Day 3 - The Supremacy of Christ in Missions

Taken from La Fontana (Zach and Naomi's blog)

 Verses of the day: “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” – Colossians 1:19 & 20.
“He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2
Reading of the day: Colossians 1:3-23
Thoughts for the prayer of the day: Salvation is through faith in the redeeming work of Christ alone.  Not through works, nor any other created thing (see Ephesians 2:8-9).  Please pray that the atoning work of Christ will be lifted up in Italy and Europe and that His name would be glorified.

~ Whenever I read this passage I am reminded that this is the prayer I have prayed over my students at Felton Bible and also my summer staff at Mount Hermon.  This time I am caught by the line in verses 5 and 6,

The faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in Heaven and about  which you have already heard in the true word of the gospel that has come to you .  In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world-just as is has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God's grace.

 God, I long for you to be pleased to have Your Holy Spirit dwell in me.  Help me to continue to grow into the likeness Jesus.  Produce in and through me good fruit that is honoring to your name.  I doubt that I have fully understood Your grace in it's fullness, but I long too.  I desire to pass that same grace on to those I encounter.  God, help me to give and receive Your grace.  You are God over all creation, You alone.  I have done nothing to deserve a relationship with You and yet here I am talking with You.  Thank You.

 "And grace means there is nothing I can do to make God love me more, and there is nothing I can do to make God love me less.  It means that I, even I who deserve the opposite, am invited to take my place at the table in God's family...By instinct I feel I must do something in order to be accepted.  Grace sounds a startling contradiction, of liberation, and every day I must pray anew for the ability to hear it's message." -Yancey What's So Amazing About Grace