"description":"Doug tackles the difficulties surrounding the text concerning baptism and seeks to understand it in its context in the chapter. Baptism is a \"last act of conversion\" where it is more or less a \"sealing\" upon our conversion. \"Your Christian life needs to be directed by the transforming work of the Spirit within,\" he underscores, \"creating the mind of Christ in you, leading you to live a life that pleases Him and honors Him.\"",
"description":"Douglas Moo gives a broad overview of the book of Colossians of how they were trying to fit Christ into the worldview they'd already adopted. He homes on some key thoughts in the book, such as bearing fruit and growing and God's rescue and redemption, like that in Exodus.",
"description":"The message of Colossians is that you don't need to go running after spiritual truth in other places in the \"religious marketplace\" outside of Christ. What is a life lived in Christ look like? It's rooted in Him, built up in Him, strengthened in Him, and full in Him.",
"description":"This section of Colossians celebrates the supremacy of Christ in creation and the new creation. All you could possibly know about God is found in Christ. He is not some \"blurry, impressionistic view\" of God but the exact image of the Father.",
"description":"McGee recalls that early in his ministry he was an \u2018apologetics preacher\u2019 but in later years he moved away from this emphasis. He explains this by observing that apologetics are helpful to helping a person believe the Bible is the Word of God, but only the Spirit can allow a person to know this. He reemphasizes this point by saying that we can\u2019t rely on biblical archaeology or science to confirm the Word of God\u2026the Holy Spirit must become real to us.",
"description":"Ed Miller exposes common problems Christians fall into--a growth that is merely external, not internal life that comes from God Himself. We get off target when we put our eyes on growth. Brother Ed shows that if you will feed on Christ, you will grow like the lily grows--growing but never concerning itself about its growth.",
"description":"\"If we want our lives to be summed up and full of Christ,\" says brother Dana, \"there is a subtraction process.\" Tribulation in our lives teaches us to value the glory of Christ. If you set your heart to seek Him, you can be guaranteed to be resisted by the devil, the world and your flesh.",
"description":"\"You've been designed by God,\" teaches Ernie Hile, \"to live in spiritual fullness.\" Are you being satisfied with something other than the Lord Jesus, or are you seeking for practical ways to take Him up on His offer to come to Him and drink and experience those rivers of living water? (This message was delivered at Harvey-Cedars Conference 2006)",
"description":"One way to tell if you are still living under the old covenant is whether you still fight with human beings. When Satan was defeated on the cross, believers now war against the real enemy which even the greatest saints of the old covenant could never do. Beware of certain sins that can bring you into fellowship with the devil, such as pride, lying and anger.",
"description":"We need the kind of humility that was expressed in the early Church as recorded in the Book of Acts. This kind of humility is today manifested in many underground and persecuted Churches across the world because they have dealt the death blow to pride and independence.39 These persecuted believers have become solely dependent on Jesus Christ as the Head to lead them and guide their meeting as Churches.40 A brother stated this truth, in another way: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Christ should be the gathering center of His people. We should be drawn by His presence, not by a man. When believers see this and act upon it, the local Assembly need not be shaken by the departure of any man. An Assembly where Christians gather to Christ has strength, stability and solidarity.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d",
"description":"The Headship of Jesus Christ was not just a doctrine or an idea to the early Apostles but rather a present reality to them. The Lord was the active Head of the Church. They realized it was His Church and everything was done in His Name for Him and through Him.224 This apostolic dependency on the person of Jesus Christ allowed the Lord to be in control of each Assembly. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be Head over everything for the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d",
"description":"The Lord is crystal clear in the priority and importance He puts on our love one for another. This is not an option but a reality that will manifest when true believers are together.447 If love is lacking there should be a sense of alarm that something is wrong in the body life.448 The law of love says: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d449 Our Lord not only commanded the early disciples to love one another but said that it would be a fruit that would show the world that God has assembled a Church on the earth. Every believer should consider reading through 1 Corinthians chapter 13 on a regular basis to keep the right priority in Christian discipleship.",
"scripture":"1 Corinthians 6:20, Matthew 4:4, Colossians 3:1-3",
"topic":"Audio Books",
"description":"For many Christians in countries with no persecution, having a Bible\u00e2\u20ac\u201dthe full Scriptures495\u00e2\u20ac\u201dis often not appreciated. We do not realize that the Bible is our greatest physical treasure in this world. In persecuted nations our sisters and brothers weep over the Word of God and often only have parts of the New Testament or literally scraps of paper with copied Scripture verses on them. Yet for some in the body of Christ there is great abundant access to full Bibles in literally hundreds of translations.",
"description":"The Chinese believers see the Gospel of Jesus\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 death and resurrection in all their activities. Out of a great love for this Savior they speak to Him and of Him often to everyone they meet. The simplicity of the message of the cross of Christ581 has gripped them and persecution has allowed the Church as a whole to keep this as their main message. In every meeting of the underground Church, Jesus Christ is given the rightful place as Head582 of the meeting and He is recognized in the midst.",
"scripture":"Colossians 1:5, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4",
"topic":"Audio Books",
"description":"A group of Christians was discovered in North Korea. They had worshiped God and His Son Jesus. Their children were with them. The adults were told by those who had captured them: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you do not acknowledge our Dear leader as god and if you do not renounce Christ, your children will be hanged.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d One of the children looked up at her mother. What would she do? Earlier that morning, twenty-eight other Christians had been bound and taken before a screaming crowd of North Koreans. The guards made it clear: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t deny your Christ you will die.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The mother thought of her child but she could not deny her Lord. The other Christians quietly made the same decision. Their God was real.",
"scripture":"Colossians 1:18, 1 Peter 5:3, Revelation 2:7",
"topic":"Audio Books",
"description":"This book has been prepared to encourage believers to gather in small gatherings under the Headship of Jesus Christ.795 Thus no man is head over the fellowships as a whole that gather in this way. Though servant leaders are submitted to, there is no one brother over all fellowships controlling them. True submission to authority in the Church should not be because of someone who was voted in or hired but because of their spiritual walk with the Lord. Thus people submit to them willingly seeing Christ formed in them and desiring to emulate their walk with the Lord.",
"scripture":"Philemon 1:2, Colossians 4:15, Matthew 18:20",
"topic":"Audio Books",
"description":"Dear brothers and sisters we are writing these practical guidelines on how to gather as a fellowship under the Headship of Jesus Christ not as rules but rather helpful ways forward for some. Any 2-3 brothers or sisters can meet in this way and start to allow the Lord to mature their gathering. We must have the simplicity of faith that our Gathering is unto Him and not for ourselves. Early Christians met together with a great joy at times because they were gathering with others who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. So Jesus Christ Himself was the center of their unity. These simple guidelines combine many of the Principles found in the Principles for the Gathering of Believers volume.",
"description":"Dr. Stanley examines Paul's prayer found in Colossians 1:9-14. He says that is exactly the prayer that he wants someone to pray for him, and the prayer that you and I should pray for each other. He adds that the most powerful thing that anyone can do for anyone else \"on the face of this earth is to pray for them.\"",
"description":"Dr. Thompson asserts that the goal of Christianity is not a change in location, but a change in what we are. He endeavors to get us to shift our focus off of Heaven as the goal, and onto being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, and being reunited with the Father. Please bring your thinking cap for this one. (1 hour 18 minutes).",
"description":"\"We can talk a big talk,\" David Smithers exhorts, \"but unless we can love one another we're not going to go deeper.\" The end of all Christian growth is love, and we're to abound in it. Smithers addresses many hard hitting issues of lovelessness and a lack of God's grace that hinder Christlikeness in our lives. How does our love measure up to Jesus Christ?",
"description":"\u201cFor it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.\u201d \u2014 Colossians 1:19. THE preacher is under no difficulties this morning as to the practical object to be aimed at in his discourse. Every subject should be considered with an object, every discourse should have a definite spiritual aim; otherwise we do not so much preach as play at preaching. The connection plainly indicates what our drift should be. Read the words immediately preceding the text, and you find it declared that our Lord Jesus is in all things to have the pre-eminence. We would seer; by this text to yield honor and glory to the ever-blessed Redeemer, and enthrone him in the highest seat in our hearts. O that we may all be in an adoring frame of mind, and may give him the pre-eminence in our thoughts, beyond all things or persons in heaven or earth. Blessed is he who can do or think: the most to honor such a Lord as our Immanuel. The verse which succeeds the text, shows us how we may best promote the glory of Christ, for since he came into this world that he might reconcile the things in heaven and the things in earth to himself, we shall best glorify him by falling in with his great design of mercy. By seeking to bring sinners into a state of reconciliation with God, we are giving to the great Reconciler the pre-eminence...",
"description":"Much error that comes into Christianity is not because people teach error but because one truth is magnified so much at the expense of another truth. Zac Poonen concentrates on six areas where we need to be balanced, the first two expounded in this sermon: 1) faith and works, and 2) love for God and love for man.",
"description":"Dr. Thompson discusses the reasons for the Coming of the Lord \u2013 including His coming to cleanse His church. He mentions Balaam, Korah and Cain, and how they represent different types of people that are in every church. He asserts that there are aspects of Jesus that we, as a church, seem to know nothing about, especially the no-nonsense, fiery Judge aspect of Christ. When He returns, many in the church will be expecting to be swept away by \u201cGood \u2018ol Happy Jesus\u201d but will instead meet Fire.",
"description":"I was making mention of an article in Time magazine the other day where churchmen of different churches and of great renown were expressing themselves about the conditions in the world, and what place the church held, and the preaching of the gospel. They said very nice things, but all of them missed the main thing. We have \u00e2\u20ac\u0153turned to God from idols\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 to wait for His Son from heaven.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Every Christian\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s job and responsibility is to prepare the way for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d But you cannot know \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Jesus Christ whom He has sent\u00e2\u20ac\u009d until you experience Him\u00e2\u20ac\u201duntil you live Him, praise God!\u00e2\u20ac\u201duntil He takes over.",
"description":"\"The closest relationship you've ever had with Jesus,\" shares Ed Miller, \"is only a handful of corn compared to what's coming.\" Creation, the Christian, and the Spirit all groan in sympathy with what God's future plan that brings comfort and assurance of true holiness today. Holiness does not come by studying holiness but entering into the substitution of the Savior.",
"description":"This message was delivered on 05\/01\/1957. God's will is that believers would be filled with the Holy Spirit, and that the Church would be a testimony and witness to the nations of the world. The Holy Spirit came to reproduce the Lord Jesus Christ in the lives of men and women.",
"description":"The cross at Golgotha is where the greatest battle ever was fought. Not one demon was absent when this battle was fought. It was such a fierce battle that even the sun hid its face and there was darkness on earth. Rocks were rent asunder. Satan tried his level best to overthrow the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan was an angel of the north walking among the others in heaven, until pride was found in him and he was thrown out of heaven (Is 14:12-14). A third of the angels in heaven joined satan in his rebellion and was cast out of heaven with him (Rev 12:3-4; 7-9). One cannot grasp it. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s unthinkable that a third of the angel should side with satan. But if one looks at people, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s maybe understandable, when so many people side with satan.",
"scripture":"1 Samuel 23:1-5, Acts 16:6-10, Isaiah 9:6, Colossians 3:15",
"topic":"Will Of God",
"description":"In this study, Pastor Cymbala gives Biblical illustrations of how God led King David and the Apostle Paul in their decisions. God provides the same leading today as we face forks in the road of life. As you listen allow God to speak to your heart and open your heart to depend on Him more to guide you in every decision in life.",
"description":"Jack Hibbs (pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, CA) introduces this 16-part series on Jesus Christ, starting with Christ in eternity. The major points of this topical survey include Christ before time and all things and Christ is over all things.",
"description":"A word for parents, but also for us all. How to handle people by encouraging each other. Colossians 3:18-21; Psalm 10:17; Isaiah 1:17; 2Timothy 4:2; Romans 12:6-8a; Hebrews 10:25",
"description":"November 7, 2004 - It pleases God when we are a diligent seeker after Him. Out of seeking Him , the love that flows from Him will flow out to the body. This is a commandment of God to love the Lord and our neighbor as ourselves. But it doesn\u2019t stop there we must be willing to go out into the streets and seek out the lost and hurting souls that don\u2019t know about the love of Jesus.",
"description":"What does it really mean to be in Christ? Duncan Campbell exposes shallow 'conversions' that do not bring about real change and a surrender to the lordship of Christ. Campbell weaves in some personal testimonies and revival experiences to compliment the topic. 'Are you moving,' Campbell warns, 'under a self-created illusion?'",
"description":"\"Service is a wonderful thing,\" teaches Ed Miller, \"but it's not Him.\" What kind of service is pleasing to the Lord? Brother Ed lays out the blueprint for Christian service by asking the question, \"How does heaven begin and how does it continue?\" The answer suggests the miracle power of God and having an open heart to receive.",
"description":"I'm just going to read a short passage from Colossians 2 without comment to start with. I want to revisit the subject of Seventh-Day Adventism this morning, and I'm going to start with Colossians 2:16-23. This is a key biblical text, warning us against any cult or -ism or philosophy of religion that stresses human works things like legal obedience, ceremonies, dietary rules, asceticism, or other works you can perform and supposedly achieve holiness through ritualized self-denial. I'm reading from Colossians 2:16-23.",
"description":"\"You will automatically fulfill everything God has created and redeemed you to be as you lay hold of Him!\" proclaims Ed Miller. Brother Ed beautifully simplifies complex truths about spiritual perfection and the new covenant and relates them to living union to Christ, as a body to its head. The burden of the message is to practically show how Christians are to grow spiritually in vital connection with Jesus.",
"description":"Love for God contains an immeasurable strength for it unites us with the almighty Creator of the whole universe. If you are longing to have this love in your life, then listen to this meditation. Kanaan is the home of the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary, an international, interdenominational organization founded in 1947 within the framework of the German Evangelical (Protestant) Church. Website: www.kanaan.org",
"description":"The Colossian letter is well known for its doctrine as well as for its brevity. In the letter, Paul insists upon the Lordship of Christ. Colossians has come under recent scrutiny because of its references, implied or actual, to incipient Gnosticism, a growing heresy in the Church.",
"scripture":"Matthew 16:24, Colossians 1:24, 1 Peter 2:21",
"topic":"Cross Of Christ",
"description":"Starting with a quote from C.H. Spurgeon, \"Jesus bears not the cross so that you may escape it, but that you may endure it,\" this sermon delivers a message which adopts and adheres the previous two messages into our own bearing of the cross. It is stated herein that one of the greatest libels against the cross in our day is the idea that the believer in the cross is absented from any form of suffering. It is the cruciform life which will generate a necessary friction against the kingdoms of this world. We must apprehend that this conflict is an intention of God through his people, and in every sense, a diet of the things of this world will by nature slicken any apprehension of this cross-centered friction. The hearing of this sermon in its deepest of intentions will bring you face to face with Jesus calling you Satan, that is to say...you are Satanic if you cherish not the things of God over the things of man. We are admonished to take up the cross and follow Christ for, \"Natural man is always the instrument by which Satanic things are brought into being in the collision between kingdoms.\"",
"description":"The Law was to bring us to the cross by showing us our own inability to make it or ever be good enough. The cross liberates us, the blood cleanses us from sin, and frees us from the law. The liberty of the New Covenant is freedom from sin, and bondage of striving in our flesh to be holy. Jesus refers to children in Matt 18, and warns against offending new Christians. We must allow the Holy Spirit to teach them, as we love them and pray for them. This is one of the best messages I've heard on the new covenant and the righteousness of Christ imputed to believers.",
"description":"Does Jesus Christ have an exalted place in your heart? Jesus is worthy of all of your hearts adoration. How is it with your first love for Christ? Are you enthralled with the fact that Jesus loves you and has forgiven your sins, or do you take it for granted?",
"description":"Billy Graham gives an opening statement at the Lausanne congress 1974 asking for prayer and introduces Corrie Ten Boom in the meeting. Corrie speaks on the need of the Holy Spirit Power in the Christian life. She speaks on how we can have God's boundless resources when we obey the happy commandment to be filled with the Spirit. The Spirit of God gives us the power to be witnesses for the great commission.",
"description":"Before we surrendered our lives to Christ we were dead in our sin. The only way to be free from this sin is to die to our old way of living. Jesus Christ died for us and when we came to Christ we were baptized in this death. The Bible says, \"he that is dead in Christ is free from the dominion of sin.\" The evidence of this death is that we are not controlled by sin any longer. It doesn't mean we don't have struggles or failures, it means that these things no longer govern our lives. From the time we are born again our whole life is about the funeral of our old nature and the birth of the new man that God is making us to be. The true Christian spends their whole life preaching their own funeral.",
"description":"This message was preached on September 6, 2009, at the Guinavah Campground amphitheater. \"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. And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.\" (Colossians 1:19-22) Contrary to what we might feel, God does not reluctantly forgive sins but He is pleased and full of joy to reconcile His enemies unto Himself. It pleased the Lord to crush His Son for our sakes, and when we apprehend this wonderful knowledge of God's good pleasure in the gospel, our hearts will be liberated and our lives transformed.",
"description":"What does it really mean to be in Christ? Duncan Campbell exposes shallow 'conversions' that do not bring about real change and a surrender to the lordship of Christ. Campbell weaves in some personal testimonies and revival experiences to compliment the topic. 'Are you moving,' Campbell warns, 'under a self-created illusion?'",
"description":"Many Christians today get so preoccupied with the shadow--the law--that they miss the Person--Jesus Christ. Zac Poonen shares three things stressed by the law--the Sabbath, tithing and circumcision--and what the reality of these are to be in the Christian life under grace. You may be surprised to learn how much deception goes on in Christendom because of Bible verses taken out of their proper context.",
"description":"Every human being is asking, has asked, or will ask these questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What is wrong with the world? and Can what is wrong be made right? It is very important that Christians not only answer these questions, but answer them in a manner that distinguishes the Christian worldview from all others. Paul gives us a model for doing so in Colossians chapter one.",
"description":"A wonderfully encouraging and challenging message for any true believer who has struggled with striving and works to prove themselves worthy of God. Paul takes us deeper into the true meaning of Jesus' words \"Abide in Me\" and how through abiding, we bear His fruit.",
"description":"One who is living the \"ascended life\" is one who sees earthly things from a heavenly view, sees Christ's throne reigning over all, and is for the most part freed from self cares and self interests. Brother Dana shares the pitfalls of religion and \"soulish ascendancy\" that take a believer away from Jesus Christ. (These messages were delivered at Harvey Cedars Conference in October, 2002)",
"description":"Paris Reidhead gives a message about how to defeat our sin. Through seeking the things that are above, remembering the truth of what Christ has done for us and our death with Him on the cross, we can embrace the victory Christ has won. We don't need to pray about victory over sin as Christ has already provided it, we have only to accept it.",
"description":"The marks of a spiritual church are looking at everything from God's point of view. We are like Christ in suffering in that we don't gain but many others around us do. This book has great exhortations to cling to the reality--Christ the Head--and not shadows or photographs or even the messengers of Christendom.",
"description":"Ed Miller offers refreshing insight of Christ revealed in the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, particularly how it is all about two kingdoms: the kingdom of man and the kingdom of God. If you have ever asked yourself, \"How can I be delivered completely from the kingdom of man?\" this message may cause you to expect Jesus Christ to work in your life in a bold way.",
"description":"This verse contains a challenge and a wonderful promise. God speaks directly to his people, not the gentiles but to the believers. \"If my people return to me and humble themselves, they will receive forgiveness of sin.\" God sees the sin and if people repent of their sin, God will heal their land. This text is an inspiration to every believer. The challenge is that the world is in our hands. If we repent and get right with God, our land will be healed and restored. We are not to point to the sin of other people but to ourselves and if we repent the Lord will heal our land. God requires that we humble ourselves. This word was said to Solomon where God said, \"If my people will humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways, I will heal the land.\" Things can be turned around if people have an ear to hear what God says.",
"description":"In this teaching, Pastor Cymbala gives a clear picture of what it would have been like if we were present when Jesus entered Zacchaeus's house. Col 1:15-20; 3:12-13 (NIV)",