For Reading and Meditation:      Colossians 2:1-15We are seeing the suffering and persecution we experience can be due to our own tactlessness and folly. Today I want to go a stage further, and suggest that in relation to this matter of suffering and persecution, some Christians have developed a "martyr complex". A "martyr complex" is an attitude of mind that finds strange emotional satisfaction in being persecuted. Why should this be? Well, if, for example, a person does not experience a good sense of personal worth, they become motivated to secure that worth in other ways. And one of those ways can be that of making an impact upon their immediate environment or society through taking a stand on some "Christian" issue. Now I am not saying, of course, that all of those who take a stand on such issues as pornography, violence, and other serious moral problems are motivated to do so because of a "martyr complex". That would be foolish to suggest and foolish to deduce. But it must be seen that some Christians strike out on issues, not because of an overriding concern for Christian values, but because of the satisfaction they get out of being noticed. And when being noticed leads to severe persecution, they draw from this the emotional charge they need to compensate for their low sense of worth. Such people almost court suffering and persecution, but it has to be said that they are not suffering for righteousness' sake - they are suffering for their own sake. May God give us grace and wisdom to understand when we are doing things to meet our own emotional needs, rather than out of love for Him. Father, I see even more clearly that unless my needs are met in a close relationship with You, then I am a vulnerable person - and prone to go astray. Draw me closer to You this day. In Jesus' Name. Amen.<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>2 Corinthians 11:16-33</li><li>2 Timothy 2:8-9</li><li>3:10-11</li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>List some of Paul's sufferings.</li><li>What was Paul's testimony?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"' you are complete in Him '" (v. 10, NKJ) 

The Lord Jesus is in the midst of his church; he walketh among the golden candlesticks; his promise is, "Lo, I am with you alway." He is as surely with us now as he was with the disciples at the lake, when they saw coals of fire, and fish laid thereon and bread. Not carnally, but still in real truth, Jesus is with us. And a blessed truth it is, for where Jesus is, love becomes inflamed. Of all the things in the world that can set the heart burning, there is nothing like the presence of Jesus! A glimpse of him so overcomes us, that we are ready to say, "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me." Even the smell of the aloes, and the myrrh, and the cassia, which drop from his perfumed garments, causes the sick and the faint to grow strong. Let there be but a moment's leaning of the head upon that gracious bosom, and a reception of his divine love into our poor cold hearts, and we are cold no longer, but glow like seraphs, equal to every labour, and capable of every suffering. If we know that Jesus is with us, every power will be developed, and every grace will be strengthened, and we shall cast ourselves into the Lord's service with heart, and soul, and strength; therefore is the presence of Christ to be desired above all things. His presence will be most realized by those who are most like him. If you desire to see Christ, you must grow in conformity to him. Bring yourself, by the power of the Spirit, into union with Christ's desires, and motives, and plans of action, and you are likely to be favoured with his company. Remember his presence may be had. His promise is as true as ever. He delights to be with us. If he doth not come, it is because we hinder him by our indifference. He will reveal himself to our earnest prayers, and graciously suffer himself to be detained by our entreaties, and by our tears, for these are the golden chains which bind Jesus to his people.

This timeless classic from Charles Spurgeon will help to both start and end your day with wonderful insight into God's Word.

Charles Spurgeon's Morning & Evening

"Lo, I am with you alway." - Matthew 28:20

Evening Devotional

<blockquote>
[God] hath raised us up together; and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (<a id="verse_1632880447721274" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Ephesians/2/6">Eph. 2:6</a>).
</blockquote>In the first stage of our Christian life we seek to bring the Lord Jesus down to our level, for our use; later on we learn to take our position in Him at His level, for His use."The desire of many and the tendency of all is to connect the Lord Jesus with ourselves on this earth, instead of accepting that we are in living union with Him in heaven. The Lord give us to apprehend the reality of our true position; that we are outside this scene when we are in our true place. We are thankful that Christ was here, and that He made a pathway through the wilderness, but we have properly to come from Him in glory to learn the path and to find His succor in it.""If you do not know your union with the Lord Jesus in heaven, you cannot come out in the power of the heavenly Man to act from Him on earth, to be descriptive of Him. You can never be heavenly by effort. Many seek to be heavenly by prayer, reading the Word, devotedness, but the only pathway to it is to be brought by the Holy Spirit to realize union with our risen Lord. You are heavenly by union, by nature. Abide in Him.""Are we prepared to accept our union with the crucified and risen Lord, not only as the basis of being received by the Father, but also as the way we walk day by day? If this question was honestly faced, and answered affirmatively by the members of our churches, there would be no need to endeavor to whip up a revival.' There would be a spontaneous upsurge of life and blessing - the direct work of the Spirit of God Himself." -J.C.M."Risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead" (<a id="verse_1632880447938592" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Colossians/2/12">Col. 2:12</a>).

A 365 day devotional that will help you in your Christian growth and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.  This devotional is a collection of quotes from some of the best authors in the realm of Christian growth that has been organized by Miles J Stanford.  This devotional study is divided into 12 sections each containing 31 daily portions.

None but the Hungry Heart

 Heaven Now And Forever 

<blockquote>  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (<a id="verse_1632877877707210" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Galatians/3/27">Gal. 3:27</a>).</blockquote>The Holy Spirit baptizes us into the Lord Jesus, and fills us with Him."The one spiritual baptism positions the believer in Christ' (<a id="verse_1632877877949291" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Romans/6/3">Rom. 6:3</a>; <a id="verse_1632877877893115783" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Romans/6/4">4</a>; <a id="verse_1632877877864792" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Galatians/3/27">Gal. 3:27</a>; <a id="verse_1632877877139523" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Colossians/2/12">Col. 2:12</a>), and into His Body (<a id="verse_1632877877855736" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/1-Corinthians/12/13">1 Cor. 12:13</a>). Since this position in the Lord Jesus is unchangeable, and eternal, the baptizing work of the Spirit is not repeatable. One in Christ' positionally, can never again through all eternity be out of Christ' positionally, as that position depends wholly upon the efficacy of the finished redemptive work of the Son, and does not hinge upon human merit or faithfulness."The filling with the Spirit, on the other hand, is repeatable (<a id="verse_1632877877851947" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Acts/2/4">Acts 2:4</a>; <a id="verse_1632877877776799829" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Acts/2/4">4</a>:8, 31; 9:17), and is, in fact, a continuous process, as it conditions mutable experience, and has nothing whatever to do with immutable position. Christian position is effected by the baptism of the Spirit at the moment of the new birth. Christian experience is affected by the filling with the Holy Spirit. One effects our position, the other affects our condition." -M.U."The Holy Spirit gives a living knowledge; His light is the light of life; He is the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.' We see the Father and the Son as seeing us. When we behold them by the ministry of the Spirit it is as beholding us with infinite love, and bestowing upon us the blessings of grace. We know because we are known. Thou Father, Thou Son, seest me' is the immediate consciousness of the soul, when there is spiritual perception of the Father. In other words, love, petition, listening to the Father's voice, receiving the love and peace of the Lord Jesus, fellowship, are invoked in this knowledge." -A.S."The communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all" (<a id="verse_1632877877860911" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/2-Corinthians/13/14">2 Cor. 13:14</a>).

 Baptized Into-Filled With 

<blockquote>
You are made partakers of His resurrection, through the faith wrought in you by God, who raised Him from the dead" (<a id="verse_1632878257896244" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Colossians/2/12">Col 2:12</a>, Cony.).
</blockquote>All true believers are gratefully aware that they are not going to hell, but few realize that they are already in heaven."There is no question about there being a beautiful new position for the believer, but people limit it to its being theirs when they die. Scripture shows that it is ours now! People say, You get to heaven when you die.' No such thing. You have it now. It is not your death that entitles you to it, but the Lord Jesus' death. There is not a single shade that was between us and the Father, but the Lord Jesus has removed in His death." -J.B.S."The great work of the Lord Jesus was wrought on the Cross to bring us to the Father; His death and His Blood, His ascension and sitting on the Throne; all mean one thing - our being brought nigh to dwell in the Father's presence. And with what object? That the Father may have us, to mature us, to work in us that which is well-pleasing in His sight. Let no one think that the entrance into the Holiest is the end; it is only the beginning. It brings us into the right position, in which the Father in His divine power can work out His will and purpose in us - conforming us to the image of His Son." -A.M."The Lord Jesus stood where I was, and now I stand where He is, and that is the only place I have before my Father. We may fail and grieve the Holy Spirit, but that is where we are set." -J.N.D."If there be progress upward there must be progress in life and ways down here; you cannot see the need for a change in your ways here until you are transformed by the influence of nearness to Him there. You thus gradually find things here are not suitable for the order and nature of the things which are so attractive to the renewed heart up there." -J.B.S."Your life is hidden with Christ in God" (<a id="verse_1632878257843593" href="https://bible.knowing-jesus.com/Colossians/3/3">Col. 3:3</a>).

 Safely In 

12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

having been buried with him in baptism,<cr>1</cr> in which you were also raised with him<cr>2</cr> through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.<cr>3</cr>

Colossians 2:12

 12 having been buried with him in baptism,   in which you were also raised with him   through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

 having been buried with him in baptism,   in which you were also raised with him   through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.  

Bible Verse of the Day

July 21, 1887

Colossians 2:12 NIV

Verse by Verse Bible Study

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