Colossians 2:6-15
Alive in Christ

Pastor Dave noted that it is possible to be a Christian but not walk in Christ, just as it’s possible to have a gym membership card in your wallet but never go to the gym. The word walk connotes to me the ordinary, the regular, the everyday. How big a part does Christ play in my daily living, not just my Sunday activities? How much of what I do, think, and say is rooted in Christ? Walk also implies movement, progress. Am I growing in my understanding and relationship with Christ? Spend time before the Lord asking questions like these and listening for His answers. I’d like to develop the daily habit of praying, “Lord Jesus, help me walk in you today” as soon as I wake up in the morning, even before my head is off the pillow.

The second main clause in this week’s passage could be rephrased … See to it that no one kidnaps you with philosophy that is not from Christ. Dave compared so-called wisdom that comes from human beings or Satan, not from God, to the cholla cactus. Its barbed spines attach to a victim at the slightest touch and are nearly impossible to remove. Ask the Lord to reveal to you any dangerous philosophy with which you are engaging or flirting and to help you run from it.

The last section of the passage, verses 9-15, is a meditation on why Christ is so important that we should walk in him only. He is fully God, first of all, and he has done great things for us. Slow down with this section, perhaps making your own “syntax diagram” by writing a list of the things these verses say Christ has done for you. Pray through the list, praising and thanking your Lord.

Calvary Family

Lift up the nearly two dozen Calvary women who will be attending the “Fresh Grounded Faith” conference in Chino this Friday and Saturday. Pray that each woman will be challenged and encouraged, and pray for the development of godly relationships between women.

It is always a joy to read Jim Hatcher’s updates from Vienna. He often describes how he and Lynette intentionally reach out with friendship and the gospel to their neighbors. They truly are walking in Christ! I, for one, benefit from the example they set. Take a few minutes to read Jim’s latest letter, which includes several prayer requests.

Jack and Ann Brucks ask for prayer for their son Mark, who has been diagnosed with cancer in his mouth. Mark already suffers severe pain in his shoulders, but the surgeries he needs must be postponed to address the cancer. Jack and Ann write, “Mark and his family know and love the Lord and trust Him in all of this. Pray for this faith to shine through to all they meet.”

Here are updates on several people for whom we’ve been praying: Rob Pash’s latest CT scan showed that the tumors in his liver are not growing. Rob’s mother, Lynda, writes, “Chemo is tough, but it’s doing some good. Rob’s spirits are up and so are his parents’.” Carrie Schultz’s mother, Genie Ogilvie, was rushed back to the hospital two weeks after open-heart surgery with internal bleeding. It turns out that the bleeding is from ulcers in her intestine; her heart is fine. The challenge she and her doctors face now is balancing the blood thinner she’s on with a new medication for the ulcers. Tom Ungeheier will undergo “gamma knife” brain surgery on Thursday and is working on improving his stamina and balance in the meantime. Please continue to pray for these individuals and their families.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert
Calvary Community Church of Brea