May 27, Col 1:24 Bible Study Notes
Welcome!
This blog is used to share some of our notes from each day’s journaling while we were in Bible study with The Holy Spirit. At the bottom of each blog page, you’ll see which Bible we used and additional resources that may have informed our thinking and learning. We are curious and humble #Biblenerds. Each day we GET TO use the Word of God to learn more about His never-changing character, how much Jesus loves us and how The Holy Spirit guides us through a heart transformation one verse at a time. The Bible reads us just as much as we read It.
We hope these perfectly imperfect notes help you as you join us weekday mornings 8:00 - 9:00 EST via Facebook & Youtube. And, of course, we welcome you whenever and wherever you get a chance to learn along with us!
In His Love,
Joy Lee & Tara Ouellette
Joy’s Notes:
Col 1:24
“Now I rejoice in what I’m suffering FOR YOU in my body, for I am PARTICIPATING in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church
——————
Am I “participating” in my suffering?????
• AM I A :
👉Participatory sufferer
(OR)
👉Spectator Sufferer?
• Participatory— - suffering has revealed my calling. -Fully in & engaged!
-God & others
focused
- refuse to let fear
stop me
- not afraid to fail
- a knowing that God is using this
suffering FOR
someone !
- a “suffer-weller”
- a HOPE-carrier
• Spectator- -suffering has become my identity
-Inward focused (all about me).
- fear driven (afraid to fully engage w/ my God given identity )
-filled w/ self pity/ doubt/ unbelief/ worst case scenario
- a FEAR-carrier
Paul NEVER allowed his suffering to be his identity.
👇
INSTEAD— let his suffering REVEAL his identity (I “get-to” suffer as Christ suffered for the church)
Acts 5:41
(After being flogged) “The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus!” = participatory sufferers!
• Participatory suffers ask:
👇
“ WHY ME- that you’d find me worthy to suffer for you?
• Spectator sufferers ask:
👇
“WHY ME— that you’d punish me like this? Have you forgotten me?
QUESTION TO ASK TO KNOW WHAT KIND OF SUFFERER I AM:
— “Do I Identify more with my sickness & symptoms than that of my Savior?”
• “ If I identify more with the length & depth of my suffering (SPECTATOR SUFFERING) than I do with the height & width of his love (PARTICIPATORY SUFFERING) , it’s time for a new song!”- Susie Larson
————-
“FOR YOU”
Paul knew his suffering wasn’t in vain.... “I’m suffering for you.”
👇
Linda’s fb post:
“PRAISING GOD!!! I just got off the phone with my 11yr old grandson that had me in tears talking about how much he loves Jesus and what peace and happiness he feels in his life. We don't talk or get to see each other much since I live in Georgia and he lives in Tennessee. The greatest thing he said was that I was the one that had influenced him by the faith I show him through my always being happy and smiling ALTHOUGH, as he stated, I'm cripple. I am bedridden. We shared so much more, but I told him he gave me the greatest gift today that I could EVER receive and that God receives ALL the glory! God has purpose in our pain! Hallelujah, praise the Lord! This child is the son of my son that passed 4yrs ago as of May 20th of 2017. God is restoring unto me what I have lost! I just had to share. So many have loved and prayed for me. Thank you to each and everyone of you beautiful, God loving people!”
👉 Linda’s Participatory suffering is FOR her grandson.
Romans 5:3-
“we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, H O P E !
👇
We can ONLY be carriers-of-hope to OTHERS when we suffer! 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
(I never saw this before!)
👉God uses the
pain of suffering in order to experience the joy of salvation — in others!😭
————
PAUL IS Acquainted w/ suffering:
2 Corinthians 11:23–27
“I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked… I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.”
————
9 reasons God allows suffering:
1. To flip the script on the enemy!
—>Suffering came with the fall
”But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”(Romans 8:17)
— suffering MAKES me not BREAKS me (when I’m engaged in participatory suffering !!!
2. To make me more dependent on him (2 Corinthians 1:9)”In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead.”
— suffering keeps me humble & needy for the only Hem I can touch to heal me
3. To remove idols in my life (1 John 5:21) “keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts.” (Said as the very last sentence of the “love” book. )
— pain outweighs shame
4. To comfort others who are also suffering (2 Corinthians 1:4)”He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”
(“Me too”
(Empathy changes the world!)
5. To remind me that heaven is my home (John 15:19)”If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
(LONGING FOR HEAVEN) (Philippians 1:23) “I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me.”
👉ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
6. To help guard me from biting the bait of PRIDE (2 Corinthians 12:7) “even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.”
— pride is the language of Satan
— “the enemy took a seat at my table & I allowed myself to listen to a killer.” ~ Louis Giglio
7. To have a life shifting POWERFUL testimony of Gods incredibleness. (Philippians 1:13) “For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.”
8. To encourage other Christians (Philippians 1:14)
”And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.”
— enCOURAGE
— others see our courage because of His witness & power... then they are encouraged to fight the good fight!
9. To “need for nothing”
(James 1:2-4) “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
—> the only way to “NEED NOTHING” is by going through troubles!
—————
I want reprieve...
God wants renewal.
I want comfort ...
God wants calling.
I want ease...
God wants me effective.
I want a break...
God wants a breaking-open.
I want convenience...
God wants character.
I want relief...
God wants revival.
I want alleviation...
God wants anticipation.
I want this finished ...
God wants faith.
I want rest...
God wants restoration .
I want to trust in my perceptions...
God wants me to trust in His promises.
I want to make this about myself...
God wants to make this about Himself.
Tara’s Notes:
May 27 Colossians 1:24 Journal
NLT: "I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church."
KJV: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:"
I am GLAD when I suffer for the church.
Acts 14:22 Paul & Barnabas à strengthening new believers à they must enter into the Kingdom of God THROUGH many tribulations.
Suffer with Christ and Christ still suffers with us.
Saul persecuted believers = Saul à persecuted Jesus “Saul, Saul why do you persecute me?”
The enemy working through Saul based on his current mind/will/emotions. Saul persecuted man so then persecuted Jesus.
First thought: my current health condition/possible diagnosis with no reason or solution.
But God didn’t have me sit there too long.
Second thought: What I’m going through (or have gone through) is nothing like people truly being persecuted FOR Jesus. Sheep among wolves on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ndf8RqgNVEY
Then I thought that I might not be persecuted by man hurting my body FOR my faith. But we, as a body of believers (inside and outside of the church building), have an enemy and he wants to kill/steal/destroy our soul (mind, will, emotion) as well as the church “body.” In America our persecutor is quieter and just as deadly.
Are we the dead church walking?
What do believers in the middle east know about glory of Jesus in a way that they are willing to lay down their life, give up their families, their freedoms, EVERYTHING just to open the Bible and learn more about God?
I want to know the Jesus they know.
I want to see the Jesus they have seen.
I want to experience the Holy Spirit in a way that begs me to lay my life down for the church.
Read and reread Romans 8:18-29 The Future Glory
Joy & Tara’s Primary Source: The Holy Spirit
Secondary Source: Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Tyndale, 1996, 2004, 2015