Colossians 3:1-11 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Where there is neither Greek nor Jew,circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. <Without a doubt; Colossians is my heart beat: my favorite book of the Bible. In one place that I was stationed in the service, I had the above quote(first area in purple) penned in calligraphy and posted on my wall. I got a new roommate who proceeded to post a cartoon poster of his next to it. In that picture was an elephant being used by a native as a cannon recoiled and ready to sneeze hunting spears ... they were aimed directly at the quote. <sigh> We can't just think everyone will encourage us to live for God. And at times it would seem easier to die then to mortify the flesh?; nevertheless, we have the word of God! We ARE dead, and our life is hidden in Christ!! Hallelujah Amen. Thank you Jesus. Yea, all that would live godly shall suffer persecution. This isn't saying "all who have not sinned." No. Far from it. The idea, rather, is those that confess they HAVE sinned and WOULD not sin shall suffer persecution. Everybody has sinned, not everybody is humble about it. But even when faced with temptation let us reckon ourselves dead already, and turn to Christ. To God be the Glory. Amen 1 Timothy|1:15-16a "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy..." Father, thank you for Jesus. Amen.