God's Great Mystery

Colossians 2:4

The Message (MSG)

^2-4 I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.”

Baptism

Romans 6:11

The Message (MSG)

^6-11 Could it be any clearer? Our old way of life was nailed to the cross with Christ, a decisive end to that sin-miserable life—no longer at sin’s every beck and call! What we believe is this: If we get included in Christ’s sin-conquering death, we also get included in his life-saving resurrection. We know that when Jesus was raised from the dead it was a signal of the end of death-as-the-end. Never again will death have the last word. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us. From now on, think of it this way: Sin speaks a dead language that means nothing to you; God speaks your mother tongue, and you hang on every word. You are dead to sin and alive to God. That’s what Jesus did.

Be cheerful & Think in Harmony

2 Corinthians 13-14

The Message (MSG)

He’s Alive Now!

13 ^1-4 Well, this is my third visit coming up. Remember the Scripture that says, “A matter becomes clear after two or three witnesses give evidence”? On my second visit I warned that bunch that keeps sinning over and over in the same old ways that when I came back I wouldn’t go easy on them. Now, preparing for the third, I’m saying it again from a distance. If you haven’t changed your ways by the time I get there, look out. You who have been demanding proof that Christ speaks through me will get more than you bargained for. You’ll get the full force of Christ, don’t think you won’t. He was sheer weakness and humiliation when he was killed on the cross, but oh, he’s alive now—in the mighty power of God! We weren’t much to look at, either, when we were humiliated among you, but when we deal with you this next time, we’ll be alive in Christ, strengthened by God.

^5-9 Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don’t drift along taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups. You need firsthand evidence, not mere hearsay, that Jesus Christ is in you. Test it out. If you fail the test, do something about it. I hope the test won’t show that we have failed. But if it comes to that, we’d rather the test showed our failure than yours. We’re rooting for the truth to win out in you. We couldn’t possibly do otherwise.
We don’t just put up with our limitations; we celebrate them, and then go on to celebrate every strength, every triumph of the truth in you. We pray hard that it will all come together in your lives.
¹⁰ I’m writing this to you now so that when I come I won’t have to say another word on the subject. The authority the Master gave me is for putting people together, not taking them apart. I want to get on with it, and not have to spend time on reprimands.

^11-13 And that’s about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace. All the brothers and sisters here say hello.

¹⁴ The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.

He Raises Us

1 Corinthians 10:18

The Message (MSG)

^15-18 I assume I’m addressing believers now who are mature. Draw your own conclusions: When we drink the cup of blessing, aren’t we taking into ourselves the blood, the very life, of Christ? And isn’t it the same with the loaf of bread we break and eat? Don’t we take into ourselves the body, the very life, of Christ? Because there is one loaf, our many-ness becomes one-ness—Christ doesn’t become fragmented in us. Rather, we become unified in him. We don’t reduce Christ to what we are; he raises us to what he is. That’s basically what happened even in old Israel—those who ate the sacrifices offered on God’s altar entered into God’s action at the altar.

Read these words and think about their meaning:  We don't reduce Christ to what we are, He raises us to what He is! 

God-Confidence

1 Corinthians 10:13

The Message (MSG)

¹³ No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.

With God-confidence in your life, you can do anything.  I read this passage while Baba was in china on a mission trip.  God knew that He had to supply me with His confidence for me to make it without Baba around.  We are such a close, tight family--the three of us.  So, it definitely affects us when one of us is missing.  I am so thankful that God's word is a steady stream of wisdom and love within our lives.  I could not ever make it without Him.

Love this one...

1 Thessalonians 5:  16-18
Be cheerful no matter what; pray all of the time; thank God no matter what happens.  This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.

God has led me to this passage many times in my life.  I absolutely love this one.  It think it should be your go to verse...this is the one way we should try to live each day.  It is short and simple...but oh, so true!  Can it get any easier than that!  When I shared this verse with you-- you said, "That is easy, Mama!  That is what we always do!"  I just love you, Lily Grace Davis!

Always a Favorite...

^{James 1:5-8}If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

Okay- Lily, James is one of my all-time favorite books of the Bible.  It is also your Baba's favorite, as well.  It is chocked full of wisdom that is so easy to understand.  So, spend a lot of time reading James over and over again during your life.  I will try to highlight some tidbits here and there while we study it this time- but I could never do it justice.  There is just too much to tell you about.  So, read it over...and over...and over.  Promise me...it will impact your Godly life!