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What needs to be said is best contained in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. I firmly believe that if we are to truly exalt God, then we are required to put aside that which blinds us and puts us into spiritual bondage against one another. We need to see where the Law has built walls and boundaries between us and seek to tear them down so that we can openly exalt God in the Fullness that Christ desires us to know.

To me, the simplest way is to write down the passages in Colossians that pertain to exalting God and His Church. The key verse as I see it is Col. 2:18-19; “Let no one keep defrauding of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of angels (spirits), taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head (Christ), form whom the entire body (the Church), being supplied and held together by joint and ligament, grows with a growth which is from God.” (NAS)

From Col. 1:6 through Col. 4:6, paraphrased reads: “All over the world this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s Grace in all its truth. For He rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of the Son He Loves.” Think of how great it is to be a part of the kingdom of the Son rather that to be apart from it. “..in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the Image of the Invisible God(made visible so we can see the love of God), the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rules or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things and in Him all things are held together. He is the head of the body, (and) the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from the dead, so that in everything He might have supremacy.” This is God Made Man., the completeness of God made wholly man for our sakes, that is reason enough to exalt God.

continuing…”For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things. (That’s us!) whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making PEACE through His Blood, shed on the cross. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation, IF YOU CONTINUE IN YOUR FAITH, established and firm, not moved from the Hope held out in the Gospel.

“The mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generation,…. is now disclosed to the saints (believers, faithful, chosen, redeemed). To them God has chosen to make known among the gentiles (non-believers) the glorious riches of this mystery, WHICH IS CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of Glory. To this end I (we) labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully work in me (us). My purpose is that they may be encouraged in the heart and unites in Love, so that they may have the full riches of Complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, in whom are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge.”

Why is it then if we are to exalt God by telling non believers of His Mystery of Love that we have so much trouble sharing God’s Love with each other? This is the mystery that I don’t understand. How can I exalt God if I harbor ill feelings toward other Christian walks? Where is the Love and the Hope on that? The Christ in me exalts the Christ in You!

Back to Colossians; “I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by find sounding arguments. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the Faith as you were taught, and overflowing with THANKFULNESS.” That’s exaltation, giving God thanks for saving you each day, continually. And thanking Him for the opportunity to offer His Salvation to others. “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, with demands on human traditions and basic principles of the world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness (Wholeness) in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority (and that includes all christian churches). Therefor do not let anyone judge you for what you eat or drink. or wit regard to a religious festival. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality however are found in Christ.

“Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belong to it, do you submit to its rules? You have been raised with Christ. Set your hearts on thing above, were Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on the earthly things. For you died, and your life in now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in Glory.” What I say is why wait for Christ to appear again to exalt God? Go with the Glory of Christ to God’s Holy Temple, Praising Him and Lifting His Name on High in anticipation of the Glory that you have received. “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. You’re use to walking these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you MUST RID YOURSELVES OF ALL THINGS AS THESE: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from you lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on a new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, Holy and dearly Loved. cloth yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against each other.. Forgive as the Lord Forgave you.” You can not give of yourselves until you have forgiven all others. “And over all these virtues PUT ON LOVE, which binds them all together in perfect UNITY.

Let the PEACE OF CHRIST RULE in your hearts, since as members of ONE BODY you are called to peace. And be THANKFUL. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in you hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed , DO IT ALL IN THE NAME OF JESUS, giving thanks to GOD, the Father through Him. Whatever you do work at with all your heart, as working for the Lord and not for men…” Would you cheat God of give Him a poor job? Would you overcharge Jesus or short change Him? treat each person as you would treat Jesus and you exalt God. When you treat mankind unfairly you insult God. “it is the Lord Jesus
Christ you are serving. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Be wise in the way you act toward outsides; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt (flavor, value, richness), so that you way know how to answer everyone.”

It is by living the Godly life that we exalt God, not by sing songs with empty hearts of feeding on Sunday worship candy. it is by being positive, comforting and uplifting to others, by expressing mercy and compassion with the tenderness of Jesus that we praise God. In these things God finds pleasure with us. This is haw we exalt God, Our Lord. They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery. We are called to be imitators of Christ, let us then flatter God by being true imitators of Jesus. We exalt Jesus by being as much like Him as humanly possible and we share a sameness with Him when we share recognise the Christ in others.

I wanted to add a few verses from 2Timothy but decided it would be wiser to ask you to study them on your own (besides it would take up a lot of space). Just remember that the whole of Scripture is for the benefit of man that we may be able to know God and thereby exalt Him in the Fullest. These are the verses that I want you to reflect on: 2 Tim. 1:8, 13-15; 2 Tim. 2:11-16, 19, 22, 24-26; and 2 Tim. 4:2.

I know that as I wrote all this that it was almost all scripture. That is because I could not have said what was in my heart without them. It isn’t what I say that will change the hearts of man but what God says. Every part of our lives should be an exaltation of God’s mercy sand might. Don’t let your life go on without finding some way, each day. to exalt Jesus in every way. In closing, I want to add just a few more verses. These are from Paul’s letter to Titus.

Titus 2:7,8,11-15. “In everything set an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that can not be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.—For the grace of God that brings Salvation has appeared to ALL men. It teaches us to say ‘NO’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the Blessed Hope, the Glorious appearing of our Great
God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from ALL WICKEDNESS and to PURIFY for himself a people that are HIS VERY OWN, eager to do what is GOOD. These, then are the things you should teach, encourage and rebuke with all authority.”

May this year be the beginning of a lifetime of Godly exaltation.

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