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Don't Miss God's Best

It’s been reported that most of the world’s diamonds come from South African diamond mines. Presumably, the richest diamond mines are found there. It is said the mines were discovered when some little boys were found playing marbles with shiny rocks — which it turns out were diamonds. Can you imagine? These children were holding incredible wealth in their hands, but to them they were just pretty rocks. They didn’t know what they had. I wonder if there are some of us like that spiritually: we don't understand what we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul begins the second chapter of Colossians by talking about the treasures found in the Lord Jesus Christ (Read Colossians 2:1-6). Every passage of Scripture has a key that unlocks it, and the key that unlocks this passage is verse six: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.”

The way to know these treasures of wisdom and knowledge is to walk in the Lord Jesus Christ. You expect Paul to say something very complicated, but it doesn’t have to be complicated to be deep. Paul is talking here in very simple terms. You see, faith really is not so high that we can’t get up to it. As a matter of fact, sometimes it is so simple that some of us never get down to it.
      
So let’s simply look at a deep truth that [God] is telling us.

Using verse six, fill in this blank. “Walk ye ______ Him.”

It doesn’t say walk with Him or follow after Him. It says walk in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s start at the beginning.

The Beginning of the Faith-Walk

Colossians 2:6 says, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord …” Paul is referring to when we begin our faith walk. It is assumed that to walk in Christ, you have to be in Christ in the first place. Briefly write down your testimony of when you received Jesus Christ as your Lord.

Can you honestly say …?

I have opened my heart.

I have received Christ as Lord.

I have taken myself off the throne.

I have put Jesus Christ on the throne of my life.

That’s the beginning of the Christian walk. You begin your relationship with Him through faith and repentance. As you receive Him, you have taken the first step on your walk.

If you are not certain you’ve taken that first step, visit Discover the Love of Jesus.

The Balance of the Faith-Walk

Verse 6 continues, “… so walk ye in Him.” So we walk in Christ the same way we received Him: by faith and repentance

In your own words, what is faith?

What about repentance?

To put it simply, faith is turning to Christ, and repentance is turning from self.

So, how do we keep on walking in faith and repentance? What would that mean for you daily?

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, but it does not end there. The Holy Spirit of God is constantly revealing to us our own personal bankruptcy and offering us the great riches of the Lord Jesus Christ. Some people say, “Well, I took a stand for Jesus years ago.” I don’t think they took a stand, I think they’re stuck. You are to walk in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Are you stuck, or are you walking in Christ? What are the evidences in your life that you are continuing to walk in Him?

It will show in your life because you are going to walk like Jesus walks, and people are going to see Jesus Christ in you.

Ask yourself these questions:

When people look at me, do they see Jesus?

Does my neighbor see Jesus in me?

Kids, do your parents see Jesus in you?

Sir, does you wife see Jesus in you?

So, how do we stay in Jesus and walk in Him?

The Boundaries of the Faith-Walk

Jesus is the boundary of our walk; we are to walk in Him. What’s the first thought that ran through your mind when I said the word boundary?

Some of you envisioned being hemmed in. But go back and re-read Colossians 2:2-3. What are some of the benefits listed in these verses that walking in Christ offers

Think also of the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). These are the fruit the Spirit produces when we walk in Christ.

Being hemmed in, in Christ would be like a minnow being hemmed in by the Atlantic Ocean. There is nothing, nothing — absolutely nothing — worth having outside of Jesus Christ.

Think about these things. Is there really anything else you could desire for your life that Christ does not offer? Take a minute to praise God for these wonderful blessings one by one. Ask Him to help you claim what He has made available to you in Christ

Walking within the boundary of Christ offers us protection also. How are we protected from the world, the flesh, and the devil by walking in Christ?

That’s right! We no longer have to give in to temptation. Christ has already overcome!

But if we are not careful, we can get out of bounds and get out outside the boundary of Christ. Read Colossians 3:15. How does God keep us in bounds

The word rule there is the word for referee. When we get outside the boundary, the Holy Spirit blows the whistle on us by removing the peace in our hearts. Stop right now and pray that God will give you a sensitivity to hearing and recognizing the Spirit of God Who wants to keep you in the center of God’s will.

Many people trust Christ for their eternal destination but not for strength to walk today. What a mistake! Are you walking in Christ daily? I pray you will so you will not miss God’s best for your life.

by Adrian Rogers

A Note About Us

FABC (Foundation for Applied Biblical Counseling) is the non-profit partner ministry of Browning Therapy Group, Inc. working with churches and Christian organizations across the country to bring affordable help and healing to those in the throes of life’s storms.  We provide Christian and secular counseling in a variety of ways to meet the needs and demands of today’s busy lifestyle – in-person, video conferencing, e-mail/online, and telephone counseling.

To contact Dr. Charles Browning, please email or you may call 562-596-2142.