Tuesday – May 17, 2016
It is Tuesday and time to pray for the governments of these United States according to the instruction of God.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV)
1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
Today I am honoring the State of Oregon. Oregon was the 33rd state admitted to the Union on February 14, 1859 during the administration of our 15th President, James Buchanan. Pictured is a map locating Oregon within the United States. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) In a Gallop poll from 2014 only 31% of the people of that that considered religion important and now according to a Pew Research poll some 48% consider religion to be important. Although this is a definite improvement and we can thank God for that Oregon is ranked 39th, only eleven states are less religious. This is the first State which I have researched that does not give God thanks in the State Constitution for freedom and His blessing. Now back to our primary text from Colossians.
Colossians 2:9-11 (KJV)
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
I talked at some length yesterday about the triumphant Church, and the breaking forth of the sons of God just before the great day of the Lord.
Joel 2:1-2 (KJV)
1 Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
2 A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
When this comes into play we will see the greatest harvest of all time and then away we go. The Glory of God will be crystal clear even so there will be great rebellion and deception but all peoples will have multiple rays of light and will chose to remain in the darkness and soon share hell with the demons. Now back to the issue, the wonder of the hope and promise of circumcision.
Colossians 2:11 (KJV)
11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
When we make Jesus our Lord we are circumcised by the Holy Spirit taking sin out of the way in our lives giving us full free access to the Most Holy Place, the Throne of the Father to which we may come boldly. Scripture tells us that Jesus took our sins. He was made sin and paid the penalty in my place taking the sin that stood between us and the Father out of the way. In Him we have been made the righteousness of God!
2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The flesh that was commanded to be removed in physical circumcision, was a type and shadow of the spiritual circumcision to come. Sin has been taken out of the way by a single stroke at Calvary. When we receive Him, in the Father’s eyes we are pure, we are righteous, and we look just like Him. This righteousness not only means that we are now suddenly in right standing but we are fully capable of doing the right things, the way of the Father. As we will see a few verses further into Colossians our sin is completely blotted out and the death that permeated us spiritually and physically has been taken out of the way forever. Tomorrow we will look at the first circumcision again.
By Pastor David R. Wood
