08 June 2025

Rooted in Christ, Part 1 (TMF:2635)

Friday, June 13, 2025

Peace to Live By: Rooted in Christ, Part 1 (TMF:2635) - Daniel Litton
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Real life changing truth is found in aligning with the truth of the Jewish God, rather than some other lesser known god. Interestingly enough, Paul doesn’t leave us empty handed, and we probably didn’t expect that he would. Verse 7: “so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught” (ESV). Given to us, then, are basically three pointers about walking in Christ, and two of which we will talk about first because they go hand-in-hand. Let us note the first one” “rooted… in him.” What does it mean to be rooted in Christ? Let’s consider the visual. Roots going into the ground. Think of roots of a tree, for instance. We know that the roots of the tree travel down into the ground to give that tree a firm standing, a ‘firm foundation.’ Ah, there it is. It’s what we’ve already been talking about. The roots allow the tree to stand up in general, and then against the elements of the world. They allow of the tree to take its place in the world.

Being True Friends of Christ, Part 2 (TMF:2634)

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Peace to Live By: Being True Friends of Christ, Part 2 (TMF:2634) - Daniel Litton
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It could be viewed that walking in Christ is good because it saves a person from Hell—and it appeases God’s anger versus a person walking in sin. That’s one way to look at it. Or, it could rather be viewed that walking in Christ is the best way to walk for multiple reasons. One, we could note that being in Christ’s consciousness is the foundation of love, of love. For sure. That’s what we find in and around Christ. “For God so loved the world…” John tells us. Or, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” the Golden Rule. Or, that which we just read, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” Yes, in and around Christ is found love. Pretty good foundation then. Or, we could say that walking in Christ saves us from the struggles, the hardships, that practicing sin brings into people’s lives. It’s easier to marry once, rather than twice. Things work out better, way better, when a person doesn’t steal.

Being True Friends of Christ, Part 1 (TMF:2633)

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

Peace to Live By: Being True Friends of Christ, Part 1 (TMF:2633) - Daniel Litton
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There in John 15, verse 14 says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (ESV). It often seems we read this verse as if it's an obligation. We read it like Jesus is saying, “I will count you as my friends if you do what I say—and you’d better do it or else!” That, however, seems to miss the point. It seems better understood when the underlying tone is just a statement of fact. That is how we will know we are friends, if we do what it is that he has commanded us. That’s how the world will know. Otherwise, and it seems commonsensical, what’s the point? Why would one call themselves a Christian, a Christ follower, and not do anything which the Bible says to do? Indeed, this leads to the despair and criticism that certain folks have over Christianity, in seeing those who are supposed to be different, supposed to be better than world, supposed to be sin-free, acting like the rest of the world. This becomes the problem.

Life's Origin Back to Christ, Part 2 (TMF:2632)

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Peace to Live By: Life's Origin Back to Christ, Part 2 (TMF:2632) - Daniel Litton
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All life stems its origin back to Christ—it was from him it came. John 1:2 "He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (ESV). And, verse 17 from Colossians 1: “in him all things hold together” (ESV). All of this is the basis as to why Christ is the path that should be chosen, the path among all the paths, the path above all the rest. The mystery Paul alluded to is summed up in the verse, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, ESV). Also understood in reading the “Greater Love” verse, is what comes right after it. There in John 15, verse 14 says, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (ESV). It often seems we read this verse as if its an obligation. We read it like Jesus is saying, “I will count you as my friends if you do what I say—and you’d better do it or else!” That, however, seems to miss the point.

Life's Origin Back to Christ, Part 1 (TMF:2631)

Monday, June 09, 2025

Peace to Live By: Life's Origin Back to Christ, Part 1 (TMF:2631) - Daniel Litton
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Colossians 2, starting in verse 6: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him” (ESV). We discussed last time the fact that in Christ are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Wisdom and knowledge. That was the emphasis of the our last paragraph, which was the first paragraph of Colossians 2. That being the case, that explains why the “Therefore” is present in this verse—because it is telling us why we should “walk in him,” walk in Christ. Christ is our bedrock, our foundation. And what a wonderful foundation he is, because really that is the essence of life. All life stems its origin back to Christ—it was from him it came. John 1:2 "He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (ESV). And, verse 17 from Colossians 1: “in him all things hold together” (ESV).