COLOSSIANS 1:9-14 REDEMPTION AND FORGIVENESS THROUGH THE SON

Passage:

Colossians 1:9-14 

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,^[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹² and giving joyful thanks to the Father,who has qualified you^[b] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Notes

Just like Paul prays for the people of Colossae, We need to pray to the Lord 

- to understand His will through the wisdom and understanding that the Holy Spirit gives us so that we can live a life pleasing to the Lord and bear much fruit. 

- to be strengthened by Him to have endurance and patience.

- to thank Him for the inheritance to the Kingdom of light where we have redemption and forgivenes of sins through the Son who rescued us.

Prayer

Abba Father, 

You rescued me from darkness and gave me the inheritance to your kingdom where there is redemption and forgiveness. I have not done anything to deserve this. It is only by your grace. Enable me to surrender myself to your will and operate on your strength. I thank you for rescuing me from eternal death and planting this Hope in me. I seek your blessings to share this joy with others. Help me to overcome my weaknesses and proclaim the good news to all the people you have placed in my sphere of influence. 

In Jesus matchless name

Amen

COLOSSIANS 1:3-8 FAITH AND LOVE FROM THE HOPE GIVEN IN THE GOSPEL

COL 1:3-8

PASSAGE

³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— ⁵ the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel ⁶ that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.⁷ You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant,^[a] who is a faithful minister of Christ on our^[b] behalf, ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Notes

The gospel was proclaimed to each of us through faithful ministers of His word. The gospel gave us the hope of heaven and what is in store for us . From this hope, faith in Christ and love for God's people sprang up in our hearts. In the same way that the gospel bore fruit in us, it is growing throughout the world. Let us also be a part of this great commission and provide hope to a world which is groping around in darkness.

Prayer:

Abba Father, Thank you for using your precious ministers to spread to gospel. I bless them in your precious name. I would never have experienced your love and care, had this not happened. Enable me also to spread your love to others. Let the hope that is in me bubble up with love for your people so that I can lead them to you. Lead me to the right persons and put the right words and the right actions in me so that I make them understand your grace. I seek your will to do this and trust in the   Holy Spirit to lead me at all times.    
In your awesome name I pray
Amen!

COLOSSIANS 1:1-2 GRACE AND PEACE - A GREETING FROM PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS

Col 1:1-2

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

² To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters^[a] in Christ:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

^Notes:

 In this letter to Colossians also, Paul addresses himself as an apostle. But he is not putting honor on himself but only because it was the will of God. He calls the people of Colossae 'God's Holy people' and as 'faithful brothers and sisters in Christ'. This letter applies to us also who are God's chosen people in Christ. Let us also be able to get the same label of 'faithful in Christ'. Grace and Peace can be granted by God alone. 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, how lucky I am to be chosen by you! Just like how Paul is so clear about your will, Enable me to understand your will in my life and move accordingly in that direction. Bless me to be faithful to you at all times in all that I do. I know that grace and peace are your gifts alone and I seek for these to reign in my life. 

In your matchless name I pray

Amen

Phil 4:10-13 BE SATISFIED IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES

Phil 4:10-13

¹⁰ I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. ¹¹ I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. ¹² I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Notes: Paul teaches through these beautiful verses how important it is to be content in every situation. He is the right person to give this testimony since he came from a well off background. He threw away everything for the gospel. He knows what it means to live in plenty and also how to live with bear minimum. He has learned to find contentment whatever the situation is. He seals this testimony with an awesome verse that his contentment and satisfaction is only because the Lord strengthens him and not by his own merit.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, In Psalms 23, you teach us that you are our shepherd and hence we will not be in want. Enable me to be satisfied in every situation. I confess that I am a complainer and mostly unsatisfied. But with your strength I want to eradicate this and be content with whatever you have given me. Bless me to overlook any greed or dissatisfaction and put my focus on you alone. Thank you for your mercy and love
In Jesus' precious name
Amen

Phil 4:8-9 Filter your thoughts

Phil 4:8-9

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Notes:

Paul speaks about the nature of our thoughts and 8 guiding principles of how it shud it be:

* true 

* noble

* right

* pure

* lovely 

* admirable

* excellent

* praiseworthy

     These 8 principles should be like a filter for our thoughts. If what we think or meditate on, does not fall into these category then 'out it goes'. Most of our actions are based on the way we think. If we are angry inside we tend to do things angrily and everything will upset us. Similarly these positive thoughts will have a positive impact on our actions.

        Paul goes on to explain that we should put to practice what we have learned, received, seen or heard from him. It would make us hypocrites to read the word, understand it and not put it to practice. We need to grow more into His image each day and we can do this only by living out what the word teaches us. 

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, enable me to filter my thoughts and meditate only on those which is pleasing to you as you have taught in these verses. I seek to obey the Holy Spirit who guides me each and every moment. Help me to 'take captive of every thought' so that I obey you (2 Cor 10:5) Guide me to put to practice all that you are teaching me and also be a blessing to others.

In Jesus mighty name

Amen

Phil 4:4-7 REJOICE ALWAYS - JOY NOT BASED ON ONE'S CIRCUMSTANCES

Philippians 4:4-7

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 

⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 

⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

 ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Notes:

 Paul was imprisoned when he writes this letter to the Philippians. He is the last person who should be talking about happiness and rejoicing. But that’s the valuable lesson we learn here. Joy is not based on our circumstances, it is based on the hope we hold in the Lord.

         Our nature should not be that we are saints in the church and a different person to the outside world. We are to be gentle to all. The Christ in us should be evident wherever we go or whoever we meet. The coming of the Lord is not too far. How can we hide the hypocrisy from the Lord if we show favor only to few people. If the love of the Lord overflows in us then we love everyone unconditionally.

 Any situation that we worry about, we should bring it to the Lord in prayer with a lot of gratitude that the Lord is in control and He will do the needful. If we pray about it and then worry about it then it really is equal to distrusting the Lord. Once we have laid down our burdens on the Lord, His peace takes over our heart and mind and we are at complete peace. Only the precious Lord alone can provide such peace. No man or thing can provide us this everlasting peace.

Prayer:

Abba Father,

Thank you for teaching me a lot of valuable truths from this passage. Enable me to rejoice in you at all times whatever maybe my situation and bring all the troubles to you in prayer. I know that you are wonderful father who listens to me and knows what is right for me and I do not need to fear. Enable my faith and trust in you to increase day by day. I want to let go dependency on my strength and abilities and put my complete trust in you alone. I seek your blessings to show the ‘Christ in me’ wherever I maybe. Let me be able to give glory to you alone in all that happens in my life.

In Jesus matchless name

AMEN

Phil 4:1-3 Stand firm in the Lord and be of one mind

Phil 4:1-3

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends! 2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, my true companion, help these women since they have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

Notes:

Paul talks here of two women who are not getting along very well. He pleads with them to ‘be of the same mind’. Their purpose was the same - to spread the gospel. But they could not go get along very well. It is a possibility that during our journey as believers we meet other believers who are different. The love and passion for Christ may the same but their attitudes, way of ministering, way of living may be different. But instead of having an attitude of judgement and hatred, let us reconcile with each other and focus on Christ and His will in our life. The enemy can even use other believers to distract us from our purpose in life. Let this not happen to us. Like Paul says in Phil 3:14 Let us press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called us. 

Prayer:

Abba Father, I confess that many a times I have judged believers for their action and attitudes. You teach me here that they are not the ones I need to look upon and criticize, but my eyes need to be on you alone and what you teach me. I need to be more like you and hence my focus should only be on you. Enable me to reconcile with other believers and also help them in our journey together to do the tasks you entrusted us with. Fill me with your love so that I may look upon others only with love. 

In Jesus’ mighty name 

AMEN