Col 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
Col 2:2 That their hearts might be comforted, , and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.


For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you

Paul wanted the Saints to know
firsthand his concern for them
and that he had labored with the intent to present every man perfect in Christ.

In Colossians 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Paul uses the word striving to describe his
strenuous or agonizing labors.

Paul's labors were thus not just concentrated on those that were with him but his agonizing was for all
of those that were brethren in Christ.

The word "conflict" is a strong term meaning striking or dashing against each other, like fighting; combat, as between men.

And "great" tells of the intense conflict Paul was under as he was concerned with the present heresies that confronted the Church.

and [for] them at Laodicea
Both the church at Colosse and Laodicea were infested with false teachers.

And [for] as many as have not seen my face in the flesh¡X

Paul cared deeply for those he never met or personally evangelized.

He cared for them and us by praying for them and writing the epistle of Colossians.

Isn¡¦t wonderful to have some letters written to you?

It has not always been that way!!

All of the Bible is FOR us but not all of it is TO us (draw Bible)

2 Tim 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

How do we do this?

Well God himself made a division in the 1st verse of His Word.

He created the Heaven & Earth.

So Paul the Apostle to the Body of Christ shows us in;

Eph 2:11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in TIMES PAST Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;



Eph 2:12 That at THAT TIME ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

SO in the TIMES PAST books of Genesis to Malachi and Matt. to John you have God dealing with Israel, you have circumcision/ uncircumcision, you have a program call Prophecy and the focus is on earth.

Then the transitional Book of Acts
Where it goes from Law to Grace

Then Eph 2:13 BUT NOW in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
So in Romans to Philemon
the BUT NOW books we have
God dealing with the Body of Christ,
There is NO difference in Circumsision/ uncircumsiosin,
The program now is call Mystery and the focus is on the Heavens

Then in Eph 2:7 That in the AGES TO COME he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

The books of Hebrews to Reverlation,
God goes back dealing with the Israel,
Circumsiosn is back,
the program once again is Prophecy and the focus is the Earth.
But the OUR books that tell us that we;
ARE SAVED BY GRACE,
CHILDREN OF GOD,
SEALED,
HAVE ETERNAL LIFE,
PEACE OF MIND,
A NEW BODY,
PUT ON DISPLAY,
FAITHFUL REWARDED,
AND THE RAPTURE CLAUSE,

Theses are the books that we need to be studying to help us in our life today.

Think about this

If you where studying for a Science test
And prepared yourself for this
And when it was time you got
a Math test would happen?

You mind would go scrambling to get the answers.
Well with have the right study material for the right test.

So Paul shares with us how deeply he cared about those he never meet.

And we should to care for the ones we never met and FOR the ONES we meet with EVERY day & week.

Do you care about people you have never met?

If you look around you right now how many do you not know?

This is a great opportunity to get to know another member of the body of Christ.

I love conference for that reason.

WE need try to meet & talk with people that we never seen before &
share what we have in common.

Do you care about your own church and those in other states or the world??

1 Cor 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
1 Cor 12:26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

You every notice that when you hit your thumb what happens?

The other hand seems to automatically grab it or you stick in your mouth for comfort.

These are visible members of our body helping and caring for each other.

And the invisible ones like our lungs, heart and kidneys aren¡¦t
they just as important.

Can you see them?

So the Saints in South Africa and New Zealand and India, Philippines, Belize, Europe.

We can¡¦t see them but aren¡¦t
they important and need are care also.

Do you keep in touch?

Phil 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Do you talk to each other the right way?

Eph 4:29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

Sharrie and I was having a disagreement as we where sitting at the kitchen table
and Lori was watching us like a tennis match as she was eating a bowl of Ice Cream.

Well Sharrie turn to Lori and said ¡§Didn¡¦t daddy say that¡¨
Lori turn and said ¡§I am not getting involved I just know that I am not going to
act that way when I get Married¡¨
We knew that this wasn¡¦t the place to have our discussion.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

You heard the ole saying you can lead a horse to water but you can¡¦t make him drink?

Well you know how to make him drink?

YOU SALT THE OATS

The salt from us is the Doctrine of Grace

You every notice how people act when they know you are a preacher or saved?

I had this one women ask me to ¡§Bless her Car¡¨

I ask her what did she do now.

Well she got a speeding ticket,
a rock was thrown from another vehicle
and her husband got the left mirror knock off by a construction barrel.

She said that a women told her she needed her car bless.

I told her the God was not in the Car Blessing Business.
She need to slow down, quick following to close and her husband to quick try to beat traffic into one lanes.

Another women in Pittsburgh came to me and said ¡§GET ME SOME WORDS¡¨

I said uh?

She said I know you know some WORDS

She was looking for some comfort for the word of God.

And she knew that I would share it withy her


We need to watch how we talk
to each other and to be EXAMPLE & ENSAMPLES.

It is possible to fellowship at a distance and supports one other.

I myself LONG TO KNOW WHAT THE SAINTS ARE DOING IN CHICAGO, FLA, AZ, CALFORNIA, OHIO , TENNESSEE..

We as the Body of Christ need to be aware of what is going on with other members so we can pool our resources together and HELP one another.
Here in Tennessee you have a great opportunity with the Grace Churches you have to work together to get the word out.

I was apart of a ministry once that try to discourage us from continuing our relationship with others.

We can pray for others who are at a great distance from us.

Now in this day of the internet, cell phones, and such we can contact many of them at a moment.

This is a great time in which we live in.

Eph 5:16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Paul prayed for the Saints in agony worrying that they would deteriorate and not hold the HEAD.

The Colossians was being infiltrated through philosophy and
vain deceit,
after the tradition of men,
after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ.

And not holding the Head,
from which all the body by joints and
bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Paul did not want the Colossians to stagnate but to move forward to maturity.

They Knew the Doctrine,

WE KNOW THE DOCTRINE

We should not just sit around brewing in bitter waters
or just wasting time for

2 Cor 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Colossians 2
That their hearts might be comforted¡X

Paul¡¦s concern and desire was for the church to be assured of their standing in Christ,
their strength in the faith,
and to fortified themselves
against the error of false teachers.

Such false teachers greatly trouble and unsettle the minds,
weaken the faith,
and fill believers,
not (strong in the faith),
with doubts and bewilderments.

The doctrine of the Gospel is giving to us to help deliver and overcome the teaching of false doctrine.

WE HAVE EACH OTHER LOCALY,

AND NATIONALY TO COMFORT ONE ANOTHER.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT A COMFORT TO HAVE

THE ONES THAT YOU ARE LABORING WITH TO DO THIS.

2 Cor 7:13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.

Being knit together in love
There should be a bond between brethren in Christ.

A BOND or UNITIY UNLIKE THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN.

Among all believers there exists a vital union.

By our faith in Christ and of Christ we are united to Him
and to each other as members of our body connected with the living head.

This unity exists in spite of all different characteristics.

The uniting power is faith.

Without that we are dead, and death means separation.

Now the apostle prays that we may be knit together in love.

The Colossians were not so compacted as the apostle wished them to be.

Seducers had disturbed THEM.
MUCH LIKE MANY THAT try to DISTURB THE LOCAL CHURCHES TODAY.

So the apostle prays that their affections may intertwine and interlace;
or that as a broken joint when reset knits
itself to the other members of the body,
so the members of the body of believers
might be united to one another,
love being the uniting power.

WE should be a Unified body, so
Consolidated into one that we can over come the struggle with the powers of evil and the flesh.

Eph 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

That ONENESS when united makes the Church powerful for the good.

Separate the particles of a sledge hammer and each atom will fall harmless as a snowflake;
but welded into one, and wielded by the arm of the quarryman, it will split granite.

Without being knit together a Church may any day be scattered.

We are instructed to be dependent on each other.

To promote isolation or division is to create misery not comfort.

IT IS HARD ENOUGH TO SHARE THIS MESSAGE OF GRACE
IT IS EVEN HARDER NOT TO HAVE UNITY IN THE BODY

THE POWER WHICH SECURES IT.

Love, without which no real union is possible.

There is no equal force to that of love.

We may think alike on doctrines, STUDING, and methods of work,
but unless our hearts are full of love to Christ and one another we are not united.

This power is to be obtained at the Cross,

Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

AS WE ARE KNITED TOGETHER
OR FILTY JOINED
WE HAVE A DEPENDENCE
BUT ALL MEMBERS OF CHRIST
ARE ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON CHRIST.

Independence from Christ is what this flesh loves and
That leads the creature not to acknowledge its entire dependence on God.
LISTEN WHEN WE MOVE TO OHIO

THE MINSTRY IN WHICH WE HELP START WANTED TO MOVE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION.

HE WANTED TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THE VERY ONES THAT BOUGHT HIM INTO THE GOSPEL.

IN DOING SO IT BECOME INDEPENDENT NOT DEPENDENT
AND THEY GOT AWAY FROM THE BASICS THAT BROUGHT US THERE.

THAT WAS A VERY HARD TIME IN OUR LIFE AS BELEIVERS
IF WE HAD NOT KEPT IN CONTACT WITH OTHERS SAINTS IT WOULS HAVE BEEN VERY EASY TO JUST GIVE UP.

BUT THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING FILTY JOINT TOGETHER MADE US STRONG

BECAUSE THE BRETHREN WAS THERE TO HELP US THROUGH.

WE ARE NOT ONLY DEPENPENT ON CHRIST BUT WE ARE ON EACH OTHER.

Look at a tree;
You see the branch dependent upon its stem, as the stem is dependent upon its root;

But you see little branches dependent upon the other branches, and still smaller fibers dependent upon the smallest branches.

My papaw was a chair maker and I would watch him as he would take a square piece of wood and make a chair out of it.

He would take a semi-dry post
and a dry round
and drive that round into the post
and as the post would dry
it would make a nature bond a joint fitted together.
Then my mother would seat the chair
and as she would work the fiber in
and around the chair it became apart of that chair and it added strength to it.

Lori knitted me a coster now grant you it want hold up a human like that chair would but she did it with love and it supplieth the need for my cups and my desk.

And so is it in this figure before us: ¡§from whom the whole body,¡¨

In its parts ¡§fitly joined together, and
Compacted by that which every joint supplieth,

According to the effectual working in the measure of every part.¡¨

WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE ARE NOT ALONE,
THEY ARE BRETHREN WILLING TO HELP US IN ANY SISTUTION.

And unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding¡X

We have Christ as the Head of the Body,
Paul as the Pattern
and these Books to instruct all of us in all things.

These understanding are not a "imaginary ideal"
but rather the deep things of God (as seen in the Gospel)
And that goes against the false teachings that professed "Mysteries" or "Hidden Knowledge." Of men.

The mystery of the gospel has been made known through the preaching which has been proclaimed and taught (Col. 1:26-28).

Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ¡X

By studying the Word of God RIGHTLY DIDVIDED WE HAVE A marvelous understanding THAT IS AVAILABLE TO US.

ONCE AGAIN Paul¡¦s agony was "in order that" the church might be united together to fight against the false teachers
AND WE CAN USE THIS ALSO IN FIGHTING OFF DIVISION AMONG THE BRETHEN

This unity would only be achieved by increasing in knowledge thereby coming to a full knowledge of the mysteries of Christ.

WE AS MATURE BELIEVERS SHOULD ACT AS MATURE BELIEVERS NOT AS CHILDREN.

Eph 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Being grown up will allow us:

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Being Mature will allow us:
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Colossians 2:3¡X"In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

ƒnIn whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge¡X
God¡¦s ways and thoughts are much higher than ours

Isa 55:9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

However, those things that God
would have us understand
are revealed to us through
Christ Jesus by way of the Gospel OF THE GRACE OF GOD.

We shall grow in wisdom and knowledge as we acquire more understanding of the Gospel;

Put on the mind of Christ

1 Tim 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

WHERE DO WE FIND THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD?
1 Cor 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
1 Cor 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1 Cor 2:3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
1 Cor 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1 Cor 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1 Cor 2:6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:
1 Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1 Cor 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
THE POWER IS THE CROSS

THE WISDOM IS THE MYSTERY

LETS WORK TOGETHER TO FUTHER THIS GREAT NEWS TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD

Let us be kitted together in love here and though this land.

I like to leave you with this poem I wrote many years ago

The Church
If I started a Church for this generation,
it would be by the Gospel of Paul¡¦s Revelation.
Listen my friend to what I have to say,
there be no tradition of men to get in the way.
No water for Baptism but by the Spirit is right;
we'll walk by Faith not by sight.
Now when it comes to Tithing you'll be please to give a share,
it would come from your Heart not out of despair.
The Word would mean what it says and say what it means,
there be no disappointments or any in betweens.
For Paul gives we guide lines without a Law,
from Romans to Philemon its well worth it all.
For we are one Body and we'll make a strong stand,
with the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of Truth in our hand.
For every time we are together and meet behind these doors,
we'll know we're complete in Him the Risen Glorified Lord.