PREEMINENT
BREAD
15 He is
the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were
created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones
or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
17 He is
before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the
body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so
that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Colossians 1:15-18 (NIV)
18 I pray
also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know
the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in
the saints, 19 and
his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working
of his mighty strength, 20 which
he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his
right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion,
and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the
one to come. 22 And
God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over
everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills
everything in every way. Ephesians
1:18-23 (NIV)
1 In the
past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in
various ways, 2 but in
these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all
things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of
God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by
his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at
the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. 4 So he became as much superior to the angels as the
name he has inherited is superior to theirs. Hebrews 1:1-4 (NIV)
5 Your
attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance
as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a
cross! 9 Therefore
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every
name, 10 that
at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under
the earth, 11 and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)
21 Do you
not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have
you not understood since the earth was founded? 22 He sits enthroned above the
circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the
heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. 23 He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. 24 No sooner are they planted, no
sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows
on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff. 25 “To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created
all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by
name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is
missing. 27 Why do
you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my
God”? 28 Do you
not know? Have you not heard? The Lord
is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow
tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men
stumble and fall; 31 but
those who hope in the Lord will
renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and
not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:21-31 (NIV)
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 (NIV)
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of
God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has
known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To
him be the glory forever! Amen. Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)
BUTTER
“It is important to understand that
fruitfulness and growth are the results of focusing on Christ and desiring to
honor Him. When growth and change are
our primary goals, we tend to be preoccupied with ourselves instead of with
Christ. ‘Am I growing? Am I getting any better? Am I more like
Christ today? What am I learning?’ This inordinate preoccupation with
self-improvement parallels our culture’s self-help and personal enhancement
movement in many ways. Personal
development is certainly not wrong, but it is misleading—and it can be very
disappointing—to make it our preeminent goal.
If it is our goal at all, it should be secondary. As we grasp the unconditional love, grace,
and power of God, then honoring Christ will increasingly be our consuming
passion…The only One worthy of our preoccupation is Christ, our sovereign Lord,
who told Paul, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in
weakness’”. Robert
McGee
“Our Lord Jesus, by His death,
didn’t purchase a right to only a part of us, but to the entire person. In His passion, He contemplated our
sanctification in its entirety, spirit, soul, and body, so that, in this triple
kingdom, He Himself might reign supreme without a rival. It is the business of the newborn nature which
God has given to the regenerate to assert the rights of the Lord Jesus
Christ. My soul, inasmuch as you are a
child of God, you must conquer all the rest of yourself which yet remains
unblessed; you must subdue all your powers and passions to the silver scepter
of Jesus’ gracious reign, and you must never be satisfied until He who is King
by purchase becomes also King by gracious coronation, and reigns in you
supreme.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“I
love Him because He first loved me. His
goodness and mercy and compassion to me are new every day. And my assurance is lodged in these aspects
of His character. My trust is in His
love for me as His own. My serenity has
as its basis an implicit, unshakable reliance on His ability to do the right
thing, the best thing in any given situation.
This to me is the supreme portrait of my Shepherd. Continually there flows out to me His
goodness and His mercy, which even though I do not deserve them, come
unremittingly from their source of supply – His own great heart of love.” Phillip Keller
“Strong faith enables the servants of God to look with calm contempt upon their most haughty foes. We know that our enemies are attempting impossibilities…When the Lord arises, they shall fly as chaff before the wind, and be consumed as crackling thorns. Their utter powerlessness to do damage to the cause of God and His truth may make the weakest soldiers in Zion’s ranks laugh them to scorn. Above all, we know that the Most High is with us, and when He dresses Himself in arms, where are His enemies? The kingdom is safe in the King’s hands.” Charles H. Spurgeon
“There is a danger
of forgetting that the Bible reveals not first the love of God, but the
intense, blazing holiness of God.” Oswald Chambers
“God
alone knows the depth and riches of His Godhead, and divine wisdom alone can
declare His secrets.” Thomas
Aquinas
HEART
SAVOR:
- · God is before all things and in Him all things are held together.
- · The correct position of my soul is face down before God.
- · By His blood Jesus purchased my entire being. I am His. I was bought with a high price. I am to honor God with my body.
