Daily Devotionals

“If then you were raised with Christ,
seek those things which are above, where Christ is,
sitting at the right hand of God”
– Colossians 3:1 –

Colossians 3 is a precious and motivating document for the true Christian life. The apostle Paul began by challenging the brethren: If you were spiritually resurrected in Christ, then live as He wants. That is, think of the heavenly things and not the things of this earth.

What is it like to live with heavenly things in mind? It is fleeing from all sexual immorality and evil desires. It is fleeing from anger, from wickedness, from blasphemy, from obscene language. It is not lying.

However, living with heavenly things in mind is not just about not doing things. It is also having a lifestyle marked by compassion, kindness, humility, patience, meekness, and forgiveness. It is practicing the love of Christ.

The apostle Paul had clear guidelines for the husband and the wife (truly love and depend on each other), for children (obey their parents) and for servants (obey and be sincere). The principle for relationships is this: whatever you so, do it from the heart as for the Lord. That is right: we should not do things while thinking about pleasing people, our boss, our friends. We must do everything while thinking about pleasing our God.

German businessman Oskar Schindler dedicated his life and resources to rescuing Jews from concentration camps. In that way, he saved 1,100 people during the Nazi Holocaust. His body is buried in Jerusalem in memory of a life of compassion for others. He was honored with a pplaque with the following inscription: “He who saves a life saves the whole world.” However, rather than feeling praised by the 1,100 people he had saved, he said to himself: “Maybe I could have saved on more and I didn’t do enough.”

It is clear that what God planned for us is not this world full of sin and death, but a transformed world. We have to walk in this world with our eyes looking toward Heaven.

“There is not one inactive in heaven, and no one
will enter the mansions of bliss who has failed wo show love for Christ,
who has put forth no efforts for the salvation of others”
(Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, p. 207).

How many more people can you save by the faithful testimony of your life?
God bless you…

“For I want you to know what a great conflict
I have for you and those in Laodicea,
and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh”
– Colossians 2:1 –

The apostle Paul gave a serious warning in Colossinans 2: Beware lest someone deceive you with false and persuasive arguments from false teachers. What deceptions would these be? The deceptions that lead people to live a Christianity that is far from what Christ taught.

Jesus Christ had to be the pattern for the Colossians to walk in. He was the root from which they were to take sap and nutrition. He was the living Rock, the firm Foundation on which both Jews and Gentiles built. Why was Christ all that? Because He was fully God, according to Colossians 2:9.

Because He is who He is, Christ gives us life. He forgives our sins because He paid our debts of sin.

In verses 16 to 18, Paul returned to the false teachers and warned the brethren of Colosse: Do not allow false teachers to take you back to Jewish ceremonies. These ceremonies, which included food, drink, and feasts, were now a shadow of the fullness of what Christ had accomplished with His death on our behalf.

Paul said that there was no sense in returning to the rudiments of Judaism because the death of Christ had eleminated all ceremonial things. What was left were the moral commandments. In addition to the ceremonial commands, nothing would help in our fight against the inclinations of the flesh, our sinful nature.

When we live in Christ, our focus is not living ceremonies. Life in Christ leads us to live what is essential: love for God and love for people.

It is said that Napoleon was looking out to sea while captive on St. Helena, where he died in 1821. There he told his faithful collaborator, General Bertrand, “Jesus Christ is not a man. His birth, the story of His life, all this is a wonder, an inexplicable mystery. Alexander, Ceaser, Charlemagne, and I founded empires based on strength and power. Only Jesus Christ founded an empire based on love, and millions of people would be willing to give their lives for it.”

Napoleon was right, While others were moved by the love of power,
Jesus Christ was moved by the power of love.
Only Christ can make a conquest in such a way.
What moved your life, love of power or the power of love?

May the Lord fill you with the power of His love, today…

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities
or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist”
– Colossians 1:16-17 –

The origin of life is like a war between two gardens. The Garden of Eden represents those who believe that the human being was created by God in His image and likeness. The zoological garden represents those who believe that the human being was the result of a long evolutionary process. The former argue that the creature has devolved because of sin; the latter claim that it has evolved from a lesser being to a higher one. The paradox is that some think that the last position is totally endorsed by science, while the former requires faith to support it.

However, it is worth nothing that true science points toward the existence of God and validates faith in Him.

Arthur Compton, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1927, said: “Faith begins with the realization that a supreme intelligence gave being to the universe and created man. I have no trouble having that faith, because the order and intelligence of the cosmos bear witness to the most sublime declaration ever made: ‘In the beginning, God created.’ ”

Ernst Boris Chain, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1945, said: “The probability that the origin of DNA molecules took place by pure chance is simply too minuscule to be considered seriously.”

Arthur L. Schawlow, the co-inventor of the laser, who shared the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1981, stated, “As one if face-to-face with the wonders of life and the universe, he inevitably wonders why the only possible andwers are religious… I need God both in the universe and in my own life.”

Derek Barton, who shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1969, said, “There is no incompatibility between science and religion… Science demonstrates the existence of God.”

Albert Einstein, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921, argued, “I barely trace the line that flow from God.”

Paul said that all things were creted in Christ and that He was before all things and that all thiings consist in Him.

“The hand that sustains the worlds in space,
the hand that holds in their orderly arrangement
and tireless activity all things throughout the universe of God,
is the hand that was nailed to the cross for us” (Education, p. 132).

“He [Christ] is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn over all creation”
– Colossians 1:15 –

Being the firstborn means not only being the first child, but also having superiority in rank or strength. Among the ancient Hebrews, the firstborn had special rights, duties, and blessings.

Christ appreared, literally, as Mary’s firstborn and, figuratively, as the firstborn among many siblings, or the firstborn of the dead. He was not the first to die, but He was the first in His class. This has the meaning of preeminence. Being called “the firstborn over all creation” emphasized His superiority over all created beings.

Some interpret this as being the first created. Others say He created everything and by Him all the other things were created.

Paul himself gave an explanation so as not to give rise to misunderstandings. The Creator of everything cannot, at the same time, be a creature. A creature cannot be the Creator. Christ is not an emanation, nor the most exalted of creatures. Paul said He was the image of the invisible God. He was God revealed and manifested before men.

God illustrated what was not understandable for us about His ministry in an understandable way, the Son in the sense of appearing and being of the same type. The Son comes from the Father like an image comes from an object or as the brightness comes from glory. We cannot go beyond that.

Humanly speaking a father is born as a father when the child is born. The two are born together. The existence of the Son is as eternal as that of the Father. That is, He has always existed. He has no beginning or end, but He is the beginning and the end of everything else.

To be the Firstborn of all creation means to exercise supreme administration over it. It is a messianic title, it is exalting Him, granting Him supreme honors, recognizing Him as the legitimate King of the universe, placing Him above all the created world, and establishing His sovereignty and preeminence. The firstborn is always the main heir.

We risk doing only a theological analysis of this issue.
We need to go further. Is Christ our firstborn, our superior,
exhalted, honored, sovereign, and the preeminent One in our lives?
If we allow it, sin deforms us, research informs is,
and the Firstborn transforms us.

May the Lord bless you…

“Because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,
of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel”
– Colossians 1:5 –

Paraguay, a country of friendly people, is located in the heart of South America. However, it is also the only bilingual country iin the region, as Spanish and Guarani are spoken there in practically all of its territory.

Mr. Carlos Antonio López Ynsfrán was the first constitutional president od the nation, but also a figure of great academic and cultural ability. He was elected in 1844 and re-elected three times, remaining in power until 1862. He ruled his country for 18 years and died on September 10, 1862.

He was a great entrepreneur with conquesrs in the judical, administrative, and educational areas. He created more than 300 schools and declared free and compulsory education. He dreamed of the development of his people. One of his most famous phrases was “Schools are the best monuments we can offer to freedom.” Today, the pos-graduate scholarships granted by the government for studies aroad bear the name of Carlos Antonio López, as a tribute to his visionary leadership.

In addition, he worked to give equal opportunities to all citizens and ethnicities. He invested in ethical and moral values, encouraging the formation of families based on marriage and gave them ownership and a source of work, as much with livestock as with agriculture.

When the festivities of Paraguay, in the heart of South America, are commemorated, we will celebrate together, but also take the opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the higher homeland, which is in Heaven, where the conquests of great leaders will be small before the King of kings and Lord of lords. A land renewed and purified of all sin will be the heart of the whole universe. Celebrate the conquests of the earth, but place your eyes on heaven, a place of living hope and incorruptible inheritance.

“We must bring heaven into our hearts, into the daily life”
(This Day with God, p. 320).

“The Lord is coming. We hear the footsteps of an approaching God”
(Evangelism, p. 219).

“Oh, how glorious it will be to see Him and be welcomed as His redeemed ones!
Long have we waited, but our hope is not to grow dim.
If we can see the King in His beauty we shall be forever blessed”
(Testimony treasures, vol. 3, p. 257).

“I feel as if I must cry aloud, Homeward bound!”
(Review and Herald, November 13, 1913, par. 19).

“We give thanks to the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you”
– Colossians 1:3 –

Paul always emphasized the need to pray for one another.

Praying to have dicernment of God’s will, that is, praying to know, to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord’s will, to be wise and intelligent.

Praying for power to fulfill God’s will, that is, praying to do, to walk as is worthy  of the Lord, and to please Him in everything.

Praying for netter and more fruits, that is, praying to bear fruit, for better fruits in the life of the one who prays, and for the fruits of new lives brought to Jesus.

Those who will put on the whole armor of God and devote some time every day to meditation and prayer and to the study of the Scriptures will be connected with heaven and will have a saving, transforming influence upon those around them. Great thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth and duty to God, will be theirs. They will be yearning for purity, for light, for love, for all the graces of heavenly birth (Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, p. 112).
When the message of truth was first proclaimed, how much we prayed. How often was the voice of intercession heard in the chamber, in the barn, in the orchard, or the grove. Frequently we spent hours in earnest prayer, two or three together claiming the promise; often the sound of weeping was heard and then the voice of thanksgiving and the song of praise. Now the day of God is nearer than when we first believed, and we should be more earnest, more zealous, and more fervent than in those early days. Our perils are greater now than then. Souls are more hardened. We need now to be imbued with the Spirit of Christ, and we should not rest until we receive it (ibid., p. 161).

“Now the day of God is nearer than when we first believed,
and we should be more earnest, more zealous, and fervent
than in those early days. Our perils are greater now than then.
Souls are more hardened. We need now to be imbued
with the Spirit of Christ, and we should not rest until we receive it”

Let us go back to our “First Love…”

“Now that I speak in regard to need,
for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content”
– Philippians 4:11 –

He had learned to be content, not in the sense of allowing himself to be content, but in the sense of being enough in himself for Christ was with him. The apostle was not limited to situations. Learning to be content did not mean lack of interset or commitment to progress and growth. It is not the situations that were going to define his temperature; it was Paul who would impose the temperature of the environment.

The thermometer is an instrument used to measure the temperature of the environment around it so that it adapts to its environment. Mercury or alcohol contracts or dilated, marking the cold or heat, doing absolutely nothing to change the things around it. It only has the ability to measure; it does not influence or modify. It is resigned to considering events and circumstances as a simple spectator. Its main virtue and purpose are to inform.

On the other hand, the thermostat is a device that, connected to a source of heat radiators, air conditioners, and so on, has the ability to regulate the temperature automatically, preventing it from going up or down from the appropiate level. In other words, it has the virtue of transforming the temperature of its environment to the necessary level and enough for everything around it to work perfectly. It is not a mere spectator, but an ective protagonist. Its main virtue and purpose are to maintain the temperature or transform the environment.

Many are like the thermometer. They just think, talk, report, and do nothing to chane history.

Many are like the thermostat. They are not subject to the circumstances of the environment; they are always content, self-sufficient in Christ, and instruments to transform the environment.

They are like salt that gives flavor or like light that illuminates the darkness. According to Paul, the thermostat believer is never disturbed or transformed by the world; rather, he or she transforms it, and if necessary, upsets it, always for good.

A well-known writer reffered to these thermostats believers in this way:

Those who love God, have the seal of God in their foreheads, and work the works of God… They would have a powerful influence upon the life and character of those around them, which would work as leaven amid the mass of humanity, transforming others through the power of Jesus Christ. Connected with the Source of Power, they would never lose their vital influence, but would even increase in effeciency (Sons and Daughters of God, p. 51).

Like Paul, be a leading, active, and transformative thermostat.

Be a blessing…

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble,
whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue
and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things”
– Philippians 4:8 –

Praying. The apostle was referring to prayer, supplication, and thanksgiving. Prayer includes worship of God. The plea is the sincere presentation of our problems and needs. Thanksgiving is a token of gratitude. Worshipping requires sincere recognition; pleading needs submission; and giving thanks needs humility.

Daniel was an example of praying, worshipping, pleading, and thanking God. Therefore, even in the lion’s den, he was at peace, while the king, still in the palace, could not sleep.

Thinking. Wrong thoughts produce wrong feelings. Only Christ can lead us to think correctly. If we sow a thought, we reap an action. If we sow an action, we harvest a habit. If we soe a habit, we reap a character.

Paul told us what to think about. About all that is true, that is, what originates in Christ. About all that is noble and just, that is, right and worthy of respect. We cannot allow lies or disrespect to control our minds. In everything, keep yourself pure because a pure heart is one that has pure motivations. The action may seem respectable to us, but the motive has to be pure. Being kind is being attractive.

As Christians we must think of the highest and noblest things of Heaven and not the lowest and most corrupt things of this earth. If there is any virtue, if something praisworthy will motivate us to be better, and if it is worthy of admiration, it is advisable for the other.

Acting. There is no way to separate the outside from the inside. Most of the fruits we harvest are the result of the seeds we sow and the plants we cultivate. It is not enough to fill our heads with knowledge; it is essential to practice, do, and act.

In the Greek school of thought, knowing a chair was being able to define the materials it was made of. I know something if I can describe it.

In the Hebrew school of thought, knowing a chair was only possible if we sat in it and our back and body found rest.

An old pamphlet from a secular institution like the UN said:
“Prayer is the manifestation of love. You can change the world
with your prayers and your resulting action.”

May the Lord bless your thoughts today…

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”
– Philippians 4:6 –

If anyone had reason to worry it was Paul: disagreements in the church of Philippi and, possibly, nearing execution. Thus, he explained how to overcome worries. The word “concern” comes from the root “strangle.” Yes, concerns can strangle us because they stretch us in the opposite direction of hope.

Pastor Daniel Belvedere, a man of God just like Paul, was passionate about preaching the gospel and was an inspirational teacher of evangelism. He put passion “in my veins” for the salvation of people. He said that four things were needed in order to overcome worry:

1. Have an action plan.
2. Live the present wisely, one day at a time.
3. Work with the inevitable.
4. Trust and depend on the Lord.

Many song lyrics that are meaningful were born of human adversity. Lindsay Terry told the story of “One Day at a Time.” Marijohn Wilkin could play the piano by ear at the age of five. When she was fourteen, her father contracted cancer and died three years later. With pain and effort, she cared for her mother and successfully advanced in her university and music studies.

A short time after she got married, her pilot husband was killed during World War II. At the age of thirty-seven, she was one of the leading composers of the country music industry. She remarried, had a son, and wrote more than four hundred songs.

In the midst of acclaim and money, Marijohn stopped attending church and became an alcoholic. She tried to kill herself several times, but God, in His grace, saved her life. At the age of fifty-three, Matijohn wrote her most famous song: “One Day at a Time.” This composition is much more than a song; it is a prayer:

“Yesterday’s gone, sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine
So for my sake teach me to take
One day at a time.”

This song quickly spread throughout the world. She had returned to the Lord. She was a faithful and happy Christian.

Although each day can bring seemingly insurmountable challenges,
always keep in mind that God will never leave us or abandon us.
Prepare for Heaven by living one day at a time.

Be blessed, my brethren…