Allan Smith

24/7 Followers of Jesus

Colossians 3:17 (NLT), Colossians 3:18 (NLT), Colossians 3:19 (NLT), Colossians 3:20 (NLT), Colossians 3:21 (NLT), Colossians 3:22 (NLT), Colossians 3:23 (NLT), Colossians 3:24 (NLT), Colossians 3:25 (NLT), Colossians 4:1 (NLT)

let it be

"Let it be." John Lennon I'm American. Although I've lived overseas for more than 20 years, if you cut me, I still bleed red, white and blue. Americans don't wait for things to happen, we make things…

Colossians 3:15 (NLT), Colossians 3:16 (NLT), Colossians 3:17 (NLT)

Resolving Conflict

Missionaries leave their mission fields, pastors leave their flocks, not because of persecution, or deep doctrinal differences, but most often because of interpersonal conflict. In one study in Kenya,…

Colossians 3:13 (NLT), Colossians 3:14 (NLT)

The clothing of community

As I walked to work today in busy Hong Kong, I passed hundreds of school children, in their school uniforms heading to another day of "learning". When I first saw kids in uniforms I thought "wow, kids…

Colossians 3:12 (NLT)

Chosen to be a loved one

Genesis 3:12 NLT Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I almost never win anything. If…

Colossians 3:12 (NLT)

All that matters

11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile,tcircumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized,t slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. What…

Colossians 3:11 (NLT)

the well dressed Christian

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric,…

Colossians 3:10 (NLT), Colossians 3:11 (NLT)

Ruthless

Paul goes after sin like a cancer surgeon. He's ruthless. COLOSSIANS 3:5-9 NLT So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust,…

Colossians 3:5 (NLT), Colossians 3:6 (NLT), Colossians 3:7 (NLT), Colossians 3:8 (NLT)

Time for some spiritual Spring cleaning

"So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don't be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping…

Colossians 3:5 (NLT), Colossians 3:6 (NLT), Colossians 3:7 (NLT), Colossians 3:8 (NLT), Colossians 3:9 (NLT)

under the knife

In the Philippines guys are circumcised as they enter puberty. It's a rite of passage. Glad I was born in America where doctors handle this when we're a few days old. At the time of the early church,…

Colossians 2:11 (NLT), Colossians 2:12 (NLT), Colossians 2:13 (NLT), Colossians 2:14 (NLT), Colossians 2:15 (NLT)

Reality

Colossians 3:1 NLT Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. 2 Think about the things…

Colossians 3:1 (NLT)

Christ 1.0

I'm a technophile. I love to read about the next great technology. I have a drawer full of the "next best things", that are now "last year's junk" that nobody wants.  Over the years I've become more discerning…

Colossians 2:6 (NLT), Colossians 2:7 (NLT), Colossians 2:8 (NLT), Colossians 2:9 (NLT), Colossians 2:10 (NLT)

Are you in agony yet?

I've been involved in several church plants, sharing Christ, training up believers and leaders, visiting homes, planning worship services, etc. I don't think I have "agonized" for the believers I have…

Colossians 2:1 (NLT), Colossians 2:2 (NLT), Colossians 2:3 (NLT), Colossians 2:4 (NLT), Colossians 2:5 (NLT)

The Secret: Christ!

When you have suffered for something, you don't easily let it slip away. I recently read Winston Churchhill's The Second World War. The account is a bit disheartening at times, because he tried over and…

Colossians 1:23 (NLT), Colossians 1:24 (NLT), Colossians 1:25 (NLT), Colossians 1:26 (NLT), Colossians 1:27 (NLT), Colossians 1:28 (NLT), Colossians 1:29 (NLT), Colossians 2:1 (NLT), Colossians 2:2 (NLT), Colossians 2:3 (NLT), Colossians 2:4 (NLT), Colossians 2:5 (NLT)

Drifting

Have you ever tried standing in a fast moving stream of water? The sand and rocks are dragged from under your feet as you wobble back and forth trying to keep your balance. Finally you get your feet settled…

Colossians 1:23 (NLT)

Resume of Jesus: Reconciler

A Truth and Reconciliation Commission was set up in S. Africa after the end of aparteid. Its goal was to find out the truth about the crimes that had occurred over the decades of injustice, and to bring…

Colossians 1:20 (NLT), Colossians 1:21 (NLT), Colossians 1:22 (NLT)

Christ the Creator

I have a small business and I'm trying hard to get it to run without me. If I'm not here I hope things will still run smoothly. Unfortunately that's not always true. I am, at this stage, semi-essential.…

Colossians 1:15 (NLT), Colossians 1:16 (NLT), Colossians 1:17 (NLT)

Me Blind?

The following notes are questions, some which will  be used in a story telling approach to teaching John 9. The story is told, reviewed and retold by the listeners. Then we discuss some questions. How…

John 9:1 (NLT), John 9:2 (NLT), John 9:3 (NLT), John 9:4 (NLT), John 9:5 (NLT), John 9:6 (NLT), John 9:7 (NLT), John 9:8 (NLT), John 9:9 (NLT), John 9:10 (NLT), John 9:11 (NLT), John 9:12 (NLT), John 9:13 (NLT), John 9:14 (NLT), John 9:15 (NLT), John 9:16 (NLT), John 9:17 (NLT), John 9:18 (NLT), John 9:19 (NLT), John 9:20 (NLT), John 9:21 (NLT), John 9:22 (NLT), John 9:23 (NLT), John 9:24 (NLT), John 9:25 (NLT), John 9:26 (NLT), John 9:27 (NLT), John 9:28 (NLT), John 9:29 (NLT), John 9:30 (NLT), John 9:31 (NLT), John 9:32 (NLT), John 9:33 (NLT), John 9:34 (NLT), John 9:35 (NLT)

Resume of Jesus: head of the Church

As I read this section of Paul's letter I'm impressed first by all the "superlatives" he uses to describe Jesus: "the head" "the beginning" "supreme over all" "first in everything" "God in ALL his fullness"…

Colossians 1:18 (NLT), Colossians 1:19 (NLT), Colossians 1:20 (NLT)

Resume of Jesus: Visible image of the invisible God

I find this difficult to comprehend : Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. What compares to this? Is Jesus like my breath on a cold winter's day, making the invisible visible? How can…

Colossians 1:15 (NLT)

Freedom and forgiveness

I have no excuse for living like a bottom feeder. God the Father has made me able to live in light. Colossians 1:12b-14 NLT He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people,…

Colossians 1:12 (NLT), Colossians 1:13 (NLT), Colossians 1:14 (NLT)

Manna for the Masses

John 6

Who are you?

Colossians 1:2 NLT My coworker Nely often says "sir, be careful what you say, your words have power ". She believes in a bit of positive confession. I'm not into "name it, claim it ", rather I believe…

Colossians 1:2 (NLT)

Identity

I'm not going to make a sermon out of Paul's hello, but it's interesting to compare how he describes himself and Timothy. Colossians 1:1 NLT This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be…

Colossians 1:1 (NLT)

Glory and faith

This story closes by telling us that this was Jesus' first miracle and the first time he revealed his glory. I find that surprising. If I were Jesus' agent, I would be really upset. "Jesus, are you kidding!…

John 2:11 (NLT)