SIMPLY JESUS DEVOTIONAL - HE IS PREEMINENT - Wednesday October 8 2014

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

"SIMPLY JESUS" DEVOTIONAL - HE IS PREEMINENT

COLOSSIANS 1:18  And HE is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things HE might have the preeminence.

Here's what we know about JESUS:

He delivered us from the power of darkness. (Colossians 1:13)
He translated us into His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13)
His blood has redeemed us.  (Colossians 1:14)
He has bought and paid for the forgiveness of our sins. (Colossians 1:14)
He created all things. (Colossians 1:16)
He created everything that is visible and everything that is invisible.  (Colossians 1:16)
He created all things FOR HIM. (Colossians 1:16)
He sustains all things--by HIM all things consist.  (Colossians 1:17)
He is the head of the Church. (Colossians 1:18)
He is the firstborn from the dead.
HE LIVES! HE LIVES! CHRIST JESUS LIVES TODAY!  (Colossians 1:18)
In HIM all fullness dwells--all the majesty, all the power, all the virtue of God is His. (Colossians 1:19)

And in light of all these truths the Apostle concludes, "HE IS PREEMINENT!" 

Here is knowledge that transforms!  WE ARE NOT THE ONES WHO MAKE JESUS PREEMINENT. HE IS PREEMINENT

When our eyes are opened to see THE PREEMINENT CHRIST our universe has meaning.

When our hearts receive THE PREEMINENT CHRIST our souls are delivered from the power of darkness and redeemed by the blood. Our great Savior is not only our Creator He is our Re-Creator. Hallelujah! 

When our lives are ordered by THE PREEMINENT CHRIST, we have direction, protection, and jubilation--it is joy unspeakable.  Even in the midst of confusing and difficult circumstances our love and faith in this PREEMINENT CHRIST fills our souls with rejoicing.

Life was shattered, and hope was gone,
Crushing the load that I bore,
Then out of the depths, I cried O God,
Give me something worth living for.

Something more than my yesterday
More than I had before
Something more than wealth or fame
He gave me something worth living for!

In the famous painting of the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci, the hands of Jesus are empty.  Before unveiling his crowning work, Da Vinci decided to show his work to a friend.  The friend was awed by the painting.  "The cup in Jesus' hand, is especially beautiful," he said.  Disappointed, Da Vinci took brush and paint in hand and began to paint out the cup.  His astonished friend wondered aloud, "Why are you removing that beautiful cup?"  The artist exclaimed, "Nothing must distract from the figure of Christ."  Today we see our Lord's hands extended as if to invite and to bless His disciples. 

WHO IS THIS PREEMINENT CHRIST? SIMPLY JESUS!

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