Colossians 4:2-6

Wednesday, December 04, 2013          Colossians 4:2-6   

Paul begins this letter by assuring the Colossians that he is praying for their new church. He ends the letter asking the church to pray for him. Paul is helping the young church learn to take their share of responsibility for all that God is doing to advance his Kingdom, not just what God is doing in Colossae.

Paul is also demonstrating how important it is for Christian leaders to have the prayer support of the church. The pulpit in every church is a shared responsibility. The preacher is responsible for accurately proclaiming God’s Word. The people of the congregation are responsible for undergirding the preacher with prayer. If either wanes in their responsibility, the church suffers for lack of spiritual nourishment.

In the Book of James, we learn that we have not because we ask not, and we have not because we ask amiss. Paul is also teaching the young church how to pray. Here is how Paul prayed for the church:

“We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding.” “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” (Colossians1: 9, 11).

Here is how Paul asked the church to pray for him:

“Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should” (Colossians 4: 3-4).

Paul’s prayers are not about asking God for things, or asking God to change circumstances.

Paul’s prayers are about knowing Jesus, and advancing his kingdom.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Colossians 3:18 - 4:1

Tuesday, December 03, 2013     Colossians 3:18 - 4:1

When you read all of the Apostle Paul’s writings, it is very clear that he has the utmost respect for all people. Paul firmly believed that where Christ is present there is mutual respect, equality and unity. He was thoroughly liberated from the cultural norms of his male-dominated society. He was also a realist in knowing that society would not be advanced through one huge break with the past. However, when people began to learn how to let the message about Christ fill their lives, the ways of Christ would permeate their lives and began to shape all of their relationships.

In today’s passage, Paul is showing the church how to take their first steps toward integrating the truth of Christ into their lives: Wives submit to your husbands; husbands love your wives and never treat them harshly; children always obey your parents; fathers do not aggravate your children; slaves obey your earthly masters in everything you do, serve them sincerely and work willingly at whatever you do; and masters be just and fair to your slaves and remember that you also have a Master—in heaven. (Colossians 3:18 - 4:1)

Paul’s teaching was revolutionary and completely counter-cultural in Colossae. These words had the power to transform the Colossian culture and make for a strong foundation for the Kingdom of God. What these words could do then, they can still do today in our culture.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Colossians 3:12-17

Monday, December 02, 2013      Colossians 3:12-17

The gem mine is still open! Every verse in today’s passage is rich in wisdom and help for ordering our lives as fully-devoted followers of Jesus. This first verse shows us how grace leads to victory. Instead of trying very hard to discipline ourselves to not do something we know is sinful, our focus is on the virtues of the holy people God chose us to be: “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12). The more we keep our eyes on Jesus and focus our attention on these virtues, including above all, clothing ourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony (Colossians 3:14), the more the sinful temptations will drop by the wayside.

A byproduct of this lifestyle is peace. Jesus promised us his peace: “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). In verse 15, Paul reminds us that God intends for us to live with the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts.

The embracing of Paul’s encouragement in verse 16 is sorely needed in our churches today. When I survey the Christian landscape, the biggest distinction between churches that are flourishing for the cause of Christ and those that are not, is the degree to which Paul’s teaching in verse 16 is lived out: “Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” When we allow Jesus to fill our lives, our cup overflows into the lives of others and Christ is glorified and the Kingdom of God flourishes.

One more gem. You are an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), therefore, “whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Here I Raise Mine Ebenezer

Here I Raise Mine Ebenezer

This familiar line from the hymn, Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, has become very special to me since last Christmas. (The word Ebenezer means "stone of help" and was the name of a monument raised by the prophet Samuel, saying, "Thus far has the Lord helped us" (1 Sam. 7:12.)) I had retired in June 2012 after serving thirty-two years as a UM pastor in Florida. Since my wife, Cheryl, and I had lived in church parsonages all of our married life, the Christmas season was especially meaningful because the week after Thanksgiving we had moved into our first home. Then the phone rang.

A few weeks earlier Cheryl had been notified that the radiologist had found something suspicious on her mammogram. The re-test was inconclusive and a biopsy was scheduled. The hospital had called the day before and said the results were negative. On this day, we were going to be celebrating the good news with friends at a Celtic Christmas Concert. Then the phone rang. It was Cheryl’s doctor with news that the hospital had made an error. The biopsy was in fact positive for cancer. Cheryl was scheduled for surgery on January 9, 2013.

Five days after Cheryl’s surgery I felt tightness in my chest while working out at the Y. My doctor sent me to the hospital for an x-ray and blood tests and told me to wait there until he called. Then the phone rang. It was my doctor telling me to go to the ER where they would be expecting me.

“Why?”

“Because the blood tests revealed you are having a heart attack right now!”

Thirty minutes later I was riding in an ambulance to Mission Hospital for quadruple cardiac bypass surgery.

For the next three months Cheryl underwent radiation treatments and I went to cardiac rehab. Throughout this time we were enveloped in love and support by our pastors, our Sunday school class and our neighbors. Every need was met, even volunteers walking our dogs. For a while the scar in the center of my chest was a painful reminder of the ordeal we encountered last Christmas. Now the scar is my personal Ebenezer; a reminder that “God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

Alex M. Knight

Advent 2013

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.