Dressing for Success… What’s in Your Closet?
Colossians 3:12-14 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.
Did you know? IF you are…
Chosen of God… you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession , so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9
Well, are you? Jesus came… did you hear Him and join His household?
He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:17-22
Yes? Then we are… FELLOW CITIZENS! WE ALL HAVE ACCESS! There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6
Nice words, Mary, but it aint happening in our world today! Have you seen the news lately? There is systemic racism! There are protests! There are riots! Nice words don’t help!
I say… they are more than “nice” words, they are the Words of God. They are TRUE words, whether we the people practice them or not. They don’t become false or fictional, or bad, because WE the people don’t FEEL them or experience them in the way we demand them to be. TRUTH is truth even when we don’t “like” it, even when we misuse it, even when we abuse it, even when we don’t believe it!
God IS TRUTH… God’s Son is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE… God created mankind to be a little lower than the angels (at least while we are away from heaven) and blew in to each and everyone of us His breath of life so that we might turn from evil and seek to LIVE with Him. He does not wish for any to perish but all to come to Him. From the day WE let Satan have a place and a piece of us, God’s plan was for all who are weary and heavy laden of everything evil, to “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
I believe, in our world today, we are looking for ALL THE WRONG THINGS in all the WRONG PLACES form all the WRONG PEOPLE.
We need a “Come to Jesus moment” and then we need to clean out the closet of our life and fill it with the yoke and burden of Jesus! Then and only then will we find REST for our SOULS.
You see. we are looking for all things to please our SKIN, when it is our SOUL that is groaning for the return of the paradise. We are looking in places that promise a GOOD TIME but enslave our souls with the addiction for immediate gratification. We look to the next scam artist who will paint us a picture and promise us the world for the small fee of everything you hold sacred.
Let us look in the RIGHT place! You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, Jeremiah 29:13
And when we find Him, let us fill our souls with Him! Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Then, let us DRESS as the people we are… chosen of God – a chosen race – a royal priesthood – a holy nation – a people for God’s own possession.
Let us Dress for Success… so that we may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you
What’s in your closet? What did you pull out to wear today? A heart of compassion? Kindness? Humility? Gentleness and patience?
Are you dressed to bear with one another, overlooking all the imperfections and covering each other’s multitude of sins with grace and mercy?
Are you dressed for the success of forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you?
What’s in your closet?
I spend a great deal of time planning and dressing to portray myself as having it all together. I definitely strive to impress but sometimes my closet becomes full of OLD RAGS from the days before royal priesthood, without looking I pull out clothing that is inappropriate for the Truth that reins in my life. I thought I had burned up all my old clothes on God’s altar, but I find that that I am wearing rags of anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speechbecause I fail to let the Holy Spirit dress me for His success.
Sometimes, I react against the enemy’s weapons and respond, returning evil for evil or insult for insult, realizing far too late that I didn’t put on the armor of God but took things into my own hands. I have no excuse, whether I make use of it or not I HAVE the full armor of God in my closet.
To sum up today’s blog, I encourage all of us who are chosen of God, holy and beloved, to dress for the world – our world – the world that seems to be lit with fires from pit of hell, to see REAL SUCCESS… the Heart of God.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
Let us dress to show that it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Maybe a better question is WHO”S in your closet? Now’s the time to come out of the closet and show us you wear His Brand, cause it is the best FOR PERFECT SUCCESS! Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1
**All Scripture quoted comes from the “Bible Gateway” app and is the NASB version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.