praying effectively: Make the Most of Opportunities (Col.4:5-6)

(Colossians 4:5-6)  Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:

- that we use wisdom while we are around unbelievers (4:5)

- that we always speak with grace (4:6)

- that we respond to unbelievers with the right words (4:6)

- that we make the most of every opportunity when we are with unbelievers (4:5)

Today's prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your grace and Your guidance.  Please give us the opportunities to share the gospel, and give us the right words to use.  Help us to always put Your grace and wisdom into practice, for everything we say and do, no matter where we are.  If we are doing what we should all the time, then we will be a living testimony to those around us.  May unbelievers see the difference You make in our lives and desire to learn more about You.  Amen.

praying effectively: Devotes Yourself to Pray (Col.4:2-4)

(Colossians 4:2-4)  Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:

- that we devote ourselves to prayer (4:2)

- that we stay alert in prayer so that our requests are thoughtful, sincere, wise, applicable... (4:2)

- that we always pray with an attitude of thanksgiving (4:2)

- that we pray for not just ourselves, but for other believers, including missionaries and our spiritual preachers and teachers (4:3)

- that we ask for doors to open, with opportunities to share the gospel message (4:3)

- that we ask God for the right words to use when He gives us opportunities to present the gospel message (4:3-4)

Today's prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your guidance and Your faithful presence.  May we not take that for granted.  Remind us that we can and should go to You for everything, in prayer and with an attitude of thankfulness.  Help us stay focused as we speak with You in our prayers.  Bring to mind things we should be praying for.  And give us insight into situations, so we may be praying effectively, in Your will.

Bless the efforts of pastors, spiritual leaders and teachers and missionaries.  Guide them to know how to use their time efficiently and effectively in their full time service to You.  Let them see the fruit of their labors.  And if that is not possible, give them the encouragement and confidence to know that their work is not in vain.  Help them to differentiate their personal time from their "work" time so that they do not grow complacent or weary.  Help them to know that just because they are not "working", their Christian walk with You should not take a break.

And help laypeople to realize that we should never put aside our Christian walk, even when we are at work.  Give us wisdom to not squander our employers' time and money.  Help us understand that even how we work, can be a testimony to all those around us.  Help us to trust that You will give us opportunities which are fitting to the situation.   

Give us the opportunities, no matter where we are, and help us see clearly when those doors are opened.  May we always be ready, and guide us to rely on You to give us the right words to share You and Your word, to Your glory.  Amen.

   

praying effectively: Work on Relationships (Col.3:12-4:1)

(Colossians 3:12-25)  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

18 Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be embittered against them. 20 Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. 21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.

22 Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. 25 For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.

(Colossians 4:1)  Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven. 

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:

- that wives should respect and listen to their husbands, unless it is outside of God's will (3:18)

- that husbands should love their wives (3:19)

- that husbands do not resent their wives (3:19)

- that parents do not exasperate their children (3:21)

- that children always respect and listen to their parents (3:20)

- that employees work diligently for their employers with sincere hearts (3:22)

- that employers treat their employees fairly and justly, as to serve and please God (4:1)

- that we do everything heartily as to serve and please God, not with the mindset of earning favor with others (3:23-24)

- that we let the word of Christ richly dwell within us (3:16)

- that we teach and guide one another in Christ's wisdom, with God's words, and spiritual songs (3:16)

- that we continually try to accept and get along with our fellow believers (3:13)

- that we continually forgive our fellow believers, as Jesus forgives us (3:13)

- that we always live in unity with our fellow believers (3:14-15)

- that we always love our fellow believers (3:14)

- that we let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts (3:15)

- that we put on a heart of compassion (3:12)

- that we put on a heart of kindness (3:12)

- that we put on a heart of humility (3:12)

- that we put on a heart of gentleness (3:12)

- that we put on a heart of patience (3:12)

- that we are thankful (3:15)

- that we sing with heartfelt thankfulness to God (3:16)

- that we express our thankfulness to God (3:17)

- that we desire to glorify Christ in whatever we say and do (3:17)

Today's prayer:

 

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for Your forgiveness, grace, love and guidance.  May our hearts always be opened to hearing Your word, and letting You change us from the inside out, so that we will desire to carry out Your will with steadfast and sincere hearts.  

Help us put all these things into practice - towards all those around us - and most especially to our fellow believers.  May the world see You through Your children, as they live in Your peace, love and unity.  Guide us with every step we take, so that whatever we say and do will be done to Your glory.  Amen.

praying effectively: Strive to Please the Lord (Col.1:3-29)

(Colossians 1:3-29)  We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5 because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6 which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7 just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8 and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, 22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. 25 Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God, 26 that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, 27 to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. 29 For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. 

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:

- that we are filled with the knowledge of God's will, and wisely understand how to apply it at a spiritual level (1:9)

- that we are constantly learning more and more about God (1:10)

- that our motive is to please the Lord in whatever we think, say and do (1:10)

- that we walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (1:10)

- that we do good works which bear fruit (1:10)

- that we ask God to strengthen us by His glorious might (1:11)

- that we ask for God's strength to remain steadfast (1:11)

- that we ask for God's strength to remain patient (1:11)

- that we ask for God's strength to remain joyously thankful to our heavenly Father (1:11-12)

Today's prayer:

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for all that You have done for us, and for all that You do.  Thank You for sending Your only Son to complete the work on the cross so that we could be part of Your family, without any fear of being disowned or neglected. 

Guide us in knowing You better.  Guide us in knowing that we can trust You completely.  Help us realize that You are a heavenly Father who is more than kind and generous!  Our finite brains are incapable of comprehending just how great You are, or what You are able to do, or how You are willing to help us!  You will never tire of us.  Help us never tire of You.  May we constantly be asking You for Your wisdom and strength in all things, all to Your glory and praise.  Amen. 

praying effectively: Seek After the Things Above (Col.2:8-3:11)

(Colossians 2:8-23)  See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day— 17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

20 If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.

(Colossians 3:1-11)  Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— 11 a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:

- that we do not set our minds on earthly things (3:2)

- that we put aside anger, wrath and evil intent (3:8)

- that we do not slander or speak abusively (3:8)

- that we do not lie (3:9)

- that we are not distracted or deceived into listening to, or practicing, or believing in empty philosophies or wrong doctrines (2:8, 16-19)

- that we do not become legalistic, thinking that we have to live by do's and don'ts (2:20-22)

- that we are not to judge or be judged by others as to ethical standards set by people, but we are to look to Christ and the Bible for our standards and judgment  (2:16-17)

- that as believers, we should consider our flesh dead to sin (3:5)

- that we put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge of Christ who created us (3:10)

 - that we keep seeking after Christ, and the things above (3:1-2)

Today's prayer:

 

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for saving us from ourselves.  Thank You for saving us from Your wrath.  Thank You for dying for our sins, so that our sins may forever be forgiven as soon as we put our faith in You.  Thank You for rising again so that we can have new life in You, and eternal security.  Thank You for changing us from the inside out.

Help us to realize that as we confess the sins which we struggling with, that You are faithful and will deliver us from its grip.  Help us to realize that the things of this earth are not important.  Convict our hearts to put aside our sinful desires.  Guide us to continually seek after You, and the things which please You.  Amen.