Be Blessed and Inspired with Tracy Hill

Welcome to the study of "Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above!" This episode is titled “Meditating on Christ.”  

Lesson Six wraps up our study of Colossians. We will continue setting our hearts and minds on things above by meditating on the truths found in Scripture. Christ is supreme, and we find our fullness in Him. He is our hope, and He sustains us. These are the meditations that please the Lord and bring abundant blessings to us. Reflecting on His unconditional love, mighty power, and miraculous works gives us peace, hope, joy, and strength.

If you would like to follow along you can purchase the workbook on Amazon.com.

Welcome to the study of "Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above!" This episode is titled “Sustained by Christ.”

Lesson Five covers Colossians 4:2-18 and reminds us to lean into Jesus and draw strength from Him. We have been given so much in Christ to sustain us in this life—we have a relationship with our Heavenly Father, through prayer we have access to Him day and night; we have the Holy Scriptures to remind us of truth, we have the Holy Spirit living inside us; we have fellowship with other believers. God offers to sustain us; we need only reach out and receive it.

If you would like to follow along you can purchase the workbook on Amazon.com.

Welcome to the study of "Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above!" This episode is titled “Clothed in Christ.”

Lesson Four covers Colossians 3:1-4:1 and gives us a clearer understanding of our new identity in Christ. Keeping our heart and mind set on things above will not only change our perspective and improve our outlook, but it will also affect our attitude, behavior, words, actions, and relationships. In Christ, we have newness of life in every aspect! Being that we are renewed in the knowledge of who God is and who we are in relation to Him, we must shed our old sinful self and put on the virtues of God. We are not held to the Law to earn our salvation, but we are called to a holy way of living as a means of thanksgiving for all the Lord has done.

If you would like to follow along you can purchase the workbook on Amazon.com.

Welcome to the study of "Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above!" This episode is titled “Fullness in Christ.” 

Lesson Three covers Colossians 2:4-23 and gives us a clearer comprehension of our identity in Christ. If we are going to set our hearts and minds on things above, we need to know what it means to be sons and daughters of the sovereign King of kings. Knowing that the Lord made everything in heaven and on earth, and that His name is exalted in all of creation, makes our identity mean so much more! The fullness of God Almighty is revealed in Jesus Christ. Placing our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus brings the fullness of Christ into our lives too. When we know the full riches of Christ we no longer go searching for satisfaction anywhere else. He has everything we need. In Him we discover the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Wisdom for living based on the knowledge of who He is and who He has made us to be. Listen in and discover your fullness in Christ!

If you would like to follow along you can purchase the workbook on Amazon.com.

Welcome to the study of "Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above!" This episode is titled, "Christ is Supreme."

Lesson Two covers Colossians verses 1:15-2:3 and shares vital insight as to the identity of Jesus Christ. If we are going to set our hearts and minds on things above, we need to begin by knowing who Jesus is and what He has done for us. These two revelations will impact every aspect of our lives. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is loving, kind, compassionate, holy, righteous, just, perfect, merciful, and gracious. He all-powerful; He is inviting. He healed everyone who came to Him, He set the oppressed free, He cast out demons, He walked on water, He stilled the waves and calmed the wind. He gave His life for you and me. Through our lesson we will learn to rely on the love and power of Jesus, and fully trust in His supremacy!

If you would like to follow along you can purchase the workbook on Amazon.com.

Welcome to the study of "Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above." This message is titled, “Hope in Christ.”

Our lesson covers Colossians chapter 1:1-14 and gives us an introduction to Paul’s beautiful letter of encouragement. Like the Colossians, we live on this earth surrounded by worldly things, inundated with worldly teachings, tempted by worldly desires, distractions, and passions. Despite all of this, we know and trust that our grace and peace flow from our Heavenly Father above. God is the source of every good thing that our lives could need or our hearts desire. Through our lesson we'll learn to rest our hope in Christ and be fully satisfied!

If you would like to follow along you can purchase the workbook on Amazon.com.

Welcome to the study of Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above! I am so excited to begin this journey with you! This is just a short introduction to get you excited for the study too. God’s Word is full of wisdom, encouragement, and inspiration. Why wouldn’t we want to grab hold of all the priceless treasures that it offers? I titled our study, “Colossians: Set Your Heart on Things Above,” for a reason. The things we meditate on and ruminate in inevitably effect our emotions and spill out through our words and actions. We are going to dive deep into our Bibles and discover truth according to God’s perspective. We will redirect our hearts and minds onto what the Lord says, and as result find the rest, hope, peace, joy, and confidence that we long for.

Over the course of six lessons, we will purposefully fill our minds with good things, words from the Bible, things from Heaven above. We’ll focus on Jesus’ identity and who we are in Christ, and as a result, we will experience the fullness of Christ in our lives.

If you'd like to follow along, you can purchase the workbook on Amazon.com.

When you look in the mirror what do you see? Do you behold your beauty or notice your flaws? Far too often we home in on what we perceive is wrong, being harsh and critical, picking ourselves a part, wishing we were different. With God's help we can begin to see ourselves through the lens of love and grace, and appreciate the marvelous way that He saw fit to make us.

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.

Scripture reminds us to take heart, be still, and wait on the Lord. God exhorts us to stand firm in our faith and not be tossed to and fro with uncertainty. He invites us to rest in His care and trust in His provision. He tells us not to worry.

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.

You matter, you are significant, you are seen, and you are heard. There is no greater proof of our value and worth in God’s eyes than His invitation to meet with Him in prayer.  Prayer is our greatest resource and privilege; it is our means of communicating with our Heavenly Father. He invites us to pour out our hearts or sit quietly in in His Presence. He will speak back; we need only listen.

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.

We have a secure place of belonging—both to our Heavenly Father and also within the family of God. The ways of the world are fickle, and its acceptance of us comes and goes depending on our performance, while our unconditional acceptance from God is steadfast and based on pure love. The Lord invites us to come as we are. He removes all the ridiculous and unimportant standards we place on each other, and He invites us to come to Him simply as is.

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.

Forgiveness is a beautiful concept, but it’s often difficult for us to put into practice—to give and receive forgiveness requires great humility on both ends. We base it on whether our offender or we deserve such mercy and grace. The forgiveness of God takes things to a whole other level and standard. As we’ll see, forgiveness is a gift that God offers based not on our merit, but on His goodness and love. His forgiveness comes with the promise of a fresh start.

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.

There is nowhere that you can run that God’s love will not follow.

According to Scripture we see that God’s love is merciful, it is our shield of protection; His love supports us and keeps us from slipping; His love is consistent and reliable and follows us all the days of our life; His love is eternally committed— “He will never leave or forsake us.” 

Once you and I understand His love, all of life takes on a different meaning.

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.

Have you ever had a season, a month, a week, a day, a moment, or even a fleeting second of doubt about your value or ability, or lost confidence in your identity as a beloved child of God? Have you ever felt that you or your best efforts are not “enough” to please others?

Whenever these doubts and accusations enter our minds—whether from satan himself, other people tearing us down, or even from our own destructive mindset— we need to pick up our Bible, open it, and read its truth. We have to redirect our thoughts onto what God says about us.

God says we are enough!

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.

If I were to ask you what words best describe your usual outlook, feelings, and state of mind would joy be at the top of your list? Would it even be in your top five? Or would it be pushed aside for words such as anxiety, worry, overwhelmed, anger, confusion…?

Joy is a Biblical emotion that we are meant to experience on a regular basis. It is rooted in our relationship with the Lord and is an overflow of the Holy Spirit at work in us. Joy isn’t dependent upon our circumstances, but comes from knowing, trusting, and experiencing God’s Presence in our lives amid all situations.

Let’s move joy to its rightful place at the top of our list.

This message is based on my devotional, "Lilies and Lemonade: Joy-Filled Devotions." It can be found on Amazon.com. 

God wants you to know without a doubt that you are loved, you are forgiven and new, you belong, you matter, you are beautiful, you have purpose, you are strong, and you are His royal daughter. God wants you to build confidence based on your relationship with Him—not on what other people say about you, not what the devil whispers in your ear, and not even what you believe about yourself.

Knowing who we are in Christ gives our life unshakable confidence and we are better equipped to live with intentionality. The term “in Christ” refers to a person who has placed their faith in Jesus and accepted Him as their Savior. Being “in Christ” means that we are covered in His righteousness and wrapped in His love.

This message is based on my study, "A Daughter of the King: Gaining Confidence as a Child of God," and also my devotional, "Confidence and crowns: Devotions for a Daughter of the King." They can be found on Amazon.com.