Tag: Colossians

Posted in Bible study, From the Insideout, LGG Study, Quiet Time, The Importance of Prayer

Pray for Each Other

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The Importance of Prayer, Love God Greatly 2023, w1d5

Read: Romans 15:30 and Colossians 1:9-12; SOAP: Colossians 1:9

 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

Colossians 1:9-12

He has told us about the love for others that the Holy Spirit has given you.

Colossians 1:8
Devoted to Prayer

Paul’s devotion to prayer teaches us much about praying for others in this one little passage, even in just this one focus/soap verse. Starting with the very first word we learn that we are to pray with a purpose. “So”, or “For this reason”, as found in the NET is a word or phrase that indicates the need to look back in order to truly understand why Paul and Timothy haven’t stopped praying for the believers at Colossae. When we look back to verse 8, we find the answer is because they heard how the Colossian believer’s love for others, a love given to them by the Holy Spirit. When we share the common bond of love – in the Spirit, whom we have received through faith in Christ, we will be or should be drawn to pray for one another. If we look carefully at verse 9 we will see at least three other lessons worth noting and I believe implementing in our own prayer lives.

  • Pray with a purpose: “because of your love in the Spirit.” (8)
  • Pray with others: “we have not stopped praying for you” (9)
  • Pray faithfully: “We have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you“. (9)
  • Pray specifically and in accordance with God’s will: “We ask God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.“(9)

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.

Colossians 1:9

“I’ll pray for you” can easily become a trite statement, something we say as a Christian nicety but with very little or consistent follow through. However, I believe this passage, specifically verse 9, gives us cause to guard ourselves against the nicety of prayers and implement this example in our everyday prayer life. When we invest in the lives of other believers, like Paul teaches, we will make an impact not only in each other’s lives but in the way we live for God. We will be known to bear fruit and honor God, and we will develop and deepen a relationship with Him. We will find ourselves strengthened with His power, not lacking in endurance or patience, and filled with joy. Oh the blessing and privilege of praying for each other. May He find us faithful and may we find ourselves different because of it.

10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

Colossians 1:10-12

Reflection Questions:

  • Who are you praying for?
  • Do you pray with purpose and faithfulness?
  • Do you pray specifically and in accordance with God’s will?

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How can I pray for you? Please leave any prayer needs you have in the comment/reply box below.

Posted in From the Insideout, God is good, Prayer Starters, Quiet Time
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OVERFLOWING WITH THANKFULNESS

TODAY’S READING: COLOSSIANS 2:6-7 (SOAP: V7)

According to Paul, true thankfulness seems to overflow, not from the circumstances of our life, but from the FAITH we have been taught and placed in CHRIST. When we allow that faith to grow and deepen “into Him” then it becomes unshakable and thankfulness abounds in spite of life’s circumstances. –


MefromtheNsideout –
YOUR TURN: HOW CAN YOU LET THE ROOTS OF YOUR FAITH GROW DEEP INTO JESUS? I invite you to share your answer in the comment bar
Posted in Bible study, Choosing God Instead of the World, LGG Study
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KEEP ON SEEKING …

Week-2, Day-1 of Choosing God Instead Of The World, A Love God Greatly Study

Scripture Reading: Genesis 29:31-30:34 and (SOAP: Colossians 3:1-3)

Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Keep thinking about things above, not things on the earth, 3 for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  Colossians 3:1-3 NET
Observation:

If I had one of those fancy computers that allows you to circle words, highlight, draw arrows and make endless notes as though you were using a notebook or the pages of Scripture – I assure you, you would see circles and numerous colors of lines and highlights and notations all over this passage. I love marking up and making notes when I read God’s Word. I do it for a number of reasons but none more important than remembering what the Spirit (John 14:26) has shown me as I read.

In today’s passage, you would see the very first word circled with green and highlighted with yellow, along with arrows that point to notes in the margin alerting me to the fact that this verse connects to the previous chapter – where Paul was warning the Colossians to stand firm in their faith and be careful to not be captivated by the philosophies and thinking of this world.

Therefore, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and firm in your faith just as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 In him you also were circumcised—not, however, with a circumcision performed by human hands, but by the removal of the fleshly body, that is, through the circumcision done by Christ. 12 Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your faith in the power of God who raised him from the dead. Read more of Paul’s warnings on earthly things

Colossians 2:1-12 NET

I back-up because these three verses in chapter three will not make the impact intended by Paul if we don’t understand why we need to keep “seeking” and “thinking on” – things above. Equally important is the third instruction of Paul in these three verses – which is to NOT think about (dwell on) things on the earth. Why is it so important? Because when we are thinking or caught up with the things of the world our faith and godly standards can be easily shaken. Being “rooted and built up in Christ happens when we dwell on and with Him and His ways – and as Paul teaches here – when we “keep on (continually) seeking things above” (where Christ is seated beside God), and keep on (continually) thinking about things above” (where Christ is seated beside God). In other words, think about (dwell on) godly, spiritual things – in contrast to dwelling on the things pleasing to man, or the flesh. This takes great discipline because as citizens of this world we will no doubt have to give consideration to ‘earthly concerns’, but when our minds are filled with things above, the necessary worldly concerns that have to be dealt with will not over power us – rather the things above will over power them.

Application: How Then Should We Live

Paul answers this questions for us in today’s reading. “If [we] have been raised with Christ” we are to “keep seeking the things above“, things that are godly. We are to “keep thinking about things above“, things of God; and we should “not think about things on the earth”, or ungodly things as described by Paul later in chapter 3 of Colossians. 

5So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, evil desire, and greed which is idolatry.But now, put off all such things as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with its practices 10 and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of the one who created it.  Colossians 3:5,8-10  NET
Prayer: Response to God’s Word

Father, thank You for making those who have come to You by Faith in Christ new creations in Christ Jesus. So that we no longer live but Christ lives in us. As we seek to walk by faith help us to keep our eyes on Him – on His Way – and Your will. Guard our minds from dwelling on or being captivated by the ungodly activities and fleshly desires of this earth that we live on. When they tempt us, help us to remember we have died to this life and our real life is hidden with Christ – in You, our God! Amen and hallelujah!

THOUGHTS ON GENESIS 29:31-30:24

In the margins of this passage you would see words like drama, manipulation, jealousy, pride, control, weakness, guilt, warped thinking, never satisfied and discontent. In light of this synopsis,I couldn’t help but think how Jacob and his family would have greatly benefitted from Paul’s teaching.

Your Turn:
  • What are some of the great blessings God has given you? (list as many as you can)
  • Are you more likely to celebrate the blessings you have received or compare them to the blessings others have received from God?
  • How can you fight a spirit of comparison today?

What’s your take away from today’s journey?

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Posted in Bible study, LGG Study

Draw Near: Week 2 – Monday What’s the Genre?

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Today’s Scripture – Psalm 19:4-6; Colossians 2:1-10 (SOAP: Psalm 19:4-6)

Psalm 19:4-6

Their message has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a groom coming from the bridal chamber;
it rejoices like an athlete running a course.
6 It rises from one end of the heavens
and circles to their other end;
nothing is hidden from its heat.

Colossians 2:1-10

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person. 2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.[a] 3 All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.

Christ versus the Colossian Heresy

4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with persuasive arguments. 5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude.

8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elemental forces of the world, and not based on Christ. 9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature[b] dwells bodily[c] in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by Him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

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Jesus Our Everything: Week 3, Day 5

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Today’s Scripture: Hebrews 8:1-6: Colossians 1:15-20 (S.O.A.P Hebrews 8:6; Colossians. 1:17-18)

The High Priest of a Better Covenant

Now the main point of what we are saying is this:[a] We have such a high priest, one who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,[b] 2 a minister in the sanctuary and the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. 3 For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. So this one too had to have something to offer. 4 Now if he were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are already priests who offer[c] the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 The place where they serve is[d] a sketch[e] and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, just as Moses was warned by God as he was about to complete the tabernacle. For He says, “See that you make everything according to the design[f] shown to you on the mountain.”[g] 6 But[h] now Jesus[i] has obtained a superior ministry, since[j] the covenant that He mediates is also better and is enacted[k] on better promises.[l]

The Supremacy of Christ

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn[b] over all creation,[c]
16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in Him—all things, whether visible or invisible, whether thrones or dominions,[d] whether principalities or powers—all things were created through Him and for Him.
17 He Himself is before all things and all things are held together[e] in Him.
18 He is the head of the body, the church, as well as the beginning, the firstborn[f] from the dead, so that he Himself may become first in all things.[g]
19 For God[h] was pleased to have all His[i] fullness dwell[j] in the Son[k]
20 and through Him to reconcile all things to himself by making peace through the blood of his cross—through Him,[l] whether things on earth or things in heaven.

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