Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

August 18
Sunday


ALWAYS AN
UPGRADE

READ:
Colossians 3:12-17
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Put on tender
mercies, kindness,
humility, meekness,
lonsguffering...but
above all these things
put on love.
__Colossians 3:12,14
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When I'm about to leave the house, sometimes my wife, Martie, stops me and says, "You can't go to the office dressed like that!" It's usually something about the tie not matching the jacket or the color of the slacks being out of sync with the sportcoat. Though being questioned about my fashion choices may feel like an affront to my good taste, I have realized that her correcting influence is always an upgrade.

Scripture often calls us to "put on" attitudes and actions that match our identity in Christ. Sometimes we are known by the clothes we wear, but we can make Jesus known by wearing attitudes and actions that reveal His presence in our lives. The apostle Paul advised us to set the fashion standard by modeling the wardrobe of Jesus' compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and forgiveness (Col. 3:12). And, he added, "above all these things put on love....And let the peace of God rule in your hearts" (vv.14-15).

Clothing ourselves in Jesus' likeness begins with spending time with Him. If you hear Him say, "You can't go out like that!" let Him lovingly take you back to the closet so He can clothe you with His likeness. It's always an upgrade!
__Joe Stowell

```````````````Lord, help us to see ourselves the way You see us. By````````````````
``````````````Your Spirit teach us to adorn our lives with the attitudes````````````````
```````````````````and actions You have designed for us as a public``````````````````
````````````````````````statement about our identity with You.````````````````````
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Clothing ourselves with Jesus attitudes and
actions shows His presence in our lives.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Colossians 3:12-17********************

12 Therefore, as the elect
of God, holy and beloved,
put on tender mercies,
kindness, humility,
meekness, longsuffering;

13 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. 14 But above
all these things put on love,
which is the bond of
perfection.

15 And let the peace of
God rule in your hearts, to
which also you were called
in one body; and be
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 whatever
you do in word or deed, do
all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God
the Father through Him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

To varying degrees, each of us takes care in what we "put on" at
the start of the day. Few of us would consider going out the door
without putting on our shoes. But do we take the same care with
the character qualities we ought to be exhibiting? Paul exhorts
us to "put on" tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness,
and longsuffering. In addition, if conflict should arise, we should
be prepared to bear with one another and forgive one another.
However, the most important spiritual clothing we should exhibit is
love, which is the "bond of perfection" (v.14