Colossians (Program #5) – Christ-The Preeminent and All-Inclusive One, The Centrality and Universality Of God

God has often dealt with man through the promises that he has made to man. And these promises begin as early as Genesis chapter 3. But not until Genesis 12 did a promise of God include blessing or enjoyment for man. This promise of blessing to Abraham was altogether to do with the good land of Israel. But the Apostle Paul in the New Testament book of Galatians repeats that promise in the context of “blessing and enjoyment promise by God to us, His New Testament people”. So what does the land, so preeminent in Genesis, so preeminent in the Old Testament, have to do with us in the New Testament?

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Colossians (Program #4) – Delivered out of the Authority of Darkness And Transferred Into The Kingdom Of the Son Of His Love

The Lord Jesus declared in John chapter 8, “I am the light of the world, he who follows me shall by no means walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” What is it to walk in darkness? We all likely have our own set of mental images that are initiated by such a question. But the darkness that may be blinding us today may not be so obviously evil or sinister as you might think. Colossians reveals that anything, even any good thing, that occupies us that is not Christ Himself is likely an instrument of the authority of darkness.

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Colossians (Program #3) – The Apostle’s Prayer

Colossians 1:13 says, “Who delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love”. This is a marvelous verse that is well beloved by many that love the Lord Jesus especially those whose background is easily described by the phrase “authority of darkness”. If we had a particularly sinful and dark past then likely our appreciation of this transfer is quite keen. To many others that may not have such an evil and wicked past seemingly, so while they may agree doctrinally that such a transfer has taken place, the heartfelt realization may not be quite as strong. But what was the apostle Paul referring to when he wrote these words to the believers in Colossi?  The answer to this question will likely surprise you.

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Colossians (Program #2) – Introduction

Today’s life study is from the book of Colossians. The book revealing that Christ is everything to us, being profound and all-inclusive and is unveiled to us to a fuller extent  than any other book in the Bible.  We must not allow anything to replace Christ or to be a substitute for Him.

It has been said that the book of Colossians reveals or unveils Christ to a fuller extent than any other book in the Bible. The first 8 verses of Colossians serve as somewhat an introduction to the book. In this introduction, the apostle Paul seemed to be saying, ‘Dear Colossians, if you follow the Jewish observances or the Gentile ordinances you will not lay up anything for yourselves in the heavens as a hope – you need to live by Christ. One day, Christ who is our life will appear in glory’.

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Colossians (Program #1) – The Background And Position of the Book

Witness Lee opened the life study of Colossians this way, “In the book of Colossians, Christ is unveiled to a fuller extend than in any other book in the Bible.”  That’s quite an introduction; the fullest unveiling of Christ is in this book.  We will devote ourselves to bringing this unveiled Christ to you each day during the coming weeks as we continuing on day by day on this life study of Colossians.

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Philippians (Program #53) – The Unique Mind and the Unique Walk

“Let us therefore as many as are full grown have this mind.”  What is this mind spoken of in Philippians 3:15?  When we find out what this mind is then it will affect how we walk in our daily lives.  In today’s program we are going to see as Christians we should have a unique mind inwardly and the unique walk outwardly of Christ.

Philippians 3:15 “Let us therefore, as many as are full-grown, have this mind; and if in anything you are otherwise minded, this also God will reveal to you.”  We shouldn’t take the apostle Paul’s word for granted but really seek the Lord what this mind is that we would been pointed out to here. We need to consider Paul’s word in verses 13 and 14 “Brothers, I do 1not account of myself to have laid hold; but one thing I do: Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before, I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward.” And finally as the concluding phrase Paul says “let us therefore have this mind.”

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Philippians (Program #52) – Pursue Toward the Goal for the Prize of the High Calling

In Philippians 3 Paul says “I pursue toward the goal for the prize to which God in Christ Jesus has called me upward.”  Paul’s spiritual pursue was focused on a particular goal and with the expectation of a specific prize. Since he has long received the eternal salvation through faith in Christ we have to assume that this goal and prize must be some other than the hope of life eternal. We will explore the goal and the prize that are worthy of all our pursuit.

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Philippians (Program #51) – To Obtain Christ by Attaining to the Out-Resurrection

In Philippians 3:10 – 14 the apostle Paul emphasizes what he calls the Out-Resurrection. Verse 11 says “if by any means that I may attain to the out-resurrection from among the dead.”  Paul’s endeavor was to obtain to this outstanding resurrection. Verse 12 goes on “Not that I have already obtained or am already perfected, but I pursue, if also I may lay hold of that for which I also have been laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”  Here Paul admits that he has not yet obtain the out resurrection but he continue to pursue that he may lay hold of it. For this out resurrection Christ had led hold of him and now Paul’s desire is to lay hold of the out-resurrection.

We are going to talk about how to obtain Christ by attaining to this out-resurrection.

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Philippians (Program #50) -To Obtain Christ By Experiencing the Power of His Resurrection

The four books which make up the heart of the divine revelation: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians are an inexhaustible mine. The more we dig into this mine, the more we realize that its’ riches are inexhaustable. In one verse Philippians 3:10 we see at least four diamonds. Here Paul says “to know Him”. The pronoune here Him, of course denotes Christ as the all inclusive One. Second this verse speak of “the power of Christ’s resurrection”. Third, of “the fellowship of His suffering”. And fourth, of “being conformed to His death.”  What riches are in this verse?   Verse 11 Paul goes on to say, “that by any means I may obtain to the out-resurrection from among the dead.” Here we found another diamond. The out-resurrection from among the dead, the outstanding resurrection. We hope you stay tune today, because this life study of Philippians is all about diamonds; the precious truth led to us in Philippians 3 by apostle Paul.

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Philippians (Program #49) -To be Found in Christ in the Righteousness of God Through the Faith of Christ

Philippians 3:9 says “And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness which is out of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is out of God and based on faith.”  According to this verse, Paul’s own righteousness was intimately related to the law but if we are to be found in Christ we must fulfill the condition of not having our own righteousness which is of the law but a righteousness which is not our own that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God based on faith.

A mysterious and deep matter in the book of Philippians and glad to have this opportunity to fellowship about it so that our listeners are to be very clear about what it means to be found in Christ.

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