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Day 145 Colossians 2:4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words. 5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As you have, therefore, received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. People give speeches every day to try to persuade you to join their cause. Nothing is more evident of that than during election campaigns. In those speeches people hear what they want to hear and either tear down the speech or lift up the person giving the speech. Elections aren’t the only place you hear persuasive speeches. You hear them in the classroom, the workplace, in the home, and in commercials. Wherever someone has an opinion about anything, they will try to persuade you to their cause. Paul told the church to be aware of people who tried to deceive them with persuasive words. He told them they needed to be rooted and built up in their faith so they would know the truth when they heard it. Paul told them he rejoiced to see the steadfastness of their faith in Christ. He knew they could have that steadfastness because the fullness of the Godhead dwelled in them. With the Godhead living in them, they were complete in Him, the head of all principality and power. He went on to tell them they were part of the circumcision of Christ because they were buried with Him in baptism and raised with Him in faith, having put off the sins of the flesh. As Paul told the church at Colosse to be rooted and built up in their faith, he tells the church today that they need to be steadfast in their faith. Many Christians fail to build themselves up in their faith. They don’t read their Bibles, pray, or go to church where they can hear the message of the gospel. How can you become built up in your faith if you don’t read your Bible? How can you become rooted as a Christian when you don’t pray? You can’t. When you say you’re a Christian, but don’t live as a Christian, you falsify your stand as a Christian. Only a Christian who has the Godhead living in them can be rooted and built up in their faith. But you say you’re a Christian because you accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord, therefore the Holy Spirit lives in you. He only lives in you when you spend time in the Word, pray, and gather with other believers to encourage and become encouraged in your faith. Don’t expect the Godhead to live in you when you don’t live for Him. Paul rejoiced at the steadfastness of their faith because they were rooted and built up in Christ. They showed the evidence of Jesus Christ in their lives by the way they lived. You will rejoice too when you live your life fully rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, reading, studying, and praying with other believers so you can discern the truth in the persuasive speeches. Does the Godhead live in you? Rejoice because you are rooted and built up in Him. If the Godhead doesn’t live in you, start right now to turn your life around so that people will see the Holy Spirit living in you. Let’s pray: Father, let me be found steadfast in Your Word, rooted, and built up in You so I can discern the truth in persuasive speeches. Let me rejoice in the knowledge that the full Godhead lives in me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. Copyright © 8 December 2023 by Valerie Routhieaux The image belongs to me.