Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

June 1
Sunday


CHUMS

READ:
Colossians 1:3-8
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We give thanks to the
God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ,
praying always for you,
__Colossians 1:3
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In 19th-century England, debtors' prison housed those unfortunate souls who couldn't pay their bills. New prisoners were escorted to the "chummage," a prison dormitory, Since the people were not there for violent crimes, a spirit of trust and camaraderie soon developed. They played games together and had plenty to eat. Some were even allowed privae rooms.

In time, the prisoners began to refer to each other ass "chums." Later, the word caught on outside the prison walls and took on the meaning of "a cordial friend."

Deep bonds of friendship also take place in Christian ministry. Those who worked alongside Paul were not strangers to persecution and imprisonment. But a common mission created a deep sense of connectedness. In his letter to the believers in Colosse, Paul called Epaphras a "fellow servant" (1:7). The term can be paraphrased as "together slave" or "one who serves the same master with another.

When believers live under the lordship of Christ, they can see their lives intertwined in service. By serving as slaves to Christ, a spiritual camaraderie results that transcends being "chums." And that special relationship will continue on into eternity! __Dennis Fisher
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```````````````````Working together with others,`````````````````
```````````````````Serving the Lord day or night,`````````````````
`````````````````````Telling the story of Jesus```````````````````
``````````````````Promises endless delight. __Hess```````````````
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Christians stand strong when they stand together.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Colossians 1:3-8************

3 We give thanks to the
God and father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, praying
always for you, 4 since we
heard of your faith in Christ
Jesus and of your love for
all the saints; 5 because of
the hope which is laid up
for you in heaven, of which
you heard before in the
word of the truth of the
gospel. 6 which has come to
you, as it has also in all the
world, and is bringing forth
fruit, as it is also among
you since the day you heard
and knew the grace of God
in truth; 7 as you also
learned from Epaphras, our
dear fellow servant, who is
a faithful minister of Christ
on your behalf, 8 who also
declared to us your love in
the Spirit.

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

Colosse, the destination of the letter to the Colossian church, was a
city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). It was located in the Lycus
Valley and was near Laodicea, a sister city to Colosse (see Col. 2:1;
4:13-16). It was a city of some significance commercially in the
first century because of its location on a main trade route east from
Ephesus. We are not told in the New Testament how the church at
Colosse was founded, but in this letter Paul writes to encourage
and instruct the believers there as if it were one of the churches he
himself had founded. __Bill crowder

[cimi]

*********************Your Reason For Living*********************
_____________________________________________________________

Excuse me, but your purpose is showing. That's right.
The way you live reveals your real reason for living.
Actions do speak louder than words.

Test yourself. Look at the following list of goals for life.
Take a look at your life and evaluate where you energies
are being spent. Are you trying to:

# Have fun?
# Work hard?
# Love people?
# Please God?

Now answer these questions:

# How do you spend your time?
# Do you know and obey God's Word?
# can you honestly say that you are living in full
obedience to the Lord?
# Do you know and obey God's Word?
# Where do you look for satisfaction?
# What are you doing that has eternal benefits?

If these questions make you uncomfortable, you are
recognizing the futlity of living for anything less than
God's intended purpose.

Have you taken the first crucial step of trusting Christ
to rescue you from God's judgment? Accept His offer of
forgiveness right now. He will forgive you and give you
new purposes for living (John 3:16; Rom. 5-8). He'll help
you make the most of the life He's given you.