God Speaks
In a Letter to the Colossians, Paul Addresses Christian Doctrine and How to
Live It Out; Philemon Was One of Them
Verse of the Day: For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 1:19-20 NIV 2011)
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We Respond
Colossians 1
Reflection: Colossi was another city that Paul wrote to from his prison cell in Rome. He wrote to believers he had never met to correct some doctrinal errors and to encourage them in their faith. Paul praised them for trusting God and loving His people, looking forward to the joys of heaven, and for their changed lives since they had understood God’s great kindness to sinners. Paul didn’t pray for the Colossian believers like we so often do today–for health, safety, protection, or success. He prayed for more intangible, eternal, spiritual things. He prayed that they would: know God’s will, gain spiritual wisdom and understanding, live in a manner worthy of the Lord’s sacrifice, please the Lord, bear fruit in good works, increase in their knowledge of God, receive strength and power from God, attain steadfastness and patience, and joyfully give thanks. To counter the false teaching that believers in Colossi had heard, Paul went on to explain some of the great doctrines of the faith. These include adoption by God, the Church, the Kingdom of God, redemption, forgiveness, and most importantly, the supremacy of Christ.
Prayer: Dear God and Father, I join with Paul in praying for believers in my day. Please help us to understand what it is you want us to do individually and collectively. Please make us wise about spiritual things. May the way we live always please and honor You. May we always be doing good, kind things for others, while at the same time learning to know You better and better. May we also be filled with Your mighty power to keep going no matter what happens, continually filled with Your joy. Thank You for rescuing us out of Satan’s kingdom of gloomy darkness and bringing us into Your kingdom of glorious light. Jesus bought our freedom with His blood and forgave all our sins. Christ Jesus reflected You exactly because He always was God. In creation He made everything and continues to hold it all together. Everything in the seen and unseen realms was made by and for Jesus the Christ to bring Him glory. Thank You that Jesus Christ’s shed blood and death on the cross made peace with God available to everyone. Thank You that because of the Son’s obedience and suffering, we who were Your enemies through our hatred (of You and Your highest creation–people), as well as our evil thoughts and actions have now been brought into Your family and presence. May more and more people fully trust this wonderful news, remain steadfast, and be saved. May Jews, Gentiles, and people everywhere on earth come to know this now unveiled secret: “that Christ in [our] hearts is [our] only hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27) May Your followers today (myself included) be as faithful as the Apostle Paul in carrying this great message to our own spheres of influence and around the world. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will use this chapter as a guide to pray more effectively for myself and others for whom I pray.
- I will look for ways I can make Jesus more important in my life, then do them.
- I will review the Apostles’ and/or the Nicene Creed for basic doctrines of my faith, and then put it into practice.
- I will politely talk (without arguing) with someone outside of my faith group about Jesus and what He means to me.
Colossians 2
Reflection: The Apostle Paul struggled in prayer on behalf of the believers in Colossi and the church in Laodicea even though he had never met them personally. His prayers have been modified to apply to the readers of this blog in the prayer below. Paul was afraid that some slick-talking false teachers would try to convince the Colossians that the Gentiles would have to strictly follow the Jewish laws and regulations and that Jews who believed in Jesus would have to continue to follow them as well. Paul taught that when we turn to Christ and develop a strong faith in Him, He forgives our sins and blots out the verdict against us and gives us the right and power to live whole new lives. Paul warned them not to let the philosophies, (theories and ideologies), wrong and shallow answers based on men’s thoughts and ideas rob them of their faith and joy in Christ Jesus. Paul taught that when we come to faith in Christ, He sets us free from our old evil desires. Baptism by immersion in water is an action in the physical realm that portrays the spiritual truth that our old evil nature died on the cross with Christ and was buried with Him; when He came up from the dead, so did we rise to a brand-new life because we trusted in the Word of the mighty God who raised Christ from the dead. The indictment for all our sins was nailed to the cross. Jesus Christ’s death on our behalf cancelled any right Satan had to accuse us of sin. The crucifixion and resurrection were God’s open statement to the world that Satan has been defeated. The God-initiated Jewish ceremonies and rituals were only temporary glimpses of what Christ would accomplish. Trying to keep them apart from dependence on Christ is prideful and rebellious. He is our head and all those in His body get their nourishment and strength from Him. Human rules and regulations (although they may sound noble) cannot save our souls or give us victory over our evil desires, thoughts, and actions. Depending on our own strength of will only lead to pride and eventual defeat. We must trust and obey Christ alone.
Prayer: Gracious God and Father, this is what I ask for myself and those who read this blog: “that [we] will be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love, and that [we] will have the rich experience of knowing Christ with real certainty and clear understanding. For God’s secret plan, now at last made known, is Christ Himself. In Him lie hidden all the mighty, untapped treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:2-3 TLB italics used in this translation) “And now just as [we have] trusted Christ to save [us], [may we] trust Him, too, for each day’s problems; live in union with Him. [May our] roots grow down into Him and draw up nourishment from Him. [May we] go on growing in the Lord and become strong and vigorous in the truth [we] were taught. [May our] lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all He has done.” (Colossians 2:5-7 TLB) “For in Christ there is all of God in a human body; so [we] have everything when [we] have Christ, and we are filled with God through [our] union with Christ. He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.” (Colossians 2:9-10 TLB) Please help us to recognize and apply all that Jesus’s life, death, resurrection, and ascension accomplished. Help us to realize that even Your good laws can’t save our souls or rescue us from our sinful attitudes and actions. Only trusting in Jesus and obeying the Holy Spirit’s promptings can do that. Most of all, please help us to live by Your power and for Your Glory. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will research and write out a list of all that Jesus accomplished for me at the cross, review it frequently, and thank Him for it often.
- I will discuss this list with a fellow believer.
- I will politely discuss this list with a curious unbeliever.
- I will write out my testimony of what Jesus means to me, how I came to trust and obey Him, and what that means in my everyday life, then share it with someone specific.
Colossians 3
Reflection: So, now that we have been made alive in Christ, how do we live it out? First, Paul said that we need to have the proper mind-set. We are to think more and more about things above, in Heaven where God is. This also could include things of beauty, purity, truth, honor, and excellence here on earth as well as in Heaven. (See Philippians 4:8.) We should think no more about our old wicked, earthly ways and habits than a dead person would. We should consider sexual sin, impurity, lust, greediness, shameful desires, anger, hatred, cursing, and foul language along with lying, bragging, and holding grudges as if they were something gross, dead, and rotten, throwing such things out of our lives. Instead, because we are deeply loved, forgiven, and cared for by God, believers in Christ should show tenderheartedness, kindness, and mercy to others. We need to let the peace that comes from God be the ruling force in our lives by being thankful, incorporating biblical truth in every area of our lives, teaching and admonishing each other with wise counsel, cheering each other up by singing hymns, praise choruses and all kinds of God-honoring songs, praising and thanking God in the midst of whatever we do. Paul finishes the chapter with words of instruction to wives, husbands, children, workers, and bosses. He said we are to willingly strive for excellence unto the Lord. If anyone does wrong, He will deal with them. He doesn’t show favoritism.
Prayer: Lord God, please help those of us who are trusting in Christ to “set [our] sights on the rich treasures and joys of heaven where He sits beside God [the Father] in the place of [highest] honor and power.” (Colossians 3:1 TLB) Don’t let us spend so much time worrying about things here on earth, but keep our thoughts continually turning things over to You and watching You work things out for Your glory and our ultimate good. Holy Spirit, as we depend on You in our hearts here on earth, please help us to see that our real life is in heaven with Jesus and God the Father. Also, please empower us to turn away from the bad, evil, wicked things we used to say and do before You took over our lives. Instead, help us to live in ways that please God because we are under Your management. Please help us to give up our prideful self-determination and to live in response to Your Word and quiet inner promptings. May our thoughts be filled with scriptures, God-honoring songs, words of encouragement to and from other people, and thanksgiving for all that You have been and are doing. Please help us to reflect Jesus Christ in whatever stage or position in life we are in at the moment. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will compile a list of practical instructions for godly living from Colossians 3:1-4:6 and Ephesians 4:22-6:20.
- I will ask the Lord to lead me to at least one person who will ask me hard questions on how I’m actually implementing the things on that list and who I can hold accountable in return.
- I will ask the Lord to show me any way in which I am still clinging to old sin patterns or habits and ask Him to forgive me of them and to give me the strength and courage to conquer and replace them with God-honoring ones instead.
- I will seek to be a husband/wife, parent/child, worker/boss that reflects Christ in my daily interactions.
Colossians 4
Reflection: The first verse of Colossians 4 seems to really belong in chapter 3, continuing Paul’s instructions regarding members of a household–masters and servants. In verses 2-6 Paul writes to the Colossians about prayer and evangelism. Verses 7-18 are filled with the names of various Christian workers along with the exchange of greetings, instructions, and commendations. Epaphras is especially praised for his work on the Colossians’ behalf, particularly in prayer.
Prayer: Dear Father God, You know each one of Your children by name as well as caring for each one’s needs. Please don’t let us grow weary or give up in prayer. Help us to watch for Your answers and to be thankful. May we, as well as those for whom we pray, be bold but courteous in presenting the Good News of Christ to those around us. I join with Paul and Epaphras in praying for those believers I know and those I don’t know that we all will present the God News boldly, freely, fully, plainly, and truthfully as we should. I ask that we earnestly pray for others, asking You, Lord God, to make us all strong and complete in Christ. Help us to know Your will in everything and do it. May we all reflect You well and give You glory through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will spend specific, significant time each day in prayer for other people.
- I will not give up praying for others near or far away (spiritually, physically, or emotionally). List at least five specific people.
- I will use prayer guides and other resources to pray for God’s kingdom work in the U.S.A., the U.K., Canada, Mexico, and other nations.
- I will make a list of mission agencies and/or churches that are seeking to take the Gospel of Christ around the world and pray for them. [See resources page of this blog.]
Philemon
Reflection: This is the shortest of the Apostle Paul’s prison epistles. It is a story of reconciliation, especially among believers in Christ. The reconciliation of a run-away slave (and possibly a thief) to his master with full acceptance could only be accomplished through the forgiveness won by Christ on the cross and by the in-working of the Holy Spirit. This kind of reconciliation is also needed at this time in the history of this nation. Only a thorough work of God in individual hearts and minds will be strong enough to bring true peace and harmony to the great division in our land; however, it can and will happen as we turn to Christ just as Paul, Philemon, and Onesimus did.
Prayer: Dear Great and Loving God, please first reconcile people to Yourself just as You did first with Paul, then with Philemon, and then with Onesimus. Help Christians today to follow Paul’s example. He followed Christ’s pattern. Paul modeled what it means to be an intercessor. He came between Philemon’s justified wrath and Onesimus’s rightful punishment. He pleaded Onesimus’s case and offered to willingly assume his debt. Paul acted out of love and asked Philemon to demonstrate his love as well. Jesus, that is what You did for us. Thank You so much. May we do the same for others. AMEN
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will thank Jesus for living, dying, rising, and interceding so that I could be reconciled to God.
- I will ask God for which people or situation He wants me to intercede, then do it.
- I will ask God to whom He wants me to be reconciled, then do it.
- I will talk with someone and tell them how they can be reconciled to God.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.