I love Jesus’ words in John 14:30. He said, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.” There was no hook that the devil could use against Him.

Proverbs 4:23 warns us to be diligent to guard our heart, “…for out of it spring the issues of life.” Death words will spew out of our mouths when we least expect it if we have buried offenses.

Jesus told His disciples that offenses would come as part of life. Matthew 18:7 says, “…woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” Buried offenses are an enticement to sin. They are the baited trap sticks that are ready to spring.  

James 1:14 says, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” Remember Samson and how the Philistines lured him in order to afflict him and bind him.

I’m memorizing Philippians 1. Let me give you verses 10-11. They say, “That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ. Being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Sincere. The bazaar vendors would stand outside their stalls shouting ‘sincere.’ It meant that there was no wax to cover up cracks. According to the Strong’s, sincere literally means tested by sunlight. For us it means: free from falsehood, pure, and without hidden motives.

Without offense means keeping no record of wrongs tacked up on the wall of your heart. There are no unresolved issues that are fed through buried unforgiveness.

Fruits of righteousness. Hebrews 12:11 says that the result of the Lord correcting us in our walk, “…afterwards it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Trained is the operative word.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says that God has put eternity in every heart. We will live forever. Matthew 6:19-21 says to not lay up earthly treasures for ourselves, “But lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

2 Corinthians 5:18 says that God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. Verse 20 says, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

We learned in Ephesians 4:18 that before we accepted Jesus as our Savior, we were alienated from the life of God. Think of others around you who have not come to accept Jesus. As ambassadors, we are commissioned to represent Him through every aspect of our lives.

When I  was a child I loved the hymn “Others” from my record by Tennessee Ernie Ford. The words became deeply embedded in my spirit and shaped my life. One verse: Help me in all the work I do to ever be sincere and true, and know that all I’d do for You must needs be done for others.

The Lord moved me to another state to care for my parents 24/7. It will soon be 20 years full of God-adventures. Two pastors I pray for have been in a horrible prison in Eritrea for over 20 years for the gospel’s sake.

I recently heard a message where the speaker told of visiting an old brother in the Lord just before he died. He told them that he had a plaque that keep his focus on the Lord. It said: Eternity Conscious. We will leave this earth with nothing ~ except for the treasures already deposited in heaven.

Ephesians 4:31-32 says, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

Romans 12:16 says, “Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.” 

In Colossians 3:12 Paul said to, “…put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.” Each of these attributes express the character of Jesus. Strong’s defines kindness as goodness in action, sweetness of disposition, and gentleness in dwelling with others. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22.

Note in my Bible: The word describes the ability to act for the welfare of those taxing your patience. The Holy Spirit removes abrasive qualities from the character of one under His control.

In 1983 the Lord set me in a church that became my home for 21 years. I remember the first sermon. The pastor was speaking about one another. He had given us a list with the verses ~ there were over 30!

I have finished memorizing Colossians 3. I am reluctant to leave it because it is such a rich chapter. Verse 13 says, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Do you harbor any grudges? They are strongholds that off-gas the toxic chemicals of bitterness and resentment. They defy God’s command to forgive as we have been forgiven. According to Hebrews 12:15 our bitter root grudge defiles those around us.

Disobedience to God’s word blocks the grace He has for those who walk in humility. Holding a grudge is pride ~ and God resists the proud.

Paul must have felt that duplication was needed for his readers ~ which includes us. In Colossians 3:23 it says, “And whatever you do, do it heartedly, as to the Lord and not to men.” That puts an arrow through our fleshly desire to be a man-pleaser. 

I like David’s prayer for wholeheartedness. Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” The word ‘unite’ means singleness of heart.

Verse 12 says, “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.” All means everything without exception. Note that David used ‘I will’ twice. I love ‘I will’ because it states intention.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” In whatever we do, may our thoughts and actions honor the Lord.

As I memorize, I repeat a phrase over and over. I want it to groove in before I add another phrase. When I came to Colossians 3:17, here is what I was repeating. “And whatever you do…” Here is the whole verse. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

We ‘do’ all day long. When we walk in the Spirit, we are being sensitive to His direction. Remember from Psalm 139:2 and 4 He knows our thoughts before we think them, and He knows the words on our tongue before we speak them.

Therefore He is able to bring course correction, or an attitude adjustment before we misrepresent Jesus to those around us. All words and all deeds are first thoughts. Therefore it is essential to remember that our strategic warfare is through our minds.

2 Peter 1:4 says, “By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

At salvation we are given a measure of faith. Romans 12:3. Peter gave the template that we are to add to our faith. 2 Peter 1:5-7. We are to add virtue which is moral excellence. Knowledge. Self-control. Perseverance. Godliness. Brotherly kindness. Love.

Verse 8 says, “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What area of your life is spiritually barren?

The Christian walk is about increasing our knowledge of the Lord ~ not head knowledge but experiential. If we don’t know what His character qualities are, then how can we exemplify or represent His character? How does your character line up to His?

Let’s examine the character qualities displayed by Jesus. Let them be our template as well. Tender mercies. Psalm 145:8 says, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

Kindness. Luke 6:35 says, “…For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”

Humility. Philippians 2:8 says, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Meekness. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” The word ‘gentle’ also means meek.

Longsuffering. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord…is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”