Good Morning!

I just wanted to share a verse that was in my Bible study yesterday. In our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) leadership meetings we are going through He Speaks to Me by Priscilla Shirer. We do the workbook pages on our own at home and then gather to watch a lesson on DVD. Since I have not been able to attend the meetings, our coordinator was kind enough to drop the DVDs off for me to watch, along with a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Thank you Melissa! (I love those lattes! Good thing I can't leave the house, I suppose, or I'd be drinking too many of them.)

Side note: I did a Beth Moore Bible study with a group of ladies at church in the weeks before Pumpkin was born. I find it an interesting way of having a Bible study. It is definitely a product of our media-saturated culture that we gather together to watch someone else teaching other people. She was a fine teacher, as is Priscilla, but I find myself wondering: is there not anybody in the church that can teach? Must we only be taught by professionals?

Have any of you experienced this? Am I being too weird about this? I personally find that it really stilts any meaningful dialogue about Scripture. The pre-printed questions to discuss are often only knowledge-based questions without any depth. I find I want more.
Anyway, back the verse I sat down to write about before I distracted myself...It's actually a series of verses from Colossians 3:1-15......


"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."



I struggle with anger and patience. These verses remind me that I must rely on GOD to help me. I cannot do it in my own strength like I've been trying. Just like I get dressed each morning and put on new clothing, I must clothe myself in His power and strength. I must, over all these good things (compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience) put on love. Then there will be unity and peace. I am consciously going to do this knowing that He gives the power needed. Amen.