pleases me immensely, I have felt this way and have said those words.

For example, when I first held each of my newborn sons and then years later each of my grandchildren, the feelings of joy and completeness overflowed. More importantly, when our two sons and eight grandchildren each received Jesus as Savior and Lord and was baptized, my heart was full.

These life experiences fill our hearts and complete something in our lives. The Bible speaks of fullness on several occasions, meaning to be filled to satisfaction or brought to completion. Strong’s defines fullness as “what fills (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or what is filled (as container, performance) … fulfilling …” * 

By Robin Lambert (Instagram) - used with permission

Psalm 24:1-2 tells us, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters” (NKJV). 

How encouraging it is to know that God owns the earth and all that’s in it. 

Though the nations rage and Satan appears to be having his way on many fronts, ultimately God will have His way. In the end, we who are in Christ will come out winners. 

On God’s calendar:

In the fullness of time He laid the foundations of the earth. (Psalm 102:25)

In the fullness of time God established His own people through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In the fullness of time Father God brought forth His own Son through the virgin, Mary, and named Him Jesus, (Yeshua in Hebrew).

In the fullness of time Jesus paid the sin debt of all Mankind, dying on a cross.

In the fullness of time God rose Jesus back to life from the dead, completing the way for those who put faith in Him to have eternal life.

In the fullness of time Jesus will return, God will set up His Eternal Kingdom and all wrongs will made right.

I believe that my favorite Bible uses of the word fullness are found in Paul’s letter to the fledgling church in Colossae when he spoke of Jesus. His description of Jesus helps reinforce our reasons to trust Him.

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on the earth, visible and invisible. Whether thrones or dominions or principalities of powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist (that is, hold together**).

“And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have preeminence.

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:15-20 NKJV).

Now, that’s enough to make me want to shout! Unless you’re pressed for time, I suggest you read that passage again—this time out loud, standing up.

And there’s more. Let’s move into the next chapter for a nugget that can knock our socks off when we soak it in and believe in depths of our being that it’s true.

“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principalities and power” (Colossians 2:9-10 NKJV).

Jesus Christ is the fullness of God in bodily form. When we are born-again believers in Him, He is in us by way of the Holy Spirit. That means we are complete in Him who has authority over all other powers that may exist.

The fullness of God is full in us. No, we are not equal with God by any means. But we have access to our Creator through our Savior, Jesus. He is in our very breath. We have power over sin, power to stand on truth, and power to walk in the character of Jesus Himself.

Therefore, let us know our God and know our Savior. Let us meditate on and study God’s Word, the Bible, so we can understand who we are in His fullness and be able to withstand the attacks of evil forces and stand firm in truth—that is, God’s truth. (Ephesians 6:12-13)

Let’s pray: Father, thank You for sending Jesus to rescue me from evils of life and fears of death. Thank You that in Him Your own fullness dwells. Help me to allow the fullness of Jesus to shine in my own life and to fill me with all I need to be who You created me to be. In Jesus name I pray—amen.

*Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, by James Strong; Crusade Bible Publishers, Inc.,, Nashville, TN, 1890; Greek Dictionary, p. 58.

**my insert

©Copyright 2020 Connie Wohlford

LOVE: The Perfect Bond of Unity

LOVE: The Perfect Bond of Unity  

The Apostle Paul deeply loved and had great concern for other followers of Jesus in the fledgling first-century church. He wrote many letters of encouragement and instruction to those who were young in the faith.

In Paul’s letter to the house church in Colossae he reminded the members of their life-changing experience in Christ Jesus when he said, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV).

He then exhorts them to rid themselves of sins and vices unbecoming of Jesus and His character. The next few verses list several “do nots” and then he transitions to point out some Christ-like virtues, we should strive to attain.

Paul had been informed of issues which were causing division among the members. He had addressed some of those matters earlier in his letter. Now in Colossians Chapter 3, he was speaking about personal relationships among the believers.

Have you seen or experienced disagreements or personality clashes within your church fellowship? I dare say that if the congregation was made up of human beings, your answer is, “Yes.”  

Photo by Connie Wohlford

Paul gave some directives to help elevate all the members and to bring the unity desired by God Himself. Paul wrote, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15 NKJV).

In another version, verse 14 states: “And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:14 NASV).

God’s command for us to love is paramount in His cosmic plan for Mankind. 

When asked for the greatest commandment, Jesus answered, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ’This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31 NKJV).

Why did Paul say that love is above all other things? It’s because love is the bond of perfection. It is the bond of unity.

Bond is a strong word used to describe one thing being fused to another—thus joined securely. To love one another in this way is to be joined together unconditionally. This agap̵é love is spiritual and selfless, sacrificial and unconditional. 

It is through the grace given by the Holy Spirit that a person can have this kind of love and this is why the world (those who are not in Christ) does not understand it.

The word, unity, in Greek, is defined, “perfect, one who reaches a goal. Perfection or perfectness, completeness.”¹

So, can you see how agap̵é love among the members of a church fellowship, and among followers of Jesus in the body of Christ as a whole, can be such a force—a bond—that unifies and perfects?

Let’s ponder this love that is put into our hearts by God and imagine how it really could bring unity in the body of Christ. Would the church represent Christ well? Would the church attract more non-Christians? Would this church accomplish great things in the building up of the body of Christ? I believe we would agree that the answer to each of these questions would be a resounding, “Yes!”

As we grow in Christ-likeness we will grow in His kind of love for others.

Please join with me in prayer:

Lord God, I ask that You help me to love like Jesus loves. Even when I don’t see eye to eye with my brothers and sisters, help me to give way to Your Spirit to override my personal feelings and allow agapé love to spring up out of my heart—love that is genuine and unconditional. In this, I am doing my part to nurture the perfect bond of unity in the body of Christ. Thank You, Father, for the power of Your grace working in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

©Copyright 2019 Connie Wohlford

__________________________________

1. The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, 2008, AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN, page 2290.

What’s on Your Mind?

What’s on Your Mind?

Today, I’m re-posting a writing I did a while back. The premise of this piece is just as true today as it was then and for many people I know it’s more meaningful today than it was one or two or three years ago. Please be encouraged. 

I don’t know about you, but I certainly have a lot on my mind these days. We all have personal and family matters to think about. Many of us also make room in our minds for multiple connections with church, friends, jobs, and community. Besides all that, our minds are bombarded with news (good and bad) and events, both local and global.

This very day I concern myself with meeting with friends for Bible study, transporting a grandchild to swim practice, household and business responsibilities, writing responsibilities, and praying that my grandson, who broke his finger, will NOT need surgery. That lists just a few things on my mind today. Most of these things are positive and pleasurable aspects of my life.

Unless we never listen to the news, you and I are blasted with information that can overwhelm our minds, emotions, and spirits if we’re not careful. We truly must take every thought captive—on purpose! (1 Corinthians 10:5)

This very day I was also confronted with much tragic news--- local, national, and global. I’ll mention a few. 

In my community, a five-year-old boy who had been missing for four days was found dead in an old septic system near his home. Last night tornadoes ripped through areas of our nation, destroying property and taking the lives of fellow Americans. It’s been decided that the aircraft, which crashed in the French Alps three days ago, appears to have been deliberately downed by the plane’s co-pilot. And of course, we can’t omit the constant threat of terrorists who seek to kill peace loving, innocent folks all over the world these days. This does not complete the list of negatives that forced their way into my mind today. These kinds of dreadful happenings are powerful forces that can easily dishearten any of us.

SO--What's on your mind today? You may be so consumed with personal misfortune that the calamities beyond your own world have no room at all in your thoughts. Your personal disaster might be related to health, loved ones, financial matters, heavy responsibilities, and on & on & on. Our lists can be endless. It might be so bad that you want to crawl into a protective shell and simply take a fetal position.

But, I’m here to declare today that God’s Word gives good instruction on dealing with a full and troubled mind. One of my favorite methods for coping is to follow the Apostle Paul instructs in Colossians 3:2, where he said, “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.” 

How are we to accomplish that? It’s not necessarily easy but it is necessarily deliberate. I find that one of the best ways to set one’s mind on things above is to read the Bible. I know that sounds like a simple pat answer but think about it for a moment. Let me give you a personal example.

A few years ago, I was going through several very negative experiences. It seemed that bad things just kept piling on me from many different directions. The helplessness of having no control in trying to alleviate the emotional pain made me wonder just how long I could continue to function. 

I was praying and in the Word consistently, as was my routine. I was even leading a Bible study at the time. But I still found myself dwelling on the negative things that were weighing me down. As I sought God I decided to go to the basics about Jesus, Himself.

I began to read through the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When I got through that, I read through the book of Acts. No, I didn’t read it all in one day or week or month.

I was doing exactly what Paul had instructed the Colossian believers. I was setting my mind on things above, not on things on the earth. In doing this, God’s Word---studying Jesus—lifted me up to a higher level. 

Those negative situations that kept piling on me did not just evaporate. Some improved, some eventually took care of themselves, some remained pretty much the same, and some got worse. I’ve looked back on that season in my life, a period of about eight months, and see how God used His Word as a tool to help me set my mind on things that are eternal, things that are true, things that are above the earth. During that particular time, I set my mind on Jesus, Himself, as I read through the Gospels. I believe I was led by the Holy Spirit to do exactly that and I’m so glad I followed His leading. 

Let’s look at Paul’s instructions, in its context: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, the you also will appear with Him in glory” (Colossians 3:1-4).  

Notice that the above passage contains abundant meaty encouragement that can set our minds on things above. It instructs, explains how and why, and then points to our eternal hope—all built on Jesus. 

Here we see a good example of the Word’s immense value in helping us set our mind on things above instead of things on the earth. So, be encouraged as you do just that.

 If you’d like, please leave a comment telling of a time when you set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth, and were thus encouraged and lifted out of sadness, or discouragement, or troubles of some kind. We can all be encouraged by one another’s testimonies. Thanks, and God bless you abundantly today! 

 

 ©Connie Wohlford 2018

The Perfect Bond of Unity

The Perfect Bond of Unity  

The Apostle Paul deeply loved and had great concern for other followers of Jesus in the fledgling first-century church. He wrote many letters of encouragement and instruction to those who were young in the faith.

 In Paul’s letter to the house church in Colossae he reminded the members of their life-changing experience in Christ Jesus when he said, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:1-2 NKJV).

He goes on to exhort them to rid themselves of sins and vices unbecoming of Jesus and His character. The next few verses list several “Do not”s and then he transitions to point out some Christ-like virtues that we should strive to attain.

Paul had been informed of issues which were causing division among the members. He had addressed some of those matters earlier in his letter. Now in Colossians Chapter 3, he was speaking about personal relationships among the believers.

Have you seen or experienced disagreements or personality clashes within your church fellowship? I dare say that if the congregation was made up of human beings, your answer is, “Yes.”

Paul then gave some directives to help elevate all the members and to bring the unity desired by God Himself. Paul wrote, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Colossians 3:12-15 NKJV).

In another version, verse 14 states: “And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:14 NASV).

God’s command for us to love is paramount in His cosmic plan for mankind. When asked for the greatest commandment, Jesus answered, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. ’This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31 NKJV).

Why did Paul say that love is above all other things? It’s because love is the bond of perfection. It is the bond of unity.

Bond is a strong word used to describe one thing being fused to another—thus joined securely. To love one another in this way is to be joined together unconditionally. This agap̵é love is spiritual and selfless, sacrificial and unconditional.

It is through the grace given by the Holy Spirit that a person can have this kind of love and this is why the world (those who are not in Christ) does not understand it.

The word, unity, in Greek, is defined, “perfect, one who reaches a goal. Perfection or perfectness, completeness.”¹

So, can you see how agap̵é love among the members of a church fellowship, and among followers of Jesus in the body of Christ as a whole, can be such a force—a bond—that unifies and perfects?

Let’s ponder this love that is put into our hearts by God and imagine how it really could bring unity in the body of Christ. Would the church represent Christ well? Would the church attract more non-Christians? Would this church accomplish great things in the building up of the body of Christ? I believe we would agree that the answer to each of these questions would be a resounding, “Yes!”

As we grow in Christ-likeness we will grow in His kind of love for others. Please join with me in prayer:

Lord God, I ask that You help me to love like Jesus loves. Even when I don’t see eye to eye with my brothers and sisters, help me to give way to Your Spirit to override my personal feelings and allow agapé love to spring up out of my heart—love that is genuine and unconditional. In this, I am doing my part to nurture the perfect bond of unity in the body of Christ. Thank You, Father, for the power of Your grace working in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

©Copyright 2017 Connie Wohlford

__________________________________

1. The Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible, 2008, AMG Publishers, Chattanooga, TN, page 2290.