Daily Bible Verses for 8/14/2016

Knowledge and Faith in Jesus Christ – (Colossians 1:15-17)

Bible Verse
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 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.

Reading Notes
It’s essential to our Christian faith to not only accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior; but to truly understand who Jesus is and what He has saved us from! He is not just a mere person who existed once in history. Jesus is both perfect man and fully God. Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinity! This means that Jesus is the living God of Heaven, who stepped out of eternity and took on humanity. And Jesus is alive and active today, making intercession for us and working in our lives. Because of this we can trust in Him for our salvation. Moreover, once we are saved the Holy Spirit begins a work in our hearts, which in turn brings about a change in our lives. This is because the Holy Spirit carries out God’s process of spiritual growth in us, called “sanctification.”

As a result of the process of sanctification, spiritual growth occurs in us as the Holy Spirit changes our hearts and minds and we become more sensitive to the things of God. Moreover, as we grow in Christ, we develop a desire for the work of God in our lives and for the word of God, which is the Bible. And it’s through the study of God’s word that we gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior. In addition, through the word of God and the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, we gain wisdom, guidance and understanding which brings with it a change in our character. And because of that change we now understand that true humility comes from a life saved by grace and not by works. Humility comes from a heart that knows the Lord, a heart that understands that love is the greatest gift as well as the greatest commandment. Because of our love for Jesus, we produce fruits of the spirit which is actions pleasing to God along with love and charity toward others.